"Boss, I thought you knew all along!"
Firefly gently patted Su Chen's head.
Meanwhile,
Su Chen stared at his reflection in the mirror, momentarily speechless.
He had been searching for the elusive Stelle,
but when he prayed to the gods for an answer, the one who responded was himself.
Could he really be the protagonist?
Could he properly convey the Trailblazer's abstract charm?
To be honest,
the Trailblazer's personality was extremely similar to Gintoki from Gintama—
usually laid-back and carefree, but when it came to major principles and critical moments, never vague.
In that case, he had no choice but to walk the path of trailblazing.
Now, step by step, filming Honkai: Star Rail would also be a way to embody the will of the Trailblaze.
"Alright, Boss! Since the 'protagonist' has been found, no more worrying, okay?
I'm ready to shoot another episode!"
March 7th held her bow, looking eager and ready for action.
Dan Heng crossed his arms and glanced at her.
"Shooting this late?
I thought you said staying up late was a beauty's worst enemy?"
"Couldn't you just go along with me for once?" March 7th placed a hand on her hip, glaring at Dan Heng.
Su Chen cleared his throat. "Ah, March 7th, my dear employee!
Your dedication is truly admirable, but it really is too late tonight.
How about we start fresh tomorrow?"
March 7th grinned triumphantly. "See? That's why you're my boss,
the one I'll follow for life! You always know just what to say!"
"However!" Su Chen's tone suddenly shifted. "Maybe we can turn this mistake into an opportunity.
I have an idea I'd like to share with everyone."
"Huh?" The group looked at him in confusion.
"Not finding the protagonist did trouble me,
but that doesn't mean our work has to be hindered.
As long as we separate the scenes involving the Trailblazer,
we can still continue filming—it's a common technique in production.
Since the current cut is neither too long nor too short, I'm thinking of uploading it directly to Bilibili."
"WHAT?!" Everyone stared at him in shock.
Even the usually calm Kafka was the first to voice her concern.
"Su Chen, even though the cut is only about 20 minutes,
this represents a huge cost for you.
You chose to shoot PVs in the first place to minimize expenses."
"I know everyone has doubts, but I'm not acting recklessly."
Su Chen slowly raised three fingers.
"First, never act on impulse—
Pfft!
First, let's embrace the mistake. Since the cut is only 20 minutes,
it doesn't meet the average runtime for a web series anyway.
Forcing it onto the platform might make viewers think we're being lazy or deliberately mysterious.
Second, this is also a way to test the market.
Our previous shorts, A Short Play and Dramatic Irony, had no connection to each other,
and the information given to the audience was too fragmented.
It's better to treat this first episode as a prelude to the main story—
a pilot episode, if you will.
Let the audience watch it for free, giving them an easier way to understand the worldbuilding
and immerse themselves in Star Rail without pressure.
Third."
He lowered his third finger.
"I'll split the cut into two 10-minute videos,
which better fits Bilibili's algorithm for recommendations.
This way, we can also observe
how the data differs between two connected videos.
If the views perform well, it'll also encourage more creators to make reaction videos, analysis, and fanworks,
further spreading our story to the audience.
When you think about it, aside from no direct profit, there's nothing but benefits!"
Su Chen's words left everyone in silence.
March 7th's head even started steaming, her eyes spinning in confusion—
thankfully, Himeko stopped her from thinking any further, saving her poor brain.
Himeko looked at Su Chen, opening her mouth several times but swallowing her words each time.
Most production companies make web series for quick monetization.
They wouldn't bother with so much preliminary work.
Su Chen had already invested a lot.
From obtaining the web series approval to now,
two weeks had already passed—
at this rate, his production speed was practically heretical in today's market.
But then again,
with such a grand setting and realistic special effects,
even with Su Chen's expertise, it would naturally take time.
Why was Su Chen investing so much without regard for cost?
Even if the video went viral and racked up massive views,
with Bilibili's current revenue cuts, how much could he really earn?
It wouldn't even cover expenses!
But… what should I do?
Should I stop Su Chen, or…?
"I know everyone has doubts, but don't worry—
just trust me!" Su Chen spoke again, trying to ease their concerns.
At that moment, Firefly placed her hand in front of Su Chen. "I believe in you, Boss!"
"Me too! Me too!" March 7th quickly stacked her hand on top of Firefly's.
Dan Heng: "Me."
Silver Wolf: "Count me in."
Kafka: "I wouldn't want to be the odd one out."
Himeko smiled softly. "We'll always believe in you."
Not long after, Su Chen left the café,
leaving the group exchanging glances.
Dan Heng sighed. "Honestly, Boss Su Chen's thoughts are really hard to read."
Firefly quickly chimed in. "It's fine. At least he's our boss.
I can tell he genuinely cares about every one of us.
Even though we keep calling him 'Boss,' he's never treated us as subordinates."
Dan Heng's thoughts drifted back to the first time he met Su Chen.
After his last interview with a production company left him with some lingering unease,
his first impression of Su Chen hadn't been the best.
But after spending a few days with him,
he realized Su Chen was someone trustworthy—
a good boss,
or rather, a good friend!
"Of course, I'll support him unconditionally too!"
Late at night.
"Ugh!!! So bored!" A young man tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
"I'm exhausted, but the moment I close my eyes, all I see are those cliché power-fantasy butler stories!
Arigatou, Mei Yangyang-san!
Ugh, I'm getting sick of the same old tropes."
Ding!
The young man read the notification from Bilibili aloud.
"The account you follow, 'miHoYo Film & Television Development Co., Ltd.,' has uploaded a new video!
Huh? Who—? When did I follow this? Let's see… Honkai: Star Rail Episode 0?
What's this? Trying to copy Ultraman?
Wait—isn't this the account that posted Kafka's video? Oh, right!"
In an instant, he bolted upright, adjusted his pillow, and settled into the most comfortable position before tapping the video.
"Whoa! A full 10 minutes? This looks sick!"
Opening Scene – Zero-Frame Cut, Seamlessly Connected to A Short Play.
A screen materialized in front of Kafka, and a voice spoke from within.
"System time: 23:47:15. You're right on time, Kafka."