LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 17: Why choose me?
Time rewinds back to the company's interior.
Regarding the issue of the drinks that Su Lu mentioned, Luo Mo didn't take it seriously.
After all, it symbolized a heartfelt loyalty to the Overseer and subtly affirmed the ending he had crafted.
However, seeing the comments under the official game account, such as:
—Visiting the grave, Farewell Overseer, Day 9th since Otto's departure, XXX is here paying the highest respect to the former Overseer of Schicksal.—
(TL/C: why this never happened in IRL)
It carried an atmosphere of reluctant parting.
What can be said?
There are always people whose actions contradict their words.
At first, there was a collective outcry against Otto. But soon, seeing how things had turned, many swiftly changed their tone and took a different stance.
And if we eliminate those people who are driven by market forces and corporate interests,
the genuine players felt even more conflicted.
When Otto was around, they desperately wanted him to reveal his health bar so they could complete the achievement of the final kill.
But now that he's truly gone, no one came forward to curse him. Instead, they paid respects, lit incense, and poured drinks, leaving no ritual undone.
What was supposed to be a celebratory drinking binge for three days turned into sparse toasts, each sip carrying immense sorrow.
Initially, they had thought of laughing over Otto's death with their friends. Yet, witnessing it firsthand left only an empty heart full of melancholy.
Drinking only deepened their desolation, sighs slipping out as sadness grew.
His departure etched his personality, and his grand, tumultuous life, along with that paper plane and his great inventions, into everyone's memory.
Turning the pages of history, one wouldn't find another like him.
Countless people wrote their reflections.
Perhaps, as Otto claimed, he didn't care. But they still paid respect to this great inventor:
[If saving Kallen meant erasing every Otto on the timeline, then imagine this scene: In the final cut, a young Otto slowly turns to ashes and vanishes, leaving only a lonely Kallen resting against a tree. As she wakes, groggy, she reaches out beside her to find a broken paper plane...]
[For today only, refrain from using green bullet comments. Let's send off this absurd man with brilliant gold.]
(TL/N: I think what they meant by green is, stealing your lover. Because Kallen left with Sakura. Don't know)
[A small person's life; a madman's life; a sage's life; a fool's life.]
[Otto Apocalypse. Perhaps he truly was an inventor. And his greatest invention? A world.]
[There's a sense of sadness, a discomfort akin to an empty building. It feels like someone softly whispers in your ear at the end—"His story is over. Thank you for walking with him to the very end."]
[For today only, I won't drink for myself. I'll pour half a glass, dedicated to you, the one considered a hero.]
[I raise my glass for you, to the most amazing, respectful, loveable, greatest Villain of all time.]
(TL/C: Now you all know how I Felt! sob...)
Luo Mo sipped his tea, a faint fragrance lingering as he calmly watched.
After all, in some ways, he had shared similar feelings before.
But compared to his past emotional attachment to that fictional Overseer, seeing the departure in real time stirred his heart.
He fully understood the players' reactions and emotional outbursts and was prepared to observe the spectacle.
It should be called empathy.
(TL/C: HI3 should really be an anime adaptation)
Even the thirteen Flame-Chasers felt regret, the S-rank Valkyries dimmed their gazes, and even the great Overseer of Schicksal, Kallen, was moved to tears...
It was natural for others to be shocked and moved.
Even if they lacked personal experience, witnessing such a heroic and tragic story still stirred emotions.
Seeing the players' heartfelt comments, their genuine regret and sorrow, was unmistakably real.
The emotional outpouring and pain over Otto's departure felt profound. In silence, they mourned, bidding farewell to the one who saved the world.
Many people offered tributes, poetry, or shared a drink in his honor.
Luo Mo read through the post articles, a smile forming on his lips, warmth blooming in his heart.
Focusing intently, he read every word carefully, and his smile deepened.
Each piece of feedback contributed to his emotional income. He was simply happy because it meant he could save the world faster.
Yes, exactly like that.
As declared from the beginning, he had always upheld this mission: every tear shed by the players worked toward saving the world.
Su Lu watched his smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, staying silent for a while. Scratching her head, she couldn't find the words to say.
As expected, the boss was broken.
Su Lu became more convinced of this thought.
Speaking of which, last night, nothing unusual happened with Elysia or Mobius.
Luo Mo's thoughts turned to something else, related to his next actions.
The Elysian Realm needed preparation. As for the Flame-Chasers, they deserved a perfect conclusion as well.
(TL: let's Go!!!)
Though hopefully, yesterday's miracle of worlds colliding wouldn't happen again... Yet, there was a faint anticipation in his heart.
"So, how's the progress on the next storyline plot?"
He asked casually, though he already had a rough idea of the progress. He just wanted to confirm.
"The players' emotions are still raw these past three days. Otto... really shocked us deeply," Su Lu said with some difficulty.
While speaking, her focus shifted naturally from his inhuman smile to her work responsibilities.
"Hmm... The Elysian Realm's model is nearly complete, the short video is ready, and the Post-Honkai Odyssey models are also coming along... By the way, boss, you didn't introduce Post-Honkai Odyssey early just to make players worry about who might die next, did you? Someday, wielding a knife will get you into trouble~"
(TL: YES!! Apho!)
"And, boss, remember that vacation we talked about?"
"Hmm—"
"How could I think that? I just felt it wasn't the right time yet," Luo Mo denied her accusation but nodded in satisfaction at her hard work.
As for the vacation? It's in the queue, in the queue.
"I swear, boss, if I ever become a Herrscher like in the game, I'll take revenge as the Herrscher of Dominance"
Su Lu shot him a dissatisfied look, implying something but letting her words veer off midway.
She definitely mentioned something except for the last part, of course.
Where was her vacation?
Her rich and charming vacation?
"Uh, no need to hold such a grudge, alright?"
Luo Mo, somewhat defeated, looked at her helplessly.
Though they had a boss-employee relationship, her enthusiasm and dedication to the game far exceeded his.
...If not for that game buff.
"Tch, who knows? If it's you, maybe someone really would volunteer to become the Herrscher of Dominance. Remember last time with Teacher Himeko, in final lesson?"
Su Lu squinted her eyes, a bit intimidating as she stared at him.
The incident where an employee tried to "Assassinate" the boss due to the game's storyline must've been a first in the industry. No one knew whether to praise the immersion or condemn the boss for tormenting players.
The news spread, and many didn't believe it, thinking it was just a joke.
Well, it was a joke—except it was real.
(TL: Ceo assassination. I feel like I heard that before ~)
"..."
"Enough, I get it, I get it," Luo Mo sighed.
Luo Mo covered his face with one hand, feeling it impossible to deal with the situation.
He stood up abruptly, sighed, and walked toward the door. "Forget it. I'll go check on the voice recording studio. That Elysia is still there, after all. She's such a handful…"
Su Lu watched him leave in silence, her gaze lingering on his retreating figure.
She stood in a daze for a moment, lost in thought.
Raising her hand, she let the bright sunlight filter through, casting a golden glow on her pale skin. However, faint streaks of a dark, golden hue seemed to shimmer ominously beneath the surface.
Through the back of her hand, she felt as if she could faintly glimpse what lay beyond.
A dark golden light flickered in her eyes, dim and elusive, like a fleeting glint hidden in shadows, eventually settling and vanishing without a trace.
Golden threads… had already warped themselves tightly around her.
"Why... choose me?"
"Because… you're the closest to him, of course! Hee hee—"
"Damn it, why can't I get rid of that speck of glowing light inside me?"
"Go on, sink into despair! Go on, go on~!"
"huh... I do wonder about my current state. The Herrscher of Dominance … I'm not in despair, though," Su Luo muttered, letting out a sigh. She pursed her lips,
She then used her sleeve to cover her arm, speaking to herself in a subdued tone.
It was hard to pinpoint exactly when it began, nor could she say it was entirely a shadow in her heart. Were it not for the resistance from the stigma within her…
"We won't kill you—"
"If you're gone, we'll be exposed."
"See? We just want to live. Everyone does. What's wrong with that?"
The teasing voices echoed in her mind, leaving her helpless, unable to deal with them or share the truth with anyone.
As one of the developers of the game, Su Lu was keenly aware of what was inside her.
The Herrscher of Dominance had descended upon her, though it was nothing like the one in the game.
(TL: I'm not sure if it's only her Alone, or every employ in the company became a Herrscher like her)
----
Meanwhile, Luo Mo seemed entirely unaware of what was happening to his colleague.
Usually, he relied on in-game mechanics to detect Herrscher identities. However, the Herrscher of a Dominance and the Herrscher of Binding were exceptions, they couldn't be identified using the original plotlines.
More importantly, there had been no outbreaks near the Herrscher of Rock's domain, nor any reported Honkai events within the vicinity.
The Herrscher of sentience was right beside him, bolstering a suffocating level of technological suppression.
For now, he simply assumed… the Herrscher of Dominance wouldn't appear for a while.
At the moment, he was more focused on checking the system for his current stash of crystals.
He had apparently forgotten to claim his last batch—not out of negligence, but simply because he hadn't needed them.
Coincidentally, Elysia's physical stigma had been refreshed in the system. Curious, he checked to see what kind of stigma it was.
____
[Congratulations, Host! The main quest—So the Flame Left Behind—has been completed. Emotional Value gained: 2,314,554 points.]
[Host's position: "Scriptwriter." Emotional Value directly affects rewards at an 80% rate.]
[Main quest ratings:]
Plot: 83
Voice Acting: 88
Music: 94
[Crystals earned for this main quest: 16,356.]
___
[Congratulations, Host! The main quest—Thus Spoke Apocalypse—has been completed. Emotional Value gained: 3,014,589 points.]
[Host's position: "Scriptwriter." Emotional Value directly affects rewards at an 80% rate.]
[Main quest ratings:]
Plot: 96
Voice Acting: 89
Music: 91
(Triggered plot rating bonus: +20%)
[Crystals earned for this main quest: 26,624.]
_____
[Current crystal balance: 68,457.]
[Exclusive stigma refreshed—Stigma: Anna Schariac.]
[Description: She bears the name of Schariac with unwavering kindness and strength, yet only through the frost has she fulfilled her destiny.]
---
"Uh…" Lo Mo blinked slowly, feeling a little surprised. After waiting an entire month, this was the outcome?
Well, he felt a little guilty about Anna's painstaking coding efforts, but he decided to switch to a different exclusive stigma.
___
[Current crystal balance: 67,457.]
[Exclusive stigma refreshed—Stigma: Magical Girl Set.]
[Description: Teri-Teri, Bu-Bu, Fu-Fu… Where have you all gone? (Shout the slogan with me—Let's become magical girls together!)]
---
"Hmm…"
Luo Mo's expression turned abstract as he furrowed his brows, staring at the system interface.
The image of the four magical girls seemed to sway gently in response, as if beckoning him.
Magical… girls?
Honestly, he was now a little curious about the conditions required to equip this stigma. Hopefully… it wouldn't be too far off from what he was imagining.
For now, though, he decided to keep it.
The later the stigma is released, the stronger it will be, or so Luo Mo comforted himself.
But he was growing increasingly skeptical about ever acquiring the Finality three-piece set. The more crystals he had, the better his chances, after all.
With that thought, he pushed open the door and entered the floor's voice recording studio.
Compared to the bustling activity outside, the fluttering papers in the hallways, the hurried figures rushing back and forth, this place felt more like a tranquil afternoon retreat.
The moment he stepped inside, the faint hum of conversations from outside vanished into silence. What greeted him was the sight of the girls diligently recording their lines. Surprisingly, there were more people here today than usual.
For instance, there was Elysia, the proverbial "bright light bulb" wedged between Kiana and Mei.
And then there was a petite, green-haired girl squinting as she watched Seele, who was shielded protectively by Bronya.
"Hey, Boss! Quick, take her away already! She's been pestering us non-stop," Kiana called out, her eyes lighting up as if she'd spotted her savior. She waved frantically for him to come over.
"Hm? That's not quite fair, Kiana. I'm only trying to get to know you all better. At most, I'm just a little enthusiastic, a little lively…"
The pink-haired girl smiled sweetly, twirling a lock of her long pink hair with her fingers as she spoke. Her gaze remained fixed on Kiana, clearly enjoying the situation.
She tugged lightly on her hair, her fingers curling around it as if toying with Kiana's reaction.
Her reasons for being here were simple...
Her story was about to begin!
Such a straightforward matter didn't need to be repeated, now, did it?
Meanwhile, Kiana's expression turned into a bitter scowl, her mouth twisting in frustration. Her lips puckered as if biting back a retort, but her glare spoke volumes.
"A little? You call that a little?" Kiana's voice was loud and accusatory.
"Of course. There's always a special bond between beautiful girls. A kind of magical connection that naturally draws us together. So, the occasional physical contact is perfectly understandable, right?"
Elysia nodded gently, her smile still as radiant as ever.
"...No, I can't say I understand," Kiana replied flatly, her tone icy as she glared at Elysia.
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