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

And at this moment—

Inside the MiHoYo headquarters building—

A lively celebration banquet was underway.

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

Amidst the bustling banquet, laughter and cheer gathered together.

The men sat in the lounge area, sipping wine and chatting, with bursts of laughter and noisy chatter ringing out from time to time.

On the other side, the girls sat by the company’s enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing at the city night view while sharing online reviews of themselves after the series ended.

Of course, Xia Wen was very busy too.

Many people had gathered around him.

Before he could even enjoy the joy of victory, he was surrounded by a group of sweet, soft girls.

”Benefactor~, the Penacony storyline was amazing. We need more series like that.”

That was Tingyun.

”Ahem, not to complain, but Boss, you’re so biased! You gave Acheron such cool special effects! It’s like night and day compared to mine. We’re both purple-type characters—why the difference!”

That was the girl with purple hair.

”At least you got some special effects! I didn’t even get a proper appearance... Ahem, of course, I’m just saying, it’s not like I’m super envious or anything!”

That was Furina, speaking with her hands on her hips but clearly feeling guilty.

”Alright, alright, you’ll all get your turn, calm down.”

Xia Wen raised both hands in a surrender gesture and smiled as he said, ”Also, I’m taking the chance at the end of Episode 3 to announce a new plan.”

At his words, the previously noisy group of girls immediately quieted down.

Each of them looked at Xia Wen with eager eyes.

”Ahem.”

”The thing is, there’s just too much content I want to film, so I’ve decided that in addition to increasing the weekly release of the main series...”

”I’ll also start filming some content that can expand on the Star Rail universe, but not necessarily in series format.”

He had been preparing this plan for a long time.

There were just too many fragmented stories, and not filming them would inevitably affect the coherence of the Honkai: Star Rail universe.

After much thought, Xia Wen decided to abandon the previous rigid format.

Releasing the right content in suitable formats is much more relaxed than forcing everything into weekly time slots.

”So, does that mean we’ll all get more filming opportunities?”

Bronya pressed her lips together, her eyes bright with expectation.

”But Boss, if we film everything in the script, won’t it be a bit too tedious...”

Tingyun raised a valid concern, asking with a bit of worry.

”Don’t worry. If there isn’t much content, we can make it into short films. It doesn’t have to be full episodes.”

Xia Wen squeezed his way out from the crowd of pretty girls, grabbed his phone from the sofa, and sent the already-prepared plan into the group chat.

He included two examples.

One was Boothill’s backstory, the other was the tale of Tingyun becoming Fugue.

Both were rich with information and helpful in fleshing out character depth.

”If Boothill’s story only takes five minutes to tell, then we’ll shoot a five-minute video.”

”If it takes twenty minutes, then we shoot twenty minutes.”

”For this format, we can take bolder creative risks and try out different artistic styles.”

”It focuses more on the characters’ inner worlds, so it needs to be very delicate and stylistically rich.”

As he spoke, Xia Wen showcased a few preview images made by the art system.

The first image was a highly Western-style wallpaper.

On a prairie, Boothill stood in the center of the frame with his head bowed, and two contrasting scenes split him down the middle.

On the left side, he was standing on a lush grassland under a blue sky, holding a whip in hand, with the shadow of someone dear behind him, smiling and calling out to him.

On the right side, he was still on a prairie, but this one was ablaze, smoke and fire rising into the sky, making even the heavens appear grim and apocalyptic.

His right hand was covered in blood, gripping a revolver tightly, with no one behind him.

The contrast of the two sides was striking. Boothill’s bowed head and long hair obscuring his face added to the mystery.

The beautiful girls present held their breath upon seeing it.

It looked like an exquisitely crafted movie poster.

The second image was even more stunning.

Unlike Boothill’s realistic still, Tingyun’s had been stylized with a painterly effect, resembling a magnificent traditional Chinese painting.

The scene showed only Tingyun’s face—her lips tightly sealed, eyes staring straight ahead, her expression a perfect mix of softness and determination.

Nine distinct colors filled the rest of the image, wrapping her expression in a unique aesthetic.

Each color claimed its own region of the frame.

Within each area, a version of Tingyun from a different time and experience played out.

Because the colors blurred the lines, from afar she looked like a firework exploding mid-air with nine tails.

Up close, you could see the subtle lines shaping her expressions, features, and hidden details.

Compared to Boothill.

This really feels like a work of art.

Just from this painting alone, you can feel the delicate and complex emotions of the person in the picture.

After seeing this painting of herself, Tingyun was already so stunned that she used a magic word.She even started stammering.

”Boss, wh-when was this...”

Xia Wen smiled slightly and said, ”It was taken during a previous test shoot. I just added some effects and it turned out like this.”

”So, so beautiful!”

Tingyun’s eyes sparkled as she stared unblinkingly at her own ’still.’

”Roughly something like this. Boothill’s part can be made into a classic Western style, with action elements, themes of hatred, revenge, a bit of loathing for outdated customs, and a burning path through the wilderness.”

”As for Tingyun’s part, it can be done in a more artistic way, using color, imagery, and symbolism to portray the psychological changes of Fugue. It needs to be delicate.”

”These different styles of stories, we can make them into a compilation. Once filming is done, we can release them anytime we want.”

Looking at everyone’s expressions, Xia Wen could tell they were definitely drawn in.

After all, the chance to portray oneself doesn’t come often.

In the main story, due to limited length and the expanding plot, the characters are inevitably compressed.

Unless the main storyline is extended indefinitely.

But the third episode of Penacony is already as long as a feature film, and some characters span too much time. Cramming them all into the main story would mess up the pacing.

Of course, Xia Wen would definitely not change Honkai: Star Rail’s script.

The main story should be filmed as originally planned.

But for those characters who weren’t deeply developed in the main plot, these stories can be used to fill in the gaps.

For example, Boothill, the upcoming The Herta, Jade, etc.

”And I’ve decided, to give the team a chance.”

”Honkai: Star Rail is a story for all of us. It doesn’t always need me to direct from behind. I’m not Elio, after all.”

Xia Wen made a small joke and looked toward Bronya and Seele: ”You two are free to decide how to shoot your story and what it will look like. It’s your story—you take the lead.”

”Eh?!”

Bronya and Seele widened their eyes.

”What do you mean, Boss, you’re not going to be the director?”

Seele’s mind couldn’t keep up and blurted out, ”If you’re not shooting it, how could we possibly manage? And who’s going to help us organize everything?”

”Exactly.”

Xia Wen nodded seriously.

”That’s... way too shocking!”

Seele came to her senses and looked at Xia Wen seriously, counting on her fingers: ”You say we’ll shoot it, but we don’t have any directing or screenwriting experience.”

”Bronya doesn’t even have good taste!”

”Boss, you know how she’s always posting those weird stickers in the group chat.”

”I can’t even imagine what it’d look like with her aesthetic. Probably only grandpas and grandmas would like it!”

Seele spoke her mind without reservation, completely missing how Bronya had already turned red with embarrassment, staring daggers at Seele’s ahoge in shame and fury.

A pair of wicked little hands crept toward Seele’s waist.

Seele didn’t notice at all and continued rambling:

”She’ll definitely pick something like her everyday life after becoming a government official, then bombard the audience with outdated ideas—OWW!!”

Her ahoge instantly stood up, and her whole body stiffened from the shock.

”You’re slandering me! My taste, my aesthetics aren’t that bad!”

”In terms of education and knowledge, I’m one of the most outstanding among us, okay?!”

Bronya grabbed Seele’s waist and said in shame and anger.

”Let go! Did I say anything wrong?”

Seele winced in pain but still spoke her mind.

”Pfft...”

Xia Wen and Tingyun couldn’t help but laugh at the two goofballs.

”Alright, alright, that’s enough.”

He quickly separated them.

Bronya sat on Xia Wen’s left with puffed cheeks, Seele held her sore waist and sat on the right, pouting.

”I’ll give you some directions for the story—you just need to pick one.”

”As for the filming...”

”You can ask Furina for help, or you can ask me. In any case, as long as the final cut is something you’re satisfied with, then that’s good enough.”

Xia Wen said seriously.

Seeing this, Seele and Bronya both realized that their resistance was starting to waver.

”You don’t need to overthink it, just take it as me trusting you.”

”Our business is thriving now, so something like this is not a big deal.”

Xia Wen patted the two of them on their ahoge, offering comfort in a clumsy way.

In his heart, this was a decision that had to be made.

Seele and the others might worry that they lack professional skills, but to Xia Wen, they were just filming themselves.

Seele filming Seele’s own story—naturally, she was the most suitable person for it.

Because she was filming herself.

And because everyone’s preferences, aesthetics, feelings, and even experiences are different, the result will naturally be a unique style.

Then it could be made into a compilation, adding something extra to the main series.

”I—we’ll give it a try...”

”But after it’s filmed, if everyone thinks it’s no good, then... then don’t release it.”

Bronya hesitated for a moment, ultimately unable to resist the temptation, but still added, ”Anyway, we absolutely can’t let it affect the boss, or the company, or delay any national-level campaigns.”

As if that could happen.

Xia Wen wanted to say that, but knew they wouldn’t have the confidence to believe it.

So he just patted Bronya’s head, offering her a bit of encouragement.

Feeling the warmth of the boss’s hand on her head, Bronya immediately felt at ease.

And her heart started to stir with excitement.

Filming a story about herself...

But what should she film?

Bronya’s life rebuilding after the disaster?

Or her cherished childhood memories with Cocolia?

How should she film it to best show the audience the real Bronya?

Questions popped up one by one in Bronya’s mind.

And the same was happening with Seele.

As for Tingyun, needless to say, she was already holding her phone and admiring her own divine beauty in the front-facing camera.

It was clear she was already brainstorming how to add a brilliant side story about Fugue beyond the main plot.

While the three girls were lost in their fantasies, Xia Wen quietly stood up, just about to head toward the window.

Suddenly, a message came through on his phone.

...

Kafka: I’m in the office.

Seeing the message, Xia Wen took in a sharp breath.

Xia Wen: ?

Kafka: Come here.

Xia Wen: ? You’re the boss, I’m the boss.

Kafka: If you’re late, there’ll be trouble~ (photo)

...

Seeing that, Xia Wen frowned.

Trouble? What kind of trouble?

Confused, he tapped on the photo.

The moment he saw it, Xia Wen immediately sat up straight, his huge frame trembling slightly.

In the photo—

Kafka was holding a glass of red wine in her left hand, sipping it lightly, while her right hand held up a phone for a selfie.

In the background, Black Swan was browsing the browser history, and Kafka herself had on refined makeup.

Her lips were curved slightly upward in a knowing smile.

...

Kafka: So, what do you think?

Xia Wen: ?

Kafka: Hurry~ (running emoji)

...

Xia Wen pocketed his phone and strode toward the door without looking back.

Damn it!

Those two wicked women were getting bolder and bolder!

They needed a serious lesson!

Who said they could freely use the boss’s browser?!

Still, even if Kafka dragged out some unwanted pictures later and asked him to explain himself,he would stubbornly insist that it was all part of a deeper plan.

Nothing else.

Just because—browser history was like his blood brother, his beloved family.

”Bo-boss, where are you going?”

Not far away, Tingyun, who had come back to her senses, called out instinctively. She still wanted to ask Xia Wen a few more details.

”To vanquish evil!”

Xia Wen, back facing them all, responded with solemn righteousness.