"You're okay?" Bailu looked at the revived Sparkle in surprise. "You're really something else."
"Hahaha~" Sparkle raised an eyebrow, grabbing a nearby coffee and taking a sip. "Of course~ I'm~ the~ best~"
Sparkle: ZZZZ~
The next moment, freshly awake Sparkle peacefully dozed off, foam forming at her mouth.
Bailu nudged Sparkle's shoulder. "Hey, hey, Sparkle? You good?"
She looked up at Luocha. "What's wrong with her?"
"It's the coffee. I got it from Himeko's shop earlier. Sigh… get ready to pump her stomach. Let's hurry—I've got a bad feeling down my spine."
— —
Meanwhile, Su Chen had arrived at Herta's office.
"Big Herta, is the game I asked for ready?"
Herta glanced at Su Chen. "Done. Next time, don't bother this genius with something so simple. Zero challenge, just pure romantic fluff."
"Oh, let me test it now." Su Chen received the web link from Herta and naturally downloaded the software to his phone.
Once installed, the app's name appeared—Claim Your miHoYo Girlfriend.
"Isn't this name a bit too… blunt?"
"Nah, it's straightforward. Perfect for the market's audience."
Su Chen clicked his tongue.
The idea was simple: characters meant for the 2D world were now in the 3D world, so why waste their 2D designs?
AI girlfriends were trending, so why not make a game to pair with the Midsummer Firefly Pact, with Firefly as the first character?
Su Chen put on the VR gear and opened the app.
…
Soon after, Su Chen removed the VR glasses and let out a long breath.
"Great job, Big Herta. Once the version number's approved, launch it."
"No problem." Herta eyed Su Chen's expression. "I know it's none of my business, but what's the deal with you and Firefly?"
"You're so smart—figure it out yourself. Good gossip isn't handed to you. Oh, and change the game's name to Her/Him. Make it 16+, playable for all genders. Most importantly, include outfit customization."
"How much for in-game purchases?"
"Free!"
— —
Facing a 42-day content drought, most people felt a void in their hearts.
Though miHoYo officially announced big moves after Season 4's end, with no more 42-day droughts, they still had to wait for the season's finale!
A young man trudged to his workstation.
"So boring. I'm out of shows. Recommend me a good web series or movie," he said, nudging his colleague. "Gimme some ideas."
"Web series? Severance is decent."
"I want something with big scenes!"
"Then rewatch Nezha."
"Watched it three times, bro. Any fun games to recommend?"
Double Vision, the new title from the It Takes Two team, but the system requirements are steep."
"I just got a 5080!"
"It's a two-player game."
Cough, cough. The young man cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness. "Anything else fun?"
"Ever tried a dating sim?"
"Dating sim?" The young man perked up. "Tell me more."
"miHoYo's official game—Her/Him. Download it, no paywalls, but you need miHoYo's VR gear. Best played alone at night, lying in bed."
"Alright, cool."
…
Soon, the young man returned to his empty home. After washing up, he put on VR glasses and earphones.
He opened the game.
A dating sim?
What's the appeal?
Honestly, if he wasn't so bored, he'd never touch something like this.
He heard the first character was Firefly.
To be blunt, he wasn't too fond of Firefly's character.
Her arc felt shallow—Glamoth Iron Cavalry was just a game within a game; who hides plot setup there?
The main story didn't showcase it, which was a flaw, though Season 4's brilliance overshadowed most shortcomings.
Firefly's interactions with the protagonist also felt abrupt. Sure, the protagonist's past as a Stellaron Hunter was hinted at in Kafka's companion mission, but without hard confirmation, it was just speculation.
In short, the lack of past story buildup made Firefly's motives and arc feel thin.
The young man calmed himself and pressed the start button.
Beep, beep…
With the VR gear on, Firefly's avatar appeared on a call interface.
Soon, the video call connected. Firefly, as if calling across space, held her phone and said gently, "Um, it's me, Firefly."
"I was worried you might be too busy… It's already evening here."
"The air's clear, and I can see lots of stars, though the night breeze is a bit strong."
She adjusted her phone's angle, showing a starry river in the video.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Then she returned to a quiet indoor setting, continuing to share her experiences.
"I wanted to explore somewhere open, but it's so cold, even through my armor…"
The next moment, she flashed a smile, as if lightening the heavy mood.
"Ended up doing nothing but spacing out all day. So, what about you? What've you been up to?"
The young man's throat bobbed. "I… I…"
"Oh, sounds tough!" Firefly sat on a couch, her expression utterly relaxed. "It's been a while since I could rest. Chatting like this feels so nice."
She set her phone on a stand, freeing her hands.
Now she looked like a girl next door, propping her chin with both hands, her eyes fixed on you through the screen. "Oh, guess which season has the best temper?"
"…"
"The answer's summer! No matter what you say to it, it always replies, 'I know, I know.'"
Her cheeks flushed as she let out an awkward laugh. "Ah… haha, that was a bit lame. No worries, I'll come up with something better next time."
"I found a blue planet in the galaxy—it's summer there now. Seems like a great place to travel."
"Interested?"