Chapter 101: Old Thief Su, This is the "Heartwarming and Healing" You Promised, Right?
At this moment, after a few brief seconds of the chat disappearing in Pardo's livestream—the entire room instantly exploded.
[Professor Himeko! Himeko-sensei!]
[It's not real, tell me it's not real!]
[OH, NO!!]
[Himeko-sensei, don't die!]
[Himeko clearly could have lived if she used the serum... but she chose to give hope to Kiana instead, sacrificing herself!]
[Himeko-sensei's Final Lesson... brothers, this is the first time I've felt that my tears are so cheap. They won't stop flowing!]
[Brother, you're not alone. I'm crying like a mess too!]
[Himeko used her life to save Kiana, but who can save Himeko?]
The viewers in the livestream room expressed their grief over Himeko's departure through a flood of comments.
[Himeko-sensei is truly a great warrior, a true hero!]
[She burned her life. Even if the clouds cover the sun, I will burn the sky to lead you home!]
Pardo wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. "Himeko-sensei, have a safe journey..."
Beside her, the real Murata Himeko was watching Pardo and the rapidly scrolling chat with a very strange expression. No, wait. Why does this feel like I'm attending my own funeral?
"Hey, hey... I'm sitting right here, alive and well, and you're already starting the mourning? You guys really want me dead that badly?"
The sad atmosphere of the livestream was suddenly lightened by Himeko's remark.
[Pfft, I almost forgot that the real-life Himeko-sensei is right there watching!]
[Watching your own sacrifice scene must be beyond weird.]
[Seeing everyone offering condolences, no wonder Auntie Himeko's face is turning dark?]
"Actually, Pardo thinks that maybe Himeko-sensei didn't die." After Himeko's interruption, Pardo's sadness lessened a bit. She analyzed the content of the animation and gave her opinion. "Himeko-sensei fell into Imaginary Space, but it was just 'missing in action.' It doesn't rule out the possibility that she's alive!"
[True, Pardo is right! Maybe Himeko-sensei didn't die!]
[Right, God Su also said that Honkai 3rd will eventually have a grand happy ending, so Himeko must live!]
[Exactly, exactly!]
[But, but what if? What if they find Himeko's body?]
[If you can't say anything nice, just stay quiet!]
[Maybe Himeko merged with the Gem of Haste and became the true Herrscher of Flame? Just like Mei and Wendy! It's not impossible!]
[Wait, why are you guys just guessing? The writer is right here in the stream, why not ask him?]
The chat immediately began to ask Su Mu questions frantically. Looking at the barrage, Su Mu only gave an ambiguous answer: "Himeko's role hasn't ended. In the stories to come, she will appear, but the way she appears will be a bit special... regarding this, I can't say too much."
He was indeed telling the truth. After all, appearing in flashbacks and event plots is still having a role.
[I knew it! Himeko is definitely alive!]
[What does 'special way' mean?]
[Damn, God Su, do you know my knife is already drawn? If you tell me Himeko-sensei is really dead for good later, I'll really want to stab you!]
[Who are you calling God Su? It's Old Thief Su Mu! Dog Thief Su Mu!]
[Dog thief! Traitor! 'Honkai 3rd is a healthy, sunny, and positive game,' my foot!]
[Mhm! To think everyone called you God Su. From today on, you are Old Thief Su!!]
[Dog thief! This animated short almost made me cry a river! How do you have the nerve to call Honkai 3rd a heartwarming and healing game!]
[This is 'Comedy' genre, right?]
After the sadness of Final Lesson subsided slightly, many viewers in the stream began to vent their anger at Su Mu. His title instantly shifted from "God Su" to "Old Thief Su." Clearly, the impact of Final Lesson was simply too strong! So strong that every player who watched it was immediately granted a "Slay the Traitor" buff after a period of mourning, starting a collective crusade against Su Mu's "inhumane" behavior!
It was predictable that for a long time, the storm triggered by Final Lesson would dominate the trending charts. Honkai Impact 3rd, miHoYo, and the name of that dog thief Su Mu... would be widely discussed among players.
In the midst of this tide, Su Mu's line from the stream—"Welcome to the world of Honkai Impact 3rd"—would also become a legendary meme among the player base.
"Honkai 3rd is a healthy, sunny, and positive game. Welcome to the world of Honkai Impact 3rd!"
Watching innocent newbies download the game under the guise of a recommendation, the veteran Captains would all show a synchronized, successful smile. The smile never disappears; it only transfers! How could such a heartwarming and healing game be played alone? It must be recommended ruthlessly, promoted everywhere! Good things should not be enjoyed alone—everyone, come play Honkai Impact 3rd! Haha, I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy! It really is a heartwarming and healing game!
—For a while, scenes like this played out on various internet forums and chat apps. Unsurprisingly, with the boost from the Final Lesson short, the [Vermilion Knight: Eclipse]banner once again set a terrifying revenue record, even surpassing the Herrscher of the Void!
After all, the Vermilion Knight set was excellent in every way. The gameplay feel, the moves, the style, and the significance within the plot... Murata Himeko's popularity, which was modest at the start, achieved an incredible explosion in this version! For a time, she had the momentum to enter the top three most popular characters! It was no exaggeration to say that with the help of The Journey to Tomorrow and the animated short, Murata Himeko and her Vermilion Knight became the second character to "break the circle" after the Herrscher of the Void.
After Pardo's stream ended, Himeko received a phone call.
"Himeko-sensei, you're alive! Waaaah! You didn't die, right? That's so great!!" On the other end was Kiana's voice, crying and laughing at the same time.
"Huh? Are you calling me just to curse me to an early grave? I think your skin is itching for a lesson, Kiana!" Murata Himeko hung up immediately, feeling her vision go dark. Kiana had likely just finished watching Final Lesson and called Himeko while crying uncontrollably. Honestly, with the girl crying that hard, one would think Murata Himeko had actually passed away.
As Himeko was grumbling, the phone rang again.
"Himeko-sensei, it's Mei... Kiana didn't scare you just now, did she?" Faintly, the sound of Kiana making a scene could be heard in the background.
"Mei... that idiot specifically called to ask if I was dead. If I weren't dead, she'd kill me with anger..." Himeko's tone softened significantly; after all, Mei had always been the most well-behaved and sensible of her students.
"She became like this after watching the short... Sigh, it seems President Kiana didn't know the plot Director Su Mu wrote, otherwise she wouldn't have reacted so strongly..." Raiden Mei explained the situation, making Himeko feel a bit annoyed.
"That girl didn't even know the game's plot? How is she even the boss?" To be honest, Murata Himeko felt quite proud that her student had taken over miHoYo and created a game like Honkai 3rd. Since the game was now so famous, as Kiana's teacher, Himeko felt proud too. She would boast at drinking parties: See that? The boss of miHoYo! Kiana Kaslana! That's my student! Jealous? Hahaha!! But today she finally realized the girl was a total hands-off boss!
"I knew it... To think I actually had expectations for that idiot. I'm the real idiot." After hearing Mei's explanation of the current state of miHoYo, Himeko understood that the ones actually running things were Bronya and Su Mu. Su Mu was the one in charge of the Honkai 3rd project.
"No wonder that brat Su Mu has been coming home so late for the past six months, or often doesn't come back at all. So that's why..." Himeko also understood why she had rarely seen Su Mu for a long time. "But... Kiana does have a heart." Although Kiana's sudden call to ask if she was dead made Himeko see stars, she could tell Kiana truly cared. "Hmph, I'll let her off this time..."
Raiden Mei hesitated on the other end, finally choosing to speak: "Um... Himeko-sensei, sorry, I wanted to ask... how is your health lately? It's better to drink less and avoid staying up late..."
Murata Himeko: "....."
The next day arrived quickly. Su Mu was in his office refining the proposal for Titanfall when he received a call from Himeko.
"Himeko Big Sister, what's up?" Himeko's tone on the other end was on the verge of exploding.
"I really have to thank you, Brother Su Mu. Thanks to your 'care' for me in the game, a brilliant performance that led to me receiving a concerned call from my student asking if I was dead. How truly heartwarming."
"....You're welcome?"
Himeko immediately started listing Su Mu's "crimes."
"You heartless little brat! Writing your Big Sister to death like that? Your featured character? You write the featured character to death?!" "Do you know that when I went to school today, several students ran to my office just to see if I was actually there!" "Walking on campus, I keep running into students stuffing snacks into my arms and pleading with me to take care of my health!" "Even the school leaders came to find me, saying if I feel unwell, I must take a few extra days of rest..."
Su Mu pinpointed the keyword accurately: "So, how many days do you get to rest?" Himeko replied: "They gave me a week of paid leave. It's amazing!" Su Mu nodded: "Then shouldn't you thank me?"
Himeko huffed: "Thank my foot! You brat, tell me, how are you going to compensate your Big Sister?"
Su Mu knew Himeko wasn't actually calling to prosecute him. In fact, she wasn't angry at all; all those questions were just a setup for what came next. How could he not know this "lazy dog's" personality? Being praised everywhere she went at school and getting a free week of vacation—when she got high at a drinking party later, she'd stand on a table and announce: "Everyone look at me! I'm a national-level character now, a star! Little Herta, how laughable!" He knew her drunken behavior; this was a certainty!
Sigh. That's just how "mature adults" are.
Su Mu looked at the nearly finished proposal and asked, "What compensation do you want?" "A date with your Big Sister, how about that?" "....I have work." "You heartless little brat! So irresponsible! After doing this and that to your Big Sister, you're so cold and heartless..." "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up. I have work." "Work, work, work every day! I see you don't care about me at all!"
Himeko's "scorned woman" tone left Su Mu speechless; someone would think they were breaking up. "Anyway, I don't care. Mobius is treating us tonight, and you're coming with me!"
Mobius... Su Mu felt a bit of a headache. Honestly, with Himeko's drinking habits, the "Drinking Club" formed by people who hung out with her was going to be a scene of pure chaos. He didn't even want to imagine it. And with Mobius's personality... he was afraid she'd want to experiment on him the moment they met.
But in the end, Su Mu agreed. Firstly, the success of the Animated Short was largely thanks to Himeko's support. Secondly... thinking about Himeko's line before her attack in the game: "I really want... another drink."
Then he would go and have a drink with her... at the very least, as another way to make up for Himeko's regrets in this world.
END OF CHAPTER
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