Waking from the dream, Topaz brushed the snow off her clothes.
The voice call had disconnected.
Topaz pulled out her phone and glanced at it.
Less than a minute had passed.
There were two new ssages.
[Aventurine: Weren't you staying on Jarilo-VI? What's going on over there?]
[Aventurine: I'm coming to find you. You'd better hold on until I get there.]
Topaz smoothed her hair and began typing a reply.
[Topaz: Don't bother. I'm not in any danger.]
[Aventurine: You should've said so earlier! I was already halfway out the door!]
[Aventurine: Please, stop dragging into this.]
Topaz ignored Aventurine.
Recalling everything she had just experienced in the dream, she couldn't help but curl her lips into an excited smile.
She pressed the reconnect button on her earpiece and rejoined the voice conference.
"Topaz, what happened just now? Your signal dropped suddenly."
"I'm fine. Maybe I was too close to the fracture, and it interfered with the signal."
The woman on the other end fell silent.
This excuse wasn't particularly convincing, but she chose not to press further.
After a few seconds, she spoke again. "In that case, let's proceed."
"We've just discussed the potential negative impact Honkai: Star Rail could have on our departnt."
"According to Aventurine, your debt collection mission on Jarilo-VI was also affected by this ga, preventing you from completing it smoothly."
"So, please share your thoughts on the matter."
Topaz smiled faintly.
In a tone that brooked no argunt, she replied, "When did I ever say Honkai: Star Rail would have a negative impact on our departnt?"
"I only said it had an influence—but not a negative one."
"On the contrary, in my opinion, studying this ga seriously could elevate our departnt's performance to new heights."
"If we seize the opportunities and challenges this ga presents, our Strategic Investnt Departnt might even surge ahead of the competition and beco one of the company's most formidable divisions."
No one reacted with shock or cheers.
Instead, the call fell into complete silence.
It felt like Topaz's attitude had done a complete 180 before and after her disconnection.
She sounded like she'd been injected with pure adrenaline.
It was... a little unsettling.
A long mont passed.
Finally, Aventurine broke the silence with a joking tone. "Topaz... don't tell Yu Ling paid you off to hype up his ga—"
"Hahaha, Director Aventurine, you do love your jokes."
"If anyone's paying, it should be ."
"If buying rankings in this ga were really possible, I wouldn't hesitate to invest."
Aventurine sighed.
"Personally, I don't quite understand Director Topaz's stance. As the company's sole creed dictates—Everything for the Amber Lord—we shouldn't deviate from our core principles."
But as he spoke, his voice grew quieter until it faded from the call entirely.
The conference room fell silent for a few seconds.
After confirming Aventurine had also disconnected, soone couldn't help but mutter, "What's going on today...?"
"This is so weird..."
"Director Topaz, are you two together?"
Topaz: "No. He left Jarilo-VI two system hours ago."
Internally, however, she couldn't help but wonder:
"Could it be... that Aventurine also...?"
"It's possible."
"After all, the Jarilo-VI mission involved him too."
"This ti, he's finally getting a share of the profits—no, a full feast—just like , right?"
---
Dreamscape
Aventurine stared blankly at the scene before him.
It was a vibrant urban paradise, reminiscent of Penacony's style. He stood atop a skyscraper, the city's neon lights stretching endlessly below like a dazzling perforr flaunting its brilliance.
From this vantage point, it felt as though the entire city lay in the palm of his hand.
Two prepared cocktails rested on the railing.
Lost in thought, Aventurine picked up one of the glasses.
At that mont, the owner of the other drink appeared.
"Hello. I'm Yu Ling, the developer of Honkai: Star Rail."
Aventurine froze.
It took him several seconds to process the words.
"Is that... really you?"
Yu Ling smiled faintly. "Do I need to provide proof of my identity?"
"N-No, of course not!"
Aventurine tried to remain calm, but he couldn't help pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow.
"With your presence and the sheer scale of this dream you've crafted..."
"What reason would I have to doubt you?"
Yu Ling nodded. "It seems those who hold positions among the Ten Stonehearts are all quite perceptive."
Aventurine's eyes flickered with a barely noticeable gleam.
So Topaz must have also t Yu Ling in this dream!
That explains her sudden change in attitude!
Then...
Why did Yu Ling reach out to next?
What does he want to do for him?
And what can I gain from him in return?
Yu Ling smiled slightly, as if reading his thoughts.
"Relax. I won't make you work for free."
"You can consider what follows a... collaboration."
Aventurine's mind buzzed.
Then, he broke into a radiant smile.
"As expected, your insight is unparalleled."
"Forgive my bluntness—I've always been a pragmatic man."
Yu Ling gestured toward the sprawling city before them.
"It resembles Penacony, doesn't it?"
"Your mission is to go there, and my ga's storyline will also lead there."
"Before that, I plan to film a MV called Sleepless Night as a prelude."
"What?!"
Aventurine was stunned.
He had expected Yu Ling to propose so grand sche—only to hear it was just... an MV?
What kind of twist is this?!
"That's... it?"
"It's that simple."
"I'm just giving you a heads-up."
Aventurine stood frozen for several seconds.
He scrutinized Yu Ling's expression, searching for any hidden aning behind this seemingly trivial request.
Is he really just asking for my opinion?
But...
So many characters have appeared in the ga without Yu Ling personally seeking their approval.
Why approach specifically?
Unless...
He's testing my attitude?
Realization struck.
Aventurine imdiately replied, "Mr. Yu Ling, appearing in your work would be an honor!"
"How could I possibly demand compensation?"
"Creating a ga of this scale, mirroring reality itself—you're clearly no ordinary individual."
"Even a hint of insider knowledge would be an invaluable opportunity for soone like ."
"So how could I have the audacity to ask for paynt?"
"Whatever scenes need filming or narration—I'll cooperate fully!"
"You're clever."
Yu Ling raised his glass.
Aventurine quickly followed suit.
Their glasses clinked softly.
A silent agreent had been reached.
To be continued...
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