Honkai: Star Rail – Banner Character, Delivering Knives to the Player [30]

Sampo: "No time like the present. Shall we?"

Lingzhou nodded. "Lead the way."

"So, Lingzhou's route has them actively following Sampo," Ah Xian noted. "In the beta, they were knocked out by Sampo's smoke bomb and woke up underground. Wonder if Dan Heng’s route still uses that."

"No change? Alright, then."

"Personally, I prefer Lingzhou’s route. It's funnier and more proactive."

"But most importantly—"

"Have you noticed that Stelle’s dialogue, when not player-controlled, feels completely natural?"

"That deserves special praise: the story flows better, feels smoother, and is more immersive."

"Honestly, sometimes pointless dialogue options break immersion—better to just let the protagonist speak naturally."

"Considering most voice actors are paid per line, this way Tingting-jiejie earns a little more."

Many viewers nodded in agreement.

It made sense.

Ever since setting foot on Jarilo-VI, Lingzhou had embodied his catchphrase and character trait: reliable.

He spotted Sampo’s deception early and neutralized the consequences, meticulously gathered local intel, planned ahead carefully, persuaded Bronya (almost), and now even secured Sampo as a guide for free.

Every action linked seamlessly, each step planned and executed smoothly.

Someone less adaptive might've tripped up already.

Crucially, Lingzhou remained confident throughout.

He willingly entered custody because he'd already planned an exit.

Though they hadn’t had a fight yet, his mental acumen carried the story convincingly.

Stelle’s character was also doing well.

At first glance, she seemed as chaotic as March 7th, responsible for comic relief, but actually, she had clear ideas.

This subtly reassured players: Our protagonist isn't an idiot.

[Follow Sampo to a hidden entrance leading to the Underworld.]

"Hmm, this part feels odd—just strolling openly down the street, guards everywhere."

But soon enough, the scene transitioned into a cutscene.

The quality instantly silenced Ah Xian's complaints.

All characters appeared, with Stelle notably carrying an unconscious Bronya on her back.

The group moved swiftly, carefully avoiding populated areas.

[Seele: Impressive strength!]
[Stop making things up—they haven’t even met yet in this route.]
[Don’t you guys think this is going too smoothly?]
[They wouldn’t add a CG just for a peaceful stroll—something’s about to happen.]

As if on cue, Sampo, leading the group, rounded a corner and suddenly stopped dead.

CRASH!

He was slammed forward by Lingzhou, skidding a meter and face-planting into the ground.

"Oww… that hurt…"

Stelle and March 7th had halted promptly at Lingzhou’s signal. They glanced ahead, their expressions turning grim.

The cutscene ended.

Sampo: "Bad news, bro! An ambush up ahead!"

Blocking their path was none other than a grim-faced Cocolia.

Lingzhou’s expression turned ambiguous. "Indeed, an ambush. What an unfortunate coincidence."

Sampo flinched, sweat beading on his forehead.

Why is this guy scarier than a ghost? Can he see through people better than an Aeon?

If he confessed now, Lingzhou might just kill him…

"Hey, it definitely wasn’t me—"

"Outsiders harboring ill intentions—release Bronya now, or suffer the consequences." Cocolia’s voice was chilling.

March 7th let out a resigned laugh. "I knew things couldn't be this easy!"

Stelle: "Way to jinx us, March."

March glared back. "Since when did my thoughts control reality?"

Stelle shrugged. "Who knows."

"Um, dear ladies… should we maybe focus on escaping now?" Sampo meekly stood, brushing himself off.

Seeing the group still casually bickering, Cocolia’s face tightened further.

She waved her hand, signaling the Silvermane Guards to surround them.

"Don't test my patience!"

March 7th pulled a face, retaliating sharply:

"You talked cooperation but sent people to arrest us behind our backs!"

"You old witch—two-faced liar! And you dare say we’re testing your patience? Bah!"

① "Ma'am, you don't want your daughter hurt, do you?"
② "Figure it out—we have a hostage."
③ "If we drop her, aren’t we just sealing our deaths?"

[???]
[Stelle, mind your language!]

Unable to resist, Ah Xian chose option one.

Without warning, Stelle’s threatening line played:

"Ma'am, you wouldn't want your daughter hurt, would you?"

"Whoa, they actually had her record that line? I can’t imagine players who chose Caelus…"

[This is absolutely canonical.]
[Forget canon—Ah Xian must draw this scene!]
[Now that I think about it, Cocolia’s quite attractive…]
[No more pretending—I'm Cao Cao.]
[Who wouldn't want to be Prime Minister Cao?]
[I’ll shamelessly admit I’ve thought about it.]
[Anyone else hungry for some Cocolia donburi?]

Cocolia’s expression froze, turning frigid as she gave the command:

"Capture them—dead or alive!"

Sampo panicked, shocked beyond belief. "She’s your daughter! You'd sacrifice even her life?!"

Cocolia’s face turned cold and indifferent.

"As a soldier, sacrificing herself for Belobog’s future is her honor."

March 7th’s jaw dropped wide enough for an egg, gripping her bow anxiously.

The Silvermane Guards were advancing but hesitantly, slowly, no one willing to fire yet.

Clearly, they feared accidentally harming Bronya.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot!" Cocolia snapped.

"Damn, even tigers don't harm their cubs—she’s worse than the beta version," Ah Xian muttered, stunned.

[Is any real mother this terrifying? Is Bronya adopted or something?]
[New players are stunned, old HoYoverse fans aren’t surprised—Cocolia’s villainy is well-known elsewhere too.]

"Hold on—" Lingzhou spoke calmly but sharply.

"What, thinking of begging for mercy now?" Cocolia sneered, unmoved.

Lingzhou couldn't suppress his laughter.

"Don't flatter yourself. I just wondered if last night’s little audio surprise left you crying."

Cocolia’s expression shifted sharply. "What do you mean?!"

"That fine wine we gifted you—did you enjoy its unforgettable flavor?"

"What did you put in it?" Cocolia’s face twisted further.

Lingzhou smiled gently. "Nothing special—just a little poison called Three-Weep Half-Step Madness."

"Once poisoned, you’ll cry uncontrollably each night. After three cries, take half a step and you're dead."

"If you don't want to spend your life hopping or in a wheelchair, step aside obediently."

"I don't care what your plans are, but don't delay us finding the Stellaron. Once we’re done, you'll get your antidote."

Cocolia shook visibly, furious.

"Didn't expect my little trick, did you? Hehe. By the way, you're not seeing red, are you?" Lingzhou added a devastating taunt.

That finally ignited Cocolia’s rage:

"Poison? At worst, I'll hop the rest of my days! By the Guardian’s order—OPEN FIRE!"

Cocolia roared angrily.

Stelle tightened her grip on Bronya, inhaling sharply.

"You crazy witch!"

---

T/N: hoooooly cocolia

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!