Honkai Simulator: Not for Kidnapping Herrschers!

Peeling apples is the quickest way to establish a persona.

But Chen Ran's persona wasn't quite solid.

Wendy couldn't help but ask, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Logically speaking, although she was an A-rank Valkyrie, she now possessed a Herrscher Gem and was a disabled, ticking time bomb.

Chen Ran, on the other hand, was a genius in a certain field, which allowed him to join Schicksal.

From this perspective, finding a girlfriend wouldn't be difficult for Chen Ran. And his interactions with Wendy were actually quite limited; neither of them was familiar with the other's field.

However...

Based on Wendy's understanding of Chen Ran, she doubted she'd get a serious answer from him.

"Because housing prices are too high, I can't afford a home, can't afford children, can't afford a bride price... It's rare to meet someone so adorably naive, so of course, I have to trick them."

Chen Ran handed Wendy the mangled apple he had peeled.

Wendy didn't mind and took a bite.

It was sweet.

"I want to hear the truth."

The girl grabbed his palm with her other hand. "Some people say you're a liar, but I believe you're not."

"I think... you'll stand by my side, right?"

Her calm words betrayed her fear; the more she enjoyed his kindness, the more she worried it was all a dream.

Chen Ran looked into her eyes, feeling a pang of guilt.

He was indeed a liar.

But now wasn't the time to reveal it.

"Then I will definitely stand by your side, after all..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wendy interrupted him.

"Stick your head over here."

"Closer."

He obediently complied, then watched as Wendy placed her hand on his neck and her lips met his.

This wasn't the first time the girl had done something like this, but this time she was bolder. Chen Ran could feel her soft tongue pushing past his boundaries.

The young man's eyes held a hint of daze. At this moment, any extra words would be insincere.

However, as he held Wendy in his arms, he felt not joy, but the girl's fear.

"This is all I can give you. I'm so afraid you'll leave me."

If it weren't for the fear of losing him, the girl wouldn't have been so proactive.

Chen Ran patted her back, a sense of guilt spreading through his mind.

He tried to convince himself: This was something he had to do.

"How could I ever leave you?"

Chen Ran tried his best to hide his emotions from Wendy, whispering, "Actually, I should be the one who's scared."

"Why?"

"Look how outstanding and beautiful you are. And once your legs are healed, you'll surely become a capable, even excellent, warrior. Many prominent figures will pursue you. But I'm just..."

Before he could finish, he suddenly heard Theresa's voice from outside the door.

"Hey, Hua, what are you doing standing at the door?"

Chen Ran & Wendy: "..."

Europe, above the Mediterranean Sea, on a Floating Island.

Amber expressionlessly placed a document on the desk in front of the man named Otto.

"Lord Bishop, this is the information you asked me to pay special attention to regarding the Far East Branch. I've compiled it all."

"Understood, Amber."

Amber withdrew.

Otto, however, was distractedly flipping through the document.

"K423 has arrived at St. Freya as expected, and the Herrscher of Thunder is also among them."

"This is a surprisingly welcome coincidence. While Schicksal is carrying out the Divine Right Plan, Anti-Entropy is also preparing an identical plan, and they're even a step ahead of me."

"The success of the plan involving the Herrscher of Thunder, and the near-success of the Divine Right Plan, are both validating one thing for me."

"The Sirin Plan can soon be put into motion."

If someone were to flip through the documents Otto held, they would be surprised to find that this collection was entirely composed of personal files.

Kiana, Raiden Mei, Bronya...

And Chen Ran and Wendy.

In fact, Otto also failed, and likewise feared failure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sacrificed Cecilia of the Sanyat family, who supported him the most, during the Second Honkai War.

And the Sirin Plan he intended to carry out was also a plan with a higher probability of failure than success. This was because after reviewing all the data from the Pre-Civilization Era, he discovered that the Sirin Plan itself was full of errors and omissions.

"Defeating Honkai with love..." Otto wouldn't truly believe it until a tangible successful sample was presented.

But the situation was different now.

Raiden Mei's appearance meant that a tangible sample had been successfully obtained.

Although the Divine Right Plan had encountered some setbacks, it was also unfolding perfectly according to the script he had devised.

The Divine Right Plan itself was intended to provide a model and supplement for the Sirin Plan.

Since the sample was already available.

He would have even more confidence moving forward.

"Let me see how much of a surprise you'll bring me, Chen Ran."

Chapter 30: Anti-Entropy Attack

"All the experiments are proceeding very smoothly, and Wendy's physical condition is gradually improving."

St. Freya, in the laboratory.

Himeko, looking at the man busy working in a white lab coat, said, "Your earlier suggestion to have Wendy teach the students was correct. Her mood is a crucial factor in the success of the experiment."

Chen Ran nodded expressionlessly.

That's right, suggesting that Wendy become the students' coach was a proposal he made to both Wendy and Himeko.

Even with Himeko's carefree nature, she wouldn't have let Wendy face peculiar gazes on her own. After all, disability implies being special and weak, and whether it's pity or mockery, it would inflict the same kind of harm on the individual.

But Chen Ran knew that Wendy had to accept herself frankly and wholeheartedly.

Only then would the Herrscher consciousness not amplify her inner negative emotions, and the experiment could approach success infinitely.

This was the result simulated by Durandal, and not a single step had gone wrong up to this point.

"Next is high-intensity Memory Arena training. Once Wendy activates the power of her Stigmata, the experiment will be infinitely close to success."

Himeko paused, then looked at Chen Ran, "However, I have a question I'd like to ask."

"Were those things you showed Wendy also part of the experiment?"

Chen Ran woke up, his pillow soaked with sweat.

His breathing became heavy, and it took him a long time to regain his composure.

This was a dream. Although it was in a simulation, he could still have dreams.

According to biological knowledge, dreams are generally caused by irregular sleep patterns or excessive psychological stress. They can also be caused by mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

"It's probably because my consciousness capacity is nearing its limit again. After all, how could I possibly be anxious?"

He mocked himself, yet his eyes held an unresolvable sadness.

This was a room for one person.

Besides simple tables, chairs, and a computer, there were almost no other items.

Being alone meant he didn't need to pretend or deceive himself.

Chen Ran felt like he was committing a crime.

Using subtle psychology to conduct an experiment.

Even though this was an experiment that would benefit everyone, and even though it was just a simulated scenario, he had still deceived someone's feelings.

He took a deep breath, trying hard to expel the subtle emotions.

Then, Chen Ran couldn't sleep anymore.

He lay on the bed, suddenly feeling an indescribable sense of stuffiness and irritation. He reached for his phone by the pillow; it was only four in the morning.

The sweat-dampened bedding was a bit uncomfortable, so he put on warm pajamas and got out of bed. He then pulled back the curtains and looked at the starry sky in the distance.

It was past midnight at this hour, and the sky was a hazy gray.

The moon hung high and solitary in the night sky, possessing a unique beauty in the winter.

As if a cloud drifted by, he saw a shadow fall upon the pure white moon.

The shadow grew larger and larger...

"Damn it, it's a Floating Battleship."

St. Freya was attacked by Anti-Entropy, and the base's alarms blared.

No one knew why Anti-Entropy was acting so erratically late at night. Chen Ran hastily put on his clothes and opened his door.

Based on his knowledge of the plot, St. Freya's attack by Anti-Entropy should have happened in 2015, and they were targeting Raiden Mei.

However, it seemed the timing was earlier now.

Therefore, the target was highly likely Wendy.

He directly knocked on Hua's door. At this time, the three of them lived in a four-person dorm, with each person having their own room. As long as they were careful, there wasn't much to worry about regarding privacy.

Not long after, Hua also came out dressed.

"Phew, that's good."

He took a deep breath and said, "Hua, Anti-Entropy is attacking St. Freya. I suspect they're after Wendy. I'll trouble you to protect her from now on."

"Okay."

However, before the two of them could finish speaking, the door to their dorm was kicked open.

"So the target is indeed here."

A man who looked strikingly like Welt showed a ferocious expression. "I don't want to fight, so you two better get lost!"

Hua's eyes narrowed, and she struck first.

She didn't have time to put on her Valkyrie armor, but even so, as an A-rank Valkyrie, her fists were not something ordinary people could withstand.

However, this person was no ordinary individual.

After Hua used her fists, a power similar to a Herrscher Core surged from his body.

Chen Ran frowned slightly, feeling his body grow heavier.