Chapter 260 - 260: Elegance Never Goes Out of Style

The gentle, rhythmic hum of the Astral Express engine provided a soothing backdrop to the quiet atmosphere of the parlor car. The rich, earthy aroma of freshly ground coffee beans drifted through the air as Himeko rested gracefully against the plush velvet sofa. She had just received word that Leon had pushed a massive new update to his game, adding dedicated promotional videos for the characters.

Curiosity piqued, Himeko lifted her smart device, taking a slow, deliberate sip from her porcelain cup before tapping the thumbnail that bore her own likeness.

The screen darkened, and the cinematic scene slowly unfolded.

"In the vast universe, there are infinite unknowns and possibilities."

Her own voice, perfectly captured and rendered with a calm, melodic timbre, flowed softly from the device's speakers. The camera slowly pulled back from a tight focus, revealing the digital Himeko standing in the center of the frame, a heavy, leather-bound book resting in her hands.

"The process of unraveling possibilities and exploring the ultimate truth..."

On the screen, the digital Himeko gently turned a page, her gaze lifting to look out into the endless expanse of the cosmos.

"...is the journey we are currently on."

Watching this, a beautiful, genuine curve appeared at the corner of the real Himeko's mouth. Her eyes softened. Was this Leon's personal understanding of the Trailblaze? Or was it merely his reflection of how he believed she viewed their journey? Regardless of his intentions, those two simple sentences managed to touch the softest, most guarded part of her heart. They were the exact words she held dear, the very sentiments she would share with anyone who asked why she traveled the stars.

The scene on the screen widened, transitioning into a sweeping panoramic view of the Astral Express interior. Familiar faces flashed by in quick, heartwarming succession. March 7th flashing a peace sign, Stelle and Caelus looking around in wonder, Welt adjusting his glasses, and Pom-Pom waddling down the aisle.

Finally, the camera settled back onto Himeko.

"I am Himeko, the Navigator." She walked slowly down the aisle of the Express, the crisp, rhythmic tapping of her high heels echoing against the floorboards. "Welcome to the Astral Express."

"The Astral Express has no definite destination..."

She paused in her steps, glancing over her shoulder with a warm, inviting smile.

"Because every passenger's destination is different."

"I believe that here, we will share an interesting journey together."

The video transitioned to show her brewing coffee with practiced grace, her movements fluid and elegant like a well-rehearsed dance.

Watching her digital counterpart, Himeko smiled deeply and brought her own cup to her lips, taking a gentle sip. For a brief, surreal moment, her actions perfectly synchronized with the Himeko on the screen. It was a mirror image of pure, unadulterated elegance.

"Next..." The digital Himeko set down her coffee cup, her smile taking on a sharper, more confident edge. "It's all prepared for you."

The background music instantly shifted, dropping the gentle orchestral tones for a high-octane, pulse-pounding electronic beat.

"Combat is a precise design."

"One by one."

In the blink of an eye, the ordinary-looking suitcase in her hand mechanically shifted. Metal plates slid apart, gears locked into place, and a menacing, buzzing chainsaw blade extended from the casing. The sheer contrast between the elegant lady sipping coffee and the heavy, roaring machinery in her hands was pushed to the absolute maximum.

With a swift, practiced motion, Himeko hurled the suitcase forward. It disintegrated mid-air, reassembling into several high-speed drones armed with rotating saw blades that tore through the approaching enemies with ruthless efficiency.

The music swelled, growing even more stirring and triumphant.

Facing down a horde of towering monsters, the digital Himeko casually set down a cushion from her suitcase and took a seat right in the middle of the battlefield. She crossed her right leg elegantly over her left, a cup of coffee resting easily in her hand. She took a calm sip, completely ignoring the chaos around her, and looked up toward the starry sky with a serene smile.

"Humans never hide their desire to control the starry sky."

Right beside her, a blinding pillar of red light shot straight up from the ground, piercing through the heavy layers of clouds and breaching the atmosphere to reach outer space. In orbit, a massive satellite array received the targeting signal. Weapon systems locked and loaded.

A split second later, a devastating orbital laser rained down from the heavens, striking the ground coordinates with terrifying precision. The soaring, explosive flames illuminated half of Himeko's face, the intense heatwave causing her crimson hair to flutter gently in the wind.

"Of course, that includes me as well."

Himeko tilted her head, that same elegant, unbothered smile gracing her features. "Every step closer to the stars is a harvest of the Trailblaze."

She reached up, delicately tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "This is my answer."

"And your journey..."

"...has only just begun."

The digital Himeko looked directly into the camera, her gaze warm and piercing, as if speaking directly to the soul of the audience watching from the other side of the screen.

The screen faded to black. The promotional video ended.

In the quiet of the parlor car, Himeko sat completely motionless for a long time, the rim of her coffee cup resting lightly against her lower lip.

"...Humans never hide their desire to control the starry sky. Of course, that includes me as well."

She softly repeated the lines into the empty air, the corners of her lips curling upward into a bright, amused smile.

"Every step closer to the stars is a harvest of the Trailblaze... This is my answer."

She had indeed spoken similar words in the past. But she had never said them in front of Leon. Was this his deep understanding of her character, or was this simply the idealized image he held of her in his heart?

Taking another slow sip of her coffee, Himeko felt her smile deepen. She set the cup down and opened the Astral Express group chat interface on her device.

[Himeko: @Leon, the promotional video is very well done. I like it a lot.]

[March 7th: PV? What PV?]

[Stelle: PV? What PV?]

[Caelus: PV? What PV?]

[March 7th: Are you guys just broken records?]

Sitting in another section of the train, March 7th let out an exasperated sigh as her fingers flew across her holographic keyboard. The three of them had been completely buried in their devices, frantically grinding to upgrade their Aether Spirits for the tournament, completely oblivious to the outside world and any game updates.

However, the moment they read Himeko's message, all three of them immediately abandoned their Aetherium Wars grind. They scrambled to open Honkai: Star Rail, watching the download progress bar fill up with eager anticipation.

[Himeko: You didn't know? Honkai: Star Rail has been updated. All previous playable characters now have their own dedicated character PVs.]

[Himeko: That means everyone in our Astral Express Crew has one, except for Pom-Pom.]

[Pom-Pom: Oh, no! How can I, the Conductor, not have one, pom...]

[Leon: Because Pom-Pom isn't a playable character.]

[Leon: Being an adorable mascot is enough for Pom-Pom... You are strictly non-combat personnel.]

[Pom-Pom: Oh, no! Pom-Pom is not a mascot, pom! Pom-Pom is the Conductor, pom...]

Somewhere in the conductor's cabin, Pom-Pom stomped their little feet, shaking their long, fluffy ears in absolute indignation.

[Bai Heng: I... I don't seem to have one either.]

[Leon: Because you are a new passenger and not a playable character yet, so naturally you don't have a promotional video.]

[Leon: Besides, if I made you a playable character right now, your true identity would be broadcasted to the entire universe. I would have to consult your opinion before doing something that risky.]

Reading the screen, Bai Heng paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully before nodding to herself. He was entirely right. Once word got out that a legendary hero of the Xianzhou had returned from the dead, the political and social fallout would be a massive headache. It was far better to keep a low profile and not rush things for now.

Meanwhile, in the physical space of the parlor car, Leon was casually lounging on a chair, surrounded by an attentive audience.

"...Such pure and persistent love must be a heroic legend in the universe, right?" Serval leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, letting out a dreamy sigh after listening to Leon's elaborate storytelling.

"What happens next?" March 7th asked impatiently, practically bouncing on her toes.

"That's it," Leon said smoothly, spreading his hands in a gesture of finality. "End of story."

"Then... which Aeon is the one Lan admires so deeply?" Serval leaned in even closer, her eyes wide with burning curiosity.

"Need you even ask?"

Leon flashed a bright, mischievous grin, pausing for dramatic effect before delivering his words with slow, deliberate precision.

"Of course... it is the Aeon of Abundance, Yaoshi, who is merciful to all living beings and sows the seeds of life."

The words hung in the air.

A heavy, suffocating, and utterly bizarre silence crashed down over the entire carriage.

Across the room, Himeko's hand, which had been raising her coffee cup, froze completely mid-air. Welt Yang slowly lowered his head, the overhead lights catching the opaque glare of his glasses, hiding his eyes. Dan Heng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and silently turned his head to stare blankly out the window. March 7th's eager expression completely shattered, freezing into a mask of pure, unadulterated shock.

Only Stelle and Caelus reacted differently. The two of them slowly turned to look at each other, nodded in solemn agreement, and began to clap in perfect, rhythmic unison.

On the live broadcast interface floating nearby, the viewer chat exploded into a chaotic frenzy of scrolling text.

[Holy crap, this is absolute garbage, pure nonsense!]

[Oh my god, Brother Leon really dares to say absolutely anything.]

[Is he really not afraid of Lan firing a light arrow across the galaxy to settle the score?!]

[Ahem, although I hate to say it, Aeons almost never care about the ramblings of mortals...]

[Look at Himeko and Old Yang, they are looking away because they are desperately trying to stifle their laughter, right?]

[I can't take it anymore, guys. My sides hurt.]

[By the time my brain processed what I had just heard, it was already too late!]

[Lan:? Yaoshi:??]

[The truth behind the insane Xianzhou rumors has finally come to light today!]

[Shocking! The century-old mystery of the Luofu has been solved, the mastermind behind the chaos is actually...]

Light-years away, on the bustling streets of the Xianzhou Luofu, Guinaifen stared at her screen, her entire body feeling numb with disbelief. Her jaw practically hit the floor.

This utterly blasphemous rumor—the one claiming the Reignbow Arbiter was secretly in love with the Plagues Author—had been spreading like a catastrophic wildfire across the entire Xianzhou Luofu over the past few weeks.

She had been living on the Xianzhou this whole time, so she knew firsthand just how massive and disruptive this rumor had become. The local authorities were losing their minds. Because of this exact piece of gossip, her good friend Sushang had been dispatched on endless patrols, running herself ragged trying to arrest the people spreading such dangerous heresy.

And now, watching this broadcast, the horrifying truth finally clicked in Guinaifen's mind.

The original source of the most dangerous rumor in Xianzhou history... was sitting right here all along?

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