"..."
The system panel did not respond to Wende's words. The almost threatening prompt remained on the screen, as if it would immediately turn him into "Little Wende" and toss him outside if he didn't make a choice right now.
The thought of Jingliu and Tingyun waiting outside... and Himeko and the others he was supposed to meet up with... it seemed like, aside from Dan Heng... everyone else was a threat!
"Hiss..."
Thinking about it carefully, besides being gender-bent, was there anything worse than being turned small? But could getting gender-bent truly be considered a reward?
Based on the system's temperament, all the rewards from the game's launch until now had been positive, right? As long as he didn't let the system make its own decisions, everything else was within a controllable range...
In other words, this [**] couldn't be anything particularly terrible, at the very least. It probably wouldn't pose a threat to Wende, right?
After comforting himself with this line of reasoning, Wende felt it was better to just use this mysterious reward. It was a game system, after all. Even though he wasn't a player, it probably wouldn't nerf his character, would it? This couldn't be some kind of balance patch, right? No way, no way...
As these thoughts raced through his mind, he tried to reassure himself, but the more he dwelled on it, the less confident he felt...
"It should... be fine... It's better than being turned into a human sandwich!"
Gritting his teeth, Wende chose to use [**].
---o---
[Harmony: ...]
[Elation: What? You want to go take a look over there too?]
[Harmony: No... I feel...]
In the dark side of the universe, a colossal and vacant eye suddenly regained its spirit. A boundless golden light emanated from its form, and among the countless stars, an inconspicuous spark flashed once more.
"The second phase has finally begun... Your wish... will also be fulfilled."
A voice of indiscernible origin muttered in the darkness.
"All of this... is for the sake of true..."
[Order]
---o---
"Where is this? The universe? And who am I..."
Wende gazed upon the boundless cosmos, his eyes scanning the vast sea of stars as he asked in confusion.
"Hmm... Who am I..." Wende murmured.
Its vacant eyes watched everything in the universe—every living being, every inch of soil and rock, every planet and star, every place where life existed, where matter existed... and where matter did not exist...
Even...
The tree...
The sea...
Countless calamities unfolded across the cosmos. Innumerable living beings vanished before its eyes, only to be born again...
It was like an observer of the world.
Or maybe... the recorder of all things? No... that wasn't its purpose... So what was its purpose?
It discovered it could move its body, and so it [Destroyed] countless worlds. It felt remorse, and so it placed countless more worlds under its [Preservation]...
It [Remembered] all things, it bestowed [Abundance]...
It gave everything to the world... and then took everything away...
Finally, it came back to its senses. Clutching its forehead, it stared blankly at the still-steaming thermos in its hand. Honey, goji berry, and red date water... the faint, sweet aroma was pleasant...
Wende couldn't remember anything that had just happened; it felt as if it had all passed in an instant.
When he looked again, he saw that the [**] on the system panel now displayed a word.
[Order]
"What... what just happened?"
Wende lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with confusion.
"This is... Order?"
He lightly patted his cheeks to wake himself up. He felt a bit strange right now, but he couldn't pinpoint what the problem was.
Even Wende himself hadn't noticed that the Yin and Yang within his body had, at some point, merged into a state of "primordial chaos."
This was the most primitive state, from a time before Yin and Yang were ever divided.
The Dao was self-existent within it.
"You... have already entered the game."
"Huh?"
Rubbing his eyes, Wende looked at the quest that had just appeared on the system panel, his confusion deepening.
"...Were my eyes playing tricks on me?" Wende muttered.
The system's latest quest was to unlock the Path of [Order]. So, was that previous option just to unlock this quest line?
Wende had no way of knowing. Right now, he just felt dizzy and overwhelmed, wanting nothing more than to go back and get some proper rest...
Returning to the world of Star Rail, a somewhat haggard Wende leaned back in his chair. His gaze was a little dazed as his mind kept replaying that single, fleeting moment...
"Hm?"
Jingliu, who had been standing by the bed gazing into the distance, suddenly frowned. This strange feeling...
"Benefactor? What's wrong? You look so tired."
Seeing Wende's listless expression, Tingyun sat down beside him, her face full of concern, and gently touched his forehead.
"Mm... I'm fine."
Wende forced a smile and gave Tingyun a slight shake of his head.
"If you're tired, then rest for a while. Don't push yourself."
Jingliu spoke slowly to Wende. Her cool little hand caressed his cheek, and then...
"Are you sure you want me to rest?"
Wende stared with dead fish eyes, looking helplessly at Jingliu, who seemed intent on getting handsy with him.
"Of course."
With a faint smile, Jingliu straightened Wende's collar before sitting down on the chair with perfect composure.
"I suspect you're lying to me."
Wende's face darkened as he watched Jingliu, who had settled very naturally in the chair, wrap her arms around his and lean her entire body against him.
"How could that be?"
The corners of her lips curved into a smile, her crimson eyes filled with a sense of satisfaction.
"Do you know what happens when you do this?"
"What happens?"
Feeling a warm body press against his other arm, Wende stared blankly at the ceiling.
"It gets multiplied by two."
Within him, the primordial chaos slowly began to flow, differentiating into "Yin" and "Yang."
The origin of all things is "Dao"; to set it in motion is to create "De"...
And from this, Order is born.
---o---
By the time Himeko and the others reached the frontline in the Old District, Stelle was the first to dive headfirst into the tent where Wende was.
"Wende! I..."
Stelle's mind went completely blank the moment she saw Wende being held by Jingliu on his left and Tingyun on his right.
Then, she launched herself straight at him.
Thump!
With his arms being pulled apart by Tingyun and Jingliu, Wende, who was already exhausted, took a powerful headbutt straight to the abdomen from Stelle...
And successfully rolled his eyes back into his head...
"Ahhh! Wende! What happened to you!"
"Benefactor? Benefactor! Are you alright!"
"Oh~ So that's also an option..."
In an instant, the scene descended into chaos.