Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [236]

The [Zroni Nexus] had transformed into a vast, snow-covered forest. The sky had already darkened, and beneath the feet of the two figures, a stretch of asphalt road appeared. Phantylia clung desperately to Chen Lin’s leg, pleading incessantly.

A pitch-black night. A forest blanketed in ice and snow. Such a scene naturally evoked a deep sense of desolation.

Perhaps the [Zroni Nexus] had been "fed" too much—Chen Lin had merely entertained a passing thought, and without even expending the stored [Zroni Dust] within his inventory, the nexus moved on its own. The climate shifted. The sky darkened...

Suddenly, from the woods lining the road, clusters of fireflies glowing with a violet luminescence began to emerge, one after another. Their appearance in the frigid winter landscape was an anomaly—practically a supernatural phenomenon. But in this world, the rules were Chen Lin’s to alter as he pleased.

"Would black snow create a better effect?"

He muttered to himself, and at once, the sky began to release pure black snowflakes. In this eerie mountain forest, the strange and unsettling laws of reality continued to take shape.

Cold.

But more than physical cold, it was the kind that seeped into the soul.

Phantylia watched in shock as her surroundings shifted in an instant. In her eyes, only the gods standing high above could wield such effortless control over the world.

As for the title of Imperial Governor…

Phantylia now doubted whether he was even an Imperial Governor at all.

To alter the very fabric of reality with mere words and actions—what need was there for legions, for envoys, for the Aeons themselves?

What a joke.

The night wind howled, whipping against the Supreme Annihilator, who remained kneeling on the ground. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with the strain—both psychological and physical. Under the dim glow of the fireflies, her shadow trembled ceaselessly.

Loneliness, cold, fear…

All these emotions swirled within Phantylia’s heart. She regretted her greed. Her master had already granted her the body she desired, yet at the mere suggestion of another, she had still succumbed to betrayal.

The hand in her vision grew larger and larger until, at last, it pressed against her forehead.

Phantylia could do nothing but tremble. She dared not speak, dared not resist—only watch, wide-eyed, as she awaited her master’s judgment.

The energy that had once felt icy and foreboding was now noticeably gentler, flowing effortlessly through her true form. Any barriers before it crumbled as though they had never existed. It found her core with ease, merging swiftly with the power of Destruction that resided within her.

Two forces intertwined within her body, blending like converging streams. The sound of rushing waterfalls echoed in her ears.

"You have a remarkable aptitude for psionics, Phantylia. Your latent potential is the most intense I’ve ever seen. Even those who have undergone the Great Awakening pale in comparison to you. Your techniques are so refined that I nearly suffered defeat myself."

Phantylia’s teeth chattered. The more Chen Lin praised her, the deeper her terror grew. She clutched his leg even tighter, forcing herself to suppress the fear within and shape her expression into something resembling a smile.

“Phantylia is nothing without you, my lord… Everything I am comes from your grace…”

She stared anxiously at the violet fireflies drifting through the eerie forest. This place would either become the opportunity leading to her bright future or the grave that buried her.

Her breathing remained labored.

"But unfortunately, you still made a mistake."

“M-My lord…”

Her voice was hoarse as she uttered his title in a whisper, as if doing so would increase her chances of survival.

Only now, when faced with torment beyond resistance, when she did not know when death might claim her—only now did Phantylia realize how much of a mercy a swift end truly was. Compared to the utter annihilation she now faced, the destruction promised by her Path seemed almost trivial.

At the very least… that kind of destruction wouldn’t erase her from existence.

No matter how prosperous and civilized the universe appeared, the law of the strong devouring the weak remained the dominant rule. True diplomacy between civilizations was impossible without power—it was simply not an option.

Mysterious and formidable beings easily commanded the allegiance of countless lesser creatures. Just as Phantylia, knowing she could never rival Nanook, had still sought an immortal body, it was not destruction itself she submitted to, but rather the strength behind it.

Thus, bowing before a superior force had never been shameful.

"No matter what terms I propose, you will agree to them, won’t you?" Chen Lin gently patted her head as he spoke.

He had always believed that Phantylia’s presence would serve as a formidable deterrent for Jarilo’s future. Now that she had acquired a physical body, her military and political value were beyond measure.

But at the same time, she had to be thoroughly subdued, forced into conceding of her own accord—only then would he have leverage over her. Otherwise, she might develop the misconception that My lord, you brought me here just for this, making it seem as though he had planned everything too deliberately.

Lifting someone up only to push them down afterward could be an effective way to shake their confidence in their own strength, making it easier to seize the initiative.

He still didn’t quite understand why Phantylia had surrendered so easily. She had given in before he even had the chance to display his full power. But in the end, the outcome suited them both.

Like a drowning person clinging to the last straw of survival, Phantylia nodded frantically, a flicker of hope flashing in her eyes.

“Phantylia agrees! Anything my lord asks—Phantylia will agree to everything!”

"Let me think it over."

Outwardly, Chen Lin spoke with a calm deliberation, but inwardly, he had already communicated his intentions to the [Zroni Nexus]. The nexus hesitated briefly before consuming a fingernail-sized portion of [Zroni Dust]. Moments later, a piece of golden silk fabric, intricately woven, materialized in the air and floated gently into Phantylia’s trembling hands.

Though the [Zroni Nexus] could not speak, Chen Lin could always sense its emotions. To him, the nexus felt almost like his own child—its existence was one of closeness and familiarity. As it absorbed more [Zroni Dust], expanding and perfecting itself, it would occasionally convey an almost childlike pride to him, as if eagerly displaying its accomplishments to a parent.

The feeling was… peculiar.

Especially while within the [Zroni Nexus] itself, Chen Lin finally understood why that Zroni elder had once said, As long as the nexus has sufficient energy, I will be no different from a god here…

He still didn’t know exactly what had frightened Phantylia into surrendering so completely. The reverence in her eyes was not feigned. What, exactly, had she seen? He would have to ask her later.

Looking at the girl—barely 160 cm tall—Chen Lin speculated that when constructing this body, she had drawn much inspiration from the Xianzhou natives, particularly the Foxians. The more he examined her, the more she resembled the body she had previously inhabited—the one belonging to Tingyun. Aside from a few minor adjustments, she had refined its features to enhance its natural advantages.

At a glance, she could almost be mistaken for Tingyun’s twin.

As Chen Lin observed her intently, Phantylia made her move.

Given a chance to survive, she didn’t even bother reading the contract. Without hesitation, she pressed her hand against it.

In an instant, the contract vanished.

An unbreakable bond now linked Phantylia and the [Zroni Nexus]…

What Aeons? Phantylia thought to herself—she didn’t know any of them.

Chen Lin stood before her, watching as Phantylia clung to his leg, giggling like a fool. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Do you hate me?”

“I wouldn’t dare! Phantylia is overjoyed—why would I even entertain such treasonous thoughts? From now on, wherever my lord points, Phantylia will strike! No questions asked!”

She showed no hesitation in bowing her head—not just in submission, but in complete servitude. Chen Lin truly doubted she was capable of harboring any rebellious intent at this point.

Mistakes were natural—everyone made them. Phantylia had simply let her desires get the best of her, making a few minor missteps. The real reason those mistakes had been magnified was that she had lost to him.

If she had died after her failure, that would have been her own fault. Being spared was something she should naturally be grateful for.

As the Supreme Annihilator, Phantylia had her own unique value. If she could be kept alive as a subordinate, that would be ideal. If not, then even burning her would still be a worthwhile way to recover some of his losses.

Fortunately, Phantylia was perceptive enough to know when to surrender. Her swift capitulation saved Chen Lin a great deal of effort.

Just as he was about to ask why she hadn’t even attempted to resist before giving in, the [Zroni Nexus] suddenly became restless. It seemed eager to shove Phantylia aside—it had something it desperately wanted to show him.

Chen Lin raised an eyebrow. “Go wait over there.”

Phantylia obediently lowered her head and replied, “Yes, my lord!”

She had barely taken a few steps when a surge of energy erupted within the space. Golden light flared as cracks began to form on the ground. The tremors grew stronger and stronger, to the point that even Phantylia, despite having regained some of her strength, nearly lost her footing.

The anomaly continued for about ten minutes. As the light gradually dimmed, both Chen Lin and Phantylia finally saw what had appeared before them…

A sacred tree had descended—its branches gilded, its leaves like pure jade. It stretched toward the heavens, its canopy draping across the celestial expanse…

Though its size was only comparable to a small building, the power of Abundance radiating from it was unmistakable—it looked exactly like the Ambrosial Arbor!

And the notification that appeared before him confirmed it—the Ambrosial Arbor had indeed been devoured by the [Zroni Nexus].

[Relic: Realm of Illusions · Miniature Ambrosial Arbor]

A crystal sphere encapsulating one of the former Luofu’s divine miracles—the Ambrosial Arbor. Inside the sphere, life flourishes, and psionic energy drifts like mist. It is said that the tree can return to its original form at any time. Why it has taken on this new state remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: immense and enigmatic power lies within.

Passive Effects:

• Unlocks the Biology technology tree.

• Researchers generate +150% Sociology points.

• Environmental modification speed +500%.

• Daily 1% chance to instantly complete an ongoing Biology research project.

• No limit on the number of active relics.

Activation Effects:

• Summons a large force of Abundance Beasts as ground troops; each activation increases the army size.

• Grants all population units in the owner’s nation the "Ambrosial Growth" trait.

• Grants the owner the "Divine Oracle" trait, unlocking special edicts for 360 days, with the following effects:

  • Population with the "Ambrosial Growth" trait has a 49% chance to survive fatal events.

  • The owner can designate 100 individuals as "Sacred Envoys" through the "Divine Mandate" ability.

  • "Sacred Envoys" have their "Ambrosial Growth" trait enhanced to 99.9% survival.

  • Any enemy unit slain by a Sacred Envoy will be resurrected as a Psionic Undead Soldier.

Cohesion Cost: 8000
Cooldown: 1080 days

On the surface, Chen Lin remained expressionless, but internally, he was utterly shaken.

He had no idea how the Ambrosial Arbor had ended up inside the [Zroni Nexus]. All he had done was have the [Zroni Nexus] absorb both himself and Phantylia. Given its previous size, there was no way it could have contained something as massive as the Ambrosial Arbor, which had been hundreds of times larger.

Was that even possible?

Clearly, it shouldn’t have been.

And yet, here the Ambrosial Arbor was.

And not only had it appeared—it had been contained within him as a relic.

The [Zroni Nexus] buzzed excitedly, eager to show off its masterpiece. Through it, Chen Lin learned that this miniature Ambrosial Arbor was, in fact, the very same tree that once stood upon Luofu. Within its core, there was even a Stellaron…

And that wasn’t all.

The [Zroni Nexus] could continue to shrink the Ambrosial Arbor, making it smaller and smaller until, at last, it condensed into a crystal sphere that fit perfectly in his palm.

Beneath its unassuming exterior, the essence of the Ambrosial Arbor had undergone a transformation. Its immense Abundance energy had been refined, aligning more closely with psionic forces—it now embodied a power of unparalleled healing.

As Chen Lin stared blankly at the crystal in his hand, the [Zroni Nexus] seemed to whisper eagerly: Praise me! Am I not incredible? Praise me!

Meanwhile, Phantylia, witnessing this bizarre turn of events, felt her initial shock shift into an overwhelming sense of reverence. To her, the power sealed within that crystal was irresistible.

A purer form of Abundance energy…

A thought surfaced in Phantylia’s mind: If my lord could spare just a fraction of that energy and material to reconstruct my body… even if I had to endure being burned for decades, I’d gladly accept it…

Her fixated stare and the subtle drool at the corner of her lips were impossible to hide. Chen Lin caught everything.

Just moments ago, he had been wondering how to dangle the perfect bait for his ambitious new employee—yet now, the bait had landed right at his feet.

Chen Lin’s lips curled into a bright, sunny smile as he stepped toward Phantylia. Her eyes followed the Ambrosial Arbor crystal in his hand, moving up when he raised it, down when he lowered it.

Then, a voice laced with devilish temptation whispered in her ear:

"Do you want it?"

Want… I want it…!

"How much do you want it?"

“Phantylia is my lord’s loyal hound! To serve as my lord’s hound is the greatest honor of my life!”

Her tail swayed wildly behind her—her very soul seemed ensnared by the treasure in Chen Lin’s hand.

"How about this?" Chen Lin mused. "I’ll give you what you want. But first, you’ll help me create bodies for burning. For each body you craft, I’ll give you a share. Sound fair?"

“M-My lord, how much… how much of a share?”

"One-thousandth."

“N-No… No…”

"Too little? Then how about—"

Phantylia immediately grovelled. “One ten-thousandth is enough! As long as my lord entrusts this task to me forever… no, even one hundred-thousandth will do!”

Chen Lin’s eye twitched. This one really understands corporate competition…

He could see right through her schemes. But, truthfully, there was no one else as suited for the job as Phantylia. If she wanted to prove her worth so badly, why not let her?

Smiling, he patted her shoulder.

“The job is yours. Now stop standing around—get to work.”

With this, Phantylia was no longer just a significant military and political asset—she could now generate economic value as well!

[Zroni Dust]… an endless supply of [Zroni Dust]!

Now, even when it came to opening the L-Gate and facing whatever horrors lay beyond, Chen Lin felt far more confident in his ability to handle them.

…

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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!