After saving up enough funds, Stelle's bedroom decoration finally reached the long-dreamed-of step.
Stelle looked at the perfect gaming setup and praised it heartily. "This is the life I've always wanted! Hahaha!"
She excitedly pressed the power button on the host.
"Huh? Why isn't the screen lighting up? Did I get scammed by some shady dealer?"
...
Not long after.
Welt Yang symbolically adjusted his glasses. "Very good—the display can light up, programs run normally, problem solved.
You simply plugged the cable into the wrong slot, missed two latches on the cooler, and installed the cellular automata chip backwards. All minor issues. For a beginner, getting this far is already impressive."
At that moment, the camera gave Stelle's gaming room a perfect close-up.
The audience couldn't help drooling with envy.
[I wouldn't dare imagine how amazing it would feel to game in here!]
[Dream room!]
[Let me translate: She just plugged the GPU power into the CPU power slot, missed two cooler latches, and installed the CPU backwards—all minor issues.]
[Indeed—Stellaron core has a basic grasp of humanity. Understandable.]
—
Hearing this, Stelle nodded proudly. "As expected of me!"
"Hahaha—with a few more rounds of practice, next time you could be the one repairing the train." The next moment, Welt Yang changed the subject.
"But I must admit I'm still a little shocked. The cellular automata chip slot has foolproof design—it's theoretically impossible to insert it backwards. The manufacturer probably never expected someone with your endless strength…"
["Foolproof design"?]
[Translation: The kid's dumb, but strong!]
[Brute force creates miracles!]
[Foolproof doesn't foolproof idiots—brute force creates miracles.]
Welt Yang glanced at the large screen. "Although there are already plenty of advanced display technologies—holographic, illusory, brain-computer interfaces… I still prefer sitting in front of a real monitor. Haha, maybe I'm just not trendy enough.
When I was young, I used to compare hardware specs and prices, build my own computers, and even… larger machines. Realistic color screens, simulated neural electronic brain processors."
He couldn't help clicking his tongue—at how daring young people are with themselves these days. "Truly luxurious. What do you plan to use it for?"
Stelle looked proud. "To become the strongest hacker."
[Silver Wolf has something to say.]
[But isn't this room a Silver Wolf trap? How come Silver Wolf isn't coming over?]
[Silver Wolf isn't lacking gaming buddies—she's lacking proper gaming equipment.]
Welt Yang gave a small smile. "I'm not very familiar with that field, but I can recommend some beginner materials. Looking forward to the day you master it."
[One dares to learn, the other dares to teach.]
Welt Yang scanned Stelle's gaming room again. "It's really luxurious—I can't help wanting to set up something like this for myself."
Meanwhile, Stelle was already sitting in the gaming chair, touching the long-awaited electronic equipment.
However.
The entire setup kept having problems.
A bit of lag, a momentary flash, a mysteriously disappearing file, an unexpected pop-up—countless little things finally led Stelle, as if guided by fate, to open the antivirus software.
Of course—please don't ask why there are still antivirus programs in the interstellar era. Computer viruses have haunted humanity for millennia; no one wanted it this way.
At that moment, the antivirus progress bar didn't slide smoothly to the end as usual. A warning flashed in the center of the screen: VIRUS DETECTED!
"What audacity—daring to infect my computer!"
Stelle wasn't someone to be trifled with. Without hesitation, she pressed the scan-and-remove button.
"Stop stop stop—wait!"
A line of text inexplicably appeared on the screen?
An icon shoved all other windows aside and jumped in front of Stelle, followed by a string of text boxes.
"Sigh… it's over. The scan is already running. Once it's done, I'm finished.
I haven't introduced myself yet. This one is 'Super Intelligent Virus.' Born as a virus—I apologize."
Stelle frowned. "Who asked you?"
"A curious Nameless guest—how could you not be interested in me? I know I can't escape being purged in the end. But if I can fulfill a few final wishes before I die, I'll have no regrets."
Stelle scratched her head. "You're not messing with me, are you?"
"I haven't hijacked your hard drive or danced on your desktop. A virus as honest as me is rare these days."
The super intelligent virus even added its own narration: "Life, aging, illness, death—the inescapable cycle. People are always busy living, but rarely think about dying with dignity. Perhaps this touched you, and you decided to hear its dying wishes."
[Hahahaha…]
[I still love Honkai: Star Rail's daily life—the right amount of absurdity is just too fun.]
[Not the right amount.]
Stelle's mouth twitched. "Stop pretending to be narration."
The super intelligent virus continued talking to itself. "Thank you for your mercy. First—my first wish… After all this wandering, I haven't had a proper meal in ages. My first wish is to have some of those junk files you don't need to fill my stomach. Is that okay?"
"Fine—documents then." Stelle lightly tapped, tossing a bunch of files she didn't know she needed or not straight into the recycle bin.
"These documents are a bit dry—need some imagination—but better than nothing."
[Bro—this is already peak abstract.]
[First time watching Honkai: Star Rail? If it's not abstract, what am I even watching?]
The super intelligent virus quickly cleared the recycle bin and lazily sprawled across the desktop.
[???]
[I feel like my brain is running out of capacity.]
[After reading this segment I have the beauty of mild cerebral atrophy.]
"Burp… Let me catch my breath before the remaining wishes."
Stelle clicked her tongue. "So many demands."
...
Ten or so minutes later.
"I've digested most of it. Please hear my second wish."
Stelle helplessly waved her hand. "Go ahead."
"To be honest—my core code is actually a cheat for 『Super Trailblazer Kids』. I fought countless other cheat programs to the death until I became the one-and-only 'Super Intelligent Virus' capable of standing alone."
"No wonder my rank never goes up."
"In these final moments, I want to relive those peaceful, happy childhood days. Will you play a round of 『Super Trailblazer Kids』 with me?"
[I'm increasingly convinced this virus is Sparkle's doing.]
[I think it's Silver Wolf—this virus is way too intelligent.]
[It feels exactly like a hacker deliberately messing with Stelle.]
—
Seeing Stelle remain silent, the super intelligent virus narrated again: "The thought of facing off against the galaxy's most dangerous game cheat fills you with excitement."
"I said stop narrating!"
Stelle let out a heavy breath and opened 『Super Trailblazer Kids』.
The match had barely started when the super intelligent virus instantly teleported in front of Stelle's character.
It landed a critical hit with overflowing crit rate.
Before Stelle could react, the game was already over.
"Geneva! Refund!"
The super intelligent virus sighed in satisfaction. "Haha! 『Super Trailblazer Kids』 is still so fun! Takes me back to those carefree summer days—air-conditioned rooms, watermelon… kids fresh out of school getting absolutely destroyed by me on the computer.
I'm satisfied. Let me rest a bit before the remaining wishes."
Stelle's forehead veins bulged. She swore she really wanted this virus purged immediately.
But why hadn't the virus been purged yet?
...
A long while later.
Stelle sat in her gaming chair idly scrolling on her phone. She never imagined her ultra-luxurious computer would be occupied by a virus, leaving her staring blankly.
What was the difference between this and spending a night at an internet café watching short videos?
"Time's running out. I've decided on my final wish."
"Finally." Stelle put away her phone. "Go ahead…"
"I left ten emails for the friends I cherished most in life. Please help forward them from my email…"
Just then.
The scan progress bar reached the end. The noisy icon on the desktop suddenly froze—after one last flash, it vanished completely.
In its original spot, ten documents remained.
Stelle opened them one by one. Nine were curse chain letters: "After receiving this email, forward it to ten friends immediately, or your ranked games will be stuck in Bronze forever."
"Tch—so childish. Good thing I didn't send them." Stelle shook her head, looking every bit the mature adult.
Then she opened the last document. The recipient… was herself.
"Thank you, friend—for letting me spend my final happy moments.
Please write an epitaph for me in this document. It will be my digital tombstone.
P.S.: Your firewall had a gap torn by data turbulence—that's how I slipped in. Recommend patching it soon."
At the very end of the document was one more line of narration.
"You look at the message, filled with mixed emotions. The night is a long journey—perhaps you too hope not to walk it alone?"
[Tearing up, family.]
[Oof—caught me off guard. How does a virus manage to stab me like this?]
[For some reason—this virus actually feels a little cute.]
[It really got me crying!]
[I was just about to say this virus is kinda decent—then you pull this on me.]
—
"It's still pretending to be narration… Whatever. I'll write the epitaph."
After thinking for a moment, Stelle wrote: "It was the noisiest virus. In life, it loved pretending to be narration."
Done.
People say shedding tears for an enemy is noble—but Stelle didn't cry.
Perhaps because she wasn't that noble yet, or perhaps because they had already turned from enemies to friends.
At that moment, the familiar icon returned: "Uh… just those two sentences?"
Stelle frowned. "Weren't you supposed to be purged?"
"Haha—got you! I'm a super intelligent virus—how could I be purged so easily?"
[I swear—my tears were about to fall, and you pull this?]
[This virus isn't Sparkle in disguise, is it?]
[I bet it's Silver Wolf!]
[Just when I was ready to get stabbed—it revives? MiHoYo you're not human!]
"Sigh… I'm tired from playing today. I'm getting old too. From now on, I'll wash my hands of this life and retire in your computer!
Don't worry—I won't cause trouble. I'll even help protect your computer. No antivirus is better at eliminating computer viruses than me, the 'Super Intelligent Virus'!"
Before Stelle could respond.
The super intelligent virus narrated again: "Narration: Moved by mercy and curiosity, you decide to let it stay."
"Enough with the narration already!"
[I get it now—is this a subtle ad for 360?]
[Probably. "I will protect this computer from all viruses except myself!"]
[What kind of Lü Ziqiao line is that?]
[Wait—guys, did anyone notice a problem? Why has Old Yang been standing behind Stelle this whole time?]
[Eh? Welt hasn't left yet?]
[So he witnessed the entire abstract scene?]
[Hahaha—this is peak entertainment.]
[Bro—if you hadn't pointed it out, I'd have thought Welt Yang was just a background prop.]
[Old Yang has perfectly blended into the background.]
[I feel like Welt Yang is obsessed with Stelle's new computer and refuses to leave.]
—
Once everything finally settled, Stelle could finally enjoy her computer properly.
So she opened a multiplayer first-person shooter called 『Damn It, I'm Surrounded by the Legion!』.
In it, she would play a cornered Galaxy Ranger, relentlessly cooperating with teammates in a blood-pumping battle to break through the siege!
Unfortunately, the Astral Express's network was unstable, and the servers themselves weren't great. After repeated disconnects and reconnects, Stelle gave up.
[Hahaha—is this deliberately trolling the audience?]
[Gotta say—if MiHoYo actually made this, it'd probably be pretty fun.]
[Yeah—with so many factions in Honkai: Star Rail, just pulling out the Xianzhou Alliance vs. Abundance alone could make an epic 3A title.]
[You're making me want it now.]
[Could definitely do a hack-and-slash musou game. I want to control Jing Yuan and slice through entire crowds!]
[Then Feixiao deploys her domain and sweeps up a massive wave of enemies—just thinking about it gets me hyped!]
[Don't even—there's enough campaigns here to make a full musou game and give everyone a history lesson on the Xianzhou!]
[Yeah—bring back past characters too. Just do campaign mode in chronological order.]
[Ideal is plentiful—reality is harsh. Too bad MiHoYo probably hasn't even figured out Simulated Universe VR yet. No way they have bandwidth for a new game!]
[Not necessarily!]
—
However, just as Stelle was searching for a new game, the entire room suddenly shook.