"Wow~ Eden's going to record a song?"
Elysia's eyes sparkled as she immediately clung to Eden's arm, her tone playful and spoiled. "It's been so long since you last sang for me~ I can't wait!"
The other girls in the studio perked up as well.
After all—this was the diva Eden singing live. Who wouldn't be curious?
Kiana had even pulled out her phone, preparing to record a clip.
Just imagine showing this off at school—her classmates would be green with envy.
But before she could hit record, Durandal reached over and knocked her lightly on the head.
"Ow~ Sis, why'd you hit me?"
"If I don't, you're going to cause trouble."
Durandal sighed. "The boss didn't shoo you away while he was negotiating with Eden—that means he trusts you. But this collaboration isn't signed yet. It's not finalized…"
She shook her head again. "Forget it, you probably don't get it. Just remember this: no recording. Got it?"
"…Fine." Kiana pouted and put her phone away, disappointed.
Meanwhile, online, a video titled "Himeko Onee-san Breaks the Dimensional Wall" was spreading like wildfire.
It was, of course, a screen recording from Elysia's previous livestream.
Anyone who watched it couldn't help but be shocked by the appearance of Himeko and Kiana.
[OMG! Aunt Himeko isn't dead!!]
[This cosplay is PERFECT. A 100% faithful recreation!!]
[Or… is there a chance this is actually the real Himeko and Kiana?]
[Don't be ridiculous—Himeko walking out of the game?]
[Check the title—Elysia and Eden visited miHoYo's studio. Himeko's one of their staff.]
[Wait… so are the Valkyries actually modeled after the staff there?]
[Now that you mention it… what if all the Valkyries in Honkai Impact are just miHoYo employees?!]
[Damn—so uh… is miHoYo hiring?]
[Pfft, obvious PR stunt. Penguin was about to steal the spotlight, and suddenly this "dimensional break" trick shows up?]
[It's just a passing clip. Definitely fake.]
[Honestly, I don't buy it either. 2D and 3D aren't that easy to bridge.]
[Ha! Penguin's hired shills are here—everyone come watch!]
[Real or fake, I don't care—I just want the game update already!!]
Watching Honkai Impact 3rd climb the trending charts again, Zhao Wenbo felt a growing headache.
"…To think they'd come up with this kind of marketing. I'll admit it—when it comes to knowing the ACG community, that miHoYo boss is sharper than me."
Even as a competitor, Wenbo had to concede—Mo Li's play was eye-catching.
But just then, his nephew Zhao Yi spoke hesitantly.
"Uncle… that Himeko really does exist. I've met her once before. And Bronya, Durandal, Kiana, Rita… the Valkyries all have real-life counterparts at miHoYo's office."
Wenbo's eyes widened.
"You're saying… those characters were actually modeled on the staff?"
Zhao Yi nodded.
"And how close is the resemblance?"
"…Almost one-to-one," Zhao Yi admitted. "Even their personalities are eerily alike."
"…." Wenbo fell silent.
That was absurd.
He knew exactly how beloved the Valkyries were among fans.
If those girls ever chose to step into the spotlight, they could debut instantly.
Their popularity might even eclipse certain second-tier idols.
And truth be told—their looks were far above the average celebrity.
"Tch… if this continues, miHoYo just has to let their staff show up, and the internet will explode."
But Zhao Yi thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"In my impression, those girls don't like being in the public eye. If they wanted to, why would they have stayed hidden all this time? Even when Final Lesson caused a massive backlash, Himeko never came out to clarify."
"If she had, miHoYo wouldn't have been flamed nearly that badly."
"So… I don't think we need to worry too much about that."
Wenbo's eyes lit up.
"…You're right."
Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, excited.
"Xiao Yi! Try reaching out to Eden. See if she'll play Girls' Odyssey on stream for a couple hours."
"If she won't, then find another celebrity!"
This was his new idea.
Clearly, hiring trolls to smear Honkai or buying hot search spots was proving inefficient and costly.
Why not redirect that budget into securing celebrity endorsements?
They could even mimic miHoYo's trick—pick a female star, model a character after her, and add her into the game!
"I'm such an idiot… why didn't I think of this sooner?"
Zhao Yi instantly caught on to his uncle's meaning and rushed off to make calls.
With Penguin's name, securing a celebrity partnership wasn't hard.
Soon enough, Zhao Yi returned, looking thrilled.
"Uncle—I couldn't reach Eden, but I got through to another singer."
"Who?"
"Yu Weiwei," Zhao Yi said excitedly. "She didn't even ask about payment—she agreed on the spot."
"I think she's seen the trending topics too. She probably wants to grab some of that ACG fan traffic herself."
Wenbo frowned slightly, then smirked as a thought struck him.
"And if I remember correctly… she and Eden have a bit of a grudge."
At the mention of gossip, Zhao Yi perked up. "Wait, someone actually dislikes Eden?"
"Heh. No one is universally loved, no matter how outstanding they are." Wenbo shook his head. "Though calling it a grudge is exaggerating. To be precise—Yu Weiwei envies Eden's talent, so she's picked fights before."
"Ah, that makes sense. Eden's way too gentle to actually clash with anyone."
"Alright, enough gossip. The game launches tomorrow. Go make sure everything's in order."
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