March 7th and Dan Heng, along with Stelle and the rescued Arlan, finally arrived at the relatively safe Master Control Zone.
When that familiar, red-haired, and elegant figure appeared in the center of the screen, the chat in Black Cat’s livestream was instantly flooded with overwhelming nostalgia and excitement.
“Teacher Himeko!!!”
“Auntie Himeko!
It’s a living Auntie Himeko!”
“Throw the person above who called her ‘Auntie’ out!
Is ‘Auntie’ something you can just call her?
That’s my wife!”
“Tears in my eyes!”
On screen, Himeko walked toward Stelle with a smile on her face.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” “I am Himeko, the Navigator of the Astral Express.
Has March caused you any trouble along the way?”
At this moment, March 7th, standing to the side, instantly placed her hands on her hips.
Her pink and blue eyes narrowed “threateningly” as she stared at Stelle, drawing out her tone: “Hmm—?
You better think carefully before you answer~”
Three options popped up on the screen at just the right moment:
[1.
I haven’t seen such a reckless girl.] [2.
I haven’t seen such a lively girl.] [3.
Then I’d better give up on answering.]
“Does that even need thinking?” Black Cat chuckled, and her mouse clicked on the first option without hesitation.
In the game, Stelle answered: “I haven’t seen such a reckless girl.”
“Hey!” March 7th puffed out her cheeks, but then scratched the back of her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“Aiya, that’s just my personality!
Besides, I didn’t cause any trouble this time.”
Just then, a crisp notification sound rang out from March 7th.
She let out an “Eh?” and pulled out her phone.
The camera zoomed in on the phone screen, revealing the chat app interface.
The contact’s name was clearly marked as—”Sister Selene ♦”.
The other person sent a simple, cute wink emoji.
March 7th’s eyes lit up, and her fingers tapped away on the phone screen.
The player could see the content of her chat box:
March 7th: Sister Selene!
What was that self-destruct skill you used just now?
It was so cool!
It was almost an instant reply.
March 7th: Is that so…
Then can Sister Selene teach me something else?
I’m actually quite eager to learn!
Sister Selene: Sure~ (Smiling emoji)
Thus, in this somewhat critical situation, the pink-haired girl held her phone, leaned against the wall, and tapped her fingers incessantly, a happy curve on her lips.
If a player didn’t immediately push forward with the main story, but instead curiously controlled Stelle to walk over to March 7th, a dialogue would be triggered.
[What are you doing?]
March 7th didn’t even look up and replied casually: “I’m chatting with Sister Selene.”
[Sister Selene?]
“She’s on the same Astral Express as us, and she’s a huge beauty!” March 7th finally looked up and gave Stelle a bright smile, her tone filled with undisguised closeness and admiration, before quickly lowering her head to look at her phone screen again, clearly enjoying the chat.
Dialogue ended.
“Sister Selene…
Selene?”
“Are they that close?”
“March 7th: Sister Selene!
Hugs!”
“Hurry up and let her make a real appearance!
Not the kind that can self-destruct.”
“When is she entering the banner…”
Black Cat also rubbed her chin, thoughtful: Self-destruct, what Destiny would this Kiana from Honkai: Star Rail be on?
She glanced at March 7th, who was still engrossed in her phone chat, smiled, and controlled Stelle to walk toward Asta and Himeko in front of the master control console, preparing to continue the story.
Just as Stelle reached Himeko and Asta, before she could hear their conversation clearly—
“Woo—woo—woo—!!!”
The Space Station’s alarm sounded.
On the huge holographic screen of the master control console, the surveillance footage from outside the Space Station was forced to pop up.
In the deep cosmic background, a terrifying giant beast of suffocating size was using its hard limbs to crash into the Space Station’s energy shield again and again.
That is…
the Doomsday Beast!
Asta looked at Himeko instantly.
“You take the Astral Express and leave; I will stay.”
“But…” March 7th still wanted to say something.
“We are leaving.” Himeko interrupted March 7th and looked at the still somewhat bewildered Stelle, reaching out her hand, “You come too.”
Meanwhile, inside the Astral Express.
By the observation window, Selene turned her wheelchair and exchanged a glance with Welt, who was standing to the side.
Selene nodded gently: “Be ready to act at any time.”
Time flew by.
On Black Cat’s side, the story had already advanced to the battle against the Doomsday Beast on the platform.
“Guys, watch my skills!” Black Cat said confidently.
Black Cat’s gameplay occasionally drew “friendly advice” and “haha” sounds from the chat, but she still successfully—albeit in a thrilling way, “clinging to the very last sliver of HP”—cleared the Doomsday Beast’s health bar.
“Look!
I passed it!” Black Cat breathed a sigh of relief, only to be immediately flooded with comments like “Almost wiped!” and “The streamer must be sweating buckets!” She retorted: “This is called strategy!
Passing with a limit-break is for the show’s effect!”
However, the Doomsday Beast did not truly fall.
The moment its HP was cleared, the cutscene triggered!
Its broken body erupted with final strength, and a fatal attack was aimed directly at March 7th!
At the critical moment, Stelle almost instinctively rushed forward and blocked in front of March 7th with her body!
As the violent impact and pain struck, Stelle felt the power belonging to the Stellaron, which had been suppressed within her chest, erupt at this moment!
Golden light burst forth with her as the center, and the violent energy instantly swallowed and annihilated the Doomsday Beast, which was already at the end of its rope!
In the depths of the universe, it was as if a cold, ruthless gaze filled with the will of destruction pierced through the endless space and landed on her.
Aeon of Destruction, Nanook, glanced at you.
The indescribable pressure and sense of erosion caused Stelle to instantly lose control of her body, and her consciousness quickly sank.
Just when Stelle was about to cos, like Selene, by self-destructing, Welt appeared.
“Thud!”
Everything that happened was exactly the same as the plot in the previous closed beta, and a faint disappointment rose in Black Cat’s heart.
“I thought…
that Sister Selene would show up at a critical moment to save the day or something…” She muttered softly, “Turns out it was still Old Yang who settled it with one strike.”
After a brief moment of darkness and weightlessness, her consciousness felt like it was floating in warm water, gradually rising to the surface.
Light filtered through her eyelids.
Stelle slowly, and with some difficulty, opened her eyes.
Her vision was blurry at first, then slowly focused.
The first thing that entered her clear field of vision after waking up was not Dan Heng from the original closed beta plot, but…
A calm and beautiful face, close at hand.
Hair as white as snow, with fine bangs on her forehead covering her right eye.
The exposed left eye was a serene and gentle azure, watching her quietly with a hint of imperceptible concern.
She sat in a wheelchair, leaning forward slightly, close enough that Stelle could see every subtle flutter of her long, slender eyelashes, and could feel the cool and steady aura, like moonlight, emanating from her.
Selene.
Seeing Stelle open her eyes, Selene seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief, and a faint, gentle smile rippled in those azure eyes.
She didn’t speak immediately, just watched her quietly like this.