Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 83

Chapter 83: That’s It? That’s All You Have?

“That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”

Silver Wolf stared at Stelle, an uncharacteristic look of impatience breaking through her usual deadpan gamer facade.

“Come on, Stelle, hurry up! I want to go to the game world. Speedrun this, let’s go!”

Stelle looked at the hacker’s eager expression and slowly wagged her right index finger back and forth. “I’m afraid that won’t work. First of all, you’re a Stellaron Hunter. You guys are universally wanted criminals. My Star Adventure Group only recruits upstanding citizens with perfectly clean backgrounds! Second, we have to head to the Xianzhou Luofu today. I don’t have the time to babysit you.”

Silver Wolf’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. “Are you serious? Do you really not remember a single thing about us?”

Stelle nodded, her expression the picture of absolute certainty. “That’s right. Why would I? I don’t remember anything before waking up on the Herta Space Station.”

Hearing this, Silver Wolf bit her lip, genuinely troubled.

‘She really doesn’t remember a single pixel of it,’Silver Wolf thought, her mind racing.’What do I do? Do I just dump her whole backstory on her right now?’

But doing that would completely derail Elio’s script. If Stelle learned about her past too early, the timeline would fracture. And if the script was ruined, Elio would absolutely dock her pay. No money meant no new limited-edition figures, no funds to whale for gacha skins, and no top-tier gaming rigs.

It was annoying. So incredibly, frustratingly annoying!

Silver Wolf hesitated, warring with herself. But then, the sheer, obvious temptation of an entirely new, fully immersive game world shattered her resolve.

‘Gaming equipment? I don’t need it! Figures? Trash! Gacha skins? If I can literally step into a real fantasy game world, what use are any of you?!’

Making her decision, Silver Wolf grabbed Stelle’s sleeve. “Come on. Let’s find somewhere quiet. I’ll tell you about your past.”

March 7th, whose ears had perked up the moment the word ‘past’ was mentioned, immediately bounded over. She was incredibly curious about who Stelle used to be. Even with amnesia, Stelle was ridiculously strong. Plus, judging by the hacker’s attitude, the two of them must have been extremely close.

“Stelle, I want to listen too!” March volunteered cheerfully.

Stelle was just about to agree when Silver Wolf yanked her behind her back. The hacker crossed her arms and glared at March, shutting her down instantly. “No way. Stelle wasn’t even supposed to know this yet. I’m sacrificing a lot of my own resources just to tell her. You definitely can’t listen. Let’s go, Stelle.”

Without waiting for an argument, Stelle let herself be dragged toward the lounge car.

Left behind, March puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms in a huff. “What the heck! Why make it so mysterious? Fine, if you won’t let me come, I’ll just interrogate Stelle later!”

The lounge car of the Astral Express functioned as a bar, though it rarely saw any use. The crew was small, and none of them were particularly heavy drinkers. The only permanent fixture was a robotic bartender officially named, and frequently told to, ‘Shut Up’.

The moniker was entirely self-inflicted. The machine simply could not stop talking. No matter who approached the counter, they would inevitably be harassed by its endless chatter until they screamed at it to shut up.

The moment Stelle and Silver Wolf approached the polished mahogany counter, the robot’s optical sensors flared to life.

“Welcome, esteemed passengers, to the lounge! Do you require liquid refreshment? Today’s algorithmic recommendation is the Trailblaze Craft Brew! The Astral Express has arrived at the Xianzhou Luofu, signifying yet another monumental step on the grand path of Trailblaze! Therefore, the Trailblaze Craft Brew is statistically the most appropriate beverage. Shall I pour two glasses of—”

“Shut Up,” Stelle said flatly. “Just bring us two sodas.”

The robot immediately complied, retrieving two chilled bottles from the refrigeration unit, pouring them into finely cut crystal glasses, and sliding them across the counter.

Stelle carried the drinks to a secluded velvet booth. She sat down, fixing Silver Wolf with an expectant stare. “Alright. Talk. Tell me who I was.”

Silver Wolf picked up her glass, took a slow sip of the carbonated drink, and just stared back. Her gaze was intense, unblinking, and entirely silent.

After a full minute, Stelle shifted uncomfortably. “Hurry up and speak. Why are you just staring at me like I’m a loading screen? I’m a normal person, you know!”

Silver Wolf rolled her eyes. “I’m normal too! Look, I’ll just give you the summary. In the past, you were a Stellaron Hunter. You were one of us. Therefore, you are obligated to pull me into your little Adventure Group and take me to the game world.”

Stelle blinked. The silence stretched. “That’s it? That’s all you have? Anything else?”

Silver Wolf’s expression tightened with genuine frustration. “I really can’t tell you the rest. It messes with your future. But I can tell you this: the Stellaron Hunters are on your side. We were comrades. The kind who trusted each other with our lives.”

She leaned forward, a faint smirk playing on her lips. “And back in the day, the two of us used to sneak out in the middle of the night to co-op games. We got caught by Elio a bunch of times and got punished with base cleanup duty. The exact mop you used to scrub the toilets is still sitting in the base’s bathroom.”

Stelle stared at her. For some inexplicable reason, a massive wave of déjà vu washed over her.

Especially the part about the toilet mop.

“Alright, alright,” Stelle sighed, rubbing her temples. “I’ll invite you to the Adventure Group. But listen to me carefully: no doing bad things. If I catch you causing trouble, I will kick you out of the guild without hesitation.”

Silver Wolf practically bounced off the velvet sofa, her eyes sparkling with victory. “Don’t worry, don’t worry! I have strict principles when I play. I’m definitely a good person!”

“Right,” Stelle muttered, pulling up her system interface. She handled the menus and sent the guild invitation.

A sleek, translucent virtual interface materialized in the air directly in front of Silver Wolf. The hacker’s eyes widened, her fingers twitching as she tried to analyze the code structure. “Whoa… interesting. I actually can’t see through the encryption on this thing. This is incredibly high-end tech!”

Without further hesitation, she tapped the [Accept] prompt.

[System Prompt: Silver Wolf has joined the Star Adventure Group.]

Silver Wolf looked up, practically vibrating with impatience. “Can we go to the game world now?”

“Not yet,” Stelle replied, dismissing her interface. “We have to head down to the Xianzhou Luofu first. I’ll take you tonight.”

Silver Wolf pouted, clearly dissatisfied with the delay, but she relented. “Fine. I’ll just wait for you on the Express.”

“That won’t work either,” Stelle shook her head. “There’s a Stellaron outbreak on the Luofu. I highly doubt we’re going to solve it in a few hours.”

“Then I’m coming with you guys,” Silver Wolf declared instantly.

Stelle agreed, and the two left the lounge, making their way back to the main Parlor Car.

The moment they arrived, Silver Wolf claimed the largest sofa. She kicked her boots up onto the coffee table, pulled out her handheld console, and instantly zoned out, treating the Astral Express like her own personal living room.

Himeko watched the wanted criminal make herself at home, then elegantly gestured for Stelle to come over. “Stelle, what exactly is the situation here?”

Stelle spread her hands in a helpless shrug. “She told me I used to be a Stellaron Hunter. She wouldn’t say much else, claiming it would break some script or something. Anyway, I already pulled her into the Adventure Group.”

Seeing Himeko’s slight frown, Stelle quickly added, “Don’t worry. If she tries anything funny, I have the admin rights to kick her out instantly. Besides, it’s not like she can overpower Samuel.”

Himeko considered this, her expression softening. It was true. Stelle was the designated leader of the Adventure Group, holding the highest authority. Ultimately, the rest of them were just adventurers. Only Stelle and Furina were the true ‘heroes’ personally invited by Samuel.

Himeko glanced back at Silver Wolf, whose thumbs were flying across her console in a blur. “So, what is her plan now?”

“She’s getting off the train with us,” Stelle explained. “When we have downtime tonight, I’ll take her to the Source Continent.”

March 7th, who had been lingering nearby, immediately voiced her displeasure. “Ah? She’s coming with us? I don’t really want to travel with her. What if she does something evil behind our backs?”

Before March could even finish her sentence, Silver Wolf’s voice drifted over from the sofa.

“March 7th, right? Come here. Let me show you a top-tier loot drop. I snagged this from the black market—the absolute best camera lens in the universe. Want it?”

March’s indignation evaporated instantly. She drifted toward the sofa, her eyes locked onto the sleek, pristine lens in the hacker’s palm. “No way. Is that a fake?”

Silver Wolf smirked, curling a finger. “Hand over your camera. I’ll install it, and you can see for yourself.”

Still highly suspicious, March slowly handed over her beloved camera. Silver Wolf took it, her fingers moving with terrifying mechanical precision. In less than a minute, the old lens was off, and the new one was locked into place.

“Done. Test it out.”

March lifted the camera to her eye and snapped a test shot of the Parlor Car. The resulting image displayed on the screen made her gasp out loud.

“Oh my gosh! The resolution is insane! It’s so much clearer than my old one! Hehehe~ I’m going to take the best photos with this!”

In less than sixty seconds, March 7th had been completely and utterly bought. In her mind, Silver Wolf had instantly been reclassified as a saint. Anyone willing to hand over such high-end photography gear for free couldn’t possibly be a bad person. Besides, she had only heard Silver Wolf was a wanted criminal; it was all just hearsay anyway!

Dan Heng, who had been quietly observing the exchange from the corner, finally spoke up. “This time… I will stay behind to guard the Express.”

Himeko looked at him, her gaze perceptive, and nodded in agreement. She had long noticed Dan Heng’s deep-seated resistance whenever the Xianzhou Luofu—or any Xianzhou ship—was mentioned. Something dark and heavy tied him to their past. But Himeko didn’t pry. Who aboard the Astral Express didn’t have a mysterious, painful history? If he didn’t want to speak of it, they wouldn’t ask. They only needed to know that he was their companion, their comrade, and their family.

“Understood,” Himeko said softly. “Then Welt, you will lead the trailblazing team this time.”

Welt pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and nodded. However, unlike the quiet thrill he usually felt before an expedition, his demeanor was remarkably calm. Thanks to Samuel, he had already experienced the boundless mysteries of the Source Continent. His innate thirst for adventure had been thoroughly quenched, leaving him far more relaxed about this current mission.

Himeko then called Stelle and March over.

The two girls took a seat next to Silver Wolf, joining Lumine and Hu Tao, who were already crowded around the hacker. March was happily fiddling with her upgraded camera, while the others watched Silver Wolf absolutely dismantle a boss on her screen. Her gaming mechanics were flawless, her reaction times bordering on the inhuman.

Hu Tao and Furina, neither of whom had ever touched a video game in their lives, were completely captivated by the flashing lights and digital carnage.

Hu Tao leaned in, her plum-blossom eyes wide with excitement. “Silver Wolf! Can this Hall Master try playing for a bit?”

Silver Wolf paused her game and looked at the funeral director. “You want to play? Perfect, this game supports local co-op. I’ll pull out another console and carry you.”

Hearing this, Furina practically leaped off the cushions, her hand shooting into the air. “Me too! I demand to participate in this digital theater!”

Silver Wolf casually materialized two more high-end consoles from her inventory, tossed them to the eager girls, and began walking them through the tutorial.

Himeko smiled warmly at the chaotic, lively scene. “March, I see your camera received quite the upgrade.”

March beamed, hugging the device to her chest. “Yeah! I’m going to take so many beautiful pictures for you, Himeko!”

“I look forward to it,” Himeko chuckled. “I plan to have you, Stelle, and Welt head down to the Luofu to investigate. Are you ready?”

Stelle cracked her knuckles. “Always. It’s not a Trailblaze without me.”

“Then you should set off immediately,” Himeko advised, her tone turning serious. “The Stellaron on the Luofu has already ruptured. They will need all the help they can get.”

Hearing the cue, Stelle turned to the sofa. “Silver Wolf, we’re leaving.”

“Yeah, yeah, no rush,” Silver Wolf muttered, her eyes glued to her screen as she guided Hu Tao through a jump puzzle. “We haven’t even docked yet. Let me finish this level.”

“Then at least move your spaceship,” Stelle sighed. “It’s literally blocking the front of the Express.”

Without looking away from her game, Silver Wolf raised her left hand. A holographic Aether keyboard materialized in the air beside her. She typed out a string of commands with one hand in a blur of neon purple light. Outside the window, the sleek Stellaron Hunter ship immediately engaged its autopilot, banking sharply to clear the Express’s flight path.

With the route clear, Pom-Pom engaged the thrusters, and the Astral Express glided toward the massive Xianzhou Luofu.

As they approached the colossal port, Himeko picked up the comms radio. “Luofu control, this is the Astral Express, requesting permission to dock.”

Static hissed over the line before a robotic voice replied. “This is the Luofu’s Exalting Sanctum. Please wait for docking… please wait for docking…”

The automated loop repeated for several minutes. Just as Himeko was about to try a different frequency, Silver Wolf spoke up from the sofa.

“Don’t bother. Exalting Sanctum is currently crawling with Abominations of Abundance. The port staff already evacuated. You won’t reach a single living person on that channel.”

Himeko turned, her brow furrowed. “How do you know that?”

“It’s in the script,” Silver Wolf said nonchalantly, finally powering down her console and slipping it into her jacket. “Just in time. My round is over. Hu Tao, Furina, you two keep practicing. I’ll go open the Jade Gate for us.”

The two gaming novices, currently struggling to make their characters walk in a straight line, nodded absently, completely absorbed in their screens.

Silver Wolf strolled up to the main console beside Himeko. She summoned her Aether keyboard again. Her fingers danced across the hardlight keys, bypassing the Luofu’s formidable firewalls with terrifying ease. A moment later, the massive, ancient Jade Gate in front of the Express slowly groaned open.

Himeko watched the hacker in quiet awe. Silver Wolf’s cyber-warfare capabilities were monstrous. It was no wonder she had managed to clash directly with Herta. If Screwllum hadn’t intervened back then, even Herta wouldn’t have been able to swat Silver Wolf away so easily. To possess such universe-shaking talent at only nineteen years old… she was undeniably a genius. The only reason she wasn’t in the Genius Society was likely because she had zero interest in creating universe-threatening inventions. To Silver Wolf, reality was just a boring waiting room for her next gaming session.

With the Jade Gate forced open, the Express descended into the Luofu’s atmosphere.

In the Parlor Car, Zhongli, Neuvillette, and Venti stood by the reinforced windows, taking in the sheer scale of the Xianzhou ship.

Zhongli’s golden eyes widened slightly, a rare look of genuine astonishment crossing his stoic features. “The scale of this port… it is simply unfathomable.”

Welt stepped up beside him. “The Xianzhou Luofu follows the Aeon of The Hunt. They are a top-tier military power in the universe. Every one of their generals possesses combat power on par with an Emanator., every single Xianzhou ship is the size of a planet—some even exceed the scale of standard terrestrial worlds. The trade volume here is astronomical, which necessitates a port of this magnitude.”

Zhongli nodded slowly, absorbing the information. He had always considered Liyue Harbor to be the pinnacle of maritime commerce. Today, the universe had thoroughly humbled him. His quiet plans for a peaceful retirement suddenly felt premature. Liyue still had an incredibly long way to go before it could stand on a stage like this.

‘Perhaps,’Zhongli mused silently,’I can still fake my death to step behind the scenes, but I must ensure the Qixing are truly prepared for the vastness of what lies beyond our sky.’

Half an hour later, the Express located an empty, automated docking bay and locked into place.

Welt, Stelle, March 7th, and Silver Wolf moved to the airlock.

“Silver Wolf!” Hu Tao called out from the sofa, frantically mashing buttons. “Remember to take me gaming tonight! I’ll be waiting for you in the Source Continent!”

Silver Wolf threw up a casual peace sign. “Sure thing. See you tonight. Oh, and I need to fix the network routing here so we don’t get lag. I’ll set up a LAN first. It’s basic stuff, will only take me a few minutes.”

With that, the four of them stepped off the train and into the sprawling, metallic expanse of Exalting Sanctum.

Zhongli, Neuvillette, and Venti also disembarked, choosing to stroll around the immediate docking perimeter. They had heard Silver Wolf mention a war zone. While all three possessed god-like strength, they were guests in a foreign domain and tacitly agreed to avoid unnecessary entanglements.

Deep within Exalting Sanctum, the atmosphere was suffocatingly grim.

As Stelle’s team advanced, the pristine architecture gave way to a brutal battlefield. The ground was littered with the broken bodies of Cloud Knights and the twisted, vegetative corpses of the Abominations of Abundance. The metallic tang of blood hung heavy in the air.

Because Silver Wolf had delayed their arrival by blocking the Express, the timeline had shifted. They hadn’t arrived in time to save the scattered Cloud Knight patrols. Now, they only encountered roaming packs of Mara-Struck Soldiers.

But before Stelle or Welt could even draw their weapons, Silver Wolf would simply snap her fingers. A pixelated teleportation gate would tear open beneath the Mara-Struck, instantly dumping them into some remote, sealed-off cargo hold on the other side of the ship.

They pushed deeper, scanning for survivors.

Suddenly, a sharp scream pierced the silence.

The team sprinted around a cluster of cargo crates and skidded to a halt. In the center of a plaza, a small squad of battered Cloud Knights was desperately forming a defensive ring around a terrified Foxian woman. Surrounding them was a horde of over a hundred frenzied Mara-Struck Soldiers.

Seeing the trailblazers, the Foxian woman’s ears twitched, and she cried out, “Travelers! Please, lend us your aid!”

Stelle, Welt, and March exchanged a single, decisive glance and charged into the fray.

Silver Wolf, however, casually hopped up onto a nearby shipping crate. She pulled out her console, booted up her game, and completely ignored the battle. The script said they would win, so there was zero reason for her to waste her stamina. Why fight when she could grind levels?

Down in the plaza, Stelle sprinted directly toward a towering Mara-Struck Soldier. She didn’t summon a blade; instead, she gripped her signature baseball bat with both hands.

She swung with bone-shattering kinetic force.

CRACK!

The bat connected with the monster’s torso, sending it flying across the plaza like a cannonball, its life instantly extinguished upon impact. While the Mara-Struck possessed the horrific regenerative blessings of Abundance, that regeneration couldn’t save them if their physical form was obliterated in a single, overwhelming strike.

Stelle smirked, hefting the bat over her shoulder. In the Source Continent, she was restricted to Samuel’s system weapons. But out here in the real universe? Nothing beat the raw, percussive satisfaction of a good, heavy bat.