Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Soaring Popularity, It Turns Out Bai Fu is Still the Main Character in the New Version [6k]

Despite all the players going crazy in the community recently, saying things like “Fufu, take me away with you,” very few actually expected her to return.

Even the Champagne Party Players, known for their optimism, posted analyses in the community with similar views.

The reason was simple.

[Previously, Fufu said that to safely return to the Source Star, a high-level starship capable of resisting the impact of twisted space was needed. Such starships are expensive, and even though Fufu earns money quickly, it would still take at least a year or two.]

[And also, if you were the plot planner, would you let Fufu return early, or have her return right between versions 1.5 and 2.0, becoming our guide into the Star Ocean?]

This analysis, which was logical and evidence-based, gained widespread approval from players upon its release, even earning a thumbs-up from Jiujiao.

Jiujiao is a renowned expert on Bai Fu; if she approved of this analysis, what more could other players say?

Players on the Source Star could only focus on the main quest of rebuilding the Source Star while occasionally watching live streams by Jiujiao and others to satisfy their craving for Bai Fu.

In general, most players of version 1.3 who follow Bai Fu adopted a laid-back attitude.

There’s nothing they could do; no matter how lively Bai Fu made things, the true witnesses were only a few players like Jiujiao. Most players were too far removed from her, so what else could they do but be laid back?

As players became more indifferent, Bai Fu’s attention level dropped as well.

All the main quests of the novice planets in version 1.3 experienced a major outbreak. Players on each planet were now concentrating on completing their main quests, naturally leaving little time to focus on Bai Fu.

Bai Fu was glad she had taken Jiujiao, an excellent promoter, along when she left. Otherwise, after being absent for two months, her popularity would definitely have fallen significantly.

Even a hostess losing screen time would lose popularity, let alone her?

The current situation was still quite good; her heat hadn’t dropped much. However, during this period, the popularity of other planet protagonists who were originally far behind her had increased dramatically. Before, these protagonists couldn’t even catch her exhaust fumes, but now they could see her rear end.

For example, one of the main characters of the Supernatural Planet, Melulu, sacrificed herself to find the only opportunity for players to defeat powerful enemies. A touching video clip accompanied by sad background music once made her famous throughout the entire community.

Also, those NPCs selected as professional mentors already had high popularity, and after the main quests unfolded, they naturally attracted a large number of fans.

However, all these concerns ended when Bai Fu stepped down from the spaceship.

Outdated Fufu? Temporarily becoming a passerby heroine after entering the Star Ocean? Each generation has its talents?

Children, I’m back!

Today, Bai Fu will tell you—

Each version has its own gods, and every version has Bai Fu!

Bai Fu didn’t know if she could become the highest mountain among NPCs above the stars, but as long as she didn’t suddenly die, she had full confidence in becoming the longest river.

She walked down the ladder extended by the spaceship, each step landing not on metal steps, but seemingly on the hearts of the players.

Her gait was light, confident, and composed. She deliberately changed into a black dress to accentuate the curves of her legs and chest, holding a scepter in her hand.

When such a scene appeared on the screen, most people had a similar thought—

Wow, isn’t this scene exactly like the queen returning from an overseas visit?

It was incredibly stunning!

“Ah! It’s Fufu!”

A shout caused thousands to pour out onto the streets. The live stream chat was covered with dense comments, making the screen unreadable. Forces like Tietao Public Account and Human Alliance immediately ended their meetings upon recognizing Bai Fu. Who cares about meetings when sending someone to meet Bai Fu is the top priority.

A few minutes later, Bai Fu was surrounded by tens of thousands of players at the town gate.

“It’s been a long time, everyone.”

She smiled and raised her right hand, waving lightly.

She’s back! The familiar voice, familiar gentle attitude, everything familiar, the players were excited to the point of trembling, their scalps tingling as if they were experiencing static electricity.

“Fufu, I’ve missed you so much!”

“Fufu, will you leave again after coming back this time?”

The players shouted incessantly. They were so excited partly because of missing her, and partly because they saw that massive spaceship.

A small cargo ship can carry 100 people, how many people can such a large spaceship carry?

They were extremely looking forward to following Bai Fu into the Star Ocean. Who wouldn’t want to happily drink soup trailing behind Fufu?

That taste, unforgettable!

“This time, I won’t stay for long, just four or five days.” Here, Bai Fu intentionally paused, waiting until the players showed disappointed expressions before continuing, “I came back this time just to explore the way and deal with the spiritual energy pollution on the Source Star. Next time, I plan to build a star port on the Source Star, which shouldn’t take too long, probably just a few months.”

Building a star port?

Isn’t this the plot connecting the novice planets and the Star Ocean in version 2.0?

But soon, some players realized the problem. Bai Fu said she would come back in a few months to build the star port, but at that time, version 1.4 would just begin.

[Holy crap, can we go to the Star Ocean on a large scale in version 1.4?]

[I need to report the Source Star players for cheating!]

[Everyone says Bai Fu becomes a passerby after entering the Star Ocean, but whose passerby is this amazing?]

Players from other novice planets were stimulated by Bai Fu’s words, their eyes turning red. Their discussions once again pushed Bai Fu to the top of the community’s trending list.

Bai Fu intentionally concealed her itinerary, achieving her goal of boosting her popularity through hype.

There were many interesting discussions in the community, among which the hottest post was called “The Method of Raising a Passerby Heroine.”

The post thoroughly analyzed why the Source Star was so special, concluding—

A chance encounter in the alley triggered the butterfly effect!

[It’s well-known that each novice planet has multiple main characters. Ultimately, who becomes the real main character depends on player preferences. Different real main characters lead the planet to different futures.]

[Players on other planets only understood this principle in version 1.2, but the Source Star was different. Because of Jiujiao, players on the Source Star determined Bai Fu was the main character from the start. They intervened early, allowing Bai Fu to develop rapidly, overshadowing all other main characters. In version 1.2, she crushed all other factions with invincible strength. Due to the plot ending much earlier, players on the Source Star naturally entered the Star Ocean much earlier than planned.]

[From this, it’s clear that the developers haven’t lied. Player actions really do have a significant impact on the plot and NPC destinies. I boldly speculate that even if Bai Fu’s original plot ends, as long as players continue to support her, more new plots will naturally derive from her.]

[Let me give an example. Normally, Bai Fu would never become the emperor of the Rebirth Empire, right? But what if we players defeat the empire’s emperor and forcibly place the crown on Bai Fu’s head?]

[I call this method the raising of a passerby heroine. An NPC’s future is closely related to what players do. This game is very interesting. We’re not only raising ourselves but also raising NPCs and the plot.]

This post had a tremendous influence. Many players felt like they had opened a new world after reading it.

Bai Fu was also surprised when she saw this post. Goodness, this floor master discovered the essence of the game!

Her rise from a passerby to the legendary main character of the Source Star wasn’t just a real-life version of raising a passerby heroine?

The appearance of this post was good news for her. The term “raising” would make the connection between players and her tighter. As she grew stronger, players’ sense of belonging to her would also increase accordingly.

[Look, this is the Fufu I’ve raised!]

Bai Fu laughed.

What a pleasant surprise!

Returning to the Source Star and the explosive popularity of the analytical post allowed Bai Fu to soar higher, her popularity skyrocketing once again, pulling ahead of other NPCs.

Walking through the crowd, seeing Elder Nissen and Xia Shi standing at the intersection, her smile became even brighter.

“How did you two come back?” Elder Nissen’s face was full of surprise.

Xia Shi’s lips moved slightly, but she didn’t speak. However, her eyes spoke volumes.

Bai Fu repeated what she had just told the players with a smile, then pulled Youlia from behind her and asked her to catch up with Elder Nissen.

“How have the last two months been?” Bai Fu asked Xia Shi.

Xia Shi’s face remained gloomy but less sorrowful. “Not bad. Undead beings have a great demand for machinery, so I’ve been constantly creating various types of machines. I didn’t have time to think about too many issues. My mechanical skills have improved greatly over the past two months.”

Bai Fu cast a divination skill and found that Xia Shi’s level had indeed increased significantly, as well as the number of skills and blueprints she mastered.

From their conversation, Bai Fu learned that the players here had done a great job. They brought a lot of mechanical knowledge and blueprints to Xia Shi, feeding her with information so she could grow rapidly.

Bai Fu said, “Last time I asked if you wanted to go with me to the Star Ocean, you refused. This time, I intend to ask you again.”

Xia Shi pursed her lips, her brows furrowed, increasingly resembling Daiyu.

“Do you really think I can help you?”

Bai Fu smiled and said, “Of course. After you left, I didn’t dare to wear that combat suit casually, fearing it might break.”

If Xia Shi joined the team, she could add many new mechanical equipment to the shop, making it more comprehensive to harvest players. When Xia Shi’s level went up, a high-level mechanical engineer could also add more tactical diversity for her.

“Hmm.” Xia Shi suddenly asked, “Compared to Youlia?”

It was a somewhat sharp question, but Ms. Bai Fu, with her thick skin, answered without hesitation: “To use a metaphor, you’re both my wings.”

“I see.” Xia Shi nodded, no longer dwelling on this issue. “I want to go, but I also want to continue guarding everything you’ve left on the Source Star.”

Bai Fu waved her hand. “Regarding this…

“It’s not a problem. One of the purposes of my return is to solve this issue.”

She had the robots in the spaceship bring down the few instruments for purifying spiritual energy that Scarlet Leaf had given her.

As Xia Shi was studying the instruments, the heads of various factions, including the Railway Guild, arrived one after another, Su Li among them.

Queen Bai Fu of the Source Star, the spiritual leader of many undead beings, had returned from the Star Ocean. They were eager to know what exactly she had come back for.

This development was completely unexpected for them.

Especially the people of the Former Republic, who were now quite frustrated. They had originally planned to gradually regain their influence in the reconstruction plan by relying on their own resources and become local overlords during Bai Fu’s absence. Who would have thought that Bai Fu would suddenly return?

Bai Fu greeted all the representatives with a radiant smile.

It was rare for her to come back, so it was time to show these people some force, lest anyone entertain inappropriate thoughts.

The Source Star was her chosen stronghold and secret garden, and she would not allow anyone to disrupt this arrangement.

“During my conversation with the undead, I heard that you encountered some extremely ferocious mutated creatures while building the new camp. Even with a large number of high-level psychics and undead, you couldn’t eliminate them, and instead, due to the beast tide they triggered, you were forced to retreat?”

“Yes,” Su Li nodded solemnly. “These mutated creatures have incredibly resilient vitality and are highly contagious. Most people dare not get close to them because of this reason, making them even harder to deal with than the President of the Truth Society.”

This statement received agreement from everyone around.

“I’ll take care of these mutated creatures. Take those spiritual purification instruments away. It’s best if you can figure out the principles and make them yourselves, but if not, just purify slowly.”

Bai Fu appeared very confident, but the others around her were different.

Indeed, Bai Fu’s strength was great, surpassing even the President of the Truth Society, making her the strongest psychic in the history of the Source Star. But wouldn’t it still be difficult for her to deal with those large mutated creatures?

She had only been gone for two months; how much could she have improved?

Wait, that’s not right!

They suddenly remembered that Bai Fu had returned with an enormous starship. If that starship joined the battlefield, killing mutated creatures would be a piece of cake.

Bai Fu smiled but didn’t offer any further explanation.

Bombarding with the starship was indeed efficient, but it wouldn’t give off the same impressive aura, leading people to think, “If Bai Fu can do it, so can I. I just don’t have a starship yet.”

That wouldn’t do.

Her goal was to intimidate these factions, and naturally, she had to put on the most intimidating show possible.

“I won’t be staying long this time. Let’s go and deal with those mutated creatures now.”

Bai Fu invited everyone present onto the starship. She also deliberately brought many players along, not for any other reason, but to show them how spacious the interior of the starship was, letting them know how many people she could take to the Star Ocean, preparing to reap benefits from the players afterward.

The starship soared into the sky, and before anyone could exchange a few words, it stopped above the destination.

Just as everyone was speculating about what Bai Fu was going to do, she went to her room first, took off her evening gown, changed into a spiritual construct, then opened the hatch and flew out directly.

“Flying?!”

Everyone from the various factions was dumbfounded.

They saw no propulsion devices or flight packs on Bai Fu, yet she was flying!

They thought this was already astonishing, but what happened next made them realize how limited their imaginations were.

Who says that one’s strength cannot skyrocket after just two months?

Bai Fu hovered in mid-air, standing proudly like an unyielding peak.

Under the gaze of countless people, she drew out more than ten prayer cards in succession. These were +5 level piercing spears, increasing the output fourfold.

She aimed at the giant creature on the ground, which stood four to five meters tall. This creature was known as the King of Mutated Lifeforms, having once survived an assault by six high-level psychics and hundreds of players, showcasing its formidable power.

But this “strength” was relative to the Source Star. In Bai Fu’s eyes, its power was ultimately restricted to B-level. What difference was there between a 40th-level B-tier and a 50th-level B-tier?

“Roar—”

The giant creature on the ground noticed Bai Fu and immediately let out a provocative roar.

Bai Fu smiled and threw out four Piercing Spear cards in quick succession.

The moment the cards disappeared, huge white spiritual spears appeared in the sky. The spears shot out like missiles, breaking through the air instantly, and pierced straight through the body of the giant creature before it even reacted.

Blood spurted from the conspicuous wound, and the giant creature roared in anger. Its roar was answered by more spiritual spears.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

All three remaining shots hit their mark. The giant creature’s roar abruptly ceased. It stared wide-eyed, its body twitched twice, and it collapsed on the ground in great reluctance, unable to launch a single counterattack from start to finish.

An absolute crushing victory.

What nonsense about the King of Mutated Lifeforms? She was the Queen of the Source Star!

Ten magical blades flew out from Bai Fu’s palms, spinning rapidly as they chased after the mutated lifeforms that were scattering in panic after their leader’s instant death. Often, the bodies of the mutated creatures were cut into two halves by the blades, but due to the extreme speed of the cuts, their bodies only split apart after taking a few more steps.

Plop! Plop! Plop!

The severed bodies of the beasts formed a square on the ground, gushing out large amounts of blood like fountains.

Viewing from the starship, this scene was both bloody and bizarre, but more importantly, everyone realized just how terrifying Bai Fu was.

The monsters that had troubled them for so long were all wiped out by Bai Fu in merely a dozen seconds!

For others, being unfathomably deep meant being impossible to see the bottom. But Bai Fu’s depth was like thinking you’ve reached the bottom, only to be surprised by discovering how much deeper it actually was when you pushed forward.

“What kind of monster is this?”

“Thank goodness we didn’t make any drastic moves during this period. We only thought about it in our minds, otherwise…”

The elites of the Former Republic were almost scared out of their wits.

Unlike NPCs, the players were now extremely excited. They had already learned through live broadcasts that Bai Fu had grown much stronger, but since Bai Fu was far away in the Star Ocean, they lacked a direct comparison to gauge just how strong she had become. Now they finally understood — this was the strength to effortlessly kill multiple Presidents of the Truth Society at once!

[Truly worthy of Fu Fu, too fierce, damn!]

[So cool, it feels like watching a special effects blockbuster.]

[Wow, Fu Fu’s thighs are getting more delicious. Slurp, this time I must hug and rub hard!]

Bai Fu looked contentedly at her masterpiece on the ground. The toughest monsters in this area had been dealt with, leaving the rest for the players to handle slowly.

She flew back onto the starship, and the players immediately gathered around her excitedly. If it weren’t for the fear of being slapped away and losing affinity, many players would have rushed up to rub against her already.

Too strong, my Fu Fu, you’re simply my god!

Bai Fu remained calm: “Next, let’s visit some other places.”

“Ah, yes, visiting is good.”

The representatives of the major factions of the Source Star hurriedly agreed. Faced with such a powerful Bai Fu, what else could they say?

Your Majesty, please grant me the opportunity to lick your feet!

Apparently, Bai Fu wasn’t someone who bought into that sort of flattery.

Within half an hour, Bai Fu visited seven locations, eliminating all the overpowered mutated creatures that posed challenges to the players.

At the same time, the effectiveness of the spiritual purification instruments was confirmed. Amidst their shock, the major factions of the Source Star fell into uncontrollable excitement.

With this, the Source Star could truly restore itself to its former state, and it was all thanks to Bai Fu!

After careful consideration, the higher-ups of the Former Republic decided to abandon any disruptive ideas and firmly support Bai Fu… pardon, to become Bai Fu’s most loyal human stepping stool.

Now they were obedient.

There was no help for it, who could resist Bai Fu’s overwhelming strength?

If they firmly followed Bai Fu, their small surface civilization might one day shine brilliantly in the Star Ocean!

Seeing the skyrocketing affinity levels of the various factions, Bai Fu remained composed, saying only that everything was as expected.

Having resolved the difficulties encountered in the Source Star reconstruction plan, she finally had time to harvest the players’ accumulated experience.

That night, she announced to the players in Bai Fu Town her second reason for returning to the Source Star —

Recruiting heroes to head to the Star Ocean to aid Scarlet Leaf, who had lent her the starship!

Although the players had speculated, upon receiving confirmation, they erupted in excitement.

[Fu Fu is awesome!]

[Fu Fu, I like you!]

[Last time there were only 96 slots, this time there are thousands. I definitely can’t miss out!]

[Shit, is it still possible to reincarnate to the Source Star now?]

The players eagerly awaited Bai Fu’s actions. To her, they resembled lush green leeks ready for harvesting.

The players were waiting for her to reap them. Would she not if she didn’t?

Previously, players would engage in PK matches voluntarily to select the strongest ones. This time, Bai Fu directly issued a task under Scarlet Leaf’s name.

Want to join the Dark Moon Tide Corporation? Want to go with me to assist Scarlet Leaf? Then participate in the test. Only the top 3000 players in the test results will board the starship!

Bai Fu intentionally set up a repeatable challenge rather than player-versus-player combat, aiming to stimulate more players to buy items from the shop.

She stocked the shop with many enhanced prayer cards and a batch of explosive skill books she had purchased from the trade center before her return. Since the challenge could be repeated, players would surely make substantial purchases in the instance shop to achieve better scores in the test.

Perfect! Everything was ready. All she needed to do now was lie back and collect the players’ accumulated experience!

“This should be a satisfying feast.”

Bai Fu licked her lips excitedly.

The Star Ocean enchantress was starting to flex her muscles!

Scarlet Leaf, right? You lent me a starship, and I’ll repay you with thousands of players and a Bai Fu at the peak of A-level!

PS: Placing a bowl here to request monthly votes at the beginning of next month~

Thanks to book friend 272_aC for the tip!

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