Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [192]

“Huff…”

Fu Xuan recounted everything she had gleaned from the Matrix of Prescience to Jing Yuan, without omitting a single detail. Jing Yuan listened intently, his expression calm and composed as she explained that the Stellaron Hunters had no direct connection to the Xianzhou crisis. It was almost as if he had already considered this possibility.

However, his demeanor shifted when she mentioned Elio's vision of a catastrophic outcome.

A galaxy-wide crisis that began in the Jarilo Sector had first seen the Empire struggling to respond, with only financial aid from the Interastral Peace Corporation to provide relief. The rest of the galaxy had chosen to observe from the sidelines, and when the Empire faltered, opportunistic factions had stepped in to loot, burn, and pillage without hesitation.

Then came the turning point. The Jarilo Sector was transformed into a vast war machine, allowing the Empire to crush the mysterious enemies that had emerged. Following their victory, the Empire launched a sweeping campaign of retribution, targeting the factions that had taken advantage of its plight.

The reprisals were just the beginning. Disregarding public outcry, the Empire embarked on an unprecedented expansion. Any power neighboring its borders could receive a declaration of war at any moment.

The galaxy became a sea of flames.

To say Jing Yuan's blood pressure wasn’t rising was an understatement. Hearing about this outcome made his anger flare.

Standing by and not lending aid was one thing; every faction had its political considerations, after all. But to exploit the crisis to commit outright atrocities? That was beyond reprehensible.

The Xianzhou Alliance would never stoop to such behavior. Yet, it seemed they were not spared from the fallout, having suffered collateral damage in the end.

As Jing Yuan exhaled deeply, Fu Xuan noted how his expressions—usually restrained—shifted more in these moments than she had seen since coming to Luofu.

“General, are you alright?” she asked.

“It’s nothing.”

Jing Yuan waved a hand dismissively. “You’re aware, Fu Qing, that this is but one of countless possible futures. Besides, such a future is now unlikely to manifest. The bond between the Empire and Luofu has reached the point where neither side can afford to stand idly by if the other is in danger. It seems the Stellaron Hunters have already achieved their purpose—there’s no need for undue concern.”

“That’s my thought as well,” Fu Xuan replied. “However, those strange enemies the Stellaron Hunters foresaw—especially those swarms of insects—remind me of the tales of the Aeon Wars…”

“That is a matter for another time,” Jing Yuan interrupted. “We must address things one at a time. For now, I entrust you with resolving the remnants of the Alchemy Commission. What do you say?”

Jing Yuan turned, his hands clasped behind his back. “If the Stellaron Hunters aren’t our enemies, then our real foes lie elsewhere. In fact, while the Xianzhou has been expending resources capturing the Stellaron Hunters, they’ve likely already made their moves—including…”

---

Meanwhile, at the Matrix of Prescience, silence hung heavy between Kafka, Chen Lin, and Stelle.

No one spoke, and the only sound was the faint hum of the array in standby mode.

Chen Lin had already learned of the future the Stellaron Hunters had foreseen involving him. The timeline had been too tight for a detailed discussion back then, but he knew now what had driven him to take drastic measures in response to the betrayal and exploitation of everything he had painstakingly built.

To be honest, while Chen Lin didn’t see himself as someone who would go to extremes, he wasn’t entirely surprised by the possibility.

Perhaps something beyond the plundering and attacks on Jarilo had pushed him over the edge. Maybe it was something so profound that, while his plans were just beginning to take root, he activated a catastrophic ascension project, disregarding everything else to elevate Jarilo to a new dimension.

Stelle, on the other hand, was grappling with the revelation that the Stellaron Hunters had come for her and Chen Lin. Their secondary goal was to deepen their ties with the Astral Express.

Every scheme needed a catalyst. The infamous Stellaron Hunters had baited the Astral Express, her, and Chen Lin into their plans. Weren’t they afraid of failing?

“I… I don’t understand your reasoning,” Stelle finally said, her voice calm but tinged with doubt. “Stopping something before it happens… is the future really set in stone?”

“!?”

Chen Lin snapped his head toward the petite girl, who barely reached his chest. In all the time he had known Stelle, this was the first instance where she voiced such a composed, rational thought. It was so normal that he almost suspected she was possessed.

“Is that your question?”

Kafka chuckled, her laughter as captivating as ever. “The truly critical details are things Elio wouldn’t tell me. He only shares what you need to know, allowing me to convey the information you must hear. The possibilities of the future are infinite. Learning the right truth at the wrong time can render all our efforts meaningless.”

The butterfly effect?

Chen Lin raised an eyebrow.

From Kafka’s explanation and his understanding of the Stellaron Hunters, it seemed they had glimpsed countless futures of this universe. He might be the most unstable variable among them—one that could easily disrupt their ultimate goal.

As for what the Stellaron Hunters truly sought, Chen Lin wasn’t interested. He doubted anyone would willingly become an interstellar fugitive just to secure the galaxy’s most perfect future.

To endure universal condemnation while pursuing a supposedly righteous cause—how could anyone be that altruistic?

If the Stellaron Hunters were truly such individuals, Chen Lin would gladly call them the galaxy’s greatest benefactors. He might even help them, free of charge, just because it would be such a cool thing to do.

But for now, it was like a closed box—Schrödinger’s question. Until the box was opened and its contents examined, everything remained unknown.

That’s why Chen Lin had chosen to extend goodwill toward Kafka. If Elio shared something he found intriguing, Chen Lin would wholeheartedly cooperate with their plans.

If they needed his help, that is.

“In the distant future, regardless of which outcome prevails—whether it’s the best or the worst—you’ll face your first formidable opponent: Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction. The Stellaron Hunters have already devised a solution for this. However, there are also countless swarms of insects, legions of demons, and hordes of machines, along with other entities whose details even Elio couldn’t foresee. Compared to the battles between Aeons, these conflicts will be even more brutal and perilous.

“At that time, at least in the outcomes Elio has seen, the Astral Express and the Empire will require the power of other Aeons to ensure as many lives as possible survive after victory. Do you understand now, Chen Lin? The Stellaron Hunters brought the Astral Express here because they want to prevent further tragedies.

“Even if… doing so leads to other tragedies, it remains the best choice for this galaxy, don’t you think?”

Kafka gazed upward at the artificial sky created by the Xianzhou. Beyond the Luofu’s domain, countless lifeforms thrived. Kafka felt little sentiment about their possible deaths; what mattered to her was that her pursuit must be built on a foundation that hadn’t been obliterated.

Perhaps one day, Elio would fulfill his promise to her, and she’d finally know what it felt like to experience what she had always longed for.

When that day came, she would have no regrets.

“Wait. Did you say our opponent is the Aeon of Destruction?” Chen Lin asked after a pause.

“Yep. What’s the matter? I don’t see even a hint of panic on your face,” Kafka teased.

Chen Lin understood all too well why. For someone like Kafka, who had willingly submitted to Xianzhou’s custody, it wasn’t because they had the means to restrain her. She was simply playing along for the sake of the script.

In other words, she could escape at any time. This meant no one was truly in a position of power—both sides were navigating a delicate balance.

He chuckled and shook his head. “The future is too uncertain. Not even the Stellaron Hunters can guarantee that their interference will lead to the outcome they hope for. The future is something we carve out one step at a time. If we can’t see it, there’s no need to worry about it. Besides, I don’t believe the Aeons are immortal.”

At least within the framework of this universe, or under the influence of the stars' powers, every form of life could end.

Even beings of incomprehensible magnitude—if they could be destroyed in simulations like the ones he had fought before—could also fall to the right strategy or weapon in reality.

“Oh? I was just about to tell you that… but it seems you already know.”

Kafka smirked, a flicker of surprise in her expression. “Aeons can indeed fall. Oroboros, the Beauty Idrila, Ena of Order, the Propagation Tazzyronth, and… Akivili, the Trailblazer. These names once resounded across the universe. Now, they’ve vanished, leaving behind paths without masters.”

“Were they slain through violence?”

“First, a narrower destiny will be assimilated by a broader one. This is how Ena of Order was subsumed by Xipe of Harmony,” Kafka explained, her tone calm and deliberate.

“Second, divine wars—conflicts between Aeons—can result in an Aeon’s demise. Tazzyronth fell this way. As for the third… you’ll have to ask the Erudition Aeon, who knows everything, when the opportunity arises.”

As she said the latter part, Kafka’s gaze lingered meaningfully on Chen Lin. She had a distinct feeling that Chen Lin harbored a particular interest in slaying Aeons.

Compared to nudging the Astral Express onto this path step by step, convincing Chen Lin seemed far less complicated—yet paradoxically more challenging. No wonder Elio always expressed frustration whenever Chen Lin appeared in his foresight.

Chen Lin was undeniably unstable, yet his role in shaping the future was critical.

Stelle, noticing that Kafka withheld the most crucial method of slaying Aeons, asked, “Is the third method something we’re not ready to know yet?”

The wrong time to learn the right thing.

Chen Lin narrowed his eyes. He had a growing suspicion that the Stellaron Hunters’ true objective wasn’t tied to securing the best possible outcome for this universe.

What exactly they were after… remained a mystery.

Talking to someone like this is exhausting.

“Oh my, time’s about up. Stelle, I’ll chat with you again next time. Don’t miss me too much!” Kafka abruptly changed the subject, her gaze shifting elsewhere.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the depths of the clouds, followed by an overwhelming shockwave. Most of it was blocked by the psionic barrier Chen Lin quickly deployed, but some stray gusts managed to lift the hem of his coat.

Looking toward the source of the commotion, Chen Lin was stunned to see a massive tree displaying unusual phenomena at the far end of the cloud sea.

Withered bark trembled and fell from its trunk, while its broken branches sprouted golden leaves. Strings of glowing inscriptions appeared out of thin air in the surrounding space, resembling descriptions from the Dream Chronicles of the High Kingdom regarding the Ambrosial Arbor’s first emergence on the Xianzhou.

“The Ambrosial Arbor grows, and the immortal path thrives.”

There was no denying it—the Ambrosial Arbor was rapidly growing, already stretching to the heavens.

The golden radiance of the inscriptions began to dominate the field of vision of those who stared at it, evoking a strange sense of awe and reverence in their hearts.

Qingque, standing nearby, was no exception. Her eyes glimmered with golden light, her expression slowly turning vacant. Chen Lin noticed that neither he, Stelle, nor Kafka seemed affected, but before he could act to wake Qingque, she moved on her own.

Smack!

Without hesitation, Qingque slapped herself across the face with surprising speed—so fast that Chen Lin almost missed it.

A bright red handprint immediately appeared on her pale cheek, and she muttered under her breath.

“Am I insane? How could I almost be lured by such a thing? Damn it! Could this really be the Ambrosial Arbor’s resurgence, disrupting the heavenly balance?”

Snapping back to reality, Qingque noticed Chen Lin staring at her in bewilderment. Fortunately, he reacted quickly.

Chen Lin unleashed a wave of psionic energy that rippled outward from him, a formless wind that broke the Ambrosial Arbor’s enthralling influence. Across the Xianzhou, those whose eyes had been tainted with golden light felt their hearts tighten, followed by the sound of the Xianzhou Alliance’s oath against the Hunt Aeon ringing in their ears:

“By the decree of the Imperial Bow, we shall not cease to eliminate demons…”

In an instant, the golden light in their eyes faded, and clarity returned.

Elsewhere, at a port, a young man also felt the familiar wave of power wash over him. His icy expression wavered briefly, only to return to its stoic state after a teasing remark from a girl nearby.

“What was that all about just now?” Chen Lin asked, helping a visibly shaken Qingque to her feet. “Your eyes were practically glowing—definitely not normal.”

Qingque, still tense, explained, “The immortality of the Xianzhou people stems from the Ambrosial Arbor’s power. None of the younger generations have ever seen the Ambrosial Arbor in its true form. All the vitality that sustains us is inherited from our parents. I didn’t expect its resurgence to stir something so deep in our bloodline—a reverence for the Ambrosial Arbor itself. It almost overwhelmed me.”

If Chen Lin wasn’t mistaken, he had caught a glimpse of the same golden light in Fu Xuan’s eyes earlier. However, she had suppressed it almost immediately.

Could Qingque have some unique traits she hasn’t revealed yet? Chen Lin wondered, his thoughts trailing as he glanced at his perplexed companion.

---

T/N: phew this was a doozy to edit

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!