The holographic interface of System 888 pulsed with a soft, azure light, illuminating the dusty shelves of the Seat of Divine Foresight's archives.
Yunyang leaned forward, his mind locking onto a specific image, a specific history from the game he had played in his past life.
Li Sushang.
Not the eager, slightly clumsy Cloud Knight rookie currently running around the Luofu, but the five-hundred-year-old martial arts grandmaster from Earth.
[Scanning the Imaginary Tree...] the System chimed, its mechanical voice echoing only in Yunyang's mind.
[Target concept acquired. Matching host's mental image to existing individuals within the Imaginary Tree branches...]
Lines of code cascaded down the screen, forming the silhouette of a young woman wielding a longsword.
[Match Found: Li Sushang. Variant: Honkai Impact 3rd. Timeline synchronized to: End of Part 1.]
[Please confirm target selection, Host. Once confirmed, the Avatar's fundamental data cannot be changed or reversed.]
Yunyang hovered his hand over the confirmation prompt, but hesitated. He pulled his hand back, a practical question coming to mind.
"Wait, System. Before I confirm, how do I actually control the Avatar? Do I have to multitask, manually walking her around while I'm sitting here stamping books? Or does it count as just a clone of Li Sushang?"
[Negative, Host. Multitasking at that level would cause severe psychological strain. The process is much more refined.]
The screen shifted, displaying a simple diagram of two glowing orbs.
[A copy of the Host's soul will be transplanted into the Avatar. This copied soul, which possesses your knowledge of the Honkai: Star Rail universe, will then be injected with the complete 'Memory' of Li Sushang's life.]
[The Avatar effectively becomes your second body. You do not have to worry about the burden of puppeteering multiple bodies simultaneously.]
"So, she operates autonomously?"
[Affirmative. You can telepathically communicate with each Avatar, as they are fundamentally you. However, while they are an extension of your soul, they cannot be the Host.]
[To protect your main mind, the raw emotional weight and sensory data of their Memory will not be shared back to you—it would overwhelm your consciousness.]
The System paused before adding a final, crucial detail.
[They will act exactly like the real person. They are completely loyal to you, as you share the same origin, but they retain their original personalities and moral compasses.]
[Additionally, they will refuse any command that crosses their bottom line.]
Yunyang nodded slowly. That was perfect. He didn't want mindless puppets; he needed convincing, living breathing variants to completely fool the universe's greatest minds. If they were too robotic, anyone with the right mind would see right through them.
"I understand," Yunyang said, his voice firm.
"Confirm selection. Generate the Avatar."
[Confirmation received. Initiating Avatar Generation: Li Sushang (Jade Knight).]
The air in the center of the archives began to warp and shimmer. Golden geometric patterns expanded into a three-dimensional matrix. Yunyang quickly glanced over his shoulder at the heavy wooden doors of the archive room.
He let out a breath of relief. Thank the Reignbow Arbiter that Qingque was off slacking playing Celestial Jade. Trying to explain why a fully-grown, sword-wielding woman was suddenly materializing in a restricted Luofu library would have been a nightmare.
The golden light flared brightly for a split second before dissipating into floating motes of energy.
Standing in the center of the aisle was a young woman. She wore traditional, elegant Shenzhou attire with a blend of deep blacks, pristine whites, and vibrant jade accents.
A beautifully crafted longsword hung at her hip, the tassel swaying gently as she took her first breath in a new world.
Her eyelids fluttered, and a pair of sharp, clear eyes opened, taking in the rows of ancient scrolls before settling on Yunyang.
The heavy, imposing aura of a supreme swordmaster vanished in an instant, replaced by a bright, relaxed smile.
"Hello, Captain," she said, her voice carrying a cheerful, melodic tone.
Yunyang blinked, genuinely shocked. He had expected her to be disoriented, or perhaps to act like an NPC waiting for a prompt. "You... you recognize me?"
Li Sushang chuckled, placing a hand lightly on the hilt of her sword.
"Of course I do. I might have the memories of the Edge of Taixuan, the five-hundred-year sleep, and all the chaotic battles on Earth... but I know I'm not the original Li Sushang. I'm a clone born from your soul, Captain. Though, my memories feel incredibly real." She tapped her temple playfully.
"Kept them all perfectly."
Yunyang felt a sudden wave of respect. It had to be a strange feeling, knowing your entire five-hundred-year history was a memory inserted by a higher-dimensional system.
Yet, she stood there with the easygoing grace of a true martial artist who had made peace with the world.
"For me," Yunyang said softly, stepping out from behind the librarian's desk, "I will treat you all like your real selves. There are no distinctions for me. You aren't just a tool or a fake. You're Li Sushang." He smiled.
"Anyways... well, it's nice to finally meet you, Li Sushang."
Her smile widened, reaching her eyes. She stepped forward and smoothly raised her hand, offering a very modern, Earth-style greeting.
"Sushang is fine, Captain."
Yunyang looked at the extended hand, the calluses on her palm a testament to centuries of phantom sword training.
He reached out and shook it firmly. The first piece of his grand deception was officially on the board.
"Do we have a script, Captain?"
Li Sushang asked with the most mischievous smile spread across her face.