"Huh?! What am I seeing?!"
"Am I still asleep?! Yu Ling is doing a livestream?!"
"No announcement, just dropping a preview stream out of nowhere? Damn, even Yu Ling is keeping up with trends now!"
"Is there a chance… we might actually see the developer Yu Ling's real appearance in this stream?!"
"What are you waiting for? Get in here!!"
"Nice, nice! Today's another day where Star Rail dominates the hype!"
Inside the livestream, the viewer count skyrocketed from an initial 100,000—
To 1 million.
Then 5 million.
50 million.
100 million
500 million….
Players from across the universe rapidly gathered in this first-ever livestream.
The Show Begins
The scene that unfolded before all players was a Master pavilion atop the clouds.
The pavilion resembled a jade palace, with a sea of blossoms stretching beyond the windows. Two figures stood by the railing outside, facing each other—
As if on the verge of clashing!
The man on the left radiated a cyan glow, ripples of water faintly spreading around him.
The woman on the right shimmered with violet light, constellations flickering briefly around her.
As the mist dispersed, their appearances became clear to all.
Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae.
Fu Xuan, Master Diviner of the Xianzhou Luofu.
Both of them let out uncertain murmurs, simultaneously retracting their battle-ready stances.
Dan Heng spoke first. "Fu Xuan of the Divination Commission… Why are we here?"
Fu Xuan's fingers twitched as she began calculating, her expression darkening slightly.
"This is a dream. We've been forcibly pulled into this unique dreamscape by some power."
"An entity capable of this level of manipulation…"
The moment this scene played out—
The livestream exploded.
"HOLY— ARE THESE THE REAL PEOPLE?!"
"Master Diviner, I thought you were asleep—turns out you were dragged into a dream preview stream?!"
"You call this a preview stream? You just brought the actual characters here?! Who does things like this?!"
"I can only say… absolutely legendary."
"My admiration for Yu Ling has reached new heights!"
"This is peak content!"
Before Dan Heng could say more, a voice echoed from above.
"Welcome, both of you, to the Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.3 Preview Livestream."
"I am your host for today—Yu Ling."
A golden beam of light descended.
Tatsuke appeared before the two of them.
Dan Heng and Fu Xuan stiffened in shock.
That name—
It was enough to send a jolt through anyone's heart!
When a legendary figure suddenly materialized before them, their first reaction was disbelief.
And the livestream audience?
It was like someone had dropped a bomb in the chat.
"HOLY—!!"
"BRO IS HIM!!"
"To witness Yu Ling's true form in my lifetime… I can die in peace."
"The dominance of Nanook, the gentleness of Yaoshi, the resolve of Qlipoth… I never expected Yu Ling to embody all of this!"
"Even my peak handsomeness pales in comparison!"
"When are you adding yourself into the game?!"
Tatsuke casually waved his hand.
The three of them instantly teleported from the outdoor pavilion to an elegant chamber.
A table appeared before them, adorned with refreshments.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable."
"I've invited you both here today to showcase the upcoming version's content."
"If either of you feels uncomfortable at any point, you're free to leave."
Dan Heng and Fu Xuan exchanged glances.
The shock on their faces slowly faded as they processed the situation.
Leaving?
Absolutely not.
This was Yu Ling—the developer whose game had shaken the cosmos!
A public livestream like this was an unprecedented event!
Their eyes locked onto Tatsuke, as if trying to dissect every detail of his existence.
Five seconds later, Tatsuke continued.
"Since there are no objections, let's begin."
"First—the new playable character: Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae."
As he spoke, the sea of clouds outside shifted.
A figure appeared mid-air, seated in meditation.
Eyes gently closed.
The Azure Dragon's tail slowly unfurled.
Ripples formed beneath him as a colossal cyan dragon surged from the depths!
Dan Heng's pupils contracted.
That figure in the clouds… was himself.
When playing the game, he hadn't felt it as viscerally. But now, seeing his own likeness in a preview stream—
The sensation was profoundly surreal.
Tatsuke began his introduction.
"This is Dan Heng, having embraced the power left behind by his past incarnation—the Imbibitor Lunae."
"To wear the horns of the past is to inherit both its glories and its burdens."
"Yet from beginning to end… he has never been that person."
Dan Heng's breath hitched.
Was this Yu Ling's assessment of him?
Brief, yet piercingly accurate—summarizing the tangled threads of his past and present.
Recalling the game's storyline, Dan Heng's gaze toward Tatsuke softened with gratitude.
"Yu Ling… I must thank you for how you've portrayed [Dan Heng] in the narrative."
He wanted to say more, but the words condensed into a simple, heartfelt—
"Thank you."
Tatsuke smiled.
"No need for thanks. I merely polish what already exists in this world and present it to all of you."
Dan Heng nodded.
He wasn't one for Master expressions.
But Honkai: Star Rail had given his experiences meaning—
And that understanding meant everything to him.
Tatsuke continued.
"The second character joining the gacha is—"
"The confident, forthright genius who leads the Xianzhou Luofu's Divination Commission."
"With her Third Eye and the Omniscia Matrix, she charts the Luofu's course and divines fortune from misfortune."
"Fu Xuan awaits the day the General fulfills his promise to [pass the mantle]… though that day seems ever distant."
The moment her introduction finished—
Fu Xuan shot up from her seat.
"It's me?!"
"Yu Ling, is this why you invited me—ahem—why you summoned me without prior notice?!"
"I must say… that last line could've been omitted."
"Let me make this clear—"
"If my in-game skills don't meet my expectations, I won't be as forgiving as Dan Heng in accepting this portrayal!"
She crossed her arms, trying to maintain an air of dignified composure.
Meanwhile, the livestream chat erupted.
"Fu Xuan trying to act composed in front of Yu Ling is adorable!"
"Next patch has Imbibitor Lunae AND Fu Xuan?! My wallet is in danger!"
"What Path will Fu Xuan be? The Hunt? Or… Erudition?"
"She doesn't seem like a frontline fighter. Yu Ling will probably make her a support."
"Please don't tell me she's Abundance. If the Luofu's Master Diviner is aligned with Abundance, the irony would be insane! Even Fu Xuan wouldn't stand for that!"
To be continued…
Guys, I don't have a direct way to contact my Patreon members, so I'm leaving a small note here in the hope that my members will read it. Due to some technical issues from Patreon's end, my page has been temporarily suspended. Hopefully, it will be restored in a span of 3 or so business days. So, I request everyone to be patient and await my return there! Thank you!