Honkai Star Rail: I Can Hear Their Secrets

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The night sky was pitch-black, devoid of any stars or moonlight.

In the Underworld Palace, within the Karma Judgment Chamber.

A massive coffin swayed like a solitary boat amidst a storm, teetering precariously amid the turbulent sea of consciousness.

Hanya lay inside the coffin, her beautiful eyes tightly closed and brows furrowed, enduring the relentless flood of information surging through her mind.

Xueyi crouched beside the coffin, firmly holding Hanya's icy-cold hand, concern evident in her gaze.

Familiar footsteps echoed behind them.

Without turning back, Xueyi allowed the person to embrace her from behind.

Only one individual dared such intimacy at the Ten-Lords Commission.

Fortunately, Huohuo wasn't present; otherwise, Xueyi would have certainly resisted.

"Didst thou arrive?" Xueyi kept her eyes fixed on Hanya.

"Yes, is Hanya undergoing karma judgment using dream divination?" Su Jinyan asked.

Xueyi glanced briefly at him, her expression unchanging. "Have I not already told thee?" she replied calmly.

"My mannequin body incorporates a special jade-dawn circuit that suppresses emotional responses," Xueyi explained calmly. "No matter what you do, I will remain unaffected."

Su Jinyan reluctantly withdrew his demonic hands. "One day, I'll crack this jade-dawn circuit of yours for sure."

Unnoticed by him, disappointment flickered briefly in Xueyi's eyes as her slight tremors ceased.

Collecting herself, Xueyi asked indifferently, "What brings thee here so late at night?"

Without hesitation, Su Jinyan replied, "I missed you and decided to come specifically to see you."

A subtle joy stirred within Xueyi, though her expression remained composed. She pursed her pale, soft lips lightly and said, "Thy silver tongue has long been evident to me; let us discuss matters of importance instead. If thou wishes to vent thy ugly desires on my body, act swiftly before our little sister awakens."

Su Jinyan blinked, feeling slightly uneasy about her words. He hadn't even brought it up yet, but Xueyi mentioned it first. Why did it seem like she was more eager than he was?

Must be my imagination, right?

The jade-dawn circuit embedded within Xueyi suppressed her desire hormones.

How could she possibly crave such things?

As Su Jinyan pondered how to broach the topic, Hanya's face, lying in the coffin, began showing intense fluctuations.

Her brows furrowed deeply, expressions shifting between pain and tranquility. Soft murmurs escaped her lips, her ample bosom heaving dramatically, and her delicate body trembled slightly.

Xueyi hastily cradled Hanya's snow-white cheeks and gently called out, "Little sister, little sister..."

At Xueyi's voice, Hanya's pained expression eased somewhat, but she remained unsettled.

Normally, when using the Dream Divination Technique to read the sins and karmic entanglements of criminals, Hanya imposed specific limitations to avoid memory confusion. After reading one criminal's causal sins, she would awaken, inscribe their judgment with the Heavenly Script of Prophecy, and then proceed to the next individual.

This method, although slower, effectively prevented Hanya from becoming overwhelmed by the sea of information.

However, the influx of serious offenders these past few days was overwhelming. Eager to spend precious time with her big sister, Hanya took a significant risk.

She simultaneously accessed the karmic sins of three prisoners to increase efficiency. The consequence is now apparent; without Xueyi's watchful care nearby, she would have undoubtedly lost herself entirely.

Seeing the anxiety in Xueyi's eyes, Su Jinyan gently patted her snow-white shoulder. "Xueyi, let me assist."

In urgent distress, Xueyi quickly turned to him and asked, "Do you have a way to help?"

Su Jinyan nodded softly, "Yes, Yaoshi bestowed upon me the ability to suppress Demonic Yin afflictions. It should be effective for Hanya's current state as well. However, please note that this ability requires mucosal contact to function."

"When Hanya regains clarity and might misunderstand, could you kindly explain on my behalf?"

This was reminiscent of Bailu, the Dragon Girl from the Vidyadhara clan, who possessed a similar ability.

According to legend, regardless of the severity—even if the wound exposed bone—the Dragon Lady could heal injuries with her saliva, capable of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh.

Naturally, Xueyi harbored reasonable skepticism towards such exaggerated rumors.

While Xueyi hesitated, Su Jinyan had already pressed his lips against Hanya's, igniting a resplendent halo behind him.

Unwilling to bear witness, Xueyi discreetly turned away, wishing he could block out the irritating sounds of their kissing entirely.

Under Su Jinyan's tender kiss, Hanya closed her beautiful eyes, her furrowed brows gradually relaxing. Like a drowning person clutching onto their last lifeline at sea, she refused to let go, instinctively responding to his embrace.

Gradually, Hanya took control, pinning Su Jinyan beneath her as she absorbed his warm, radiant essence.

Two streams of humiliated tears flowed down Su Jinyan's face as he lay in the coffin, enduring Hanya's indignity, seemingly powerless to resist.

Upon hearing noises from behind, a hint of anger involuntarily surfaced on Xueyi's delicate and fair face.

If you genuinely meant to heal my little sister, I could explain your actions once she regained consciousness.

But treating her so roughly, where does that leave me?

Xueyi indignantly turned around, nearly ready to unleash a torrent of rebuke. However, what unfolded before her eyes was a scene she would never forget for as long as she lived.

Hanya, her frail and gentle younger sister, who had endured years of being overwhelmed by vast amounts of Demonic Yin karma information, had become utterly disinterested in worldly affairs. Yet now, she fiercely pinned Su Jinyan beneath her, teasing him mercilessly without relenting despite his struggles.

For reasons unknown, witnessing Su Jinyan's expression of humiliation and tears brought a sense of satisfaction to Xueyi's heart. Even though she knew it was all an act, it still filled her with delight.

Just days ago, this man treated me similarly, disregarding my feelings entirely while carelessly playing with my mannequin body.

Never did she expect the tables to turn; is my little sister avenging me now?

Standing silently beside the coffin, Xueyi observed without intervening.

Several minutes passed before Hanya gradually regained her senses.

Staring at Su Jinyan beneath her, his clothes disheveled, Hanya's beautiful eyes widened, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself:

"Am I still not awake from that dream?"

"Why would I dream about him? This is so bizarre..."

"What a nightmare! To think I'd do such things to him in my dreams. They say our dreams reflect subconscious thoughts; could it be that deep down, I wished to treat him this way?"

"No, that can't be right. For someone trying to take Big Sister away from me, I should only want to give him a sound beating, never something like this."

Su Jinyan softly interjected, "This isn't a dream!"

Hanya shuddered. "Not a dream? Then how did you end up inside my coffin?"

Xueyi cleared their throat, timely as always. "Little sister, he came specifically to visit me."

"You were nearly overwhelmed by the flood of information moments ago."

"If not for his unique healing abilities, blessed by the Plagues Author, your awakening might not have been so smooth."

Noticing the slightly swollen corner of Su Jinyan's mouth, Hanya stiffly asked, "Then what happened here?"

After a moment of silence, Xueyi softly replied, "I understand..."

"Your reaction was like a traveler on the brink of thirst in a desert seeing an oasis."

"As if a drowning person desperately clutching at a straw."

"Don't worry, little sister," she reassured Hanya. "It was purely an instinctive act of self-preservation; he won't blame you."

Su Jinyan objected, "Who says so?"

Xueyi's charming face showed surprise, momentarily speechless.

With a serious expression, Su Jinyan declared, "That was my first kiss!"

"Do you comprehend the significance of a first kiss? Hmm?"

"I saved Hanya because, as a priest, it is my duty to heal and aid the dying."

"But that doesn't mean she can recklessly toy with both my body and emotions."

Hanya displayed a look of guilt. She had no idea this would happen; it wasn't what she intended.

A hint of confusion flickered across Xueyi's lovely eyes. "Thy first kiss? Didn't thou give thy first kiss to me long ago?"

Hanya blinked, bewildered!

Su Jinyan quickly defended himself, "Ah, but there's something you don't know—every guy's first kiss resets daily at midnight."

"In any case, Hanya has tainted my purity. What do you suggest we do about this?"

Xueyi tilted her head, looking perplexed. "What kind of twisted reasoning is this..."

"I am truly sorry for any inconvenience caused by my little sister."

"If you need to vent your anger and dissatisfaction, feel free to direct it towards me; I won't flinch even slightly."

Hanya's pupils contracted sharply as she instinctively gripped Su Jinyan's shoulders.

"No, please don't harm Big Sister," Hanya pleaded. "She is innocent. Each person must bear their own consequences, let me take responsibility for my actions."

Su Jinyan gently caressed Hanya's delicate cheek, feeling puzzled. "Hanya, Xueyi, do I really seem like such an irredeemably wicked person to both of you?"

Hanya: "Yes." Xueyi: "No."

Both Hanya & Xueyi: "?"

A hint of discontent surfaced in Xueyi's tone. "Little sister, he is not a bad person."

"In the past, I misunderstood him; my perception of him remained superficially fixed on appearances alone."

"He is genuinely good-hearted, with deep meaning behind every action he takes."

Hanya took a deep breath, biting her lip tightly.

Even if Su Jinyan wasn't inherently evil, taking Big Sister's first kiss still made him far from a decent man. Moreover, from what Big Sister said, it was clear that they might have shared intimate moments without Hanya's knowledge.

Big Sister used to be different. Ever since becoming a mannequin, her emotions became exceedingly subdued, revealing her true feelings only when around Hanya.

But now, her Big Sister harbored unusual feelings for someone else.

Could it be due to Su Jinyan's influence?

"Hanya," she said coldly, "Su Jinyan, leave my Big Sister alone. I'll take her place instead, is that acceptable?"

"Your figure isn't as good as mine; surely it wouldn't satisfy you, right?"

"As long as you're willing to stay away from my Big Sister, outside of work, I will comply with any request."

Xueyi snapped, "Hanya! What are you saying?"

Su Jinyan shook his head slightly and gently pushed Hanya aside.

"It seems your prejudice against me still runs deep. No wonder, given how easily my past actions could have led to misunderstandings." He paused before continuing apologetically, "However, let me clarify one thing. Hanya, from start to finish, the person I truly love is your Big Sister. You cannot replace her position in my heart."

Xueyi's expression faltered, her artificial heart pounding as if struck by a heavy blow. An indescribable emotion surged through her mannequin body—a sensation that had never been present before, bringing Xueyi a sense of joy and delight.

Su Jinyan quietly approached Xueyi, taking her delicate, snow-white hand.

"Hanya, my feelings for your Big Sister are genuine," he whispered softly.

His intention behind this gesture was strategic, employing reverse psychology. Accepting Hanya's offer openly would undoubtedly decrease his favorability with Xueyi.

Honestly, Hanya—couldn't you have asked me privately? So embarrassing! Xueyi glanced at Hanya, feeling inexplicably nervous.

"Little sis, please don't misunderstand him anymore. He's truly a wonderful person." Hanya lowered her beautiful gaze, a wave of sadness spreading through her chest, causing her eyes to prick with emotion.

Whether it was due to her stubbornness or harboring malicious bias against Su Jinyan, she simply couldn't bear the thought of her sister romancing another man. Yet, she had no right to voice these feelings to her sister.

Among the Judges of the Ten-Lords Commission, only Xueyi held the unique privilege of making agreements with the King of Ten. For every major criminal she apprehended, she earned half a day off as a temporary return to life.

Even Hanya's brief respites were shared from her sister's allotted time; what right did she have to impose further demands?

Su Jinyan shook his head and sighed, "Do my accomplishments now not make me worthy of your sister?"

"Hanya, oh Hanya, just what have I done to earn such disrespect from you?" he lamented. "To the point where you refuse to even call me 'brother-in-law'?"

Seeing the anticipation in Xueyi's eyes, Hanya struggled to part her lips, "Sis..."

Su Jinyan gave her an encouraging look, urging, "Go on."

Hanya's pale cheeks flushed bright red with strain. "I'm sorry, but I can't do it."

Enraged, Su Jinyan snapped, "If you can't, then it's back to mugwort for you!"

Xueyi looked puzzled.

Hanya hesitated.

Su Jinyan calmly explained, "Don't misunderstand, Hanya, I'm not singling you out. What this means is, if you can't manage it, then your big sister will face the consequences."

Xueyi's cheeks flushed faintly, and she seemed discontented as she rebuked him, "How dare you utter such vulgar words before our little sister?"

"Exposing our relationship too hastily would undoubtedly be difficult for her to accept. Let's give her more time to adjust," Xueyi added gently.

Su Jinyan ceased his urging. "After all, who am I but a gentleman?" he quipped. "Then I won't rush things either. We'll take it slow; eventually, Hanya will come around to accepting me as her brother-in-law."

Xueyi shook her head lightly. "It's unwise to publicize our connection. As an Imperial Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission, propriety demands that I sever all ties with the living world."

"If malicious individuals learn of this, they might find grounds to attack the Ten-Lords Commission." She paused, then continued, "And surely, you wouldn't want to lose this useful mannequin of mine, right?"

Su Jinyan captured Xueyi's delicate hand, holding it firmly within his own. "In that case, let's refrain from discussing these matters openly in the future."

"I've already been promoted to Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission, achieving equal nominal status with Master Fu Xuan—this is my official position in the mortal realm," Su Jinyan explained. "Should I earn further merit and receive rewards from the King of Ten, protecting you and other minor judges would be effortless, don't you think?"

Hanya fell silent, her mind racing to devise a plan to reclaim her sister from Su Jinyan's side. Deep down, she knew that Big Sister was already ensnared by his demonic clutches.

Opposing him outright might backfire and inadvertently push her sister away—an outcome Hanya absolutely dreaded. Instead, she needed to help her sister see through Su Jinyan's true nature.

Su Jinyan continued, "At that point, I'll be 'Dad,' and Xueyi will be 'Mom.'"

"Huohuo would be our 'daughter.' Who'd dare say otherwise?"

Unable to resist, Hanya asked, "And what about me?"

For a moment, Su Jinyan stumbled over his words, "Second Mom."

Both Hanya and Xueyi stared at him, perplexed.

Something's off here, they thought. Are you still harboring inappropriate intentions towards the little sister?

Quickly correcting himself, Su Jinyan said, "What I mean is, you can be my second mom."

Xueyi's face froze with surprise; this seemed even more bizarre, as it would completely disrupt their familial hierarchy. Surely, they couldn't have Hanya calling the younger girl "Mom" while Huohuo addressed her as "Sister," could they?

"That just confuses everything," Hanya protested unhappily.

Su Jinyan waved his hand dismissively. "It won't be confusing. When the time comes, I'll call you 'Mom,' and you'll call me 'Brother-in-Law'."

"Huohuo will call me 'Dad' and you 'Grandma.'" He added, "We each use our own terms, without affecting one another's relationships."

Xueyi remained speechless, unsure how to respond.

Hanya's delicate features grew uneasy, sensing that Su Jinyan seemed intent on pursuing some deeply twisted dynamics. I wasn't mistaken—following someone like him will only bring misery to my sister.

She resolved to find an opportunity to discreetly separate them.

After leaving the Ten-Lords Commission, Su Jinyan successfully borrowed the magical artifact, the Crescent Moon Bottle Gourd, along with a copy of "The Comprehensive Guide to Heliobus Exorcism," as per his request from the Interrogation Division.

Hanya cautiously warned him that the Crescent Moon Bottle Gourd was highly valuable, and any damage would require compensation at its full price—no less than 5000 merit points. She added that it was only due to Big Sister's influence that she allowed such a loan; otherwise, ordinary individuals wouldn't even get a chance to touch it.

Her words held truth; if he hadn't previously earned Xueyi and Hanya's indebtedness or interacted with them, given his current status, borrowing the Crescent Moon Bottle Gourd would have depended entirely on the whims of the Imperial Judge Wang.

Thus, Su Jinyan subtly revealed his fabricated identity, instantly silencing Hanya's objections.

It was all because Su Jinyan had been too unscrupulous around her, leading Hanya to forget about this particular aspect of his persona—the King of Ten's Special (Lackey) Envoy.

This man wielded enough power to make them sisters mere pawns in political struggles.

Su Jinyan slowly leafed through "The Comprehensive Guide to Heliobus Exorcism," his expression gradually growing grave.

He realized a serious issue—one easily deduced by combining previous hints from the narrator.

It was highly likely that Sushang's body had been parasitized by a Heliobus, and not just any ordinary one.

According to "The Comprehensive Guide to Heliobus Exorcism":

Heliobuses do not favor invading the bodies of eternal life beings, deeming them difficult to assimilate.

One can infer that the long lifespans and superior regenerative abilities of eternal life beings make it challenging for Heliobuses to easily seize control of their hosts' wills.

At the end of the parasitic process, the host's body is drained dry by the Heliobus.

This depletion often leads to sudden spontaneous combustion, which is typically fatal for short-lived species.

Therefore, it can be deduced that the Heliobus parasitizing Sushang must be a particularly powerful individual, as described in the guidebook.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have foolishly chosen Sushang; it could have simply parasitized Little Gui instead.

Su Jinyan furrowed her brow, contemplating this situation, and realized an issue. If parasitizing Little Gui held even the slightest utility, it wouldn't have proven entirely useless.

Apologies, Little Gui, no offense intended.

Continuing to flip through "The Comprehensive Guide to Heliobus Exorcism," Su Jinyan searched for methods to safely remove a Heliobus from its host.

[Question: How can a Heliobus be driven out from a parasitized host?]

[Response: The standard method to dispel demonic possession involves applying appropriate and non-permanent violence to the host.]

[As the host's physical body becomes paralyzed and incapacitated, the Heliobus, unable to sense its emotions, will naturally depart in search of another target.]

Hmph, so all it takes is a thorough thrashing until they lose consciousness, right?

At this thought, Su Jinyan chuckled self-deprecatingly, wondering why his mind always veered towards such unsavory associations.

Wait—

Su Jinyan stopped abruptly, muttering to himself, "Thorough thrashing...thorough thrashing..."

"Why does that phrase sound so familiar? Have I heard it before?"

"Holy sh*t, could the Heliobus parasitizing Sushang be f*cking Phantylia?"

["Impressive, you managed to figure it out. From the start, I've been hinting at the best way to deal with Phantylia."]

["Just give her a thorough thrashing; she can't handle it."]

Su Jinyan silently raised a thumb, genuinely impressed by the narrator's guidance.

Indeed, Heliobuses are rare incorporeal beings, existing as energy without fixed form. They often thrive by seizing control of intelligent creatures' physical bodies. Therefore, either Phantylia had crafted Sushang's body herself, or she had usurped someone else's shell. Consequently, to confront Phantylia effectively, a thorough thrashing was necessary.

At the Grand Diviner's Conclave Hall,

As Su Jinyan entered the hall, he spotted Fu Xuan crouching down, playfully interacting with a small Diting.

The Diting wagged its tail joyously, licking Fu Xuan's pale, delicate fingers.

Su Jinyan's expression darkened, reaching his breaking point.

This audacious Diting! How dare it challenge me for Lady Fu Xuan's affection?

Do you really think you're qualified to challenge me, Su Jinyan?

Without hesitation, Su Jinyan strode forward and kicked Diting aside.

"Hahahahaha—"

Ignoring Diting's discontented howls, Su Jinyan crouched before Fu Xuan, panting with his tongue outstretched.

Fu Xuan's delicate face displayed shock.

Why isn't Shizun petting me like she does Diting? It must be because I'm not mimicking it well enough!

With this thought, Su Jinyan lay down on the ground, paws upturned, imitating Diting once more as he panted with his tongue hanging out.

Unnerved, Fu Xuan instinctively took half a step back, feeling slightly frightened.

"Disobedient disciple, even if apologizing to this venerable one, there's no need to go this far, right?"

"Besides, this venerable one can easily surmise that it was undoubtedly the Silver Wolf's jealousy at play, not your fault."

Su Jinyan licked Fu Xuan's tender, pale fingers, responding with a "Woof!"

Taken aback, Fu Xuan hesitated momentarily before cautiously stroking Su Jinyan's hair, who appeared thoroughly content.

"Good boy~ From now on, always listen to this venerable one and avoid mingling with other women," Fu Xuan soothed patiently.

Just then, Qingque burst into the room, full of urgency.

"Grand Diviner, Grand Diviner—"

Caught off guard, Fu Xuan hadn't anticipated that Qingque would be so unusually detained for overtime—late into the night, no less.

As soon as she entered, Qingque was met with this explosive scene and froze on the spot.

Oh no, am I going to get silenced?!

Fu Xuan remained silent.

Su Jinyan also fell quiet.

Fu Xuan pursed her lips thoughtfully. She hadn't expected Qingque to witness this encounter. Offering hush money wouldn't work; the lazy girl simply didn't care about such trifling sums. Explaining it to her would be equally troublesome—the more explanation, the murkier it would become.

There was only one viable solution now.

"Qingque, come here!" Fu Xuan commanded coldly.

Qingque's face crumpled, looking close to tears. "Wah, Grand Diviner, I saw nothing," she whimpered. "To tell you the truth, I've known about your affair with A-Yan for quite some time."

Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Reluctantly frozen in place, Qingque dared not approach. "Please don't kill me, Grand Diviner! I'm still useful to you."

Imitating Fu Xuan's tone, Su Jinyan scoffed, "Hmph, what use could this venerable one possibly have for you? Your intentions towards A-Yan haven't wavered, and this venerable one is well aware."

Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Qingque hastily declared her innocence, "Oh Grand Diviner, I swear there's nothing between A-Yan and me."

"Our most intimate physical contact so far has only been—uh, limited to..." As she spoke, Qingque suddenly felt uneasy.

Fu Xuan narrowed her striking eyes. "Oh? Limited to what? How far have you gone?"

Feeling somewhat flustered, Qingque asked, "Doesn't Your Excellency already know how far it went?"

A slight flush crept onto Fu Xuan's cheeks as she feigned indignation, "Know what exactly? Why do your words make this venerable one sound like a peeping tom?!"

Stammering, Qingque clarified, "Just that day in the library, when I stuffed the fairy wand into his mouth."

"That was our closest physical contact, didn't you see it too?"

Fu Xuan pondered for a moment. "So you're saying, any interactions less intimate than that have indeed occurred, correct?"

Qingque scratched her head. "Theoretically, yes, I suppose."

Su Jinyan remained silent, bewildered. Clearly we haven't done anything inappropriate; why does every clarification from you just deepen the suspicion?

Yet, Qingque showed no hint of embarrassment.

Qingque and Su Jinyan had never even held hands; they were simply good friends and colleagues. What did she have to feel guilty about?

Embarrassed, Qingque suggested, "Grand Diviner, how about this? Whenever you're short a player for Imperial Jade tiles, just give me a call."

"Seeing as it's getting late, I'll take my leave now, okay~?"

Fu Xuan exuded authority without anger, her voice stern. "Hmph, Qingque, come here when called."

As Su Jinyan was about to rise and speak on Qingque's behalf, Fu Xuan unexpectedly held him down.

"A-Yan, don't move."

"Qingque, come closer and touch him."

Su Jinyan blinked in confusion.

"Eh?" Qingque stammered, her face flushing red, delicate ears growing warm.

Since it was the Grand Diviner's command, she had no choice but to comply. Squinting, Qingque reluctantly extended her snow-white hand towards Su Jinyan.

Slap!

Fu Xuan swiftly swatted away Qingque's hand, looking at her with startled suspicion.

"No, Qingque," she said firmly. "This venerable one told you to touch his head, not that!"

Realizing her mistake, Qingque's cheeks turned even redder.

Su Jinyan remained speechless.

As Qingque stroked Su Jinyan's dog head, she sighed with relief. "That scared me to death."

"Grand Diviner, you have no idea how much mental struggle I endured," she confessed.

Fu Xuan barely audibly snorted. "Go back now; you're also complicit in this."

"If you dare to speak about it, you'll face consequences too."