Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [187]

After leaving behind a plethora of sealing runes in the inn, Fu Xuan departed gracefully, reminding Chen Lin that the Qiong Guan array was nearing completion. She invited him and the Astral Express crew to visit the Divination Commission the next day to observe Kafka’s interrogation.

Unlucky for Qingque, her hard-earned vacation was immediately revoked. Fu Xuan assigned her the task of escorting everyone to the Divination Commission, emphasizing the importance of the mission and leaving no room for error.

Qingque, well aware of which tasks she could slack on and which required her full attention, accepted the responsibility without complaint. Her uncharacteristic compliance puzzled March 7th and Stelle, who had expected her to resist or at least negotiate.

Sensing their curiosity, Qingque explained that it was the first time Fu Xuan had personally entrusted her with a task, so she couldn’t afford to mess it up.

So that’s it… Turns out Fu Xuan’s been dumping other people’s work on her all this time, the group thought as they listened to Qingque’s casual lament.

While the others stayed back at the inn, Chen Lin accompanied Fu Xuan to the harbor. He repeatedly urged her to strengthen the Divination Commission’s defenses, which touched Fu Xuan so much that her eyes grew misty.

After seeing her off at the Liuyun Harbor, Chen Lin turned toward the street corner, where a young girl leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. He silently dismissed the false consciousness space he had created for Fu Xuan’s inspection, dragging the hidden Phantylia from its depths and tossing her toward the waiting figure.

With a flash of light, Phantylia’s fragment merged into the girl’s body. She examined herself briefly before strolling over to Chen Lin.

“My dear benefactor, you really don’t leave any room for me to maneuver, do you?” Her tone dripped with mock grievance.

“I trust you’ll honor your promise to return that thing to me when all is done. I don’t have much choice left, so I’ll cooperate fully,” she said with a weary sigh.

Though Phantylia’s pride wouldn’t let her admit it outright, she felt utterly humiliated. No amount of stubbornness could change the fact that her life now lay entirely in Chen Lin’s hands.

Chen Lin shrugged. “Honestly, I didn’t plan for this either. Miss Tingyun won’t blame me, will she?”

“How could I dare blame you, benefactor? In this dog-eat-dog world, I can only fault myself for falling short,” Phantylia replied, her tone resigned. She knew better than to voice any resentment that might provoke him.

“Really, I didn’t mean for it to happen. I was just—”

“Spare me the explanations,” she interrupted, exhaling deeply. “I underestimated you, thinking the great Governor of the Empire was no different from others. I lost; I’ll take my punishment without complaint. All I ask is that you show mercy and let me live.”

Her shift in demeanor was palpable. Gone was her pretense of being Tingyun; she now spoke openly as one of the Lord Ravager, accepting her reality with a heavy heart.

It made sense—she wasn’t dealing with just anyone. Her very essence was now in Chen Lin’s grasp, her fate a mere whim away. Resistance would only hasten her end.

Even if she wanted to trade her life for his in a desperate final act, the odds were slim to none.

Back in his consciousness space, Chen Lin had toyed with the idea of extracting something valuable from Phantylia—something he could use as leverage. Coincidentally, her earlier attempt to manipulate his core consciousness gave him an opening.

Somehow, her core essence had materialized in his hands.

Both were stunned.

Chen Lin was shocked because he hadn’t even acted, yet her core essence had appeared in his grasp.

Phantylia, on the other hand, was horrified because her true core essence resided in her main body. There was no reason a fragment like this should even possess one!

It was a genuine miracle—a manifestation of the impossible.

Unbeknownst to her, her true core essence had indeed vanished from her main body. Though still tethered to her, control had shifted entirely to Chen Lin.

For organic lifeforms, the loss of core consciousness often resulted in a vegetative state—physiological processes continued, but consciousness could never recover.

For a psionic being like Phantylia, her core essence was her very existence. Without it, she would cease to be, annihilated in an instant with no chance of revival, not even with the help of an Aeon.

This realization left her with no other choice. She couldn’t even entertain the idea of betrayal, as her life hung by a thread she no longer controlled.

“Tingyun, you know I always keep my word. People in the Xianzhou have already seen my integrity firsthand. This is just a temporary collateral during our transaction. Once it’s done, I’ll return it to you,” Chen Lin assured her with practiced ease.

“Benefactor, I trust your character. If you’re concerned I might retaliate in the future, you can keep part of it to ensure my compliance. Just… please, keep your promise and spare my life.”

Phantylia was a pragmatist. She understood the value of offering assurances to ease Chen Lin’s doubts.

In his eyes, she wasn’t an ally but an assassin who had failed her mission. If he decided to dispose of her once her usefulness ran out, she would be powerless to stop him.

Chen Lin’s psionic abilities were like a black hole to her essence—capable of consuming everything.

“I appreciate your cooperation,” Chen Lin said with a smile. “I’m heading back now. Do as you please.”

With that, he turned and began walking away.

However, before he got far, Phantylia’s voice echoed in his mind.

“Tomorrow. The Arbor will awaken.”

Chen Lin paused briefly, then resumed walking. He replied through psionic transmission, “Follow through with your plan. I told you I’d help you get the body you want.”

“And the disciples of the Alchemy Commission? Does the benefactor still need them?”

The mention of the Alchemy Commission brought Dan Shu to mind. The leader of the commission had warned him more than once to leave the Xianzhou, a tragic figure twisted by their past.

Phantylia likely brought them up to gauge Chen Lin’s intentions.

“Do as you planned,” Chen Lin replied.

“They’ll die,” she warned.

Chen Lin had already disappeared into the crowd, his figure blending seamlessly into the bustling streets. Only the lingering echoes of his psionic voice remained in Phantylia’s mind.

"The Disciples are nothing but grotesque byproducts of abundance, twisting both body and mind. Using alchemical taboo to retain consciousness while succumbing to such a state violates the principle of eternal flourishing. Those who tread this path will face inevitable consequences—it is a transgression against the Aeon’s will. Such violators will not last long."

The link severed abruptly, leaving Phantylia’s attempt at a response unanswered. Standing amidst the sea of pedestrians, she felt an unfamiliar chill of fear creep into her heart, tinged with a reluctant respect for the man.

Crossing her arms, she muttered, “How does he know all that? Did he figure it out… or was it something his psionics revealed?”

She couldn’t dismiss the possibility of his mysterious empire’s psionic prowess being able to extract such intricate details.

This Empire, she mused, shrouded in mystery, emerging suddenly to carve out a foothold in the Jarilo system—what exactly is it plotting? Do the Aeons know of its existence?

If they did, why had no Aeon made contact or confronted the Empire? Why had they all chosen to turn a blind eye?

The Destruction’s Legions roamed the galaxy, eradicating civilizations one by one. Any survivors inevitably faced unending assaults. Yet, curiously, the Aeon had not ordered an assault on the Jarilo sector. Why?

Unless…

A sudden tremor ran through Phantylia’s spiritual form. Her core essence felt as though it were being forcibly ripped from her temporary vessel, an overwhelming gravitational pull leaving her no room to resist.

Her fleeting thought of escape was shattered when a distant, incomprehensible presence severed her retreat with terrifying precision.

Phantylia, the young and ambitious Lord Ravager, found herself dragged into a space filled with countless twinkling stars.

“I’ve never seen a Lord Ravager oppose destruction before.”

A mocking, almost sing-song voice filled the space.

“Phantylia, oh how I pity you! I almost want to give you a hug. Almost. Ha! Did I just laugh at you? No, no, of course not—I’m trained for this. It’s definitely not laughter.”

The voice carried an air of sardonic humor that could only be described as dripping with mockery. Among star-faring civilizations, this tone was known as “passive-aggressive trolling.”

“Let’s speed things up, shall we? I’ve decided to give you a little job. Officially, you’ll remain Destruction’s loyal Ravager. But secretly? You’ll help that interesting little Imperial Governor. I can’t promise you won’t die, but I can promise you… you might not die.”

The voice paused, seemingly savoring its words.

“Why are you looking at me like that? What, do I look strange to you?”

Phantylia shook her head frantically, trembling under the conceptual weight of the presence. The very essence of this being exuded an oppressive vastness, leaving her struggling to breathe—if she even had lungs in her spiritual state.

“Listen carefully. Working with him won’t be worse than working for that lunatic. Everything I’m doing is to help you!”

The unseen being burst into laughter. Around it, spectral playing cards leaped and twirled as if performing a dance. Whistles and horns blared in an endless cacophony, creating a surreal, almost maddeningly festive atmosphere.

Phantylia tried to close her lips in thought, only to remember she had no mouth in her current form.

“You’re going to make Him angry with this…”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’m a natural-born helper, even to the Emanators of other Aeons. Rest assured, I’ve concealed every trace of our little chat from that mad lad. I’ll keep doing so too. It’s all for the sake of keeping the fun going—because, really, isn’t fun eternal in its own way?”

The voice grew more chaotic, as if relishing Phantylia’s growing unease.

“Don’t understand? Perfect! That’s exactly how it should be! Oh, and I bet you’re thinking, ‘How can I have an expression when I don’t even have a face?’ Marvelous! Your confusion is delicious!”

Clapping erupted in the space, then abruptly stopped. The presence grew somber, its tone shifting to something melancholic and foreboding.

“Not understanding is the only way. Because once everyone understands… it’ll be far too late.”

“I’ll give you the power you need. Don’t worry, that crazy kid won’t notice a thing. I’d stake your life on it. Relax—you’ll be fine. Probably.”

The voice droned on, and Phantylia felt an unprecedented sense of dread. She was trapped, unable to escape this bizarre space or its maddening host.

“Now then…”

“I’ve got guests to entertain. Off you go, little one. You’ll help him, and he’ll help you. Your power is already in your inbox, so make sure to accept it. And hey, leave a five-star review for me, okay? Not that all five-star reviews are good for me.”

Before she could process the words, an immense repulsive force erupted, flinging her back into the bustling streets of Liuyun Harbor.

Phantylia gasped—or tried to, though her spiritual form didn’t need air. She immediately noticed a new power coursing through her essence. It didn’t conflict with her Destruction energy; instead, the two forces seemed to coexist, maintaining a tenuous balance.

In her hand appeared a dagger, along with a small note:

"Activate my power by holding this dagger aloft in a super cool pose!"

Before she could even react, the note disintegrated into ash.

She stared at the dagger for a long moment, then let out a deep breath and adjusted her stance. Sliding one foot back, she raised the dagger with a flourish, adopting the suggested super cool pose.

Bang!

The dagger exploded with confetti and colorful streamers, startling passersby.

“Miss Tingyun, are you opening a new shop? Already celebrating with fireworks? Wishing you great fortune!”

“Wow, look at that! These fireworks are really unique.”

“Totally! Hey, Miss Tingyun, where’d you buy those? Wait—where’d she go?”

Phantylia had bolted, retreating to an empty alleyway several streets away. She leaned against the wall, visibly shaken.

Another note appeared in her hand.

This time, it read:

"HAHAHAHA, wasn’t that hilarious?!"

Phantylia stared at it, her expression blank.

She really wanted to curse someone out, but after a moment’s thought, she decided it was safer not to.

How has it come to this? A once-promising Lord Ravager, reduced to enduring endless torment without the courage to even complain.

---

T/N: me no understand

This is a fan translation of 在星穹铁道点群星科技树真的没问题吗? by 杏雨诗韵 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!