Honkai Star Rail: Saving the World with a Mobile Game — Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Ill-Fated Lovers, The First Oracle!

Coming back to his senses, Ash felt an inexplicable wave of unease wash over his entire body.

Was someone out there thinking about him? Given his current circumstances, the only person who would be dwelling on him so deeply was likely Firefly.

Come to think of it, he really did fit the profile of a tragically ill-fated lover. Out of his three romantic entanglements, one was currently lying in an intensive care unit, one was reduced to a two-dimensional state waiting desperately for resurrection, and the last was practically on her way to a prison cell. Was he simply cursed to bring misfortune to his wives?

However, looking at the situation objectively, there was still a fleeting chance to turn things around. He had to try. Otherwise, he really did not want to end up imitating the desperate, world-burning path of a certain blonde cult leader.

Meanwhile, inside Guinaifen’s lively livestream room.

After she finished her pulling session for Aglaea, she finally dove into the main story with unbridled excitement, fully prepared to have an absolute blast farming the newly unlocked map.

The number of concurrent viewers in her stream had already surged past the ten thousand mark. The hype was contagious; even other prominent gaming influencers across the network had actually started streaming Honkai: Star Rail.

Back on the Astral Express, even Himeko and Welt had downloaded the game and were quietly catching up on the story progress one after another.

In the game, after officially getting to know Aglaea, Stelle and Dan Heng followed her lead to learn the detailed history and present state of Amphoreus. The narrative unfolded with heavy lore: the careful division of authorities managed by the twelve Titans, the devastating arrival of the black tide, and the chaotic, blood-soaked era of endless strife.

It also revealed exactly why the Chrysos Heirs were so desperate to seize the Sparks and achieve the miracle of Re-creation.

The first oracle!

“A group of heroes begins a journey of god-slaying, plucking twelve Sparks to achieve the great feat of Re-creation?” Guinaifen read the prophecy softly to herself, her eyes wide.

Heated discussions immediately flooded the livestream chat.

[The authority and unique abilities of every single Titan are explained so clearly. Does this Author actually have some real world-building skill?]

[So this is the heavy mission the Chrysos Heirs carry on their shoulders. Then what are we even doing here? Are we really just here to find train fuel?]

[All bark and no bite, right? It’s just a turn-based game. No matter how great the plot is written, I can’t imagine how it could ever match the sheer shock of watching the Astral Express Crew’s live Trailblaze broadcasts.]

[By the way, isn’t this Aglaea a bit strange? She clearly knows everything about the situation, so why won’t she let us spread news about the World Beyond the Sky?]

[And… these golden threads can supposedly sense if someone is lying, but why do I feel like something is deeply wrong here?]

[The person above hit the nail on the head. They call it a sacred ritual, but this is completely just an interrogation!]

On the Astral Express.

To be entirely fair, watching a Trailblaze journey unfold from this third-person gaming perspective was indeed a remarkably novel experience. Himeko and Welt, after rushing through the early chapters, had finally caught up with Guinaifen’s current main story progress.

Displayed on the screen right now was the intimate scene of Aglaea conversing with Stelle.

The two women were submerged in the warm, inviting waters of a bath. Aglaea’s golden threads slipped fluidly through the water, winding delicately around her own finger before connecting directly to Stelle’s. She tilted her head, resting her chin gently against her palm. Her gaze was direct, laced with a lazy, intoxicating beauty and a faint, knowing smile.

“The Titan gods who once ruled the world have now become the primary cause of the corrosion of Amphoreus. Some unknown force has twisted most of them, inviting endless anger and madness.”

“When all the Sparks are finally gathered, the miracle of creation will manifest, and this broken world will be reborn.”

“Perhaps, you are the exact reinforcements Okhema has been waiting for…”

During the quiet conversation, a massive amount of critical information was smoothly revealed by Aglaea. These heavy revelations caused Himeko and Welt to frown in unison, their minds racing with the implications.

On the screen, Stelle offered a confident, unwavering answer: “Saving the world is our specialty!”

Aglaea’s smile deepened. “You must have personally experienced many miracles to be able to say those words without a single ounce of hesitation.”

“But please promise me, no matter what happens, do not reveal the existence of the World Beyond the Sky to the people!”

“That is my only request.”

Her tone was firm and utterly decisive, carrying a weight that gave Himeko a deep sense of immersion, almost as if she were the one sitting in the water, negotiating directly with the elegant woman.

However, even after hearing this thorough explanation, many lingering doubts remained.

If this game was truly proceeding in perfect synchronization with reality, then why, in the actual reality of Amphoreus right now, was Aglaea forbidding them from speaking about the world beyond the sky?

Conversely, if this entire game was simply a fabricated story made up by the Author… then what hidden message was he desperately trying to convey to the outside universe?

Was Amphoreus truly facing its absolute end?

“Welt, the immersion of this game is incredibly strong, but it’s still entirely unclear what its true nature actually is.” Himeko analyzed, her voice low and thoughtful. “If it is synchronized, the children’s current actions seem quite good.”

“Without knowing the other party’s true strength or motives, they are trying to fish for useful information first. Very cautious.”

Although countless viewers in the livestream room were loudly complaining about why Stelle had to confront Aglaea in such a passive manner, Himeko remained perfectly calm. As a seasoned member of the Astral Express Crew, she knew better. From their perspective, no one could verify if a single word Aglaea said was true, or if she might actually be the mastermind pulling the strings from the shadows.

“I think so too,” Welt affirmed, adjusting his glasses. “Let’s keep watching.”

“After all, I feel that this Lady Aglaea currently seems a bit too…”

“You’re too beautiful, Agy!”

“Look Agy, doesn’t this look exactly like you? I tried out your character in combat, and she’s simply stunning!”

The main story had finally reached Aglaea’s dedicated arc, and her first limited banner was officially released to the public. Within Aha Star, it naturally caused quite a stir.

Tribios held the glowing Information Slate in her hands, approaching Aglaea with a bright, beaming smile to let her see the screen. At the same time, her fingers were frantically swiping across the glass, rapidly rotating Aglaea’s 3D character model to view it from every possible angle.

“There’s also the main story part, Agy!” Tribios pointed a finger at the dialogue playing out. “She’s actually exactly the same as the you in my memory.”

“That appearance sitting in the pool… as expected of Okhema’s number one beauty. I can’t even tell what’s reality and what’s virtual anymore.”

Having Tribios fluttering around her so energetically, Aglaea offered a polite smile, though her elegant features were actually written with deep helplessness.

“My Teacher, you really are something.”

“Even though you’ve changed back to normal, why do you still act so much like a child?”

“Also,” Aglaea paused, thinking for a moment as she cast her gaze toward where Ash was located, “it’s only because he depicted me so well. My actual image in reality should be quite unlikable, shouldn’t it?”

Even before she had fully regained her humanity, Aglaea was acutely aware of exactly where her own flaws and problems lay. It was just that she was entirely helpless to fix them. In the dire situation she had been trapped in at the time, she simply hadn’t possessed the energy to care about her public perception.

Hearing the melancholy in her voice, Tribios reached out and gently touched the other woman’s hand, wanting to offer comfort.

Theoretically, this quiet moment should have been a relieved, post-disaster catch-up between old friends, a chance to heal. That was, until a sharp voice cut through the air.

“So you, you cold-blooded woman, actually possess some self-awareness? I thought you were completely oblivious.”

The warm atmosphere in the room froze instantly.

Anaxa walked over slowly, crossing her arms over her chest and clicking her tongue in mock wonder.

“This game barely passes the mark. But being able to broadcast your cold-blooded side to the entire galaxy… I feel like my previous contributions have suddenly become much more valuable.”

Aglaea: “…”

To be entirely fair, there were times when Anaxa’s sheer verbal lethality was definitely not inferior to speaking in weird, cryptic riddles. She was exactly the kind of person who could look at someone suffering and sarcastically tell them they were ‘really giving it their all’.

This sharp interruption caused Aglaea’s somewhat self-reproachful, vulnerable expression to vanish the absolute second she noticed the newcomer.

From her previously gentle face, a dangerous hint of sharpness was revealed instead. “Forget it, My Teacher.”

“Children’s words carry no harm. I’ll just take this as the thoughtless, uneducated babbling of a naughty child.”

Children’s words carry no harm…

Seeing the two women instantly at each other’s throats, Tribios sighed heavily and covered her forehead with her hand.

“Naxa, don’t say strange things, hey!”

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