Honkai: Star Rail – Banner Character, Delivering Knives to the Player [38]

“Cocolia obviously knows about the Stellaron yet chose to hide it—even from you, her own daughter.”

“Remember the video footage I showed you in the interrogation room?”

Bronya nodded. “I do.”

“You saw us clearly reading off a script. But your mother was different; she could only hear our voices.”

“The moment the words ‘Stellaron’ and ‘Underworld’ were mentioned together, she panicked, immediately turned hostile, and sent you after us without hesitation.”

Lingzhou chuckled softly, a faint smile on his lips.

“Why panic? Because the Underworld likely contains a secret she desperately needs to protect—the Stellaron itself.”

Bronya’s brows drew together. “You mean…the Stellaron is hidden underground?”

“No, quite the opposite.” Lingzhou wagged a finger. “The Stellaron can’t possibly be hidden down here—that would mean it’s out of her control.”

“What I mean is, there must be clues down here related to the Stellaron—perhaps historical records of its past.”

“Our understanding of Stellarons far surpasses yours. They’re deadly viruses of destruction. Given enough time, there’s even a chance one might develop its own consciousness.”

“Think carefully—has Cocolia ever appeared to be talking to herself, but actually seemed like she was conversing with someone else?”

Bronya’s forehead creased as she sifted through scattered memories. Fragments she’d previously dismissed as insignificant suddenly resurfaced vividly.

“Yes…more than once…” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

Seeing her troubled expression, Lingzhou straightened his clothing lightly.

“Self-awareness is only a possibility, and a small one at that. Don’t worry about it too much.”

“…Can I have a moment alone? I need to clear my thoughts,” Bronya whispered.

“Of course.”

Lingzhou exchanged a look with his companions, and they descended the stairs.

Watching Bronya standing high above, staring blankly at the massive buildings in the distance, March 7th couldn’t help but ask:

“Lingzhou, why did you lie to her?”

The Astral Express crew had encountered Stellarons nearly a dozen times. A Stellaron with its own consciousness was actually fairly common, especially if it had existed for an extended period.

Without human intervention, any Stellaron older than fifty years saw its chance of developing consciousness increase exponentially every decade afterward.

Gepard had mentioned on their way to Belobog—the Fragmentum had appeared several centuries ago.

Which meant the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI had been around at least as long.

It was practically guaranteed to possess self-awareness by now.

“Everyone deserves to keep some dignity,” Lingzhou explained softly.

“Losing dignity means losing all sense of worth—being unable to lift your head again.”

“At best, you become despondent; at worst, you question the entire world and even your own existence.”

Lingzhou glanced up at Bronya again and sighed lightly.

“A mother is an irreplaceable safe haven in everyone’s heart.”

“It represents absolute trust, something worth sacrificing everything for.”

“But once that haven becomes cracked—even subtly—a heart can quickly become vulnerable and sensitive.”

“No matter if outsiders try to tear it open or mend it, they often end up making things worse.”

“People rarely accept the truth until they’ve exhausted every alternative.”

“Rather than tirelessly repeating ourselves, it’s better to let her witness the truth firsthand through her own actions.”

“The breakdown of an adult often happens in an instant. I’m not lying—I’m simply leaving her room for dignity.”

“By choosing the path to repair the cracks, she’s already accepted that those cracks exist.”

“No matter how things turn out, the journey itself prepares her mentally.”

“When that time comes, no more explanations are necessary.”

March nodded vaguely, half-understanding.

Stelle, however, looked thoughtful, absorbing Lingzhou’s words carefully.

“Lingzhou, have you worked as a psychologist before?”

“Nope. But if I said gynecologist, what would you think?”

“That’d be even better.” Stelle blinked earnestly.

Including herself, there were three girls in the Astral Express crew. It’d be so convenient to have Lingzhou around for any gynecological issues during their travels.

“I was joking. You actually took it seriously?”

“You’re not? A shame then…” Stelle’s genuine look of disappointment had March 7th rolling her eyes skyward.

What’s with your expression, huh?!

“You’ve just boarded the Express, so you wouldn’t know. When we feel a bit sick, Lingzhou’s treatment is actually pretty simple.”

“Acupuncture, right? I’ve seen it recently.”

“No, no. If we have minor issues, like colds or headaches, Lingzhou just blows on us.”

Stelle froze.

“Blows?”

“Yeah, he uses his wind.”

March 7th didn’t catch the odd note in Stelle’s voice, her face nostalgic as she explained further.

“When Lingzhou’s wind surrounds you, it feels like soaking in a warm bath after a long, tiring day—relaxing, comforting, soothing…”

“You feel so weightless that sometimes you fall asleep instantly. Afterward, you feel refreshed and energized.”

Stelle’s curiosity spiked. “Is it really that amazing?”

“It really is!”

Stelle turned eagerly toward Lingzhou, eyes sparkling with anticipation. Her meaning couldn’t have been clearer:

She wanted to experience that wind too.

Lingzhou sighed in resignation.

“My [Healing Wind] technique is pretty draining. It can only alleviate physical ailments—mental issues are beyond me.”

“That’s good enough. In future battles, I’ll be on the front lines. You’re a doctor, so just handle strategy and logistics,” Stelle declared confidently, thumping her chest.

“Good idea. I’ll be sure to keep you in top shape,” Lingzhou replied seriously.

Listening to the two’s exchange, March 7th felt her eyebrows twitching slightly.

Yet soon, the glance she shot Stelle held a faint hint of smugness.

Serves you right!

Throughout their trip, Stelle had teased her mercilessly for being slow.

Now she’d gotten a taste of her own medicine. Who was slow now?

Lingzhou might indeed be a doctor, but who said he lacked combat ability?

Only someone as dense as Stelle would actually believe Lingzhou was just an ordinary healer.

March instinctively felt Lingzhou harbored some hidden strength—similar to Dan Heng’s aura, yet even more difficult to discern.

It reminded her of something she’d read once:

“If you think someone with extraordinary presence is weak, it’s often because you’re weaker. That’s called having eyes but failing to recognize Mount Tai.”

Guuuu~

An unexpected noise broke the silence.

March glanced at Stelle’s stomach, teasing, “Whose tummy is protesting, huh?”

Guuuu~

Stelle looked pointedly at March’s abdomen, giggling quietly, “Looks like both of ours.”

March’s face flushed instantly, covering her stomach in embarrassment.

Damn it, that joke boomeranged right back at her!

“Baby’s tummy is rumbling~ Better find something tasty to fill it up,” Stelle hummed, thinking of Underworld delicacies.

March widened her eyes, lips twitching slightly. “Where did you learn such a weird phrase?”

“A random meme I saw surfing the Astral Express’s social feed. Isn’t it funny?”

“I seriously can’t with you. Good thing I packed lots of snacks!”

March’s lips curled smugly—but the next moment, her smile froze.

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This is a fan translation of 崩铁：卡池角色，给玩家发刀 by 三十度幻. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!