Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [134]

The Divination Commission, much like the Cloud Knight Command, was situated far from the bustling commercial districts and residential areas. As a crucial institution responsible for deciphering the arcane mechanisms of the future, it required a certain level of seclusion to safeguard sensitive information.

Similarly, the Cloud Knight Command, overseeing administrative and military affairs, needed vast training grounds for its soldiers. Being too close to populated areas could cause disturbances to residents and tourists alike.

At the Star Ferry dock, a cloud skiff awaited them. Qingque stepped forward, flashing her jade insignia to the stationed Cloud Knight guards, and then beckoned Chen Lin aboard.

“It’s such a hassle commuting to work every day like this,” Qingque grumbled as she operated the skiff. “Honestly, the Diviner—uh, our... esteemed superior—should really consider spicing up the scenery or something. Flying back and forth through the clouds all the time gets dull. And don’t even get me started on how often the Astral Navigators catch us for speeding or minor violations. Sure, the Divination Commission covers the fines, but it’s still exhausting!”

She added with a serious nod, “They should just assign us drivers.”

“Especially the Astral Navigators,” Qingque continued, sighing dramatically. “Those folks fly their skiffs at breakneck speeds. Since they’re internal staff, they can get away with bending the rules as long as nothing goes wrong. I’ve heard the current Navigation Officer was a top-tier pilot back in her day, and many of the current operators are her old admirers.”

Chen Lin stayed silent, listening to her grumble.

If the skiff was analogous to a car, then the Divination Commission’s staff seemed to enjoy a system where every employee had their own “company car.” There was no need to worry about missing transportation or fuel costs—just a valid skiff license.

If this setup existed in his old world, it’d be like every company employee being given a car for personal use, with all expenses covered and fines reimbursed.

What more could you ask for?

“Not a bad idea,” Chen Lin said finally, as he watched the mist swirl past. “So, why haven’t you proposed this to your superiors?”

“I did,” Qingque replied with a wry smile, her slender figure leaning against the control panel. “The Diviner told me to get lost as far as possible. Ha!”

“You’ve barely worked for a few years, yet you’ve mastered the art of talking nonsense,” Chen Lin remarked dryly. “If I were the Diviner, I’d have demoted you and docked your pay already.”

“Eh?! How did you know I was demoted?” Qingque exclaimed, genuinely surprised. “The Diviner even cut my salary in half that month. If I hadn’t stashed some savings, I would’ve been done for. But, hey, I managed to negotiate my way into managing the archives. Losing half a month’s pay? Totally worth it!”

Chen Lin: “...”

“Well, the Diviner seems to enjoy tossing trivial tasks my way whenever she catches me slacking off. I guess it amuses her,” Qingque said lazily. “Take today, for instance. I was just stacking tiles at work when she caught me red-handed. She said I clearly had nothing better to do and dumped the task of meeting you onto me. If she assigned it to me, it clearly wasn’t urgent, so there’s no rush.”

It was clear Qingque would go to great lengths to maximize her slacking time. The fact that she managed to get away with just demotions and fines spoke volumes about her skill in navigating her superiors’ limits. Few people could pull that off.

Certainly not Chen Lin.

About fifteen minutes later, the skiff slowed, gliding through a misty expanse that seemed to merge sea and sky. As the fog parted, a massive floating platform came into view, suspended in midair without visible supports.

The ethereal setting was awe-inspiring, as though he’d stumbled into a celestial paradise.

What struck Chen Lin most was the sheer size of the platform—it was even larger than the bustling Changle Heaven marketplace and far surpassed the Cloud Knight Command’s grounds.

Before he could fully take it in, his vision blurred briefly.

[Xianzhou Mystic Art—Divination]

**[Intel: Among the many mystic arts of the Xianzhou, divination is the foremost. A saying goes: With good fortune, the Azure Dragon ascends to display its might; without it, the Battle Dragon toils as a mere beast. This art has led the Xianzhou to navigate the stars and overcome countless perils.

Interestingly, this mystic art bears striking similarities to certain Earthly practices, even resonating with psionics.

Our scientist, Chen Lin, has gained the trust of the Xianzhou and laid the foundation for friendship between the Empire and the Xianzhou.

If we require knowledge of divination, the Xianzhou may not hesitate to share.]**

[1. Fascinating. Have him learn divination! (Scientist Chen Lin gains Earth-related divination knowledge; event chain continues.) (This option becomes available upon obtaining permission from the Divination Commission.)]
[2. A mere trickery of charlatans. (Event chain ends.)]

Chen Lin rubbed his eyes, a question mark forming in his mind.

A restricted event chain?

Back when he played games, such events often required specific conditions to unlock certain options. Missing the conditions would limit the choices available, sometimes permanently.

The first option was currently grayed out, suggesting it could only be selected upon fulfilling certain requirements.

In his gaming days, Chen Lin had rarely bothered with reshaping entire policies just to activate an event option. Would it even be possible here?

“Hey, Old Chen, wake up! Stop spacing out.”

Qingque waved a hand in front of his face, her hair carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance.

The delicate scent snapped Chen Lin back to reality. He mentally pushed the event screen aside and grinned. “I was just admiring the Divination Commission. It reminded me of my homeland’s similar divination practices.”

“Interested? You should give it a shot,” Qingque said casually. “But it’s tough to learn. Took me half a month just to grasp the basics. And I’m not sure if outsiders like you can learn it—you’d have to ask the Diviner.”

Nearby, numerous stalls caught Chen Lin’s eye. The vendors, all dressed in official uniforms, were clearly public servants managing these shops.

“Ah, this area is where we indulge ourselves a bit,” Qingque explained. “It’s just pricey. The cafeteria food is so bad that when I first joined, a senior warned me never to rely on it. They said it’d bring misfortune.”

“Oh?” Chen Lin’s curiosity piqued. “Anything here worth trying?”

Qingque seemed deep in thought, but before she could answer, a nearby Cloud Knight stationed at the gate interjected with a forlorn look.

“Of course there is, sir. Even we have to eat!”

Qingque and Chen Lin: “?”

Chen Lin fought the urge to leave immediately, following Qingque as they quickly headed inside.

The Divination Commission's headquarters was a towering and imposing structure. Flanking the grand staircase were banners displaying its crest, while above the main entrance hung an enormous Taiji symbol that immediately caught Chen Lin's attention.

Could it be...?

He shook his head, brushing off the thought. The Xianzhou characters were written in seal script, a style strikingly similar to the ancient scripts of Earth. This was no coincidence—it had to mean something.

A parallel universe, maybe?

Chen Lin recalled Walter once mentioning his past as an animator on a planet called "Azure Star." Back on Earth, renaming it as "Blue Star," "Azure Star," or "Gaia" was a common trope in novels and TV shows.

Now, he couldn't help but wonder if the Xianzhou might somehow be a creation of Earth in a parallel dimension.

At the base of the staircase, Qingque came to a halt, the fluffy pom-pom on her ponytail bouncing twice.

“Here we are, Old Chen,” she said. “You can head in on your own. Once you bigshots are done chatting, I’ll come back to send you off. I've got plenty of work waiting for me in the archives.”

“Thanks.”

“Alright, then I’ll just—”

Qingque smiled gratefully and turned to leave, but her body suddenly stiffened. Her foot, mid-step, slowly came back down.

Through his psionic senses, Chen Lin noticed a surge of energy carrying a message entering Qingque's ear. Although he couldn’t hear its exact content, he had a pretty good idea of what it was.

Sure enough, Qingque slumped her shoulders, her expression utterly defeated.

“Diviner, what more do you want from me?” she mumbled to herself. “You’ve demoted me, confiscated my snacks, and now you won’t even let me finish my work?”

Another wave of energy arrived, but this time, Chen Lin covertly opened a channel to eavesdrop.

"Work? Oh, I wasn’t aware playing cards counted as work... Let’s review: Entered through the side gate at the third quarter of the morning, returned at noon, and in between... Shall I go on?"

“Fine! Whatever makes you happy...” Qingque muttered dejectedly. She turned to Chen Lin, her eyes filled with resignation. Leaning closer, she whispered, “Old Chen, please help me out later. The Diviner is going to kill me…”

Chen Lin enveloped them in a psionic barrier, cutting off external sounds, before replying, “That’s what you get for sneaking off to play cards and getting caught. Serves you right.”

“Wait! Old Chen, you could hear that?!” Qingque’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“I have my methods,” Chen Lin said with a smirk. “Although it seems your boss is rather fond of you.”

“I’d rather she wasn’t.”

Disabling the barrier, Chen Lin turned and ascended the grand staircase, leaving Qingque standing in place for a moment before reluctantly following.

The massive red metal doors swung inward, revealing the main hall of the Divination Commission. Unlike the utilitarian simplicity of the Astral Navigation Command, the hall was adorned with an array of cybernetic designs. The cybernetic bonsai trees in particular caught Chen Lin’s eye—he resisted the urge to mock them once again.

“Chen Lin, at your service,” he announced, his gaze landing on the petite figure standing on the elevated platform with her back to him. The urge to comment on her diminutive stature almost overcame him.

She’s about Clara’s height...

Reminding himself of the Xianzhou people’s long lifespans, Chen Lin refrained from making any remarks. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder: If the Diviner ever got married, would they arrest her husband or her?

Accepting her fate, Qingque quietly moved to the side, standing still and silent.

Moments after Chen Lin spoke, the figure on the platform turned to face him. Her face bore an air of innate pride that she didn’t bother to conceal.

“I am Fu Xuan, Diviner of the Divination Commission,” she said. “The General has already informed me about matters concerning the Xianzhou and your Empire. I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other, Governor Chen. Formalities are unnecessary.”

For the first time, Chen Lin got a clear look at her face.

Fu Xuan’s sakura-pink hair was styled into intricate loops pinned with golden hairpins, her side locks tied into twin ponytails cascading down. The hairstyle struck a delicate balance between the solemnity of leadership and the playfulness of youth.

A faint gemstone seemed embedded in her forehead, and Chen Lin found it oddly discomforting to meet her gaze directly.

Her outfit matched her hair, a blend of pink tones that accentuated her porcelain-like complexion. She wore semi-opaque white tights under a short skirt, which cleverly elongated her figure. At least from a distance, Fu Xuan appeared taller than she was.

Her fashion sense was impeccable, but Chen Lin couldn’t help but question the appropriateness of a leader foregoing a uniform.

“The matter has already been relayed by Brother Jing,” Chen Lin said with a polite smile. “Lives are at stake. I humbly request that you bring the patient forward for examination. If there’s nothing I can do, it’s best not to delay any further.”

“Brother?” Fu Xuan froze, her expression briefly betraying confusion.

Chen Lin nodded. “Brother Jing and I share a special connection. From the moment we met, it felt as though we’d been lifelong brothers.”

“Why didn’t he tell me…” Fu Xuan muttered internally. And how did this outsider manage to gain the General’s trust?

The perplexity on her face was evident, but Chen Lin calmly held her gaze, quickly forming a read on her personality.

To his surprise, Fu Xuan began staring at him intently, her forehead gemstone glowing faintly. Chen Lin, unperturbed, stared right back.

After a long moment, Fu Xuan nodded.

“The heavens above and the marshes below, Qian above, Dui below. Your heart appears kind. Perhaps you’re a harbinger of fate for the Xianzhou—whether fortune or calamity, I cannot say. Something on you disrupts my clairvoyance.”

“Truly?” Chen Lin feigned shock. “I’ve heard much of your unparalleled skill, Diviner Fu Xuan. Your divinations are said to have steered the Xianzhou through countless perils. How could you fail to see through a humble outsider like me?”

“Is that so…” Fu Xuan murmured, glancing at Qingque, who was trying her best to fade into the background. The unexpected praise caught her off guard, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Ahem. While I wouldn’t call myself a genius, I am… different from the average person. But even I am not omniscient…”

“Exactly!” Chen Lin interrupted. “When I spoke with Brother Jing, he couldn’t stop singing your praises, Diviner Fu Xuan. He described you as a genius who has saved the Xianzhou from countless crises, someone whose contributions are beyond measure.”

“He... really said that?” Fu Xuan’s tone softened.

“Not just him,” Chen Lin added with a grin. “I also believe you’re a rare talent. Your divinations are nothing short of miraculous. Might I, as an admirer, humbly request the opportunity to study this extraordinary art?”

Beaming with pride, Fu Xuan declared, “Why not? Since the General regards you as a brother, then I, too, shall recognize you as my esteemed junior! Once I’ve examined the patient, you may freely access the archives to study our divination techniques. Should you encounter difficulties, do not hesitate to seek my guidance!”

Gotcha!

So the General treats him as a brother? Then I’ll adopt him too!

Let’s see him try to say I don’t know how to manage relationships now. Hmph—piece of cake!

---

T/N: ...damn she's really that easy to please?

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!