Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for most novels.

Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff

******

Me? In a relationship with Su Qing?

Silver Wolf recalled the thought from that day: "Even if I were Su Qing's girlfriend, I'd definitely be better than his ex...".

Honestly, Silver Wolf had barely any concept of love at the time.

The idea had merely flashed through her mind momentarily, swiftly fading away.

But now, the proprietor's words genuinely opened up a new perspective for her, or perhaps a new avenue.

Silver Wolf seemed to have heard a saying once, comparing love to a battlefield.

So, if she could make Su Qing fall in love with her...

Not only would it count as a victory, but it could also help him forget about his not-so-great ex-girlfriend.

At the same time, it could help him forget his not-so-great ex-girlfriend.

And even allow me to experience what love truly feels like myself.

It's practically a win-win-win situation!

[Stelle: Genius!]

[March 7th: "Not-so-great ex-girlfriend"...]

[March 7th: Hey Sister Himeko, did you inadvertently attract some resentment from young Silver Wolf back then?]

[Sparkle: Just uttering the words "ex-girlfriend" is enough to inherently generate hostility, no need for further explanation.]

[Qingque: Ha ha, indeed.]

[Himeko: ...Feeling somewhat mixed emotions now.]

[Himeko: But let me correct that—it's not an ex-girlfriend; Su Qing and I never broke up.]

[Kafka: Your stubbornness rivals Silver Wolf's.]

[Himeko: You flatter me, but I still fall short compared to her.]

[Silver Wolf: ??? If you want to fight, go ahead, but why drag me into it?]

With that, Silver Wolf summoned her screen. Behind the symbols of goggles, sword, shield, and game controller, she planned to add another emblem.

She pondered, What design should I choose this time? Unconsciously, her hand lifted and began drawing half of an arc...

!!!, realization hit her, and she abruptly stopped.

In theory, this should have been the easiest symbol to draw, but halfway through, she paused.

[Sparkle: Heh, too embarrassed to draw it? Right?]

[Firefly: @Silver Wolf, I'm warning you—you're in deep trouble now! Seriously, deep trouble! Who kept saying they had no plans for romance? Who insisted that games are more fun than love? Who always claimed it's absolutely impossible...]

[Firefly: Wait!?! Silver Wolf, how many boomerangs do you even have?! I can't keep count!!]

[Seele: hhh, so many they're uncountable—classic.]

[Silver Wolf: No, this is about winning, about competition.]

[Silver Wolf: If I win, then Su Qing falling in love with me ≠ me falling in love with Su Qing. Another swift victory!]

[Bronya: She truly has unwavering confidence.]

[Seele: Yet another notch on the boomerang tally.]

[Fu Xuan: Silver Wolf never sheds tears until facing defeat, huh?]

[Fu Xuan: How shall I put it... This mindset isn't necessarily bad, at least there's no fear before the battle begins.]

In any case, feeling too embarrassed to complete the drawing, Sparkle left Silver Wolf's track blank.

The first three tracks already had their symbols, while only the fourth track remained empty, marked merely by batteries above it to indicate progress.

***

This was Silver Wolf's first attempt on this particular track.

One day, during their downtime from missions, Silver Wolf and Su Qing visited an arcade at a nearby mall.

Silver Wolf stood before a rhythm game machine, her fingers rapidly tapping buttons on the highest difficulty setting amidst a crowd of awed spectators who occasionally gasped in amazement.

"...??~, Track ended, calculating score."

The machine's lights flashed downward continuously: "Congratulations! You've set a new high score!"

Silver Wolf smiled confidently. "Piece of cake."

The onlookers applauded, but moments later, they noticed the adjacent rhythm game machine also starting to flash its lights.

"Hmm..."

Silver Wolf knew that Su Qing had started playing slightly after her. Just as she finished, Su Qing achieved an even higher score.

Silver Wolf glanced over at the other machine.

Zero mistakes, highest difficulty, all perfect judgments...

Wow! Is she some kind of gaming deity?

Despite her astonishment, Silver Wolf tried hard not to show it. "Let's go, this game isn't challenging enough anyway. On to the next one."

[Bronya: As expected, Silver Wolf always puts up a tough front. She clearly thinks Su Qing is impressive but refuses to admit it.]

[March 7th: By the way, did you notice? When Silver Wolf looks at Su Qing now, her eyes practically sparkle!]

[Stelle: Classic tsundere moment right there.]

[Seele: Now she's becoming a little fangirl.]

[Silver Wolf: Tsundere? Fangirl? How boring.]

[Silver Wolf: It was just a slight admiration for someone with great skills.]

Both Su Qing and Silver Wolf enjoyed gaming and were highly skilled players.

Throughout the morning, they tried nearly every game at the arcade, consistently setting new high scores.

Except one...

Silver Wolf observed several isolated booths in the arcade. "By the way, I've never played this before—it's called photo booths, right? How does it work?"

Su Qing provided a brief explanation.

As a couple emerged from one of the booths, smiling broadly, Silver Wolf asked, "Did you ever take photos here with your ex-girlfriend?"

Su Qing nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty much a must-do experience."

"Oh," replied Silver Wolf nonchalantly, showing no further interest or inclination to try it herself.

With all games explored, the two temporarily sat down on a nearby bench to rest.

Watching couples occasionally exit the booths with beaming smiles, Silver Wolf's curiosity piqued again. "Based on what you said, these booths are just for taking a few pictures. Can that even be considered a game? What's the fun in it?"

Su Qing smiled without responding.

He had already noticed that Silver Wolf, despite her brilliance, possessed a very singular focus.

As a prodigious hacker with exceptional talent, Silver Wolf devoted significant time to mastering her interests, such as gaming. However, when it came to subjects she had no interest in or experience with—like romance—she actually knew less than most people.

Seeing Su Qing's smile, Silver Wolf grew even more puzzled. "What's so funny... By the way, what exactly does it feel like to be in love? Does taking a photo count as being in a relationship?"

[Seele: Wow, you're asking this directly to Su Qing?]

[Firefly: Silver Wolf just entered the realm of romance and is already seeking advice from her rival; feels kinda inexperienced.]

[Silver Wolf: You guys don't understand. True masters remain humble at all times. Even rivals can serve as teachers. ?]

[Herta: I think it's more like ignorance without fear.]

Su Qing pondered for a moment. "Let me think how best to answer you..."

Even Silver Wolf has reached that age now...

Su Qing's attitude towards Silver Wolf began to resemble how they approached little Kafka—treating her both as a teammate and somewhat protectively.

Seeing her genuine curiosity, Su Qing responded earnestly, "It's actually hard to summarize. If I must put it simply, being with someone you love makes every day feel incredibly joyful."

Silver Wolf wasn't convinced. "I'm also happy when I'm with you. Does that mean I like you?"

Feigning surprise, Su Qing exclaimed, "Wow, you do like me?!?"

Caught off guard, Silver Wolf's face flushed instantly. "Huh? What?? No way! I was just asking what exactly falling in love feels like!"

[Sparkle: @Silver Wolf, oh ho, why so red-faced?]

[Seele: I know, it means feeling invigorated!]

[Himeko (thoughtfully): It doesn't seem like shyness for Silver Wolf; rather, it's embarrassment from being teased.]

Su Qing was delighted.

The Silver Wolf constantly sought to compete with him, and he enjoyed teasing her immensely. Su Qing also felt that their friendship was genuinely enjoyable.

At its core, Silver Wolf had no understanding of what love even meant, so how could she possibly like him?

[March 7th: Silver Wolf's reaction has left quite an impression on Su Qing...]

Continuing earnestly, Su Qing replied, "Well, if I must elaborate further, besides being happy together, there would be a desire for physical closeness." He then asked in return, "For instance, would you want to hold hands or hug me?"

Silver Wolf's immediate response was, "Huh? Hold hands or hug with you? Why? It feels too mushy..."

[Seele: Ha ha ha!]

[Qingque: Quite the mushy thought.]

[Stelle: Silver Wolf: Hey, we're buddies here!]

[Stelle: Silver Wolf: Ah? Why would friends need to hold hands? That's just weird!]

[Bronya: With this reaction, it suddenly becomes clear where her mindset lies.]

[Black Swan: Seems like little Silver Wolf truly doesn't understand at all.]

[Firefly: Heh, indeed, completely clueless, isn't she, little Silver Wolf?!]

Finding her reaction amusing, Su Qing decided to push further. He interlocked his own fingers, demonstrating, "For example, with a lover, you would hold hands like this, intertwining your fingers."

Silver Wolf instantly hunched her shoulders.

She covered her eyes and exclaimed, "Croak! I don't want to see this—too nauseating! There's no way I could ever do such things!"

Su Qing found it even more amusing, unable to stop laughing.

[The barrage of comments also burst with delight.]

After a moment, Silver Wolf skeptically asked, "So you did these kinds of things every day with your previous girlfriend?"

Su Qing nodded, "Not necessarily every day, but of course, we would engage in such gestures."

Silver Wolf displayed a look of utter bewilderment.

Do people really find joy in such acts?!

Better to play a few rounds of games instead!

[Kafka: (laughs) That's our genius hacker little girl for you - stubborn yet innocent, truly quite adorable.]

[Stelle: Heh, not quite blooming yet? More like nowhere near budding!]

[Firefly: Suddenly feeling less pressured now.]

[Himeko: Kafka hasn't entered the race, while Silver Wolf doesn't even know where the track is.]

[Kafka: Himeko made a last-minute sprint in reverse, whereas Silver Wolf has been aimlessly running from the start.]

[Bronya: Wow, here they go at it again.]

[Sparkle: @Silver Wolf, you're not even putting pressure on them; making them temporarily unite against you.]

[Sparkle: Can you step up your game?]

[Silver Wolf: Do any of you understand what a true prodigy means?]

[Silver Wolf: It only takes an incredibly short time to progress from complete ignorance to a terrifying level of skill.]

[Seele: Ha ha, Silver Wolf sure knows how to talk.]

[Qingque: Every time I hear Silver Wolf's stubborn remarks, it's quite amusing.]

***

***

Over the following month:

After participating in the Legendary Hacker Challenge, life temporarily settled back into calm.

Despite winning such a major competition, challenging all Punklorde organizations simultaneously still required greater strength.

The synergy between you and Silver Wolf also needed further development.

During this period, besides executing commissions together to improve coordination, Silver Wolf continually challenged you to duels.

However, as of now, Silver Wolf's win record remains at zero victories.

Recently, even when attempting challenges on the first three tracks, Silver Wolf constantly pondered the newest one—the track without a designated icon yet.

Unbeknownst to her,

whenever not browsing the web or playing single-player games, Silver Wolf seemed preoccupied with thoughts about Su Qing almost all the time.

Tomorrow we have a mission together...

Yesterday's progress in our co-op game...

Should I challenge him to a hacking duel today...

Various thoughts constantly filled her mind.

Even while hugging her pillow, Silver Wolf would unconsciously squeeze it, contemplating how Su Qing might secure victory if she were here.

Silver Wolf's demeanor had gradually shifted as well. She evolved from being entirely solitary to becoming accustomed to having a teammate nearby—a teammate whom she secretly admired yet always strove to defeat at least once.

On this rainy day, Su Qing entered a convenience store to purchase some items.

Outside, beneath the shelter of the store's overhang, Silver Wolf was crouched with an umbrella leaning against her shoulder, interacting with her electronic display screen.

She wore a short jacket that revealed her fair shoulders. As she squatted, the curves of her thighs—both the rounded arc on top and the contour pressed between her legs—appeared smooth and soft.

"Here." Upon exiting the store, Su Qing handed her a bottle of water.

Silver Wolf instinctively reached out, but then exclaimed, "Hm... Ow!"

After experiencing a slight electric tingle, she shook her hand before finally accepting the water properly.

Holding her umbrella, Silver Wolf stood up perplexed. "I didn't laugh this time, right? How did you notice?"

Su Qing replied, "Probably my combat intuition. Whenever you think of mischief, the atmosphere changes."

Silver Wolf felt somewhat helpless. "Atmosphere? That's too vague of an answer. How am I supposed to fix it...?"

Smiling, Su Qing said, "With your Talent, you'll understand better in the future."

"Alright~"

After losing so many times before, Silver Wolf wasn't overly disheartened by just one more defeat.

On their way back, they boarded a hovering train together.

They sat side by side, with Su Qing on the outer aisle. Silver Wolf leaned against the window, resting her chin on her left hand as she watched him.

Seemingly aware of some raindrops on his head, Su Qing gently shook it off, then put on wireless headphones to listen to music.

Despite having interacted for quite some time now, Silver Wolf rarely had such close and uninterrupted moments to carefully observe Su Qing's face at this proximity.

She blinked, becoming slightly mesmerized.

So handsome...

The way he flicked his hair earlier was kind of really cool...

And now, focused on listening to music while looking ahead, also looks incredibly handsome...

Although Silver Wolf didn't fully grasp the concept of romance yet, she could clearly appreciate Su Qing's attractiveness, especially heightened by her inner admiration for him.

[Stelle: Appearing! It's the appearance-focused Silver Wolf!]

[Firefly: Silver Wolf, you must not look! Don't look!]

[Silver Wolf: Hehe, I'm looking, just can't help it.]

[Sparkle: Enjoying the moment.]

Noticing her gaze, Su Qing asked, "What is it?"

Silver Wolf quickly averted her eyes. "Oh... just curious about what you're listening to?"

"Just some random tunes. Want to listen?" Su Qing offered one of his earphones.

"Mm-hmm..."

With her left hand resting on her chin, she heard soothing music from the earphone.

As she listened, her gaze shifted to the other side of the car.

Raindrops slid down the window, leaving winding trails behind. Outside, amidst the rain, various colored lights appeared somewhat hazy.

The window also reflected her own image and the silhouette of Su Qing beside her.

When listening to music, thoughts often take a different course than usual.

After this month of exploring and experimenting on the new track, Silver Wolf felt she might have vaguely grasped something.

Is liking someone feeling incredibly happy when together?

There was no doubt about that. But friends could feel this way too, right...

Is liking someone wanting more intimate contact?

At this thought, Silver Wolf looked out the window, furrowing her beautiful brows.

Yet, this still felt quite strange...

Occasionally, she would have physical contact with Su Qing as well.

Just moments ago, when receiving the water bottle, their hands briefly touched, but it didn't evoke any unusual sensation.

Well, if anything, there was still a lingering feeling from his prank electrocution...

[Qingque: Same old story - others feel like getting zapped by electricity, Silver Wolf actually gets shocked!]

[Seele: ? That's truly one-of-a-kind.]

Perhaps,

such fleeting fingertip contacts don't count.

Silver Wolf mentally replayed her memories and suddenly recalled their handshake when they first became teammates.

During that moment, they held the handshake for several seconds while talking.

She remembered how Su Qing's hand completely enveloped hers. His grip was large, strong, and warm. At the time, it conveyed the trust between new teammates. But now, reflecting back on it...

A single droplet of rain swiftly slid down the windowpane.

Silver Wolf's heart seemed to skip a beat, momentarily experiencing a swift surge of emotion.

It flashed by instantaneously.

When she tried to grasp it again, it had vanished.

The realm of love, the experience of liking someone—this was all new to Silver Wolf. She found it vastly different from hacking. In the world of hacking, she instinctively excelled. However, despite much contemplation, she struggled to fully comprehend this emotional domain.

Regardless of how it happened,

Silver Wolf's once pure and focused mind on hacking and gaming

has gradually been influenced by music, the rain, and especially recently, by her increasingly perplexing emotions...

The scenery passing outside the window had become somewhat monotonous.

Silver Wolf turned back, casting another glance at Su Qing.

So cool...

[Stelle: And in the end, this is still what impresses you most?!]

[March 7th: Ha ha ha, great roast!]

Another day arrived at Silver Wolf's home.

In the living room, Su Qing sat on the carpet, leaning against the sofa behind her.

By now, they had grown quite familiar with each other, interacting casually.

To Su Qing's left, Silver Wolf sat cross-legged, controller in hand, fully absorbed in playing a game.

Su Qing glanced sideways. "Can you pass me the pillow next to you?"

The cushion lay on the carpet, just beside Silver Wolf's left leg.

Eyes fixed on the screen, unable to divert her attention, Silver Wolf replied, "Just grab it yourself."

"Sure."

Su Qing slightly leaned forward, reaching out with her right hand to retrieve the cushion from her left side, across Silver Wolf.

With his hands on the controller, Silver Wolf instinctively leaned to the left as well, "Hey, you're blocking my view..."

Her mind was highly engaged while gaming.

At a precise moment, she keenly realized that Su Qing's movement to grab the cushion from in front of her resembled him half-embracing her.

They were incredibly close.

Time seemed to freeze.

Silver Wolf's beautiful eyes widened, shifting their focus from the obstructed screen to gaze at Su Qing before her.

At this proximity, Silver Wolf could even see Su Qing's throat, feel his right shoulder gently touch her chest, and sense his breath...

[Camera angle shifts, now showing from Silver Wolf's perspective.]

[Firefly: This viewpoint!!]

[Stelle: Black Swan understands it all!]

[Himeko: (intently observing)]

[Himeko: You know, suddenly I'm a bit envious of Silver Wolf's height.]

[Silver Wolf: ???, is this your way of nitpicking?]

[Himeko: No, what I meant is, this viewpoint, I've never experienced it myself.]

[Himeko: Despite hugging Su Qing many times before, I've never experienced this perspective - looking up from his embrace, perfectly positioned to see the angle of his throat...]

[Seele: Impressive.]

[Seele: As expected from a former girlfriend, such detailed observations.]

[Himeko (correcting): Current girlfriend, actually.]

[Qingque: ? Ha ha, just as I said, being short does have its advantages.]

[Stelle: ?? Seems like a forced laugh.]

In that brief moment...

The next second, Su Qing retrieved the pillow and sat back down.

Suddenly, Silver Wolf stood up, "I... need to grab a cola."

"Oh, okay."

Unfortunately, Su Qing didn't look up at that moment, missing Silver Wolf's expression.

Had he seen it, there would undoubtedly have been a fascinating revelation.

***

Silver Wolf swiftly left the living room, almost fleeing.

Once in the kitchen, without hesitation, she put on her protective goggles and summoned a virtual keyboard, rapidly typing away.

This was part of her recent research—a program designed to analyze emotions. She desperately wanted to understand what she was feeling at that moment.

However...

On the screen, continuous error symbols popped up - '?'.

Error, error, error...

Only when the entire screen filled with error messages did Silver Wolf pause and remove her goggles.

The logic was simple. If she herself couldn't understand her emotions, how could the program determine them?

Silver Wolf retrieved a bottle of cola.

She then squatted down beside the fridge, pressing the icy cola against her face.

The cola felt incredibly cold.

Yet, her cheeks remained blazing hot.

Holding the cola with her right hand and resting her left hand on her knee, Silver Wolf buried her face into her knees, causing her ponytail to sway gently behind her head.

The program didn't comprehend it.

But she did.

Perhaps Silver Wolf wasn't wrong; she might indeed be a genius.

Jumping straight from not knowing what love is to realizing who she likes—could that be considered a remarkable leap forward?

...For someone as extreme yet pure-hearted as this "genius hacker little girl," undoubtedly yes.

***

[March 7th: Stay tuned for the next part! The next part...what happens in the next part?]

[Silver Wolf: In the next part, Su Qing confesses his love to me and deeply falls for me. He relentlessly pursues me, leaving me no choice but to be with him. 😜]

[March 7th: Hahahaha!!!]

[Qingque: Impressive, truly imaginative.]

[Stelle: Diagnosed as Sequence 0: Dreamer.]

[Sparkle: Joyful.]

[Firefly: Laughable little Silver Wolf!]

[Herta: Still advisable to distinguish between dreams and fantasies.]

[Kafka: @Silver Wolf, you dare to dream even more boldly than Himeko herself.]

[Stelle: Joyful. But what if we reverse it, would that scenario hold true?]

[Seele: For instance, if Silver Wolf pursued Su Qing and he accepted her confession?]

[Himeko: Impossible.]

[Himeko: After all, Su Qing's love for me remains unwavering; he is still deeply immersed in our romance. There's no way he could be swayed by anyone else.]

[Kafka: Chortles, quite amusing.]

[Kafka: I take back my earlier comment; Himeko's imagination rivals Silver Wolf's, if not surpasses it.]