Gu Fan slowly opened his eyes. Before him stretched a wide corridor, its walls gleaming with the cold luster of inorganic metal. Accompanied by the rhythmic tapping of what sounded like high heels, the scene gradually shifted in Gu Fan's vision.
He was a corporate slave who enjoyed reading history and watching educational videos in his spare time. One day after working overtime, he returned home intending to rest, but then remembered that Star Rail had just updated to version 2.0. He'd been wondering whether Ying was actually Sam—how could he not play?
Of course he had to!
Gu Fan unhesitatingly launched the game and played until Sam appeared. The dialogue hinted that the character was about to reveal their true identity. Gu Fan was so excited his hands trembled. But in the next moment, he opened his eyes to find himself in this inexplicable place.
Having read numerous web novels, and considering the circumstances, he had a vague suspicion.
I must be in the Belobog Space Station from Star Rail. This architectural style is familiar.
A "ding~" sounded in Gu Fan's mind.
[System main module loading complete. Host only needs to cause emotional fluctuations in targets to obtain emotion points, which can be exchanged for various rewards]
What emotional fluctuations?
Gu Fan thought instinctively.
[As the name suggests, whenever the host causes emotional fluctuations in target characters, you'll receive emotion points up to the limit. The greater the fluctuation, the higher the emotion points gained]
First tell me, have I transmigrated into Honkai: Star Rail?
[I don't understand your meaning]
Probably a native system, Gu Fan pondered briefly before asking mentally: What year of the Amber Era is it now?
[Era 2157]
Alright. He thought, he really had transmigrated into the world of Honkai: Star Rail.
Gu Fan observed carefully. The surroundings continued to move past him, and the clicking of high heels persisted.
There was also a faint scent of spider lilies. Somehow, it reminded him of Kafka.
"Emotional fluctuation" seemed too broad a term. He asked internally, For example, if I make Kafka weep bitterly, would that count as an emotional fluctuation?
[More or less. The greater the ripples produced in the target's heart, the more emotion points you'll harvest]
Gu Fan fell silent for a moment. This feels a bit like emotional manipulation. Making me toy with their feelings—isn't that being a scumbag? I, Gu Fan, am a man of integrity!
[If the host is concerned, you may uninstall the system. The system will then self-destruct, and the resulting energy can send the host back home]
You're actually pretty reasonable.
[The host is my everything. Without the host, I am nothing]
Alright, alright. Gu Fan stopped the system's flattery.
Going back was impossible. He was unattached anyway, and hadn't even met Ying, Mommy Kafka, Jing Liu, Fu Xuan... How could he return now?
Besides, he knew the plot of Star Rail like the back of his hand. Stirring up characters' emotions would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?
But, system, I'm just a weakling right now! I have the will but not the strength to do anything. You can help me improve my abilities, right?
[Yes, host can enhance abilities by drawing rewards with emotion points]
Gu Fan felt relieved. Though not shown in Star Rail's storyline, some powerful characters were capable of destroying stars according to the lore. Stirring up characters' emotions wasn't difficult, but if he accidentally touched what the system called a target's "reverse scale" without the power to protect himself, he would be in danger.
As the background continued to recede, Gu Fan finally realized he was being dragged by something.
"Why are you bringing him? Couldn't you just leave him lying there?"
A voice from behind interrupted Gu Fan's thoughts. He shuddered—the voice was familiar, yet he couldn't immediately recall its owner.
"These are Aeolus's instructions."
Another cool voice reached his ears. It was a voice etched into Gu Fan's bones, into the depths of his soul, like the first cry he made when he entered the world.
Gu Fan slowly turned his head. A round, continuously moving drum came into view.
It was the owner of this drum who had grabbed him by the collar, dragging him across the floor.
Through this drum, Gu Fan could already identify the person, but he still looked up for confirmation. The upper body was covered by a coat, though Gu Fan could only see the back portion of it.
Through this coat, he could finally confirm. How could he forget that woman's back, which he had stared at for who knows how long?
"Mom?" The sound echoed repeatedly in the vast Belobog Space Station, exceptionally clear.
Kafka stopped and turned her head. A pair of large eyes with purple contacts revealed surprise as she looked down at Gu Fan sitting on the ground.
"Congratulations on having a son?" Silver Wolf stood beside Kafka, showing a mischievous smile.
Gu Fan looked up at Kafka, whose frown deepened. Her exquisite, pretty face was identical to the one in his memory. He swallowed and stood up.
"Mom..." Gu Fan said instinctively.
Kafka's frown deepened, while Silver Wolf beside her was almost unable to hold back her laughter.
Gu Fan coughed lightly a couple of times, became serious, and asked, "Kafka, Silver Wolf, are you two on your way to find the Stellaron?"
As a game player, Gu Fan knew what they were up to just by seeing the environment. They were looking for the Stellaron hidden in the Belobog Space Station to "print out" Star Rail's protagonist.
As soon as he said this, both women became alert.
Silver Wolf said, "Didn't you say Aeolus asked you to bring him?"
Kafka said, "Aeolus only told me to bring him, not whether he's friend or foe."
Silver Wolf said, "So this is the leader of our Stellaron Hunters—'Slave to Fate' Aeolus? I think 'Riddler' would be more fitting."
Gu Fan cleared his throat again and became serious. All members of the Stellaron Hunters were his favorites. Being seen as mentally challenged by them would mean losing his right to choose a partner. Moreover, if Sam really was Stelle, then he would pledge unwavering loyalty to Aeolus!
Ying, my precious Ying, wuwu—wait for me. When I reach Penacony, I'll definitely cure your Entropy Erosion. Gu Fan thought.
He snapped back to reality and explained to the two Stellaron Hunters, "Don't worry, I'm your friend."
"How do you know what we're doing?" Kafka frowned and questioned.
"Well..." Gu Fan found it difficult to answer.
The previously quiet space suddenly rustled with activity as several bizarrely shaped humanoid creatures surrounded them.
They wore shiny black tight-fitting armor—Voidrangers from the Antimatter Legion. They attacked aggressively, believing they had the advantage.
Gu Fan retreated to a corner. He had no combat power at the moment, so he wouldn't interfere with the Stellaron Hunters' performance. The Stellaron Hunter members ranked among the top experts in the entire universe.
They dispatched the Voidrangers in just a few moves.
"With the two of you by my side, why should I fear having nowhere to stand in this vast universe?" Gu Fan approached them with measured steps and smiled.
Silver Wolf burst into laughter; the phrase seemed to have hit her funny bone. Kafka sighed, shook her head, and walked ahead.
"My lord, this way please." Silver Wolf urged with giggles.
Gu Fan followed behind them, passing through several corners. Before long, they entered a spacious room filled with monitors hanging on the walls and covering the tables.
Kafka and Silver Wolf began discussing where the Stellaron might be hidden.
Gu Fan, knowing the plot, decided to be more cautious after the previous lesson to avoid raising their suspicions.
He took a fresh look at Kafka and Silver Wolf before him. Seeing them in person, their beauty had a suffocating effect on him that was no small matter.
Kafka's purple high ponytail hung down to her fair neck. She had a tall, straight figure. Her tight white shirt wrapped her upper body in rounded fullness. A coat with spider patterns was draped over her back.
Silver Wolf, on the other hand, was petite, reaching only to Kafka's shoulder. Her spiral-shaped ponytail was tied at the root with a black band. She wore a half-jacket on her upper body, revealing a fair, slender waist and a small navel. A band-aid was stuck near her tailbone, constantly drawing Gu Fan's gaze.
Kafka glanced back at Gu Fan briefly before quickly looking away.
Gu Fan turned to observe the room. He had seen it briefly while playing the game but didn't have much impression of it. The details of the room reinforced his sense that he had truly transmigrated into the Star Rail world.
The twenty-inch displays hanging on the wall were turned off. Their black screens were covered with a layer of dust, yet still reflected Gu Fan's face like mirrors.
The face on the screen showed that Gu Fan was a young man with very distinguished features, handsome even in the world of Star Rail filled with beautiful men and women.
This isn't me. Gu Fan thought silently. He touched his chin. The face was handsome, bearing some resemblance to his real self.
He had played Star Rail up to version 2.0 but had never seen such a character.
"Are you coming?" Kafka said.
Kafka and Silver Wolf had solved the puzzle and found the location of the Stellaron. They stood at a spatial transfer portal, looking back at Gu Fan.
He shook off these meaningless, chaotic thoughts and walked to Kafka and Silver Wolf's side. They touched the spatial transfer portal together and teleported to the room where the game's protagonist was located.
This room was smaller, with a large door at the front.
From the center of the ceiling extended a square pillar as thick as a thousand-year-old tree. Below it was a light sphere the size of a baby's head, emitting a pale yellow glow.
The sphere was wrapped in silver-white mist, seemingly protecting the light sphere in the center from outside contact.
Kafka and Silver Wolf were trying to figure out how to remove the mist.
[Lottery module loading complete]
Classic lottery? Gu Fan thought. Since he couldn't speak up to remind them, he began studying this newly loaded module.
Hmm... one lottery draw costs 100 points. Various types of prizes available.
Anti-Entropy Potion (Can reverse lost entropy information. Prohibited for non-entropy erosion patients)
Nidhogg's Inhibitor (Suppresses the Xianzhou disease—Nidhogg—for one hundred years)
Consciousness Manipulation APP (Can manipulate target's memories and cognition. Must be installed on phone to activate. Target must stare at phone screen for more than five seconds. Recommended for use when target attempts to rob host; suddenly present it)
Automatic Sleeping Needle (Puts an unguarded person within a hundred-meter range into a sleeping state. Recovers after one hour. Target remembers nothing during the period. Recommended for use before battle or when escaping after defeat. If target is fully alert, chances of success are slim)
Thought-Stopping Pocket Watch (Stops target's time for one hour, but no harm can be inflicted on target during this period)
Hmm... Gu Fan pondered.
[Task module loading complete]
[Currently searching for target]
What does that mean?
[System will set emotion point tasks of certain values for host. Complete the task by harvesting more than sixty percent of the target character's emotion points within a time limit]
The system was still searching for the target, these words flashing continuously on the system screen.
Is the target you're looking for nearby?
[Yes, host]
Hmm, Gu Fan continued to ask: By the way, what happens if I don't receive the required emotion points?
[Task failure will result in host being sent home immediately]
What?
[Task failure will result in host being sent home immediately]
Wait, I haven't done anything yet.
[Thank you for your understanding, host. However, once the target is found, the task is considered to have begun. If the task fails, the system will automatically send the host home]
Let me try first. Surely you won't give me a target that's too difficult right off the bat?
[This is a foundational design. I don't know the specifics either]
After completing the task, will the target remain fixed?
[After task completion, the target will change]
That makes sense, Gu Fan nodded.
"Don't hesitate anymore," Silver Wolf said. "Decide on the gender."
"Hmm... Aeolus said this gender would change many things." Kafka said.
[Task target character found]
The system screen flickered, showing a pixelated figure swinging a pickaxe in a cave.
Please let it be Silver Wolf, Gu Fan couldn't help but pray.
Stirring up Kafka's emotions? He felt his skill level was no match for "Mom." From Kafka's face, he couldn't discern what she was thinking. Mom, I really can't tell.
Silver Wolf would be easier. Tell a few jokes about Serval, find time to play games together, and stir up emotions casually. If all else failed, once the protagonist was printed, he could stubbornly stick with Silver Wolf and retreat with the two of them, then think of something else...
[Task target: Stelle/Caelus]
End of chapter