After skimming through the online chatter, Mo Li set his phone down and called Rita.
"Rita, let the girls know—we're having a meeting."
Not long after, a group of youthful, radiant girls gathered together.
Among them were Yae Miko and Kamisato Ayaka.
"Is everything ready for tomorrow's update?"
Bronya gave a small nod.
"Mm. Everything's set. We're just waiting for the update to roll out."
"Good. Today's meeting is mainly about three things."
"First—I promised before that besides your base salary, you'd also be getting a big bonus…"
The moment he said that, the girls' eyes lit up. Finally, payday.
But when Mo Li pulled out a thick stack of documents, their curiosity was piqued.
"I thought it over. The success of Honkai Impact 3rd owes a lot to using your character templates. So, I've decided to give each of you one percent equity in miHoYo."
"These are the share transfer agreements."
His words left the girls truly stunned.
Before, when Mo Li spoke about handing out bonuses, they just thought he was generous and good-natured.
But this was different—this was equity.
Even if it was only one percent, with miHoYo's current valuation, that tiny slice was worth an astronomical sum.
And its potential was still climbing.
Which meant those shares would only keep appreciating.
This wasn't just generosity anymore—Mo Li was practically giving away a fortune.
No wonder the girls were shocked.
"Boss… did you get drunk or something?" Even Rita, usually the picture of elegance and calm, was visibly startled.
"I'm not drunk~" Mo Li chuckled. "Of course, if any of you want to sell, you can always come to me. I'll buy back your one percent at a price you'll be satisfied with."
The girls exchanged looks, their eyes filled with disbelief as they stared at the contracts in their hands.
Finally, after a long silence, Durandal spoke first.
"Ahem… Boss, as tempting as this is… I can't accept it. Sure, the game used our likenesses, but that doesn't justify such a massive payout. If anything, we've gained popularity from it."
"We don't intend to profit off fame, but it isn't exactly a bad thing."
"So… this equity transfer… I really can't accept it."
Once she spoke, Ganyu timidly pushed her contract back as well.
"Boss… I haven't really contributed much to the studio. I really don't deserve this…"
One by one, the other girls also slid their contracts back toward Mo Li.
Their response left him both surprised and moved.
He wasn't being reckless in his generosity. He did this because he trusted them—their character.
If it were anyone else, he never would have shared equity.
And now, it was clear he hadn't misjudged them.
Anyone else would've signed the contracts instantly, no hesitation.
But these girls had resisted the temptation—something not many could do.
Especially when he knew they weren't exactly rolling in money.
"Don't regret it later. Once this chance is gone, it won't come again~"
Bronya nodded lightly, her gaze softening toward Mo Li.
"We'll only take what we've earned."
Himeko smiled and chimed in.
"Of course, if the boss feels generous and wants to hand out a fat bonus instead, we won't complain~"
Their decision made Mo Li respect them even more. They truly lived up to the title of Valkyries who "fought for all that is beautiful in the world."
Adorably foolish, in the best way.
But in Yae Miko and Kamisato Ayaka's eyes, both Mo Li and the Valkyries were the fools here.
They knew all too well just how much potential miHoYo held.
If the company ever went public, investors would trample each other for shares.
And here Mo Li was—offering equity for free—and the girls had turned it down without more than a moment's hesitation!
Still, while they thought the group foolish, it also made them regard both Mo Li and the Valkyries with newfound respect.
Mo Li tore up the share transfer agreements, then decisively opened his laptop.
"Alright, let's move on to the second matter."
As he spoke, he projected his screen onto the big display.
On it was a four-minute video.
The thumbnail showed a golden-haired boy and girl standing face to face. Beneath their feet stretched a sea of white blossoms. A gentle breeze lifted their hair and clothes, scattering petals across a bright, ethereal sky.
The whole scene was breathtakingly beautiful.
And in the top-left corner, two bold characters stood out: "原神"—Genshin Impact.
The girls had already begun to suspect, but they hardly dared believe it.
Seeing their expressions, Mo Li smiled.
"Why don't you all watch the video first~"
He hit play.
A delicate piano melody began as the scene unfolded, two meteors streaking across the night sky.
[The war has already begun… a continuation of the last…]
[The gods have cloaked desire's silhouette in sevenfold radiance.]
…
The video revealed little in the way of details, but the girls watched intently, captivated.
Suddenly, the music shifted, light and lively.
Words appeared onscreen:
Mondstadt: The Outlander Who Caught the Wind.
The narration sounded like it was introducing something:
[The dragon who guarded the City of Freedom for a thousand years has grown doubtful of freedom itself. Can freedom, commanded by the God of Freedom… still be called true freedom?]
The music shifted again, now flowing with the elegance of Dragon Nation's traditions.
[Liyue: Farewell, the Archaic Lord.]
A white-haired noblewoman appeared onscreen.
The screen behind her, the hairpin in her hair, her attire—reminiscent of a qipao—along with the intricate, classical motifs… all of it screamed of Dragon Nation's long history.
Even Yae Miko and Kamisato Ayaka, usually composed, were stunned by Ningguang's artwork.
The video went on, briefly introducing the seven nations of Teyvat.
Though the narration was difficult to fully grasp, the visual elements alone left the girls utterly intrigued.
When the video finally ended, Mo Li smiled.
"I think you've already guessed…"
"That's right. This is our new project—Genshin Impact."
"I've already secured the publishing license. From here on, feel free to ask me anything."
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