Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [199]

When it came to commanding troops, Chen Lin lacked any practical experience. His knowledge was limited to the theoretical strategies embedded in his mental "tech tree."

If it came to a direct confrontation, whether Bronya or Seele, they could both outpace him by miles. Thus, when overseeing the Luofu’s Cloud Knights, Chen Lin mostly observed while Fu Xuan issued the orders.

Only when a flaw appeared in their strategies would Chen Lin speak up, offering his insights and a few references to adjust their plans.

Once all the troops were assembled, the Divination Commission's starskiffs began transporting soldiers to the Alchemy Commission. Meanwhile, members of the Artisanship Commission opened paths to ensure the process went smoothly and avoided accidents.

Descending from the leading starskiff, Chen Lin surveyed the current state of the Alchemy Commission’s domain and couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

“What a mess…”

The once-pristine dock was overrun with twisting vines that shattered the stone foundation. The sharp, tree-like roots pierced the ground, and vibrant, ominous flowers blossomed everywhere.

The towering main hall of the Alchemy Commission had been reduced to ruins under the assault of spirit beasts and the rampant growth of the Ambrosial Arbor. Once-lush gardens were buried beneath rubble, while oversized plants—some towering over humans—sprouted from the earth.

It was clear that once the battle was over, the Alchemy Commission would need a complete reconstruction.

Fu Xuan landed gracefully, her hands forming a barrier with an intricate sigil to keep the encroaching spirit beasts at bay. Her expression remained composed as she remarked, “Each Luofu plague manifests in unique forms. The Ambrosial Arbor represents ours, while elsewhere, it might take the form of a radiant moon. Such phenomena reflect the Arbor’s revival—it is but one of many ways the plague of abundance shows itself.”

Her gaze shifted to the oversized blades of grass around her, and she continued, “Plants growing unnaturally tall, surpassing human height, hint at eternal longevity—a harbinger of calamity. Such anomalies were well-documented by our predecessors, but to witness them firsthand… unsettling.”

For the Xianzhou natives, especially those of the current era, anything tied to the Abundance Aeon elicited fear and revulsion. The vibrant and otherworldly sights might awe outsiders, but Fu Xuan found them nauseating.

The Xianzhou and Abundance Aeon had been locked in an unending, bitter conflict.

As the last groups of Cloud Knights disembarked and began organizing into formations, a sharp voice pierced through the air.

“Dogs of the Divination Commission!? Come, kill them!”

A shadowy figure, one of the Abominations, stumbled upon the massing Cloud Knights at the docks. Its shrill voice betrayed its alarm.

Before long, waves of Abominations rushed to the scene, commanding the spirit beasts born of the Arbor to assault Fu Xuan’s barrier repeatedly.

Fu Xuan’s brows furrowed. These Abominations weren’t mindless; they could strategize and issue commands.

This revelation infuriated her. While the Divination Commission’s initial investigations into the Abominations had been led by another strategist, Fu Xuan now grasped how far the enemy’s forbidden techniques had evolved.

The Xianzhou’s ancestors had given everything—blood, sweat, and lives—to seek a cure for the plague. These cursed beings, who had once been people, symbolized everything the Xianzhou feared.

Allowing Abominations to retain intelligence didn’t make them less terrifying; it shattered moral boundaries. It was as though someone in Chen Lin’s old world had crafted a serum for immortality by harvesting infants’ hearts—grotesque, repugnant, and irredeemable.

The most horrifying detail was the Abominations’ secret ingredient: the living marrow extracted from the Vidyadhara clan.

Chen Lin had once privately asked Bailu about this, and she had solemnly confirmed it. Losing their marrow meant death for most Vidyadhara, and even survival meant enduring unimaginable pain.

This was why many Cloud Knights burned with fury at the sight of the Abominations. Clearly, their commanders had warned them about the atrocities of the Abundance followers before battle.

Chen Lin’s eyes wandered to the grim-faced strategist standing nearby—Qingzu, the leader of the investigation against the Abundance followers. She was well aware of what these enemies represented.

With a deep, steadying breath, Qingzu raised her voice. “Form ranks! Prepare to engage!”

Clang! Clang!

Swords were unsheathed in unison. Following her command, the disciplined Cloud Knights charged through the protective barrier to confront their enemies head-on.

Fu Xuan calmly dispelled her barrier, refraining from joining the fray. She only intervened when a section of the front line faltered.

The clang of metal echoed through the air as the knights clashed with their foes. Amidst the chaos, Qingzu wielded her weapon with precision, cutting down enemy after enemy.

Chen Lin watched from a distance, occasionally using his telekinesis to aid soldiers or evacuate the wounded. While Fu Xuan had chosen not to fight directly, her intent was clear: she wouldn’t steal the soldiers’ achievements but would remain vigilant about their safety.

Still, with thousands of soldiers pouring in from the starskiffs, it was impossible to protect everyone.

War always came with the risk of death—a truth every soldier accepted before stepping onto the battlefield.

As the chaotic battle raged, Chen Lin’s mind wandered. He imagined Seele charging into the fray with her scythe, effortlessly carving through enemies. The image brought a faint smile to his face.

But as he envisioned the scene, the battlefield before him suddenly dissolved.

---

“Achoo!”

Far away in the research lab, a certain girl, covered in monitoring equipment, sneezed out of nowhere.

“Seele, are you okay?”

Clara, who was adjusting the machines, rushed to her side. “If you’re not feeling well, we can postpone this for a couple of days.”

“I’m fine.” Seele waved her off. “Probably just someone talking about me. Let’s keep going.”

“If anything feels wrong, please tell me right away,” Clara insisted.

---

Meanwhile, in Qlipoth Fort, Bronya sat at her desk, reviewing project proposals submitted by her ministers. Each document had been carefully discussed and vetted before landing on her desk for final approval.

“Miss Bronya, are you feeling alright?” a concerned voice asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “The doctor said I’m perfectly healthy, though I’ve been having strange moments—like flashes of hallucinations.”

Before she could elaborate, Bronya’s entire body tensed. The ground beneath her feet seemed to vanish, and the Qlipoth Fort faded from view, replaced by an endless, familiar space.

This was the dreamscape she had seen before.

---

In every world, there are governing laws—forces that confine all actions within their bounds, preventing transgression.

Day and night rise and fall. Seasons cycle in turn. Water flows downhill. Gravity binds.

Yin and Yang alternate, balance returns, life emerges, and the cycle of reincarnation continues unbroken.

Chen Lin suddenly found himself standing in a strange, desolate expanse. The landscape was barren, covered in yellow sand stretching endlessly. The scorching heat bore down on him, parching his throat, and filling his mind with one pressing question:

What the hell is this place?

It didn’t take long for him to realize where he was.

This… this is the Shroud!

“Aha?” He stared blankly at the eerie expanse, his earlier unease gradually giving way to a calmer state.

The Shroud, also known as the Psionic Plane, was a vast and mysterious psionic dimension, its size and boundaries unknown to any being.

In the game, players referred to entering the Shroud as "rolling the dice," one of the unique joys of psionic ascension.

Of course, what one "rolled" for was entirely unpredictable. It could yield nothing, grant boons, or even lead to disaster.

The mystery and allure of the unknown were what made players eager to explore the Shroud—an integral aspect of their choice to pursue psionic transcendence.

“But I didn’t spend any energy credits to get in. How did I end up here?” Chen Lin frowned. “Is this my physical body, or just my mind?”

The differences between reality and the game left him feeling unprepared. His knowledge of the game's mechanics gave him some guidance, but he wasn’t naive enough to assume the Shroud here followed the exact same rules.

Fortunately, his Fate-Seeking Instinct ensured that he wouldn’t encounter dangerous events within the Shroud—a perk he owed to the many ancient tomes in the Divination Commission’s archives and Fu Xuan’s guidance.

Suddenly, the swirling sands around him grew violent, as if influenced by an unseen force. The storm intensified, and the tiny grains of sand stung his skin, drawing blood.

Luckily, the sandstorm subsided as quickly as it had started.

What greeted him next was a sight that defied belief: countless ethereal figures sat motionless in various meditative postures. At the forefront, one particularly powerful figure radiated an immense psionic energy so overwhelming that Chen Lin felt himself dwarfed by comparison.

From these spirits, he could sense a familiar aura—psionic energy.

The spirits sat with closed eyes, seemingly unaware of Chen Lin’s presence. Were they asleep? Or was he simply too insignificant for them to notice?

His gaze shifted to the foremost figure. Unlike the others, its form began to coalesce, reshaping itself to resemble a human in stature and appearance.

A deep sense of awe gripped Chen Lin. These beings seemed to transcend the limits of space and time, capable of perceiving the laws of the universe—or perhaps they were the laws themselves.

Intricate and incomprehensible patterns of runes and sigils floated around them, faintly shimmering and revolving like distant constellations. Though they appeared intangible, Chen Lin suspected they had a physical presence beyond his comprehension.

The oppressive aura radiating from the spirits enveloped him. It felt like both a warning and a test. He couldn’t help but feel that if they so wished, they could obliterate him with a single thought. Yet, curiously, his own psionic energy didn’t resist the pressure.

If anything, it felt… welcoming?

Despite his instincts telling him otherwise, Chen Lin’s nerves were frayed. He struggled to suppress his fear, his thoughts barely coherent enough to form a plan.

Standing upright, he called out hesitantly, “Hello…?”

“Welcome, successor.”

The spirit closest to him opened its eyes, gazing at him with an indescribable kindness. Its voice was soft, almost regretful.

“Such a pity…”

Pity what!? Chen Lin’s irritation flared at the cryptic tone. He couldn’t help but feel like a mere insect being scrutinized by a higher being.

Still, the fact that his Fate-Seeking Instinct guaranteed no harm gave him enough courage to suppress his frustration.

The spirit chuckled lightly, its gaze sharp yet amused. “You seem dissatisfied?”

“Who are you?” Chen Lin asked bluntly.

The spirit’s lips curled into a smile. It uttered a single phrase that sent shockwaves through Chen Lin’s mind.

“We are the Saviors of the Zroni.”

BOOM!

A thunderclap seemed to echo in his head. He gaped wordlessly, his mind blank from the sheer impact of those words.

The spirit seemed momentarily surprised at his reaction. “Successor, it seems you have heard of us. Is that correct? There is no need to be alarmed. We mean you no harm. My peers and I are long dead. What remains are merely our lingering souls, unable to pose a threat to you.”

Chen Lin exhaled deeply, trying to steady himself.

The mere fact that he had entered the Shroud without spending energy credits was baffling enough. But now, to encounter the legendary Zroni—pioneers of psionics—within it?

It was beyond surreal.

The Zroni, especially their Saviors, were storied figures in the game's lore. They were revered as some of the most advanced psionic beings in the galaxy, whose actions had nearly destroyed the universe itself.

Their tragic downfall stemmed from an internal schism that divided them into two factions, leading to an unending civil war that ultimately wiped them out.

Of the two, the Saviors was the more honorable. They were remembered as visionaries who had sacrificed everything for the greater good—a legacy Chen Lin deeply respected.

The spirit waited patiently as Chen Lin gathered his thoughts. Sensing his turmoil, it gently infused a trace of calming psionic energy into him, akin to a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Once his mind settled, Chen Lin straightened his posture and spoke with newfound reverence.

“I have indeed heard of the Zroni. But why… why would I encounter your esteemed selves here in the Shroud? By all accounts…”

He trailed off, uncertain how to continue.

---

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!