Honkai Star Rail: Saving the World with a Mobile Game — Chapter 38

Chapter 38: The Herta Banner Tops the Charts on Multiple Planets!You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

Just kidding.

There certainly couldn’t be hidden surveillance cameras planted aboard the Astral Express. If someone had managed to sneak such devices onto the train, the crew would have noticed them immediately.

But as Himeko sat in the parlor car, the bitter aroma of her freshly brewed coffee entirely forgotten, she was truly stunned. She stared at the screen in her hands, completely unsure of how to process the emotions swirling in her chest.

It had only been a short while since Welt and Sunday decided to set out to find Herta. Yet, as if by magic, the two of them had just appeared in the brand new plot update that suddenly popped up in the game.

It was spot on.

Before this moment, the game’s narrative had been progressing as usual, entirely focused on the high-stakes fantasy world of Amphoreus. But now, the perspective had abruptly jumped across the cosmos directly to the Herta Space Station.

What did this mean?

Setting her porcelain cup down with a soft clink, she continued to observe the unfolding plot.

On the screen, Herta had just been forced awake. The puppet was clearly fuming, her delicate features twisted into a scowl. After all, her rare and highly anticipated audience process with an Aeon had been rudely interrupted.

“My plans are all ruined because of you!” Herta’s voice dripped with icy annoyance.

Opposite the furious Genius, Welt and Sunday both looked utterly bewildered. Through their on-screen conversation, the narrative revealed they had entered the room simply because there was no lock on the door. The purpose of their visit was laid out bare, carrying a heavy, crucial weight.

Welt was the first to speak, his animated avatar adjusting his glasses with a measured sigh. “Although the current situation is quite different from what we imagined, in any case, it is good that the Space Station is alright. Ms. Herta, we have come for Amphoreus.”

Even their stated purpose was absolutely identical to reality.

Not only that. After Herta reluctantly agreed to provide her assistance, the two men emphasized exactly why they were looking for her in the first place.

“If Amphoreus is truly closely related to Aeons, Paths, and even Erudition, we need the wisdom of a Genius.”

“Two companions who are very important to us have not been heard from since entering Amphoreus.”

“… there is another companion who has developed terrifying symptoms that we find difficult to explain.”

That was right. The timeline matched perfectly.

By the end of this plot segment, even though the ambient temperature of the Astral Express was perfectly cozy, Himeko felt a distinct chill wash over her skin. This could no longer be brushed off or covered up as a mere coincidence.

The timing was exactly the same, and the purpose was identical. Whether this game was an elaborate prophecy or a literal live broadcast of reality, she would know the truth just by contacting Welt. She just did not know his exact coordinates at this very second, but Himeko felt it was absolutely necessary to share this bizarre situation with him the moment he was available.

Aside from the stunned navigator of the Express, the general player base was acting as usual, their attention focused entirely on the newly introduced Genius.

[Let’s gooo, Ms. Herta is truly beautiful and kind-hearted. That is so rare among the Geniuses!]

[She finally got a chance for an audience with an Aeon, but she was afraid of accidentally hurting the Astral Express Crew in the crossfire, so she just gave it up? She is practically a literal angel!]

[Dev, keep cooking! From the looks of it, it seems Ms. Herta is going to have a massive role in the subsequent plot!]

[Ms. Herta is unmatched in the world, Ms. Herta is exceptionally brilliant, Ms. Herta is breathtakingly beautiful!]

Sitting in front of her streaming setup, Guinaifen was also feeling hesitant as she played up to this point. Since very few people in the universe had ever seen Herta in person, the general public had only heard rumors that Geniuses usually possessed severe personality flaws, and could even be described as dangerously eccentric.

But she did not expect the Ms. Herta presented in the game to be like this. Although the puppet appeared haughty, sharp-tongued, and difficult to approach, was she actually a softie deep down?

One must know that the universe was full of horror stories about certain Geniuses who, for the sake of their grand experiments, would casually sacrifice thousands of lives, or even use and discard their own bodies at will.

At some point, Guinaifen’s wallet, despite her firm on-stream promise to her chat that she would not spend any more money this month, started moving toward her hands on its own again.

And on the day after the plot ended.

The Herta banner, Message from the Horizon, officially opened. The revenue exploded instantly the second the servers updated.

Herta’s in-game popularity was astronomical, and the banner launch soon set a glorious, terrifying record of tens of millions of players online simultaneously since the initial launch of Honkai: Star Rail.

[Cosmic Shards +100]

[Cosmic Shards +100]

[Cosmic Shards +100]

Far away, on Ash’s side, the crisp, chiming sound of a massive amount of Cosmic Shards being converted from player spending and popularity rang in his ears continuously.

Just this half-hour of plot was comparable to the total gains from the previous five hours of story content. For over ten consecutive days, the game’s revenue topped the charts on multiple planets simultaneously, completely dominating the entertainment sector.

Currently trapped within the borders of Amphoreus, Ash could not physically go out and could only follow the outside news through his mobile phone.

After the game became a viral phenomenon, the players were full of enthusiasm, but the massive waves had attracted sharks. Entities like the IPC, or rather, specifically the legal and strategic departments of the IPC, already had news leaking out that they were taking action.

[E6S1 The Herta is so tempting, but I am really afraid the game is going to get nuked from the servers. Is it still safe to swipe my card right now?]and support the real translator.Read at elysianreads.com This is a stolen translation. You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.

[I have internal news from an IPC corporate slave. I heard the IPC is already locating and pursuing the Dev for massive copyright infringement.]

[It must be Ms. Herta taking action. You cannot just use a Genius’s likeness and expect to remain unscathed.]

[Oh my god, do you guys think the Dev is going to end up running away with the bag?]

[By the Aeons, if you really get taken down, Dev, I will remember you! To actually make a god-tier game for us while risking your life against the IPC, you are simply the true beauty of all that matters!]

[To be honest, the Dev cooked a Michelin-star meal on The Herta main storyline. Regardless of whether he runs away with the money, I am prepared to whale. Unfortunately, it is highly likely that reality is fake…]

[If the IPC really catches the Dev, as a Space Station researcher, I will personally write a letter to Ms. Herta to beg for forgiveness on his behalf!]

The community forums were filled with dramatic wails and doomposting regarding the impending corporate strike.

But clearly, all their worrying was of no use.

Ash was not worried in the slightest. The release and operation of his game did not rely on standard server data or physical infrastructure; it was bound to his System, operating on a level involving cosmic Rules.

So if the IPC really wanted to find him, they would never be able to do so by relying solely on the standard tracking manpower of their Game Department.

Rather than wasting brainpower considering the IPC’s futile hunt, it was much better to consider the new version update.

At the end of the 3.0 plot, Phainon had entered the grand trial, preparing to take over the Spark of Strife to ascend and become a new demigod. But through Castorice, the players had learned about the tragic, heavy past Phainon once bore, as well as catching a glimpse of the mysterious pink-haired girl who appeared at the end of the flashback, the very same girl who had debuted at the end of the initial Amphoreus Heroic Era PV.

The players did not recognize this upcoming character yet, assuming she was just some kind of deep lore foreshadowing.

But at that moment, there was one person in reality who should feel as if an entire lifetime had passed upon seeing her. And he was currently on his way to the Herta Space Station.

Meanwhile, deep within the actual Amphoreus, Phainon had already started laughing loudly. “Haha, how about it, Mydei?”

“I won the bet, did I not? In our partner’s script, I am about to take over the Spark and become a demigod.”

“Hmph.” Mydei looked up, her delicate face full of absolute disdain. “Do not be happy too soon.”

“Did you not watch the plot carefully? The text clearly says there is a chance of failure.”

Mydei crossed her arms, showing a smug, triumphant smile. “Besides, I accidentally overheard Aglaea’s conversation yesterday. Actually, the next version is my home turf, and Ms. Tribios’s as well.”

“Ah?” Hearing this, Phainon immediately leaned in, his arrogant demeanor cracking into curiosity. “Really, Mydei? Quick, quick, quick, give me some spoilers…”

It was no joke.

Ash was currently working hard on finalizing the content for version 3.1. The second half of the version really was focused heavily on Mydei and Tribios.

And after waiting for so long, the ravenous player community had already entered a severe content drought.

Guinaifen, having completely cleared all the side missions, the main story quests, and fully explored the map, found herself logging in every day just to consume her Trailblaze Power and then immediately logging off.

It got to the point where, completely out of boredom, Guinaifen even wandered into the community forums while live on stream.

[Guinevere: It is so boring lately. Do you fellow Trailblazers have any other game recommendations to pass the time?]

[Guinevere’s Ten-Year Fan: Why hasn’t Lil’ Gui been streaming Honkai: Star Rail these past two days?]

[Jing Yuan is My First Husband: The guy above must be a fake fan, right? Gui has 100% completed everything recently. What else is there for her to stream?]

[Guinevere’s Ten-Year Fan: Uh, I guess that makes sense? I wonder if there will even be any follow-up to Honkai: Star Rail.]

[Can’t Think of a Good Nickname: I heard the Dev is going to be sued into oblivion by the IPC. Besides, even if there is a follow-up, how can a solo dev’s production capacity be that fast?]

Some cynical players felt that the Author actually just wanted to grab a massive pile of money and run. After all, he had even made a banner for Herta. Did he not know what the terrifying consequences of crossing the Genius Society would be?

But while the chat was scrolling rapidly with these speculations.

Guinaifen, who was lying listlessly on her desk, suddenly blinked. Upon refreshing the page one more time, her eyes lit up like supernovas.

“Wait, wait…”

She instantly straightened her back, her hands flying across her keyboard.

[Guinevere: Wait, family, look at what this is!]

“The status has been updated!” she yelled into her microphone.

[Tonight Eat Roast Chicken]:

[“Honkai: Star Rail” New Version PV: “The Opening of the Door, the End of the Throne” has been released!]You're reading this on the wrong site. This chapter was translated by Elysian Reads and posted for free at elysianreads.com — if you're seeing it anywhere else, it was copied without permission. Read it at the source so the people who actually did the work get the credit.