Honkai: Star Rail: I Can Fix This Gender-Bent World — Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Incomparable Teacher Dan Heng

Chen led March 7th and Stelle out of their room and into the quiet hotel corridor. He was internally debating the merits of finding breakfast first versus diving straight into their street-level investigation.

Just as he was weighing the options, the sound of steady, unhurried footsteps echoed from the top of the stairs.

Dan Heng’s figure appeared at the turn of the landing. She was dressed in her usual practical attire, her dark hair tied back with careful neatness. Her expression was calm, betraying no hint of fatigue; she looked as if she had just returned from a simple morning stroll.

In her hand, however, she held a leather-bound notebook that looked distinctly aged, along with several folded papers that appeared to be public announcements or flyers.

“Dan Heng? You went out this early?” March 7th asked, his voice filled with surprise.

Dan Heng walked up to the trio and gave a slight nod. “I went to collect some basic information. While there are fewer people out in the early morning, notices posted overnight and the conversations at the start of the morning market often provide the most direct reflection of the current situation.”

She gestured with the notebook and papers in her hand. “I’ve made a preliminary summary of Belobog’s current status, its administrative structure, and recent major events. I also gathered some noteworthy rumors.”

Chen stared at Dan Heng’s “mission already accomplished” demeanor. He then thought back to himself, who just moments ago required head pats and a cheek pinch to recover from a nightmare. He glanced at March 7th, who was rubbing his hands together with the eager posture of someone ready to “start a big project.”

Suddenly, Chen was struck by the distinct feeling of being a slacker who had just pulled out his pencil, only to see the top student already walking up to the front of the class to hand in her completed exam.

As expected of Teacher Dan Heng! he thought in awe. Her focus is always at one hundred percent!

“Uh… Teacher Dan Heng, what did you find out?” March 7th leaned in, his curiosity piqued, trying to get a peek at the notebook in her hand.

“First,” Dan Heng began, her voice a model of concise delivery, “Belobog’s nominal and legal supreme ruler is His Excellency, the Supreme Guardian, Cocolia Rand.”

Chen’s heart gave a slight lurch. So, it’s just as I thought. The Cocolia who was bewitched by the Stellaron is still in power. And in this gender-swapped world, it’s Mr. Cocolia.

“However,” Dan Heng’s tone shifted subtly as she flipped a page in her notes. “According to public information and the veiled discussions among some citizens, the person who has actually been handling a large volume of government affairs in recent years is the heir to the Supreme Guardian, Bronya Rand. He simultaneously exercises the authority of the Silvermane Guards’ commander and is known for his tough style and strict adherence to the principles of Order.”

Indeed, Chen mused, Bronya hasn’t ascended to power yet; he’s still the heir. That matches the plot perfectly. I wonder what this young master’s appearance and personality are like?

“Secondly,” Dan Heng continued, her voice unwavering, “the city suffers from severe class and regional fragmentation. The Overworld, where we are now, houses the administrative agencies, the main military forces, and relatively intact facilities. The Underworld, on the other hand, is a gathering place for miners, old mechanical craftsmen, and the poor. The environment is harsh, and resources are scarce. The official passages to the underground mining areas and the Underworld have been strictly sealed by the Silvermane Guards. Unauthorized passage is forbidden.”

“Sealed…” March 7th’s brow furrowed in concern.

“Yes. But at the same time,” Dan Heng’s tone remained flat, “there are rumors of unofficial routes, usually connected to messengers or merchants who operate in the city’s gray areas.”

“As for the rest… intelligence involving the specific situation of the Underworld and the like,” Dan Heng closed her notebook and shook her head slightly. “It can no longer be found in these public or semi-public places. Deeper intelligence would either require special clearance to access restricted archives, or…”

She lifted her gaze and looked directly at Chen.

“It would require us to enter the Underworld ourselves, or find the people who truly control those unofficial routes.”

She spoke the words with a calm nonchalance, but to Chen’s ears, they landed like a clap of thunder.

In a single morning.

In a strange city, under an oppressive atmosphere with strict information control.

Dan Heng had not only mapped out the supreme power structure but had also figured out the city’s basic divisions, its core conflicts, and even confirmed the existence of back-alley channels.

This efficiency, this information-gathering ability, this calm analysis and synthesis… Chen had to admit to himself, even with his prophetic knowledge of the plot, it would be absolutely impossible for him to systematically and objectively organize these key frameworks in such a short time without exposing himself.

This wasn’t just about her focus being online; this was the caliber of a professional intelligence officer.

“Awe… Awesome, Teacher Dan Heng!” Chen couldn’t help but blurt out, his eyes shining with genuine admiration, tinged with the reverence of a slacker looking up to a genius. “This one morning of yours is worth several days of us running around like headless chickens!”

March 7th nodded vigorously, looking proud by association. “Of course! Dan Heng is the Data Bank expert of our Astral Express Crew! Her recording and analysis skills are top-notch! It was the same in other worlds we’ve visited; she could always figure out the situation the fastest!”

Being praised so bluntly by the two of them, Dan Heng’s face remained impassive. She simply averted her gaze, seemingly unaccustomed to such direct compliments, and added, “It’s just basic information filtering and synthesis. Truly valuable intelligence still requires further verification. Especially regarding the Stellaron; there are currently no direct leads.”

“This is more than enough! The path forward has suddenly become crystal clear!” Chen said excitedly, his mind rapidly integrating the new information. “So, we have several clear objectives now. First, observe the Overworld, especially the movements of that Young Master Bronya and the Silvermane Guards. We need to see if we can discover their deeper understanding of, or response to, the Stellaron and the Fragmentum corrosion. Second, find a ‘ticket’ to the world below and try to get the real story of the Underworld and any possible Stellaron leads from there.”

He looked at Dan Heng. “You mentioned unofficial routes and merchants… Do you think that Big Sis Sampo we met yesterday might be that kind of ticket?”

Dan Heng considered it for a moment before nodding. “The possibility is high. Her behavior is slippery, and she’s clearly familiar with the snowfield environment. It’s evident she has dealings in the gray areas both inside and outside Belobog.” She paused, then glanced at Chen. “And… she seemed to have a deep impression of you.”

Chen’s mouth twitched as he recalled Sampo’s parting threat—”I’ve remembered you”—before she was hauled away. “A deep impression… I really hope it’s not a bad one.”

“Additionally,” Dan Heng reminded him, “Bronya is scheduled to give a public speech today. Perhaps we should go take a look.”

“Young Master Bronya has a public speech today?” Chen’s eyes lit up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

In a public setting, he thought excitedly, I can observe this key figure up close. Maybe I can even find a chance to ‘accidentally’ bump into him and unlock a new entry in my collection!

“Wait,” March 7th scratched his head, a look of confusion on his face. “Chen, since Dan Heng has investigated everything so clearly, why don’t we just find a way to cooperate with Mr. Cocolia? Wouldn’t it be more efficient to tell them about the Stellaron and get the official forces to help?”

The question was direct and perfectly in line with March 7th’s usual Trailblaze logic of seeking cooperation. Even Dan Heng, upon hearing it, turned her gaze toward Chen, clearly pondering the same point. Stelle remained silent, but she, too, looked at Chen for an answer.

Chen knew he couldn’t just say, ‘Because I know from the game’s plot that Cocolia has been bewitched by the Stellaron. Approaching them directly will probably get us arrested as enemies, right?’

His gaze swept over his three companions. Instead of answering March 7th’s question directly, he posed one of his own.

“March, Dan Heng, Stelle… do you trust me?”

He asked it suddenly, his tone tinged with an unexpected solemnity.

March 7th was taken aback. Although he sometimes found Chen’s actions flashy and his thinking a bit strange, he knew that from the Herta Space Station to the frozen plains of this planet, the guy had been reliable when it counted and was completely sincere toward his companions.

He hardly hesitated before nodding. “Of course I trust you! We’re companions!”

Dan Heng was silent for a moment, her analytical gaze fixed on Chen, as if trying to discern some deeper intention in his expression. Finally, she also gave a small, deliberate nod, acknowledging the trust between them.

As for Stelle, her reaction was even simpler. She took a small step forward, closing the distance between herself and Chen, showing her stance with a single, unambiguous action.

Seeing his companions’ reactions, Chen felt a wave of reassurance wash over him, bolstering his confidence. He straightened his back, a knowing, “everything is under control” smile spreading across his face as he patted his chest.

“Then it’s settled! Since you all trust me, just listen to your big bro!” He lowered his voice, adopting the conspiratorial tone of someone sharing a grand secret. “Think about it. Dan Heng said that the divide between the upper and lower levels here is severe, information control is strict, and the official attitude is tough. Our understanding of that Mr. Cocolia and the entire ruling class is limited to surface-level rumors.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “The matter of the Stellaron is no small thing. What if their internal attitudes toward it are inconsistent? Or… what if someone has already been influenced, or even controlled, by an abnormal power? If we show our hand directly, aren’t we just walking into a trap and handing over all the initiative?”

He observed his companions’ thoughtful expressions and pressed his advantage. “So, what we need to do now is observe from the shadows first. We need to figure out the truth and find truly reliable allies and intelligence sources. Once we have enough use—bargaining chips and solid intel—and have confirmed who is a friend and who is a potential danger, then we can consider how to contact the officials, or whether we need to seek help from other forces.”

He finished with a flourish. “This is called… planning before acting! It’s a high-level maneuver!”

The stream of nonsense he had just spouted actually seemed to make a strange sort of sense.

March 7th listened, a bit dazed. Although he found it a little convoluted, the possibilities of “walking into a trap” and “being controlled” did sound quite scary. “That… that seems to make some sense… Chen, you really think about a lot of things.”

Dan Heng, on the other hand, gave Chen a deep, meaningful look and did not refute his argument. Although his explanation carried a distinct personal flair, she recognized the core logic. In a situation with insufficient intelligence, rashly contacting a powerful official with an unknown disposition was indeed an extreme risk.