Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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[Silver Wolf's taunts indeed drew significant ire.]

[But as a result, Himeko had a sudden epiphany.]

[Himeko: I was so consumed by heartache earlier; only now does it strike me.]

[Himeko: At its core, between Su Qing and myself, it's just a misunderstanding, right? Even if both of us believe we've truly broken up, once everything is clarified, couldn't we simply reconcile?]

[Firefly: ...Uh-oh.]

[Kafka: ...Uh-oh.]

[Himeko: @Firefly, @Kafka, ???]

[Himeko: Did you two figure this out earlier and intentionally mislead me?]

[Firefly: N-no, not at all. My concern is that once such a misunderstanding takes hold, it becomes exceedingly difficult to mend.]

[Kafka: Indeed, give it up. Do you really think a casual "it was all a misunderstanding" will restore things back to normal?]

[Himeko: (pondering) (a smile gradually spreading across her face)]

[Himeko: No matter what you say, I trust the bond between Su Qing and me.]

[Himeko: (gracefully lifting her coffee cup) As for what exactly will happen then, let's wait and see.]

[March 7th: Yay, Sister Himeko is drinking coffee again!]

[Stelle: Once Sister Himeko starts sipping coffee, everything will be alright!!]

[Himeko: Would you like some too?]

[March 7th: N-n-no-no-no-no-no... (shaking head vigorously)]

[Stelle: No, no need for that, thank you!]

[Natasha: Look how scared these two are.]

[Himeko: ?]

[Silver Wolf: (still spectating)]

[Silver Wolf: Hmm, impressive talk from Himeko now, but where was this earlier? Ultimately, if it weren't for your divine move back then, would things have escalated to this point? Saying they'll reconcile later, just don't pull another spectacular blunder and mess up again—that'd be hilarious.]

[Kafka: @Silver Wolf, ha ha, well done, quite the eloquent performance?]

[Firefly: @Silver Wolf, good one, hitting the nail right on the head?]

[Himeko: ...]

[Himeko: ??]

[Himeko's anger towards Silver Wolf significantly increased!!!]

[Qingque: Wow, Silver Wolf keeps stoking resentment.]

[Bronya: Is he determined not to stop until he maxes out the hate?]

After upgrading, [Theoretical Deduction] now allowed multi-threading, enabling Su Qing to simultaneously run two tasks.

Upon returning to reality, Su Qing naturally set up "[Culinary Skills]" as one task, while reserving the other slot for "[Potential Unleashing]".

From his observations, physical strength gained within simulations could not be brought back to reality, but the dispersed energy collected by the Starcore Fragments within him could indeed accompany him upon return.

The collection speed of the Starcore Fragments was quite rapid; already, more than half of the radiant golden sphere was filled with energy.

Su Qing estimated that after one or two more simulations, he would be able to unlock Enhanced Simulation mode.

With Enhanced Simulation, he conservatively predicted that he should then possess sufficient power to begin exploring the universe.

[Stelle: I'm dying here, he's just too cautious.]

As Su Qing pondered, he considered the upcoming events at the space station.

In a few days, there would be an academic exchange meeting where he might need to prepare some dishes.

Following that, the Astral Express was scheduled to visit, along with preparations for a festival celebration...

Once these tasks were completed and his debts settled, it would be about time to leave the space station.

[March 7th: Yay! We're almost making our entrance!]

[Stelle: Yay! We're just moments away from being born!]

[March 7th: Huh? Remove the "we" - you mean only yourself!]

[Stelle: Oh, sorry, forgot to edit that during replication.]

[Bronya: Su Qing is already planning the specific date for leaving the space station.]

[Bronya: Will Herta's advice still arrive in time?]

[Herta: If it does, great; if not, it doesn't matter.]

[Bronya: You remain calm, Herta, but when the time comes, Asta...]

[Himeko: Despite all he has experienced, Su Qing hasn't lost sight of his initial intentions.]

[Himeko: Indeed, he is someone with strong convictions, unswayed by external temptations.]

In the cargo hold of the space station, Asta gleefully showcased her find, "Ta-da! Look! This is the deep-sea giant fish I procured for you. Isn't it amazing? Such a large ingredient, all yours!"

Su Qing gazed at the sea creature before him, approximately six to seven meters long with tender flesh, undoubtedly qualifying as a rare and exotic ingredient.

The value of this ingredient was substantial. after calmly assessing the situation on the eve of leaving the space station, he decided it would be best not to accept it...

Asta blinked nervously, awaiting his reaction. "Su Qing, what do you think of this ingredient?"

With a serious expression, Su Qing replied, "What are we waiting for? Hurry up! Help me move it to the freezer quickly; if left out here too long, its freshness will diminish!"

Asta cheered, "Great! I'll have someone transport it right away!"

[Qingque: Oh joy, just moments ago, Himeko praised him for being "unswayed by temptations."]

[Himeko: ]

[Sparkle: @Himeko, say something!]

[Silver Wolf: @Himeko, speak up!]

[Himeko: ... Su Qing has always been on the path of pursuing culinary excellence. In fact, his passion for ingredients, undeterred by their cost, reflects even more strongly his determination to follow this path.]

[Sparkle: Wow, quite the smooth explanation.]

[Silver Wolf: Impressive, really knows how to hype him up.]

[March 7th: Ha ha, I remember now! From the very beginning, even before her simulation started, Sister Himeko was constantly analyzing Su Qing's actions.]

[March 7th: While her insights made sense, most of the time, she has been praising Su Qing!]

[Stelle: Reflecting back on it, you're right.]

[Stelle: What should we call this? Perhaps "even if memories fade, your subconscious attraction remains unchanged"?]

[March 7th: Yes, yes, well said?! Stelle, finally understanding something for once!]

[Himeko: (Now truly speechless)(Face slightly flushed)(Drinking coffee)]

[Himeko knew that indeed, she had gained a new vulnerability.]

[Silver Wolf could exploit this weakness to make her flustered. Even Stelle and March 7th could embarrass her with this insight.]

[What should one call this phenomenon?]

["Love makes one strong, yet inevitably adds a soft spot," perhaps...]

Su Qing reviewed the results from his previous simulation.

[Simulation Rating: S (520)]

[Simplified Analysis: Solving Water Blue Star's Aviation Stagnation Mystery +100; Advancing Water Blue Star's Aviation Development +100; Rapid Resolution Bonus +200; Traveling Companion Bonus +100; Other Bonuses +20.]

[Simulation Level Increased: Lv3 (320/800) → Lv4 (40/1200)]

[Level Up Reward: Talent Quality Upgrade (Purple) → Talent Quality Upgrade (Purple+).]

[Acquired one love letter, obtained an old keepsake, inherited Talent: Theoretical Deduction Lv3 (1/100)]

Glancing briefly, Su Qing noticed that the "Rapid Resolution" category scored particularly high.

This was unsurprising, as his method of completion was significantly faster than the normal timeline by at least several years.

[Sushang: By the way, what does "Traveling Companion" mean?]

[Black Swan: It's likely because Himeko later boards the Astral Express and becomes a navigator. This contributes to the advancement of interstellar travel throughout the galaxy.]

[March 7th: Win! And with a settlement score of 520, it's a major win!]

[Kafka: ...It's just a settlement score, what use is that?]

[Himeko: @Kafka, feeling jealous?]

[Kafka: ?]

[Stelle: hhh, Kafka seems unimpressed.]

[Stelle: I wish I could see it with my own eyes!]

[Kafka (smiling): Oh dear, you're not being very discreet.]

[Sparkle: I bet Su Qing will get to witness this eventually, given his exceptional stamina.]

[Stelle: Ah? Wait, what's going on? I don't understand!]

[Kafka: Ignore her; it's best if you don't know.]

[Sparkle: Le, honestly, you adult women sure seem to know more about these things, huh?]

Upon reading this comment, viewers like Himeko, Black Swan, Natasha... who understood its implications, couldn't help but feel slightly awkward.

[Fu Xuan: ? Why doesn't even this venerable one comprehend it?]

Su Qing glanced at the rewards he had received:

[Talent Quality Enhancement (Purple+): During setup, two additional purple-tier talents are added for selection, allowing a choice between them. At the end of the simulation, an extra blue-tier talent can be retained.]

Oh?

Previously, only the highest rarity talent could be inherited. Now, would it also include inheriting blue-tier talents each time?

This enhancement might be more significant than it appears, as various talents can synergize with each other. For example, [Potential Unleashing] could boost the efficiency of tasks related to [Theoretical Deduction], further accelerating the energy release from his already potent "heavenly spiritual root."

Su Qing closed his eyes and examined the location of the upcoming simulation.

The scene before him continuously shifted until it finally settled on a planet...

[Simulation Location for this session: Punklorde.]

[Brief Overview: Punklorde, a planet plagued by light pollution. It serves as the newbie hub for hackers, where becoming a legendary hacker is the key to obtaining entry into the galactic arena.]

[Main Quest: Become a legendary hacker and gain maximum reputation.]

[Seele: A planet with rampant light pollution?]

[Seele: @Silver Wolf, is this why you always wear protective goggles?]

[Silver Wolf: ...Partially, I suppose.]

[Silver Wolf: However, Punklorde? Isn't that my turf now? This should make things even more straightforward.]

After confirming the simulation location, it was time to select talents.

[Choose two talents from the following list:]

[Luck Charm (Purple): You are protected by an invisible luck charm, which randomly multiplies your daily fortune by X (1-10) times each day. Higher multiples have lower probabilities.]

[Growing Genius (Purple): From every experience, you derive insights and improve yourself. As your exposure increases, there is a slight enhancement of your aptitude across all fields.]

[Swift Shadow Hand (Blue): Your hand movements become incredibly swift. When fully utilized, your hands move with graceful speed akin to fluttering butterflies. However, it slightly increases the probability of hand cramps.]

[Ether Friend (Blue): Ether elements obey you as if they were your friends, significantly enhancing efficiency when editing digital or real-world data.]

[Commuter Pro (Blue): Your travel speeds, whether by vehicle or on foot, are exceptionally fast, greatly reducing your time spent en route.]

[Junk Collector (White): With a discerning eye, you can identify valuable gems among second-hand electronic components.]

[Slap Repairer (White): When slapping machines, there is a chance to fix their malfunctions.]

This time, both purple talents are entirely positive.

In any case, let's first enhance them and see the results.

[Luck Charm (Purple+): You are protected by an invisible luck charm, which daily multiplies your fortune randomly by X(1-12) times. Higher multiples have lower probabilities.]

[Growing Genius (Purple+): You gain experience from past experiences, improving yourself gradually. As your life experiences increase, there is a slight enhancement in your aptitude across all fields.]

Su Qing pondered for a moment.

If only the condition "[the higher the multiplier, the lower the probability]" could be removed from [Luck Charm], it would become incredibly powerful.

Unfortunately, at present, it just slightly increases the multiplier. Su Qing observed that 1 and 1.1 times had significantly higher probabilities, with chances rapidly decreasing as the multiplier increased.

...In essence, for [Luck Charm] to truly take effect, one still relies on initial luck. It's almost a vicious cycle.

On the other hand, the [Growing Genius] talent is straightforwardly potent and immediately impressive.

With his ability to simulate experiences, he already has an advantage over others in terms of knowledge. Adding this talent perfectly complements his [Theoretical Deduction].

One enhances proficiency across all domains, while the other triggers inspiration based on proficiency levels. Truly, a synergy where 1+1 is greater than 2!

After upgrading [Growing Genius], there was no qualitative change; rather, it simply shifted from providing extremely minimal proficiency boosts to slight enhancements.

However, this was a long-term enhancement, and with each cumulative effect, it would become quite significant.

Considering all these factors, Su Qing decided to choose [Growing Genius].

[Himeko: Whenever Su Qing selects a Talent, his reasoning is always clear and well-founded.]

[Seele: Oh, little March was right! Himeko indeed praised Su Qing again!]

[March 7th: See, see? Caught you fangirling?!]

[Himeko: ...Don't overinterpret it; I'm just providing a standard analysis.]

[Silver Wolf: Well, if it were me, I'd definitely go for the Luck Charm instantly.]

[Qingque: Why? The Growing Genius seems stronger, doesn't it?]

[Silver Wolf: That way, every day would bring the excitement of drawing cards.]

[Qingque: Wow, so you're choosing based on how fun it sounds.]

[Qingque: Still, even I would pick the Luck Charm, though my reason might be...]

[Fu Xuan: ...There's no need to say it; everyone already knows.]

[Fu Xuan: However, Su Qing's gradual progression to strength is inseparable from his careful selection of talents each time. On this point, I highly commend him.]

[Qingque: Ohh! Even Grand Diviner praises Su Qing, could it be...]

[Fu Xuan: (glancing at Qingque) What are you trying to imply?]

[Qingque: (instantly cowed) Nothing, nothing at all! Absolutely nothing!!]

[Sparkle: Enjoyed that exchange.]

[Seele: Laughed. Qingque still lacks courage, huh?]

Su Qing examined the blue-tier talent options again and chose [Ether Friend].

Ultimately, [Swift Shadow Hand] would only enhance keyboard typing speed, while [Ether Friend] had broader applicability, affecting both virtual and real-world data modifications.

[Ether Friend (Blue+): Ether elements obey your command as if they were close friends, greatly increasing efficiency when editing network or real-world data.]

The enhancement sounded promising, but its actual effect remained unknown.

[Silver Wolf: Hmph, by choosing this talent, Su Qing has sealed his fate for defeat against me.]

[Silver Wolf: A true hacker should trust only their own hands!]

[Stelle: There it is, a stylish remark!]

[Black Swan feels she should laugh here.]

[But with her memories sealed, Black Swan can only wonder—what's the punchline to Silver Wolf's statement?]

Su Qing increasingly felt that some blue and white Talents were veering off course, becoming more comedic.

However, upon deeper thought, he realized these Talents might indeed have unexpected and remarkable effects...

For instance, the blue [Commuter Pro] Talent, if it reduces commuting time regardless of the mode, actually touches upon causality laws.

Then there's this white [Slap Repairer].

No matter how intricate the instrument, could two slaps from him fix it with a chance?

Taking it further, would intelligent machines also count as machinery?

Upon reflection, there were indeed many absurd possibilities.

[Herta: If he chooses this Talent, next time Screwllum needs parts replacement, we can let Su Qing give it a couple of slaps first.]

[March 7th: Ha ha ha, that image sounds too surreal; I can hardly imagine it.]

[Simulation begins.]

[Age 0: You are born, and your name is Su Yu.]

[Age 3: Seemingly possessing innate wisdom, you display exceptional intelligence across various fields compared to your peers.]

[Age 5: You discover that controlling the elusive Ether elements comes effortlessly to you, akin to extending your own limbs.]

[Age 6: Elementary school - Unwilling to eat bell peppers, for the first time, you spontaneously modify reality without any guidance.]

[You altered the reality coordinates of the bell peppers on your plate, transferring them onto the teacher's plate.]

[Sparkle: Hilarious.]

[Seele: Laughed so hard!]

[Stelle: Teacher: ???, Didn't I just finish eating bell peppers? Why are they back again?]

[March 7th: Ha ha, indeed, geniuses often exhibit astonishing feats even at a young age.]

[Qingque: ? At least it's safer than the time when organizing kids to experiment with universal gravitation using durians.]

[Bronya: ? That's true enough.]

[Age 10: You begin realizing the immense power of your ability to manipulate Ether.]

[With remarkable ease, you use Ether editing to exert influence on both the internet and physical reality.]

[Age 12: Inspired by Punklorde's legendary hackers, you decide to follow their path.]

[Age 16: As you gradually defeat numerous older hackers...]

[You gradually realized that with exceptional intuition and strong Ether affinity, there were numerous possibilities within your reach.]

[At age 20, you had already gained some renown. While searching the network for worthy opponents, you received a challenge from an anonymous hacker.]

[Countless anonymous challenges abound, but few manage to bypass your initial screening and reach you directly.]

[Based on the traces left behind, you preliminarily assessed that your opponent seems significantly weaker than yourself.]

[Facing this challenge, you decide:]

[A. Accept the challenge and perform moderately. Win without crushing their confidence.]

[B. Accept the challenge and give it your all. In Punklorde, the strong must mercilessly humiliate the weak!]

[C. Decline the challenge and recommend a more evenly matched opponent to them.]

[D. Decline the challenge and mock them: "Noob, go find somewhere else to cool off."]

***

[Seele: Isn't this clearly Silver Wolf?]

[Kafka: Option B is recommended.]

[Himeko: D isn't bad either.]

[Firefly: DDDDDDDD!]

[March 7th: Ha ha, looks like Silver Wolf's provocation is starting to bear fruit!]

[Stelle:D]