The whole internet was buzzing about Genshin's Spring Festival patch. Screenshots of Liyue's lantern-lit nights flooded every feed.
Overseas? Even louder. On YouTube, searches for "Dragon Country Spring Festival" rocketed up the trending list in just two days. Players back home were stunned—one game had actually pushed their culture abroad.
Soon Dragon Country folks piled into the comments, enthusiastically explaining Spring Festival customs to curious foreigners. A viral clip sealed it: a skyline blazing with fireworks, joy thick in the air, set to the orchestral "Liyue" theme. The comment section went wild:
[Forget the Nian beast—if God showed up, He'd jump out of His skin]
[Flashing lights warning, but wow… gorgeous]
[Watched on mute—thought of Disney fireworks… makes me want to go]
[Nostalgic. I visited Dragon Country's "Magic City" years back—looked just like this]
[Different from our fireworks in Sakura Country—Dragon Country's feel grander, more exuberant]
[Maybe ours aim for minimalism; theirs is pure, infectious joy]
[I feel… a little intimidated]
[Maybe it's the social context. In Dragon Country daily life, personal safety isn't something you constantly fear]
Video after video of Spring Festival scenes followed. The tags "Dragon Country Spring Festival" soared into YouTube's top trends and stayed there.
Back home, players were equal parts proud and awed. The world longed for something they grew up with—how not to feel that swell in your chest?
But that wasn't even the peak.
That evening, families clustered around dinner while the national Evening News rolled through state affairs—until the tone flipped on a dime.
"Recently, the anime-style open-world mobile game Genshin, developed by Dragon Country's Shanghai-based MiHuYou Studio, has drawn widespread attention.
"Though its Spring Festival 'Lantern Rite' update is yet to launch, it has already garnered strong praise.
"Within the game, the architecture and landscapes of Liyue, and the design of Zhongli, are particularly striking.
"The event's many traditional cultural elements have sparked discussion and acclaim at home and abroad—setting an outstanding example for Dragon Country games.
"We hope domestic studios will learn from its strengths to create more and better works."
Only thirty seconds.
But thirty seconds on the Evening News is solid gold.
Chopsticks clattered to tables across the country. A game—yes, a game parents had scolded for years—just got showcased and praised on primetime?
The internet erupted.
[?? Genshin just made the Evening News?!!]
[I saw it too—and they praised it hard!!]
[(shook) Thought it was a warning at first. Nope—commendation!]
[@MiHuYou you gotta celebrate—ten pulls when?]
[@MiHuYou, come claim your trophy—national TV noticed you!]
[A game… commended by the Evening News. Unreal.]
["MiHuYou," "Genshin," "Lantern Rite," "Liyue," "Example"—did you catch that?]
[Real cultural export. Check YouTube—'Dragon Country Spring Festival' is glued to trending]
[MiHuYou, onto the podium!]
Students pointed at the TV, trying to convince their parents this meant "ten more minutes." (Spoiler: most still got nagged.)
At the studio, mentions flooded in. The girls found out almost simultaneously—and the room went supernova.
Himeko, of all people, actually bounced like a happy schoolgirl and pounced into Mo Li's arms. "We did it! This is huge!"
Elysia chimed in, sing-songy: "True, Boss Mo Li's vision deserves the crown, but Elysia definitely contributed too~ So… may I have a celebratory hug as a reward?"
Mo Li blinked. Before, he would've opened his arms on instinct. Now—with Himeko right there—he hesitated for her sake. He smiled instead. "How about Mei gives you that reward?"
Mei flushed, caught off guard. Before she could answer, Himeko pushed Mo Li forward. "No proxy rewards. Hug. Now."
That surprised everyone—Mo Li, Bronya, and Mei alike. Elysia donned a shy-sweet act (who knew how much was real). Mo Li hovered—was this a test? With all the girls watching?
No time to overthink. The pink blur leapt into his arms. His hands slid reflexively to her waist—soft, plush, dangerously comfortable.
If not for Himeko's "training" these past few days, he might've… ahem… saluted. Progress.
"Heehee~ That's Boss Mo Li's reward and Elysia's redemption coupon cashed in," she giggled—meaning his "cos" from the stream.
Technically, he'd worn Shadow Knight: Moonblade—not quite "female attire," but close enough for her to call it paid.
"So," Elysia teased, eyes glittering, "who's heavier—Elysia, or Himeko?"
Mo Li set her down, thought a beat. "Mmm… Elysia, by just a hair."
She puffed her cheeks. "Honestly… how can you say that to a lady? You hug me and then slander me? I'll be grumpy~"
He raised his hands in surrender. "I take it back. Elysia is slightly heavier… and even cuter."
"Forgiven~"
The buzz drifted back to the Evening News shout-out. The little flag between Elysia and Mo Li? Everyone let it slide; today's headline was bigger than studio gossip.
Once, their dream had simply been to make a game lots of people loved. Genshin had blown past that. They hadn't built the whole game—but this event? This Lantern Rite? They'd crafted it together with Mo Li, piece by piece. The pride was real.
Mo Li, meanwhile, ran the math. The strategy was right… but even he hadn't predicted primetime coverage. In his old world, Genshin had gotten a polite nod at best—praise tempered with caution. Here? A full thirty seconds on the Evening News.
He could guess why: different world, different media landscape. Genshin was the first smash-hit game drenched in Dragon Country aesthetics. This Lantern Rite didn't just celebrate culture; it exported it. YouTube's trending proved it.
Until now, cultural export had lagged—just holding the line against imported trends was considered good. Most hit games? Western-coded. Film? Sci-fi and Western fantasy dominated.
This update cracked open a door. Lantern Rite had become a proof-of-concept for culture going out.
A foundation stone.
Mo Li's eyes brightened. "Should we push even harder?"
He snapped his fingers. "Right—Divine Damsel of Devastation."
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