Suspicion, debate, conflict.
This is what is currently happening within many factions in the galaxy because of a game.
Some believe it's real; after all, experts from the IPC once explained that Sam, as a long-lost weapon, might require manual operation.
But since it's called a lost weapon, there's no way to verify it, and hardly anyone believed that claim—after all, automatons are considered living beings.
Most people think it's fake, considering it's just a fan-made work.
It's not like fan-works haven't messed up settings before.
There were even dramas slandering Lady Herta as a tsundere, or "The Overbearing Genius Society Member Falls in Love with Me," which led to the Herta Space Station taking legal action.
Thus, slandering Sam clearly wasn't a big deal.
Perhaps the Author was just bold and lucky, thinking that a wanted criminal wouldn't defend their rights, so they did it.
However.
At this moment, inside a certain Space Station, the atmosphere was eerily quiet, so silent you could hear a pin drop.
On the sofa, Kafka sat with her long legs crossed, fiddling with the game on her mobile phone, her expression unreadable.
Behind her, Blade stood with his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the game screen on Kafka's mobile phone.
Even Sam, who had been called over from not far away, glanced over slightly.
Tonight's silence surely belonged to the Stellaron Hunters.
Unlike outsiders, including the Astral Express, the Stellaron Hunters, as the parties involved, knew everything inside.
If someone just knew that Sam's true identity was Firefly, that could still be explained through known means.
However.
The news that Stelle was once a member of the Stellaron Hunters was something even Stelle herself didn't know.
Even with the deliberate protection of the Stellaron Hunters, it was unlikely anyone in the galaxy knew about this past.
Yet, this very matter appeared in a 'fan-made' game in a ridiculous way.
The most critical part was.
Although it couldn't be concluded yet if the other party had any precognitive abilities, at the very least, he had the authority to observe everything within Amphoreus.
Assuming this wasn't a game but a live broadcast, as if Stelle was currently inside the Aha Star...
Footsteps sounded in the distance.
Kafka shifted her gaze; clearly, the savior everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived.
But it seemed the savior's expression wasn't quite right at the moment.
"Kafka, something big has really happened this time."
Seeing several people present, Silver Wolf slumped directly onto the sofa next to Kafka.
Then she tossed a device resembling a game console onto the table.
Kafka took a deep breath: "What's wrong? It seems things didn't go smoothly, Silver Wolf?"
"More than just 'not smoothly'."
Silver Wolf's voice was weak: "Besides trying to hack directly into the game, I also tried to follow the game's publishing address to hack into the internal database."
"In theory, every game should hide future content, or even information about the Author's personal details."
Indeed, it was the same for any game.
Besides datamining, many pieces of information and leaks Silver Wolf had stolen before were obtained by brute-forcing the opponent's database.
"But this time, there's nothing."
Her voice trailed off.
Seeing Kafka's confused and puzzled expression, Silver Wolf rephrased: "To put it in simpler terms."
"I just don't know what on earth this game was developed with."
"No matter how powerful a firewall is, or even if data can be hidden or deleted, it leaves traces. But I really found nothing."
In other words, it was as if it appeared out of thin air, not existing in this causality or timeline.
"Is that so?"
Kafka pursed her lips, seemingly having expected this.
Silver Wolf sighed and added: "I tried everything. I even stole an IPC account and, after disguising myself, reported the game for violations to the Games Department."
"Thinking that since the game could get on the interastral platform, even if it's a confidential IPC file, an agent's backup should be findable."
"And guess what?"
Silver Wolf laughed, a laugh that was somewhat heart-wrenching and full of despair.
Kafka could tell her mental state wasn't great right now.
It was even more painful than when her 76 accounts, including game records, were wiped out by Screwllum and Herta.
"The IPC was even more shocked than I was, saying they had no record of this game in their archives at all!"
"Heh." Silver Wolf looked quite dejected. "What I mean is, this game never even went through IPC review. I don't know what method he used."
"But you can understand it as the other party hacking into the IPC system and then publishing the game on the platform."
Kafka: "?"
Also, Silver Wolf forgot to add one thing.
The IPC Games Department should be in a total mess by now.
"Anyway, I used an alt account to post a bounty for doxxing the game Author. I don't know if the Galaxy Rangers will do anything."
"But besides that, I admit, I'm out of moves."
Silver Wolf: (ᗜ ˰ ᗜ)
After speaking, Silver Wolf looked up at the ceiling and fell completely silent.
For a moment, no one else moved.
After all, Silver Wolf wasn't omnipotent. Despite being a top-tier hacker, there were times she couldn't outmaneuver Herta and Screwllum.
It was normal to have no results this time.
Kafka didn't know how to comfort Silver Wolf, but compared to her, there was someone else who should be cared about more.
She turned her gaze to Sam on the other side, her smile somewhat constrained: "Aren't you going to share your thoughts, Sam? After all, compared to us, you're the real victim, right?"
They stared at each other for two seconds.
Sam shook her head, her tone calm: "I don't really hate this feeling. Or rather, it's a brand-new experience."
To be known as Firefly rather than Sam.
It really was quite novel.
"However," she spoke with a hint of doubt, "since we want to find the other party, why not contact him directly?"
"Additionally, if I'm not mistaken, since the other party did something like this, it's likely not just us but other factions are looking for him too."
"Uh..."
This statement left Silver Wolf speechless.
Contact him directly?
How to contact him directly?
Could it be by sending a direct message to his interastral account!
But in fact, what Silver Wolf didn't expect was that Firefly was actually prepared to do just that?
Soon, an anonymous account sent a message.
[Hello, I'm a loyal fan of the game "honkai: star rail." I wanted to ask when the producer will hold a fan meeting? I'd like to pay my respects.]
Not long after this message was sent, a pop-up suddenly appeared on Xu Qiong's mobile phone background.
[Ding-dong!]
He opened it and frowned for some reason.
A premium communication account!
You should know, he had set his DMs to 'do not disturb'. Ordinary interastral accounts couldn't message him privately.
Although it wasn't the first time, Xu Qiong was wondering whether to reply.
At that moment, with another 'ding-dong', a window with a profile picture of a girl holding a firefly popped up.
[Firefly: Is Xu Qiong there? I need your help!]
[Image]
[Pom-Pom Crying.jpg]
"..."
Xu Qiong paused for a moment.
A bad premonition slowly rose.
Then, with some trepidation, he tried to open the image Firefly had sent him.
[Image shows: Account name 'Tonight Eat Roast Chicken']
Xu Qiong: "¿"