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

******

Su Qing first checked the results of the Enhanced Simulation.

[Simulation Rating: S+(460)]

[Brief Analysis: Completed Faction Quest +400; Faction Choice +60.]

[Simulation Level: lv4 (840/1200) → lv5 (100/1600)]

[Completing all faction quests, reward received: Advanced Golden Talent.]

[Simulation Level Upgrade Reward: Talent Effect Enhancement (Small+) → Talent Effect Enhancement (Medium)]

[Talent Effect Enhancement (Medium): At the start of each simulation, can moderately or slightly enhance the effect of one talent.]

The faction quests certainly provided a significant amount of points.

However, considering their difficulty, Su Qing felt they should have been rated lower compared to choosing factions.

After all, those four faction tasks were genuinely not challenging. The hardest part was actually making the final choice...

[Sparkle: Joyful.]

[Silver Wolf: My Divine Ascension Battle.?]

[Firefly: Divine Ascension Battle? More like Opportunistic Scavenging!]

Nonetheless, completing all faction quests and obtaining an Advanced Golden Talent was indeed highly valuable.

Su Qing took out the Luck Booster Gum he had earned at the end of the Silver Wolf simulation.

[Luck Booster Gum: Provides luck enhancement until the flavor dissipates.]

He purposely saved selecting his golden talent for before entering a new simulation to share this luck buff.

[Stelle: Steady!]

Su Qing tore open one piece of gum and placed it in his mouth, waiting for the sweetness to spread.

With luck enhancement, it should increase the chances of obtaining a desired talent, right?

Internally, Su Qing silently chanted, "Give me a combat talent, give me a combat talent..."

Then, he proceeded to claim the rewards from the Enhanced Simulation.

A dazzling golden light flashed.

[Stelle: Wow! It's gold-tier!]

[Choose one Talent from the following options:]

[Kill (Golden): Upon killing an enemy, acquire a minuscule portion of their strength.]

[Cycle (Golden): After death, retain your consciousness and soul, undergoing reincarnation.]

[Propagation (Golden): Provides strength bonuses based on the number of descendants.]

[Qingque: ???, seems like some truly remarkable talents just popped up!]

[Black Swan: Propagation - everyone knows the potential dangers with this one.]

[Black Swan: However, we can't be sure how closely it resembles Tayzzyronth's effect here.]

[Silver Wolf: The other two are also quite extraordinary; if used properly, they have virtually no upper limit.]

[March 7th: But what Su Qing will choose is pretty evident, isn't it? ~]

Indeed.

Whether by chance or due to the gum, the first option that appeared was exactly what Su Qing most desired.

What could be more suitable for combat than the [Kill] Talent?

Perfect!

He didn't hesitate much. Reincarnation was commendable but progressed too slowly; Propagation, although powerful, clearly wasn't his intended path like that of the Insect Emperor...

The golden talents were obtained after simulations ended, but upon trying them out, he found they could also be strengthened using the previous enhancement opportunities.

Now, he could perform moderate-level enhancements.

[Kill (Golden ++): Upon killing an enemy, acquire a slight portion of their strength.]

From extremely small to slight.

Being a golden talent, even a minor increase in its base effect can lead to significantly greater subsequent results.

It remains uncertain if further strengthening and upgrading might compensate for past missed enhancement opportunities.

Su Qing briefly reviewed the gains from his recent simulations.

[Golden Talent: Kill]

[Purple Talents: Growing Genius, Potential Unleashing Lv.3, Theoretical Deduction Lv.3]

[Blue Talents: Culinary Arts Lv.4, Ether's Friend Lv.3, Photography Lv.2]

[White Talent: Headpat Mastery Lv.2]

[Items: Stellaron, Legendary Demon Hunter Epaulette, Automatic Writing Machine, Luck Booster Gum x2.]

[Silver Wolf: ... Has Su Qing just left the space station? Essentially, exiting the newbie zone, right?]

[Sushang: Already so strong just after leaving the newbie zone!]

Qingque: Currently, his combat strength seems to stem from Potential Unleashing and Ether's Friend. How does that rank roughly?

Kafka: About my level, slightly stronger than Himeko, I'd say.

Himeko: Around my level, but somewhat stronger than Kafka, probably.

Seele: Hmm, why don't you two just have a fight then?

Sparkle: Been there, done that! It even got heated enough for sparks.

Herta: Considering both their credible testimonies, he appears to be slightly stronger than either of them and considerably more powerful than Silver Wolf.

Silver Wolf: Are you looking for a fight? Just tell me straight, is it?!

Herta: Yes, indeed.

Firefly: Ha ha ha ha, how honest!

Herta: Based on my assessment, Su Qing currently stands just below Emanator level, with ordinary star-level capabilities at best.

Topaz: "Just below Emanator level," huh?

Qingque: "Ordinary star-level capabilities," really?

Stelle: Ah? About me? Well, that's quite flattering. ?

Seele: Wow, they're not holding back with the compliments today!

Bronya: It feels like Su Qing could now walk fearlessly through Belobog...

Firefly: Achieving this level right after leaving the newbie zone? The future truly looks bright for him!

For the first time, a golden notification appeared.

Su Qing glanced at it twice, captivated by its shimmering glow—it was visually pleasing.

Silver Wolf: I get it!

Stelle: Me too!

Next, Su Qing examined the details of this simulation.

[Current Simulation Location: Xianzhou Luofu.]

[Overview: Luofu is one of the six flagship vessels of the Xianzhou Alliance. It sails through the boundless starry sea like an unstoppable divine arrow, aimed at the eternal foe of The Hunt.]

[Main Quest: Slay the Abominations.]

Seeing the main quest, Su Qing felt a surge of excitement.

Perfect!

This is exactly what I love! It's high time for something akin to demon hunting, with thrilling combat!

As the sweetness of his chewing gum faded, he continued to chew until it returned, then selected his talents while silently repeating in his mind: Give me some ranged attack capabilities, give me some ranged attack capabilities...

[Sword Control Art (Purple): You can nurture a sword with your divine sense, enabling you to command it remotely. Whether soaring through the air or striking enemies from afar, its applications are limitless.]

[Indestructible Golden Body (Purple): You have a natural aptitude for cultivating defensive techniques. Any abilities involving enhanced defense yield twice the results with half the effort.]

[Rapid Movement (Blue): Your strides become swift as flight, significantly increasing your movement speed.]

[Memory Palace (Blue): You can store memories within an expansive palace in your mind, safeguarding them against deterioration.]

[Portents (White): Left eye twitching brings fortune, right eye twitching foretells disaster—these words consistently prove true for you.]

[Longevity (White): You are guaranteed to live for one hundred years.]

[Qingque: Uh, every time with these final white-tier talents, there's always something amusing to comment on.]

[Sparkle: Joy, if you're annoyed with any Xianzhou person, just wish them 'longevity'.]

[Tingyun: That's quite a biting remark.]

[Tingyun: Even as a humble maiden, I have a lifespan of three hundred years. Once my work is done, I plan to fully enjoy the world's wonders.]

[March 7th: ...Miss Tingyun, please stop tempting fate!]

Su Qing examined the purple-tier talents.

Both options were appealing; it would be great if he could choose both swiftly.

As for which one to pick...

There was little doubt.

What he currently lacked most was long-range attack capabilities.

Ether Editing could only compensate to some extent; facing enemies with flight abilities still posed significant challenges.

Moreover!

Sword Control Art—ah!

Even without a fervent fantasy for being a cultivator hero, Su Qing couldn't resist the allure of flying on a sword and striking enemies from mid-air.

[Sushang: Strength may fade, but style lasts a lifetime! I also want to learn Sword Control Art!]

[Qingque: hhh indeed.]

[Seele: So this Luck Booster Gum really grants whatever you wish for, like making dreams come true?]

[March 7th: Is it truly that effective?]

[Silver Wolf: I can only say, my prestige keeps rising.?]

[Stelle: Oh great Silver Wolf-sama! Please show mercy and bestow upon me some Luck Booster Gum!]

[Silver Wolf: If I had any, I'd have eaten them long ago; there are still over a dozen gacha games I haven't tried...]

[Stelle: Hmph, never mind then. Useless little Silver Wolf.]

[Silver Wolf: ???, How mercenary of you!]

[Sparkle: Ha! From mighty Silver Wolf-sama to mere little Silver Wolf.]

Su Qing proceeded to enhance his skill.

[Sword Control Art (Purple++): By nurturing your sword with divine sense, you can control it through qi manipulation. Whether soaring through the air or striking enemies from afar, its applications are boundless.]

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the difference:

It changed from "control by finger" to "control by qi."

While unsure of the exact effect, given the moderate enhancement, it should be quite impressive.

Regarding the blue-tier talents, at first glance, Su Qing leaned towards Quickstep, feeling that Memory Palace might not be as useful.

Upon further reflection and realizing the significance of the Memory Palace, Su Qing instantly changed his mind.

[Fu Xuan: Blue-White Talent, seemingly ordinary. However, in the right context, it rivals even Golden Talents.]

[Fu Xuan: This Memory Palace is likely one of the most desired talents among all Xianzhou inhabitants.]

[Qingque: Indeed.]

[Yukong: Indeed. +1]

[Jingliu: Indeed. +2]

[Bailu: Even I am envious! Su Qing has way too many incredible treasures!]

Su Qing proceeded to enhance the talent:

[Memory Palace (Blue+): You can store memories within an infinite palace in your mind, protecting them from deterioration.]

The scope transformed from vast to truly limitless.

Wow, now that's unbeatable!

Sometimes, Blue-White Talents can indeed be extraordinary; he'd need to keep a closer eye on such possibilities in the future.

Next, Su Qing swapped the moderate and minor enhancement effects between purple and blue talents. After confirming the current selection as optimal, he finalized his choices.

[Stelle: So steady, unbelievably steady!!]

Finally, there was the matter of items.

Initially, Su Qing intended to hold the Legendary Demon Hunter Epaulette to see if he could bring it into the upcoming simulation.

However, he noticed a window similar to an equipment inventory popping up before him.

By equipping items here, their effects would persist continuously, and they could be carried both within and outside simulations.

This was highly convenient.

Su Qing equipped the Legendary Demon Hunter Epaulette, causing the physical item in his hand to vanish. In its place, a gleaming epaulette appeared in the accessories slot.

It granted him the effect of "[Causes 40% increased damage against demons, abominations, and similar creatures, along with providing intimidation]."

He spat out the now flavorless gum, having completed all preparations.

Closing his eyes,

countless worlds flashed before him, and finally, everything halted on an imposing interstellar giant ship.

The simulation began.

[Age 0: You are born, and your name is Su Xun.]

[Age 10: Gifted with exceptional intelligence and striking appearance, you become renowned as a prodigy far and wide.]

[Age 50: Developing an interest in swordsmanship, without any formal training, you intuitively begin nurturing a treasured sword using your divine sense.]

[Seele: Wow, the time scale just jumped drastically!]

[Himeko: This is typical for Xianzhou people; after all, Qingque is already over two hundred years old.]

[Qingque: Heh heh (scratching head), I'm still quite young.]

[Qingque: Actually, dividing their ages by 10 gives you a rough estimate.]

[Age 52: You successfully nurture your first longsword.]

[In your first attempt, despite it being made of ordinary iron, witnessing it wobble unsteadily like a baby taking its first steps, flying under your control, fills you with immense excitement.]

[At 80 years old, you have largely mastered the Sword Control Art.]

[At 100 years old, a century has swiftly passed but hasn't significantly affected you.]

[Apart from the Memory Palace's influence, the external environment also plays a role. On Xianzhou, adulthood is reached at two hundred years, giving everyone a broader perception of time.]

[At 150 years old, your proficiency with the Sword Control Art continues to improve.]

[One day, feeling inspired, you begin attempting to combine Ether Editing techniques with the Sword Control Art.]

[Your sword movements become even more fluid and unpredictable, baffling observers.]

[Imagine if, mid-flight, a flying sword suddenly vanished and reappeared elsewhere—it would be virtually impossible to defend against.]

[Stelle: Wow! An Ether Sword Immortal!]

[Silver Wolf: Ancient meets modern—Sword Control fused with hacking skills.]

[Silver Wolf: How trendy! Wait, my arthritis might flare up now!]

[Bailu: Ah? @Silver Wolf, whenever you're free, I can help treat it for you.]

[March 7th: @Bailu, here "arthritis" is just a metaphor, you know.]

[Natasha (smiling): Indeed, age scales on Xianzhou need some adjustment.]

[Natasha: Bailu must be several hundred years old too, but to me, she's just as adorable as a young maiden.]

[At age 200, you passed the test and joined the Cloud Knights.]

[Driven by your desire to slay abominations and achieve greatness,]

[whether it was good fortune or not, opportunity struck right after becoming a Cloud Knight.]

[Your first mission is to support Cang City.]

[Livestrong Planet, corrupted by Rahu, threatens Cang City with imminent peril.]

[Qingque: This luck is undeniably terrible!!!]

[Indeed, your luck seems rather unfortunate.]

[You observe the scene before you.]

[A bizarre tree bearing a thousand faces, each trapped within its depths, passes directly in front of you.]

[March 7th: Yuck! How disgusting, what is that thing?]

[Fu Xuan: ...Shuhu, the Abundance Emanator—the mastermind behind awakening Livestrong Planet.]

[March 7th: Huh?? What??]

[Silver Wolf: Encountering the boss at the door, huh?]

[Silver Wolf: Well, that's it. We're probably going straight back to square one now.]

[Stelle: Su Qing—no way! I'm actually fighting Shuhu?]

[Seele: We just entered the simulation; there's no chance we can take it on!]

["You've arrived as backup, and at this moment, Shuhu's target is not you.]

["Just ahead, two sisters with strikingly similar features sit slumped nearby.]

["The vines of that eerie tree are writhing, extending towards the one who appears to be the elder sister.]

["In this instant, your insides feel like they're boiling, as if fully ripened grains within you are about to burst forth from their husks.]

["Golden tendrils seem poised to endlessly sprout from your mouth, nose, and every orifice. With even the slightest lapse, you risk being assimilated by the colossal tree before you."]

["This phenomenon isn't exclusive to you alone."]

["On the other side of the battlefield, unnoticed amidst the rubble, a trembling girl with long white hair gazes in your direction, experiencing the same sensations."]

["Before the Abundance Emanator, both you and she, along with all the others still alive—as well as those already consumed by Shuhu, becoming part of its myriad faces—are mere ephemeral creatures."]

[As a member of the aerial cavalry, duty called you forth. Ultimately, you stepped forward, shielding the sisters.]

[Your movement created a brief respite amidst the tense atmosphere.]

[The white-haired girl observing from afar seized this moment to catch her breath heavily.]

[Grasping the longsword at her side, the discomfort from her activated powers eased slightly.]

[Jingliu: ...]

[To Shuhu, it mattered little whom it devoured first.]

[Seemingly finding amusement in the situation, it cackled eerily and extended its vines toward you.]

[A sickly sweet illusion assailed you, loudly proclaiming dreams of eternal life...]

[A colossal, blazing sword descended from the sky, severing the vines and shattering the illusion.]

[Lifting your head, you recognized the wielder as General Teng Xiao of Luofu, who had also come to aid Cang City.]

[Unable to participate directly in such a fierce battle, you swiftly helped the fallen sisters up and led them away from the battlefield.]

[Hanya looked at her sister, both silently recalling this shared past.]

March 7th (sighs with relief): Whew! That was close—almost thought it was game over right at the start!

March 7th: By the way, who is this General Teng Xiao?

Fu Xuan: He's the former general of Luofu, Jing Yuan's predecessor.

March 7th: Ohhh! Got it, got it!

[Cang City's incident has left an indelible impression on you.]

[Having confronted such an aberrant Abundance Emanator, you now understand that these beings can only be termed as vile creatures; seeking longevity from them is utterly misguided.]

[Meanwhile, your performance during the Cang City crisis caught General Teng Xiao's attention, leading to a slight acceleration in your promotion trajectory.]

[As time flows like water...]

[With your extended lifespan, your perception of time changes significantly. Everything seems both swift and yet drawn out.]

[Swift, because moments fly by in the blink of an eye—hundreds of years pass hastily with just a snap of fingers.]

[Slow, because internally and externally, you remain largely unchanged; time leaves no discernible marks upon you.]

[As part of Luofu's aerial cavalry, you inherently bear the responsibility of combating vile entities.]

[Moreover, having mastered the exhilaration of combat, each golden Talent kill brings growth that becomes truly addictive.]

[Consequently, you frequently engage in prolonged campaigns, to the point where some colleagues jest that compared to Luofu, you embody the spirit of the Yaoqing Immortal Boat more closely.]

[Time passes swiftly, not only increasing your strength but also elevating your status within the Luofu aerial cavalry, garnering greater respect from General Teng Xiao.]

[Stelle: This wave really boosts your power significantly.]

[Stelle: @Herta, approximately how strong is Su Qing now?]

[Herta: ?, Am I your combat evaluator now?]

[Stelle: Ha ha, you're well-informed; give us your take, won't you?]

[Herta: Hard to say, it depends on his future performance and achievements.]

One day, news spread about a competition to determine the next Sword Leader of Luofu from among several candidates.

However, according to the duty roster, today was also your scheduled patrol day.

After some thought, you decide:

[A. Stick to your shift and lead the patrol.]

[B. Take leave, go watch the Sword Leader competition, and join the excitement.]

[C. Take leave, stay home resting, and indulge—after years of warfare, why not enjoy some leisure?]

[D. Take leave, but conduct a solo hunt, periodically patrolling Luofu for any Abundant fiends.]

[Silver Wolf: Alright.]

[Silver Wolf: As the S1 season champion, let me analyze this for everyone.]

[Silver Wolf: Since it's a Jingliu simulation, option B is clearly the choice here, right?]