Chapter 7: Chapter 7: What? You Told Me This Is A Game?
The video started with a drone flying rapidly over a vast lake, skimming the surface with incredible speed. In the distance, viaducts and towering buildings loomed, slowly passing by. From time to time, white Honkai creatures flashed by, adding an otherworldly tension to the scene.
Kiana had just finished speaking to Himiko, and Zhang Ming knew one thing for certain: the game had officially begun.
On-screen, a group of girls wielding scythes suddenly appeared, surrounding Kiana, who stood poised on the flying drone. Armed with a pair of guns, Kiana launched into a dazzling display of gun-fu. Her moves were fast, fluid, and precise, as she dispatched her enemies with incredible style.
From the combat feedback, the sense of impact and flow felt flawless.
"This... Is this really a mobile game?" Zhang Ming muttered to himself, his disbelief evident.
He couldn't help but be amazed. "And even the monsters are beautiful girls? Does this producer... understand the otaku culture a little too well?"
As he watched the video, Zhang Ming felt as though he were inside the game itself. It was as if he were standing on that fast-flying drone, the sea breeze brushing against his cheeks and the bright sunlight warming his face. The sounds of battle and Kiana's energetic voice filled his ears, completing the immersive experience.
Kiana: "Himeko Aunt, I've taken care of this batch of Honkai beasts!"
Himeko: "How many times do I have to tell you? It's Teacher Himeko!"
The video ended there, leaving Zhang Ming stunned.
He took a deep breath, attempting to suppress his excitement, but his heart was racing. Without hesitation, he replayed the video.
For the second time, he watched Kiana's smooth movements and the dynamic combat flow, and his excitement only grew stronger. Once the video ended again, he reopened the chat group. The discussions within were already in full swing, centered entirely around the game.
Chat Group Discussions
"Did you see that video? This looks like an anime!"
"Seriously, the art style is perfect. It's like it was made for me."
"I'm excited, but what if this is just overhyped marketing? Like those games where the trailer looks amazing, but the gameplay is garbage."
"Didn't you read the text? [Real Gameplay Recording]. This isn't some fake promo."
"But remember how 'Civilization Hegemony' also claimed to be a 'real gameplay recording,' and it turned out to be trash?"
"Hold up. That wasn't real gameplay recording. They used a different term: Game Recording. Look closely next time."
"Ah, right, that's a Penguin Games classic trick. But this one clearly says real machine demonstration!"
"Okay, fair point. I'm officially hyped now. I've already pre-registered!"
"I checked the studio's history, and apparently, they've released another game before. It didn't do well, though."
"Yeah, I played that game, Save the Girl. The gameplay was average, but you could tell the developers put real effort into the details. They care about quality."
"I agree. The game was decent but not groundbreaking. Still, it showed promise. And this one—Honkai III—is on a completely different level."
"Looking forward to it +1."
Meanwhile, on platforms like Douyin and Station B, the promotional campaign for Honkai III was gaining massive traction.
Almost everyone who saw the promotional video expressed overwhelming excitement. Many were captivated by the stunning 3D animation and innovative rendering technology. Mo Li's marketing strategy, focused on these two platforms, had proven to be explosive.
The Studio's Excitement
In the game studio, the excitement among the team was palpable as they monitored the pre-registration numbers on the official website.
"It's unbelievable! In just three days, we've hit one million pre-registrations!" one of the team members exclaimed.
Bronya nodded, her usually calm demeanor giving way to amazement. "At this rate, when the game launches, won't we hit tens of millions of players?"
Hearing this, everyone turned to look at the recording studio. Inside, Mo Li was busy directing the voiceover for Mei.
"What I really want to know is," Youlander began, "how did the boss even get Kiana's voice actor?"
The others nodded in agreement, their curiosity piqued.
"It's not hard to figure out," Rita said with a sly smile. "Why don't we just wait for him to finish and ask him ourselves?"
Almost on cue, the recording session wrapped up, and Mo Li stepped out of the studio. The team's curious stares made him pause.
"What's with the looks?" he asked, feeling slightly unnerved.
After a moment of hesitation, Youlander finally asked, "Boss, my sister is still in school. How did you manage to get Kiana's voice actor?"
"Oh, that," Mo Li said casually, picking up a glass of water from the table. "Didn't I tell you before? I handle everything in this game myself."
"You're saying… you did the voice acting too?"
Mo Li nodded. "Yep. For the initial versions of the game, I adjusted the voices to match each character's personality. But now that all of you are here, I'll leave the official voice work to you professionals."
The room fell silent as the team processed his words. It was clear they didn't entirely believe him, but Mo Li simply smiled and let the matter drop.
Shifting the focus, he pointed to the data on the website. "Look—pre-registrations have already reached one million."
The change in topic worked. Excitement filled the room once more.
"I can't believe it. One million in just three days!"
"And our rating on TapTap is 9.8!" Bronya said, her voice tinged with admiration.
Despite her typically cold and reserved nature, Bronya couldn't help but feel inspired by Mo Li. As a true gamer, she had fallen in love with every aspect of Honkai III—from the gameplay to the visuals to the plot.
Her respect for Mo Li grew with each passing day. Initially, she had been skeptical of his involvement, but now she was fully on board.
"Boss, is version 1.2 ready yet?"
Mo Li nodded. "It's done. We're just waiting for the official launch in two weeks."
Bronya pressed on. "What about the pricing for the game?"
Mo Li smiled. "I have something special planned. You'll see soon enough."
As the team continued to discuss the game, Mo Li felt a wave of satisfaction wash over him. His dream was becoming a reality, and the excitement of his team and the players only fueled his determination further.
This was just the beginning.