Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

—I am the subordinate replacement.

What the teenager saw was a result he was unwilling to accept.

The result was displayed without reservation in that blurry figure.

The person named Raiden Mei is likely a substitute for someone else. All her personality traits, hobbies, and physique are just imitations of that person, completely inferior substitutes, and even her existence will be overshadowed.

what……

never mind.

This inexplicable feeling may not be real.

It is even very likely that it will still be a result of self-righteousness, because at some point, another overconfidence will only trigger negative emotions and create feelings of wanting to escape, wanting to run away, and wanting to avoid.

It could be a hallucination, a daze, or just another instance of self-pity—any of these are possible, after all, it's not the first time.

In a sense, after spending more than half a month with the boy, this was the only change that Raiden Mei could recognize herself.

Don't overestimate yourself.

You can't trust yourself.

In most cases, the voice in one's heart can be denied, and only feelings that come purely from the heart can be chosen to be believed.

This is not a new form of self-denial, but rather the result of choosing to confront a part of oneself after gaining some understanding of oneself.

It is precisely because we choose to face things that we can see and accept them, and thus summarize some of the principles and follow these rules in life.

If you always choose to believe yourself, then the chaotic voices that suddenly appear in your mind will have long since led you to become a murderer, killing anyone who doesn't please you.

Transform into a universally recognized psychopath, madman, or pervert... even Jiang Cheng would undoubtedly look at me with disgust.

If we have to choose between heaven or hell in the worst and best scenario, why not choose a slightly more neutral possibility?

Why must we assume the worst about everything?

Jiangcheng, he...

Isn't she already right beside me?

Slender fingertips carefully touched the back of the boy's hand. The slightly cold skin, blown by the wind, felt like a touch beyond human sensibility. Sensing the touch, Jiang Cheng turned his head, his back to the neon lights, and his somewhat aloof demeanor softened into a gentle smile.

Yes.

No matter what, the boy did stay by my side and came with me to this place that no one wanted to go, and we even touched hands.

Even if Jiang Cheng really knows someone else, that person can't be with him in Changkong City.

Regardless of whether I am a replacement for someone else, I am the only one here.

At least……

I can be a friend to you too.

……

……

A sudden downpour hit our area, and the classic weather forecast gave no indication of anything, showing only cloudy skies. I got soaked the moment I stepped outside, the wind was so strong I felt like I was being blown away, and now I'm lying in bed half-dead, my head spinning. I'll update tomorrow, so please allow me to take a break for now.

This time, Mei's storyline won't be as clichéd. While the level of distortion won't result in direct deaths like in the simulation, it's still quite significant. There will be some unexpected developments, and the book's first battle scene will also take place.

As you've probably noticed, the relationship between Mei and Jiang Cheng isn't one of steadily growing affection; rather, it's a castle in the air built on a toothpick. A slight push could cause it to collapse, and the more luxurious the building, the more ruins it will crumble into.

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

Huh? .jpg

There are pictures here, which can be viewed after the updated version

164. Mei: Is this too... perverted?

Perhaps it's because spending more than half a month together has been enough to dispel the panic in one's heart and to plant a strong concept in one's mind. No matter how anxious or insecure a person is, they cannot deny what has already happened around them.

If you keep falling, it will only lead to the worst possible outcome. There's no need to keep thinking about the worst possible result and demanding the worst possible ending.

If you don't even have confidence in yourself, you'll get annoyed just looking at things. If you have that kind of mentality, you're bound to do nothing well.

Compared to that, what's more important right now is...

"--What's wrong?"

……

Jiang Cheng looked at her with confusion, wondering why Raiden Mei was touching his hand so carefully, and why she had been subtly touching his hand since before.

Strange?

Why does she look a bit like Vilvi?

The previous descriptions and comparisons were at best just an unforgettable shadow after the simulation ended, so no matter what I do, I will unconsciously think of her.

Only now.

Only at this moment.

Jiang Cheng really felt that what had just happened was something that Wilvi might have done herself, so cautiously and reservedly, as if she were facing not a normal man, but a dazzling bubble.

Only when faced with the dazzling, shimmering sunlight would the glittering bubbles be so careful, avoiding the possibility of an explosion if they were even lightly touched.

In response to his question, the girl bit her lip lightly, her purplish-red eyes fixed on his dark pupils, and made her request for the second time.

"There's a classic dessert shop nearby."

Would you be interested in taking a look?

……

Her delicate fingers had already reached out, everything prepared before she could even respond; the girl's words seemed as irrefutable as they had been last time.

The exquisite receipts can be seen in the palm of your hand, and the old objects with the style of the last era can even be sent for archaeological research after being aged.

Previously, perhaps because of the distance or because the two were walking side by side, Jiang Cheng had never had the opportunity to examine the girl's entire body from a close-up perspective. It was as if even the girl herself was unintentionally trying to make up for this regret, but now, without needing to focus too much, she could take everything in.

She wasn't dressed in a formal school uniform like I was, nor did she exude the aura of a wronged little wife who had been bullied by countless people. What she was wearing was undoubtedly formal attire, not casual clothes suitable for public occasions.

Perhaps it's because the girl I've seen before has always been a well-mannered, excellent student, bullied and ostracized, a lone figure hiding in a dark corner.

Even if it occasionally appears somewhat sunny, it merely adds a touch of purple to the deep black lightning, unable to rewrite the loneliness and sorrow beneath the underlying framework.

Even in the storyline, what players saw most often was a warrior wielding a katana, determined to fall into darkness and save others. You could see gentleness in him, but he was ruthless and merciless when he struck.

The countless layers of different identities, the overlap of past and future, have caused too many people to overlook Raiden Mei's original identity.

As the eldest daughter of the Raiden family and the daughter of Raiden Ryoma, she was originally destined to inherit ME Corporation, the family business, and would have been at the top from the start.

The Lightning One-Sword Style is a family-inherited secret technique, and training in temperament, posture, and elegance is absolutely essential in one's life learning.

Raiden Ryoma, who is extremely protective of his daughter, would not allow his only offspring to participate in the life-or-death battle against the Honkai. Everything he taught her was done in a way that was aboveboard, so that she could live a happy life as a normal person. Raiden Mei's initial wish was always to be recognized by her father.

Valkyrie, warrior, member of World Serpent... these are all things that will be added later, due to the tricks of fate and the shameless persecution of a certain archbishop. At this moment, the girl is merely a down-on-her-luck young lady.

It is not a natural disaster, but a monster, not the Herrscher of Thunder, not an enemy, not someone to be saved, and certainly not the so-called Electric Dragon of the Paradise.

Raiden Mei...

It's just Raiden Mei.

The pale purple off-shoulder gown, with its smooth silk fabric, embroidered roses on the chest, and dark satin ribbon at the waist, enveloped her full yet slender and frail body. With her serene and elegant face, Raiden Mei exuded the aura of a young lady from a wealthy family, like a Disney princess living in a glass conservatory.

what……

—It doesn't look like it anymore.

If I were to receive such an invitation from Vilvi, it would take at least several years. It would only be possible if I encountered a very serious problem that even someone willing to cower in fear could not persevere.

For example, being ignored by Alicia is an unbearable insult to both herself and those who love her.

Only when this situation occurs repeatedly and it is confirmed that there is no way to salvage the situation will Velvi choose to take action and take the initiative.

But in reality, there's no need for one person to be like another. Comparing oneself to others is essentially an insult to both people.

……

"Okay."

Jiang Cheng nodded and readily agreed, "I'm the type of person who will never gain weight, so high-calorie desserts like this are perfect for me."

"To be fair, since this place is modeled after that golden age, the dessert shop must also be designed for that era."

"I know a little about architecture, so I can appreciate what is said to be a very dreamlike design."

She inherited some of Virvi's wisdom, which is enough to say she has a little knowledge of architecture, since that genius girl knows a little bit about everything.

Everything that humanity has encompassed so far, everything that can be called a discipline, and even everything that cannot be called a discipline, is nothing more than scraps of paper that Wilhelm could learn to the pinnacle of if he wanted to.

Even if it's just imitating the part before you died, not learning it, just mastering that part is enough for you to stand at the top.

As for Raiden Mei's outstretched hand, even her slender, soft fingertips were positioned across him, and the meaning conveyed was already quite obvious.

not right...

Is it really necessary to be that fast?

Kiana and St. Freya were together for a long time back then, and it took three years for their relationship to become almost inseparable.

We've known each other for several years before finally extending the invitation, and only half a month has passed. Isn't that a bit too fast?

Or am I overthinking things, too much of a romanticized view of marriage, and always interpreting everything in a negative light? She was simply handing over a receipt.

It seems that the extraordinary wisdom inherited from Vervière also passed on to her extraordinary emotional intelligence, but she faltered at this moment, even though she was usually very adept at handling things.

For safety's sake, to avoid causing trouble due to her own stupidity or wild thoughts—this is not a simulator, and even in the world of simulators there is no going back, so the girl's outstretched hand was ignored by default.

……