Honkai Star Rail: I Played the Villain, Now the Heroines Want Revenge — Chapter 233

Chapter 233: Sleepless Night

“Interfere… with the future?!”

Orion’s breath caught. This wasn’t just prediction. This was control.

This was Elio’s ability.

The power to see all scripts and choose the final act.

With this, whether in combat or in strategic planning, he would be invincible.

Thirty thousand Villain Points. It was an astronomical sum, the entirety of his earnings. But it was nothing compared to this ability.

He currently had 30,800 Villain Points. Just enough.

“Redeem!”

[Redemption confirmed, 30,000 Villain Points consumed. Current remaining Villain Points: 800.]

[Red-tier entry 【Emanator of Finality】 has been permanently loaded onto the host’s template.]

The moment the redemption was completed, it felt less like a power-up and more like an ice-cold explosion.

Countless parallel universes seemed to detonate in Orion’s mind.

An infinite stream of future scenes surged in all at once: him walking the halls of the Express, him fighting alongside Stelle on a ship of pure gold, him facing Kafka across a rain-slicked rooftop, him seeing Feixiao again…

But he did not feel chaotic. His mind, now elevated, simply processed. He could clearly distinguish the trajectory of each “world line.”

He saw his upcoming Trailblazing journey with his Astral Express companions, and he also saw the enemies he would encounter in the future.

Orion slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his gaze was filled with a cold, profound understanding.

“So that’s how it is…”

The universe was no longer a mystery. It was a problem with a visible solution.

As the premonition receded, Orion immediately lay back on the bed.

The bed Himeko had prepared for him was surprisingly soft, the sheets smelling faintly of cedar and engine oil.

The profound, bone-deep fatigue and the crushing emotional tension from the four-simulation marathon seemed to vanish at this moment.

He rested his head on the pillow, looked at the metallic ceiling, and his thoughts began to retrace.

He recalled his experiences along this journey.

From being a starving, nameless orphan in the Belobog Underworld, he had climbed step by step, playing a role, becoming Supreme Guardian Cocolia’s most trusted right-hand man in the Overworld.

Later, the Astral Express arrived, and he helped Cocolia resolve the Stellaron crisis on Jarilo-VI.

However, the subsequent developments exceeded his expectations.

The Lord Ravager, Asat Pramad, had actually set his sights on him.

[Inorin’s Note: A Lord Ravager is an Emanator of Destruction, one of Nanook’s most powerful servants. Asat Pramad appears to be a unique one for this story.]

Asat Pramad descended upon Belobog and unleashed destruction upon it.

Although he was technically one of Nanook’s “Lords of Ruin” in the simulation, in the end, he still relied on the cheat given by the system to defeat this real Lord Ravager.

However, Asat Pramad’s strange and satisfied smile before dying still puzzled him to this day.

What could a dying person, an agent of pure entropy, possibly be happy about?

Unless… his death was the punchline.

Then, he boarded the train.

Now, officially becoming a member of the Trailblazers, he could be considered to have fulfilled his childhood wish, right?

To see the stars.

Thinking this, Orion’s drowsiness grew, the adrenaline of the simulation finally leaving him. Before he knew it, he fell into a deep, heavy sleep.

This night was a sleepless one.

Not for Orion, but for many others across the galaxy, all touched by the echoes of a future that was never meant to be.

Celestial Ark Yaoqing, General’s Residence.

Feixiao tossed and turned in her sleep, her brows tightly furrowed, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

The grand, empty residence was silent, save for her pained murmurs.

“Orion… I… no, don’t go…”

She kept murmuring, her hands clutching at the empty silk sheets, seemingly pleading with someone, trying to hold someone back.

She saw it again. The cold light. The indifferent Aeon. The white-haired figure disintegrating.

“LAN!”

Suddenly, she jolted awake from her dream, sitting bolt upright.

She looked around blankly, her breath catching in her throat.

The familiar, opulent room. The cold moonlight streaming in.

But her heart was pounding frantically, and a great, hollow, agonizing sense of loss enveloped her.

Orion…

She subconsciously uttered the name.

It was just a dream… but why… why did it feel so real?

The smell of ozone, the searing light of the arrow, the feeling of her own heart being torn out as she watched him die…

She abruptly threw off the covers and ran frantically, barefoot, through the empty, silent residence.

She pushed open door after door, her footsteps echoing on the cold jade floors.

“Orion? Jiang Li? Neergul?”

She searched, desperately searching for the white-haired Foxian figure from her dream.

But in the vast, cold residence, besides her own hurried breathing, there was no one else.

“Orion… where… where did you go?”

Feixiao slid down against a wall, her shoulders shaking.

…

Xianzhou Luofu, Divination Commission.

Within the Matrix of Prescience, Fu Xuan was meditating with her eyes closed, calculating the future fortunes of the Luofu all night long.

Unconsciously, a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and her consciousness, usually so controlled, gradually blurred.

In a trance, she saw a person.

A white-haired, handsome Foxian diviner. An “acting Master Diviner.”

He would come to her bedroom every night to massage her aching shoulders with his warm, strong hands, relieving a full day’s fatigue.

She found herself… enjoying it. Becoming dependent on him, even accustomed to his quiet, teasing companionship.

But on the last night, he betrayed her. He brought in a Lord Ravager… Phantylia… who possessed her body!

“!!”

Fu Xuan suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp as lightning!

She was breathing heavily.

Was she… dozing off from exhaustion?

How could that be?

She had been in charge of the Matrix of Prescience for so long, and she had never been so disoriented…

And that dream. That man named Orion… who called himself Jiang Xuan… who betrayed her.

The feeling was so real, the violation, the helplessness… as if she had experienced it herself. But it seemed to have never happened in reality.

Fu Xuan’s thoughts were a bit chaotic.

She rubbed her temples, shaking the absurd, vivid dream out of her mind.

“Forget it.”

She snorted coldly, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes.

“If there really is a man named Orion in this world…”

“This Master Diviner will personally capture you and make you pay!”

…

Stellaron Hunters Base.

This night, everyone slept very restlessly.

Kafka, Firefly, Silver Wolf… almost simultaneously tossed and turned in their beds, plagued by nightmares of a life they never lived, of a family they never had, and a loss they couldn’t name.

Firefly slept uncomfortably, a single tear rolling down her temple.

She was calling out that name repeatedly in her dream.

“Orion… don’t… don’t play games with her anymore… that’s my console…”

“Tomorrow… let’s go to Penacony, okay… like we promised…”

She kept murmuring, but she didn’t wake up.

Meanwhile, Silver Wolf suddenly sat up in bed and shouted:

“No! Don’t go with Firefly… Orion! You’re mine!”

After shouting, she paused, her voice echoing in the silent, dark room. She realized her surroundings were empty.

She had just… seemed to be dreaming.

In her dream, she met a perfect handsome guy.

He was gentle, quiet, incredibly good at gaming, and most importantly, he gave her her favorite retro game console and out-of-print cartridges. And… he was willing to play online battles with her every day…

He was simply a dream lover sent from heaven!

But…

Silver Wolf looked around. There was only her in the room; where was the other handsome guy who played games with her?

Was she… entering puberty and yearning for a man?

“Ugh, gross,” she muttered. No, that’s not right… Dreams were just inefficient data processing.

But this one… felt different.

Silver Wolf pondered, casually opening a virtual screen, and as if by some ghostly impulse, she typed that name into the search bar: 【Orion】.

Soon, the information updated.

Orion, from Belobog (Lower District). Recorded by observers from various forces across the universe for killing the Lord Ravager “Asat Pramad.” Has now boarded the Astral Express and become a Trailblazer.

Seeing this information, Silver Wolf was stunned.

This person… really exists?!

And, he just killed a Lord Ravager and then boarded that train?!

Could it be that this Orion really is…

However, when Silver Wolf swiped her finger and saw an extremely blurry back-view photo attached (taken by an IPC drone), she was disappointed again.

In the photo, although the face was unclear, from the back and outline, the person looked very much like the Orion in her dream, both in build and height.

It’s just…

The problem was, this Orion had black hair, and he wasn’t a Foxian.

“Sure enough… was it just a dream?”

Silver Wolf was a bit disappointed.

How could a handsome Foxian who was good at gaming suddenly appear out of nowhere and play with her every day?

She was about to close the screen, but for some reason, she didn’t want to give up.

It seemed the girl’s puberty had truly arrived.

“Oh, right,” her eyes lit up, “Since he’s with Stelle, maybe… I’ll have a chance to confirm it with my own eyes later…”

Silver Wolf made up her mind.

Meanwhile, in another room.

After Kafka woke up, she couldn’t fall back asleep.

She quietly looked at the starry sea outside the window, a lit cigarette between her fingers. In her wine-red eyes, the image of that gray-white, god-slaying man appeared, and then, the image of the mortal, white-haired Foxian who returned.

“Orion…” she whispered, a truly complex smile playing on her lips.

“Elio’s script… it seems a few… unwritten pages just got added.”

…

The next morning.

Astral Express.

A knock on the door woke Orion from his deep sleep.

He opened his eyes. For a split second, he saw them. Faint, black lines crisscrossing the door. He blinked, and they vanished, his brain not yet accustomed to the new input.

He opened the door and found Stelle standing outside.

Looking at Stelle’s familiar face, Orion paused.

For a fraction of a second, his mind flashed to the simulation—Stelle, her face streaked with tears, looking at him with betrayal, just before he took her Stellaron. Then, her body dissolving into dust after Lan’s fall.

He almost instinctively reached out to pull her into a hug, to check if she was real.

Thankfully, he reacted in time. This was reality, not a simulation.

Orion smiled. “What’s wrong?”

Stelle had prepared a long list of greetings, a whole speech about being new crewmates.

But now that she actually saw Orion, standing in his doorway, his hair messy from sleep, she couldn’t remember a single word.

She only felt her heart pounding rapidly and her cheeks flushing.

What was wrong with her, why would she…

Orion just looked at her gently, waiting for her to speak.

After a long, awkward while, Stelle finally organized her thoughts:

“Um… Orion, I… I’m very happy you came to the train! After you arrived, the train feels even livelier…”

“Yes, I’m very happy too.”

Orion said, his voice genuine. “You are also a reason why I decided to board the train.”

Upon hearing this, Stelle’s golden eyes instantly lit up: “Really? Because of me?”

Orion nodded seriously: “Yes, we are good brothers who fought side by side and defeated a Lord Ravager!”

“Ah? Oh…” The light in Stelle’s eyes seemed to dim a little. “Indeed… good brothers.”

Orion saw her somewhat disappointed look and asked:

“Calling me so early, is there something wrong?”

Stelle then remembered and quickly said:

“Oh, oh! I came to call you for breakfast! Pom-Pom prepared a very hearty train breakfast!”

“And also, we’re about to head to our next destination. Pom-Pom wants to explain it to you.”

Orion nodded: “Okay, let’s go.”

With that, he followed Stelle to the dining car.

In the dining car, March 7th saw Stelle and Orion walking in side by side, and immediately leaned close to Stelle, nudging her with her arm:

“Not bad, you! Didn’t expect you to make the first move! Very good, very good!”

“W-what are you saying!” Stelle’s face turned red.

Dan Heng watched from the side, a rare, faint smile on his face.

He felt that Orion seemed very reliable.

With him joining the train, the team would have another powerful combatant, and he would be able to relax a bit.

However, just as Conductor Pom-Pom cleared his throat, preparing to explain the next Trailblazing destination to the new passenger Orion…

Suddenly, an uninvited guest arrived.

An elegant female virtual projection appeared out of thin air in the center of the carriage, interrupting Pom-Pom’s words.

“Excuse me, everyone on the Astral Express.”

The newcomer was none other than Kafka.

“I would like to ask you to change your next course and head to a place called ‘Xianzhou Luofu’.”

“Why?” March 7th asked warily, her hand instinctively moving to her hip.

Kafka’s face showed concern: “Because a Stellaron is about to erupt there. If it is not stopped, it will cause an irreparable disaster, and many people will die because of it.”

Hearing this, the Trailblazers’ expressions became serious.

Finally, after a brief, silent vote, the Astral Express Crew unanimously decided to accept Kafka’s proposal.

“A wise choice.”

Kafka smiled with satisfaction.

Before the projection disappeared, her gaze lingered on Orion for a moment longer.

Orion, who had been silent, keenly noticed it and asked her: “Is something wrong?”

Kafka smiled at his question:

“Nothing, just… I think you look very much like someone I like.”

“Someone you like?” Orion was a little confused.

A flash of white hair and fox ears. The smell of wine. He pushed the phantom memory away.

The other members of the Astral Express Crew were also puzzled.

Kafka just smiled mysteriously, offered no further explanation, and the projection completely disappeared.

Afterward, Conductor Pom-Pom immediately headed to the cockpit.

The Astral Express changed direction, setting sail towards its new destination—Xianzhou Luofu.

At the same time, at the other end of the universe.

The gathering place of the Lord Ravagers.

Compared to the last time, this ruin seemed much more desolate.

“Asat Pramad… he failed.”

Celenova’s projection was the first to appear amidst the vast white sands.

“He went to welcome our new colleague, but he burned himself out, becoming a stepping stone for the other party to ascend to Emanator.”

“Hmph, it’s just one less clown who only knows how to perform farces.”

Zephyro’s projection appeared second, a whirlwind of white flame. “I’ve said it before, with his strength, he’s not worthy of being among us. Being defeated by a mortal, that’s a self-inflicted disgrace.”

“Not entirely, though,”

Phantylia, who had arrived at some unknown time, chuckled softly.

“That child named Orion is now an Emanator of Aha, the Aeon of Elation.”

[Inorin’s Note: The Lord Ravagers are misinterpreting Orion’s ascension. They believe Asat Pramad’s “performance” of death was a grand, cosmic joke that pleased Aha, the Aeon of Elation, who then granted Orion Emanator status. This is their logical, in-universe explanation for an event caused by the system.]

“Asat Pramad’s grand sacrifice ultimately offered an Emanator to another deity. Isn’t this ending more interesting than any destruction he directed before?”

“Heh, using his own downfall to achieve someone else’s Emanator status, truly foolish.”

Zephyro’s white flames burned brighter. “That Asat Pramad fellow, he’s useless for success and only good for failure. To actually lose to such a newly sprouted ‘seed’ is ridiculously underestimating the enemy.”

“Oh? I actually think that Orion’s strength might not be limited to just that.”

Phantylia said meaningfully, “After all, being able to kill Asat Pramad, he shouldn’t be underestimated.”

“It’s just that Asat Pramad was too weak,” Zephyro said coldly, “He was the weakest among us.”

“Alright,” Celenova interrupted their argument, “We are not here to discuss a failure; that’s meaningless.”

Phantylia looked at her: “Oh? So, the Aeon of Finality has new instructions?”

Celenova nodded, her gaze sweeping over the other two Lord Ravagers:

“He wants us to… continue.”

The other two were a little surprised: “Continue?”

“Yes… The Aeon of Finality’s will has not changed; He still anticipates the joining of that new colleague.”

“We must welcome Orion back and make him one of us.”

Hearing this, Phantylia couldn’t help but feel a little jealous: “Does the Aeon of Finality like that young brat so much?”

“I take back what I said earlier… Although he has some ability, ultimately, he’s still too green. Moreover, he’s already Aha’s person now.”

“I agree too.” Zephyro echoed, “A fellow tainted by ‘Elation’ probably can’t even cross the threshold of our ‘Destruction’.”

“I think he’s not as good as…”

“Not as good as that little Foxian named Feixiao from the Celestial Ark Yaoqing. When she goes berserk, that pure destructive urge… now that has some potential,” Phantylia said.

Celenova’s aura suddenly changed, and she said majestically: “Are you going to defy the Aeon of Finality’s will?”

Zephyro was silent for a moment before stiffly saying: “No. It’s just, I’m busy this time.”

Celenova seemed to have anticipated this answer: “You’re busy every time…”

“Forget it…”

Just then, Phantylia suddenly started laughing.

“Let me meet him then.”

Celenova and Zephyro both looked at her: “You?”

“Mm,” Phantylia’s projection elegantly strolled through the white sands, “Coincidentally, his next destination is the grand stage of destruction I’ve prepared for the Xianzhou Alliance.”

Zephyro’s projection flickered: “…Is there such a coincidence?”

“Heh heh, coincidences in this world are just like that…”

Phantylia chuckled, “Let me, while I’m at it, discipline our adorable new colleague.”

“And let me see with my own eyes if he truly has the qualifications to wear the crown of ‘Destruction’.”

Celenova was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: “I’ll leave it to you, Phantylia.”

“Don’t worry.”

Phantylia’s projection began to blur, leaving only a string of enchanting laughter.

“I will prepare for him… the most magnificent, most unforgettable ‘welcome ceremony’.”

The projection completely extinguished, and the gathering of the Lord Ravagers ended.