I just wanted you to make a movie: You made a Honkai Star Rail movie

Then, there was the third layer.

The audience, unknowingly, put themselves in this situation.

That was the internet's overwhelmingly negative perception of Aventurine in the past.

The harsher the hate towards him had been, the more devastating the emotional whiplash upon learning the truth.

Like riding a roller coaster—except this one crashed straight into the ground.

MiHoYo had sharpened their knife, and the audience had willingly sharpened the blade themselves.

--------------------------

Just when everyone was feeling unbearably sad about Kakavasha's childhood story, something even more distressing happened.

The recollection was suddenly interrupted!

And the perspective had already shifted to the Express crew.

...

: Ahhh, damn it, can't they delay the suspense a bit?

: This is too much! Before, they only used cliffhangers at the end of episodes, but now they're doing it in the middle of the story too?

: I can't take it! This cliffhanger is too painful!

: But at least I can catch my breath. Just imagining what Aventurine has been through makes me feel suffocated.

: I want to see more of his childhood, but I'm also afraid to watch. I'm torn!

: So can Aventurine actually turn things around or not? I'm so anxious!

...

The comment section was filled with the audience's cries of anguish.

To them, Aventurine's story was both something they eagerly anticipated and deeply feared.

With this conflicted emotion, they continued watching.

On the screen— As the Express crew was preparing to investigate, they encountered an old acquaintance in the hotel lobby.

Another member of the Ten Stonehearts—Topaz—had arrived in Penacony with the IPC staff.

Her arrival made the audience's eyes light up.

They originally couldn't see any key to Aventurine's breakthrough, but after Topaz appeared, everything became clear.

Maybe Topaz was Aventurine's backup plan!

Or rather, it was the IPC!

With this speculation in mind, the plot unfolded just as they expected.

Because of the strict surveillance by The Family, Topaz and her IPC members couldn't take any effective action in Penacony.

Instead, they could only wait outside for news from Aventurine.

For the time being, everyone was as anxious as ants on a hot pan, nervously watching and waiting.

...

: Is there any way to pass a message to Topaz through the Express crew?

: The IPC's power is undeniable. If they get the information early, Topaz might be able to save Aventurine.

: Right! We have to spread the word about Ratio's betrayal!

: I'm so scared that everything will go wrong because of an information gap.

: Damn it, Ratio! You put on such a righteous act, but you're actually this evil?!

: Or maybe, as said, this is just the scholar's way—betraying for knowledge doesn't even surprise me anymore.

: IPC, please help!

...

Who would have thought— the audience had already started thinking from Aventurine's perspective.

Even the audience themselves hadn't realized this change.

But unfortunately— Neither the Express crew nor Topaz knew anything about Aventurine's current situation.

After a brief exchange, the two groups parted ways. the Express crew continued their search for the truth, while Topaz checked into the hotel under The Family's surveillance.

Even though they were anxious, the audience knew that a turning point was likely ahead.

At the very least, knowing that Aventurine wasn't fighting alone was already reassuring.

Meanwhile, on the Express crew's side—

In the first stop within the dreamscape, they arrived at the domain of the Nightmare.

When they requested cooperation, Gallaher was very polite and even particularly supportive.

Even when meeting Himeko for the first time, he wasn't surprised at all; instead, he seemed to know a lot.

"Mr. Gallaher, from your tone, you knew we'd come here?"

In response to Himeko's question—

Gallaher calmly replied, "Miss Himeko, you're too polite. You don't need to use 'Mr.' with me."

"How could I not know? You are the renowned Astral Express, honored guests of the 'Clockmaker.'"

After saying this, Gallaher looked at Stelle.

"I once met this young lady during the Golden Moment. I remember that silver-haired little girl was there too."

"I deeply regret what happened to her." Since Gallaher belonged to the Hound family, it wasn't surprising that he knew about Firefly's death.

But his straightforwardness and honesty once again moved the audience.

...

: Gallaher really is something else. That's what it means to be the face of our forum.

: No fancy tricks, no riddles, no hidden agendas—just pure, straightforward communication.

: I'd call him the one and only designated 'ordinary villager' of Penacony.

: Such a good guy! Gallaher not only helped Stelle and Firefly out before but now also expresses his regrets and guilt upon meeting them again!

: A truly ordinary and decent person!

...

The Express crew's negotiations went smoothly.

Gallaher led them to another location, where they began discussing the details of the case.

Meanwhile— On the other side, Welt's negotiation with Acheron also reached a conclusion.

One person who seemed to know a lot of truths.

And one seasoned train traveler.

Their conversation was profound—

As if, in a certain sense, it pointed directly to the root of Penacony's current crisis.

"The beautiful dream is collapsing, but not because of some Aeon, some faction, or a specific visitor."

"Its collapse stems from an inevitability of human nature. The Family refuses to acknowledge this, but in doing so, they have unknowingly become the catalyst."

"When a person's spirit indulges in a dreamscape that requires no cost, has no pain, and offers only comfort and pleasure, the distance between them and 'Dreamflux Reef' is merely a fleeting breath away."

"No matter what kind of paradise they believe they are living in, death remains an unchangeable conclusion."

"Moreover, this 'necrosis' will spread, ultimately leading to the collapse of the entire dream."

Acheron gazed at the bustling streets and diverse crowds within the dreamscape and slowly said, "In the end, the beautiful dream that people built for the sake of freedom will, in turn, become a cage."

Walter listened quietly.

Acheron then recounted what she had witnessed in Penacony.

At the break of dawn—

There stood Penacony's largest factory.

The goods produced there were transported to various regions.

And there— She met a young girl who had just come of age. At her age, she should have been filled with youthful vigor.

But her greatest wish was that one day, she could live in the Golden Hour and see the luxurious clothing crafted by her own hands.

Yet, this dream was destined to remain unfulfilled.

The girl could only labor in the factory day after day, watching from the edge of dawn as the Golden Hour, which never knew daylight, stood in the distance.

So Acheron brought her a piece of clothing.

Then came the Gilded Hour—Penacony's largest financial center.

Acheron witnessed elegantly dressed elites rushing along the streets.

This was also the most coveted workplace for all Pepeshi.

In this place, Acheron never encountered anyone willing to pause for conversation—everyone was too busy depositing their hard-earned Coins into the bank.

Before she left, she personally witnessed a Pepeshi plummeting from above, shattering upon impact, while the people around him hurriedly walked past as if nothing had happened.

And finally— The Twilight Hour.

A dreamscape of fashion, luxury, and consumerism.

Here, everything had a price. Everything could be bought and sold—even dreams themselves.

An intelligent automaton even put its own consciousness up for auction. Once someone successfully placed a bid, under the agreed-upon rules and timeframe, it would follow all the buyer's instructions, becoming their absolute property.

These stories about Penacony itself pulled the audience's thoughts back from Aventurine.

No matter which hour it was, there was always something in it that the audience found familiar.

"Someone once told me: Penacony was not always like this long ago, nor should it be like this."

"In today's Penacony, time stands still for its people, while wealth and poverty forever remain in the same cycle."

"That is why I believe the collapse of the entire 'Dreamland' is inevitable."

...

: This feels so familiar...

: Damn, this is some straight-up hard-hitting commentary.

: Holy shit, is this a direct callout?!

: This is insane—they're outright deconstructing it. This is practically a full-force critique!

: This is too satisfying! Absolutely exhilarating! This speech had me standing up on the spot!

: Damn, we used to see others smuggling their personal views into shows, and now it's finally our turn?!

: Regardless, Honkai: Star Rail is truly amazing!

...

In the past, Honkai: Star Rail's thematic messaging was always subtle, or deeply concealed.

Otherwise, it was surface-level—universally accepted values shared by humanity.

For example, Belobog's resistance.

But this segment? This is an outright statement.

What makes it even more satisfying for countless audiences is the deconstruction of the framework.

Before this, many games, shows, and other cultural mediums— only touch sensitive topics such as culture and society only at the surface levels or are only willing to show the good parts of the society and not the darker hidden parts.

But this time, Honkai: Star Rail is truly pushing forward aggressively, reversing the usual dynamic!

Now, it's MiHoYo using cultures to package its own values and express its own perspectives.

Given Honkai: Star Rail's current influence, this move is undoubtedly a powerful strike!

And this strike— Feels incredibly satisfying!

Just as the audience is overwhelmed with excitement, on the screen, after recounting what she has seen and heard, Acheron gives her judgment,

"In my opinion, the Dreamlands' collapse was inevitable."

To this, Welt remains noncommittal.

He then tells Acheron a story.

A story about a man.

This man wove together the dreams of everyone in Welt's hometown and bore them upon himself. Through this, he created a giant—a spiritual Adam.

And that giant stood between heaven and earth, becoming the pillar that upheld the existence of the entire world.

As a price, those who struggled to move forward, those unable to advance, would forever lose their future.

They would spend their lives in dreams, safe from disaster and pain.

And the spiritual Adam, strengthened by their unwillingness to wake, would become indestructible.

"That man... did not completely fail. It was just that his pursuit led to his gradual disappearance."

"He rose higher and higher, only to reach the face of the sun. Because of this, he melted and fell into the ocean. But after that..."

"Countless others stepped over his body and soared even higher into the sky."

After finishing his story, Welt, through his glasses, observed Acheron's reaction.

On the surface, this story seemed to be about the nature of dreams.

But in reality, it was a direct challenge to Acheron.

And when Acheron learned the final outcome of that man from Welt's mouth, she also understood Welt's probing intent.

"That aligns well with the spirit of the Nameless of the Trailblazers."

"Thank you, Mr. Welt."

After expressing his thoughts on the story, Acheron slowly continued, "I know what you want to confirm. The universe contains countless worlds that are both similar and different. Within these worlds, naturally, there are also people who are alike yet distinct."

"So, I will tell you."

"Though not exactly the same, the story you describe overlaps with my past. And in that bottomless dream..."

"I ended that man's life. Alone."

"I am not the person you knew, nor do my paths align with those of your world."

As he spoke, Acheron turned slightly, her gaze lost in the void, staring at an unknown point.

The audience, still not recovered from their excitement, were now completely bewildered by the conversation between these two.

If each person were given a video, then surely, the classic 'galactic brain thinking' meme would appear above every audience member's head, accompanied by the 'thinking' music, as they struggled to comprehend what they had just witnessed.

...

: Hiss… Don't talk, I'm thinking…

: That man… just who is he?

: Uh… weak question, but are the men they both know actually the same person?

: Th-this… my mind can't keep up.

: This feels like an explosive storyline.

: Could it be that MiHoYo is setting up a parallel world plotline?