Mo Yue stared blankly at the familiar words before her, lost in thought.
She remembered very clearly, back in Version 1.0, there hadn't been anything like a "Special Program." There had only been the teaser "Footprints of the Traveler" and the Prologue PV.
But the "white paper" before her didn't give her much time to dwell. The subtitles for the so-called "Special Program" quickly vanished, replaced by a familiar figure sitting before the camera.
It was Wei Zi — and all Mo Yue could think was: time really is a butcher's knife…
"Hello, Travelers about to embark on your journey across Teyvat! With the official launch of Genshin Impact, the dev team has decided to reveal some information about new friends in advance, so that everyone will have even deeper anticipation for the story."
"Without further ado, let's first take a look at some special faces appearing in the Prologue~"
Mo Yue wanted to sigh at how young Wei Zi looked back then, but there was no time for sentimentality — because… this thing had sound.
She scrambled to look for the speaker on this sheet of "white paper," but no matter how she searched, there was nothing.
Even stranger, the attendants outside didn't seem to hear a thing. With voices this clear, they should have noticed instantly.
Mo Yue froze, then lifted the curtain of the carriage window. Looking ahead and behind, she saw no reaction at all from the escorting guards. Only then did she let out a slow breath and pulled her head back inside.
Realizing that nobody else could sense this strange apparition, Mo Yue turned her eyes once more to the "white paper."
"In the Prologue: The Outlander Who Caught the Wind, Travelers will meet a variety of characters — such as the 'Outrider' Amber, the 'Cavalry Captain' Kaeya, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Jean, and the 'Deaconess' Barbara."
After this, Wei Zi smiled mysteriously and continued:
"But in the Prologue, Travelers will also encounter two friends from Liyue Harbor."
"They are: 'Valley Orchid'— Yelan, and the 'Yaoguang Star'— Mo Yue."
As soon as Wei Zi finished, two portraits appeared on screen. On the left was Yelan, whose splash art Mo Yue knew all too well. As someone who had been Yelan's devoted fan, she'd stared at that illustration countless times. But the one on the right made her mind go blank.
"Wait a second… isn't that… me?" Mo Yue muttered in disbelief.
At first, when she'd merely heard her name, she chalked it up to coincidence. After all, in her memory, when Genshin first launched there had been no "Special Program." For one to suddenly appear here was already strange enough. But how could there be two coincidences stacked together?
Staring at the portrait labeled "Yaoguang Star · Mo Yue," she was utterly dumbfounded.
Though it might sound narcissistic, she had to admit, the scholarly, refined figure in the artwork was indeed herself.
The face was exactly the same.
She wasn't some breathtaking beauty, dazzling like a celestial fairy, but she carried a clean, elegant charm one would never forget. In the portrait, she held a black folding fan, dressed in flowing white robes, carefree and unrestrained. Her long black ponytail trailed behind her, lending an air of elegance and erudition.
Altogether, the image exuded a graceful bearing, a noble and confident poise that could easily capture any heart.
Yet the illustration vanished in a moment, replaced once again by Wei Zi's smiling face.
"In addition to these two new friends from Liyue, we've also prepared the main storyline preview PV for Genshin Impact — Footprints."
As petals of Irminsul drifted across the screen, the familiar PV unfolded before Mo Yue's eyes — a PV she, as a fanfiction author, had watched countless times.
Voice actor Sun Ye's deep, resonant voice began to narrate, like a tale spoken from a bygone age:
"The war has already begun — a continuation of the one before."
"The gods gilded their desires in seven colors, to proclaim that their authority could be grasped."
"Yet they never imagined that the authority once seized from former rulers would one day return to their hands."
"Beneath reality's foundations smolder hidden remnants — a warning to those who would defy."
"But remnants burn on still, and one day… the rising black flame will reclaim all that was once its due."
"The throne in the heavens was never meant for you."
"Yet, O defiant one… do not halt here. None can stand by as mere spectators. Look —"
— Act Prologue: The Outlander Who Caught the Wind
"The dragon that guarded the free city for millennia has grown weary of freedom."
"Freedom commanded by the God of 'Freedom' — can that still be called freedom?"
"Here, the faint flame took the azure wind, fueling the next leg of the journey."
— Act I: Farewell, Archaic Lord
"Before the eyes of all, the God of 'Contracts' was slain."
"In his final moment, he signed the contract to end all contracts."
"Here, the newborn flame carried away the ocher stone, embracing its fate."
— Act II: Omnipresence Over Mortals
"The Shogun is eternal, and so too the Shogunate's isolation."
"But what vision of 'Eternity' does the God of Eternity present to mortals?"
"Here, the burning flame carried off the violet thunder, guiding the journey onward."
— Act III: Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises
"Wisdom is the enemy of the God of 'Wisdom'; knowledge, but bait adrift upon the sea of ignorance."
"The sages of the Akademiya sow folly, and the god looks on, indifferent."
"Here, the rekindled flame learned all, and felt the crushing weight of destiny."
— Act IV: Masquerade of the Guilty
"The God of 'Justice' delights in every farce of the courtroom — even to the point of wishing to try the gods themselves."
"Yet she knows full well: only 'Heavenly Principles' cannot be defied."
"Here, the maturing flame found its kin, and together they resolved… to judge the gods."
— Act V: Incandescent Ode of Resurrection
"The laws of war are etched into every being: the vanquished become ash, the victors reignite."
"The God of 'War' shared this secret with the Traveler, for she had her reasons…"
"Here, the dimmed flame blazed scarlet once more, carrying the hopes of millennia, advancing without hesitation."
— Act VI: The Nation That Lost the Gods' Love
"She is the god humanity will never again love. She is the god who will never again love humanity."
"Her followers believe she will one day raise the banner of rebellion against 'Heavenly Principles.'"
"Here, the raging flame aligned with the undying ice, raising the standard of defiance against those above."
— Act □: A Dream Yet to Be Dreamed
"Humanity has its own depths. We are not the dregs left behind after the gods' chosen are sifted away."
"From beyond this world, we seized the power to deny it."
"Here, the flame will tear open the heavens, pierce the falsehoods, and lay bare the truth of the world."
"Now, O wayfarer, your journey has reached its end — yet the final gate still stands before you."
"If you understand the meaning of this journey, then come forth — defeat me, command me to step aside, and prove you are more fit to save her than I."
"And then… with the embers of homecoming, reweave all destinies once more…"
As the last petals of Irminsul faded away, the familiar images and yet-strange words disappeared, leaving only Wei Zi's smiling face once again.
"Alright, that's the end of this Genshin Impact Special Program. Thank you, Travelers, for watching. Until next time!"
As the vision gradually dimmed, another question surfaced in Mo Yue's mind:
Why… was there no live chat on the Special Program?
.
.
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_