My Honkai Star Rail: Reversing All Phenomena

"Say, if [Name Redacted] is a senior staff member, would she receive internal news about Lord Hua Yi? Remember to share it here when the time comes, Group Leader."

"Yeah, yeah, please, Group Owner!"

Too Outrageous

Ah, so I'd somehow become the president of the Hua Yi Fan Club and the Group Leader of the Fan Group?

Asta could hardly believe how quickly the situation in the group had changed. Watching messages like "Welcome the Group Leader's ascension to the throne" flood the chat, she had no idea what else to say besides assuring everyone, in accordance with Lamina's concerns, that she would let like-minded people support their idol happily and balance work with their interests.

Back on the Space Station, the girl had only needed to worry about management. She had never had any real troubles, but now she felt pressure.

It was not that the Group Leader's duties were too burdensome. The Fan Group had administrators like Emily and Lamina, and it had operated normally even before there was a Group Leader. There was even less chance of anything going wrong now.

The main thing was that her anonymous identity could not be exposed.

If the group members discovered that [Name Redacted] was Asta herself, who knew what kind of consequences it would cause?

Taking a deep breath, Asta looked through her old chat records, including the message where the group members had picked up on clues and confirmed that she was no ordinary staff member.

It seemed she would need to be more careful with her words in the group from now on.

Who would have thought that among a group chat full of young girls, the most cautious person would be the station's master?

"I wonder if Lord Hua Yi has finished all the snacks in his office. Should we send him a few more bags?"

"Didn't you see the photos Lamina took? All kinds of snacks are practically piled into a mountain. Hua Yi almost had no room to work, so don't send any more for a while!"

"Wah, Emily is so mean."

"Does anyone know where Lord Hua Yi is right now?"

"I do. He's busy running around for a project. We can't just disturb him."

In the Control Zone's Monitoring Room, Hua Yi was watching the Defense Department conduct the Space Station Defense Drill using the Obstacle Interception Console and the Defense Projection Console when he received a text message.

"Come test."

Two short words, concise and direct, vividly displaying a certain Genius Miss's decisive personality.

"I'm busy advancing the Space Station's security infrastructure. Time is tight."

"That sort of thing doesn't matter. Who would be bored enough to come attack the Space Station?"

"It's always good to prepare for the worst."

"Tell me, what would it take for you to come test the Simulated Universe immediately?"

"If Madam Herta is willing to set up an Emergency Response Mechanism for the automatons on the Space Station, having them protect the designated Safe Zones in each Zone during a crisis, it would significantly improve our ability to withstand risks. Then I could rest easy."

"Fine. Come test."

In her office, Herta spent only a little effort following Hua Yi's request before completing an incredibly complex program. She injected it into every automaton on the Space Station, enabling them to protect the so-called Safe Zones and fight off possible invaders when necessary.

At present, the Space Station mainly had four Zones in operation. The fifth Zone, once a major experimental site for cutting-edge technology, had been sealed off and renamed the Seclusion Zone. Thus, in theory, only four automatons were needed to protect all the Safe Zones.

Herta had not forgotten to account for the possibility of automaton damage. The program she wrote included a Rotation Combat Mechanism and a Cluster Combat System. Though her affirmative reply had been excessively brief, as if she were brushing Hua Yi off, geniuses had their principles. She would never half-ass something she had agreed to do.

Of course, what truly piqued Herta's interest was still the Simulated Universe.

The remotely controlled automaton girl surveyed the device in the office with satisfaction. After her latest iterative upgrade, the Simulated Universe had achieved stratification. Testers would only enter the shallow layers at first, then gradually delve deeper.

Unless the Simulated Aeons deliberately went looking for Hua Yi, what had happened last time would not occur again.

Originally, the simulacrum of [Preservation] Qlipoth had brought Herta precious data. Even though it lay beyond the scope of conventional methods, the Genius Miss could still conduct a rough behavioral analysis. Aeons appearing in the Simulated Universe could only be a good thing.

But precisely because it was a behavioral analysis, she could not understand why the simulated Qlipoth had stared at Hua Yi before suddenly swinging his hammer, seemingly trying to command the as-yet incomplete Simulated Path of Preservation.

This was no longer merely a matter of stirring up waves. By rough estimation and speculation, it was more like stirring up a heaven-shaking Giant Wave that would sweep Hua Yi into it.

Using mortal wisdom to speculate about an Aeon, applying ordinary common sense to Sentient Celestial Bodies, and using blasphemous phrasing to vividly describe the scene, it was probably Qlipoth being desperate for talent—grabbing Hua Yi tightly and dragging him into the Path of Preservation with enough force to nearly tear his clothes apart.

It was too outrageous.

In the vast sea of stars, among endless living beings, even earning a glance from an Aeon was an immense honor. If what had happened previously in the Simulated Universe had occurred in reality, it would have been equivalent to Qlipoth granting Hua Yi boundless Path power and making him a Preservation Emissary.

And not just any Emissary, but a top-tier representative deeply valued by the Aeon, one to whom the Path had been generously opened in its entirety.

Since the simulated phenomenon had deviated from the real world, it naturally held far less reference value.

It could only be attributed to coincidence, combined with a serious operational error in the Simulated Universe. Otherwise, there was no way to explain it. Even the original purpose behind building the Simulated Universe—observing Aeon simulacra to understand those Exalted Beings in reality—would become difficult to achieve.

But the error had already been fixed. No matter how enormous the coincidence, there was no reason for it to happen a second time.

Herta had completed the framework overhaul of the Simulated Universe. When Hua Yi entered to test again, everything should have been calm and orderly. He would choose a Path, begin simulating the power countless people fought to pursue, eliminate the monsters blocking his way, generate more valuable data through battle, gradually delve deeper into the Path, and finally seek an opportunity to meet an Aeon.

That was the Cosmic Axiom, the basic process for understanding Sentient Celestial Bodies.

The Genius Miss had considered everything thoroughly. Since the simulacrum of the Aeon of Preservation seemed somewhat abnormal, the Path Hua Yi would simulate next could not be Preservation. He should switch to another one.

As it happened, constructing Path power in the Simulated Universe was not something she could accomplish overnight. It was likewise a field full of unknowns. Hua Yi first needed to step onto a Path, after which she could carry out subsequent deductions based on the data obtained.

Everything had been arranged.

The Herta Automaton did not wait long before Hua Yi arrived at the office.

"Get in already. I specially modified the Simulated Universe for last time's accident and roughly built the basic outline of the Paths. You can properly experience the power of a Path now."

Geniuses Are Always This Effortless—Huh?!

A true genius never complained about the environment.

Though Hua Yi had triggered a bug in the Simulated Universe and caused an error, was that not exactly a tester's job?

Only mediocre people would be upset when flaws in their work were discovered. Geniuses like Madam Herta would only further optimize their results, making them increasingly perfect.

That was how geniuses were.

Gesturing for Hua Yi to stand before the device and prepare to begin his Simulated Universe journey, the automaton girl spoke calmly.

"I've already written the Emergency Response Mechanism you mentioned. If something really happens on the Space Station, my automatons will guard the four Safe Zones. So test the Simulated Universe properly and stop thinking about pointless things. Also, don't expect me to praise you just because you strengthened the Space Station's defenses."

"Thank you for your hard work, Madam Herta."

Why did that sound like a superior consoling a subordinate?

Too lazy to fuss over Hua Yi's wording, Herta herself was not particularly concerned with hierarchy. She directly sent him into the Simulated Universe.

The Space Station was ready-made environmental material, free of any copyright disputes. The Genius Miss used it on the spot, directly setting part of the Simulated Universe's shallow layers to resemble the Space Station.

As Hua Yi experienced the various aspects of this virtual world, the Herta Automaton outside revealed a faint smile.

Just as expected, [Preservation] Qlipoth did not appear.

That was how it should be.

External personnel entering the Simulated Universe should not have caused any reaction to begin with. After the Genius Miss's optimization this time, Hua Yi had appeared in the Simulated Universe without a sound. Unless he had already been walking a certain Path and drawn the Simulated Path of this virtual world, he could not immediately attract the corresponding Aeon simulacrum's attention.

While upgrading the Simulated Universe, Herta had not forgotten the methods Hua Yi had displayed when defeating Outworld Blaze. That exquisite Imaginary Control Ability surpassed even many Pathstriders. Either he had already traveled a considerable distance along the River of Paths, or he was truly extraordinarily gifted.

Understanding a tester's personal circumstances helped analyze the Simulated Universe data generated under his influence, but Herta would not simply ask. Experimental phenomena were the best answers.

That was how geniuses were.

Simulated environment parameters: normal. Simulated Monster Situation: normal. Virtual Energy Fluctuation: normal.

It could be confirmed that Hua Yi had not set foot upon any Path. He truly possessed exceptional talent in using Imaginary Energy.

It was exactly as his personal file stated. Quite honest, actually.

"Now I'll first grant you a Path, allowing you to directly become a Pathstrider in the Simulated Universe. Then you'll fight monsters and accumulate experimental data. At the same time, the power of the Simulated Path will continue to strengthen and more closely approach the truth of reality. After some time, once I further refine the basic outline of the various Paths, the Path you obtain when entering the Simulated Universe will be random."

Every adjustment Herta made to the Simulated Universe was an external force influencing the virtual world. That was fine during the construction phase, but if the Genius Miss continued controlling the experiment's progress without restraint after Hua Yi entered the Simulated Universe, it would cause Data Corruption.

Because those conditions would not have formed naturally, they could not produce phenomena in accordance with the rules. Analyzing Distorted Results would ultimately lead to conclusions with no reference value.

She could clearly judge the gains and losses, and would not let arrogance blind her eyes or philosophical thought.

"Remember, don't let this false Path power sway your reason."

"I understand."

Hua Yi had not expected the Genius Miss to explain her plan in such detail, much less remind him a second time.

For a girl who had condensed "come test the Simulated Universe" into "come test," this counted as being exceptionally considerate.

Hua Yi nodded seriously, using his solemn expression as an even more reassuring response.

Seeing this, Herta, who was operating the backend, pressed the final confirmation key.

The Simulated Universe, built at the cost of endless resources, began operating at a terrifyingly efficient speed. Data surged like a torrent, rising from the simplest and most complex underlying logic alike, simulating entities indistinguishable from reality amid its leaps.

Herta's command was only a drop of water, yet when it fell into the Simulated Path, it could stir waves and bring about the dreamlike spectacle of human intellect recreating truth.

There was no existence in the world more embracing than the purest memories.

It recorded everything, neither disgusted nor partial; it selflessly preserved every fundamental fact and every beautiful form. It was a river formed by gathered lives, a treasure trove built from eternal wisdom.

The Path of Memory embraced Hua Yi, inviting this person, who neither resisted nor dodged, to step into the river that recorded all things.

Just as living beings throughout the universe stepped onto Paths, Herta had successfully recreated within the Simulated Universe the poetic instant when a Pathstrider was born!

That was how geniuses were.

Just as when others asked why she could meet an Aeon, the only answer was, "Because I'm Herta."

Watching vast amounts of precious data continuously emerge, the genius nodded in satisfaction. Everything matched her most optimistic expectations. It was an extremely successful simulated experiment.

"[Memory]..."

Within the Simulated Universe, Hua Yi felt every change in his limbs, organs, spirit, and emotions.

This was no longer using Imaginary as oars to indirectly stir the River of Paths. He was directly setting foot within it. The two experiences were completely different.

The Walker entered the Path, and the Path embraced the Walker in return. The waves of [Memory] rippled, its undulations gradually approaching the treasures possessed by the chosen one.

Hua Yi's brows rose slightly as he tried to find a balance between complete acceptance and total rejection, allowing the Path's patterns to touch part of his memories while concealing the remaining important ones.

But there was no need.

Before the Simulated Path could touch the Walker's memories, it first learned of that incomparably brilliant radiance and limitless depths.

Then, the River of Paths surged with raging waves, transforming into snowflakes and ice crystals.

"It's here again?!"

Herta's disbelieving voice sounded in his ear.

"No... it's not [Preservation] Qlipoth. It's another Aeon! It's—"

Her voice abruptly receded from Hua Yi's side. More accurately, the signal or medium transmitting the sound was gradually freezing.

Not just that.

Space, time, everything seemed to have stopped. The entire Simulated Universe became less real.

It had appeared.

It was a blurry figure made of mirror fragments. Its features had been repeatedly refracted by prisms into an enigma. Countless memories from across the universe replaced the substance once contained by space, filling it, overflowing it, beginning to emerge in competition.

The Birth of an Emissary?

A crying Adlivun infant, embracing a sibling whose umbilical cord had yet to be cut. A golden scar marked his body, golden blood flowing across a dying planet. Dark skin, robes sweeping over the wasteland, a swift shadow crossing the abyss, a hand reaching out to gather the stars.

Combined with Hua Yi's knowledge, what he saw should have been the myth of the [Destruction] Aeon's birth.

When Nanook ascended to godhood, he had embodied ultimate destruction and detonated every star in the Adlivun System. Under such indiscriminate devastation, no life besides the Aeon himself should have survived.

The one now recreating detailed memories and revealing the cosmic truth of Nanook was undoubtedly the [Memory] Aeon, Fu Li.

It was a school of fish swimming upstream, and the key to a treasure vault. It meditated at the heart of the Pure Land, quietly watching all things in the world tirelessly repeat their mistakes.

The Aeon was gazing at Hua Yi when a voice suddenly arrived.

"Threads turn and overlap warp and weft weave an ocean are your footprints confused becoming time destined past volume no longer shrinks proportionally steps one two three feet cancer left behind is growing you appear perhaps..."

Every word spoken by Fu Li's simulacrum connected to the next, like a murmur. Before Hua Yi could answer, the nascent form of the Simulated Path of [Memory] began churning frantically, sweeping toward the person who had entered it.

This was not an attack, absolutely not an attack.

The Aeon's Sweeping Power commanded the Path, driving a tsunami that crossed mountains, seeking to bestow a blessing upon the one who had gained Its favor.

This was the birth of an Emissary. He would raise Giant Waves that eroded the Erosion Coast, and countless stars would sing his praises!