Robin, Firefly, Acheron, Sunday… The faces that appeared in Penacony flickered through her memory.
And when she opened her eyes again, she wasn't on The Express.
She was sitting on the couch in a hotel room.
Just as Black Swan had recounted.
--------------------------------
Stelle sat in her seat, observing her surroundings, eyes flickering with shock.
It was the same for the audience.
Who would have thought that in the face of a dreamlike setting, Honkai: Star Rail's answer was to be trapped in the dream from the very beginning.
From the very first scene of the first episode.
The foreshadowing had already begun.
And now, by the third episode, all those hints have been perfectly tied together, delivering such a shocking viewing experience to the audience.
At this moment, many people were sorting out their thoughts, recalling forgotten details.
But clearly, the upcoming plot would not give their minds any rest.
On screen.
After a brief break, Stelle pushed open the door of the room.
Standing in the corridor outside were two people.
Acheron and Black Swan.
"You're here."
Black Swan was not surprised, instead extending an invitation to Stelle.
"This scene... feels familiar..."
Stelle scratched her head and said slowly.
"It's a hassle to explain everything, but you only need to understand one thing."
Acheron said calmly, "This is the space between dream and reality, belonging to those who have awakened from the dream of Ena."
"Do you still remember the ambition of that Sunday?"
Black Swan added, "In fact, the moment we entered the Asdana Star system, we were already influenced by the Stellaron. Thinking back, the unfamiliar dream where you and I first met was the sign that our thoughts had begun to drift."
"So, what's really going on? Why did I come back again?"
Stelle grew more confused, her voice pressing.
"The goal of Order was never to make everyone fall asleep. On the contrary, they used the Stellaron to catalyze the penetration of Asdana Star's memory substance into the material world, blending dream and reality."
"In the end, dreams became indistinguishable from reality. Even reality started showing hallucinations. People didn't even notice they had already stepped into the hall of Order."
Acheron slowly explained, elaborating with more clarity.
And this is the ultimate goal of Order: in this paradise, everyone can live happily ever after in their own beautiful dream.
But there was only one flaw.
Nameless blessed by the Trailblaze, those who had truly experienced reality.
"But thinking about it now, it's still a bit frightening."
Black Swan shook her head with lingering fear: "If Miss Acheron hadn't planned ahead, you and I might not have escaped the dream."
"Order governs all things, but it cannot affect Void itself. I only realized it when the dream master went to great lengths to expel me."
Acheron said blandly.
And this was reflected in the plot.
Acheron, once expelled, appeared again already aboard the Express, assisting the crew in a high-risk scenario as envisioned.
That is, jumping out of the Asdana Star system....
: So that's Acheron's role here...
: The concept that all returns to the void is just too vast.
: No wonder the dream master acted so strangely, insisting on opposing Acheron. I used to think that provoking her, with her terrifying power as a Void Emanator, was an extremely unwise choice—even for someone as strong as the dream master. Now it all makes sense.
: Because if Acheron wasn't expelled, the dream of Ena would fall under the influence of the Void—a force even they couldn't counter.
: It just shows how infinitely powerful the Void is. Black Swan is truly insane.
: Even Acheron herself can't control that influence. That's practically invincible. Acheron doesn't need to act—just her presence affects everything around her, including her fellow Emanators.
: After all, everything in the universe returns to silence. It's the only force that can...
...
Just a few words.
Once again showcased the formidable power of The Void.
And also explained the previously puzzling "intelligence drop" behavior of the dream master.
That foreshadowing was perfectly fulfilled.
After helping Stelle understand the general situation, Black Swan and Acheron took her to other parts of this in-between space.
There, a group of awakened people was still waiting.
On the way, Stelle saw some people who, due to special reasons, had fallen in but were still immersed in the dream of Ena.
"Don't mind these people too much."
"Neither I, nor Miss Black Swan, nor even your Trailblaze power—or even Clockie, the memetic lifeform fused from Trailblaze and memory substance—can awaken them."
Seeing Stelle's pity, Acheron reminded her calmly.
"Mm... I understand."
Stelle said softly, but then asked in surprise, "Huh? Miss Acheron, when did you see Clockie?"
"When I woke up from the dream again, I saw some fragments."
Acheron explained briefly.
"Not only that, Clockie is Mikhail's legacy to the Nameless. It was previously bound to the 'key' of Trailblazing—something only Nameless could see."
"But after you received this gift, the key disappeared. So naturally, others could see it too."
Black Swan explained on the side.
She knew this because she had seen the memory inside the Light Cone.
Stelle nodded in sudden realization.
During this conversation, they quickly passed through the corridor and entered the lobby.
The layout here was identical to the hotel lobby, but darker and more desolate.
What came into view was an immense and unfamiliar structure.
It was Robin.
"You've arrived."
Seeing the three approach, the girl lowered her head, her eyes filled with a hidden sorrow.
"Miss Robin…"
Black Swan was about to offer words of comfort, but just as she called out the name, she was interrupted by Robin herself.
"I understand."
Robin lifted her head, eyes resolute: "The people of Penacony should not remain asleep in a false dream. I must wake them up."
The girl's strength made Black Swan hold back her comforting words and speak earnestly instead: "But we don't know what to do."
"People tend to immerse themselves in beautiful dreams. Except for a few, it's nearly impossible to awaken them."
"Even with Stelle, I could only find a way to wake her during the moment she was most defenseless—during a warp."
"But to awaken everyone in Penacony… To instill the same will in so many people—it's like reaching for the stars."
After speaking, Black Swan no longer had the pride of someone ready to take action at any moment.
The arrogance of "I'll handle it" was gone.
"The difficulty of this plan isn't much less than reviving an Aeon."
Acheron added from the side.
"But no matter what, we won't give up."
Just then, Dan Heng and Boothill walked over.
The moment Stelle saw Dan Heng, her eyes lit up—it was the feeling of finding family.
"At a time like this, you're still thinking about that beloved broken number?"
Boothill crossed her arms, speaking words full of sarcasm.
Dan Heng, however, didn't immediately respond, but instead looked at Stelle and gave a brief explanation.
Roughly, with Black Swan's help, members of the Express crew and a few others with strong willpower had begun to awaken one after another.
But at the moment, it was only a few dozen people.
To change the current situation, they would need to gather more wills—to shake the foundation of the Dream of Ena.
"But with only this many people, it's like a drop in the ocean. We must find a way to awaken hundreds of thousands, even millions."
Dan Heng spoke with a bit of difficulty in his tone.
He knew the plan was wildly ambitious.
"And if it doesn't work from the inside, we need external forces."
"In fact, we've long known there's one way."
Acheron offered another option: "Asdana is a star system full of memory essence, but right now, it's just a dreamscape. If we can bring in large numbers of people from outside, enough free will could seep into this dream and shake Ena's foundation."
"But it could also lead to catastrophic collapse."
Black Swan shook her head and said, "And the hardest part is—where can we find a large group of people, as resolute as all of you, in such a short time?"
At this point, the audience had learned enough.
The true dilemma of Asdana, and what was needed to overcome it.
...
: In the end, it still comes down to the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath.
: But this is exactly what the Alliance Token should be used for! No one is better suited for this crisis than the Cloud Knights of the Xianzhou!
: Compared to the fake ending just now, where Dan Heng and Jing Yuan instantly defeated Sunday, I definitely prefer this—it's way more reasonable!
: There's probably no other solution. Inside the dream, there's no way to awaken that many people, and no one here has that kind of power. But externally, the Cloud Knights of the entire Xianzhou Luofu might be enough.
: This must be the true ending this time. The difficulty and the stakes are just right!
: Yes! Sunday may be a phenomenal "villain," but if just defeating him ends the story, that would be unworthy of Penacony's fantastic plot!
...
The barrage of comments rolled across the screen.
The audience was completely immersed in the story.
After the earlier fake ending, their emotional investment had reached its peak.
But just when everyone thought the Jade Abacus of Allying Oath would be used…
Boothill sneered.
"Hmph!"
"Keep your once-in-a-lifetime treasure. We don't need to bother the Xianzhou Alliance for such a tiny request."
Boothill crossed his arms and spoke with utmost seriousness: "You want thousands of people with unwavering free will? Child's play..."
"Just leave it to us Galaxy Rangers!"
"Hah! Outsiders may see Galaxy Rangers as elusive and disconnected individuals, and actually ... they're right!"
"And that's why we have a tacit understanding among us..."
A smirk crept onto Boothill's lips, his shark-like teeth flashing—not mockingly, but as a strikingly cool smile in this moment.
It carried a very unique charisma.
A mix of unruliness, rogue charm, and a celebratory feeling.
It looks contradictory, but to put it simply, many viewers can get that feeling.
That's the aura of a true chivalrous hero.
As he spoke, Boothill took out a strange bullet, wrapped in flowing tassels like drifting clouds, almost like it was still in constant motion.
The audience's eyes were already wide open.
Not just because of the bullet, but even more because of the meaning behind Boothill's words—those messages about the Galaxy Rangers!
"'Acheron! Do you know what this is?'"
Displaying the bullet before everyone, Boothill smiled and looked at Acheron.
"It's the relic I returned to you."
Acheron nodded.
"Exactly. Its owner must have told you that it's meaningless to anyone other than a Galaxy Ranger, and that it can only fulfill its purpose when returned to its rightful owner."
"Because it's a burial artifact, worthy only of a hero who has served the Galaxy Rangers with honor."
Boothill had already put away his smile. In his eyes now blazed an incomparable brilliance, and his voice rose in intensity.
"When its light illuminates the universe, it means the fall of a hero, and in the direction it falls..."
"Countless meteors will streak across the sky. Those "meteors" are Galaxy Rangers coming from all corners of the Cosmos, driven by a shared purpose, without questioning the cause or counting the cost. Because we abide by a common principle..."
"The shooting stars of The Hunt only descend on the longest night, and with them ... comes the dawn."
"We've stayed silent for far too long. Now, it's time to remind all the cowards, oppressors, and villains of the universe of our presence! I'll be the one to ignite the first spark."
After he finished speaking.
The comments paused briefly, then suddenly, countless messages swept across the screen like a flood.
What does "burning" feel like?
A grand scene? A stirring speech?
Now, Boothill showed a different side.
An ideology, a feeling.
...
: That was so damn passionate! Holy crap! Galaxy Rangers! Galaxy Rangers!!
: I got goosebumps, damn! This has to be the true ending! No reason needed—just because of what Boothill said just now!
: Let me translate Boothill's meaning: fight in the worst situations, against the strongest evil forces—because where there's darkness, there's always light!
: What kind of Cosmic Brigade is this?! My DNA is tingling!
: If even a ranger who achieved great feats has fallen, the other rangers won't sit idly—they'll press on, and defeat the darkness that took down their predecessors! This setting is so romantic!
: The unique beauty of the "Hunt" destiny!
: "No matter the cost, no questions asked"—when I saw these eight words, I teared up instantly! Not crying, but burning!
: What Boothill said just now—god, it was so cool! MiHoYo! I want more stories about the Galaxy Rangers!
: So Acheron's foreshadowing got resolved too. The relic was actually... wait, could it be that...?
: Looks like it. But where exactly did this relic come from? I'm really curious. Hope we'll get to see a story about the relic someday!
...
The comments kept flooding in.
To the audience, this was the most perfect pre-war mobilization on Penacony.
And at this moment—
Right after Boothill finished speaking, Robin followed up.
She would use her harmonious tuning to try and help those trapped in Penacony's beautiful dream wake up.
This was the only way she could help everyone.
"These are all great measures, but one final step remains."
After hearing the two speak, Black Swan expressed her approval, then turned to Acheron.
"The power of the Harmonious Choir is equal to that of the Emanators. But in the end, it still needs a force to oppose it. The final step in shattering the beautiful dream will be completed by me."
Acheron nodded slightly, then slowly straightened her back.
"Hmph. Since the tasks are assigned, then let's raise some hell!"
Boothill stroked his gun holster with his right hand—clearly, he couldn't wait.
As everyone prepared to go their separate ways and begin their respective operations,
The camera froze on Acheron's face. She was gazing, slightly dazed, at Boothill's back—or rather, at the bullet hanging on his holster.
Through her deep, abyss-like eyes, the screen reflected an image.
The camera zoomed in.
In the next second, the audience returned once again to that world shrouded in the 'Black Sun' and dark clouds...