Honkai: Star Rail – Banner Character, Delivering Knives to the Player [55]

Natasha nodded, admitting openly.

“To be honest, many people got injured in the recent mining district conflict.”

“There were so many wounded, I was overwhelmed, and medical supplies were running critically low again…”

“I had no choice but to swallow my pride and request Mr. Lingzhou’s help again.”

“He greatly aided us after coming to the clinic. Without him, many patients’ injuries would’ve deteriorated badly.”

“Mr. Lingzhou’s medical techniques are miraculous. All the lightly injured have already recovered completely.”

“Afterward, I tried to sincerely express my gratitude, but Mr. Lingzhou simply said—”

“Nameless who Trailblaze don’t count favors after the fact.”

“I genuinely thank Mr. Lingzhou, and I’m grateful to all of you Nameless for your selflessness.”

Ah Xian’s expression gradually shifted to disbelief.

“Wait, even a scene like this is hidden behind an optional event?”

“Lingzhou silently practicing Trailblazer ideals, quietly helping the injured—this kind of characterization is super likable!”

“Wait, hold on… she said afterward. Does that mean he already left?”

Realizing her oversight, she quickly clicked on the screen.

① “Lingzhou isn’t here anymore?”
② “No need for thanks. This is the spirit of Trailblazing.”

Option 1.

Natasha: “He left about three minutes ago. You didn't run into him on your way here?”

She had been curious upon seeing Stelle arrive alone.

Stelle shook her head. “No. Where was he heading?”

Natasha carefully recalled, then realized Lingzhou hadn’t left in the direction of Goethe Grand Hotel.

“He headed west after leaving the clinic.”

The quest marker updated.

Ah Xian exited Natasha’s clinic and headed toward the quest location.

The moment she touched the golden marker, the screen swiftly darkened.

When it brightened again, two additional people appeared.

“My Lingzhou-hubby and…Sampo?!”

“What’s going on here?”

Ah Xian was once again baffled.

Not only her; even viewers in the livestream chat were utterly confused by the bizarre scene.

Sampo stood frozen, performing a French-style military salute, eyes wide in terror as Lingzhou calmly pointed a gun straight at him.

“Bro…good brother, let's talk this out nicely, yeah? Can you put the gun down first…?”

Lingzhou didn’t budge, speaking in a level tone:

“When we first met in the snowfields, your behavior could be explained by a hunter stalking his prey.”

“In the prison, I helped you escape, and you brought us down here—that’s transaction complete.”

“If you felt your duty as a guide wasn't over yet, you could’ve openly followed us.”

“So why the sneaking around like a thief, tailing us secretly all this time?”

Listening closely, Ah Xian began thinking deeply.

Having experienced the closed beta, she knew Sampo’s identity better than most.

His trailing wasn’t too surprising, but she hadn’t expected Lingzhou to outright catch him in this particular route.

Sampo’s eyes widened, and he frantically shook his head like a rattle-drum.

“I-I-I—I, Sampo, swear there's no malice! Following you was just for…for—”

“To ensure Miss Seele’s safety! She’s one of my important clients, I can’t let anything happen to her!”

Sampo hastily improvised an explanation, not caring if his excuse sounded flimsy.

He originally planned to say it was about the Trailblazer squad, but quickly realized Lingzhou would easily see through that lie.

“A client?” Lingzhou slowly clicked off the handgun’s safety.

“Good brother, please—She really is my client! Miss Seele’s scythe was sold by me personally!”

Sampo looked ready to burst into tears from fright.

It was unclear whether he was genuinely terrified or just acting.

Even Ah Xian muttered internally, unable to determine if Sampo was simply flexing his acting skills.

“Good bro, good buddy! I swear there’s no falsehood here—Miss Seele can vouch for me!”

The camera focused closely on Lingzhou’s face.

His arm remained steadily raised. His eyes narrowed slightly, seemingly evaluating just how much truth there was in Sampo’s words.

Suddenly—

Bang!

The gun muzzle flashed briefly, a bullet whizzing just past Sampo’s head, cutting through the night sky.

“Waaaah!!”

Sampo practically jumped out of his skin, legs visibly trembling.

Lingzhou’s eyes carried a heavy warning.

“I'm not worried about thieves stealing from me. But having thieves eyeing my friends is different.”

“I don't fear theft, and I don't fear being targeted—whatever comes my way personally doesn’t matter.”

“But if I ever discover you're scheming against my companions—”

“The next bullet goes straight into your head.”

“Don’t harbor false hope. You know very well I can make bullets curve.”

“Remember that clearly?”

Sampo swallowed hard, stammering nervously, “R-remembered...”

Lingzhou fell silent, never blinking, his gaze fixed sharply on Sampo’s eyes.

Feeling chills down his spine, Sampo even had the urge to pull out a mask and hide his face.

This guy was terrifying!

Somehow even scarier than certain nihilistic Stellaron fanatics, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

Curving bullets weren’t what scared him—it was Lingzhou’s unknown strength.

He simply couldn’t read him. Not at all.

It was that unknown factor that made him most wary—far more dangerous than ordinary weapons.

Being a director was tough; here was an actor who constantly went off-script.

After a long, tense silence, Lingzhou deftly spun the handgun around his fingers and holstered it.

The cold expression vanished instantly, replaced by a warm, sunny smile.

“Oh dear, oh dear! Sorry about my stress reflex there, my dear brother Sampo.”

“We’re good buddies, right? You wouldn't mind a friend's little reflex, would you?”

Lingzhou wrapped an arm cheerfully around Sampo’s shoulders, patting him on the back.

That smile.

Overflowing with enthusiasm.

Radiating kindness.

“Of course not! Brother Lingzhou is just concerned about his friends—I completely understand...”

Sampo’s entire body was stiff, his smile even uglier than a grimace.

Strangely enough, he actually felt Lingzhou hadn’t been lying earlier.

It seemed the consequence for plotting against Lingzhou’s friends might be even more terrifying than going after Lingzhou himself.

Maybe...there really was a stress-reflex factor at play?

“To show my sincerity, let me buy you a drink, brother.”

Smiling brightly, Lingzhou smoothly produced two glasses of liquor, handing one to Sampo.

Yet from the player’s perspective, Lingzhou’s face showed no trace of apology whatsoever.

A smile hiding a blade?

Smiling outwardly but not inwardly?

Neither description fully captured the strange feeling—it wasn't exactly right.

But nobody cared about those specifics.

Almost everyone's mind echoed with the same words:

“I don't fear theft, and I don't fear being targeted—whatever comes my way personally doesn’t matter.”

“But if I ever discover you're scheming against my companions—”

—[My god, Yifu’s flagging tragedy! I’m actually tearing up right now!]
—[He’s literally Star Rail’s top ‘heavy-hearted protector.’ Just how many comrades did he lose to become like this?]
—[Hey you, up front—I’m knocking at your door, got it? Trying to stab us with words now, huh?]
—[He values Stelle and March’s safety above his own. Where’s that selfish human nature now, huh?]
—[If Lingzhou’s past isn’t tragic, I’ll stream myself eating rocks.]
—[Careful, little cat—what if there’s really no tragedy?]
—[Wouldn’t that be better? You really want to see Lingzhou get knifed, huh?]
—[Just wait until Yifu, who restores your stamina every day on the Express, disappears—then you’ll behave.]

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This is a fan translation of 崩铁：卡池角色，给玩家发刀 by 三十度幻. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!