Honkai Star Rail Simulation: I'm Surrounded By Characters

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******

The seventh day, marking the last day of the auction fair.

After five successful days of auctions featuring Aisha's scientific items and Silver Wolf's vintage gaming consoles, all other faction missions were completed, leaving only the task of obtaining the Stellaron.

The Stellaron, being such a dangerous object, could have unimaginable consequences if it went uncontrollable.

In the universe, aside from a few exceptions, most beings lack the ability to safely contain it.

By putting this item up for auction, the Heartfelt Observer was truly playing with fire, risking self-destruction.

The division of tasks for today's mission was straightforward. Before the auction begins, the Stellaron would be transported to the venue.

Silver Wolf's role involved hacking and disabling the security systems, ensuring a clear path for obtaining the Stellaron without obstruction.

Su Qing, as the primary operative, would be responsible for actually acquiring the Stellaron.

Kafka's duty was to clear obstacles and guard their escape route, which was equally crucial.

Silver Wolf and Su Qing's operations were going exceptionally smoothly; let's set those aside for now.

The live stream shifted its focus to Kafka's location.

***

***

At the rear courtyard of the auction house, along a corridor.

Kafka had efficiently secured the escape route and found herself momentarily idle.

Suddenly, she spotted a red figure.

It was Himeko.

Kafka quickly intercepted her.

After all they've been through, especially when alone, both women no longer bothered hiding their mutual animosity—it was blatantly evident.

Himeko stood firm and tersely said, "Step aside."

Kafka, of course, wouldn't heed her words. "You're heading to where the Stellarons are stored? Su Qing didn't warn you?"

"She did, but I anticipate chaos there. I'm going to help maintain order."

"I see, how very enthusiastic of you..." Kafka paused momentarily before adding, "...ex-girlfriend."

Whether justified or not, after yesterday's failure, Kafka had developed a newfound resentment towards Himeko.

Naturally, she began to wonder: Could Su Qing's lingering feelings for Himeko from their past relationship be one of the reasons why she rejected me?

[Sparkle: Ah, ex-girlfriends truly serve as convenient scapegoats; everyone loves to vent their grievances on them.]

[Qingque: Ha ha, indeed. It's unavoidable.]

[Stelle: ? Well, now Sister Himeko has become the source of all evil.]

[Himeko: ...Even if they try to blame me, it won't change anything.]

[Himeko: Silver Wolf would still be hopeless without my involvement, and Su Qing would treat Kafka like a daughter regardless of me.]

[Kafka: Heh, ex-girlfriend, huh?]

[Silver Wolf: Heh! Ex-girlfriend!]

[Himeko: ...]

[Himeko understood the reasons behind their resentment towards her, but she still felt somewhat speechless, considering it as undeserved misfortune.]

[At the end of the day, Su Qing's rejection of you both lies with yourselves!]

[Don't always blame everything on the ex-girlfriend!] exclaimed Himeko.

She cast a puzzled glance at Kafka, surmising that something must have occurred between them based on Kafka's demeanor. However, she didn't inquire further, knowing Kafka wouldn't divulge anything anyway.

Hence, Himeko remained silent and continued walking straight ahead.

Thud!

Kafka braced herself against the wall, blocking Himeko's path. "Sorry, this road is closed."

In truth, whether Himeko passed or not was inconsequential; Kafka wouldn't hinder Su Qing's actions. But for some reason, she simply didn't want to let Himeko through.

Himeko looked at the arm barring her way and slowly took a deep breath. She was reaching her limit of patience.

While Kafka harbored resentment towards Himeko, the reverse sentiment from Himeko was even more intense—multiple times stronger!

The root cause of the disruption in her love story, Himeko couldn't help thinking, was indeed Kafka.

If not for her, I would likely be happily enjoying intimate moments with Su Qing right now...

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Himeko felt an overwhelming surge of sadness and anger.

[Kafka: "@Himeko, at the end of the day, Su Qing's rejection is due to your own shortcomings. Don't try to shift the blame, okay?"]

[...Watching the live stream, Himeko feels on the verge of exploding with rage. ??]

[Himeko: "@Kafka, I'm returning those words back to you, verbatim!"]

[Silver Wolf: "Hey, @Kafka @Himeko, can you guys direct some attacks my way too? Getting bored here."]

[Sparkle: "Enjoying it."]

With only two people present, managing to remain composed and respond calmly showcased Himeko's remarkable restraint.

Seeing Kafka persistently blocking her path, a cold detachment mixed with contempt gradually surfaced in Himeko's warm golden eyes.

Her tone, markedly different from usual, hardened. "I'll say this once more, get out of my way."

[Stelle: "Sister Himeko's voice sounds so cool and distant!!"]

[March 7th: "That gaze, wow, never seen this side of Sister Himeko before..."]

[Clara: "Big Sister Himeko looks incredibly assertive!"]

[Fu Xuan: "Himeko usually seems very gentle and kind towards Stelle and March 7th, doesn't she?"]

[Stelle, March 7th: Absolutely!]

[Fu Xuan: But when it comes to rivals in love, naturally, things are different.]

Kafka taunted, "Want me out of your way? Then make me."

Without wasting words, Himeko reached out and pushed Kafka's arm aside.

A brief exchange ensued in close-quarters combat.

Kafka gained the upper hand, forcing Himeko back two steps.

"...Speaking of," once steady, Himeko crossed her left arm over her chest while gently smoothing her long red hair with her right hand, "I was officially commissioned to maintain security at this event."

"As for you, you're here as a Stellaron Hunter, aiming to seize the Star Core. If we were to engage, wouldn't that be entirely justified?"

Upon hearing this,

Kafka didn't get angry; instead, she smiled slightly. "Indeed, it seems perfectly reasonable. So much so, even Su Qing couldn't find fault with it."

Anger always seeks an outlet, and their mutual dissatisfaction had reached its boiling point, ready to erupt. Even if they didn't fight now, the confrontation seemed inevitable someday.

[March 7th: Wait, no way! Are they really going to fight?!]

Meanwhile, Su Qing's mission proceeded smoothly, successfully securing the Stellaron.

This was the second Stellaron he had encountered.

Stored within a specially designed container, it appeared well-secured, but Su Qing could sense a peculiar aura slowly emanating from inside. He felt an inexplicable familiarity and a sudden urge to open the container, even experiencing a fleeting desire to claim it for himself...

Shaking his head swiftly, Su Qing dismissed these thoughts.

Unlike the neutralized Stellaron within him, this one brimmed with vitality, its bewitching effect clearly evident.

He carefully stored the container away and proceeded to leave according to their plan.

The escape route had been meticulously planned by Kafka, and given her abilities, there should have been no issues anticipated.

However, just halfway through, Su Qing faintly heard explosions.

What's happening?

Quickening his pace, he reached the backyard and saw amidst the smoke, a purple figure engaged in combat.

Kafka?

Who is she fighting against?

As Su Qing observed closely, another red silhouette came into view.

...Himeko?!

Is Himeko actually fighting Kafka?!

Su Qing's expression instantly became priceless.

[Sparkle: Hahahaha!!]

[Sparkle: ? After waiting so long, this expression is exactly what I wanted to see!!]

Su Qing initially planned to intervene but, glancing at the Stellaron in his hand, hastily stepped back.

Wow, intense.

Their fight was fierce, and if it stimulated the loosely contained Stellaron...

It could potentially blow up the entire Atuin Universal, which would be quite disastrous.

[Sparkle: @Black Swan, I want to witness this moment!]

[Black Swan: This truly cannot happen.]

Fortunately, for now, they were evenly matched with no injuries sustained.

Su Qing observed closely.

Kafka's skills had significantly improved, particularly her mastery of thread manipulation, akin to a spider's web, reaching near-perfect proficiency.

What surprised him even more was Himeko's newfound strength. Her suitcase, besides its storage function, served as her weapon too.

However, compared to Kafka, Himeko seemed slightly weaker in close combat. If this continued, she might start losing ground...

As Su Qing pondered, he noticed Himeko raise her finger, causing the sky to darken abruptly.

He looked up.

The clouds parted, revealing a sudden beam of laser that shot down, striking the ground with a deafening explosion!

A satellite cannon?!

It appeared Himeko had indeed advanced far along the path of science and knowledge.

In a way, seeing their enhanced capabilities brought a sense of satisfaction to Su Qing.

...If only they wouldn't direct this power against each other!

[Seele: Hahahaha.]

[Qingque: Enjoying it, huh?]

[Sparkle: Absolutely thrilled.]

Standing amidst the smoke and debris, Su Qing remained unshaken. However, his expression grew increasingly exasperated yet colorful.

He had shouted several times, but both combatants seemed too engrossed in their battle, as if they couldn't hear him at all.

[Seele: Oh, pretending not to hear now, right?]

[Sparkle: ? They've been itching for a fight for ages.]

[Qingque: Both of them have pent-up anger, and they finally found a suitable excuse. They won't stop until they've fully vented.]

A formidable enemy ahead?

High difficulty simulation?

And that's what you meant?!

Can I get some Stellaron-hunting demons to fight instead?

Even a challenging, straightforward battle would be better than this mess!

Despite experiencing several simulations before, this was Su Qing's first encounter with such a chaotic scenario, leaving him utterly inexperienced.

What should he do in this situation?

This is tough, incredibly tough.

Moreover, choosing a side isn't easy either. In this situation, who should I support?

[Stelle: Choose my mom!]

[Sparkle: Your mom?]

[March 7th: ...Why does it sound like you're cursing someone?]

At that moment,

Silver Wolf approached from the sidelines, munching on potato chips and observing the drama unfold with fascination, occasionally exclaiming in amazement.

Noticing Su Qing turn towards her, Silver Wolf offered the chip bag, "Want some?"

[Herta: Laughed.]

[Bronya: Seriously, @Silver Wolf, what are you doing?!]

[Firefly: Little Silver Wolf always cracks me up.]

[Seele: ?? You're just eating chips and watching at a time like this?]

Seeing Silver Wolf extend the chip bag, Su Qing took one, popping it into his mouth.

As he ate, he asked, "Silver Wolf, they've started fighting. What do you think I should do?"

With an air of casual amusement, Silver Wolf continued snacking, "Just let them fight it out. Once they're done, things will calm down. Besides, trying to stop them now probably won't work."

Advice from Silver Wolf: Sit back and let chaos reign!

Su Qing certainly didn't want to remain indecisive. He considered momentarily whether he could entrust the Stellaron to Silver Wolf first and then intervene to break up their fight.

But they were clashing far too fiercely.

He had a nagging feeling that accidentally siding with one might escalate the conflict even more...

[Sparkle: Le, this is precisely the intrigue of a love triangle situation. No matter which side you choose, it's wrong.]

[March 7th: Then... does that mean choosing both is the only option?]

[Stelle: If you pick one, the other will explode like a bomb.]

[Stelle: So essentially, the conclusion is to embrace both bombs simultaneously, triggering them at once... Are you sure Su Qing can handle that right now?]

[March 7th: Hmm, y-yes, I suppose so.]

Su Qing felt torn for a moment. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

He turned his gaze towards Silver Wolf.

[Kafka: (Immediately sensing something amiss)]

[Himeko: (Likewise detecting trouble brewing)]

Silver Wolf, puzzled, asked, "Huh? Do you want more chips?"

"Just say if you're hungry; how would I know unless you tell me? Why are you staring at me?"

"Uh, speak up! You've been looking at me constantly—is there something on my face?"

Noticing Su Qing's focused gaze, Silver Wolf blushed slightly and started speaking more.

Su Qing stared intently at the little Silver Wolf who had been watching the drama unfold alongside him.

A thought crossed his mind.

He reached a conclusion. At this point, without taking sides between Kafka and Himeko yet still aiming to end their dispute, it seemed there was only one way...

So, Su Qing spoke up, "Apologies, could you help me with something? I'll make it up to you afterward."

"I can certainly assist, but what exactly do you need...?"

"Thank you."

There was no time for further explanation. Su Qing took hold of Silver Wolf's wrist and raised his voice, "Silver Wolf, let's ignore them; you're the best! Come on, we're leaving!"

Taken aback, Silver Wolf exclaimed, "Huh?!?"

With her left hand held by Su Qing, she involuntarily followed him, still clutching potato chips in her right hand. She glanced back at Kafka and Himeko.

Moments ago, Su Qing's attempts had proven futile. But now, his words had an immediate effect.

Kafka and Himeko abruptly ceased their conflict, stopping suddenly and unexpectedly.

The purple thread resembling spider silk in Kafka's hand snapped.

Himeko's satellite cannon, brewing amidst the clouds, went silent.

As if under a body-freezing spell, they seemed immobilized.

Kafka and Himeko turned their heads towards Silver Wolf, their necks twisting at peculiar angles, stiff like marionettes on strings.

Their eyes emitted ominous glows, one purple and one red. It looked almost like special effects, but it wasn't...

At this sight, Silver Wolf instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

How terrifying!

When their gazes met, her back drenched with fear.

I'm gonna die of fright!!!!

Facing two seasoned players head-on, Silver Wolf realized just how perilous the situation was.

On the verge of panic, she glanced back at Su Qing, about to blurt out, "Stop joking, I..."

However, feeling his hand holding hers, Silver Wolf suddenly comprehended something.

Wait, huh? Wait, what?!?!

Silver Wolf's mouth fell open wide, yet she no longer resisted.

Feeling both dazed and incredibly elated, she allowed Su Qing to lead her away, hand-in-hand.

[Kafka: ???]

[Himeko: ???]

[Stelle: Wait! Hold on!]

[Stelle: The faction choice might still have a twist; there's a chance for Silver Wolf to redeem herself!!]

Upon reaching a secluded spot, Su Qing released her hand.

Silver Wolf's heart raced wildly.

Did he choose me?

Su Qing chose me?

She understood that this was to prevent Kafka and Himeko from continuing their fight. However, regardless of the reason, Su Qing genuinely didn't select Kafka or Himeko but picked her instead.

Such a golden opportunity...

Silver Wolf had just experienced another failed confession attempt.

If it were Kafka or Himeko, they would likely feel disheartened and not pursue further action. But Silver Wolf was different.

To her, failing was as commonplace as drinking water. She couldn't even remember how many times she had lost so far.

Wasn't it just one more failed confession? No big deal!

Now, presented with such a promising chance again...

Go for it!

But Silver Wolf gathered her courage and conceived a bold plan.

Su Qing glanced towards the commotion, then sighed with relief. "No more explosions from that direction; they must have stopped."

Turning to face Silver Wolf, Su Qing apologized, "Sorry about that. It was quite sudden, so I just rushed you away without thinking."

"It's okay..." Silver Wolf, head bowed, spoke softly as if feeling very nervous. "Didn't you say you would make it up to me?"

"Of course," Su Qing replied. "Have you decided what you want yet? Just let me know."

Silver Wolf took a deep breath and lifted her head.

It's time for her move!

[Stelle: (gulp)]

[Firefly: (nervous)]

[Bronya: (extremely tense)]

Silver Wolf pulled out a chip from the bag and offered it to Su Qing. "Here."

Confused, Su Qing accepted the chip.

Silver Wolf pointed at it again. "Eat."

Even more puzzled, Su Qing still complied and put the chip in her mouth.

In the next moment,

Silver Wolf suddenly stepped closer, placing both hands on Su Qing's chest, tiptoed, and raised her head.

Thud.

The sound of the potato chip bag slipping from her grasp and falling to the ground.

Crisp crunch.

This was what Su Qing heard amidst the crisp crunching of potato chips in his mouth.

His eyes widened as he saw, mere inches away, the beautiful face of the Silver Wolf with her tightly closed eyes.

He felt the soft sensation against his lips.

A moment stretched in silence.

After several seconds, the Silver Wolf finally released him and took a step back.

Lowering her head, her face flushed red, she quickly ate the half-chip she had snatched from Su Qing's mouth.

Another long pause ensued.

Su Qing wanted to say something, but the Silver Wolf raised her hand, preemptively declaring, "...That's it, this compensation is enough!"

With that, her ears now completely crimson, the Silver Wolf turned abruptly and darted away like a flash.

She ran incredibly fast, even swifter than when they parted at Punklorde, during their emotional farewell on the verge of tears.

Leaving Su Qing alone in place, he unconsciously chewed the remaining chip in his mouth.

Then, he heard the system notification:

[Faction selection completed.]

[Your chosen faction is: Silver Wolf.]

[Kafka: ...]

[Himeko: ...]

[Firefly: ...]

[Stelle: Shocked! Silver Wolf actually didn't lose this time?! A miracle happening back-to-back, one-in-a-thousand chances!]

[Seele: ? Wait, there's a twist.]

[Seele: And it took a complete 360-degree turn, right?!]

[Qingque: So, does this mean Silver Wolf won??]

[Black Swan: ...Yes.]

[In the live stream, an unprecedented explosion of question marks occurred, the most intense and numerous since its inception.]

[Absolute madness!]