Elysia hung up the phone, and the look she gave Su Yu became even more subtle.
In that gaze, there was not only suspicion but also a teasing implication that seemed to say, "So, this is your type."
"Although Sister Himeko did say that..." she turned her microphone back on, her fingers twirling the tips of her pink hair. "But Su Yu-chan, I've never heard you mention this before today? Where did such a cute Junior Sister suddenly pop out from? Did she fall from the sky?"
She leaned closer to the camera, lowering her voice as if she had discovered some earth-shattering secret. "Could it be... that you colluded with Sister Himeko specifically to cover up some unspeakable truth? After all, when Sister Himeko gets drunk, she dares to say anything~"
This was the so-called "the more you explain, the darker it gets."
If this were before, Su Yu would probably feel that this was yet another brutal beating from society. But now, he needed to implant the existence of Kiana into the minds of more people.
Saying she was a child from a relative's family was too ordinary. But the design of a "Junior Sister down from the mountain," while not novel in web novels, carried a completely different meaning in reality. This could also provide a reasonable explanation for Kiana—explaining why her martial arts were so strong and why she moved as fast as the wind.
As for whether anyone would question the "strong martial arts" part, it wasn't necessarily disadvantageous for him, Su Yu. With one injection of the strengthening serum, his physical constitution would go directly from being able to take 100 punches from Kiana—where he'd scream on the first punch and stay silent for the next ninety-nine—to a level where he could still scream on the second punch.
This was no less than a historic breakthrough from 0 to 1. Once he took three shots, maybe he'd even have a pointy head and be able to exchange a few moves with Kiana.
[What about the Junior Sister? Just because she's a Junior Sister, does that make the fact that you're cohabiting with a girl any less true?]
[Brother Su, you beast who dares to do it but not admit it!!]
[I can't take it anymore, I really can't take it anymore! I'm unfollowing! I'm turning from fan to hater! Unless you let the Junior Sister stream too! I want to see the white hair!]
[Senior Brother and Junior Sister... hehehe... I'm familiar with this plot... isn't it that kind?]
Even though Su Yu had gone with the flow, preparing to use the momentum to his advantage, facing the accusations of the netizens in the live stream and Elysia's gossip, he still felt a throbbing pain in his skull. He glanced at Kiana, who was hiding in the camera's blind spot, covering her mouth and snickering. He swore secretly in his heart that once the live stream was over, he would definitely deduct her snacks. At least three bags of potato chips!
"It's really not what you guys think..." Su Yu explained weakly, his voice sounding exceptionally pale. "She... she is just staying here temporarily. Staying temporarily, understand? And we have a very pure Senior Brother and Junior Sister relationship. Usually, we just play games together, discuss the plot... spar in martial arts..."
"Oh~ Discuss the plot~ Spar in martial arts~" Elysia repeated meaningfully, the smile on her face becoming even more brilliant. "Is the discussion under the covers? Or is the sparring in the bathroom..."
"Stop!" Su Yu decisively interrupted her dangerous speech. This car was driving too fast! "If you keep talking, the live stream room is going to get banned!"
He took a deep breath, forcibly changing the subject. Since the heat had already been stirred up, not utilizing it would simply be a disservice to his social death just now.
"Regarding this Junior Sister, we can talk more about it if there's a chance in the future. This is a trade secret." Su Yu said solemnly. Although there was still some awkwardness on his face, his eyes had regained their clarity. "However, since the plot was mentioned, it just so happens that I have an important announcement to make."
He paused, looking at the camera, the corners of his mouth raising slightly. "Actually, this Junior Sister is not just my Junior Sister, but also the... core prototype and chief motion guidance for a holographic game I am about to produce."
The atmosphere in the live stream had already been heated up by the topic of the "Junior Sister." Su Yu knew that the current heat was the best fuel. He cleared his throat and adjusted the camera angle, making himself look more like a serious game producer rather than the streamer who had just been caught in a moment of social death.
"Everyone heard correctly. A holographic game."
Su Yu's voice was steady and magnetic, transmitting through the microphone to every viewer's ears. "Not the kind of pseudo-holographic where you wear VR glasses and can only wobble your head, but real..."
He reached out his hand and grasped at the air, as if seizing the key to the future. "Full Dive. Immersive."
"Imagine it." Su Yu began to depict that blueprint, light flickering in his eyes. "In this game, you are no longer players sitting in front of a screen typing on keyboards, but... warriors who can truly hold weapons, feel the recoil, and feel the wind whistling past your ears."
"And, most importantly—" He lowered his voice, like a devil whispering temptation. "In this game, you can shed the shell of reality and transform into a Valkyrie possessing powerful strength."
"That's right. Whether it's the white-haired Ranger we caught a glimpse of just now, or the red-haired older sister wielding a flaming Greatsword to sever everything, or even..." He glanced at Elysia's avatar on the screen. "A cute, pink elf holding a bow and arrow, like Elysia."
"You will wear their armor and use their skills. In that moment, you are no longer you. You are the hero protecting the world. You are her."
The live stream fell into a brief silence, and then, the bullet comments exploded at a speed that almost crashed the server.
[You mean, I can turn into a Valkyrie too?!]
[Holy crap! Fighting as a beautiful girl? Brother Su, you are simply a TM genius! You understand me!]
[I'm a guy! Can I change too? Then wouldn't I become... a cross-dressing big shot PRO MAX version?!]
[Say no more, Brother Su. I will definitely support you and your Junior Sister's game! I want to be Miss Junior Sister's dog! I want to whale!]
Elysia listened with eyes shining as well. She cupped her face with both hands and let out a sound of surprise: "Wow~ That sounds super amazing! You mean I can turn into a super, super cute beautiful girl in the game, and then fight monsters with a very handsome bow or staff?"
She blinked and added: "Although people are already super, super cute beautiful girls~ But experiencing a different style seems very interesting too! For example... that kind of cool style?"
"Of course." Su Yu nodded with a smile, his gaze drifting intentionally or unintentionally toward Kiana in the corner. "Moreover, the motion capture and combat logic of this game were all personally completed by that [Junior Sister]. That is to say, every roundhouse kick, every gun draw you experience in the game is a true 'Valkyrie' level action. It is absolutely not some flashy but useless showmanship. Absolutely hardcore. Absolutely cool."
This statement was undoubtedly a shot of adrenaline. The bullet comments had already started spamming [God Su] and [Release it quickly], and some even began spamming [Where is the pre-order link].
Just then, an eye-catching golden bullet comment drifted past, carrying the noble VIP special effects, blinding everyone's eyes:
[Brother Su, are you short of hands? I happen to have an idle game company. Equipment, venue, personnel—use them as you please! Let's collaborate on something big! I don't want to work hard anymore!]
Immediately after, several similar tycoons' comments followed below.
[If you don't lack people, do you lack money? Is five million enough? If not, I'll add more!]
[I do publicity. Brother Su, look at me, look at me! I'll do network-wide promotion for free!]
The ordinary netizens were shocked.
[Spit take. Brother Su, do you really have f*cking rich brothers among your fans? This is true love!]
[Is this the so-called "I'll support you"? I'm envious, I'm envious. I want to be kept by a rich lady too! A rich bro is fine too!]
[Rich Bro, V me 50 to see your strength!]
Looking at these tempting proposals, Su Yu's heart moved slightly. If he were the struggling independent game developer from his past life, facing this kind of pie falling from the sky, he probably would have nodded like pounding garlic long ago, perhaps even kneeling down to call them 'Daddy'.
But he couldn't do that now. His core technology was the System's black technology, and his core employee was a "ghost" who couldn't see the light of day and had no ID card. Once outsiders intervened with those engine codes that transcended the era and those black tech devices that could run without power, he would be sliced up for research in minutes. Then, both he and Kiana would be done for.
"Thank you for everyone's kindness." Su Yu smiled, his tone firm and carrying a kind of confidence. "But this is a... relatively special game. Its production method is not quite the same as the existing technology system. Many things can only be completed by me and my team—that is, me and my Junior Sister—personally."
He paused, his eyes becoming profound. "This is not just a commercial project, but... a promise. I don't want it to receive any interference from capital or external forces. I want to make it into the most perfect form in my heart, and in her heart. Even if it's a bit slower, we must achieve perfection."
Although these words were a bit chuunibyou, in the atmosphere of this moment, they appeared exceptionally sentimental, exceptionally full of that "craftsman spirit."
[I'm tearing up. Is this the persistence of an independent game developer? Brother Su, I respect you as a man!]
[Brother Su is tough! I just like this kind of producer with an attitude! Not compromising for dreams!]
[It doesn't matter, we'll wait for you! Even if it's ten years, we'll wait! As long as it's not a 'lifetime series'!]
[Shut up, the one in front! In ten years, the day lilies will be cold! Brother Su, hurry up! The production team's donkey wouldn't dare rest like this!]
"Don't worry, I won't let everyone wait too long." Su Yu glanced at the time and waved at the camera. "So, today's live stream ends here. For more news about 'Honkai Impact 3rd', please follow my personal homepage. Elysia, and everyone else, there will definitely be beta keys for you then."
[Brother Su, Brother Su, is this game focused on action? Can you reveal anything about the story?]
Su Yu was originally preparing to go offline, but seeing the SC sent by a tycoon, his finger paused on the mouse. Then, a tacit smile unique to an Old Captain appeared at the corner of his mouth.
It's here, it's here! Finally, it's here! He had waited a long time for this day!
Even living a second life, Su Yu still could not forget, could not forget how that source of all evil named "Shao Ji" faced the camera in the Honkai Impact 3rd live stream and said those words sufficient to be recorded in the entire history of miHoYo.
He took a deep breath, looking at the camera in the live stream, his eyes filled with sincerity. Only that smile, which only an Old Captain could understand, hung at the corner of his mouth, lingering and refusing to dissipate. Unfortunately, probably no one in this world could understand his profound meaning.
"Of course. Besides action, our game also focuses on an immersive story experience. I can reveal a little bit to everyone here."
"Honkai Impact 3rd is a warm and healing game. Our purpose in creating it is to let everyone feel the beauty of this world. Its story core is growth and inheritance, telling the tale of a group of brave people growing and transforming."
"Although countless difficulties and obstacles will be encountered in the process of growth, and there will be many bumps and tribulations along the way... But here, I assure everyone: Honkai Impact 3rd is a healthy, sunny, and positive game!"
"Welcome everyone to pay more attention to 'Honkai Impact 3rd'!"
[Good, good, good. A positive energy game where you can also transform into a beautiful girl to fight. It'll be hard for this game not to be popular!]
[I bet five cents of spicy strips, if this game isn't popular, the laws of heaven won't tolerate it!]
[Warm and healing? Real or fake?]
[Look at how innocently Brother Su is smiling. In this day and age, such innocent producers are rare~]
"Anyway, that's it. For more follow-up content, please follow my personal account. The live stream ends here today, goodnight everyone!"
Amidst the screen full of [Bye Bye] and [Goodnight], Su Yu closed the live stream room.
The room instantly quieted down. Su Yu took off his headphones and let out a long breath, feeling as if his back was soaked through. This feeling of painting a big pie under high pressure was really not a job for humans.
"Hey." A soft voice came from the side.
Su Yu turned his head and saw Kiana sitting on the sofa hugging her knees, those heterochromatic eyes appearing exceptionally bright under the dim light.
"What you said just now..." She bit her lip, asking somewhat uncertainly. "Will there really be that many people who like it? Transforming into a Valkyrie to fight or something... those painful battles, will someone really like them?"
"Of course." Su Yu stood up, rolled his somewhat stiff shoulders, and walked over to sit beside her. "Didn't you see the bullet comments? They were almost going crazy."
He pointed to the computer screen that had already gone black. "In this peaceful world, people crave excitement, crave heroes, and crave to become a different self. And your story, your power, happens to satisfy all of this."
"So, be confident, Kiana." Su Yu turned his head and looked at her deeply. "You are not some monster that brings disaster, nor are you a ghost who can only hide in the shadows. In this world, you are an idol about to be pursued by thousands, a hero they dream of becoming. You will become... a true legend."
Kiana looked at him blankly. After a while, the corners of her mouth slowly rose, revealing a smile that was somewhat shy but came from the heart.
"Then..." She muttered softly, as if cheering herself on. "Then I'll reluctantly... cooperate with you. I also want to see if those people can execute my handsome animation canceling combos after becoming me. If they play too poorly, I will laugh at them."
Su Yu smiled. "Don't worry, I'll add a newbie protection mechanism."
Outside the window, the city lights were still brilliant. But in this small room, the seed named "Honkai Impact 3rd" had already been planted. This was the first step of Su Yu's plan. And it was the first big step towards freedom for him and Kiana.
And now, he needed to solve another matter first—
"So, Kiana, isn't it time to settle the account for the snacks you stole just now?"
"Ah! I'm sleepy! I'm going to sleep! Goodnight Su Yu!"
"Hmph? Trying to escape? Lightning Whirlwind Slash!"
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