Chapter 45: Chief Astrologer, Disaster Strikes!
-The Divination Commission-
Qingque had been glued to Little Gui's stream, following every moment from the space station to Jarilo-VI. The game was so engrossing that it even made her meals more enjoyable—she'd polished off two bowls of rice in one sitting! Suffice it to say, she was completely hooked.
In fact, she hadn't played mahjong for nearly two whole days!
But now, the storyline had taken an unexpected turn toward Xianzhou Luofu. Not only did Yanqing make an appearance, but General Jing Yuan himself showed up too!
Before this point, Qingque could enjoy the unfolding events like a thrilling fantasy drama because they were distant and unrelated to Luofu or herself. No matter how chaotic things got with the Astral Express and Stellaron Hunters elsewhere, it all felt like harmless entertainment.
However…
Now the excitement has landed right on my doorstep!
She couldn't stay calm anymore.
"It looks like the next major plot will take place on the Luofu Immortal Ship!"
"What about that person claiming to be March 7th? When are you sending me those ten train supply vouchers you promised?"
"Wait, hold on! Why is everyone still acting so relaxed? This storyline involves the Luofu Immortal Ship; Little Gui Zi might get shut down any second now!"
"Nah, it won't come to that."
"How can you say that?! Do you know who just appeared in that scene? It's Blade—a Stellaron Hunter! There's an 8.13 billion bounty on him from the company!"
"Luofu is in danger! Quickly alert the Divination Commission and the General!"
"Increase surveillance at The Shackling Prison!"
As Qingque read through these comments, her heart began racing. She sensed impending doom looming over them. Whispers suggested that every plot point in the game mirrored reality. Was it now predicting future events?
Moreover, whenever the main storyline unfolded, significant occurrences always followed—like the Grim Reaper calling out names for his reaping. And this time, the Luofu Immortal Ship seemed to be next on the list!
"Oh no! Our peaceful days are over!"
Qingque's first thought was to urgently report this to Chief Astrologer Fu Xuan. If disaster struck later, at least they'd have informed her, shifting the responsibility onto her shoulders.
With that sense of urgency, Qingque didn't even bother wiping her mouth before rushing straight to Fu Xuan's office within the Divination Commission.
"Chief Astrologer, something terrible has happened!" she exclaimed breathlessly.
Inside, Fu Xuan's lips twitched slightly as he observed the flustered figure outside her door. In a stern tone, she said, "Qingque! As diviners, we must maintain composure and strategic thinking, embodying poise and restraint. Your panicked shouting can be heard throughout the commission—what decorum is this?"
"I wouldn't act like this unless it were truly urgent," Qingque explained hurriedly.
"What is it? Tell me."
Five minutes later, Qingque finished recounting everything she knew about Honkai: Star Rail, unsure if the Chief Astrologer fully grasped the gravity of the situation.
Fu Xuan closed his eyes without speaking, seemingly deep in thought. After a few seconds, he finally asked, "This game… can actually predict the future?"
"Ridiculous and laughable!"
"You stayed up all night playing cards again, didn't you? Still not fully awake?"
"Chief Astrologer, I'm being wrongfully accused! It's been two whole days since I last touched any cards! Instead, I've been continuously… well, constantly observing this game's content!" Qingque protested, looking deeply aggrieved.
"Every word your subordinate says is true, Chief Astrologer," she insisted. "Let me show you this video!"
Just as Qingque was about to search for "[Five Named Individuals]" on the Honkai: Star Rail forum, she froze. Her phone clattered loudly onto the floor.
"What happened?"
Qingque hastily picked up her phone and blew on it gently.
"Chief Astrologer, the developer 'Feathered Spirit' just posted another video moments ago!"
"It's a short film titled A Flash!"
Fu Xuan took the phone from her.
The thumbnail featured General Jing Yuan, his eyes blazing fiercely as though caught mid-battle against a formidable foe.
"So what? Countless products in Luofu exploit the General's popularity for promotion. This morning, I drank a cup of hot Luofu milk 'strongly recommended by General Jing Yuan.'"
"My lord, perhaps you should watch it?"
"All right, let's see then."
Though Qingque hadn't seen the video herself, she trusted the developer implicitly. When it came to delivering surprises, "Feathered Spirit" never disappointed. Expect only top-tier content!
"Huff… huff…"
A strong gust of wind echoed from the video.
The scene revealed a desolate landscape of shattered ruins floating in mid-air, surrounded by fragments of broken stone. Eerie blue-purple light flickered alongside flashes of sword beams. Below, a multitude of Cloud Knights lay sprawled across the ground—but they weren't ordinary knights. They had been transformed into white ice sculptures, frozen in various poses amidst the battlefield.
Fu Xuan's expression darkened slightly.
Then, he saw Jing Yuan steadily advancing through the chaos. Only now did Fu Xuan notice that the Jing Yuan in the video appeared younger than his current self, exuding youthful vigor and sharpness—a stark contrast to his present demeanor as an old slacker.
On the other side of the battlefield, standing amidst the wreckage, was a woman.
She wielded a longsword that gleamed coldly, her white hair flowing freely. Surprisingly, there wasn't the slightest hint of a martial warrior's aura about her. Her crimson eyes glinted dangerously, and the upward curve of her lips conveyed a frenzied madness.
A flicker of astonishment crossed Fu Xuan's face as he blurted out, "This person is… Jingliu?!"
Beside him, Qingque's jaw dropped in shock. "What?! It's actually her!"
But despite her reaction, Qingque was utterly confused.
Jingliu? Who's that?
The identity didn't matter as much as Fu Xuan's stunned expression. Something clearly wasn't right. Qingque realized she couldn't stand idly by while her superior reacted this way. She needed to actively support and empathize with her boss—provide emotional reassurance!