Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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Since formulating her plan that day, Silver Wolf had carefully considered her approach.

And so, on this particular occasion, in the living room...

After finishing another round of their video game battle, Silver Wolf successfully widened the score gap in the gaming domain to [0:600].

[Stelle: Victory!]

[Seele: Already at 600 consecutive losses in games alone...]

[Seele: I'm amazed. Silver Wolf is unbelievably persistent. Even calling her relentless doesn't do justice.]

As the game ended, Silver Wolf's shoulders relaxed slightly. "...Still can't beat you."

With that, she put down the controller and sighed, quickly brushing aside her slight disappointment.

Then, she stretched lazily, straightening her left arm while supporting it with her right hand.

Although Silver Wolf had a flat chest,

her slender waist, firm yet supple, stood out during the stretch. It was delicate and fair-skinned, seemingly just wide enough to be encompassed by one's hands.

After stretching, Silver Wolf leaned back on the sofa and casually remarked, "Feeling a bit tired from gaming now. Let me think—what else should we compete in?"

She counted on her left hand fingers, "Hacking, combat, video games, challenges... seems like there's not much left to compare."

Su Qing stood up, walked over to the nearby table, and refilled his empty water cup. "How about I let you win this time?"

"Tch, no need. What's the point if you let me win?" As if also wanting to move around, Silver Wolf rose from her seat.

"What else could we compete in? If we switch things up..."

Walking beside Su Qing, she suddenly had an epiphany and blurted out, "Oh, why don't we give dating a try?"

"Choke!" Su Qing, who had just filled his cup and started drinking, nearly choked.

He set down the glass, somewhat taken aback. "What?"

[The chat is equally stunned!]

[Himeko: Huh?]

[Kafka: What?]

[Firefly: Whaaaat?!]

[Seele: Opening with a shocker!]

[Qingque: No way, starting off with a royal flush!?]

[Stelle: As expected from Silver Wolf, effortlessly achieving what Firefly and Kafka couldn't!]

[Silver Wolf: ? Heh heh, now you know who's the top Stellaron Hunter, right?]

[Bronya: Impressive!]

[March 7th: Even Sister Himeko only dared to confess through a love letter...]

[Seele: Starting at the peak already—what's Silver Wolf going to do next?]

This pivotal moment captured everyone's attention, despite their varied emotions.]

With her left hand slightly hidden behind her back, Silver Wolf clenched it tightly, feeling nervous inside. Yet, she managed to maintain a composed tone, even sounding casual as she said, "Well, since you don't have a girlfriend anyway, and I'm looking for a relationship too, why don't we give it a try?"

Su Qing put down his water cup, gazing at Silver Wolf. "Are you serious?"

Silver Wolf blinked rapidly. "What if I say I am completely serious?"

"Hmm, let me think how to respond..." Su Qing pondered briefly; Silver Wolf's proposition was entirely unexpected, requiring him to quickly formulate an answer on the spot.

Contrary to her outward calm demeanor, Silver Wolf's heart was pounding wildly. The tension she felt surpassed that of upgrading equipment to its final level by a hundredfold. Suppressing her embarrassment and anxiety was all she could manage.

Her current state was tenser than when she'd be on the brink of finalizing a weapon enhancement, amplified by at least a hundredfold.

Suppressing her shyness and nervousness was already pushing her to her limits.

Moreover, seeing Su Qing's reaction, Silver Wolf felt a faint premonition stirring within her, causing slight panic to creep in.

Unable to resist, Silver Wolf spoke up, "What, are you afraid now? Scared that after dating, you might fall for me and lose?"

This approach aligned with her logical mindset, treating romance like a competition and provoking the other party to engage.

Unfortunately, such tactics had minimal effect on Su Qing.

However, Silver Wolf's words still played a crucial role.

Considering her character and reflecting on the context behind her asking, "Do you want to give dating a try?"

Oh...

He suddenly realized something.

Su Qing asked again, "I'll repeat, are you serious?"

Silver Wolf insisted firmly, "Of course."

"Then..." Su Qing didn't verbalize further, only stepping closer to her.

Silver Wolf's emotions surged like a roller coaster, instantly intensifying, accelerating rapidly towards its peak!

Why is Su Qing walking over? What does he intend to do?

???

No way, I'm just confessing... Wait, not confessing! I'm merely asking if you want to date, so why are you approaching?

Is she trying to skip straight to the next step?! Does she want to respond with actions?!

In that instant, Silver Wolf's thoughts raced, processing numerous possibilities.

Within the brief few seconds as Su Qing approached, her own movements and expressions displayed a rich range of emotions.

Silver Wolf's eyes darted quickly from side to side, feeling overly nervous and having an impulse to run away.

She resisted the urge and stayed put. Then, raising her left hand, she placed it over her chest, creating a barrier to steady her feelings of anxiety, shyness, and unease.

As Su Qing came to a stop in front of her,

Silver Wolf rapidly blinked several times, and for perhaps a fleeting moment, she closed her eyes, almost attempting to slightly lift her head.

However, just as quickly, the thought triggered a surge of embarrassment within her at lightning speed.

Instantly, she opened her eyes again, her gaze slightly wavering, cheeks beginning to flush, and once more, the urge to flee overwhelmed her.

All these thoughts, tension, and reactions unfolded

within mere five or six seconds, as Su Qing walked towards her and stopped.

[Stelle: Wow! Esports-level reaction speed!]

[March 7th: @Stelle, don't say anything yet! Just watch carefully!!]

Silver Wolf took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly, "Wait, just..."

Su Qing raised her hand.

Instantly, Silver Wolf panicked again, her thoughts once more becoming disorganized.

Normally, Silver Wolf's character was proud and stubborn, never willing to admit defeat under any circumstances. But now, at this moment—

With Su Qing, whom she completely admired and adored, making even the slightest assertive move, Silver Wolf immediately relinquished resistance.

Her hand held defensively before her, along with her mental fortitude, proved utterly futile. They crumbled instantly upon contact, or rather, collapsed on their own without any need for pressure.

As Su Qing lifted her hand, seemingly intending to grasp Silver Wolf's shoulder or perform some action,

Silver Wolf, gazing at Su Qing, couldn't muster any effective resistance. All she could manage was a soft, weak plea, blushing deeply, "Don't..."

Her voice sounded so delicate, filled with a girl's bashfulness, a sense of anxious tension, and even hints of fear—a stark contrast from her usual image as a brilliant hacker prodigy.

In the final moment, Silver Wolf closed her eyes.

Her thoughts were tumultuous, perhaps stemming from fear of venturing into unfamiliar territory. Or maybe she felt that even if it was with Su Qing...

But contrary to her expectations, the next instant brought a warm sensation atop her head. Silver Wolf unconsciously opened her eyes.

Su Qing spoke gently and persuasively, "Love isn't something to be treated like a competition; one should approach it more seriously. Especially, first love is truly precious."

He continued thoughtfully, "I understand you might be curious about love or genuinely eager to win against me just once. But these two things shouldn't be hastily intertwined."

With a slightly wistful tone, Su Qing concluded, "Well, at present, I don't seem to have much interest in romance either."

Silver Wolf found the sensation of Su Qing's touch on her head incredibly soothing and relaxing, making her want to fully immerse herself in it.

However, she quickly gathered her composure.

Wait, what?!

Huh??

Did Su Qing interpret my question about dating as another competitive challenge?

Though admittedly, I did use it as an excuse to confess... No wait, it wasn't really a confession...

Silver Wolf felt utterly confused.

In any case, why isn't this situation unfolding as I imagined?!

[Seele: @Black Swan, I'm a bit confused here; can you help analyze it for me?]

[Clara: Clara understands! Seele-nee, let me explain.]

[Clara: Silver Wolf, feeling shy, couldn't directly confess her feelings. Instead, she set up each loss in hacker battles, practical combat, and games to create a foundation.]

[Clara: This allowed her to smoothly introduce the question of trying out a relationship - framing it as another competition to see who would win. Thus, leading naturally to her confession.]

[Clara: Although her plan was successful, Su Qing perceived that Silver Wolf confessed only due to curiosity or wanting to finally win a round.]

[Clara: As someone with experience, Su Qing gently and maturely advised her to be more cautious about love, especially first love, emphasizing it shouldn't be taken lightly or whimsically.]

[Clara: @Black Swan-nee, am I right?]

[Black Swan: (after pondering) Yes, Clara's analysis is entirely correct.]

[Natasha: Correct, full marks!]

[Silver Wolf: (waving finger) No, completely wrong, riddled with errors.]

[Silver Wolf: First, I'm not blushing. Second, it wasn't a confession. Third, I am very mature.]

[Black Swan: ? In moments like these, you can temporarily ignore her comments.]

[Seele: ???, suddenly enlightened.]

[Seele: (Sweating profusely)]

[Bronya: Ha ha, seems like your understanding of love falls short compared to Clara now.]

[Seele: @Bronya, what do you mean?! Haven't you been watching as closely as Clara?!]

[Bronya: ...At least more closely than you!]

[Qingque: Well, from Su Qing's perspective, Silver Wolf still appears as a naive little girl when it comes to romance!]

[March 7th: What should we do, what should we do? This situation feels quite dire.]

[March 7th: Can Silver Wolf turn things around and overcome this crisis?!]

[Silver Wolf: Don't panic, watch my move. ?]

[Firefly: (Anxious)]

At that moment, Silver Wolf was equally nervous, indicating her intense focus.

She swiftly comprehended the current predicament:

My first love is indeed precious, but I've already chosen you, haven't I???

Silver Wolf understood the nature of the misunderstanding.

By using such a method to confess...express her feelings, she had largely avoided feeling embarrassed.

However, it did come across as overly hasty.

Therefore, Silver Wolf knew the right choice was to muster a bit more courage, clarify this misunderstanding, and genuinely express her affection for him.

So, Silver Wolf's next response would be...

Silver Wolf averted her gaze and gently pushed Su Qing's hand aside. "Hmph, of course I know that."

"It's not like I said I liked you; just... anyway, do you really dare to race me on this track? Are you afraid to even give it a try? Just once, for kicks."

[March 7th: (Facepalm) Ah...]

[Seele: Oh no!]

[Stelle: Oh no!!]

[Qingque: Even though Silver Wolf knows the right answer, why is she still getting provoked?!]

[Herta: Unbelievable. At this point, can't she just soften up?]

[Black Swan: It seems her courage has run out.]

[Bronya: But! By saying she doesn't want a relationship, isn't Su Qing already giving a gentle rejection?]

[Bronya: If she didn't persist and tried again without being stubborn, there's likely still a high chance of another failed confession...?]

[Seele: Now that you mention it...]

[Seele: Oh no! Either way, it feels like certain doom!]

Su Qing gently shook his head. "If it's about racing on this track, then indeed, I'm not interested."

"Is that so? Well, never mind then. Anyway, I was only joking!"

Silver Wolf felt her entire body, including her heart, trembling.

Still trying to salvage the situation, she continued, "You don't actually believe me, right? No way, no way! Does that mean I've successfully tricked you this time?"

"Perhaps."

Su Qing neither rebuked nor mocked her but simply replied, "If you're serious, I genuinely wouldn't know how to respond.

"After all, at present, I truly have no interest in romance." Su Qing repeated these words once more.

Silver Wolf opened her mouth, seemingly grasping something profound, and found herself utterly speechless.

A wave of extreme dejection mixed with deep discomfort washed over her.

***

Nightfall arrived.

Outside, neon lights continued to flicker as usual.

Inside the bedroom, however, no light was on; even the electronic screen remained dark today.

Silver Wolf lay stiffly on the bed, face buried in a pillow, motionless for a long while.

[Stelle: ??? Silver Wolf seems defeated.]

[Silver Wolf: Not defeated!!]

[March 7th: (grief-stricken) Oh, Silver Wolf!!!]

[Firefly: (cheerful) Hey there, Silver Wolf!]

[Kafka: (trying not to laugh) Darling, those moves were just... ]

[Himeko: (calmly sipping coffee)(no comment)]

[Black Swan: Indeed, people's joys and sorrows often differ greatly.]

[Sparkle: ? But I just want to enjoy myself.]

[Stelle: I've figured out Silver Wolf's pattern now.]

[Stelle: First, she pulls off some impressive moves, then stubbornly insists at crucial moments, only to immediately face defeat—it's like a lightning-fast three-step sequence.]

[Stelle: Truly deserving of being called a master hacker, each operation is filled with tension, excitement, and dramatic ups and downs!]

[Sparkle: It's textbook material for sure now.]

[Sparkle: ? Though it's a textbook on facing defeat. If anyone wants to learn about failing spectacularly, Silver Wolf is the best resource!]

[Seele: Who would want to learn that?!]

Silver Wolf buried her face deeper into the pillow.

The foremost emotion flooding her mind was undoubtedly regret over her actions earlier.

Initially, everything had gone smoothly; her question about starting a relationship felt remarkably natural.

But then...

As she recalled Su Qing's response, resentment towards his ex-girlfriend surged within her.

Ugh, how infuriating!

That inherently evil ex-girlfriend!

Despite not knowing her name or appearance, just hearing Su Qing's account...

Now, Silver Wolf felt certain that Su Qing's ex-girlfriend was absolutely despicable! A thoroughly vile woman!

Not only did she toy with Su Qing's emotions, but upon leaving, she immediately wanted to break up! Even worse, her lingering influence continued to obstruct Silver Wolf's own romantic path!

[March 7th: It seems like Silver Wolf's resentment towards Sister Himeko is growing stronger...]

[Black Swan: In such circumstances, anyone would reach maximum hatred for Himeko.]

[Himeko: (smiling gleefully) I must say, I feel somewhat apologetic.]

[Stelle: Yet, Sister Himeko, you sound quite delighted despite apologizing!]

[Fu Xuan: She's practically bursting with happiness.]

[March 7th: This shows that Su Qing still holds feelings for Sister Himeko; it's understandable why she'd be so pleased...]

Finally, overwhelming Silver Wolf's heart were the sorrow and distress of experiencing love only to face immediate heartbreak in her first romance.

Bitterness filled her, making her body feel heavy. Lying on the bed, she didn't want to move an inch.

Ahhh... So unfair, so sad, so unbearable.

This was her first understanding of what love meant, her first time falling for someone, and her initial expression of affection.

But fate had intervened at just the right moment.

If Su Qing hadn't recently gone through a breakup, would there have been any chance for them?

Silver Wolf couldn't help but think:

Considering their shared interests and how well they got along, absolutely, without a doubt, there was potential.

As this thought crossed her mind,

the earlier emotions intensified even more—regret, sorrow, heartache, and... fury towards that vile ex-girlfriend!

Don't let me run into you someday!

Buried face-first in her pillow, Silver Wolf remained motionless for quite some time before finally changing positions.

Her petite frame curled slightly on the bed, clutching the pillow tightly to alleviate a fraction of her emotional pain.

Despite feeling so distraught,

Silver Wolf didn't want to confide in anyone or seek comfort from Su Qing or others. Instead, she chose to hide alone under the covers, quietly bearing these feelings by herself.

[Bronya: Ahh, Silver Wolf's personality is truly...]

[March 7th: ? It's hard to watch.]

[March 7th: She's the type who, no matter how unbearable her distress, will secretly wipe away tears all by herself, never showing vulnerability in front of others.]

[March 7th: How should I put it? While one might call it having backbone...]

[March 7th: But this makes it even harder for others to notice and offer comfort. Especially with her stubborn, tsundere personality...]

[Sparkle: It's official—Silver Wolf has a natural talent for heartbreak!]

[Stelle: Oh no!]

[Seele: Worse than Asta's situation?]

[Stelle: Even more tragic, I'd say.]

[Qingque: +1, still worse than Asta's.]

[Bronya: +2, definitely worse than Asta's.]

[Seele: Ah? Why such unanimous agreement?! Silver Wolf is going through a breakup, you know!]

[Stelle: Silver Wolf just experienced three lightning-fast rejections, while Asta endured triple substitution blows. The depth and significance are not the same here!]

[Stelle: Absolutely never will I admit anyone has it worse than Asta!]

[March 7th: What's with this unwarranted pride and defense?!]

[Seele: Uh-oh, mentioning Asta like this, with your attitudes...I can't help but want to laugh again.?]

[Stelle: Although at this moment, we're witnessing Silver Wolf's love tragedy...]

[Stelle: Asta's presence adds a touch of comedic relief to this otherwise sorrowful scene.]

[Sparkle: Tragedy?]

[Sparkle: ?? Wasn't Silver Wolf's story always meant to be a complete comedy from the start?]

[Stelle: Sparkle, you're enjoying this too much!]

[Seele: By the way, why isn't Silver Wolf saying anything anymore?]

[Silver Wolf: ?]

[Firefly: Don't worry, Silver Wolf has always been rather reserved.]

[Kafka: She's consistently quiet by nature.]

[Himeko (smiling): Silence truly is golden.]

[March 7th: Just remembered—before all this started, Silver Wolf stirred up quite some animosity herself, and it seems to be still going strong...]

[Sparkle: Is that it? Feels like weak sauce.]

[Sparkle: As expected of Silver Wolf, the gaming prodigy?, even love becomes a speedrun challenge. From infatuation to confession and heartbreak—all accomplished at lightning speed. Impressive, indeed!]

[Seele: Sparkle never holds back, does she?]

***

That night, for Silver Wolf, experiencing her first taste of heartbreak, the hours were bound to stretch endlessly.

But just as before—in hacking, combat, and video games, where Silver Wolf faced defeat time and again yet never backed down, persistently rising to each challenge—

after enduring one sleepless night, gradually recovering from the pain and sorrow,

Silver Wolf refused to give up entirely.

[Stelle: What? More experts on the horizon?]

[Qingque: No way! Does Silver Wolf plan to try again, risking further disappointment?]

[Silver Wolf: Disappointment? Not when I'll turn things around!]

[Silver Wolf: It's not over; there's still hope.]

[Silver Wolf: ? Just watch, I'm about to make a remarkable comeback from this point on!]

[Seele: Here it comes, she's still as confident as ever!!]

[Bronya: Rather than confidence, it's more like her unwillingness to accept defeat.]

[Bronya: Regardless, Silver Wolf is incredibly resilient...]