Chapter 52: No Conspiracy Behind the Stellaron Hunters? Even Feathered Spirit Doesn't Buy It!
The story continued to unfold.
When Kafka claimed the Stellaron explosion had nothing to do with them, March 7th scoffed in disbelief.
"Who would buy that? There's no way it's a coincidence—right as the Stellaron detonates, you show up... And since when do we owe the Stellaron Hunters any trust? Why should we care about your innocence?"
"We should seal the Stellaron and help the Xianzhou."
"We could earn a favor from the Stellaron Hunters."
"What's in it for us?"
Streamer Little Gui Zi chose the second option.
March 7th crossed her arms defiantly.
"No way! I'm not listening to her—the Alliance is powerful enough to handle a Stellaron on their own! We're the Astral Express Crew, not some Stellaron-sealing experts!"
Kafka remained unfazed. "Of course, you're free to walk away. The Stellaron hasn't corrupted this sector yet—if you warp now, you can still reach the next world. But given time, this star route will be blocked again."
"Let me reveal what awaits: if you don't go to the Luofu, the Stellaron will eventually consume the entire Xianzhou, costing nearly half its population..."
"Surely the valiant Trailblazer and the noble Nameless wouldn't stand by and let that happen."
"...And your comrade, Blade—he won't escape unscathed either, will he?" Himeko interjected.
"That's not something I can answer," Kafka replied smoothly.
"Here are the coordinates. The choice is yours."
"Even with opposing goals, the paths of stars will cross. Farewell."
With that, Kafka's hologram flickered out.
Streamer Little Gui Zi let out a sigh. "Somehow… Kafka's gone from a terrifying extremist in my mind to just… a morally gray woman now?"
"I don't even feel that much hostility toward her anymore."
"Wait—what's happening? Did her words manipulate me without me realizing?!"
"Same here, streamer!"
"Himeko and Kafka are both stunning—how can I choose?!"
"Why didn't you say anything when you boarded?! Kafka, don't you love me?!"
"She's the one who woke us up! Would a 'mom' like her ever harm us?"
Reading the flood of unexpectedly supportive comments, Kafka blinked before chuckling softly.
"This new generation of netizens is… fascinating."
Throughout the story, Kafka had committed every imaginable crime—infiltrating the space station, implanting the Stellaron into the protagonist, hijacking the Express' comms…
She'd expected a wave of condemnation. Instead, the response was… the opposite.
Was this the charm of Honkai: Star Rail?
March 7th huffed. "Hey! That smug look on your face is downright shameless!"
"Let me make this clear—those opinions are just a vocal minority!"
"Most of us are still rational and objective—myself included!"
"I don't buy your excuses for a second."
"If the Stellaron Hunters were truly innocent… why would Feathered Spirit frame the story like this from the start?"
"Just wait. Once all players see the truth of your schemes, let's see if there's any corner of the galaxy left for you!"
Rather than taking offense, Kafka smirked, almost amused.
"I admire your spirit, little girl."
"So," she mused, "if future events prove our innocence, you'd believe us?"
March 7th planted her hands on her hips. "Hmph! That depends on whether Feathered Spirit writes it that way."
Suddenly, Dan Heng—silent until now—stepped forward. His sharp gaze pinned Kafka in place as he spoke coldly:
"You're lying."
"First, a Stellaron explosion alone wouldn't cause the devastation you described unless outside forces interfered."
"Second, regarding Blade… I know him. His resilience is unmatched. A mere Stellaron blast couldn't kill him."
"Your story doesn't hold up, Kafka."
"There's another reason you're luring us to the Luofu."
March 7th nearly clapped in triumph as Kafka fell silent.
"Well said, Dan Heng!" she cheered. "What's your excuse now, Kafka?"
Kafka's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Dan Heng. "...Another deviation caused by the game's progression?" he muttered.
"This time, you weren't supposed to be here..."
"Hey! No whispering!" March 7th cut in. "Planning to run now that your lies are exposed?"
Kafka straightened, her demeanor shifting.
"Fine. You're right," he admitted. "The Stellaron Hunters did have ulterior motives. But because of Honkai: Star Rail, our carefully laid script has been disrupted."
"This time, I'm not making a suggestion—it's a request."
"Blade is imprisoned in the Luofu's Shackling Prison. Help me free him, and the Stellaron Hunters will reward you accordingly."
The crew exchanged glances—everyone but Dan Heng, who had anticipated this.
Of course Blade couldn't escape alone. Kafka's confession only confirmed it.