Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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******

Nighttime.

With a serious expression on her small face, Silver Wolf rested her chin in one hand, seemingly pondering some important matter.

Recent events flashed through her mind.

Skin contact...

Does shaking hands count? What about that half-embrace...

No, those felt unintentional; they don't really matter...

At this moment, Silver Wolf realized something:

She might—just possibly, ever so slightly—care for and like Su Qing.

[Bronya: Impressive, even stubborn with yourself.]

[Stelle: That's true tsundere behavior right there—deceive yourself before deceiving others.]

[Stelle: The purity of your tsundere has significantly increased!]

Silver Wolf observed her intelligent personality, currently in automatic mode, pacing around by itself. "Tell me, am I...falling for Su Qing?"

"Friend" stopped walking and shrugged intelligently. "Why ask me? I'm just an AI persona, unable to provide emotional advice."

"Aaah!" Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her neatly combed, beautiful silver hair, leaving it somewhat disheveled.

Then, Silver Wolf sat down on her spacious gaming chair.

At one moment, she hugged her pillow and leaned slightly backward, mimicking Su Qing's position when he had reached for something while sitting on the couch...

Then at another, she rested her chin in her hand, recalling how Su Qing looked listening to music on the hover train...

Silver Wolf's expressions were remarkably varied.

Sometimes indifferent, sometimes with a slight blush, and occasionally as if wanting to smile.

[Stelle: @Natasha, Doctor, doctor!]

[Stelle: I have a friend who always blushes and giggles foolishly whenever she thinks of a certain guy. What could this be a symptom of?]

[Natasha (smiling): It seems likely that she has fallen for this boy, no?]

[Stelle: Wow, you're like a miracle healer! That's incredibly accurate!]

[Qingque: Le, aren't you setting up straw arguments before asking your questions?]

[Bailu: In my opinion, these are signs of hysteria.]

[Firefly: Dr. Bailu's assessment sounds more precise, don't you think?!]

[March 7th: Daydreaming little Silver Wolf, so cute! My sole support goes to you!]

[Seele: Sole support, my ass! Supporting every new crush doesn't count as being exclusive, does it?!]

[March 7th: Hehe... Well, uh, supporting just one person each time—doesn't that still count as being exclusive?]

[Seele: Redefining exclusivity now, huh?!]

[Kafka: @Silver Wolf, despite all your stubborn denials, there's no need to argue further now, is there? You've already been caught.]

[Himeko: @Silver Wolf, indeed. Since there's little hope left, why not admit it sooner? It'll make things easier for everyone, sparing us the effort of interrogating you.]

[March 7th: They claim no interrogation, but isn't this already intense grilling?!]

[Silver Wolf: In any competition, studying the opponent's capabilities is crucial.]

[Silver Wolf: It may seem like wild speculation, but there's method to my madness. I'm analyzing Su Qing, employing a standard tactical approach.]

[Himeko: (laughs)]

[Himeko: Even your stubborn defenses are so creatively spun!]

[Kafka: Silver Wolf's actions are her own; don't involve me.]

[Firefly: Silver Wolf's actions—none of our concern oh~]

[Stelle: Meow for slice! Meow for slice!]

***

For the first time, albeit vaguely, Silver Wolf began to grasp the concept of love. Naturally, she decided to make further attempts.

To recreate the previous scenario, she deliberately chose another gaming session with Su Qing.

Such opportunities were plentiful now, as inviting Su Qing over to play games had become quite routine.

In their two-player game, Su Qing's character reached the destination first and momentarily idled.

Pretending to be focused on the controller, Silver Wolf said, "I'm really thirsty. Could you hand me my water cup?"

"Here." Su Qing leaned slightly forward and picked up Silver Wolf's water cup.

"Mm, thanks." Coincidentally, Silver Wolf's character also reached the finish line, and she set down the controller.

As Silver Wolf reached for the water cup with her right hand, her left hand summoned a virtual keyboard, swiftly performing an ether edit.

The water cup flickered and reappeared to her left side.

As she handed it over, her right hand smoothly grasped Su Qing's.

Su Qing raised an eyebrow.

In a perfectly casual tone, Silver Wolf feigned confusion and said, "Huh? Why did my trap fail?"

While speaking, she tightened her grip on Su Qing's hand, as if confirming something.

[Seele: Wow! Genius move!]

[Qingque: This time, truly genius!]

[Himeko (analyzing with head lowered): Using the pretext of a prank to hold hands, huh?]

[Himeko: Due to numerous past instances, it seemed quite natural. And occasionally, traps failing also appears reasonable...]

[Himeko (looking up): It seems Silver Wolf isn't just all talk.]

[Stelle: Dun-dun-duh! (musical flourish) Sister Himeko's evaluation and caution levels towards Silver Wolf have increased!]

[Bronya: What is Stelle doing now?]

Slightly relieved, Su Qing responded, "I wondered why the atmosphere felt different but didn't detect any trap."

Silver Wolf continued holding his hand, seemingly still checking the trap: "Tch, I thought this was a perfect opportunity."

"Well, never mind. I'll try again next time."

With that, Silver Wolf finally released his hand, picked up the cup, and took a sip. Appearing somewhat worn out from play, she leaned back on the sofa, hiding behind a pillow.

Of course, the atmosphere had changed!

But it wasn't the change she intended for mischief; rather, it was a subtle shift born from nervousness and shyness!

After a moment, Silver Wolf composed herself, sat upright again, and continued playing the game.

Pressing the controller buttons casually, she asked nonchalantly, "By the way, back to my earlier question. What's the difference between holding hands as a couple versus a regular handshake?"

[Seele: Still daring to ask? Really?! Not afraid of getting caught?!]

[Stelle: Fearless yet meticulous, walking on the edge! Truly worthy of a hacker player!]

Su Qing, engrossed in the game, responded offhandedly, "Between couples, perhaps it's that often-described feeling of being electrically charged when holding hands."

"Like the electrical shock from your trap before? Doesn't it hurt?"

"Haha, no, not at all. Your trap caused a physical shock, whereas I'm talking about an emotional sensation—it's entirely different."

"Oh, I see."

Silver Wolf didn't pursue the question further.

She recalled the sensation from their recent handshake. Aside from her initial nervousness, there indeed seemed to be a tingling current emanating from where he held her hand.

It felt like a direct strike to her heart, causing her pulse to quicken.

How fascinating...

Despite there being no trap set, why did she still experience this electrifying feeling...?

As Silver Wolf skillfully handled the game controller, her thoughts lingered on this newfound sensation. She felt that her understanding of the vague concept of love had deepened further.

When it comes to unfamiliar experiences, one must gradually unravel and comprehend them piece by piece. As a hacker, Silver Wolf always pursued perfection. Similarly, when playing games, she would complete all side quests in each map, striving for 100% exploration.

Naturally, entering the new realm of romance, she aimed to fully understand every aspect of it. Therefore, after acknowledging, albeit slightly, her budding feelings for Su Qing, those previously ignored photo booths became her new target.

As Su Qing and Silver Wolf played together, they nearly broke high scores at virtually every nearby arcade. The leaderboards displayed two neat rows: the first row featured Su Qing's records, while the second showcased Silver Wolf's achievements.

Passing by a photo booth, Silver Wolf paused, feigning contemplation before saying, "I think we haven't tried this yet."

With a smile, Su Qing asked, "So, shall we give it a go?"

[Seele: Brilliant again!]

[Seele: Successfully got Su Qing to initiate the conversation!]

[Silver Wolf: ? It's not much of an achievement. Next step is getting Su Qing to confess to me.]

[Sparkle: Enjoying the ride.]

[Kafka: @Silver Wolf, just because there were some clever twists in the tutorial, you're thinking the final boss will voluntarily surrender now, right?]

[Kafka: Does that really seem plausible to you?]

[Firefly: Exactly, well said!]

The two entered the photo booth for close-up shots.

Silver Wolf slightly shifted her stance and asked, "Hey, aren't we standing too close?"

Su Qing, while operating the buttons, smiled, "Are you feeling shy?"

Silver Wolf retorted, "I think it's you who's getting embarrassed!"

"Usually, only people with very close relationships take photos together like this, so having a smaller framing area is normal."

Su Qing pointed at the screen, "Before we snap the picture, why don't you pick an effect?"

"Huh? There are effects to choose from?" Silver Wolf hadn't anticipated such options in taking these photos. "Interesting, let me see."

A few minutes later.

Silver Wolf looked at the printed photo, "So, is this a typical ritual between couples?"

"It doesn't seem particularly exciting." She waved the photo briefly before subtly tucking it into her pocket.

[March 7th: Not particularly exciting—yet she quickly stashes it away carefully!]

[Bronya: Talk about convincing acting by Silver Wolf! With that nonchalant demeanor, one might easily fall for it.]

[Sparkle: Surprising~ I didn't expect her to have some talent in this aspect.]

[Silver Wolf: As I've always said, don't idolize me too much. 😎]

Recalling their earlier conversation about combat instincts, Su Qing spoke again, "Well, it may not involve talent per se, but I'm sure you'll understand someday."

After wrapping up their day's activities and parting ways, Silver Wolf once more took out the photo to examine it.

When taking the picture, she had spent ages deliberating among various effects, finding them all quite exaggerated with excessive heart emojis.

In the end, she opted for the default cat filter.

In the photo, both Silver Wolf and Su Qing flashed peace signs. Standing close together, Silver Wolf slightly ahead of Su Qing, they sported adorable cartoonish whiskers on their faces.

Before, Silver Wolf would have thought this kind of photo looked utterly silly.

But now, as she gazed at it, a hint of smile involuntarily graced her lips.

She suddenly began to comprehend.

The most enjoyable aspect of taking these booth photos wasn't the result itself, but rather the process of capturing them.

Two people sharing a booth, intimately selecting different filters, then posing together to create such goofy snapshots.

Silver Wolf realized:

This indeed feels very much like a couple...

[March 7th: Okay, okay, forget 'someday,' she already gets it now!!]

[March 7th: Aaah, I can't take it anymore! Nobody stop me! Is shipping time finally here?!]

[Firefly: @March 7th, initially, you were clearly shipping me with Su Qing—how did you switch gears so quickly??]

[Himeko: @March 7th, little March, while I don't oppose your shipping habits...]

[Himeko: Isn't it just a bit too sudden to switch from supporting me and Su Qing earlier?]

[March 7th: Ah, that...]

[March 7th: (suddenly feeling quite nervous)]

[Kafka (smiling): Should I also interrogate you now?]

[March 7th: No, no, no!!]

[Seele: Hahahaha, March 7th's ship has sunk!]

[Fu Xuan: So, March 7th ships any couple she sees, right?]

[Sparkle: March 7th confesses: "I'll ship anyone with Su Qing; their romance is my jam!"]

[Firefly (alerted)]

[Kafka: Hmm?]

[Himeko: Little March...]

[Stelle: Well, thanks to Sparkle, things have gotten interesting again. They might have been joking before, but now they're truly on guard!]

[March 7th: No, really! None of what you said is accurate! It's just that every pairing seems perfect for shipping!]

[Black Swan (laughing): Let's not grill March 7th yet. The main focus this time should be Silver Wolf, correct?]

[Silver Wolf: Huh? Are you targeting me?!]

[Black Swan (laughing): Not at all, my stance remains absolutely neutral. However, it's indeed your moment now.]

***

Silver Wolf found a frame for the photo booth picture taken with Su Qing and placed it on the table.

Silver Wolf initially spent some time browsing the internet.

But as her gaze inadvertently fell upon this photo, her attention shifted away from the web.

After pondering for a moment, she decided not to replace the "friend" AI personality with Su Qing's likeness this time.

Instead, within Prometheus, she created a new character entirely.

Swiftly inputting information, she aimed to replicate a highly accurate AI representation of "Su Qing."

[Himeko: ?, digging yourself deeper, huh?]

[March 7th: ?, digging yourself deeper, huh??]

[Seele: Impressive, managing different emotions through repetition.]

[Firefly: I vividly remember this boomerang!]

[Firefly: @Silver Wolf, didn't you say 'replace ≠ add'? How do you explain this now?]

[Bronya: Seems like there's no easy explanation this time.]

[Silver Wolf: ...]

[Herta: @Silver Wolf, speak up!]

[Silver Wolf: ...]

[Silver Wolf: Fine, I added it—so what?]

[Kafka: ??]

[Firefly: ???]

[Stelle: Hahahahaha! Time to give up and embrace chaos!]

[Seele: Laughed so hard, almost died?!]

[Qingque: Joyous! No need for excuses anymore, just embracing chaos outright, right? Love it!]

[Bronya: Wait, you're actually giving up?! Don't do it!!]

[Sparkle: Exactly! At least put up more of a struggle so we can have even more entertainment.]

[Silver Wolf: Circumstances change. A true hacker is unbound by any rules or past constraints.]

[Silver Wolf: Boomerang? It's futile—watch me shatter it!]

[Seele: Oh no, she's getting cocky again!]

Silver Wolf proceeded to edit Little Su Qing's personality traits, background, and story, inputting various details.

After completing her work, Silver Wolf pressed enter, gradually forming the holographic projection of Little Su Qing on the table.

Little Su Qing greeted her, "Hello, Silver Wolf."

[March 7th: hhh, the tone and expression are pretty spot-on.]

Smiling, Silver Wolf leaned over the table, resting her cheek on her left hand while reaching out with her right to poke Little Su Qing.

Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Silver Wolf blushed slightly. Despite being alone at home, she felt self-conscious and glanced around nervously.

Then, gazing at the intelligent persona with a flushed face, she hesitantly spoke, somewhat uneasy, "Su Qing, I have a question for you."

"Please go ahead," replied Little Su Qing.

Unconsciously lowering her voice and softening her tone, Silver Wolf asked, "Do...do you like me? Not just as teammates, but—as in romantic feelings."

[Seele: Wow! So swoon-worthy!]

[March 7th: Oh my, this bashful and blushing little Silver Wolf is just adorable! Tsundere moment—finally showing her softer side, huh?]

However.

Based on the information inputted by Silver Wolf, Little Su Qing shook his head. "No, I don't like you. I liked my ex-girlfriend."

Silver Wolf was taken aback, instantly puzzled.

Her shyness and softness vanished as she sat up, somewhat irate. "No way! Give me a different answer!"

Little Su Qing continued to shake his head. "I'm sorry, but there's no way to change the response because it reflects my true feelings."

Silver Wolf pointed at him, demanding, "Say it! You like me!"

With unwavering integrity, Little Su Qing firmly shook his head. "No, Silver Wolf, I only see you as a teammate. Please maintain respect and avoid making inappropriate or extreme statements."

Silver Wolf fell silent, then burst out incredulously:

[Sparkle: ?? Ha ha ha, getting flustered now, aren't we? She can't handle it.]

[Herta: @Silver Wolf, being flustered by your own AI personality design—you're truly one of a kind.]

[Himeko (smiling): The character design captures your traits well, except for one oversight—it should omit the word 'ex'.]

Fuming, Silver Wolf exclaimed, "Ugh, infuriating!!!"

She sat up and swiftly typed on her keyboard, making some edits.

Following these impromptu lines, Little Su Qing stammered slightly, "Silver Wolf, I like you; Silver Wolf is my favorite. Silver Wolf, I love you."

[Kafka: ???]

[Himeko: ???]

[Herta: You've truly mastered the art of self-deception.]

[Firefly: ?? Silver Wolf has finally gone insane.]

[Stelle: ?? Silver Wolf has finally lost it.]

[Firefly: I knew she was just putting up a tough front, deceiving herself all along, immersed in fantasy and unwilling to face reality.]

[Firefly: So pitiful, what should we do now? ?]

[Silver Wolf: Gah...]

[Seele: Ha ha ha, seems like Silver Wolf can't handle it anymore.]

[Silver Wolf: Can't handle it? Absolutely not!]

[Qingque: Joyful! Why is Firefly's firepower so intense when targeting Silver Wolf?]

[Stelle: It's called type advantage!]

[Stelle: Facing Kafka and Himeko, two adult characters? She looks troubled.]

[Stelle: Bullying little Silver Wolf? Full-force attack!]

[Bronya: Silver Wolf's stubbornness and numerous weaknesses make her too easy to exploit.]

Upon reading this response, Silver Wolf felt as if struck by lightning, trembling from head to toe.

Slowly, she covered her face with both hands, legs tightly pressed together, toes curling against the floor as she shrank back into her gaming chair.

Her fair skin accentuated the blush creeping across her cheeks and ears, making it all the more noticeable.

[Seele: You wrote those lines yourself—why are you getting embarrassed?!]

[Sparkle: LOL.]

[Natasha: LOL.]

[Guinaifen: Ha ha ha, this is hilarious!]

[Stelle: A bashful little silver wolf!]

[Silver Wolf: ?]

[Stelle: (removes sunglasses) Direct sneak attack!]

[Stelle: ? → ??, Huh?]

[Stelle: Ahh?? Why can't I take them off?!]

[Stelle: (examining closely) Gah! They're holographic sunglasses! Silver Wolf, that's cheating!]

[Qingque: So you activated them instantly, huh?]

[Silver Wolf: Humph. (with a cool-sounding snort)]

[Sparkle: How boring, sooo boring... @Silver Wolf, dare you let us see your expression right now?]

[Silver Wolf: It's not that I'm afraid; there's simply no need.]

[Bronya: Silver Wolf remains unflappable?]

[Bronya: Or maybe she is flustered, but we can't tell under those sunglasses?]

[Himeko: No, if she were truly rattled, she wouldn't bother with flashy holographic projections like this.]

[Kafka: As expected from someone who knows firsthand about losing her cool—she understands these things well.]

[Himeko: ... (takes a deep breath)]

[Seele: Wow! These two are trading blows, each strike aiming for the kill!]

[Firefly: So, my decision to avoid engaging them was justified...]

[Kafka: With such limited screen time, Firefly, how could you possibly compete on stage with me?]

[Firefly: (instantly tearful) Ah... What?!]

[Stelle: Mom! Stop picking on her already! Firefly just happened to be passing by!]

Following her experiences of shaking hands and taking candid photos, Silver Wolf felt she had fully grasped the essence of this "dating game." Now, determined to advance the plot, she planned to take the next step.

[Stelle: So she fully grasped this game within ten minutes?]

[Bronya: While it's true that she seems to understand some aspects, why do I still feel like she's overly confident...]

[Himeko: Silver Wolf has two defining traits: stubbornness and getting humbled.]

[Himeko: Don't overthink it; just wait and watch her get taken down a notch.]

[Silver Wolf: Hmph, from the start, I've been saying, 'watch my moves'.]

[Silver Wolf: Next episode! Witness textbook-level gameplay as your lesson.]

[Black Swan: In the next episode, we'll see some truly impressive moves by Silver Wolf.]

[Silver Wolf: Exactly!]

[March 7th: Ah? Really that impressive?]

[Black Swan (with hidden meaning): Absolutely.]

[March 7th: ??]

[March 7th: Why does it sound like there's more to what you're saying?]