Chapter 109: Su Mu: Whenever I See Players Crying from the Angst, I Just Want to Laugh
As an indispensable part of the "Captain's Bizarre Adventure," Midsummer Night's Fantasy once brought a full sense of "shock" to many veteran Captains. It was also a major step on the path of a certain die-hard Theresa fan releasing his concentrated "Simp Power."
Su Mu remembered in his previous life, it was mentioned in a stream that there was a hardcore Theresa fan in the Honkai Impact 3rd project team. To make everyone understand that Theresa was the "cutest in the world," this person used their sheer talent to forcibly create several different versions of Theresa. For a character fan to go this far—to the point of changing the project's direction—such dedication was truly legendary. The existence of this individual once made Su Mu wonder if Otto Apocalypse had manifested in reality; it was exactly the kind of thing that guy would do!
Of course, jokes aside, Su Mu admired that Theresa fan. To do so much for a beloved character made them a "wolf-level" legend—someone even more ruthless than a "ruthless person."
However... thinking about the upcoming event plot schedules, Su Mu couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Once several plots closely related to Theresa were released back-to-back, he feared he would directly ascend to the position of Theresa's "number one brainless fan."
Oh no. Am I the Theresa simp after all?!
Embarrassment aside, it was impossible for Su Mu not to release this segment of the story. One must understand how significant the two characters, Luna Vow and Kongming, were to a veteran Captain. Could a veteran Captain not be a fan of them? If that made him a Theresa fanboy, then so be it! Luna and Kongming were worth it!
Su Mu opened the internal test server and checked the two characters, Luna Kindred and Sündenjäger, once more. Currently, the content for Honkai 3rd had reached the "Cyberangel" version, and "Motorcycle Bronya" was officially on the agenda. Simultaneously, the Cyberangel animated short was in the middle of intense production; for now, time was ample, and everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.
Beside him, the secretary Rita looked at Luna Kindred on Su Mu's computer and immediately stopped in her tracks. "Lord Theresa truly is a cute..." She paused, "Forgive me, I lost my composure."
Looking at this maid's expression—as if she were staring at prey—Su Mu didn't doubt for a second that if Luna Kindred actually appeared in reality, she might be devoured by this woman. Su Mu also began to understand why Theresa was so eager to shove Rita into miHoYo; she likely suffered no small amount of harassment from this "wicked woman" on a daily basis.
But in all honesty, Su Mu truly had to thank Theresa. Rita's abilities were so outstanding that she had significantly lightened his burden. Now Su Mu finally understood why all the big bosses had secretaries. After all, the secretary handles the work when there's business, and when there's not... it's not bad to just look at a beautiful secretary to please the eyes. There was once an old man whose secret to longevity was looking at beautiful women. Seeing many beauties makes the mind and body pleasant, leading to a long life. It fully proves that looking at beauties is beneficial to one's health!
Of course, Su Mu also understood that Rita's joining was likely not just Theresa's idea; there was probably authorization from Schicksal involved. It might even be related to the Kaslana family. After all, they likely knew how unreliable Kiana could be, and Rita's presence served as a form of oversight for the company. Kiana could rule through "non-action," but they had to ensure she didn't act recklessly.
Interestingly, Schicksal should also be aware that he and Bronya were the actual managers. Yet they expressed nothing, as if they tacitly approved. Su Mu guessed that someone must be supporting him firmly to ensure his status within the miHoYo studio. Although no one told Su Mu that person's identity, he could vaguely guess it was Eden's doing. Given the wealth and status Eden alone had accumulated, she was not inferior to Schicksal. Clearly, it was the staunch support of the Golden Courtyard that gave Su Mu ample space to operate.
With the explosive success of Honkai 3rd, miHoYo's share structure had changed. Although Kiana and the Kaslana family behind her remained the largest shareholders, the Kaslanas belonged to Schicksal, creating an inseparable link. Bronya also held a significant amount of equity, coming from Anti-Entropy—partly from her teacher Welt Yang, and partly from her mother, Cocolia. Add to that the Golden Courtyard led by Eden... and you had the three largest shareholders of miHoYo.
Schicksal and Anti-Entropy had invested heavily in the early stages of Honkai 3rd, and Eden had used her status as a global superstar to promote the game. It could be said that the success of Honkai 3rd and its half-year reign at the top of the charts were inseparable from the backing of these three forces.
Wasn't it a coincidence? Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, World Serpent... it was like a three-way standoff. This truly allowed Su Mu to play the "real" Honkai 3rd; characters from all three organizations were being recruited into his team, a moment of pure joy for "collection" players.
The success of Honkai 3rd allowed miHoYo to rise officially and become a pillar industry of Arc City. It also became the benchmark for mobile games. Things were different now; miHoYo had truly grown a lot through everyone's efforts. But for Su Mu, this wasn't enough; his ambition was not limited to this. The success of Honkai 3rd was not the end, but a new starting point! Even the current achievements were just the beginning; there were several more explosive versions to come...
Su Mu imagined: when the "Elysian Realm" arc—the peak of Honkai 3rd—was finally served, what heights would the game reach then?
But for now, he needed to consider the content for the next few versions of Honkai 3rd and the upcoming folder named Titanfall.
As for the content updates for Honkai 3rd, Su Mu had already finalized them. The next version was titled "Midsummer Night's Fantasy." The main story would open the Interlude for Chapter 9, featuring Rita's S-rank armor, Argent Knight: Artemis. There would also be a new event, "Reburn," which would include the nightmare stage for former Honkai 3rd players—"The Trapped Beast." This would directly ignite the true soul of action games! The plot would focus on Midsummer Night's Fantasy.
Compared to previous versions, this update had noticeably less content, but this was a decision Su Mu made after careful consideration. After all, in the previous versions, Honkai 3rd had released content at a speed equivalent to a year's progress in his previous life. A mobile game requires long-term operation; if they kept up this terrifying pace, production capacity issues would arise later. He needed to let the studio staff breathe, and the players too. Su Mu didn't want to see someone "grinding" Honkai 3rd so hard that they died of exhaustion. Games should bring joy and relaxation; dying while playing would be putting the cart before the horse!
As for the version after that, Su Mu planned to serve up The Legend of the Xuanyuan. After the "stabs" of Chapter 9 and the angst of Midsummer Night, too many "blades" would make the players numb. He would release a relaxed and happy version first to cast a "healing spell" on the players, and then launch a surprise attack in the following version, immediately serving the story of Seele and Bronya in the Azure Sea arc...
Holy crap. Su Mu had a realization. Thinking about the players being dizzied by the twists and turns, suffering and struggling, he felt a faint sense of excitement in his heart?
Oh no, for some reason, am I suddenly understanding the mindset of a Soulslike developer? So, making players suffer is actually such a satisfying thing!
The more he thought about it, the more Su Mu's smirk became impossible to suppress, like an AK-47's recoil. Was he awakening a strange attribute? No! He hadn't just awakened it; ever since he made Getting Over It, Su Mu had been enjoying this wicked humor! Now he had a clear self-awareness: yes... he was a demon!
He was a qualified veteran Captain (Troll)! He couldn't be the only one getting stabbed, bullied, and "eating stones." If there are stones to eat, everyone should taste them together. It's delicious, truly delicious! Subarashii!
Now Su Mu looked back at the line he said during the Honkai 3rd preview stream—"Welcome to the pit of Honkai 3rd"—it was entirely the instinctive reaction of a veteran Captain!!
While Su Mu was planning the future versions, Bronya knocked and entered his office. "Captain?" She looked strangely at Su Mu's upturned lips. "You seem very happy?"
Facing the "Big Duck," Su Mu cleared his throat. "That's right, because before long, it will be the version where Bronya shows her great power."
Bronya was stunned. "Me? Showing great power?"
Su Mu nodded and looked at her solemnly. "Yes, it's about to be Bronya's highlight version. At that time, Bronya will obtain a brand-new power, and a new battlesuit will be released."
So, Su Mu is this happy because of my upcoming highlight? After this thought surfaced, Bronya's face couldn't help but feel a bit warm. She was a bit shy, but mostly happy.
"But you said the same thing before, about Himeko-sensei's highlight moment..." However, Bronya quickly reacted. Su Mu had said similar things before. Then he turned around and gave her the script for "Final Lesson," and while she was in a state of shock, he made an animation and served it up just like that. Did Su Mu's "highlight moment" refer to the moment a character leaves the stage?
"Don't worry, I've already revised the script for the version after next! I guarantee it's your highlight moment! In a positive way!" Su Mu felt helpless. Sigh! These days, it's not easy to say a few true words! Wasn't it just a couple of lines about Honkai 3rd being "healthy, sunny, positive, and uplifting" during the stream? Even Bronya was starting to doubt him! Truly heartbreaking!
"At that time, Bronya will also obtain the power of a Herrscher and directly turn the tide, okay?" Su Mu's words startled Bronya.
"So, the Trio will all become Herrschers?" As expected of the "Big Duck," she spotted the key point instantly.
"Exactly!" Seeing Su Mu's smile, Bronya wiped the sweat from her forehead. "You planned from the start to make the three of us Herrschers... 'The enemy and I share the same origin.' To defeat the Honkai, one must first become a Herrscher, right?" Bronya couldn't help but complain. "The Honkai gives power to the Herrschers, only for them to use that power to fight back... if I were the Honkai, I'd have died of anger long ago."
Su Mu began to be mysterious. "Actually, that's also a piece of foreshadowing. As for the specifics, the players will find out later."
Bronya knew Su Mu wanted to keep a secret, so she didn't press further. She told him another piece of news. "Kiana wants to establish a subsidiary studio?"
This news made Su Mu's expression turn to one of surprise. "Originally she wanted to open a subsidiary company, but finally decided on a subsidiary studio."
Su Mu found it strange. "Why open a studio at this point? Is she planning to expand further?"
Bronya nodded. "Kiana feels that miHoYo HQ currently has the HOMU Matching team and the Shadow Knight studio's Honkai 3rd team; it's getting a bit crowded."
"That's true." Su Mu agreed. Although miHoYo had basically leased the entire floor, the Honkai 3rd project team was quite large. Coupled with the space Kiana used as an employee lounge, it did feel a bit cramped.
"Taking the opportunity of the new proposal Titanfall you submitted, Kiana decided to establish a new subsidiary studio, intending to enter the PC/Console market."
Su Mu was surprised that "the Tuna" wanted to use this chance to establish a dedicated single-player studio. He had actually had this idea for a long time, though it was slightly different from Kiana's.
"But Kiana said the game for this subsidiary studio will be funded by her alone..." Bronya's words stunned Su Mu. He hadn't expected the Tuna to be so loyal! After all, miHoYo's experience with PC/Console games was practically zero! No one knew what problems would arise during development; if things went poorly, a lot of money would be lost. But Kiana was opening a new track for miHoYo and taking the risk alone... it truly moved Su Mu. Although the Tuna was a bit of an idiot... she was truly loyal!
"It's currently in the site-selection phase, so it won't be announced so soon. We'll discuss the specifics when the time comes."
Su Mu nodded. He actually had another method in mind: miHoYo could invest in small studios and have them handle miHoYo's game designs, while miHoYo takes a cut of the profits. It wouldn't be like outsourcing, since the investment and design come from miHoYo; it would be more like tethering those small studios to miHoYo's chariot, using mutual interests to link them. Eventually, they would build a game empire belonging to miHoYo!
Su Mu had considered this deeply. The main reason was that he had the game resources of Earth behind him; trying to make all those games alone would be exhausting. Even if he worked himself to death, he couldn't finish them all, right?
The specifics would be discussed later, but as for the candidates for the Titanfall production team, he already had someone in mind. During this period, Firefly's performance at miHoYo had been excellent, making Su Mu feel she was indeed capable. Since "a pavilion near the water enjoys the moon first," if he was considering investment, he would naturally prioritize those he was acquainted with. Therefore, having Firefly's companions establish the "Stellaron Hunter" studio was a good choice. As for the "Herta Studio," it was also under consideration; Herta's desire to cooperate with him was extremely obvious.
Having made up his mind, Su Mu didn't hesitate. After Bronya left, he tirelessly began tapping on his keyboard, writing down his analysis and insights in a document.
As time passed, the update day for the new Honkai 3rd version drew closer. Similarly, a major event occurred in the gaming world. The "BW" exhibition, hosted by a certain video site (Bilibili), was about to be held in Arc City. Many games would be showcased at this exhibition.
Honkai 3rd was naturally invited, and the organizers selected the best booth for them. After the project team discussed it, they decided to announce the new version, "Midsummer Night's Fantasy," at this exhibition. To this end, Honkai 3rd invited many online cosplayers, issuing commercial invitations for them to appear as official cosplayers.
The reason they didn't have the original character models interact with everyone was due to various reasons. Basically, among the character archetypes in Honkai 3rd, only Bronya had time. But the "Big Duck" image hadn't been revealed yet, so she could only appear as official staff. Over at the Golden Courtyard, Eden, Griseo, and Kosma had time, but they didn't have characters in the game. Eden's popularity was simply too terrifying; if she went, the entire game show would turn into an Eden fan meeting...
So, the miHoYo participants for this exhibition were finalized: led by Su Mu, with Firefly and Bronya accompanying him. Since Griseo and Kosma were on summer break, they happened to go along to help, earning some pocket money and experience. Of course, Su Mu wasn't going as "Su Mu," but as an ordinary miHoYo staff member. Nonsense! If he advertised that the writer was attending, the Honkai 3rd booth would 100% explode! As for the way it would explode, Su Mu would probably be "exploded" by the players himself. After all, his reputation as a "dog thief" was now far-famed.
However... if they only invited some cosplayers, this BW exhibition would be a bit dull. That didn't fit Su Mu's style. Therefore, he proposed a bold and innovative idea: Invite the featured character of the next version, "Luna Kindred," to open a special live activity at the BW exhibition and release the PV for the "Midsummer Night's Fantasy" version. Luna Kindred would interact with fans on the site's screen as a VTuber! At that time, Theresa would broadcast from a pre-arranged small room, greeting the fans who came via camera. In common terms, a "Live2D Avatar"!
When Su Mu informed Theresa of this request through Kiana...
"What? You want me to play... me?" A look of utter shock appeared on Theresa Apocalypse's face!
Asking the Magical Girl Teriri to play another form of Theresa from Honkai 3rd, Luna Kindred? For real?! Although Theresa usually used the "Teriri" avatar for streaming and even used holographic technology for her concert tours, acting as a representative for a game for a promotional broadcast was truly a first. And this time, she wasn't playing the magical Teriri, but the new Theresa character, Luna Kindred.
Uh. A new Theresa character? Theresa looked at Su Mu with an extremely peculiar expression. Just how many Theresas were there going to be...? Theresa did some math; it seemed... perhaps... maybe... based on the latest version of this game. Only this character had this kind of "multiple Theresas" treatment, right? This special treatment made Theresa feel both surprised and happy.
She wanted to agree immediately, but she truly couldn't make it that day, as she had her own duties to perform. While Theresa was feeling regretful, Rita proposed a mind-blowing idea.
"Since we're using Lord Theresa's image for the stream, in other words, it doesn't have to be the real Lord Theresa behind it, right?" Rita was smiling as she spoke, but Theresa knew this woman was about to say something startling. "Playing Lord Theresa well is not an easy task. I think for a character like Luna Kindred, if someone who doesn't understand Lord Theresa at all performs it, the effect will definitely be suboptimal."
Rita's next sentence left Theresa bewildered in the wind.
"Therefore, there is only one candidate to play Luna Kindred—the one who has always served by Lord Theresa's side and fully understands her every finger and every toe: me! Rita Rossweisse!"
"To solve Lord Theresa's problems is my duty!" Rita Rossweisse spoke righteously and solemnly!
Question: What is the highest level of being a Theresa simp? Answer: To become Theresa!!
END OF CHAPTER
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