"Sigh..."
The young man exhaled as he watched the rolling credits:
No forced cliffhanger the Herta Space Station arc had reached a satisfying conclusion.
The ending BGM was beautiful too, though only a minute long not enough to fully appreciate.
The lyrics were well-written,
leaving him unexpectedly calm after finishing,
without the usual post-binge restlessness.
Strangely enough,
he felt wide awake despite pulling an all-nighter.
Most web series nowadays crammed their finales with cheap hooks,
yet Honkai: Star Rail chose this approach—
thoroughly enjoyable, yet leaving a peculiar weight on his chest,
as if a stone pressed against his lungs, making each breath slightly labored.
But why take a web series so seriously?
In this era of endless content, was there really a shortage of shows?
After a leisurely workday, he collapsed onto his couch at home.
Despite the sleepless night, fatigue refused to come.
Scrolling through his phone for another series, nothing sparked interest—
until
his best friend called.
...
Thirty minutes later, they sat at a barbecue stall.
"Waaah... Why did she leave me?! I simped so hard! Bro, tell me why!"
The young man said nothing, raising his beer before chugging.
Suddenly, his friend grabbed his shoulder.
"Sniff... Help me, bro. I just want to see her one more time."
"Right!" Enlightenment struck. He rolled up his sleeves and slapped his friend.
"I woke up at 8 AM! Why no update yet, miHoYo?!
I'm suffering here! I need Season 2 NOW!!!"
——
By morning, entertainment platforms had undergone a seismic shift.
Trending tags flooded the charts:
#HonkaiStarRail explodes! A generational masterpiece?
#HonkaiStarRail breaks 100M views on debut corporate push or genuine phenomenon?
#HonkaiStarRail shatters premiere records!
#Why is Kafka's popularity skyrocketing?
#Hidden details of Herta Space Station!
#Predicting HonkaiStarRail's next plot twists!
#Glossary of HonkaiStarRail's terminology.
Meanwhile, fan creations especially of Kafka, Silver Wolf, Asta, and Herta swarmed the internet.
Some unconventional artists had even begun producing Dan Heng × Su Chen doujinshi.
——
Tenghua Film Headquarters, Shanghai
A middle-aged executive sat at the conference table, flanked by four others representing major studios.
"Gentlemen, miHoYo's impact is... excessive. Calling it an industry earthquake isn't hyperbole."
"Indeed. With hundreds of web series launching daily, standing out requires extraordinary capability."
"Rumor has it miHoYo's founder Su Chen has ties to the Asta Financial Group. Could this be a real estate pivot?"
"Impossible. The property market's slump is old news. This series' VFX, sets, and costumes rival Hollywood blockbusters each episode's budget likely hits nine figures.
No sane investor would risk bankruptcy on an unproven project."
"Then Asta's involvement is nominal? Su Chen operates independently?
We must act before the 'three kingdoms' become one empire!"
"An empire? miHoYo will face Shanghai's entire film elite.
I hereby announce the 'Anti-Su Chen Alliance' officially formed!"
——
Himeko's Café
Dan Heng scrolled through Douyin on the sofa.
"Was Honkai: Star Rail's success predictable or a grassroots miracle? Decoding its winning formula..."
"Confused about the Astral Express, Stellaron Hunters, or Aeons? A beginner's guide..."
"Meme breakdown: Why fans call Kafka 'Mommy'..."
...
Over a dozen videos all algorithm-defying Star Rail content.
This violated Dan Heng's usual recommendations,
yet he felt only delight.
The series' momentum had overpowered even big data.
"The dream... it's real."
He pocketed his phone with a faint smile.
"What dream? Hey!" March 7th dragged Himeko over. "Look! Dan Heng's smiling! An actual smile!"
Himeko chuckled. "Rare sight. Something good must've happened."
Dan Heng lowered his head, silent—
until his phone rang.
A glance at the caller ID sent him rushing out. "Where are you?
...
Got it. I'll pick you up."
"Huh? Since when does he flee from embarrassment?" March 7th mused.
"No," Himeko corrected. "He's fetching Yingxing."
"Yingxing's coming back?! YES!" March 7th hesitated. "...Himeko, where's Boss Su Chen?"
"Oh? Concerned about him?" Himeko teased.
"N-no! Just curious! He left at noon and hasn't returned!"
"Herta called him to her office earlier."
——
Herta's Office
Su Chen stared at the software running onscreen.
"This is the Simulated Universe?"
"Obviously." Herta scoffed. "Problem? My magnum opus with fellow geniuses unworthy of you?"
"Not at all." He fell into thought:
She actually built it even if just as software, this was insane.
In the original lore, the Simulated Universe reconstructed galactic phenomena through data,
studying Aeons via coded simulations.
But why recreate it in reality?
"Are you developing VR tech? A metaverse-like explorable world?"
"Oho! Sharp as ever, Boss!" Herta grinned. "This prototype mirrors your scripts and designs a foundational blueprint.
Not fully open-world yet, but key locations are mapped.
Goal? Help players grasp Aeon concepts firsthand."
"Just a blueprint?" Su Chen rubbed his fingers:
Of course.
Herta aimed to materialize the Simulated Universe a tangible, public-access machine!
Perfect.
The concept was too abstract for the series alone.
But as a real-world interactive experience? A 2.5-dimensional bridge between fiction and reality!
Which meant
"When can the physical version launch?"
"Soon. Hardware's trivial the code's the hurdle. Luckily, the information you provided is very complete and not difficult."
"Haha." Su Chen wiped sweat:
Typical Herta, dismissing what would break others.
Millions of lines of code, potential bugs galore
and she made it sound like child's play!
"Excuse me." His phone buzzed Scott's caller ID. "What is it?"
"The platform says we've hit the contracted viewership! Revenue's unlocked ready for withdrawal!"
The words echoed in Su Chen's mind:
"Finally... PROFIT!!!"