Honkai: Star Rail: I Can Fix This Gender-Bent World — Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Jarilo-VI

Uncle Himeko’s firm but gentle words brought the great coffee farce to a merciful end. As instructed, everyone returned to their respective seats.

Chen had every intention of needling March 7th a little longer, but a single, pointed glance from Ms. Welt was enough to quell his mischief. He wisely decided to retreat, settling down with a theatrical sigh of obedience.

He ambled toward his seat and found Qiong already sitting quietly by the window, her posture perfect. She was looking at him with those clear, silver eyes of hers, a silent question in her gaze.

“I’ll sit here,” Chen announced, naturally taking the empty spot beside her.

He had just settled in when March 7th bounced over, all traces of his earlier frustration having vanished. The familiar, irrepressible spark had already reignited in his eyes.

He leaned in, looking at Chen conspiratorially. “Hey, Chen! When the Astral Express jumps, I dare you to take the challenge! Try to stay standing without falling over!”

Before Chen could even respond, March 7th barrelled on, the coffee feud completely forgotten. “It’s a traditional Astral Express special feature! Self-proclaimed, of course. The jump shakes the whole carriage like crazy, but if you can manage to stand firm through the entire thing—now that’s impressive! So, how about it? Wanna try? Let’s see who falls first!”

The invitation hung in the air, glittering with a childish sense of adventure. A thrill shot through Chen. The idea of experiencing the Express’s legendary warp jump firsthand was tempting enough, but turning it into a challenge? That sounded like a blast.

He straightened his back, a competitive grin already forming on his lips. But just as he was about to accept, his gaze drifted to Qiong beside him. She sat perfectly still, her hands resting neatly on her knees, her posture a picture of quiet obedience. Her clear, silver eyes, however, held a flicker of confusion as she tried to parse the meaning of a “jump.” She was waiting, trusting, but utterly unprepared for what was to come.

A wave of protectiveness washed over him. Qiong was a newcomer, a blank slate. What if the violent lurch of the jump scared her? What if she couldn’t handle it?

March 7th was a seasoned veteran of these tumbles. Dan Heng certainly didn’t need anyone to worry about him. And Ms. Welt and Uncle Himeko were in a league of their own. That left… Qiong.

Almost instantly, the boyish impulse to accept the challenge died, extinguished by a sudden, sharp sense of responsibility.

He smiled and shook his head at March 7th. “Let’s skip it this time. I’ll stay with Qiong; it’s her first time experiencing this.”

March 7th heard him and let out a small “Oh.” He didn’t insist, however, instead puffing out his chest with renewed determination.

“Fine then! You watch over her, and this handsome guy will demonstrate what it means to be an Un-fallable Tumbler during the jump! Although… well, I haven’t completely succeeded yet, but this time will definitely be the one!”

With that declaration, he spun around. He began scouting for the perfect starting position in the aisle, rubbing his hands together with the focused intensity of a warrior preparing for battle.

Dan Heng, already settled in his seat, merely shook his head at March 7th’s antics before returning his attention to the datapad in his hands. Ms. Welt calmly adjusted her posture, placing her elegant cane beside her seat. At the front of the carriage, Uncle Himeko watched the display with a faint, amused smile playing on his lips, making no move to stop him.

“[Attention all passengers, the jump is about to begin. Please return to your seats, sit tight, and hold on, Pom-Pom!]” the Conductor’s voice chirped over the broadcast, punctuated by his signature verbal tic.

March 7th paid it no mind. He planted his feet in what he clearly believed was an unshakable horse stance right in the middle of the aisle, shadowboxing the air. “Bring it on! This time I’ll definitely—”

“Coordinates locked: Jarilo-VI,” Uncle Himeko’s steady voice announced, cutting clean through March 7th’s boast. “Astral Express, commencing jump.”

“Countdown, five—”

The lights inside the carriage dimmed.

“Four—”

“Three—”

Beside him, Chen felt Qiong’s body tense up. He instinctively reached out and gave her arm a gentle, reassuring pat. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Just hold onto the railing.”

Qiong glanced at him, then nodded, her small hand finding and gripping the nearby handrail.

“Two—”

Even March 7th’s expression had turned serious. He stared intently down the length of the carriage, his body coiled like a spring.

“One.”

BZZZZZZ—!!!

A bone-jarring shudder ripped through the entire carriage without a shred of warning. Outside the viewport, the serene, flowing river of stars twisted into a violently spinning, psychedelic vortex of color.

“Whoa—!!!”

A startled yelp escaped March 7th. His so-called horse stance disintegrated the very instant the first jolt hit. He was thrown completely off balance, tumbling backward with limbs flailing like a marionette with its strings cut. He landed with a solid thump on the aisle carpet, and the continued rocking of the Express sent him rolling another half-turn for good measure.

A sound suspiciously like a choked-off laugh might have come from Dan Heng’s direction, but it was immediately swallowed by the roar of the jump. In stark contrast to March 7th’s chaotic tumble, Dan Heng remained perfectly stable in his seat, as if he were rooted to the very floor of the carriage.

Chen, too, was slammed back against his seat by the sudden, immense force. But he had been ready for it. One hand was clamped firmly onto the handrail, while the other shot out on pure instinct, catching Qiong’s shoulder the moment inertia sent her lurching forward, pressing her safely back into her seat.

The world dissolved into a cacophony of shaking and roaring. Time itself seemed to blur and stretch. The entire process might have only lasted a dozen seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

Finally, the deafening buzz dropped away. The spinning vortex outside the window gradually subsided, the streaks of light coalescing back into the familiar, slowly drifting mix of the cosmos.

Except now, against that backdrop of infinite night, a planet shrouded in white frost and swirling grey clouds hung silently in the center of their view, rotating with a cold, lonely grace.

Jarilo-VI. They had arrived.

Stability returned to the carriage. The lights brightened back to their normal warmth.

“Ouch…” March 7th groaned, peeling himself off the carpet. He rubbed his backside, his expression a dazed mixture of surprise and stubborn pride. “This time… this time the start was just too fierce! Next time, next time I’ll definitely…”

His words trailed off, as he realized no one was paying attention to him anymore.

Uncle Himeko gazed at the planet outside the viewport. “We’ve arrived,” he said, his voice low. “Jarilo-VI…”

Ms. Welt rose from her seat and strode to the window. She stared at the snow-choked world, her eyes deep behind her spectacles. “So, after a millennium… this is what the Eternal Freeze has wrought.”

Dan Heng closed his datapad and joined them, his gaze fixed on the view outside.

Chen let out a long sigh of relief, only now noticing the dull ache in his arm from the strain. He released his grip on the handrail and on Qiong’s shoulder, then turned to her. “Are you alright?”

Qiong shook her head, her complexion already back to normal. In fact, the recent excitement seemed to have lit a new spark in her eyes, making them shine with even more spirit. She gave her shoulders a subtle roll.

Then, as if discovering a fascinating new toy, she looked with pure curiosity at the massive, white planet suspended outside the window.

“Is that… our destination?” she asked softly. There was no fear in her voice, only wonder.

“Mhm.” Chen nodded, his own gaze drawn back to Jarilo-VI.

The frozen planet hung silently in the vast, empty darkness—a thing of stark, desolate beauty, radiating an unspeakable solitude.