I was transported to a broken world, yet my dreams are connected to Star Iron?

　"So, all we need to do now is sleep here and wait for the Anti-Entropy people to come and pick us up?"

　Seeing that Suzuma had electronically disguised the game console she had used and her whereabouts along the way, and skillfully led her to check into a hotel under a false identity, Cecilia asked with some doubt.

　"Well, after all, there's a high chance I'll return to Star Iron if I sleep, so I told Walter that if I fall asleep, he doesn't need to wait for me to wake up, he can just take me away."

　Lingmo nodded: "However, the system should be almost finished upgrading by now, it's been five or six hours already..."

　As if confirming Lingmo's words, not long after Lingmo finished speaking, she heard the system's notification in her head.

　The system update is complete. Compensation of 600 crystals has been sent to your in-game mail. Please check your mail.

　[System Space is officially open! The system sprite chibi avatar simulation is officially open! The Homestead System is open!]

　"what?"

　Before Suzumo could say anything, Cecilia exclaimed in surprise.

　"I think... I heard some kind of notification sound too?"

　"But this voice... why does it feel so familiar and comforting..."

　Chapter 55 Cecilia: Such a cute daughter, she was born to be eaten by her mother!

　Filled with questions about the new system and anticipation for what was to come, the bloodthirsty viewer, Lingmo, quickly closed her eyes and opened the system panel first.

　She had just confirmed that Cecilia needed her approval to access the system, meaning she could first check out the new system's functions.

　"Hey, this is..."

　However, as soon as she turned on the system, Suzumo noticed something was wrong.

　The rest of the system interface remained the same, except that the original "Backpack" position was replaced by "Warehouse", and the word "Home" was added next to the warehouse.

　Most importantly, after clicking on these two modules, a "Enter" and a "Observe" confirmation button appeared in front of Lingmo.

　"Xiaoqi, this is..."

　[Ahem, the updated system includes a new Homestead System, meaning the host can directly send their consciousness into the system. Of course, retrieving items during battle is still very convenient, just like before.]

　As soon as Lingmo opened her mouth, the voice of customer service Xiaoqi immediately appeared in her mind.

　"A homestead system? It's not like the one from Honkai Impact 3rd, is it?"

　Lingmo paused for a moment, then clicked to enter without hesitation: "Let me see..."

　With a flash of light, her consciousness, which had been immersed in the system, suddenly felt a sense of "being grounded," and then she realized that she had arrived in the "Homestead System."

　As for why she was so sure... looking at the cardboard beds and tables in front of her, wasn't this just the Valkyrie dormitory from Honkai Impact 3rd, the very original kind!

　"You...you're letting Cecilia-senpai stay here?"

　Lingmo shifted her gaze to the small white orb of light beside her; it seemed to be the materialized form of customer service representative Xiaoqi: "Also, what's wrong with you looking like this?"

　[Well, the current homestead system is just in its initial state. Cecilia can modify it herself after she moves in!]

　Customer service representative Xiaoqi felt uncomfortable under Lingmo's accusing gaze and quickly explained.

　She couldn't very well say that she had been agonizing over it for so long that she forgot to renovate the dorm, so she had to leave the job to Suzuma and Cecilia.

　[As for my current appearance... cough cough, mimicry consumes energy, host, you wouldn't want me to go offline due to insufficient energy, would you?]

　"Ah, yes, yes..."

　Lingmo pouted slightly. She had been wondering what kind of person Xiaoqi would have to look like to create an identity that wouldn't be suspected, but she didn't expect... she simply chose not to pretend?

　It's okay, in this situation, just throw a Cecilia in and it'll behave.

　Ying Lingmo had already secretly decided Xiaoqi's fate.

　[Oh, right, there's one more thing you need to be aware of, host. When you're in the Star Iron world, souls like Cecilia and Sirin, who belong to the Honkai side, cannot possess you. Similarly, they cannot observe your actions in the Star Iron world.]

　However, it doesn't matter here in the Honkai. Even without possession, they can still watch the outside situation in real time through the screen here.

　"So, Honkai Impact 3rd can only be observed from one direction?"

　Lingmo thought for a moment, then looked at customer service representative Xiaoqi and asked, "Um... could you tell me if this is a technical problem or a confidentiality issue?"

　[Regarding the former, I can't say any more.]

　"It's okay, I understand it pretty much now."

　Lingmo waved her hand: "Well then, have a good night's sleep~"

　【? 】

　Before customer service representative Xiaoqi could react, Lingmo, who had already understood the update, instantly disappeared from the home. In her place appeared a gentle, white-haired woman whose body was gradually taking shape and who was constantly looking around curiously.

　Then, Lingmo began to observe silently from outside the system space.

　(Jpg monoculars)

　"Huh, is this the dorm that Lingmo told me about finding for me?"

　Cecilia's gaze swept over the cardboard bed, which didn't look very sturdy, and she fell into deep thought.

　"It looks like... it needs some cleaning."

　"And you are..."

　【Me, me, me…】

　As it turns out, Kiana's four hours of mental preparation were completely ineffective.

　【My name is Nian Gao! I'm the system spirit that Ling Mo mentioned!】

　Well, it seems it did have some effect; at least she found an identity she could impersonate.

　"..."

　Upon hearing customer service representative Xiaoqi's voice, Cecilia indeed fell silent.

　"Um, Lady Cecilia... is something on your mind?"

　"Sorry, rice cake."

　Looking at the carefully held white orb of light, Cecilia suddenly chuckled: "I just felt that your voice was exactly the same as the voice I imagined my daughter would have when she grew up... so I was a little stunned for a moment."

　Haha, what a coincidence...

　"Yes, that's right, it's exactly the same! It looks a lot like me when I was young..."

　"However, the name 'rice cake' is quite strange. Isn't that the name of a Chinese delicacy?"

　This is actually because...

　"Xiaoqi?"

　Just then, Lingmo suddenly poked her head in from outside the system's home, and called out her name while customer service Xiaoqi looked on in a daze.

　【W-what's wrong?】

　"It's nothing, just reminding you not to forget to turn off the gas."

　【? 】

　"Xiaoqi? Is that also your name?"

　At this moment, Xiaoqi, the customer service representative, realized something was wrong and looked at Cecilia, who seemed to be deep in thought, with the ball of light trembling.

　"So... should I call you Xiaoqi, or should I call you Nian Gao?"

　[Guh, let's just call her Xiaoqi...]

　The small white orb of light, as if resigned to its fate, drifted towards Cecilia.

　"Okay, Xiaoqi~"

　Cecilia's smile immediately brightened. Before entering the home, Suzumo had told her meaningfully that she might meet one of the people she most wanted to see here.

　At first, Cecilia didn't understand what Suzumo meant, but... now she roughly understands.

　"Um, Xiaoqi..."

　Cecilia blinked her beautiful big eyes at the small white orb of light: "Can I ask you for a favor?"

　【Lady Cecilia, you're right...】

　"Can you call me Mom?"

　Cecilia immediately became excited: "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to disrespect you, it's just that I really want to hear little Kiana call me 'Mom' when she grows up... uh, I mean in little Kiana's voice... If it's really too much to ask, then forget it."

　Lingmo, who was watching the scene with bloodlust from the outside, couldn't help but cover her face. In some ways, the mother and daughter were really exactly the same...

　No, it's okay...

　Xiaoqi's voice suddenly fell silent for a moment, then she said softly.

　【Mother……】

　"Yay, so satisfying!"

　Cecilia almost jumped for joy. Almost instinctively, she tried to reach out and touch the small ball of light floating in the air, but her hand passed right through it.

　[That's right, because maintaining a physical entity requires wasted energy, I didn't condense a physical entity to avoid additional energy expenditure...]

　This time, without Cecilia asking, Xiaoqi had already explained the reason herself.

　"Eh……"

　Cecilia's expression turned somewhat disappointed, but she quickly cheered up: "It's okay, it's fine as it is... the important thing is not to affect your work, Xiaoqi."

　【…】

　Customer service representative Xiaoqi fell silent again, and after a moment, she sighed helplessly.

　Just consider it a break for yourself...

　The thought flashed through her mind, and then the small white ball of light instantly floated to Cecilia's chest, transforming into a white kitten with a cape and blue eyes, which snuggled into Cecilia's arms.

　Although it cannot maintain its physical form for long periods, maintaining this state for a short while each day is still possible.

　Cecilia...Mom.

　Chapter 56 March 7: Wow, these two people are really unbearable to look at.

　"Hey Hey……"

　[Damn it, what are you laughing at, host!]

　"I remembered happy things."

　Lingmo gestured excitedly: "I saw a white kitten underestimate its cuteness, and then it was hugged and kissed by a white-haired big sister who was overflowing with maternal love, and it meowed affectionately."

　"Excuse me, customer service representative Xiaoqi, have you seen where that cat is?"

　【I didn't see it!】

　Like a kitten whose tail has been stepped on, customer service representative Xiaoqi instantly "blew her hair out".

　[And, moreover, if you hadn't suddenly run in and called out to me back then, that misunderstanding wouldn't have happened. My disguise was flawless!]

　"Oh—it was a misunderstanding. Cecilia-senpai is so careless to have caused such a misunderstanding~"

　Lingmo mischievously drew out her words.

　[It's a misunderstanding! I'm just an ordinary system spirit. I only called Cecilia "Mom" because I felt sorry for her. I didn't mean anything by it!]

　"Okay, okay?"

　Looking at Xiaoqi, the customer service representative who had reached the threshold of shyness and was close to giving up on herself, Lingmo tried hard to suppress the smile on her lips.

　After all, the scene of a mother and daughter reuniting was just too funny to suppress, especially since she had just accidentally thought of Vita's jokes about Xiao Wei next door, which made her want to laugh even more.

　I tried to hold it in! But how could I possibly resist something so funny, hehe...

　With a sweet (?) smile, Lingmo drifted off to sleep peacefully.

　Then, perhaps because she was afraid that Lingmo would cause her some trouble in the Honkai world, or perhaps it was just bad luck, Lingmo sensed a familiar feeling while she was half asleep and half awake.

　Yeah, it's probably like the feeling of time travel.

　So, I triggered the world-switching mechanism while sleeping, and now I'm back in Honkai Impact 3rd?

　Suzuma didn't open her eyes. Instead, before her senses returned to her body, she quickly recalled the situation when she left Xingtie.