Honkai: Star Rail – Banner Character, Delivering Knives to the Player [53]

That guy couldn't resist exposing himself after all, huh?

Was it deliberate, or…?

Seele broke the silence, "Visitors from beyond the skies, follow me."

Lingzhou quietly reviewed his options and suppressed the impulse to go after that figure right away.

Finding him wouldn't be difficult—no need to rush.

Their return journey met no resistance from Svarog's minions; the path was smooth and clear.

Rarely, Seele took the initiative to chat with the Express crew.

"You all seem capable, but if you need my help with anything, feel free to ask."

"Nothing for now," Stelle responded.

"Alright. Actually, there’s one thing I want to confirm again—"

"That upper-class lady named Bronya, is she really part of the Silvermane Guards? She looks about my age."

Stelle nodded, "Yes, she's even their Commander."

Seele paused for a moment in surprise.

"Oh? She commands soldiers? That's pretty impressive."

Lingzhou noted softly, "You seem surprised."

Seele acknowledged it with a nod.

"Honestly, the Silvermane Guards left the Underworld to fend for itself. I assumed those people were all cold-hearted."

"When Bronya first mentioned she was from the Guards, I didn't doubt her."

"But after traveling through the mines together, I've started questioning that."

"Bronya just…feels different."

Upon hearing Bronya's name, March 7th eagerly shared her own impression.

"Bronya's actually quite nice—fair-minded, knows right from wrong."

"But she's stubbornly obedient to orders, blindly trusting that old witch… uh, the Supreme Guardian."

"Even with all the truth laid bare, that beautiful filter she sees the Supreme Guardian through hasn't faded."

"Ugh, wonder if she'll start arresting us again after we return to the Surface…"

Lingzhou replied calmly, "Breaking that filter isn't hard—we don't even need to interfere much."

"Bronya is young, but she's seen her share of trials. She’s someone who's actually been on the battlefield."

"She can accurately judge many things, except when it comes to Cocolia. For that, we need patience."

March 7th scratched her head, confused. "Patience for what? Could you be clearer?"

Stelle’s eyes sparkled as she explained her understanding.

"I think I get Lingzhou's point. It's not patience for something specific—just patience for time."

"Setting aside external factors, Bronya is directly subordinate to Cocolia."

"Since childhood, she's been taught strict military discipline: orders are absolute; obey them unconditionally."

"That has advantages, and also disadvantages."

She glanced at Lingzhou, prompting him to continue.

Lingzhou smoothly picked up where she left off.

"The disadvantage is that it’s easy to stop thinking for yourself. Thankfully, Bronya hasn't shown such signs."

"As for the advantage—once her perception of an infallible leader, who always makes the right choices, shows even a single crack, then—"

"It's like a wolf sneaking into a damaged sheepfold. Even after repairing the fence, the lost sheep won't return."

"I've said this before—you two should still remember."

"When the harbor in one's heart sprouts a seed of doubt and a subtle crack appears—"

"That heart becomes fragile and sensitive."

"The reality of the Underworld is precisely the heavy hammer smashing open that crack."

"Bronya’s heart is already fragile and sensitive. It's just a soldier's pride preventing her from showing it."

Lingzhou paused slightly, raising his finger upward.

"Once we return above, Bronya will certainly report everything to Cocolia honestly."

"At that time, why don't we guess—"

"Upon learning we went to the Underworld in search of the Stellaron, how will Cocolia react, after turning hostile instantly before?"

"And if Cocolia's attitude toward the Underworld remains unchanged, what will Bronya think?"

"Without a doubt, the crack in her heart will widen until it shatters completely."

"When that happens, as long as Bronya truly cares for this world, she’ll make the right choice—"

"To openly rebel against Cocolia."

"That's why I said before, we don't need outsiders to intervene."

"Everything Bronya witnessed will tell her that this world is swiftly heading toward its doom."

"No sane person would quietly accept death without striving to survive."

After hearing this lengthy explanation, March 7th experienced a sudden clarity.

Her previously vague understanding of Lingzhou's words now deepened into genuine insight.

---

Countless players shared March 7th's feelings.

Most players interpreted the storyline superficially, needing lore-analysis creators to clarify hidden meanings behind events.

Occasionally, the narrative had subtle depth.

The conversation between Stelle and Lingzhou perfectly illuminated why Bronya needed to visit the Underworld:

Only she could unite the people from both layers, leading them onto the path to save a dying world—and themselves.

Her experiences in the Underworld became the guiding lights that directed Bronya toward the right choices.

As hidden meanings gradually surfaced, numerous players sighed with relief.

Their gazes toward Lingzhou now carried two clear impressions:

First, trust; second, admiration.

He had long seen through everything yet remained patient.

He subtly guided Bronya's awakening while continuously pushing forward the search for the Stellaron.

Fulfilling the Trailblazer mission and upholding the creed to aid this world in crisis—

Both advanced simultaneously, complementing each other seamlessly.

Was this the reliability of an adult who'd experienced countless unknown epochs?

A small number of players able to compare Lingzhou's route with Dan Heng's unanimously praised Lingzhou: reliable.

At last, players fully understood the weight behind the final sentence of Lingzhou’s character introduction:

The Express crew can fully trust him.

Quietly taking almost every factor into account, Lingzhou genuinely deserved his title as a reliable adult male.

In the future, once Jarilo-VI’s storyline ended, many lore-analysis content creators would sincerely praise Lingzhou exactly as above.

Old Toby was one such creator.

Upon reaching this point in the storyline, he couldn’t help but express his appreciation:

"Small disclaimer, no offense to Dan Heng fans—but compared to Dan Heng’s internal-testing storyline, I prefer Lingzhou’s route."

"In Lingzhou’s route, you can clearly see the simultaneous character development occurring throughout the plot."

"You could say it subtly foreshadows Bronya’s inner journey and the eventual conclusion of the Underworld arc."

"You know she'll eventually rebel, yet the process unfolds vividly, making you eagerly anticipate what happens next."

"Through Lingzhou’s conversation with Stelle, his intelligence and dependable charm are indirectly emphasized."

"Stelle and March 7th's interactions might seem mostly comedic, but one underlying detail shouldn’t be ignored—"

"The kid (Stelle) was reborn just recently, losing all past memories."

"For her to keep pace with Lingzhou’s logic shows the protagonist isn't foolish or lacking presence. She often thinks independently."

"As for screentime, all I can say is—you’ll see soon enough. She’s fully involved, not just a passive observer."

"This ensemble drama might not be perfect, but it's definitely top-tier among second-tier games."

---

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!