Honkai Star Rail: I Played the Villain, Now the Heroines Want Revenge — Chapter 232

Chapter 232: The Fourth Simulation Ends

You looked at everyone before you.

Your younger sisters, Jiang Li and Neergul, were crying their eyes out, clinging to you as if you were a ghost.

Firefly’s eyes were red-rimmed, her smile watery but bright.

Feixiao was stubborn but soft-hearted, her punch still stinging your shoulder, but her hand now tightly gripping your arm.

Silver Wolf was sulking, her back turned, but she hadn’t moved away from the group hug.

Stelle was secretly wiping away tears, her expression a painful, beautiful mess of emotions.

And there were Kafka and Blade, watching from the doorway, the closest thing to parents you’d ever had in this life.

They were all your family, whom you were willing to sacrifice everything to protect.

You gently released Jiang Li from your embrace and showed everyone a smile.

In that smile, there was no longer the divine, cold indifference of “Gui Zhong.”

There was no longer the burning, all-consuming anger of a man bearing a blood feud.

There was only the warmth of Orion, as a human being.

“I’m back.”

You were back.

With your return as “Orion,” the divine position of “Gui Zhong,” the Path of the End, completely dissipated.

You had ended all the Aeons in the universe, and you had also, finally, ended yourself.

In this universe, there were no longer any high and mighty gods.

And there would be none hereafter.

An era belonging to mortals, to life itself, had officially begun.

Without the Aeons, Elio’s script, which spanned several eras, finally drew to a close.

After that, he found you. The small black cat simply appeared in your room one day.

He told you that his mission was complete. The future he had scripted, a future free from the tyranny of preordained godly Paths, had been achieved.

Thus, with everyone as witnesses, Elio officially abdicated.

He handed over the Stellaron Hunters organization, along with its network, its secrets, and this ship, entirely to you.

And the Stellaron Hunters, under your leadership, officially transformed.

It became the “Galactic General Store.”

It began to accept commissions from all corners of the universe, collecting Rewards and helping those in need, but on your terms.

Blade, upon learning that you had lost the “Gui Zhong” authority that could grant him the true death he craved, remained silent for a long time.

He simply sat on the edge of the hangar, staring into space for three days.

But in the end, he seemed to have seen through life and death.

Perhaps the long, long wait had eroded his obsession, or perhaps this new world without Aeons showed him other possibilities.

He no longer sought death.

He chose to carry his sword and embark on an endless cosmic wandering alone.

He said he wanted to see this new era you had created with his own eyes.

You didn’t stop him.

The remaining people stayed.

Kafka, Firefly, Silver Wolf, Stelle.

And your younger sister Jiang Li, and your close friends Neergul and Feixiao.

They became the initial and core members of the Galactic General Store.

Together, you truly turned this ship into a “home.”

Life found a new, happy rhythm.

Silver Wolf could finally drag you into that overdue online match.

“No way! You totally cheated!” she shouted, throwing her controller at the sofa after you beat her final pokemon. “My setup was perfect! How did you predict my switch?!”

You just smiled and ruffled her hair. “A true master never reveals his secrets. Now, about that shiny Dratini…”

“In your dreams! Rematch! Now!”

Firefly and Neergul often took over the ship’s navigation.

“Orion, look!” Firefly called you over, pointing at a star chart. “This nebula just formed. The data says it’s full of crystalline butterflies.”

“But,” Neergul added shyly, pointing to another coordinate, “this one is at the very edge of the universe. They say you can see the aurora of a new-born reality.”

You looked at their eager faces. “Alright. We’ll flip a coin for the butterflies, but we’re definitely going to the edge of the universe.”

Feixiao and Stelle would often fight over the last piece of dessert, their old-life rivalry now a daily, petty squabble.

“I claimed it! My name is literally ‘Stelle’!”

“I’m older, and I’m a General. Respect your elders, child.”

“You’re not my general!”

They would glare, until Kafka, unable to stand it anymore, would walk over, chop both of them lightly on the head, and take the cake for herself.

“If you can’t share, no one gets it.”

“Kafka!” they’d both whine in unison.

And you, with Jiang Li, would sit by the ship’s main porthole, just as you had many, many years ago when you were still squeezed onto that small, cramped merchant ship.

You’d quietly watch the galaxy flow past the window.

“Brother,” she’d murmur, leaning her head on your shoulder.

“Hm?”

“It’s peaceful.”

“Yeah,” you’d reply, closing your eyes. “It is.”

You argued, you laughed, you performed missions together, and you celebrated your returns together.

In this new world without Aeons, you managed this general store and protected this warm, chaotic, and precious home.

Past hatreds had faded away with the end of the old era.

All that remained was a peaceful yet happy daily life.

Of course, there were… occasional troubles.

After all, you were only one person.

And every girl on this ship who had a deep, complex bond with you wanted to monopolize your time.

A “love triangle” was a vast understatement. It was more of a… love heptagon.

It was inevitable.

“Orion,” Feixiao said, cornering you by the engine room, her arms crossed. “The next commission is a high-risk extraction in a former IPC prison zone. I’ll be your partner. I have the most combat experience.”

Before you could even nod, Stelle slid in front of her, holding a datapad. “Actually, it’s a stealth-op. My ‘talents’ are better suited. I’ve already filed the paperwork. We leave at 0800.”

Feixiao’s eye twitched. “Stealth? You? I’m an ex-General.”

Stelle smirked. “And I’m the one who knows how he fights. Besides, you’d probably just try to blow the place up.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight, ‘Trailblazer’?”

“Maybe I am, ‘General’.”

Whenever this happened, you would escape to your younger sister.

And Jiang Li, who had become the ship’s beloved chief medical officer, was very understanding.

She would appear as if from nowhere, holding a tray with two cups of tea.

She would smile, a pure, angelic smile, and stand in front of you, shielding you.

“I’m sorry, everyone,” she’d say in the softest, most polite tone. “Sister Feixiao, Sister Stelle, you’re working so hard.”

She’d hand them the tea. “But brother just got back from recalibrating the warp drive. He’s a bit tired today and needs to rest.”

The two simmering rivals would instantly deflate, their anger melting.

“Ah… is that so? He should rest.”

“Yeah, he does look tired.”

Jiang Li would turn to you, her eyes sparkling. “Right, brother? You should go rest.”

Looking at your younger sister’s reliable back, you would always let out a sigh of relief.

“Right. Very tired. Thank you, Xiao Li.”

As you made your escape, you’d hear her say, “Now, about that extraction… why don’t we send Firefly? Her recon skills are perfect for this…”

Indeed, it’s good to have a younger sister…

Life continued day by day amidst such noisy, happy commotion.

You finally achieved your initial wish.

To protect the people you loved and live happily with them forever.

[Simulation ended.]

[Calculating rating, rewards…]

Orion opened his eyes.

What met his gaze was the familiar, metallic ceiling of the Astral Express’s guest room.

Outside the window, the boundless, star-filled sea slowly flowed, somewhat similar to the scenery outside the Stellaron Hunters’ starship in the simulation.

It’s here again… this feeling.

The crushing weight of phantom memories. The echoes of a life lived and a love found.

He sat on the edge of the bed for a long time, his head in his hands, before he recovered.

This simulation… it was even more realistic than before.

There were no options, and every choice, big or small, was left to his subconscious.

Moreover, the feelings in the simulation were too real.

That burning hatred for Lan… those years fighting alongside his close friends… the terrifying, cold satisfaction of slaying an Aeon… the decisiveness of ending all gods…

And the girls’ feelings for him… for “Orion”…

Jiang Li…

He shook his head. No, it was just a simulation. He couldn’t get lost in it.

At this moment, the system’s prompt sounded in his mind:

[This simulation’s overall rating: Creator-level!]

[You were born in the Xianzhou, destined for a peaceful life, but your family was destroyed by the attack of the Borisin.]

[To protect your only younger sister, you embarked on a thorny path to power.]

[When your beloved family and friends fell under the merciless arrows of the Aeons, you transformed your immense grief and obsession into the driving force to slay gods.]

[Bearing sins and manipulating schemes, you ultimately ascended from destruction, becoming ‘Gui Zhong,’ who ended everything.]

[You judged The Hunt, condemned Destruction, and ended Abundance… When all Aeons had fallen, you calmly walked towards your own end, only to return to your mortal identity to see the girls you protected with your life.]

[As a villain, you overturned the order of the universe, but your initial and ultimate wish was only to protect your younger sister.]

[Rating reward: Villain Points +3000!]

[Final settlement: This simulation earned a total of 18,500 Villain Points!]

[Current Villain Points: 12,300 + 18,500 = 30,800 points!]

“Another Creator-level…”

Orion understood.

In this simulation, he personally ended the era of gods and ushered in a new era, so this rating was reasonable.

Moreover, 30,800 Villain Points!

This huge sum was enough for him to exchange for any desired entry.

[Based on this simulation’s rating, the host will receive one free permanent exchange opportunity from the initial three talents, and can use Villain Points to exchange for other entries that appeared in this simulation.]

[Do you want to view the reward list and proceed with the exchange now?]

“Exchange!”

[Free entry three-choice-one:]

[1. Mystic Eyes of Death Perception (Red): Your eyes gain the qualification to directly perceive ‘End,’ allowing you to see the predetermined ‘death’ of all things. In your vision, the surface of all ‘mortal things’ (including life, matter, energy shields, barriers, and even concepts like curses or blessings) are covered with crisscrossing black lines. These are not physically existing ‘lines,’ but visual projections of the concept of ‘end’ of things in your eyes. Note: Forcibly comprehending ‘End’ is an unbearable immense burden on the brain. Prolonged or high-intensity use of the Mystic Eyes will have side effects. Also, the Mystic Eyes will be difficult to use when the brain is not fully developed.]

[2. Abundance’s Blessing (Purple): Your body possesses an extremely long lifespan and powerful self-healing abilities…]

[3. Efficient Learning (Blue): Your speed of comprehending new knowledge and skills far surpasses ordinary people…]

“Mystic Eyes of Death Perception…”

The performance of this entry in the simulation could only be described as heaven-defying.

Seeing through the “death” of all things, directly erasing enemies from a conceptual level… even capable of slaying Aeons.

There was no reason not to choose this level of ability.

[Selection confirmed. Red entry 【Mystic Eyes of Death Perception】 has been permanently loaded into the host’s template.]

A sharp, stinging sensation came from his eyes, and Orion squeezed them shut. He felt his vision instantly become incredibly clear, as if he could see through the very essence of all things in the world.

Next, he checked the other available entries for exchange.

[List of exchangeable entries for this simulation:]

[Emanator of Finality (Red)]

[Entry Effect: You are an Emanator walking the Path of ‘Finality.’ Your eyes can glimpse the infinite branches of the future. You can choose the ‘outcome’ you desire from among them and interfere with reality through your actions, causing it to ultimately slide towards the future you have chosen.]

[Villain Points required for exchange: 30,000 points.]

“Interfere… with the future?!”