Chapter 124 - 123: Kafka's Companion Quest Unlocked! Is Rejecting All Choices an Exercise of Free Will?

"People, let me tell you about it! "The scene was absolutely mind-blowing! "Everyone was bursting with excitement, exclaiming 'Mom' all around! "I couldn't help but shout a couple of times myself! "[Everything you say may be true, but rules are meant to be broken—let go of Ka-ka!]" "And then, guess what happened next? "The studio suddenly exploded! "Kafka took over, appearing on camera with a smile!" "Oh man! Everyone was completely dumbfounded!" "I initially thought it was some kind of show effect, Little Gui, until I saw the Interastral Peace Corporation's fleet mobilize... That's when I realized it was all real!" In Xiao Gui Zi's livestream room, Guinaifen enthusiastically recounted the events to her viewers, gesturing wildly as she spoke, almost spitting profusely during the most intense parts. The chat filled with supportive comments! "I was fortunate enough to be there live! Just being part of this event makes my life worth it!" "The scene was even more intense than Little Gui described! The atmosphere is indescribable." "I watched at home on my Jade Abacus. Although I didn't have fellow enthusiasts around me, seeing Kafka take over the broadcast studio got me so excited, I nearly punched through the screen!" "Kafka personally explaining their skills—this footage alone is worth watching for a lifetime!" "Do you think the rumors are true, that Feathered Spirit has some collaboration with the Stellaron Hunters? How else can we explain this event?" "This surely counts as the Stellaron Hunters endorsing 'Honkai: Star Rail,' right? Knowing I'm playing the same game they do feels absolutely incredible!" "I already liked Feathered Spirit... but now, even more!" "Ahhh, just because my boss made me work overtime, I missed out on a fortune! Tomorrow, I'm taking my baseball bat to teach him a lesson offline!" "Darn it! Damn, damn, damn! I've never missed a character PV before, and today I thought missing a few minutes wouldn't hurt. And then I missed it... Waaaaah..." "My friend also got held up and couldn't watch the live stream, ha ha, he's been crying about it all night." "Poor guy, feel bad, yet kinda satisfying..." The corners of Guinaifen's mouth couldn't help but curve upwards. As someone who experienced the event firsthand, her sense of satisfaction was about to overflow! Especially seeing other viewers lamenting their missed opportunity, it felt akin to enjoying a grand national feast while some people didn't even make it to a local banquet... "Alright, alright folks, let's not dwell on this too much." "It might be tough for those who missed out, you know?" "We shouldn't be the type to find joy in others' misfortune." "Oh, right." "I almost forgot something important." "How did you guys know I got a 2+1 Kafka with my 150th pull?" "Little Gui, you..." "The streamer is killing us!" "I don't care! My wallet will take action." "How did you know I got dual golds on my tenfold pull?" "As expected of Kafka's mom, enduring 160 guaranteed pulls. This must be a test from Mom!" Facing the camera, Guinaifen made an apologetic gesture. "Hehe, just messing with you all." "Little Gui here is sending out 1000 x 648 RMB red packets! Wishing everyone luck to get their desired characters!" The chat flooded with messages saying, "Generous streamer!" Thanks to this game, Guinaifen had become a top-tier streamer, and her income skyrocketed beyond comparison to before. This giveaway was also her way of expressing gratitude to her fans, something she had long wanted to do. With that done... Honkai: Star Rail, launch! Back at Changle Tian Square, although she had obtained Kafka's second soul, there wasn't enough time to fully develop it. So upon logging back in, her first priority was naturally to graduate Kafka completely! At that moment: In the top-left corner, it indicated a new message had arrived. Seeing the red dot, Guinaifen couldn't resist clearing it immediately and promptly opened the message. The sender had no profile picture and was listed as anonymous. [Stelle, come alone to the Divination Commission. Coordinates will be sent shortly.] [Do not tell anyone.] [-Your faithful Kafka] "Whoa—" Upon seeing "Kafka," Guinaifen instantly became serious! "This must be... Kafka's companion quest, right?" "The Feathered Spirit has finally unlocked this mission!" Naturally, character development would have to take a backseat for now. Any plotline involving Kafka needed immediate attention to avoid missing out on significant events! [Are you still at Luofu?] [If you say so, then yes?] [I won't comply with your request] With three options presented, Guinaifen initially wanted to choose the first one. However, she felt uncertain; it seemed unlikely that Kafka would contact her directly at the start of a companion quest. It might be a trick! [You claim to be Kafka? Any proof?] Unexpectedly, the next message contained a selfie from Kafka herself! [Is this enough?] [Bladie's Mara-Strike is severe; I can't leave until he recovers.] [But you know, Xianzhou's arrest warrant against him hasn't been lifted; he remains their most wanted fugitive.] [I need you, Stelle, to find me.] This revelation caused the chat to explode: :?? Many confused reactions! "What?! Option two actually had a selfie?" "Huh? I thought they all included selfies." "I was so excited, I just clicked on it without thinking!" "I didn't even hesitate and chose option one immediately. Kafka directly said she needed my help; what a massive loss (rage fainting emoji)" "How can the options differ so drastically?" Guinaifen glanced at the barrage of comments. She resolved that during her upcoming encounter with Kafka, if faced with any choices, she must be exceptionally cautious. After receiving Kafka's coordinates: As expected! Three more options appeared for the quest progression! [Proceed to Kafka's location] [(Optional) Consult Himeko and Welt's opinions] [(Optional) Report Kafka to the Seat of Divine Foresight] Guinaifen was taken aback. "T-these options vary way too much!" "Wait, wait!" "Let me gather my thoughts first..." On an uncharted route... Silver Wolf and Kafka had piloted their spaceship away before the company's fleet could surround them, heading towards their next destination. Once again, they successfully outwitted the corporation and escaped unscathed—a routine affair for them. Setting the ship on autopilot, Silver Wolf relaxed to play her game while gazing at the starry expanse outside the window. Suddenly, Kafka broke the silence, "Silver Wolf, do you think... does 'free will' truly exist?" Immersed in her game, Silver Wolf was caught off guard by Kafka's philosophical question and uttered a surprised, "Huh?" Nonetheless, she slowed down her gameplay slightly. After pondering, she replied, "We are [Destiny's Slaves], always following the script." "From that perspective, free will is nothing more than a joke to us." Kafka nodded, "Yes, I used to believe the same: all choices are illusions, merely predetermined possibilities; there is no such thing as free will." "But since the emergence of Honkai: Star Rail, my thoughts have begun to waver." Silver Wolf shared Little Gui's livestream feed with Kafka. "Let's give it a try then—during this companion quest, choose the option '[Betray Kafka]'." "From that point on, I rejected every choice presented to see what the ultimate outcome would be." "If the ending didn't change, it would confirm that the Feathered Spirit's intended message aligns with your initial belief." "But if it did differ..." "It must differ," Kafka stated confidently. "The emergence of Honkai: Star Rail signifies a break from established norms." Silver Wolf rolled his eyes. "You're also turning into a Silver Bat Hero now?" he quipped.