[Huzzah, Host! You finally agreed to this system's request!]
Yu Yachen opened her eyes.
A bitter, cold wind hit her face. A hazy fog covered the land like a thin veil, blurring the line between the sky and the ground.
This was Yu Yachen's first time experiencing the simulation function. She raised a hand to block the wind and snow rushing toward her face. The cold felt just as real as in the outside world.
"First, System, this simulation mission won't affect reality, will it?"
[Of course it will... of course it won't! (´・ω・`)]
The cheerful, electronic girlish voice sounded a bit forced.
[The purpose of this simulation is to let you, Host, get a preview of the 'charmer' lifestyle. It won't affect the real world at all!]
Yu Yachen didn't notice the insincerity in the system's voice.
[Also, the Host's performance in the simulator needs to be as cool as possible, to attract the girls' affection! These choices will affect the rating and the final reward. For example, if the Host performs too poorly, the [Star Platinum] you get might not be able to stop time.]
"I was originally planning to put on ugly makeup before this. Oh well."
If her actions in the simulation could affect reality, then "heroically saving the damsel" clichés would probably lead to more trouble—like the rescued girls inexplicably tracking her down.
"Better to end this quickly."
Especially without any warm clothes.
Yu Yachen exhaled a cloud of hot air. Her physical constitution was even weaker than the average human on Terra. The white-haired woman was still wearing just a light gray suit.
She was surrounded by a forest of snow-covered pines. Yu Yachen walked forward a bit and spotted several figures in the distance through the swirling snow.
As she got closer, she saw a distressed, white-haired Elafia woman. She was surrounded by several ragged, Infected individuals.
"Hand over everything you have! Don't be stupid!"
"Please, don't. This food is for everyone back at the camp. If you're really that hungry, I can share a little with you..."
"SLAP!"
The response the Elafia woman received was a hard slap that left her cheek bright red.
"Enough of your nonsense!"
"..."
"System, if I ignore them, will they kill this woman?"
Yu Yachen had never played Arknights and didn't recognize the woman. She just saw her as an insignificant story character.
[If you do that, your rating will be 3.0!]
The Cat-Guest System shouted, displeased.
"Fine, fine."
Yu Yachen's canvas shoes crunched on snow-covered twigs, shaking the snow from the pine branches above. The few Ursus Infected noticed the movement.
"Look, someone's coming."
"What a beautiful woman... Wait! What do you think you're doing? Get back!"
"We're busy here, don't just..."
So much chatter.
Before the leader could finish his sentence, Yu Yachen was already in front of him. The white-haired woman's slender fingers reached out to touch the Ursus man's forehead, as a pink, leather-gloved arm emerged from behind her.
[Killer Queen]'s special ability: turning anything it touched into a bomb.
"BOOM—!"
The Ursus man's face twisted, and in less than a single breath, the man who had been alive moments before was reduced to scattered dust. The shockwave of the explosion kicked up a cloud of snow.
Yu Yachen's white hair was tossed about by the blast. She raised a hand and brushed the messy bangs from her face.
"My name is Yu Yachen. May I ask yours?"
She crouched down and extended a hand to the fallen Alina. The bloodstains on her suit cuffs were particularly glaring against the white snow. The pale pink, cat-faced Stand floated beside the white-haired woman, its predatory, vertical pupils fixed on the Elafia.
Of course, ordinary people couldn't see Stands. If they could, the system wouldn't be chiming in with annoying notifications.
[Host! Beautifully done! (´▽*)]
[System Notification: Alina's favorability +10! Current favorability: 10/100 (She's a little curious about you!)]
Alina, clutching her reddened cheek, stared blankly at Yu Yachen. Her eyes were a mixture of shock, confusion, and a trace of fear.
"I... I'm Alina—Watch out!"
No sooner had she spoken than another Ursus man swung a shovel at Yu Yachen's head. But with a powerful Stand like [Killer Queen], how could these frail Infected possibly be her match?
"BAM! BAM! BAM!"
Killer Queen's sturdy arm easily blocked the blow, and then, in a few swift moves, it took care of all the remaining Infected. The men who had been so menacing moments ago were all beaten to the ground, on the verge of death.
"In the end, just a bunch of trash."
Yu Yachen's pale cyan eyes were filled with disdain.
"If you'd just stayed put and waited to die, it might have been less painful. How boring."
The [Killer Queen] floating behind her raised its right arm. The palm formed a "thumbs-up" gesture.
Killer Queen's bomb required the thumb as a trigger, which was why it looked like it was giving a comical thumbs-up before detonating.
"Wa-Wait!" Just as Yu Yachen was about to trigger the explosion, Alina suddenly stood up and grabbed her sleeve. "Please, spare them. They've already lost the ability to fight back. And... and they were just... driven by hunger..."
"..."
A 'sweet, naive' type?
Yu Yachen sighed internally. "Driven by what? If I hadn't stepped in, that shovel would have landed on your head."
If this were reality, Yu Yachen would have been very interested in Alina. A naive little deer like this could be "played with" for a long time. But in a simulation, she just found it troublesome.
I have to coax her, too? So annoying.
Wait, since it's just a simulation, I might as well tease her a bit.
Yu Yachen suddenly let out a soft laugh.
She leaned in slightly, her fingertips gently lifting Alina's chin. The gesture was almost tender, but her pale cyan eyes were devoid of warmth.
"If you try to stop me right now, or plead for this trash... I might just make you one of them."
[System Notification: Alina's favorability +10! Current favorability: 20/100 (She's scared of you, but somehow finds you a little cool)]
Why did her favorability go up? Yu Yachen was puzzled.
Alina's pupils contracted, and her breath hitched. But surprisingly, she didn't back down. Instead, she bit her lip and said quietly, "You won't."
Yu Yachen raised an eyebrow, amused by her reaction. "Oh? So certain? And why is that?"
"A feeling. Just a feeling."
Although her voice was still trembling, Alina's gaze had firmed.
Yu Yachen's mouth fell open slightly. "Huh?"
Is this person an idiot? Yu Yachen was speechless.
Forget it. It's a simulation, not a real person. Whatever.
"Sigh. You silly girl. Where do you live? I'll take you home."
"I'm an Infected, wandering this snowfield. I don't have a home," Alina shook her head. "But our Reunion Movement has a camp."
"The Reunion Movement? What's that, a band?"
"Not a band. It's an Infected organization," Alina said seriously.
"Then don't waste my time. Lead the way. Didn't you say the people at your camp are waiting for this food?"
Alina froze for a second. That meant Yu Yachen had agreed to spare the attackers.
A look of joy spread across the Elafia woman's face. She quickly gathered the scattered supplies into her basket and then hurried to catch up with the white-haired woman, who had already turned to leave.
Only the few Infected, who had been beaten half-buried into the ground by Killer Queen, were left behind, wailing in agony.
[System Notification: Alina's favorability +5! Current favorability: 25/100]
[Host! You didn't even help her pick things up! You could have been gentler! (╬)]
-------
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