"When I realized how easy it was to cultivate even a [planet]..."
"I began to feel... empty."
"I came to understand more and more..."
"That I longed for research into the very [essence] of things."
Ruan Mei's PV continued.
The scene behind her shifted from a rural cottage to the corridors of a space station.
"And recently, I've had some... different thoughts."
"At first, I was terrified by its emergence."
In the background, the voices of Herta and Screwllum could be heard.
Herta: "Ruan Mei is impossible to deal with!"
"I went through so many people, spent so much time and effort just to get in touch with her!"
"Hey, Ruan Mei, can you hear me?"
"You have to show up at some point, right?"
Compared to Ruan Mei's calm and detached tone, Herta's voice sounded like noise, deliberately emphasizing the divide between them.
From Ruan Mei's perspective, both Herta and Screwllum existed only as faint silhouettes.
Ruan Mei never once opened her eyes, as if the chaos of the outside world couldn't affect her in the slightest.
...
"Herta's chattering in the background is killing me, lol!"
"After watching Ruan Mei's short, I suddenly feel like Herta is so much more... human."
"Does this scene mean Ruan Mei has zero interest in Herta and the others?"
"Geniuses each have their own pursuits, their own ambitions. They don't gather out of friendship or mutual respect—they're together because they can derive value from one another."
"Damn, that's cold."
"Rest assured, everyone here—none of you hold any research value to Ruan Mei."
"NO!!! I WANT TO BE RESEARCHED BY RUAN MEI!"
...
At that moment, the space station scenery behind Ruan Mei was filled with vibrant colors.
Images of various lifeforms began to emerge—tiny single-celled organisms, drifting red-and-blue goldfish, and large pink-and-blue jellyfish rising from the bottom left, leaving trails of brilliant light.
The colors were so vivid, like a child's spontaneous doodles, yet they formed a strange harmony around Ruan Mei.
"It was born from wonder—neither resisting nor mourning."
"It was closest to the emotions I felt as a child."
"[It asked me... where the focus of my research lay.]"
"The world is a dazzling tapestry of colors, overwhelming to behold."
"But it has nothing to do with me."
A barrier appeared before Ruan Mei, seemingly blocking her path forward.
Yet she still didn't open her eyes.
She simply kept walking—forward, into the barrier.
It parted like water, and Ruan Mei submerged beneath its surface, entering an entirely new realm.
The music, previously dominated by violins, grew heavier and more majestic.
"I get it now! Ruan Mei is breaking through all obstacles in her path, stepping into a brand-new domain!"
"Is this what genius looks like? I can't even begin to fathom her field, let alone follow her thought process..."
"Why does she feel more and more... divine?"
"She's too pure!"
"This feeling... like Ruan Mei has already reached the pinnacle of her field, omniscient and omnipotent?"
What came next left every player watching utterly stunned—even shaken to their core.
"I seek the secrets of the universe. I pursue answers deeper than [humanity] itself."
"There is nothing left for me to obtain, nothing I still need."
"If I can [cultivate], [reassemble], and [recreate] life..."
"Then I can dissect [memory], regulate balance."
"Deconstruct [beauty], recreate [eternity]."
"I will comprehend [life], touch [concepts]."
"Perhaps I, too, can..."
"Become—"
On screen, Ruan Mei held the double helix of DNA in her hands, a faint smile on her lips.
Paired with the majestic music, the scene radiated an overwhelming sense of epic grandeur.
Every player was left speechless.
The live chat froze for two full seconds in sheer awe.
And before anyone could react, one final scene made the short film even more enigmatic.
Before Ruan Mei appeared a game screen—specifically, footage from Honkai: Star Rail.
It showed the battle against the Swarm, with Stelle, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Welt in the team.
When Welt's turn came, he was afflicted with Wind Shear and collapsed.
Dan Heng fell next.
Stelle and March 7th were both on the verge of death.
Then the Swarm launched its final assault.
By all accounts, there was no hope left.
Yet Ruan Mei watched calmly and spoke: "Don't worry, my dear [assistant]."
"I'll give you a [reward]."
She tapped the screen lightly, triggering the Simulated Universe event—[Ruan Mei].
...
"Wh—what does this mean?!"
"This is the first time I've seen Honkai: Star Rail gameplay in one of Yu Ling's shorts!"
"She's watching the Express crew fight the Swarm Disaster?!"
"So Ruan Mei plays Star Rail too?"
"The current state of Swarm Disaster—"
"LMAO, even the game's fail screen made it in, this is hilarious!"
...
Space Station – Master Control Zone
The researchers stood in stunned silence, wiping cold sweat from their brows.
One spoke up: "After watching this PV, I suddenly feel like Herta, despite her usual impatience and indifference, is actually the most human of them all..."
"Ruan Mei genuinely doesn't care about anything..."
"Sniff... Herta is the most approachable of all the geniuses."
"I agree! Like when she brought Miss Arlan out of her family, or when she played along with Ether Sports despite claiming she 'had no choice' to save face for the IPC, or even now, calling Ruan Mei to get her to show up. These are all decisions that require foresight and consideration."
"I always knew the Genius Society members were incredible, but after playing Star Rail, I realized just how far beyond comprehension they are. They're on a level I can't even begin to aspire to!"
"Personally, I think Herta is the most down-to-earth in the Genius Society, while Screwllum is the most humane."
"Yeah, Screwllum's the only one with a normal personality."
...
Herta's Office
After watching the short, Herta and Screwllum fell into silence.
Even the usually carefree Herta was at a loss for words.
After a long pause, Screwllum spoke: "This video details Ruan Mei's ideological shift and mental journey. Her rationality and detachment have reached a level akin to inorganic life. My hypothesis: Ruan Mei wishes to become... an Aeon."
Herta crossed her arms and replied coolly: "I've always held Ruan Mei in high regard, but now I realize—not highly enough!"
"Screwllum, I don't believe Ruan Mei 'wants to become an Aeon.' Rather, she's walked so far on the path of life that she's realized she has the opportunity to become one."
"In that sense, she's truly a pure individual—one who seeks the essence of life itself."
"This is critical."
"Because, based on current Simulated Universe data..."
"Aeons aren't born from 'wanting to become one.' Instead, they emerge naturally through pure pursuit of their Path's concept."
"If she succeeds... I may finally have proof of how Aeons are born."
Screwllum fell into deep contemplation.
The video laid bare Ruan Mei's madness and ambition to the world.
But to these two geniuses, the implications ran far deeper.
...
On the Honkai: Star Rail Forums
Ruan Mei's PV caused an uproar, with analysis threads skyrocketing to the front page.
Player reactions flooded the comments:
"Who would've thought that a [recluse] from the Genius Society had quietly advanced this far in the field of [life]?"
"The music in this PV gives me a sense of grandeur and vastness. Just closing my eyes and listening, I feel like I'm floating in the cosmos, observing the universe and all its wonders."
"Before PV: Ruan Mei is an elegant, refined lady, with 'genius researcher' as a charming side trait. After PV: Ruan Mei is an ambitious genius researcher, with 'elegant lady' as an irrelevant footnote."
"TL;DR: Ruan Mei is ascending to godhood!"
"And not just any god—she's aiming to comprehend and transcend entire Paths..."
"Holy hell... my spine's tingling."
"What if one day, a voice echoes across the cosmos—[Divine Foresight, I have ascended!]?"
"If Nanook can do it, why can't I? Ruan Mei will rise!"
"Before: Divine Foresight. After ascension: 'Lan, fetch me some water.'"
"Lan: Seriously, guys? I just finished beating the crap out of Yaoshi, and now I come home to find a heavyweight trying to overthrow me."
To be continued…