Xiao's short teal hair, a few pale streaks, razor-sharp eyes and aloof immortal aura—he stole the show the moment he appeared.
"Besides Xiao, we'll also rerun Liyue's Geo Archon," Mo Li added. "And one of the Qixing, Keqing, will get an UP banner too."
Rita tilted her head, feigning doubt. "Isn't Keqing in the standard pool? Why give her an UP?"
Mo Li's smile turned sly. "Because A-Qing is adorable."
The chat promptly detonated.
[Cat-cat head is indeed cute~]
[Keqing supremacy!!]
"New year, new outfits," Mo Li continued. "During Spring Festival we'll release a paid skin for Keqing— and if you clear the holiday special, you can claim a free Ningguang skin."
The preview rolled both styles, and players went wild. For ages they'd begged for fashion in Genshin. With every character so distinct, who wouldn't want to dress their favorites up? Cosers, rejoice—two more sets to make.
…
With Mo Li, Rita, and Himeko trading lines, the Genshin preview neared its end. As usual, Mo Li dropped a 600 Primogem code, and the chat spiked harder than if they'd found money on the street.
When the code segment wrapped, the screen cut back to a Honkai Impact 3rd poster. No one left—the savvy knew: Honkai's preview was next.
Sure enough, the feed stirred again: a Western medieval city, night air and stone. A man ran, breath ragged.
Otto's voiceover bled in: "Since long ago, my family has fought a mysterious enemy—an enemy strong enough to destroy civilization—"
"Honkai."
The camera lifted and—yes—that runner was Otto. Viewers quickly pieced it together: this was pre-pontiff Otto.
Montage: a boy overlooked by his house, slighted by siblings… and then—Otto's first meeting with Kallen.
"Did you make this?"
"It flew so high!" Kallen beamed, innocent and bright—so like Kiana it hurt. "You're amazing. You'll be a great inventor someday!" She hopped the wall, cradling a broken toy plane. "Shame it crashed…"
Otto again: "That was the first time the cast-off me heard such words… that I might be expected… needed."
Kallen reached out her hand. "Then, great inventor—come help me save the world."
…
A lightning tour of 500 years ago: as Honkai spread, Schicksal inserted itself into Europe "to protect," power rotting the pontiff's heart. The mission to guard humanity warped into greed and rule.
Schicksal launched an eastern crusade… and hit a wall—the Ming Empire. At first, a stalemate, until Schicksal unleashed Honkai-energy weapons and pushed Ming back—until Fu Hua descended. Before the immortal, even Honkai's might wavered.
Chats popped: "Immortal Fu Hua GOAT!"
Back to Otto and Kallen. Crusade failed, debts soared, Schicksal issued Indulgences; the commoners bled; Kallen began to doubt.
Kallen turned phantom thief, robbing the corrupt to give to the poor. Otto—yes—cross-dressed to run interference. On stream, viewers finally saw "Otto in a dress": he minced forward, voice pitched high.
"Can you help me? My ankle, I think I—"
The chat melted down.
[Certified trap. I'm crying laughing]
[Dev boss really went there]
[Officially joining the meme, let's go]
[Tea for the cross-dressed lord!]
[Okay but… why is it kind of cute??]
[Everyone calm down (sweating)]
It wasn't just the gag; it was the listening. Most studios ignored chatter unless whales spoke. MiHoYo playing along made players feel seen—affection up and to the right.
The clip turned grim: Kallen, condemned at the scaffold. To save her, Otto loosed beasts to sow chaos. Kallen—ever for the people—staggered back toward the civilians, trying to save them.
She died under a tide of Honkai.
Cut. Back to the studio.
Mo Li reappeared in Otto cosplay, a faint smile and mannerisms eerily close to the real thing. The chat howled—not "Otto, taste my blade!" this time, but "Otto, put the dress back on!"
Mo Li ignored the thirst, voice smooth. "I think, after that short, you know why I'd do… terrible things."
"Heh. Yes."
"For Kallen. To bring her back."
"During the Spring Festival patch, Honkai will release the side story 'Violet Plume'—Otto, Kallen, and the old Schicksal. We'll also push Main Story Ch. 26 'Birth of Tragedy' and Ch. 27 'Twilight of the Fool.' When you play them… you'll understand everything about who I was."
Rita and Himeko outlined the Honkai event—lighter on side activities this time, built around the new story. To claim rewards, you'd dive into the chapters themselves.
By the time the dual preview ended, it was already nine. Clips exploded across video sites, spliced and subtitled within minutes. Honkai had a 1200 Crystal code too.
"Finally done," Himeko exhaled, shoulders dropping. Big shows like this always pressed on her nerves.
"If you're tired, take five," Mo Li said.
She shot him a sideways look and leaned close to whisper, "And have everyone call me out for slacking? Your double standard's showing, Boss."
Cameras were still being shut down, cables coiled, even the boss hauling gear. Himeko wasn't about to sit. She pitched in with the others. It was mostly flipping switches—fast work.
When no one watched, Himeko drifted back, eyes half-smiling. "Don't lock your door tonight."
Mo Li grinned. "I'll come to your room."
"Works for me." She turned to go—he caught her wrist and walled her in. Himeko's lashes fluttered; he kissed her, quick and sure.
"Stop—someone will see," she hissed, cheeks hot.
"Alright, alright." He let go, smoothing the hem of her skirt—
—and in the shadow of a rack, Bronya's pupils shrank. She'd seen it. All of it. She spun away, heart racing, face flushing, and slipped out without a sound.
…
Across the net, the previews blazed—especially Genshin's Lantern Rite. Surprise turned to pride, pride to hype. And in the studio's quiet back hall, one gray-eyed girl pressed her back to the wall, breath shallow.
"So… you two… really are…"
Her fingers curled into her sleeve.
If that's true—what about Mei? About everyone else? And… what about me?
The door at the end of the corridor clicked. Footsteps. Bronya straightened—because whoever rounded that corner next was going to change the peace of the studio, one way or another.
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