One week after the One Night of Eternal Flame Thousand Stars Chronicle Journey PV was released, the 2.0 preview program arrived on schedule.
As the new version and new area that had been hyped since the 1.6 preview and mentioned at launch, players' expectations were fully maxed out.
The official livestream rooms on major streaming platforms were already packed with countless waiting players.
The program began, and one of miHoYo's founders, Dawei Bro, personally performed a nonsensical skit.
Afterward, the version PV started playing.
A song titled "Sleepless Night" ignited the entire venue.
After the PV ended, the program officially entered the main topic. However, when some players saw a certain man appear on camera, they couldn't help but gasp.
"Welcome to Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0 Special Preview Program. I am your old friend, Dawei Bro."
"Hello everyone, I am the Honkai series IP: Roast Chicken."
Hearing this, the hearts of those players who had gasped finally settled, confirming they hadn't seen things.
This one was even more heavyweight!
For veteran Honkai series players, there was no one unfamiliar with him.
—The dog writer who loves sending knives the most and is enthusiastic about killing off characters.
[Oh no!]
[We're screwed, I've already started imagining how many will die this time!]
[What does that mean?]
[Little cuties who don't know, it's better not to find out…]
After some pleasantries, Roast Chicken began introducing information related to Penacony.
"Penacony is the territory of the Harmony Family, a dazzling dreamlike metropolis, a true land of dreams."
"The Astral Express's visit this time is also by invitation to participate in a grand event called the [Harmonious Music Grand Ceremony]."
"And this is also the first time the Family has publicly issued invitations to other factions."
Dawei Bro: "You mentioned dreams, dream chasers, and the land of dreams—all related to dreams. It seems everything is tied to the concept of dreams?"
"Yes."
Roast Chicken nodded with a smile.
"This is Penacony's biggest characteristic—a world of dreams. People wander between reality and dreamscapes, enjoying ideal lives in the kingdom of dreams."
"In reality, Penacony is a massive interstellar hotel, its scale comparable to a planet—that is, [The Reverie]."
"And a long time ago, this place was a frontier prison where the IPC detained prisoners."
"After a long time passed and many things happened, it gradually turned into a renowned galactic resort destination."
Then Dawei Bro mentioned the special feature of this hotel: entering dreams.
People sleep in reality and enter dreams to move about.
Roast Chicken: "Under the Family's protection, guests travel between reality and the dream realm via Dream Pools, and there is no danger whatsoever."
Dawei Bro, with a tone of suspicion: "No danger at all?"
"Really none."
Roast Chicken answered thus.
"This is the Harmony Family's territory after all. Penacony's five major lineages will work together wholeheartedly to protect the peace of the beautiful dreams."
As they spoke, the topic turned to the 2.0 version maps and main quests.
Dawei Bro naturally led into the next preview content.
"Since we've already talked about the 2.0 version story, why don't Teacher Roast Chicken continue along this topic and introduce Penacony's Trailblaze Mission to us."
"No problem, this is also the part I'm most looking forward to!"
Roast Chicken's eyes brightened noticeably, and his excitement was visibly apparent.
"As I said before, for the Trailblaze journey, a sense of freshness is very important."
"The previous few worlds all had completely different styles in their stories, and Penacony is naturally the same."
"This time's story style, in my words, will probably be… uh, relaxed, happy, and sunny."
Dawei Bro couldn't help laughing and raised his index finger to confirm again: "Relaxed, happy, sunny?"
"Yes, exactly!"
Roast Chicken affirmed without hesitation.
"Just as I said earlier, because this time the Express crew was invited by the Family and is going to the Star of the Banquet as guests."
"So on the Harmony's turf, there probably won't be any thrilling adventures."
"There also isn't any imminent crisis that the Express crew needs to resolve this time."
Players who had only played Star Rail mostly breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts.
But veteran Honkai series players, such as Ah Xian and the like, had twitching at the corners of their eyes, mouths, and facial muscles respectively.
Everyone started sweating profusely, family!
I believe your ghost, you bad old man.
Roast Chicken continued to increase his output.
"The most important goal for the Express crew is actually to enjoy themselves properly, vacation well, and experience everything Penacony has to offer as much as possible."
Dawei Bro: "But I feel like what you said seems a bit different from the content in the PV video earlier."
Roast Chicken: "I can explain that. After all, it's a world of beautiful dreams, so it's not strange for all kinds of bizarre things to happen…"
Ah Xian rolled her eyes hard and couldn't help complaining out loud.
"I'd believe Leon stepping out of the 2D world to descend in front of me and raw me before I believe Roast Chicken's explanation… no, sophistry!"
[What kind of trauma did you suffer before…]
[No need for before; now it's confirmed Roast Chicken is the writer—what did he do in previous versions? Don't you have any idea?]
[Dear Leon fans, now you know who to send the razor blades to, right?]
Roast Chicken's output still hadn't ended.
"At the extravagant and indulgent grand banquet, encounter Prominent figure from various galactic factions."
"Form deep friendships with them, have some heart-to… open-hearted exchanges. For the Trailblaze journey, this is also a way to connect with the world."
Even Dawei Bro couldn't help laughing.
"No, what were you trying to say earlier?"
"I wanted to say 'pouring out one's heart and lungs,' but I felt that phrasing might have some ambiguity, so I immediately corrected it, really!"
Roast Chicken interlaced his ten fingers and said with a smiling face:
"Although the Golden Hour scene is at midnight, the overall tone of Penacony's story is truly very warm and very sunny."
"Mm-hmm, your tone is so sincere, I believe you." Dawei Bro kept nodding.
Roast Chicken knowingly raised his eyebrows.
"We just finished the script nearing the end of a certain version. Two characters said a line I really like—"
"'Now, I grant you all the right to look directly at the sun.'"
"'I think… it is to accumulate the power to illuminate the world in the darkness for the next dawn.'"
"I believe this is the dream that Penacony wants to convey to all the guests—some incredibly warm things rooted deep in people's hearts."
Dawei Bro: "Why do I still not believe it? Is it really that positive, uplifting, sunny, and warm?"
Roast Chicken: "It is, brothers, it really is. You have to believe it."
"Also, I want to reveal here that 2.0 is only the beginning of the story."
"Penacony's Trailblaze Mission will continue until 2.3, totaling four versions."
"If all Trailblazers can obtain a moment of joy from it, that would be our greatest honor."