As if struggling out of a bottomless dream, or being pulled ashore from a rushing river, Baida’s consciousness painstakingly reassembled itself.
“Hiss…
my butt hurts so much!
That fox-eared sworn father really kicks hard!” That was her first thought after regaining the ability to think.
She instinctively wanted to rub the sore spot, but found she had lost all physical sensation.
No arms, no legs, no torso—not even breath or a heartbeat.
She felt like nothing more than a bundle of pure consciousness, floating in an absolute, lightless blackness.
There was no up or down, no left or right, no sense of time passing.
Only endless emptiness and silence.
“Hello?
Anyone there?
Fox-eared sworn father?
What about that Life Simulation you promised?
Starting in a coffin…
no, not even a coffin?” She tried to “speak” out loud, but her voice (if thoughts could be called a voice) couldn’t even produce an echo in this void.
Only she herself could “hear” it.
Panic began to gnaw at her consciousness like fine ice needles.
Had she been tricked?
Was this some kind of graveyard for consciousness?
Just as her unease reached its peak, a faint light appeared ahead—or rather, in the direction her consciousness was focused.
The light quickly expanded and stretched, eventually forming a semi-transparent floating panel that emitted a soft white glow, like the only signpost in the darkness.
[Welcome to the Life Simulator Preliminary Interface]
[Please select four traits from the following talent pool as your initial attributes.]
[Note: Selections are irreversible.
Please choose carefully.]
After several lines of concise text appeared, the panel below began to scroll through a dizzying array of options like a waterfall.
Each icon was beautifully designed, and the names were full of temptation:
[Language Mastery]: Instantly master any language and communicate without barriers.
[Transcendent Wisdom]: Quick thinking, meticulous logic, learning ability beyond the mundane.
[Martial Grandmaster]: Born with a martial physique, all techniques return to one source; fists shake mountains and rivers.
[Maximum Charm]: Beauty that topples nations, speech that bewitches; all living beings bow.
[Elemental Affinity]: Perceive and command earth, water, fire, wind, thunder, light, and darkness.
[Lucky Aura]: Find money on the street and survive desperate situations, a paradox to probability theory.
[Business Tycoon]: Spot opportunities, turn stone to gold, and achieve wealth that rivals nations.
…
“Wow!
I’m rich!
I’m rich!” Baida’s consciousness instantly turned into star shapes, wishing she could swallow the entire panel.
“[Transcendent Wisdom]!
This is great!
With this, I could discuss math problems with my dear Herta!
[Maximum Charm]!
This is great too!
Then Herta definitely won’t want to dismiss me!
[Lucky Aura]!
An essential god-tier skill!
And [Martial Grandmaster]…”
She had already begun fantasizing about a bright future where she descended into the Honkai Star Rail world as a peerless genius, with unparalleled beauty, absolute martial might, and heaven-defying luck—holding Herta in one arm and Silver Wolf in the other, trampling the Antimatter Legion beneath her feet.
However, her daydream was mercilessly shattered by a line of glaring, flashing red text at the bottom of the panel:
[Limit: Select Four].
“What?!
Only four?!” Baida “felt” as if she nearly choked (if she had breath).
“What the heck!
With so many good things, how is four enough?!
System, you’re killing someone with choice paralysis!”
She scrolled through the list again, hoping to find a “Select All” button or an option to “Recharge for More Slots.” Naturally, it was futile.
She also quickly noticed that the most top-notch talents—the ones whose names alone sounded incredibly impressive, like [Aeon’s Favor], [Pathstrider], [Concept Alteration]—were all dimmed to gray, with a small lock icon beside them.
Clearly, they weren’t part of the newbie gift pack.
“Tch, so stingy.” Baida “pursed her lips” and turned her attention back to the lit, selectable options.
“[Strength Enhancement]…
this one seems a bit ordinary, isn’t it just increasing physical power?” She muttered.
“But…
it does seem practical.
If I end up as a total weakling, forget protecting Herta—I probably couldn’t even push open the lab door.
And the body is the foundation of everything.
I can’t be getting sick all the time and making Herta take care of me, right?
No way, that’s too embarrassing.
This one’s a must-pick—basic security.”
She mentally noted down [Strength Enhancement] (though she couldn’t actually take notes, her consciousness had already flagged it).
Next, her “gaze” was drawn to a skill that seemed a bit…
out of place.
“[The Foolish One’s Strength]?
What kind of name is that?” She read the description: “‘A simple and pure mind, like the hardest fortress, immune to all mental attacks, corruption, and seduction.
However, wisdom will be reduced by a fair amount.'”
Baida’s thoughts paused for a fraction of a second.
“Immune to all mental attacks?!
Th-this is practically a god-tier skill!” She knew how tricky and hard to defend against mental and consciousness-based abilities could be in the Honkai Star Rail world.
“But…
wisdom reduced by a fair amount?
Ugh…” She imagined her already not-so-high IQ taking an even bigger hit.
“Forget it!” She quickly “grit her teeth.” “Better to be a bit dumber!
With Herta around, she can handle the thinking.
My job is to smile stupidly…
no, I mean, to tank all those tricky attacks!
Use what you’ve got, use what you’ve got!
Picking this one too!”
[The Foolish One’s Strength] joined the shortlist.
Then, she saw a skill with an even more ridiculous description.
“[I Reckon It’ll Work]?” Baida felt like an idiot just “reading” the name.
“‘Possesses an inconceivable, nearly rule-level intuition for ‘creation.’ As long as you firmly believe in your heart that you can make something, no matter how strict the conditions, you will always find an unexpected way to achieve it.
However, wisdom will decrease slightly.'”
“…This skill description reeks of amateur science and stubborn contrarianism,” she complained.
“‘I reckon’ something can work, and it actually does?
That’s not science!
Oh wait, this is already metaphysics…”
But then, her thoughts became active: “Wait!
Doesn’t Herta like researching all kinds of strange instruments?
If she has an idea but lacks materials or the craftsmanship isn’t there, could I just ‘reckon’ it and whip it up?
Then she might look at me with admiring eyes!
Hehehe…” After her silly laugh, she noticed the familiar downside again.
“Why is it always ‘wisdom decreases slightly’?
Do I have some grudge against wisdom?
After picking these two, won’t I turn into a real idiot who can only go ‘blah blah’?”
She fell into brief hesitation.
On one side, the temptation of becoming Herta’s capable assistant.
On the other, the risk of turning into a complete blockhead.
“Whatever!
For Herta!
So what if I’m an idiot?
I already picked [The Foolish One’s Strength]—in for a penny, in for a pound!” She steeled herself and pulled [I Reckon It’ll Work] into the list as well.
Now she had picked three skills, with one slot left.
Her “gaze” lingered longingly over options like [Transcendent Wisdom] and [Maximum Charm], her inner struggle intense.
“I really want [Transcendent Wisdom]…
I want to stand on the same level as Herta…” She “painfully” “closed her eyes” (if consciousness had a function to turn off vision).
But finally, she snapped her eyes “open,” her gaze (consciousness focus) becoming firm and determined.
“No!
What was my original intention?
To become Herta’s older sister!
To keep her company, so she wouldn’t be so alone!
If I pick [Transcendent Wisdom], I might become her peer, but would I still be the pure, simple ‘sister’ she needs?”
She remembered the fox-eared girl’s promise—two simulations, one with Herta, one with Silver Wolf.
That meant she had a chance to experience different lives.
So for this first one, she would stay true to her original intent!
Her “sight” locked onto an option that seemed ordinary, but held profound meaning for her:
[As an Older Sister]: (Core Objective: Designate target character “Herta.” You will be born before her and become her twin older sister/brother.
Note: This skill will adaptively adjust to ensure character consistency.)
“It’s you!” Baida didn’t hesitate at all.
“I want to become Herta’s older sister!
Born just a little bit before her, so I can rightfully grow up by her side!
This is what I truly want most!”
As the fourth option was confirmed, the selection list dimmed.
Only her four chosen options glowed softly, arrayed at the center of the panel.
[Strength Enhancement], [The Foolish One’s Strength], [I Reckon It’ll Work], [As an Older Sister].
“Strength, magic resistance, craftsmanship, identity…
all set!” Baida “reviewed” her configuration, a strange sense of satisfaction rising within her, even though the combination looked…
rather peculiar.
“Alright!
System, confirm selection!” She issued the command to the panel.
New text appeared on the panel: [Selection confirmed.
Loading simulation life: Herta Chapter.
Wishing you a pleasant journey.]
“Wait!
Pleasant journey?
Could you at least tell me how much ‘reduced by a fair amount’ and ‘decreased slightly’ actually mean?!” Baida hurriedly called out, but it was too late.
The moment she “clicked” [Confirm]—though she had no hand to click with, her will took effect—she felt an incredibly warm, motherly white light surging from all directions, gently enveloping her consciousness.
The tearing pain and discomfort from being kicked through the light gate disappeared, replaced by a sense of security and comfort, like returning to the womb.
Her consciousness gradually blurred and melted within that warm white light, eventually transforming into a pure, soft orb of radiance.
Like a firefly, it flickered once in the endless dark void, then silently dissipated like a drop of water merging into a pond, leaving this place of choices behind.
What awaited her was a brand new life journey, one that began with the role of “Herta’s foolish older sister.”