Chapter 174: A start more brilliant than ever; Qingque's reputation completely flips!
Inside the Divination Commission.
Aside from Fu Xuan and Qingque, naturally, many other diviners were also watching Little Gui's livestream together.
At this moment, seeing Qingque not only showing no disappointment or dejection in the face of the Master Diviner's dismissal, but even beaming with joy…?
Everyone was stunned!
Some diviners stood frozen in place, clutching their phones.
Some gathered in front of the projection screens.
They couldn't help but marvel to one another!
"Qingque isn't panicking; instead, it's like she's been waiting for this forever?"
"Look at that level of enlightenment!"
"If I had even half of Qingque's optimism and open-mindedness, I wouldn't be so anxious that I can't sleep every night…"
"Our entire Divination Commission has fallen, and only Qingque wasn't deluded by the Heliobus. Does her value even need to be stated?"
"I always thought Qingque was a fool, but I didn't expect her to be a 'great wisdom appearing as folly' type. I'm the real fool!"
At her desk.
Fu Xuan had not yet realized.
Inside the Divination Commission at this very moment.
The atmosphere was developing in an unexpected direction.
Fu Xuan's current mood was somewhat complicated.
As the head of the Diviners, she herself had been possessed by a Heliobus…
To put it bluntly, this was a "failure in an easy task."
After all, previously, the precautions against the Heliobi weren't particularly rigorous.
After the crisis of the Lord Ravager, it was understandable that they found an opportunity to strike.
But the bad part was—
Honkai: Star Rail had made this segment into a detailed plot!
Exposing it to players across the entire internet!
Fu Xuan now desperately wished she could return to the Special Program livestream.
And say to Feathered Spirit:
"This kind of thing really only needs to be mentioned in passing!"
"There's no need to make it so detailed, really."
The Divination Commission and herself.
They would inevitably become one of the focal points of player discussion because of this plot.
Fu Xuan would certainly have to issue various announcements, strengthen prevention awareness, and so on…
Thinking of this.
She couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
"This time, this seat has truly lost all face…"
Beside her, Qingque heard Fu Xuan's muttering.
She comforted her: "Don't worry, Master Diviner. I've spent a long time lurking on the forums. Everyone's evaluation of your venerable self isn't that of a dignified and solemn image anyway."
"This plot… well, it doesn't really ruin your character setting."
"Actually, everyone thinks the Master Diviner is quite cute."
Fu Xuan: "Thank you, Qingque, for always dealing me a fatal blow just when I need comfort the most."
Qingque: "…"
"Um, Master Diviner, let's keep watching the plot."
"Look, you still look very imposing!"
Fu Xuan looked at the livestream screen.
She saw her in-game self, hands on hips.
Starting to "point out the flaws of the world" and "write with passion" toward the Ghost-Hunting Squad.
"Succumbed to mara? This seat is very lucid—never more so, in fact."
"From now on, this seat shall dedicate heart and soul to divining the destined future of the Xianzhou Alliance, and proclaim these futures to the world, so that people may live with total clarity."
"From the beginning, there has only been one path."
"You, Trailblazer, you are nothing more than a pawn manipulated by the Stellaron Hunters."
"Boarding the Express, who you fight, where you go… these choices you think you make freely according to your will are but tributaries that will eventually merge on the path of destiny."
"During this journey to help the Xianzhou defeat Phantylia, I'm sure you felt it deeply, didn't you? All outcomes were long ago written into a script by that slave hidden behind the scenes."
"Just like right now, all your choices are merely—swinging your bat and rushing at me, loudly but futilely refuting me, or falling into silence without a word."
The three dialogue options in the bottom right.
They really were those three options!
Fu Xuan's heart sank significantly further.
If even the Ghost-Hunting Squad and Qingque were persuaded, then this joke would be too big.
She feared she would soon see countless comments about the "incompetence of the Divination Commission" or it being "controlled by Heliobi."
Now.
She could only count on the usually most slack-off Qingque…
Even if it meant scolding this seat awake, it would be fine.
Fu Xuan could be said to have completely admitted defeat this time.
She only hoped Qingque could still save the Divination Commission's final shred of dignity…
At this moment.
An instance called "Pathfinder" was opened.
It was actually a mini-game where an invention is guided to the exit of a game board.
The possessed Fu Xuan tried to use this single puzzle to prove—[ The path of destiny is the only one, all is futile ].
Qingque chose to place more people on the board, creating a second solution.
After completing the puzzle.
Qingque spoke calmly: "This is the second solution, and the second choice. I have created a different answer for this board."
"Master Diviner, you are not the only one who can design riddles, and I am certainly not the only one walking the path of destiny."
However.
Fu Xuan said disdainfully: "Hmph, hahahaha… You think that by calling for help, you've created a second path out of thin air?"
"You are merely shifting the goalposts. I could weave thousands upon thousands of such routes for you, but they all lead to the same end. What meaning is there in such a choice?"
Qingque opened her eyes.
Her emerald pupils were exceptionally clear and bright at this moment.
"Monster, oh you, you don't understand humans at all."
"The universe is just like the Celestial Jade tiles on a table. When the shuffling is done, the outcome is often already decided."
"Even though you can calculate what tiles have been played, what's left in the deck, and what hands the people next to you want to build—all of that can be calculated. But if there's only calculation, it loses its flavor."
"Adapting to changes, meeting challenges as they come, the twists and turns, the dead ends and new beginnings. It's a bit of calculation, a bit of the unknown, and a bit of losing control that makes up Celestial Jade—and the true joy of life."
"If there's a losing game in front of me, does that mean my choices at the table have no meaning? No, the choice itself is the meaning."
"Just as I keep making choices to lose with dignity, the Master Diviner is also making her choices for the sake of a certain goal."
Qingque's voice wasn't loud.
But it seemed to pierce through the gloom before them.
She continued: "You said it just now, didn't you? The Master Diviner must day after day, day after day, untangle the complex threads of fate to preserve this giant ship…"
"In this game of the universe where everyone loses, she never stops choosing and struggling, just to let the Luofu sail forward for one more second. Hehe, she really is the best player in my heart."
"How could someone like the Master Diviner find groundless misery in the confusion of destiny?"
"Heliobus, you cannot understand human joy. You are imprisoned in the hallucination of determinism and cannot escape, so you want everyone who glimpses the future to suffer the same pain as you."
"Oh you, you don't understand humans at all."
Watching this monologue from Qingque.
A tidal wave rose within Fu Xuan!
Qingque…
In your eyes, is that really how you see this seat?
Is this the philosophy you've always held?
She instinctively wanted to ask.
But there was no longer any need to verify.
The game Honkai: Star Rail would not fabricate this.
This segment.
Must be Qingque's true inner thoughts!
Unfamiliar, so unfamiliar!
Is this still the Qingque I know?
No…
It indeed should be like this…
Fu Xuan took a deep breath.
She placed a hand on the shoulder of the stunned Qingque.
"Qingque, you performed very well."
"This seat sees you in a new light."
"No…"
"It should be said, as expected of the one this seat has always favored."
"Actually, there is something I have always wanted to say to you…"
With the Master Diviner's hand on her shoulder.
Qingque felt the hairs on her neck stand up.
This was completely…
A stroke of luck from the heavens!
She clearly hadn't done anything, yet it felt like she had done everything.
The hand on her shoulder.
Though not large.
It was very firm.
She could feel the owner's trust and recognition of her.
She had never had such a wonderful start!
Fu Xuan continued: "Actually, in the entire Divination Commission, you are the one I think most highly of."
"Although you are usually idle, slack off, disrespect the Master Diviner, often mess up your regular work, and only just barely pass every course…"
"But in this critical moment, you are still reliable."
"This seat…"
"Once this seat becomes General, the position of Master Diviner will be reserved for you…"
Qingque was already numb.
This information came too suddenly!
Like a bolt from the blue!
She stood frozen in place for a moment.
At a total loss.
And within the Divination Commission.
The many diviners were also all shocked by Qingque's monologue.
After a brief silence of a few seconds.
Exclamations of wonder broke out everywhere!
…
"Qingque, you…"
"That was so damn cool!"
"How many years of being a veteran player does it take to have such insights?"
"Is this our Qingque? She's shining so bright I can't even open my eyes!"
"The Heliobus's Dao heart was shattered by Qingque's words…"
"Don't call her Qingque anymore, call her Sister Qing!"
"Qingque, you are my god!"
"I don't even submit to the Master Diviner, but I submit to you!"