My Honkai Star Rail: Reversing All Phenomena

"Woof, woof!"

A little beige dog spotted faint water stains on the Space Station floor. It leaned down to sniff them, then took off on its four short legs, racing in a certain direction.

"Peipei, what's wrong? Slow down!"

Asta called after her pet as she gave chase, forced to weave through the Space Station after the little dog.

Fortunately, Peipei had not run far. It quickly found its target and began circling a female staff member.

The Station Master recognized her.

"Lamina, were you crying? What happened?!"

No wonder considerate little Peipei had suddenly started running. The water stains it had found were tears, and it had followed the scent to find the person who had shed them.

Lamina was Hua Yi's assistant now. Could he have bullied her into tears?

Impossible. Though she had yet to learn the details, Asta immediately dismissed that possibility. Given Hua Yi's personality, even if he occasionally teased girls, he knew where to draw the line. He would only joke in ways that made people happy, not reduce an innocent girl to tears.

In an instant, Asta's thoughts raced, until she arrived at only one possible answer.

It was most likely her own fault. Last time, she had mysteriously mentioned to Hua Yi that Lamina's entry into the Space Station had been somewhat complicated. He had taken it to heart and looked into the matter afterward, causing the girl, who had long been anxious, to lose control of her emotions.

It had not been an especially serious matter to begin with. Before the Space Station's selection process, there had only been rough estimates for the number of participants from each planet; the actual circumstances took priority. As long as someone met the requirements, there was no such thing as taking another person's spot. Lamina was not guilty merely for voicing her concerns. The problem was how to cleverly untie the knot in this young girl's heart.

"Station Master!"

"Did Hua Yi ask you something unrelated to work and make you like this? I apologize to you. He absolutely meant no harm—he only wanted to show some concern for his assistant."

"No, it's because... because..."

After a brief hesitation, Lamina gritted her teeth and simply told her everything that had happened earlier.

Madam Herta's internal letter had mentioned that Station Master Asta had repeatedly paid out of pocket to subsidize Space Station facilities. A little rich girl like her surely would not covet a Kaliba formula.

Lamina did not hide the fact that she had relied on an opportunity given by her older sister to participate in the selection process, either. In any case, it had nothing to do with Lord Hua Yi. If the Station Master felt that someone like her was unworthy of continuing as his assistant, then she should leave sooner rather than later. She could not let that brilliant star be tarnished.

"I see."

As she listened to the young staff member recount every word of the conversation in the office, Asta realized she had guessed wrong. Her eyes shifted slightly as she nodded with a smile.

Hua Yi was gentler and more considerate than she had imagined.

She had been thinking about how to untie the knot in Lamina's heart and keep her from bottling everything up until something went wrong, but that idol had already personally eased his fan's worries.

"Lord Hua Yi... ahem, Hua Yi was right. Lamina is truly a very outstanding girl."

Taking the young staff member's hand, Asta led her toward the maintenance room.

"I'll take you to see one of the Department of Land Surveying's senior members. That scholar is from Lasaro's generation, and the two were good friends. He should have been the one who provided the developer—no, let's wash your face in the restroom first. We can't let others see you crying like a little kitten. It would be bad if Hua Yi were mistaken for some villain who bullies girls."

"Mm!"

Half a System Time later, the old man who had personally seen Lamina and Station Master Asta out of the Department of Land Surveying returned to the maintenance room. His thin, bony hand gently stroked the letter paper that had been soaked in chemicals. Looking at his old friend's handwriting, he was overcome with emotion.

"Lasaro, oh Lasaro, do you know? The Kaliba formula you left behind has been returned. He could have made a fortune in Credits, yet he insisted on handing your formula to this old man. Heh, didn't expect that, did you? The Treasure of the Hunter of Wisdom could not tempt a young man of true character."

Following the formula, he tried bottling a barrel of Kaliba himself. He poured a generous mouthful into a cup and drank it, letting out a satisfied sigh.

That was right. This was the taste.

"If you hadn't left the Space Station, you would have liked Hua Yi. Wen Huairen from the Department of Applied Materials likes him too. Come to think of it, it's rather amusing. Two bitter rivals both value the same young man. But you needn't feel awkward about it—this old man likes him too. So do Gunn from the Department of Legal Affairs, and those old fellows from the Department of Boundary Seeds and the Department of Secret Scrolls... I have a feeling that the light he is showing now is far from all he possesses. The future is truly something to look forward to."

Muttering to himself as he rose to his feet, the old scholar picked up the letter and prepared to go directly to find the miser from the Department of Applied Materials.

That old bastard Wen Huairen was probably not resting yet. Nine times out of ten, he was browsing the Interastral Peace Corporation's Product List, looking for Curios he could buy low and sell high.

"—Got you!"

The Department of Land Surveying elder kicked the sofa Wen Huairen was lying on from behind.

"Stop hunting for bargains online. Here, Lasaro's Kaliba formula is here. Hua Yi gave it to us. Think carefully about how to negotiate with the corporation, and don't waste the young man's goodwill."

"What's going on?"

"The Department of Land Surveying wanted to give the treasure Lasaro left behind to Hua Yi, but the young man was steadfast and noble in character. He handed this priceless—no, planet-priced Kaliba formula over to us old men. When the Herta · Universal Applied Materials version of Kaliba becomes popular across the universe again, don't forget Hua Yi's rightful share of the benefits."

"Hiss!"

"Say something! Are you only capable of gasping?"

"I was just shocked by that kid. Let me think... How about putting [Herta · Universal Applied Materials · Hua Yi] on the new Kaliba packaging?"

"To hell with that. Since when was Hua Yi part of your Department of Applied Materials? [Herta · Hua Yi · Universal Applied Materials] would be more like it... No, no. Any version makes it sound like he's tied to the Department of Applied Materials. Credits—the important thing is Credits!"

"I know, I know! What do you think I do? Do I need you to remind me?"

System Days passed one after another, and the Space Station's defense project proceeded in an orderly fashion. While upgrading the Simulated Universe, Herta continued calling Hua Yi to her office frequently, making him work under her observation.

After spending nearly a hundred System Times on the matter, Genius Miss had basically determined that relying solely on Puppets and various technological devices was insufficient to uncover Hua Yi's secret.

But it did not matter. She did not dislike having this extra person beside her Puppets. In particular, some of the questions he occasionally raised about Paths, Aeons, and Cosmic Truth could even give her new angles to consider.

Buzz.

"Sorry to interrupt."

Herta glanced at Asta, who entered the office carrying a tray to bring Hua Yi lunch, wearing an expression that showed she was entirely unsurprised.

"Don't ask whether I'm eating. I'm not."

"Huh? But these are nutritional foods I specially bought through online shopping. Madam Herta, are you really not going to try some?"

"What nutrition does a Puppet need? If there's a problem, just upgrade the configuration. If you really bring that tray over here, I'll have to worry about food splashing onto the Simulated Universe Machine."

It was undoubtedly absurd for the Station Master to bring food and drinks to one of her staff members. Herta allowed the room filled with precision instruments to become saturated with the aroma of food, something rare even among researchers.

Of course, the Simulated Universe Machine placed in the office had equally impressive performance. Its shockproof and impact-resistant specifications were beyond anything the outside world could imagine.

In truth, Hua Yi did not need to specially replenish his nutrition either. But the girl had paid the exorbitant fees for interstellar delivery to buy ingredients from a distance that even "from thousands of miles away" could not describe, then had the cooking robot prepare them. How could he possibly utter a single word of refusal?

"I'll try to finish it all."

"You also have to tell me which dishes you prefer. I saved them when I bought them, and the cooking robot can keep the flavor consistent according to the recipes. I'll order more next time."

"One huge meal like this is enough. What will it take for you to believe that my body is really fine, Miss Asta?"

"Just fill your stomach first."

The Station Master rested her head in her hand and watched Hua Yi eat, smiling sweetly. Yet she did not directly agree to stop buying premium ingredients online, revealing a hint of playful mischief.

"Oh, right. Try this bottle of Kaliba too and tell me how it tastes~"

"It has the Herta · Universal Applied Materials label on it—has the Department of Land Surveying already shared the Kaliba formula with the Department of Applied Materials and settled the terms with the Interastral Peace Corporation?"

"Mm. The Department of Applied Materials did not accept the corporation's initial buyout offer. Instead, they signed a long-term cooperation agreement by investing the technology as equity. From now on, every bottle of Herta · Universal Applied Materials Kaliba that is sold will generate revenue for the Space Station, and your share will be transferred directly into your account."

"I don't think I should profit from this."

Hua Yi took a sip of Kaliba and examined the bottle's packaging.

"The corporation offered the formula's inventor five Million Credits. Although Kaliba had not yet established its reputation at the time, another major factor was that Lasaro represented only himself and lacked bargaining power. The Space Station used its channels, connections, and influence to negotiate this cooperation with the corporation. I merely returned the formula to Lasaro's old friend. I did not play much of a role."

"So that's how you see it..."

"The Interastral Peace Corporation's absolute control over wealth, along with its never-ending expansion, has created a popular image of it as some scheming dictator. Yet monopolizing everything with one hand is merely a lowly ambition for such a colossal entity. Even so, the internal structure of a massive organization often resembles a pyramid of power. If someone as unknown as I was before approached the corporation with the Kaliba formula and negotiated with ordinary employees, the benefits I could obtain would certainly be limited."

"You're quite clearheaded."

For once, Herta inserted herself into Hua Yi and Asta's conversation.

"Many times, the price of a product does not depend on the product itself. Negotiations require capital as well. The Interastral Peace Corporation will not casually murder people and seize their goods, but profiting from transactions, buying low and selling high, has always been their specialty."

When most interstellar citizens spoke of the corporation, they always mentioned its ubiquitous products and eye-catching logos, as if the Interastral Peace Corporation existed wherever trade existed.

In fact, nearly all commercial activity in the galaxy was indeed built upon the corporation's Credits system. If interstellar trade were compared to athletic competition, then the corporation was both the top athlete and every sport, both the arena and the rules themselves.

"At its core, the corporation is not a purely commercial organization. Its corporate spirit has never changed since its founding—offering everything to [Amber Lord] Qlipoth. And that brings us back to the appeal of Aeons themselves."

If the scene from the Simulated Universe where Qlipoth stared at Hua Yi for a long time had happened in reality, the corporation would definitely have extended an olive branch and done everything possible to invite him into its upper ranks with real authority, without the slightest insincerity.

There were no ifs now. The value of a Kaliba formula was not worth dwelling on. Herta was not discussing the formula with Hua Yi; she was merely describing the Interastral Peace Corporation's power and just how lofty Aeons truly were.

If the Simulated Universe were not so incomplete and incapable of bearing the miracles caused by Aeon simulacrums stirring Paths, Genius Miss would have loved for Virtual Aeons like Qlipoth and Fu Li to stare intensely at Hua Yi, so she could collect the relevant data for deeper research.

"All right, that settles the Kaliba formula matter. Since the others at the Space Station have decided to give you benefits, just accept them. It'll save you from asking me when you run out of money."

"Herta, I don't think I've ever asked you for Credits or Herta Coins, have I? Why are you making it sound as though I'm always holding out my hand for money in private?"

"Because I don't keep Credits either. Spending energy on that kind of thing is a waste of life. If you asked me for money, I'd have to contact the Interastral Peace Corporation. It would be terribly troublesome."

Hearing that, Asta's eyes widened involuntarily.

Wasn't the implication that even if Hua Yi truly asked for something as mundane as Credits, Madam Herta would still be willing to "waste her life" to negotiate with the corporation for him?

Even though the young Station Master had already noticed Herta's unusual attitude toward Hua Yi these past few days, and knew there was a Simulated Universe project, she was still profoundly shaken after grasping the meaning behind the Genius's words.

Could there really be even the slightest possibility that Madam Herta liked Hua Yi and wanted an old cow to eat young grass, like people said in the Fan Group?

Would I have to keep watch outside the door then?

Asta's mind wandered as images began forming in her head. When she remembered where she was, and that the Puppet girl's gaze was still drifting her way from time to time, the Station Master immediately wanted to crawl into a crack in the ground.

"—Make sure you eat properly. I'm leaving first!"

The quick-witted young lady was afraid Madam Herta might notice something from her wild thoughts, so she hurriedly fled the office.

In truth, Genius Miss found it rather inexplicable.

The last few times Asta had personally delivered meals, she had insisted on seeing Hua Yi finish them properly, afraid he would become too busy working and forget to fill his stomach. Why had she run away so quickly this time?

Herta could not be bothered to think about such trivial matters, nor did she plan to supervise him in Asta's place. She continued optimizing the Simulated Universe.

The negative effects from the last appearance of the Aeon of Memory Fuli's simulacrum, when Sweeping Power had attempted to command fragile Paths, had been eliminated. Genius Miss was upgrading the core of the virtual world as much as possible, lest it casually throw errors again next time.

Hua Yi silently finished the nutritious lunch Asta had brought him without wasting a single bite. Then he picked up the latest Space Station-bottled Kaliba and poured the drink, which refracted a deep, clear blue glow and surged with bright bubbles, into his mouth.

"Whew... It really does taste good."

"Remember to clean up the table after you finish eating."

Herta reminded him absentmindedly. Just as she was about to continue, her programming motions—which had never stopped whether she was watching Asta bring lunch or speaking with Hua Yi—suddenly froze.

Data flickered rapidly through the purple Puppet's Eye, and Herta's tone became strange.

"An abnormal energy fluctuation? These spatial ripple signatures... could it be—stay in my office! Don't go anywhere, understand?!"

Hua Yi said nothing. He stood and began clearing the trays and drink bottles from the table.

Genius Miss frowned, thinking that this fellow was distracted and had not heard what she was saying. Just as she was about to issue a second warning in a harsher tone, the severed signal connection temporarily robbed her of remote control over the Puppet.

"Emergency response mode activated. Current location identified: Herta's Office. Confirmed. Local network operating normally. Other Puppets have already headed to the Safe Zone. This unit's duty is to protect the Simulated Universe. Entering automatic combat mode."

Along with the mechanical voice of the self-operating Puppet came thunderous alarms ringing throughout the Space Station.

Something had happened.

Anyone could tell that something major had happened to the Space Station. Hua Yi happened to be in Herta's Office, where the walls and hatch were of the highest grade, with a Puppet standing guard as well. It was undoubtedly a safe harbor. Staying here was the wisest choice; running outside without authorization was no different from actively placing himself in danger.

Yet before the heavy hatch fully sealed shut, Hua Yi walked out of Herta's Office.

He raised his head. At some unknown moment, a vast number of dark monsters had appeared, blotting out the starlight. They densely covered the outside of the transparent hull surrounding the main body of the Space Station, encircling this Starry Sky Museum layer upon layer.

Blue-violet flames burned across their bodies, and their pitch-black armor spoke of calamity, easily evoking the deepest fears within intelligent life.

[The Messenger in Black asks, "Why are you alive?" Mortals think long and hard, yet can only offer vague, obscure answers. The Messenger reveals a lethal smile. "Let me put it another way—why are you still alive?"]

"Those are... the Antimatter Legion?!"

Terrified cries rose throughout the Space Station. The Scholars recognized the monsters' origins and realized what kind of dreadful enemy had descended upon this Wisdom Gathering Place, which had stayed removed from worldly affairs and neutral in all matters involving Aeons.

Worlds swept up by the Legion's tide would always cry out helplessly in their final moments—why?

Yet in response to the lambs' desperate wails, the countless lesser demons gave no answer. Only mocking laughter that made the stars tremble echoed across the wasteland.

Herta Space Station had never involved itself in any event concerning Aeons, but [Destruction] had come for the Space Station.

Countless destroyed worlds of prosperity and brilliant civilizations accused the Legion of its atrocities. They brought chaos and devastation to myriad worlds, shattered planets apart, and extinguished the flames of civilization.

No one doubted the Antimatter Legion's strength. No one failed to understand what it represented.