Kiana and Fu Hua nodded deeply in agreement.
SAKURA, who didn't understand, asked in confusion: "Why?"
Just as Hessian was about to speak, Elysia pinched his waist and said: "Do you really have to bring this up at such a happy moment?"
Kiana immediately started heckling: "You're done for~ Ellie's mad now~ Don't expect a good night tonight!"
Thump!
Hessian irritably knocked her on the head: "If I'm not going to have a good night, neither are you!"
Kiana wasn't afraid of the threat at all: "Heh heh! What are you gonna do to make this young lady suffer?"
…
Kiana remembered she had indeed said exactly that last night.
But at the time, it was probably just a joke, right?
At least everyone present had taken it as a joke.
So… what the hell does this script mean?!!!
Kiana shouted aggrievedly: "Why! Why did you have to write a script like this!"
Today, Hessian had arrived at the company early as usual and was the first to give the script to Kiana. Only afterward did he wait for the others to arrive and distribute copies to everyone one by one.
While he was still handing out scripts, everyone heard Kiana's shout.
They all asked: "What's wrong, Kiana?"
"What happened?"
"Did you finish filming already?"
"To make Kiana—who's been through so much—break down emotionally, is this episode's script really that terrifying?"
Facing everyone's questions,
Kiana simply looked at Hessian with teary, pitiful eyes. After a long while, she finally cursed: "Big jerk!"
???
This made everyone extremely curious.
What exactly was in the script?
And just then, Himeko also arrived at the company. Hessian handed her a copy as well.
Himeko asked in surprise: "There's finally a scene for me? Does that mean I'm coming back to life?"
Hessian said straightforwardly: "Just act well."
??
Himeko was also a little curious and opened the script to start reading.
Seeing that all the scripts had been distributed, and to avoid being resented by everyone,
Hessian decisively left the area.
He went to the break room in the office.
After the workers had rushed through the night, the break room now had a small shop added, stocked with all kinds of snacks, treats, toys, and more…
And sitting inside the shop was Pardofelis, who had come to the company today.
Hessian casually picked up a grilled sausage to eat and asked: "Where's Griseo?"
Pardofelis held out her hand: "Two bucks."
"You're actually charging me?" Hessian was surprised.
Pardofelis said matter-of-factly: "Of course. Mobius-neesan said everyone in the company can eat for free, but you have to pay—because you're not part of the company. You're just Ellie-neesan's husband, an outsider!"
"I…"
Hessian really wanted to drag Mobius over and give her a good questioning—how is the boss's husband an outsider?
But not wanting to argue too much, he just tossed her two coins.
Pardofelis took the money and instantly became cheerful: "Griseo was taken by Aponia to play. Ellie-neesan instructed that her job from now on is to take care of Griseo. As for you… you don't need anyone to take care of you."
"…"
Although it cost him two coins, at least he got some useful information.
Was Elysia still angry?
It clearly wasn't his fault!
Holding the half-eaten grilled sausage, he returned to the filming set. As soon as he walked in, he heard Kiana sobbing quietly.
He went over and handed her the half-eaten sausage: "What are you crying about? Did you want a grilled sausage?"
Kiana's teary eyes glared at him furiously, then she viciously bit into the sausage: "Big meanie!!"
Hessian just smiled and said: "Finish the sausage and stop crying. Save the tears for when we actually film, otherwise if you can't cry later it'll be a problem."
"Tch…"
"Pfft…"
"Scum!"
"Completely heartless!"
"How could someone with humanity write a script like this?"
"Truly a dog director!"
"Keep it down, or he'll retaliate. Kiana was punished last night just for badmouthing him."
A chorus of voices rose around them.
Hessian said directly: "Hey hey hey! I can hear everything you're saying."
Bronya replied: "If you heard, you heard. We're not wrong."
Hessian smiled at her: "Looks like you're really upset about today's script!"
"I…"
Bronya suddenly felt a chill down her back. Remembering what happened to Kiana, she immediately didn't dare say another word.
Hessian waved his hand: "Alright, from the looks of you all, you should be pretty familiar with the script by now, right? Then let's just start shooting!"
And so… everyone began filming, albeit very reluctantly.
However…
This shoot was the most difficult one for Kiana.
She cried countless times during it.
After the day ended,
She finally couldn't hold back anymore and posted on her social media: "This episode really was the hardest one I've ever filmed. The sadness surrounded me, and the tears just wouldn't stop."
And as her good friend, Bronya also posted: "Our director really isn't human. How could a normal person write a script like this?"
Mei also posted: "I seriously suspect the director's mental state. I don't have many scenes, but just watching them film made me want to cry from how painful it was."
The three of them were the main leads of the show, and their fanbases were massive.
After the posts went up, countless fans flooded in with concern in a very short time.
"What happened? Is this episode's script really that bladed?"
"Kiana-baby don't cry—if the plot is too bladed, I'll help you kill the director."
"Damn it, dog director, always bullying my Kiana—I really want to kill you!"
"Oh my god, all three actors posted? No way—what the heck is in the next episode? Is it really that brutal? Now I'm scared to watch."
"It can't be that exaggerated, right? Last night's episode had a good ending. I feel like Director Hessian's nature is still one that yearns for beauty."
"Nature? You're talking about that director's nature? His nature is pure dog!"
"Even the actors got bladed to tears? No way—did Fu Hua, who was just saved, die again? Or did Mei die in the World Serpent?"
"Don't scare yourselves. Maybe it's just to hype things up. The dog director's been threatened so many times already—he probably doesn't dare go too far."
"…"
The first day passed quietly amid the audience's concern and speculation.
Time flew, and the second night arrived.
The audience was still discussing the posts the leads made yesterday. The various guesses were enough to keep them talking for days.
At that moment,
Someone noticed Kiana had posted again: "I've cried all my tears dry. I don't dare provoke the director anymore, wuwuwu… I feel like I'm going to act myself into depression."
Right after the post went up, an ID named "Su" was the first to comment: "I'm a psychologist. I can treat you for free."
Then countless viewers flooded the comments, all asking what exactly had happened and how bladed the next episode's plot really was…
No one could believe—what kind of plot could possibly depress the cheerful and lively actress Kiana?
But they didn't get any replies.
Instead, Bronya replied to the top comment: "If you're really a psychologist, please help check on our director—what kind of twisted, perverted mentality does it take to write this kind of plot, and what kind of insane brain could even come up with it!!!"
ID Su replied: "No problem. I'll head to your company soon."
Then came replies from other viewers: "Wait, don't scare me—what exactly is the plot of the next episode? Is it really that terrifying?"
"Could a new Herrscher have appeared? Even if it's a Herrscher, it shouldn't be this extreme, right? Back in the Previous Era when almost everyone died, Kevin and the others didn't break down this badly, did they?"
"No way, I can't even imagine what kind of plot could be this horrifying."
"Of course you can't. You think you're the dog director's kind of lunatic? Normal people obviously can't come up with that much plot."
"You guys are making me too scared to watch the next episode now."
"I'm different from you all—I'm especially looking forward to it. I really want to see what the final episode's plot will be."
And over the next few days,
There was complete silence from the social media accounts of Kiana and the other two.
Even though fans came every day to ask how filming was going, whether she was really depressed, etc.
They received no answers.
Amid all the speculation and waiting, the day finally arrived for the new episode to air.
Even before broadcast time,
The official fan group had already been completely flooded with messages.
"It's finally airing day. I have to see what kind of plot could make Kiana act herself into autism!"
"Same here. I want to see what kind of trick this dog director can pull off now."
"I've endured all the previous blades. No plot can blade me anymore."
"Blade? Hahaha, I'm already indestructible now. The TV plot can't blade me anymore. If it does, I'll kill the director."
"I discussed it for a whole week. There aren't many things that could depress Kiana—unless all her companions died, but that's impossible."
"Who cares? Just watch and find out. I've already prepared my emergency heart pills."
"Same. My heart pills are right beside me. I can handle any blade."
"…"
In the company break room,
As Honkai Impact 3rd was about to begin airing,
Hessian also arrived. The moment he walked in, he felt the atmosphere was off.
Kalpas was sitting in the corner, continuously sharpening a kitchen knife…
Kiana was being held in Elysia's arms, with Himeko sitting beside her—both of them keeping her company.
The rest of the actors were all in their usual seats.
When he entered, everyone turned to look at him in unison.
Hessian quickly said: "You're watching TV—why are you all looking at me? Besides… Kiana isn't actually depressed, right? What if the plot turns out completely different from what you're imagining?"
"…"
No one answered. Although they hadn't acted in it and hadn't seen the finished product,
They knew Hessian.
Anything that could break Kiana was definitely an extremely bladed plot.
Hessian also sensed something was wrong and decisively chose to sit right by the break room door—just in case something happened, he could make a quick escape.
Mobius said helplessly: "If you're already scared, then don't write the script so harshly in the first place."
Hessian said with rare seriousness: "The script is what it is. For the birth of a masterpiece, there will always be misunderstandings and sacrifices. That's unavoidable. Just watch the show in peace."
Not long after,
Honkai Impact 3rd began airing.
The opening scene showed Durandal training inside the Xuanyuan Mustard Seed.
Rita hurriedly contacted her: "Sorry to interrupt your training, Lady Durandal."
Durandal returned from meditation to reality: "Rita, what happened?"
"There's a set of strange reports." She sent the report content for Durandal to review.
As Durandal finished reading, her brows furrowed tightly: "This is…"
Rita said: "Yes, it's the very thing that connects these seemingly unrelated social incidents: the London subway accident, the Belgrade vendetta, the Frankfurt financial incident, the Kolkata disappearance case, the Bloemfontein arson case…"
"…Behind these apparently unconnected social events, the same strange, Honkai-related clues were discovered without exception."
"And apart from the Belgrade vendetta case, where the local police proactively contacted us—"
"The other four were only discovered by chance because Schicksal personnel were involved."
Durandal nodded: "Mm. It mentions here that when the train rear-end collision occurred at Charing Cross Station, Valkyrie Susanna happened to be in the area organizing the upgrade of Honkai energy sensors. Her professional-grade equipment detected Object No. 2 left beneath the train wreckage…"
Rita said: "All clues extracted from the incidents have been submitted to St. 1504 Institute for analysis."
"But what's unsettling… according to Director Changguang, since our report already includes five such coincidentally similar cases—"
"Then, by probability calculation, there may already have been 50 or 500 similar incidents that have occurred worldwide."
Durandal said in shock: "This… it's almost like an infectious disease."
Rita nodded: "Yes. Director Changguang believes we are facing a completely new, unknown entity… She warned that if we cannot mobilize all of Schicksal's branches—large and small—to assist in the investigation, something very terrible may happen in the future."
Durandal sighed and said emotionally: "…If only we could contact the Overseer at a time like this. If it were him…"
"…"
Ever since the Herrscher of Sentience appeared and "killed" Otto, he had faked his death, handed the proxy authority of Schicksal to Durandal, and hidden himself in the background while working on his own plans.
Durandal shook her head: "No. As his proxy, we can only do our best in our own way."
Rita asked: "Do you have any ideas?"
Durandal said: "First, of course, we must support Changguang as much as possible. Neither you nor I are professionals. Precisely because of that, we must trust the Institute's judgment without reservation."
"Additionally—share all related materials and progress fully with the World Serpent and Anti-Entropy. No withholding."
Rita said: "The World Serpent is currently our ally, so there's no issue with that. But Anti-Entropy…"
Durandal said helplessly: "If the Overseer were standing here right now, he would definitely forbid us from doing so. But we are not him. We cannot scheme as masterfully as he does, nor can we be as arbitrary and dictatorial."
"Since that's the case, imitating his way of doing things is meaningless—"
"During this period while his whereabouts are unknown, we must fight Honkai in our own way."
Rita understood what she meant.
When Otto was around, they only needed to follow orders. All problems would be resolved. Whether Honkai or Herrschers, everything was under his control.
But things were different now: "Understood. I'll follow up on the intelligence-sharing with Amber."
Durandal showed a smile: "It's still morning here. Considering the time difference, Dr. Schrödinger's friends might soon have trouble getting a good night's sleep."
The TV screen shifted.
It moved to Anti-Entropy's Salt Lake Base.
Seele was sound asleep when Dark Seele used a caterpillar to scare her awake.
"Uwaa…"
Walking through the base corridors, teammates kept asking her why she had suddenly screamed so terribly in the morning.
Dark Seele laughed: "Haha, that's already the fourth person, right? Asking what was up with your horrifying scream earlier."
Seele said helplessly: "It's all because the moment I opened my eyes, there was a caterpillar right beside my pillow… You know full well I'm terrified of those."
Dark Seele said: "Ha? Blame me? Who was it that swore last night before bed that she'd wake up early today to read stories to those little brats?"
Seele's momentum instantly weakened: "I-I'm really grateful you woke me up, but even so, there are other ways, right?"
Dark Seele said: "I called you several times already. What else could I do? It's not like I can flip your blanket."
"Ah, of course—switching personalities so I can take your place and play with those little monsters would be a pretty good option."