Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [136]

The Diviner Division's library was located to the northwest of the main hall, its eaves dramatically arched, making most of the structure visible even from a distance.

It could be said that the library was twice as large as the main hall. After all, it housed countless books collected during the Xianzhou's interstellar travels, including ancient texts brought from the ancestral planet.

Over the years, as time flowed on, the library expanded continuously, and its contents grew increasingly diverse.

It was rumored that the entire Diviner Division was a colossal formation. However, unlike the mystical formations described in various novels, this one was relatively straightforward—its primary function was to ensure all department buildings within the Diviner Division were well-ventilated and well-lit throughout the year. Employees, no matter their role, could enjoy an excellent working environment.

“Doesn’t that sound great?” Qingque asked suddenly as she casually pushed open a door connecting two courtyards.

“It does sound decent,” Chen Lin nodded. “Improves work efficiency to a certain extent. If it were up to me, though, I wouldn’t do it that way.”

“Oh? Old Chen, your insight is impressive. You’ve already guessed the Diviner’s intention,” Qingque said with some surprise. “So, what would you do?”

Between friends, social rank and status didn’t matter. Once seated at the same card table, everyone was just a brother or sister.

Chen Lin smiled mysteriously. “I’d set up a relaxation room, stocked with all kinds of entertainment equipment, snacks, and drinks. Employees could use them freely whenever they wanted!”

“That’s so generous!” Qingque’s eyes lit up. “How about you join the Xianzhou and apply to the Diviner Division? I’ll pull some strings and nominate you as the Diviner when the next leadership rotation happens…”

However, before she could finish her sentence, Chen Lin’s tone turned ominous.

“Monthly performance evaluations would determine access. Only the top 5% of performers could use the relaxation room freely. The bottom 20% would have their wages deducted proportionally to cover maintenance costs and fund additional year-end bonuses for the top three employees.”

He continued, his voice taking on an eerie edge.

“We’d calculate the minimum living expenses required to maintain basic needs and deduct wages accordingly. If someone wanted more money, they’d have to work harder. Overall efficiency would skyrocket to its peak."

“When the limits of productivity were reached, we could analyze the data to determine everyone’s maximum potential. Then, we’d expand department responsibilities, ensuring the fewest people handled the most tasks. Wages wouldn’t increase, saving a significant portion of the budget."

“Employees would move from a nine-to-five schedule to occasional overtime, then to six-day workweeks, and finally, high-intensity workloads every day except statutory holidays. The immense pressure of life would push employees to shine in their roles endlessly…"

“I’d have discussions with respected senior staff to lead by signing voluntary overtime agreements, bypassing overtime pay entirely. Then, I’d organize other department heads to establish associations enforcing similar standards."

“When nearing retirement, I’d occasionally find ways to dismiss a few people, eliminating pension liabilities entirely… Heh heh heh heh…”

Qingque’s face turned pale as she instinctively backed away several steps.

“Old Chen, are you some kind of demon?!”

Chen Lin spread his hands innocently. “Just kidding. That’s just a labor exploitation model I encountered on another planet. Terrifying, isn’t it? Want to try living like that?”

“Too scary! If it ever came to that, I’d probably…”

Qingque’s expression turned solemn for a moment before suddenly shifting to a fawning smile. “Oh mighty lord from the outer realms, this way, please! Allow this humble servant to guide you!”

After speaking, she glanced at Chen Lin again, suspicion in her eyes.

For some reason, she felt this guy wasn’t entirely joking.

The two bantered as they walked toward the library, their laughter carrying through the air. Diviner Division staff passing by merely watched from a distance.

The Diviner Division was renowned for its intelligence capabilities, and within moments, everyone knew an important guest had arrived—someone who had not only received a personal invitation from the famous General Jing Yuan but was now meeting with the head of the Diviner Division, Fu Xuan, to discuss important matters.

Most of the staff had been working here for years and were familiar with one another. Joining the Diviner Division, one of the Six Commissions, was notoriously difficult, with only a handful of new hires each year.

Thus, when they saw Chen Lin, they instantly recognized him as the distinguished guest.

Though curious, they maintained a respectful distance. It wasn’t their place to approach someone of such high standing. After all, a single careless word could land them in hot water or sideline their career permanently.

As everyone thought this, Qingque’s voice drifted over from nearby.

“Old Chen, be honest with me—between friends, no lies. Did you use your abilities to cheat at cards?”

“You’re not too shabby at shuffling and switching cards yourself.”

“You could actually tell?!”

“I’m not blind.”

“Listen, how about this? Let’s team up and dominate every card game on the Xianzhou!”

“Sure, I always have winning hands.”

Qingque truly was a character. Normally, when someone realized their newfound friend was a person of significant rank, they’d feel awkward or start sucking up.

Not Qingque. She treated Chen Lin the same way she always had, completely unfazed by their status differences.

“Come on, Old Chen. You’re not my boss. Cards when it’s time to play cards, food when it’s time to eat, drinks when it’s time to drink—what’s the big deal?”

With a casual wave of her hand, Qingque pulled out the keys to the library, unlocked the massive doors, and said, “Alright, take your time. If you can’t find something, let me know, and I’ll grab it for you.”

Stepping into the Diviner Division library, Chen Lin was momentarily stunned by the endless rows of bookshelves and the countless volumes they held.

Regaining his composure, he asked, “What’s a good place to start for a beginner?”

“For beginners, Introduction to Divination Terminology is a good start. It thoroughly explains the jargon and technical terms related to divination. Another option is The Hundred Divinations Collection, which uses stories to illustrate the basic meanings of many omens. Even a novice can understand it,” Qingque said, munching on a snack she’d pulled from some corner of the library.

“And then there’s The Jade Mirror Chronicles, a compilation of research papers written by the Diviner herself… Oh, by the way, Old Chen, don’t be fooled by how gullible the Diviner seems. Beneath that carefree exterior, her contributions to the division are unmatched. When I was preparing for the entrance exam, it took me three whole days just to study her papers. It nearly killed me.”

She continued, “Thankfully, I was lucky. That round of recruitment only had a handful of openings, and I barely scraped by with the lowest score.”

“Qingque, I need a favor,” Chen Lin said as he casually found a seat.

“Hey, Old Chen, no need to be so formal with me. The moment you didn’t try to butter up the Diviner on my behalf, I knew we were kindred spirits!”

“Find me all the books you read while preparing for the Diviner Division entrance exam.”

Qingque froze mid-bite, her potato chip hovering in mid-air.

“Huh?”

“What’s the problem? Don’t tell me they’re not here.”

“It’s not that… It’s just… there are a lot of them. I’m worried you won’t finish them all.” Wiping the crumbs from her mouth, Qingque offered a rare bit of seriousness. “How about I start with a couple of easy ones for you? These books are pretty dry.”

Only those who had studied the material understood how challenging the Diviner Division’s knowledge base on divination and calculation could be. The texts were dense, often laced with complex theories and formulas. Without a solid foundation, reading them was an exercise in masochism.

Qingque herself had some talent in this field. Preparing for the exam had demanded at least two hours of daily study, and during the final month, she had ramped up to three hours a day. This effort allowed her to edge past other competitors and claim one of the few coveted spots.

In her opinion, Chen Lin’s sudden interest in divination was likely a passing fancy. He’d probably give up once he found it too tedious.

Hoping to ease him into it and preserve his enthusiasm, she recommended books with a storytelling slant, aiming to delay his boredom as much as possible.

Don’t want to embarrass a new friend, after all, she thought.

Chen Lin chuckled lightly. “I’d like to think I have a bit of talent for learning. My memory and comprehension are slightly above average. Go ahead and fetch the books.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“You won’t regret it?”

“Not at all.”

As Qingque left to gather the materials, Chen Lin reopened the event frame he had cast aside earlier. By now, the first option in the frame was selectable.

He smoothly chose to continue the event chain.

In the next moment, an influx of divination knowledge surged into his mind. The amount wasn’t overwhelming—not even as much as what he’d absorbed from unlocking certain tech trees in the past.

With practiced ease, Chen Lin began organizing and internalizing the new knowledge. This was a process he had gone through countless times before.

Once the knowledge settled, any lingering doubts or questions found immediate answers within the framework now embedded in his mind.

There’s nothing like mastering something that becomes truly yours, he thought.

Not long after, Qingque returned, pushing a cart nearly five feet long and over two feet wide. The cart was stacked neatly with hefty books, towering so high above her that it dwarfed her petite frame.

“These are just a portion of what I studied for the entrance exam. Is this enough?”

“Uh…” Chen Lin’s mouth twitched.

[Xianzhou Secretary—Divination II]

Every skill demands learning and practice. As one of the six Commissions of the Xianzhou Luofu, the Diviner Division is the empire’s ultimate convenience. Naturally, we must seize this opportunity.
Divination Progress: 0/100 (Note: Reaching 100 progress triggers the final event.)

Chen Lin frowned slightly, muttering, “Not sure if this will be enough…”

“...?” Qingque tilted her head.

“Take your time, Old Chen. The Diviner doesn’t let me clock out early anyway. I’m going to take a nap.”

“Great!”

As Chen Lin approached the cart, he noticed that every book had a sticky note with a serial number attached. Books meant to be studied in sequence were even labeled with their proper order.

73 books in total? To find and organize them this quickly in such a massive library…

He glanced at Qingque, who was now back at her desk, snoozing under a random book she’d grabbed to cover her face.

This girl isn’t simple.

From Fu Xuan’s attitude toward Qingque earlier, Chen Lin had already picked up on a clue.

It’s not that no one wants to fire her—they probably see her as a talent worth cultivating for higher roles.

For now, Qingque could wait. Chen Lin had his own tasks.

With his photographic memory and highly developed brain, he could scan through books at lightning speed. What would take others hours to read, he could breeze through in minutes.

Picking up a massive, 300-page book titled Divination Calculations: From Beginner to Burial (Vol. 1), he finished absorbing its content in less than ten minutes before moving on to the next one.

At his desk, Chen Lin was engrossed in study, reminiscent of a high schooler cramming for finals. Meanwhile, Qingque, still napping, had a nightmare.

She dreamed that one day, she went from being the lazy admin of the Diviner Division to receiving a sudden transfer order to the Shen Ce Palace.

Upon entering the palace, she discovered that General Jing Yuan’s usual seat was now occupied by the one person she dreaded most—

Fu Xuan.

“Qingque, from now on, I appoint you as the Master Diviner of the Diviner Division. You shall personally oversee all divination affairs. With great power comes great responsibility. You must manage all operations flawlessly!”

“Whoosh!”

Qingque woke with a start, cold sweat dripping down her face as the book that had been covering her fell to the floor.

Seeing she was still in the library, she let out a sigh of relief.

Oh… it was just a dream…

Just then, Chen Lin walked over.

“Perfect timing! I’ve finished these books. Could you grab me some more?”

“...Huh?” Qingque blinked in disbelief, slapping her own face. “Must’ve woken up too fast… Now I’m hallucinating and hearing things. Let me sleep a bit longer…”

Before she could lie back down, Chen Lin grabbed her by the arms, lifted her onto her feet, and set her down firmly.

“No more napping! Find me more books! I’m addicted to studying!”

“Wait… it wasn’t a dream?!” Qingque’s eyes widened in shock.

Quickly regaining her composure, she skeptically tested him. “Old Chen, tell me: are the six lines of Qian Gua yin or yang?”

“Yang,” Chen Lin replied without hesitation.

“What’s the sequence of the six lines?”

“Chū Jiǔ, Jiǔ Èr, Jiǔ Sān, Jiǔ Sì, Jiǔ Wǔ, Shàng Jiǔ.”

Qingque frowned, raising the difficulty. She pulled out paper and pen, sketched a hexagram, and asked, “Interpret this reading.”

Chen Lin glanced at it. “Bì Gua: Mountain above, Fire below, part of the Mountain Palace hexagrams. Bì often represents adornment. Fire means clarity, and Mountain means stillness—generally auspicious. The fortune suggests outward prosperity but inner emptiness. You must focus on steady self-improvement, proceeding step by step.”

Clatter!

The pen fell from Qingque’s hand.

“This… is still a dream, right?!”

With a dazed expression, she chuckled nervously. “Haha… there’s no way Old Chen would wake up and suddenly master divination. I need more sleep…”

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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!