Honkai: Star Rail – Banner Character, Delivering Knives to the Player [21]

"I don't know if they changed Dan Heng’s route in the official release, but I'm just comparing it to the closed beta plot."

Ah Xian sipped some warm water to soothe her throat.

"In the beta version, after the Astral Express crew got tricked by Sampo, they had to fight Gepard before the misunderstanding was cleared."

"But Lingzhou’s route skips the fight entirely. The misunderstanding gets cleared immediately, and he even helps Gepard capture Sampo, sending him straight to jail."

"Lingzhou didn’t lie; he's a genuinely reliable adult. He’s confident, calculated, observant, and alert to potential danger. He communicates impeccably, prioritizes diplomacy, and always thinks ahead. In the short intro to Belobog, he immediately wins Gepard’s trust with a small favor."

"Honestly, no shade intended, but this feels better paced than Dan Heng’s beta route."

"If anyone’s already run Dan Heng’s route, let me know if there were any changes."

After checking the chat and superchat messages, she confirmed that the official Dan Heng route was essentially the same as the beta.

Now, that's intriguing.

"Different story progression means later events will inevitably differ too."

"Right now, Sampo is stuck in jail, which affects a crucial plot twist unless he breaks out."

"But Lingzhou emphasized earlier that the cuffs he gave Gepard are incredibly sturdy—impossible to break without the key."

"That raises a question: Who’s going to guide the Astral Express crew to the next map?"

"Changing maps involves meeting Duckie (Bronya), a key character. So how will she follow this time?"

"The scriptwriters had some great ideas. With this new character added, even those who played the beta are experiencing fresh content."

Gepard: "Please wait here briefly; I'll inform Lady Cocolia of your arrival first."

Gepard: "You might want to prepare your report in advance—Lady Cocolia’s time is precious, so she prefers concise briefings."

"Oh, that's another subtle detail."

"Gepard sent all his subordinates after Sampo, so no one was left to inform Cocolia of their arrival."

Initially, Ah Xian expected idle conversation among the crew while waiting.

But unexpectedly, the game displayed a semi-static story scene again.

March 7th: "You really have sharp eyes, Lingzhou! You knew something was off with Sampo from the start."

Lingzhou: "Well, technically, yes and no."

Stelle: "Uh... I don't quite follow?"

March 7th: "Don't ask me. I can’t translate it either."

Lingzhou: "In such a remote, desolate place, a merchant suddenly appearing is way too coincidental."

"He deliberately catered to us, subtly guiding our actions. His real intention was well-hidden, but fundamentally, he was stalling us."

Hearing that, Stelle sank into deep thought.

"You’re saying Sampo intentionally drew Gepard and his men here?"

Lingzhou: "That possibility can't be ruled out."

March 7th: "But what's his motive? Surely not just to drag us down with him?"

Lingzhou: "That’s less important. Sooner or later, he'll reveal his own motive."

March 7th: "First, he needs to get out of jail. Didn’t Gepard say he’s been in trouble multiple times already?"

Lingzhou chuckled softly. "That’s none of our concern for now. We just wait."

March 7th turned to Stelle. "When we meet this Guardian, should we tell her our real intentions?"

Stelle: "Hey, this is my first trailblazing mission. Don't look at me."

Saying that, she glanced over at Lingzhou.

As the saying goes, ignore your senior’s advice at your peril.

Compared to her inexperienced self or the impulsive pink-haired girl—

This man was the real expert.

Lingzhou paused thoughtfully, then changed the topic entirely.

"Did you pay attention to the locals when we entered the city?"

March 7th: "What do you mean?"

Stelle rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, I noticed. They seemed relaxed; the atmosphere wasn't tense at all… wait— I think I get your point now."

Lingzhou nodded.

"There are three possibilities. Either the common people know nothing, or the truth has been deliberately minimized."

"This planet already has Rift monsters, so it's very unlikely nobody knows anything."

The two continued exchanging cryptic remarks, leaving March 7th increasingly bewildered.

"What riddles are you two speaking in?"

Stelle teased lightly, "It’s nothing. You handle the cuteness, dear sister. Leave plotting to us."

March 7th immediately scowled. "Hey! Do you think I'm an idiot or something?"

Stelle solemnly shook her head. "I never said that—you're the one confessing now."

March 7th: "Your expression says it all! Just wait, you're getting punched!"

Stelle: "I'm completely sincere. March, your pure, innocent eyes are utterly captivating."

March 7th: "Then stop speaking in riddles, can’t you?"

Stelle softened, speaking gently. "Lingzhou meant we shouldn't reveal our real goals until we know how the locals perceive the Stellaron."

She glanced at Lingzhou. "Did I get it right?"

Lingzhou nodded, quietly elaborating, "The people of Belobog don't look like they know their world is infested by the Stellaron."

"Which suggests the Silvermane Guards have shielded them effectively."

"But it doesn't mean they’re aware of the Stellaron or the consequences it brings."

"We're strangers here, with no idea if the Guardian knows about the Stellaron or understands its danger."

"Belobog exists on a frozen world, yet it's warm as autumn—ever wondered why?"

"I don’t buy Gepard’s explanation about the Preservation's blessing."

"The Stellaron contains terrifying power. Hypothetically—just hypothetically—"

"If the warmth of Belobog originates from the Stellaron, and we openly state our goal is to remove and seal it away…"

"And if, hypothetically, that Guardian fully understands the Stellaron’s significance, how would she view us?"

March 7th shivered involuntarily.

She hadn’t thought that deeply.

"Stop, please. You're reminding me of our disastrous last trailblazing mission."

Stelle raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

March dramatically slapped her forehead, sighing miserably.

"We were too honest and ended up branded criminals plotting to steal a nation's crucial energy resource. Got chased around everywhere…"

Stelle teased again, "So that's why you said ‘again’ earlier. Let me guess—it was only you who was overly honest, right?"

March 7th: "Shut it, or you're really getting punched!"

Stelle: "Relax… ow ow—you're really punching?!"

March 7th: "Sorry, my bad! Wait, don’t grab there—have some dignity… huh?"

When March pulled her hand away and stared dumbly at her palm, wiggling her fingers, Stelle rolled her eyes.

Why act so shocked?

It wasn’t like she didn’t have her own.

She just wore looser clothes, but honestly, she wasn't inferior to Himeko at all.

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T/N: huehuehue

This is a fan translation of 崩铁：卡池角色，给玩家发刀 by 三十度幻. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!