Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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[Silver Wolf: They still won't talk—it seems I scared them off.]

[Firefly: I refuse to believe this! You just got lucky; you have no real skill!]

[Silver Wolf: Those without contest eligibility shouldn't judge the champion. ?]

[Firefly: (instantly defeated)]

[Qingque: Hhh, looks like the gap between bottom-tier Firefly and Silver Wolf has widened significantly.]

[Stelle: Firefly, Joy: A tragic barrier now separates us.]

[Black Swan: Let's invite our contestants to share their thoughts.]

[Black Swan: First, congratulations to the winner, Silver Wolf.]

[Silver Wolf: Thank you.]

[Silver Wolf: My victory this time can largely be attributed to Kafka and Himeko's efforts.?]

[Seele: Well, that's honesty for sure.]

[Qingque: Accurate attribution indeed.]

[Sparkle: ??, everyone burst out laughing, it seems.]

[Kafka: ...]

[Himeko: ...]

[Neither of them wanted to speak.]

[They genuinely had no desire to utter a single word.]

[Never before had they been this speechless.]

[For Kafka and Himeko, if their opponent had won, though still hard to accept, it would at least have been within the realm of expectation.]

[But instead, Silver Wolf snatched victory!]

[It was the most devastating, heart-wrenching, utterly unacceptable, and...most infuriating outcome.]

[Their intense clash and relentless standoff, employing all their strategies, now seemed like one big joke.]

[Stelle: (feeling deeply for Kafka)]

[Stelle: No way!! I must say too—true skill is what matters; little Silver Wolf just got lucky this time!]

[Silver Wolf: You might have a point.]

[Silver Wolf: But I still won, didn't I? ?]

[Silver Wolf: A narrow win is still a win, and a close loss remains a defeat. If skill were everything, there'd be no such thing as luck.]

[Stelle: Grr...]

[Stelle: So frustrating! Yet, I can't argue against that.]

[Silver Wolf: @Kafka, don't rely solely on Stelle to speak for you. Share your thoughts about the competition too.]

[March 7th: Silver Wolf is starting to provoke her!]

[Seele: She looks so thrilled!]

[Kafka: ...]

[Kafka: There's not much to say. Given how many times Silver Wolf has faltered, it's only natural for her to have an exceptional performance once in a while.]

[Kafka: Besides, she might get lucky this time, but can she be fortunate every time?]

[Kafka: My bond with Su Qing runs deepest, and regardless of circumstances, as long as I successfully transform this affection...]

[Kafka: The ultimate victor will undoubtedly be me.]

[Qingque: Ohh! Kafka is back in high spirits!]

[Silver Wolf: Hmph, just the lamentations of a defeated rival.]

[Fu Xuan: This venerable one never imagined there would come a day when Silver Wolf could call Kafka a "defeated rival" so convincingly.]

[Guinaifen: Agreed, the world truly is full of wonders!]

[Black Swan: @Himeko, do you have anything to add?]

[Himeko: ...]

[Himeko: Silver Wolf merely won by luck, so there's no need for concern.]

[Silver Wolf: What?]

[Silver Wolf: Seriously, guys, show some respect to the champion, okay?! I had a clever move at the end too!!]

[Himeko: And let's face it, even if Kafka claims deep feelings, she still lags behind.]

[Kafka: ?]

[March 7th: Wow, two question marks right off the bat—Sister Himeko, you're amazing!]

[Himeko: Su Qing and I are lovers, and during Silver Wolf's final attempt, we...we shared a kiss through a potato chip.]

[Silver Wolf: Through a potato chip, huh? Keep avoiding reality all you want.]

[Himeko: But what about Kafka? Despite claiming the deepest emotions, she's just stuck on the daughter track.]

[March 7th: You know, that does seem true.]

[March 7th: Overall, Sister Himeko is officially his lover, Silver Wolf barely managed to sneak in, and although Kafka claims the strongest bond, her progress is actually the slowest!]

[Stelle: What about Firefly?]

[Firefly: I...I'm not part of Penacony yet! My future holds promise!]

[Seele: Absolutely!]

[Himeko (turning towards Kafka): ...]

[Silver Wolf (also turning towards Kafka): ...]

[Sparkle: Joyous.]

[Sparkle: Now, allow me to mention someone special. She has been with Su Qing the longest but has never entered any romantic arc. Just who could this person be?]

[Kafka: ...It's Asta.]

[Sparkle: Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!]

[Seele: I'm dying from laughter!]

[Qingque: You've taken this joke to a whole new level!]

[Stelle: @Black Swan, hurry up! So is it time for Asta's segment now? Without Asta, I'll start causing trouble!]

[Black Swan: I know you're eager, but please be patient.]

[Black Swan: In any case, we have our champion, and all participants have shared their thoughts.]

[Black Swan: Thus, the first multi-participant simulation comes to an end.]

[Firefly (clapping): Ba-da-pa-clap!]

[Bronya: ? Happy!!]

[Stelle: Yay?!]

[Silver Wolf: ??]

[Qingque: hhh Little Silver Wolf seems quite addicted to playing cool now.]

[Black Swan: By the way...]

[Black Swan: Watching these simulations together, has it deepened your understanding of each other and improved your relationships?]

[Kafka, Himeko: Not at all.]

[Kafka, Himeko (exchange glances)]

[Kafka, Himeko: Don't mimic me!]

[Sparkle: Fun.]

[Seele: Fun.]

[Natasha (smiling): It seems our understanding of each other has indeed grown significantly.]

[Silver Wolf: Hmm... Well, to some extent, yes. Watching Kafka and Himeko's simulations helped me grasp the origins of their profound bond with Su Qing...]

[Firefly: Absolutely, absolutely!]

[Firefly: Although we were teammates with Silver Wolf and Kafka, it wasn't until witnessing their experiences that I truly understood them. Our relationships should improve even more now, right?]

[Firefly: The same goes for Himeko; despite having doubts while watching her simulation, I genuinely comprehended the roots of her relationship with Su Qing.]

[March 7th: Eh? (blinking)]

[March 7th: So, Black Swan arranged for everyone to watch these live streams together, observing each other's experiences. Was the purpose to strengthen our bonds?]

[Black Swan felt little March's intuition was perhaps too keen.]

[March 7th seemed to have more to say.]

[Black Swan (covering March 7th's mouth):]

[March 7th: Mmmf... mmmf...]

[Stelle: ?]

[Black Swan (smiling): Nothing at all.]

[Black Swan: Oh right, the Astral Express is arriving soon, Stelle. Aren't you curious?]

[Stelle (distracted): Oh yes, that's true! Let's keep watching!]

***

This simulation was not lengthy, and strictly speaking, its difficulty wasn't high either.

However, upon returning to the space station, Su Qing suddenly felt...

Exhausted.

More drained than after battling demons for three days and nights.

Whenever he thought about Kafka and Himeko's disagreement, Silver Wolf's final kiss, or these tangled and complex relationships, he just...

Desperately wanted to cook.

Cooking wouldn't force him to choose between two options, nor would it spontaneously erupt into conflict. Cooking always brought a sense of serene tranquility.

[Qingque: Ha ha ha, poor Su Qing, so stressed out!]

[Seele: LMAO, now I understand why he loves cooking—it helps forget all those bothersome issues, right?]

These problems undoubtedly needed to be confronted eventually.

But before tackling them, Su Qing decided to indulge in his passion for cooking, using it as a way to uplift his mood!

Asta had previously gifted him with numerous ingredients.

The Astral Express would arrive shortly, coinciding with the completion of several recent research projects at the space station—a perfect opportunity to host a banquet.

Over the next few days, he immersed himself in preparations for the banquet.

Additionally, he accelerated the updates of "Demon Hunter" to generate income and prepare for his departure from the space station.

A few days later,

The Astral Express arrived at the space station.

The train crew received quite the reception, with Asta, key personnel from the space station, and even Herta sending a puppet to welcome them.

As the train slowly pulled into the platform, Himeko immediately spotted Su Qing amidst the crowd.

Despite the brief separation, Himeko felt both nervous and apprehensive.

Her plan this time was to persuade Su Qing to join the Astral Express.

Together, they would embark on a journey of Trailblazing, venturing forth to explore the stars.

This had long been one of Himeko's dreams.

If Su Qing boarded the train, their interactions, uninterrupted by those annoying Stellaron Hunters, could naturally lead to mending their relationship...

[Stelle: Oh no, oh no, Sister Himeko is starting off with another Tian Hu hand again! I have a foreboding sense of trouble!]

[Himeko: ...@Stelle, don't jinx it.]

The train doors opened, and Himeko stepped out first.

Her plan was to entice Su Qing onto the Astral Express. Naturally, the first step would be leaving a favorable impression on him.

With grace and a warm smile, Himeko prepared to greet Station Director Asta when...

Clang!

An unusual sound caught her attention from behind.

Himeko turned around.

She saw Dan Heng, usually composed, with his face pale, staring as if he had witnessed something terrifying.

In the direction of his gaze stood none other than...Su Qing?

[Qingque: Wow, stealing the spotlight right off the bat.]

[Sparkle: Indeed, this Tian Hu start hasn't even fully kicked in yet.]

[March 7th: @Black Swan, why does seeing Su Qing have such a strong effect on Dan Heng?]

[Black Swan: Best answer: I don't know.]

Even Dan Heng himself couldn't explain it. When faced with concern and inquiries from the rest of the crew, he could only express feeling intensely disoriented upon seeing someone specific. However, upon further reflection, he couldn't quite grasp the reason for his reaction.

Regardless,

this unexpected incident disrupted Himeko's plans somewhat.

Himeko glanced at Su Qing and noticed his expression mirrored her own confusion.

All she could do was silently pray that their first encounter with the Astral Express Crew wouldn't leave them with a peculiar impression...

As the space station prepared to welcome the arriving train,

a fleeting purple figure darted past in the distance.

Kafka heard Silver Wolf's voice over the comms.

Silver Wolf, stationed elsewhere on the space station, was heading towards the Stellaron's location. "Hey, hey, hey? Kafka, have you seen Su Qing?"

Kafka blended into the crowd. "Silver Wolf, focus on the mission; don't get distracted."

Silver Wolf retorted, "I mean, who knows why someone would claim they want to stay hidden but then rushes straight to the most crowded area just to catch a glimpse of him first?"

Kafka did not respond directly, instead saying, "By the way, remember that extremely distant and dangerous mission I recommended earlier? Are you still interested?"

Taken aback, Silver Wolf asked, "...Are you still holding a grudge against Su Qing for choosing me?"

Kafka laughed, "Nope, absolutely not."

[Silver Wolf: She definitely! Definitely still holds a grudge from back then!]

[Sparkle: Amused.]

[Firefly: ? Unity and camaraderie! Betraying each other left and right! That's us, the Stellaron Hunters!]

In a secluded, empty corner away from others,

perhaps overwhelmed by the joy of possibly seeing Su Qing again,

Kafka moved along to the music playing throughout the space station—a rendition of Pachelbel's Canon.

Kafka swayed gently, lifting her hands and elegantly mimicking playing a violin out of thin air.

[Stelle: It's happening—the mime performance!]

As Kafka played, warning lights around the space station flashed, emitting urgent alarms.

Kafka stopped her performance. "It seems I arrived at an inconvenient time."

"No, you've come just in time."

Silver Wolf's voice echoed once more. "It's Elio's script time now. Let's begin our actions."

Kafka nodded softly. "Yes, alright."

Following that, the audience witnessed Kafka and Silver Wolf reaching the location within the space station where the Stellaron was stored.

They observed the entire process as Kafka placed the Stellaron into the celestial body, awakening it.

[Qingque: Oh! Now I understand why Stelle calls Kafka 'Mom,' it's because of this.]

[Seele: Does that mean Silver Wolf also has a part in it then?]

[Kafka (smiling): Come to think of it, @Stelle, the "container" for your body was actually crafted by Silver Wolf.]

[Stelle: Ah??? (First hearing about it)]

[Sparkle: So, does that mean Stelle should call Silver Wolf 'Mother' too? At least a stepmom, right?]

[Stelle: What?!?]

[Stelle: ?? Shocked!!!!]

[Stelle: (Plunges into a deep identity crisis)]

[Silver Wolf: ...Absolutely not! I just had my first kiss; I'm definitely not ready to suddenly have a daughter.]

[Sushang: 😄]

[March 7th: 😄]

[Kafka: (Laughs) @Silver Wolf, getting pregnant after a kiss is common knowledge, you know.]

[Silver Wolf: Save that for gullible kids!]

[Silver Wolf: Wait, wasn't this what Su Qing told Katherine when asking her to educate Stelle on basic facts?]

[Kafka: ...]

[Kafka: ?]

[Seele: Hahaha, unexpected comeback!]

[Stelle: (muttering to self) Should I side with Kafka or Silver Wolf...?]

[Stelle: (muttering to self) Calling Silver Wolf 'Mom', huh—feels so strange. There's absolutely no maternal vibe from her at all...]

[Silver Wolf: @Stelle, don't actually start overthinking it!]

[Silver Wolf: And hey, are you trying to attack me?!]

[Sparkle: 😄]

***

Meanwhile, as Su Qing was about to prepare for the banquet, he also heard the alarm.

"Antimatter Legion invasion?"

Upon hearing this news, Su Qing naturally didn't follow the researchers to seek shelter; instead, he headed straight for the front lines to assist.

Su Qing increasingly felt that besides cooking, engaging in combat—what a thrill!—was also an excellent way to improve his mood.

Casually dispatching a few Antimatter Legion foot soldiers, Su Qing reached a corner.

Just as he planned to continue forward, he noticed two guests from the Astral Express gathered around a unconscious gray-haired girl lying on the ground...

[Stelle: Galaxy Bat Crusader, making a grand entrance!]

***

With her eyes closed, Stelle could only recall a woman with purple hair.

She remembered the woman's gentle voice telling her, "When you have the chance to make choices, don't let yourself regret..."

What did those words mean...?

As Stelle pondered, she sensed a familiar presence.

This aura seemed deeply connected, originating from the same source, evoking an immediate sense of closeness within her.

Slowly, Stelle opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Su Qing's concerned expression. "Are you okay? Is everything alright?"

Stelle's memories were currently in utter disarray.

Who am I? Where am I? And who is he?

Considering their ages and this inexplicable sense of familiarity, the groggy Stelle, possibly truly bewildered, hesitantly asked, "...Big Brother?"

[Sparkle (bursting out laughing): hahahahahaha!!]

[March 7th: Script mix-up alert!!!]

[Qingque: hhh, no flying emergency rations here.]

[Herta: It seems star nucleus essences attract each other.]

[Guinaifen: No! This is actually cross-generational affection (jokingly).]

[Sparkle: Oh joy, @Stelle, your relationship just got even more complicated now.]

[Stelle: Ah???]

[Stelle: So from now on, should Kafka and I have separate terms for each other? I call her Mom, and she calls me...]

[Stelle: Brain overload.jpg]

Su Qing also wore a puzzled expression, filled with question marks.

Noticing the subtle glances from March 7th and Dan Heng nearby, Su Qing cleared his throat. "Based on universal reason, we... shouldn't be related in that way."

Realizing the misunderstanding, Stelle's face instantly turned bright red. "...Then-then what kind of relationship is it?"