Jun Bai lay on the inn bed, observing the parallel world through the system.
Seeing Silver Wolf's interpretation of the plot, Jun Bai's reaction was: Subway old man looking at phone.jpg.
[Is this your idea?]
"Of course not, it's just this parallel universe version of Silver Wolf overinterpreting." Jun Bai shook his head. "By the way, why are all the streamers you picked in this parallel world counterparts from the Honkai: Star Rail universe?"
When Jun Bai connected to the parallel world's internet via the system, he saw familiar faces everywhere.
Not just the Honkai: Star Rail sister group led by Silver Wolf he was currently watching, but also the brother group—Dan Heng, Mr. Yang, Jing Yuan, and so on.
Did miHoYo decide not to release Honkai: Star Rail and instead have the characters descend into reality to earn extra income?
[It's just a coincidence.]
"Fine, the right of final interpretation is yours anyway." Jun Bai quickly put these minor details aside. "How many Popularity Points are there now?"
[Popularity Points: 8310, 8500, 8650…]
"It seems getting up early to strike a pose was the right move. Looks like the Popularity Points might break ten thousand."
There are no true accidents—only different inevitabilities creating another inevitability through friction.
Everything that happened this morning was orchestrated by Jun Bai.
As a former player, Jun Bai understood how to make players quickly like a character. Handsome appearance, sufficient mystery, and strong plot presence—as long as these three elements were met, even a character with a weak background story could still become extremely popular.
That's right—he was talking about Scaramouche.
His character design is fragmented, his plot is thoughtless, and his background requires forced redemption. Yet such a character commands a massive popularity base in reality.
The fact that he could stand out among a group of men who look deeply even at dogs in an otome game character poll proves just how popular Scaramouche is among female players.
And the reasons those female players like Scaramouche are his outstanding appearance and the sense of mystery and power built during the Inazuma storyline.
It's the same reason male players might like Ningguang—not necessarily for her personality or story, but perhaps for her elegant, wealthy, white-haired lady persona.
The handsome appearance aspect was already taken care of when Jun Bai designed his illustration—specifically targeting most Dragon Nation players with the white-hair-and-red-eyes combo.
His early morning posing in the forest served two purposes: first, to continue leveraging his appearance to boost popularity; second, to build an aura of mystery. Judging by the steadily rising Popularity Points, the operation plan was successful.
"System, if I invest ten thousand Popularity Points all at once, what level can my power recover to?"
[The level of an Elite Boss monster.]
"So, the combat power of a Frostarm Lawachurl or a large Rifthound?"
[Strictly speaking, after strengthening with ten thousand points, the total amount of your elemental power will reach that of an Elite Boss monster. But you currently have an Archon's body plus nearly 3,000 years of practical combat experience.]
[Overall, although the total elemental power is the same, you can easily handle Elite Boss monsters.]
"The Archon's body is real, but that 3,000 years of experience doesn't belong to me until my background is completed."
Jun Bai shook his head.
Right now, he possesses those memories, but since the background isn't complete, the memories are like watching a TV drama—illusory and unreal.
But they still give him some understanding of the strengthened power.
"What if I don't use the points for strengthening, but instead launch one super powerful attack against Dvalin?"
[Just say you want to kill Dvalin directly.]
The system was speechless but still seriously assessed:
[With ten thousand Popularity Points, the attack you launch can be equivalent to the stone spear Morax hurled during the Archon War.]
?
A single attack from the Geo Archon in his prime? Isn't that basically a Teyvat-version nuclear strike?
Jun Bai was severely tempted.
But of course, he couldn't actually do it. Not only was Dvalin innocent, but its current body wouldn't be able to withstand such a blow.
Only after arriving in Teyvat did Jun Bai learn that Dvalin's HP bar had always been practically empty.
The injuries from fighting the dragon Durin had never healed due to the poisonous blood. Now, Abyssal erosion was eating away at it as well.
You could say that Dvalin's current body was as fragile as Senior Tachibana's back then.
Dvalin: Because of the Abyssal curse's erosion, my body is already broken down!
"Then use 9,000 Popularity Points to strengthen my power. The remaining 1,000 points will be used to give Dvalin a little surprise when the dragon crisis erupts later."
Jun Bai then watched as his Popularity Points, which had just risen to ten thousand, instantly lost a zero.
In contrast, the elemental power within him surged dramatically.
The Pyro energy radiating from inside nearly ignited the furniture in the room. Seeing this, Jun Bai waved his hand, and the overflowing Pyro elements returned to his body.
"Is it because it's an Archon's body that it can quickly adapt to the enhanced power?"
"Or is it because this is recovery, not enhancement, so there's no adaptation process?"
"But looking at the result, it doesn't matter."
Jun Bai got out of bed and left the inn.
The next step of the plan was to deliver a solid blow to Dvalin in front of the Traveler. He needed to find a good spot.
…
Perspective returns to the Traveler.
Although Lumine missed her first meeting with Venti, fate's track still guided her to encounter the Knights of Favonius Outrider Amber in front of the bridge to Mondstadt City.
Lumine and Paimon helped Amber complete a task clearing some Hilichurls, and the enthusiastic Amber personally escorted them into Mondstadt City.
Before entering the city, Lumine remembered the person she encountered on the road and asked Amber, "Amber, you've been scouting the area around Mondstadt City recently, right?"
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"Then have you seen a person with white hair and red eyes in Mondstadt City or nearby?"
Amber stopped walking, thought carefully, then shook her head. "No. After all, I'm only responsible for part of the area around Mondstadt City. I can't have seen everyone entering or leaving."
"I see..." Lumine was somewhat disappointed.
But the next moment, Amber added, "However, if the person you mentioned is in Mondstadt City, then the knight responsible for registration should remember him. I can take you to ask him."
A smile appeared on Lumine's face. "Thank you, Amber."
Amber smiled. "It's nothing, don't worry. I'll take you to him right now."
Amber took Lumine and Paimon to find the knight responsible for registering people entering the city during that period.
Knight: "There was indeed such a person, though I don't know if he's the same one you're referring to."
The knight then recalled and described Jun Bai's appearance in detail, repeating his stated reason for entering the city.
Upon hearing the description, Lumine knew it was the same person she encountered that morning. After all, white hair, red pupils, an adult-bodied youth—there weren't many who fit that description.
The warm-hearted Amber said that during her break she would help Lumine look for Jun Bai in the city.
And just then, heavy dark clouds pressed down over Mondstadt City.
The wind gradually grew stronger.
The long-troubling dragon crisis descended at that moment.
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
Please support the original author: 失渝光
Raw:宝可梦:我的冠军老婆沙奈朵