Chapter 128: Players' Speculations and Sirin's Concerns

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It is well-known that reality differs from games, leading to discrepancies between the narrative shown to Captains and actual events. The writer's subtle storytelling further left many Captains feeling somewhat bewildered by this chapter.

For instance, it was easy for Captains to deduce that Ana became the Herrscher of Ice. However, why did she undergo such a drastic personality change at the end? What prompted her to utter those peculiar words?

Naturally, there were no objections among Captains about Ana becoming the Herrscher of Ice.

As some Captains put it, "This is what our Ana deserves!" Teacher Ana tirelessly cared for Saint Freya's young cadets, and although she obtained a Herrscher Core, it was merely compensation for shielding Wendy from harm. Does our beloved Teacher Ana not merit becoming a Herrscher herself? Even Raiden Mei re-emerged as one again, you know!

But wait... It seems Ana's Valkyrie armor hasn't been retired yet after three years.

Brother Cake's live stream, once again, buzzed with excitement.

The new storyline proved complex and mind-bending, drawing numerous players to various live streams or engaging passionately on social media platforms.

Among many streamers, Brother Cake held the most fame, naturally attracting a large audience eager for his insights. The chatroom viewers also hoped he would provide his analysis.

However, at this moment, Brother Cake was engrossed in progressing through the plot, leaving little time to engage with his fans. Additionally, he was fulfilling his promise of crossdressing due to reaching one million subscribers, currently streaming in feminine attire.

Following votes from viewers and fans, Brother Cake ultimately chose to cosplay as the most authentic version of Ana: her first Valkyrie Armor, Valkyrie Snow Grace. Honestly, this armor is indeed the most visually appealing among Ana's outfits.

It combines originality with a gentle and endearing charm. One can only commend Otto's taste; while not overly revealing, the Valkyrie Armor strikes just the right balance.

On Brother Cake, it had its own unique appeal. As a wealthy individual, he maintained a home gym and exercised regularly. Although not boasting eight-pack abs, his physique showcased well-defined lines. Coupled with meticulous makeup, he exuded a somewhat captivating aura.

While significantly different from what viewers initially anticipated, it was still enough to captivate them.

Across the entire web, the best Ana cosplayer remains the one featured in Perspective Girl's earlier videos. However, rumors suggest that this cosplayer is a genuine mixed-race heiress who doesn't actively manage any online accounts. After appearing in two videos, she hasn't resurfaced since.

While several other cosplayers emerged with impressive portrayals afterward, none could surpass the impact of that initial Ana cosplay. Moreover, the most significant detail was that Perspective Girl explicitly mentioned during another video that the Ana cosplayer appeared without makeup.

This "no-makeup" aspect alone held immense value, enough to outshine any competitor on the scene, akin to the viral fame of Little Ma Yun.

In summary, although Brother Cake couldn't surpass the title of the most beautiful cosplayer, his live-streamed cosplay successfully carved a new path in the cross-dressing category.

Additionally, despite the live nature seeming less suitable for manipulation, what if someone captured screenshots or recorded clips and then edited them using Photoshop? How would Your Excellency respond to such challenges?

Given Brother Cake's substantial fan base, it was inevitable that some pranksters would seize this opportunity, swiftly putting their ideas into action. Soon, the entire chatroom filled with meticulously edited images of Brother Cake's cosplay.

Brother Cake had little control over this chaos. Honestly, being somewhat of a jester himself, he didn't mind these antics; in fact, he found it amusing. However, as a professionally trained individual, he managed to maintain his composure impeccably and quickly immersed himself back into the storyline.

"I feel like there's something seriously off about this person!" Brother Cake candidly remarked as Raiden Mei and Owl first encountered each other.

"Moreover, he strongly resembles someone who appeared early on in Ana's storyline."

Without waiting for his viewers to chime in, Brother Cake immediately began searching himself. Quickly, he found the relevant segment from Ana's side story, which had been released in earlier versions. It depicted Ana's past as a Valkyrie of Schicksal before joining Saint Freya Academy.

In this part of the storyline, Chen Tianwu's appearance wasn't shown initially; only his voice was heard during dialogues. However, when Durandal arrived to rescue Ana, this character briefly surfaced, revealing his face once.

It was just a partial portrait, and most Captains probably wouldn't have paid it any attention. But Brother Cake remembered it well and effortlessly located the scene.

["Wow, 666, Brother Cake is amazing! I never even noticed that."]

["As expected from the top Ana fan online, you've got the sharpness of a true boyfriend!"]

[Tsk tsk, what a so-called boyfriend! Those words! Aren't we something too?]

[Aha, mystery solved! No wonder Owl turned traitor; it all makes sense now!]

[Though turning traitor is intriguing, unfortunately, this Ana here is just an illusion, not the true Herrscher of Ice.]

[Why do I suddenly feel like shipping them?]

[OP, indiscriminate shipping will only lead to heartache!]

[Let's avoid haphazard pairings. A stable love triangle works fine; if we mess with it, who knows what insanity the writers might concoct?]

[Exactly, exactly!]

Next came the verbal sparring between Raven and Rita.

[Tsk tsk tsk, the screen reeks of shade-throwing. Rita's got her sarcasm game on point, but why does it feel so satisfying and cathartic?!]

[So intense, absolutely riveting! As expected from Rita!]

[Tsk tsk, imagine if Durandal were here too—it would've been even more entertaining. I recall she's quite protective as well.]

[Haha, women truly are fearsome!]

[Feels like watching "Legend of Zhen Huan" right here.]

[Indeed.]

[Coach, I want to learn that skill! She delivers scathing remarks without uttering a swear word—wahhh...]

["Oh, my sincere apologies for the inconvenience."]

Brother Cake didn't comment on this turn of events, but the smile at the corner of his lips spoke volumes. Likely, even the viewers outside the live stream felt similarly.

Witnessing Rita and Durandal's confrontation was indeed entertaining, especially with Rita gaining the upper hand. After all, Captains generally held unfavorable opinions towards Raven.

Despite Raven becoming well-known as Little Miss Blasta, relatively innocent with understandable motives, their ultimate allegiance remained with Schicksal and Saint Freya Academy.

The World Serpent... certainly didn't seem like a reputable organization. Many viewers still believed that Raiden Mei had been misled and deceived into joining them.

There was sympathy for Raiden Mei, some even hoping she would cause trouble within the World Serpent ranks.

Of course, it was merely wishful thinking since Kevin himself commanded the World Serpent faction. Attempting anything under his watchful gaze seemed virtually impossible.

Soon, the storyline progressed to the encounter between Durandal and the Herrscher of Ice.

"This Herrscher of Ice... Why does she feel like Ana?" Brother Cake stroked his chin thoughtfully.

[Haha, indeed it's Ana, but not quite. Keep watching, Brother Cake.]

[Tsk tsk, this is one iconic scene showcasing devotion to a wife!]

[True, such unwavering support—truly heartwarming!]

[Poor Rita though, ha ha! She's just too weak, can't stand a chance!]

[Can't be helped; each Valkyrie from Schicksal is practically overpowered.]

[Wait, how is Durandal overpowered?]

[Riding spear, wielding Abyss Flower without Schariac bloodline. And her experiences, think about it, really ponder it!]

[Whoa...]

[Can't say more, mustn't reveal too much!]

Next came the World Serpent's storyline, which admittedly felt somewhat chaotic this time around. However, it was unavoidable due to multiple concurrent plotlines, further complicated by Otto's involvement.

Some players failed to notice subtle hints suggesting Otto had ulterior motives; it was indeed challenging to discern them from his portrayal.

Even Brother Cake couldn't pick up on these nuances and assumed the writers were simply taking things in a random direction—a common occurrence when adjusting story arcs. Skilled screenwriters often preemptively plant seeds for potential twists, whether or not they ultimately use them.

However, Honkai Impact 3 experienced a change in its writing team. Consequently, the new writers had to dig through the world established by their predecessors, gather usable foreshadowing elements, and then—retcon the narrative!

Retcons have been commonplace in Honkai Impact 3, with at least ten instances prior to Ana's introduction. Although her appearance significantly reduced retcons, there still occurred six more rounds after that.

Hmm, technically, some retcons were avoided, but others emerged anew. Ana's character was initially parachuted in as a spur-of-the-moment decision by the writers following a sudden demand from stakeholders. Thus, creating her role naturally required adjustments and led to additional retcons.

However, despite these retcons, Ana's introduction ultimately stabilized Honkai Impact 3's storyline significantly. Additionally, a new character like her attracted more dedicated fans, subsequently boosting revenue.

With higher revenues, the game developers no longer needed to aggressively push for monetization. Unfortunately, achieving balance between players and developers is notoriously challenging. Nonetheless, venting frustrations at the developers remains a common practice among gamers.

"The final part here is intriguing, but I can't shake the feeling that the writers might be aiming their knives at Ana soon," Brother Cake observed solemnly after reviewing the latest plot developments, followed by a brief silence.

In truth, it would indeed be unreasonable for a character like Ana to remain consistently dominant without facing any hardships. Throughout Honkai Impact 3, this seemed quite implausible.

The three main factions typically endured constant challenges, while Ana enjoyed smooth sailing and even shielded other characters from adversity, which felt somewhat peculiar.

Brother Cake, being an experienced otaku and a wealthy gamer, had deep insights into video games, although he had never worked as a game writer himself.

Yet, Ana's character felt somewhat... hard to describe.

From Ana's perspective, she believed herself to be the protagonist, and indeed, within the game, she was. However, outside the game, in the real world, for these Captains, the true protagonists of Honkai Impact 3 should still be the "Main trio."

Brother Cake had a deep understanding of this sentiment. Although he genuinely liked Ana and didn't wish any harm upon her, sometimes, circumstances could dictate otherwise...

"Never mind, forget I mentioned it."

In the end, Brother Cake dared not voice his conclusion. It wasn't that he feared stirring controversy; despite being a prominent streamer, he had no exclusive contracts or significant sponsorships, making him immune to such concerns.

It was just that...

Regardless, even with Brother Cake's cautiousness, he remained unaware that among the numerous viewers in his live chat, there was someone exceptionally unique.

Inside a luxurious villa in Shanghai, a violet-haired girl curled up, hugging a bunny plush toy. In the dimly lit room, her eyes were fixed intently on the video screen before her.

With a soft sound, a gray-haired maid entered the room carrying a glass of milk. Her eyes were sky blue, adorned with feathered accessories matching those of the young lady.

"Your Majesty, please rest early."

Observing the girl before the computer, the maid's voice carried both respect and concern.

Indeed, this maid was none other than Benares. Unlike Sirin's situation slightly, she had fully crossed over, and the System casually assigned her a background story. Consequently, she retained complete memories of the Honkai World.

Of course, Sirin also possessed these memories; however, many were sealed away to protect her. Sirin herself was well aware of this fact.

She knew about the existence of the System, which informed her that Ana, concerned for her wellbeing, chose to seal those traumatic recollections. The System respected Ana's decision accordingly.

On the computer screen before Sirin now appeared Brother Cake's live stream.

Yes, at present, she understood that she originated from a game called "Honkai Impact 3." Behind her, on the bed, a smartphone still glowed faintly.

Logged onto her phone was her Honkai Impact 3 account, with the username "Little Seraphim by Ana Big Sis."

In the game, this nickname didn't cause any significant stir; most Captains might find it slightly peculiar but wouldn't pay much attention to it. After all, there were numerous quirky player names, and certain channels often discussed unconventional topics throughout the day.

However, upon examining the account's characters, one would notice an abundance of high-tier equipment, particularly a massive surplus of Stigmata and weapons related to Ana, enough for dozens of sets.

It seemed as if she had drawn from every relevant gacha pool. Compared to the streamer on the screen, Sirin truly deserved the title of being his ultimate fan.

Watching Sirin intensely focused on the computer, Bella sighed. What could she do? She was merely the mistress's maid, unable and dare not interfere with Sirin's affairs.

Bella gently placed the milk on the table, performed a respectful maid's bow, and turned to leave.

Before Bella could depart, however, Sirin suddenly called out to her.

"Bella... I... what should I do?"