Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [152]

The chaos in the Exalting Sanctum, orchestrated by Chen Lin and the district commander, unfolded as a gripping battle between the Cloud Knights and the Abundance aberrations. The ruckus was loud enough that Jing Yuan could no longer sleep peacefully.

Upon hearing the report from his trusted strategist, Jing Yuan immediately issued orders. The Cloud Knights stationed at the Divination Commission were dispatched to secure and seal the site, with strict confidentiality measures enforced.

To outsiders, the incident in the Exalting Sanctum was no more than a few residents succumbing to Mara-infected states—nothing more.

Inside the Divination Commission, Chen Lin removed layers of disguises as he entered. Now seated at a desk, he sipped tea while leafing through various dossiers brought by Yanqing.

Across from him, Jing Yuan sat with his chin resting on one hand, his sharp gaze fixed on a black-and-white list of names on the table. His brows furrowed tightly as if lost in deep thought.

The list was filled with names, each accompanied by details of the person’s job and position.

Every word on the page had been written by Chen Lin. Drawing from Purple Moonlight’s memories, he had compiled a record of Abundance cultists hidden in the mundane corners of society—many of whom even held positions within the Alchemy Commission. This "gift" was Chen Lin’s way of currying favor with Jing Yuan.

It seemed the sheer number of names had left Jing Yuan thoroughly shaken.

After a long silence, Jing Yuan finally spoke. “The cultists of the Abundance have infiltrated the Alchemy Commission so deeply that it’s impossible to dismiss this as mere coincidence. Someone with considerable authority must have been shielding them. If left unchecked, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus could become a catastrophic threat to the Xianzhou—not only damaging public trust but potentially forcing me to resign as general.”

Chen Lin sipped his tea without looking up. “You must already have a plan, don’t you?”

Jing Yuan’s dejected expression froze for a moment before he offered a bitter smile. “Sometimes, I wish you were one of the Xianzhou. If you were, I’d have far fewer headaches.”

In a way, I am a Xianzhou native, Chen Lin mused. Just not from these ships.

He waved dismissively. “If I were, Fu Xuan would probably glare me to death with her third eye.”

“Family doesn’t speak in riddles,” Jing Yuan quipped, his smile softening. “Truth be told, I’ve been aware of this issue for some time. What I didn’t anticipate was its severity. The missing Cloud Knight operative wasn’t killed as an infiltrator but gained the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus’s trust by betraying his comrades. He eventually rose to become one of their leaders.

“I also received anonymous tips about Alchemy Commission personnel showing early signs of Mara infection but continuing to lead normal lives. However, the Alchemy Commission’s status as one of the Six Commissions complicates matters. I couldn’t simply send Cloud Knights to arrest them. I only mentioned it in passing to the Alchemy Commission Overseer, but days later, the implicated individuals either vanished or succumbed to Mara madness. This confirms that there are moles within the Alchemy Commission we have yet to uncover.”

Chen Lin hesitated before asking, “What makes you so certain?”

Jing Yuan sighed deeply. “You wouldn’t know this, but ancient texts from our home world describe a creature called the ‘cockroach.’ Its segmented body and sturdy thoracic shield make it useful in medicine, but its high fertility rate—up to 40 offspring at once—has made it a reviled pest. These creatures thrive in filth, spreading disease wherever they go.

“The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus is much the same. Their agents are like cockroaches, multiplying and thriving in the shadows. Even if we’ve identified a few, it’s clear they’re just the tip of the iceberg.”

Chen Lin: “…”

Cockroaches? Really? Even the name is the same? What a coincidence.

Despite their short acquaintance, Chen Lin and Jing Yuan had already developed a mutual respect. Jing Yuan’s willingness to shoulder political pressure and do business directly with Chen Lin, using the General’s Seal of the Xianzhou Luofu, was not lost on him. Chen Lin, in turn, intended to repay this trust, ensuring their dealings were mutually beneficial.

After finishing a dossier detailing the earliest records of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, Chen Lin closed the file, his suspicions about Jing Yuan’s seemingly permissive stance on the sect solidifying.

Jing Yuan was no Cocolia, betraying the people under his care. His every action served the greater good of the Xianzhou. Allowing the sect to operate to a certain extent might have deeper strategic purposes.

Perhaps Jing Yuan was allowing the sect to flourish just enough to expose their full network before striking decisively.

“Big Brother,” Chen Lin said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I know I don’t represent the Xianzhou, but shouldn’t you at least tell your helper enough to avoid any blunders? Otherwise, if I screw up due to a lack of information, wouldn’t that be a bigger problem?”

“Hahaha…” Jing Yuan chuckled awkwardly. “It’s not that I don’t want to share; it’s just that some things are better left unsaid. The fewer people who know, the lower the risk of leaks.”

After a pause, Jing Yuan’s smile grew warmer. “But you’re not an outsider anymore. You deserve to know.”

Old fox, Chen Lin thought. You only admitted that because you knew I’d see through your silence.

Still, he understood Jing Yuan’s caution. In his shoes, Chen Lin wouldn’t trust anyone beyond a select few with sensitive matters either.

“Let me take a guess then,” Chen Lin said, narrowing his eyes. What others might find alluringly soft seemed chillingly sharp in this moment. He gestured toward the documents on the table.

“The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus didn’t spring out of nowhere. Historical records may not be entirely reliable, but for the sect to rise from near-total annihilation to infiltrating the Six Commissions is implausible without help. Now, with the Stellaron crisis, the sect’s activities have become overt. Clearly, they’re targeting something specific within the Xianzhou. You know what it is, don’t you?”

If Jing Yuan’s insight came from years of experience and a high-ranking position, then Chen Lin’s brilliance lay in his near-superhuman analytical mind. He processed information with terrifying speed, categorizing every detail into a cohesive whole.

Jing Yuan couldn’t help but sigh as he regarded his adopted brother. Why couldn’t you have been born on the Xianzhou?

Chen Lin raised a finger. “Cleaning up scattered dirt is tedious, but if you let the filth gather into one pile, it’s far easier to sweep away. Drawing the snake out of its hole and cutting the grass at the root—that’s my theory.”

Jing Yuan clicked his tongue in admiration. “If everyone in your empire thought like this, the books recommended by the Ten Genius Council would double in length.”

“The Stellaron crisis involves many interwoven conflicts among the Xianzhou,” Jing Yuan said, stroking his chin. “Unlike other Xianzhou, the Luofu has always maintained relatively lax border checks to encourage trade. Over time, this has made it a haven for opportunists with dubious motives. Though I lack concrete proof, I’m convinced the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and the Stellaron are connected. By suppressing them too harshly, we might force certain players to reveal themselves. Thus, I’ve decided to use this crisis to our advantage. After all, who says the Stellaron is purely harmful to the Xianzhou?”

He didn’t deny it—a tacit confirmation.

“Brilliant, Big Brother.”

“Don’t butter me up, or I’ll return the favor,” Jing Yuan teased. “Now that you’ve infiltrated the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus as a branch leader, what’s your next move?”

Chen Lin smiled faintly. “I want to speed things up. We’ll need to discuss this further. Power used sparingly cuts more cleanly.”

“Indeed. Your involvement in this game may prove invaluable,” Jing Yuan said, his confidence in Chen Lin unshaken.

From Jing Yuan’s perspective, the sect’s offers of immortality or power were meaningless to someone like Chen Lin. After all, why trade humanity for longevity when one already possessed it?

With their plans set, Chen Lin bade Jing Yuan farewell and returned to the Exalting Sanctum. The once-secretive headquarters of the sect was now surrounded by Cloud Knights.

Surprisingly, despite the large-scale operation, everyday life in the Exalting Sanctum seemed unaffected. The bustling commercial district remained lively, with diners in the night markets eagerly gossiping about the recent events.

Chen Lin weaved through the streets and found Bailu at a familiar barbecue stall, devouring skewers with gusto. Under his psionic disguise, she looked nothing like the Dragon of Longevity.

At some point, the little dragon girl had acquired a round cap, a checkered shawl, and a magnifying glass hanging at her waist.

“Hey! Holmes! Over here!”

As soon as the little dragon girl raised her head, she spotted Chen Lin, who had shed his disguise, and called out excitedly.

“Bailu, I noticed the Artisanship Commission seemed to be looking for you on my way over. Maybe it’s time for you to head back?” Chen Lin sat beside her, the height difference making the two look like father and daughter to any passerby.

Bailu furrowed her brows. At first, Chen Lin thought she was reluctant to return, having experienced the benefits of his psionic disguise.

Instead, Bailu retorted, “Holmes! Call me Watson or Dr. Watson!”

Chen Lin: “…”

I make up a detective story on the fly, and now this little girl is fully in character.

“It is getting late. I’ll head back soon,” Bailu said, avenging her earlier frustration by aggressively skewering her food. “The Alchemy Commission’s pocket dimension was sealed off yesterday. I don’t know what happened, but they found me a temporary place to stay—otherwise, sneaking out wouldn’t have been so easy.”

“The Alchemy Commission’s pocket dimension was sealed?” Chen Lin raised an eyebrow.

“Yep.”

Bailu sat on the bench, her short legs swinging in the air as they couldn’t reach the ground. “I was prescribing treatments for some patients with tricky conditions when the Alchemy Commission folks rushed in all flustered, saying the dimension was being sealed and urging me to leave immediately.”

“What time was this yesterday?”

“Hmm… around late morning, close to noon. Not sure. Doesn’t really matter.”

Bailu handed a handful of skewers to Chen Lin. “Here, Holmes, eat these. I’m tired of them. I’m getting something else!”

Before Chen Lin could protest, Bailu shoved the food into his hands, jumped off the bench, and scampered to a nearby stall, standing on tiptoes to browse.

Chen Lin sat there, frowning.

He had just been to the Alchemy Commission yesterday. After the Mara-stricken incident on the streets earlier that morning, he had visited at the invitation of the Alchemy Commission Overseer. At the time, the pocket dimension had seemed perfectly fine.

Though sparsely populated, it hadn’t struck him as particularly off. After navigating the place with his instincts on high alert, he’d quickly left without lingering long enough to uncover anything unusual…

But now? Something felt very off.

Chen Lin’s thoughts raced.

He realized that during his visit, he had encountered fewer than ten people in the Alchemy Commission and hadn’t seen any Cloud Knights. Normally, every Luofu Commission had its own security detail, much like the Divination Commission.

When he’d visited the Divination Commission, the place had been swarming with Cloud Knights. It could easily have been mistaken for a training ground, with patrols and sentries numbering well into the hundreds, including hidden guards in strategic positions.

The Alchemy Commission, despite its decline due to the dwindling faith in the Abundance Aeon, was still one of the Six Commissions. Even in its weakest state, it should have retained some semblance of its former glory. Yet, it had been eerily barren.

Now, considering his earlier premonition of mortal danger, Chen Lin couldn’t shake the conclusion that the pocket dimension had been filled with enemies at the time of his visit.

Holy crap!

He had suspected something was off about the Overseer, Dan Shu, but he hadn’t considered that everyone else in the dimension might also have been compromised. While Dan Shu might not have been a direct threat to his life—her abilities couldn’t kill him outright—whatever lurked in the dimension surely could.

Chen Lin broke into a cold sweat.

While he wasn’t much of a fighter, he did have an emergency escape trick up his sleeve—the "Leader’s Teleportation Technique."

He had nearly forgotten about this lifesaving ability until his recent "awakening" reminded him of its existence. The technique, reminiscent of Paradox Interactive’s leadership mechanics, allowed him to instantly teleport out of danger.

The implications were terrifying:

One possibility was that the teleportation could save him, but the threat in the dimension was so overwhelming it could kill him before the teleportation even activated.

The other was that teleportation wouldn’t work at all, and whatever lay in wait would crush him on the spot.

Both scenarios ended in death, but the differences were significant.

Chen Lin couldn’t help but speculate—could something truly horrifying have been lurking in the pocket dimension yesterday?

As he grappled with his thoughts, Bailu returned, her arms laden with food. He couldn’t fathom how the little dragon girl’s stomach seemed like a bottomless pit, capable of holding so much.

Pushing his thoughts about the Alchemy Commission aside for now, Chen Lin spent over an hour with Bailu, indulging her whims before she finally asked him to lift her disguise.

Not long after she left, Bailu turned back with a parting remark. “Holmes, next time I sneak out, you better help me again!”

“Alright, alright. Just make sure you don’t blab about tonight’s outing,” Chen Lin said, waving her off.

“Do I look dumb? If I spill the beans about all this fun, I’ll never get to sneak out again!” Bailu retorted smugly, skipping away.

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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!