[Xiao Guizi's Livestream] [Title: Farewell, Penacony]
Inside the livestream—
Guinaifen waved at the camera with a smile. "Welcome, new family members~"
"Why aren't you streaming Honkai: Star Rail today?"
Seeing the chat's questions, Guinaifen sighed helplessly.
"It's not like I have a choice!"
"You all know what's been happening in Penacony recently!"
"Powerhouses from across the universe have gathered at the Reverie Hotel, and the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife!"
"The Family has evacuated all guests to ensure their safety while they deal with 'Acheron.'"
"And yes, that includes yours truly."
"Why isn't the streamer joining the operation against Acheron?"
Guinaifen leaned closer to the screen, looking exasperated.
"I know my limits, okay? I'm not about to throw myself into that mess!"
With that, she switched to her rear camera, showing her surroundings.
"Can you all see this?"
"This is Penacony's interstellar docking area—it's packed with starships and vessels right now…"
"Most of the guests have already left. The only ones staying behind are those with actual combat capabilities."
"I had a livestreaming contract with the Iris Family, but because of this incident, it had to be suspended. The Family even compensated me for the breach."
"Technically, I could just leave with the crowd, but… I can't help feeling a little unwilling!"
"I really want to know what's happening inside the Reverie Hotel right now!"
The camera panned to the other side—the checkpoint leading to the hotel, now heavily guarded.
Anyone entering had to undergo strict inspections.
Unauthorized personnel? No chance of getting close.
And right now, Guinaifen was very much unauthorized.
"Is Xiao Guizi trying to be a war correspondent now?"
"Hahaha, of course not!"
"I am leaving!"
"Who knows how insane the upcoming battle will be? It's bound to be apocalyptic!"
But despite her words, she kept sneaking glances at the checkpoint, as if searching for an alternative way in.
The chat immediately exploded with messages.
"She's too dedicated! Even now, she's still thinking about streaming the inside of the Reverie Hotel!"
"Everyone else is scrambling to escape, but Xiao Guizi's really built different!"
"If it were me, I'd want to see it too. A showdown like this is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle!"
"Guess we'll have to wait for official reports to find out what happens."
"Nah, not necessarily…"
"I heard a leaker from the 'Insider Forum' is joining the operation."
"He'll probably record the whole thing and upload it later."
"Assuming he survives, that is."
Seeing the chat's discussion, Guinaifen's eyes lit up.
She quickly opened the "Insider Forum" and saw a new update.
But what she found left her stunned.
Just two minutes ago—
A user, the very same "insider" the chat had mentioned, had posted something new.
[I'm in shock! Acheron is actually on the Express Crew's side!!!]
The post only had a title and a short attached video.
It was clear the uploader had been in a hurry—and utterly shocked.
Guinaifen blinked.
"Wait… so Acheron is an ally?!"
She immediately played the video.
It showed Acheron stepping forward, standing protectively in front of the Express Crew.
She drew her crimson blade—
And faced the golden rain of chips alone.
The livestream fell silent for a moment.
Then, the screen flooded with question marks.
"???"
"?????"
"????!??"
Clearly, everyone who saw the footage was just as stunned.
Guinaifen's expression shifted from shock to pure excitement.
"I'm not leaving!"
"Why the hell would I leave now?!"
"I knew Acheron was a good person all along!"
"Just look at her aura! Her presence! She's clearly our most reliable ally!"
The chat erupted in realization.
"We were all wrong about Acheron!"
"She's practically confirmed to be an Emanator of Nihility!"
"If she's really on our side… I can't even imagine how strong the enemy would have to be to survive a single slash from her!"
"Wait, is that Aventurine in the sky, opening the Golden Vault?!"
"What the hell is Director Aventurine thinking, picking a fight with Acheron?!"
"Dude, weren't you all calling Acheron the mastermind earlier?"
"How do you explain this?!"
"She literally drew her sword to protect the Express Crew!"
"Haters, explain yourselves!"
"I was wrong… I'll kowtow to everyone…"
"I just never expected someone that powerful to be on our side! We've never had it this good!"
"She's an Emanator of Nihility! Of course people would assume the worst when they first heard the title!"
"Sniff… Acheron is too strong! The moment she stood in front of the Express Crew, I felt safe!"
"Acheron's reputation just did a complete 180!"
"She never did anything wrong—it was all you conspiracy theorists overcomplicating things!"
"I blame Yu Ling for part of this. The early Penacony story was basically Among Us—I suspected everyone!"
More viewers expressed their amazement and guilt.
Of course, the whole "Acheron incident" had been fueled by the Family's manipulations.
But now, with this video, all suspicions against her had been cleared.
Confirmed—Acheron was an ally of the Express Crew!
"Holy crap, this news is huge!"
"HAHAHAHA AN EMANATOR IS ON OUR SIDE!"
"We've never had it this easy!"
"So… will Acheron be playable?"
"Of course she will!"
"Me first—I'm pulling no matter what!"
"What Path do you think she'll be? Probably Nihility, right?"
"But Nihility characters in-game aren't that strong yet…"
"Meta? Didn't Duke Inferno and Black Swan already prove her strength?"
"So if Acheron isn't the final boss… then who is?"
Back at the Reverie Hotel—
After watching the video, the crowd buzzed with discussion.
At the front, Sunday's gaze darkened.
He turned to Aventurine beside him.
Golden light flickered in his eyes as an invisible pressure weighed down.
"Mr. Aventurine," he said coldly, "I demand an explanation."
"Unless I'm mistaken, in that video, you borrowed the authority of an Emanator of Preservation through your Cornerstone, activating a 'Mandatory Enforcement' form."
"And you declared your intent to 'overturn this dream and create the grandest death'… correct?"
"You'd best choose your words carefully. Otherwise… the Family will have no choice but to restrain a dangerous individual like you on our own territory."
The moment Sunday finished speaking—
The Family's security forces shifted their aim.
From Acheron… to Aventurine.
Aventurine froze.
He never expected the situation to flip so quickly.
Now, he was the one under scrutiny.
With a wry smile, he raised his hands.
"Well… talk about being caught in the crossfire, huh?"
To be continued…