"The situation inside the Eternal Flame Mansion remains unknown..."
"Will Duke Inferno surrender or put up a desperate fight? Let's follow the frontline perspective and enter the Eternal Flame Mansion together!"
As the reporter spoke, the live broadcast shifted to the front lines.
The camera was handed over to a female reporter. The footage here was a bit unstable, with ash and dust floating in the air. The reporter didn't have time to greet the audience and immediately signaled the cameraman to zoom in.
"Friends across the universe who are following this event, we can now see..."
"The Eternal Flame Mansion is surrounded by a ring of blazing fire, likely a barrier set up by Duke Inferno. Without a way to extinguish these flames, the company's armed forces cannot enter immediately..."
Suddenly.
The female reporter pressed her earpiece.
"Ah! We've found a way to break through!"
"With the help of enthusiastic staff from the space station, we've successfully cracked the flames deployed by Duke Inferno!"
"And we've activated the folded space technology!"Duke Inferno can no longer escape the blockade zone using phase-shifting abilities or the like!""
The battlefield reporter was visibly excited.
Over there.
Through the breached gap, a squad had already entered.
Under the escort of a second squad.
The female reporter also ventured inside.
Though she knew there might be danger within.
This was a live broadcast on a universal scale!
Countless factions were watching the outcome of this expedition!
In Honkai: Star Rail.
Duke Inferno appeared as a major boss.
Thus, the real-world expedition against him was naturally approached with utmost caution.
The company dispatched its most elite combat unit.
In the live stream.
Viewers flooded the chat with comments.
...
"The Duke sure knows how to enjoy himself! The mansion is quite lavishly decorated!"
"Be careful, frontline soldiers!"
"Judging from the Honkai: Star Rail storyline, I feel like Duke Inferno still has some tricks up his sleeve."
"This time, the company has brought unprecedented strength. Even the Annihilation Gang would have to think twice!"
"Something's off!"
"Eerily quiet!"
"Holy crap! It's happening! The gates of the Eternal Flame Mansion are wide open!"
"Duke Inferno is way too arrogant!"
"Is this the confidence of being on his own turf?"
"At this point, unless Duke Inferno has gained a glance from Nanook, I don't think he can stand against the company's armed forces!"
...
The first squad also halted before the gates.
Clearly.
They too were taken aback by the wide-open entrance!
They were conducting a thorough observation and analysis.
The female reporter's breathing became slightly hurried.
Seeing this bizarre scene.
She couldn't help but ask herself, "Could Duke Inferno really still have a trump card?"
The tense standoff.
Not just the reporter on the front lines.
Even viewers across the universe watching through their screens were holding their breath!
In Little Gui's live stream.
She had unusually refrained from streaming Honkai: Star Rail today.
Instead, she was watching the interstellar peace broadcast with her viewers!
At this moment.
Her palms were sweaty.
Her mind was already imagining several scenarios.
Like the company's forces stepping into the mansion, only to be immediately ensnared in a trap!
And then Duke Inferno, leaning on his cane, elegantly appearing before everyone.
Declaring that he had anticipated their arrival all along!
Followed by an epic battle...
Or perhaps.
The luxurious mansion suddenly transforming into a giant robot, unleashing powerful artillery fire, catching the interstellar peace fleet off guard...
Maybe she had been playing too much Honkai: Star Rail lately, her mind filled with all sorts of strange ideas.
Penacony.
Hotel Lobby.
Aventurine was intently watching the live stream.
While cautiously observing his surroundings, Aventurine felt a sense of alertness even within the confines of the Eternal Flame Mansion.
He wondered, had Duke Inferno caught wind of something and fled in advance?
Moreover, he remained on high alert at all times!
Perhaps the company's forces had just entered the mansion.
Duke Inferno might appear in Penacony at any moment, launching a sudden and unexpected attack!
In Aventurine's view, this possibility seemed even more likely.
At the Herta Space Station, Asta and the staff watched the frontline situation with tension and caution.
Should anything unexpected occur inside, they would immediately activate the contingency plan.
For this expedition, the staff had equipped the starship with a variety of advanced weapons, prepared to handle any situation!
At that moment, the first team finally made a decision.
They hadn't detected any high-energy reactions.
After some preparations, they decided to take the lead and enter the mansion to see what surprise Duke Inferno had in store for everyone!
The female journalist activated the drone but dared not enter, fearing it might affect the operations of the vanguard.
She could only park the live broadcast camera outside the gates of the Eternal Flame Mansion, barely able to see the members of the first team disappearing inside one by one.
At first, each of them was cautious, immediately seeking cover and positions favorable for signaling.
But soon, their movements came to a halt!
Someone stood up.
Then, others seemed to witness something unbelievable, lowering their combat stances and slowly stepping forward one by one.
Quickly, several people formed a circle, standing as if petrified!
The flames inside the mansion, like a setting sun, cast long shadows of the individuals, creating an indescribable sense of tragic grandeur.
"Calling the first team..."
"Calling the first team!"
"Please respond if you receive this!"
"Please answer!"
"What exactly happened inside!?"
The female journalist was dumbfounded, momentarily at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, the live broadcast room exploded with activity!
...
"Ahhhhh!"
"What's going on?"
"Disaster! The first team has been wiped out!"
"Seems like they've suffered some kind of mental attack, all frozen into statues!"
"Is this not Duke Inferno's ability? Could it be his offspring, The Dahlia Constance, who did this?"
"Quick, call for Mother Kafka! Her verbal arts might stand a chance against this!"
"Stop messing around with vanguard teams, just suppress with firepower!"
"Tear down his mansion and see what tricks he can still pull!"
...
Just as everyone, including the frontline command, believed that the first squad had met with misfortune.
Those soldiers standing frozen suddenly moved.
Then.
A hoarse voice came through the beacon.
"Reporting to command..."
"We need reinforcements here!"
"No... not reinforcements! We need guidance from technicians in the biological field!"
"The scene here is too bizarre!"
"The mansion is empty, with only an extinguished flame and what appears to be Duke Inferno's... uh, Relic."
Upon hearing this information.
The commander was dumbfounded.
His eyes widened in shock.
"Have you... been playing too much Honkai: Star Rail?"
"This battle is being watched by the entire universe! And you're talking about Relics?"
"No, it's true!"
"Duke Inferno, it seems... is really dead..."
Technicians immediately followed the second squad into the mansion.
The female reporter, eager to report the truth first-hand.
Also ran in with them!
The camera focused on the scene on the ground.
Instantly leaving everyone stunned!
The biological expert's hand trembled slightly.
Thinking he was called here.
To determine whether the deceased was indeed Duke Inferno...
But.
Under the throne.
Only a few pieces of clothing remained.
Along with Duke Inferno's flame crown.
But now.
The flames on it had ceased to burn.
Showing a color like ashes.
This was as dead as it gets!
What more is there to examine!?
In the live broadcast room.
After a brief silence.
It exploded with activity!
...
"Holy crap!"
"What the hell is going on!?"
"The Duke is dead?"
"No! How did he die?"
"Damn, this entire area is annihilated!"
"Yu Ling didn't lie, the Duke really is just a Relic now."
"This is too freaking bizarre!"
"Even game plots wouldn't dare to write this!"
"Where's my big Duke!?"
"He just left his promotional video at Herta space station!"
"Duke, how will the plot continue without you!"
"Who did this!?"
"This is insane!"
"Wuwu, my Duke has really become a Relic!"