Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [74]

Beyond the desolate outskirts of the town, a piercing screech echoed from the pitch-black depths, its frequency so peculiar that it sent faint ripples through Chen Lin’s psionic projection.

Moments later, a grayish silhouette began to emerge on a nearby hillside. Its limbs were defined, its form translucent, and its composition of energy fluctuated erratically, unlike any Riftspawn Chen Lin had encountered before.

The strange figure stood close to the battlefield, yet no one had noticed its presence—not even Chen Lin, who had just been ambushed moments earlier, had detected it perched so openly on the hillside.

Chen Lin furrowed his brow.

“Is this thing invisible to the naked eye?”

The frequency of the screeches grew sharper, and the space around the figure began to ripple. Chen Lin, experienced in such phenomena, immediately recognized the telltale signs of an impending Rift.

And he was right.

The silhouette acted as a conduit, weaving a network of thin, gauzy energy threads in midair. Its cries intensified, carrying a note of agony.

No doubt about it—this monstrosity was the handiwork of the Stellaron, and the emergence of the nearby Rift was directly tied to it.

Fortunately, Chen Lin was well-versed in dismantling Rifts during their formation. He immediately split his psionic projection into two, then into four. His projections darted into the web of energy pathways, opening wide to devour the threads.

I’ll eat everything you’ve got!

Currently, Chen Lin could only control four projections simultaneously. Any more would strain his body beyond its limits.

Moreover, dividing his psionic energy weakened each individual projection, and injuries sustained by the projections would also harm his mental state. Thankfully, the projections could recombine at will, mitigating much of the danger.

If I can’t eat it, I’ll fight it. If I can’t fight it, I’ll run.

Such was the essence of a psionic practitioner’s philosophy: Adapt to survive.

“Eat everything in sight!” Chen Lin commanded his projections.

While the primary projection maintained surveillance from afar, the others hungrily consumed the energy threads. Waves of feedback reached Chen Lin: “Tastes great!” “Give me more!” “I’m gonna burst!”

Curious, Chen Lin split his attention, peering closer at the strange figure.

The moment he did, he froze in shock.

“What the—?! That’s… Cocolia?!”

---

Back at the rubble pile, March 7th heaved a massive stone aside, her worry etched across her face.

“This rock’s huge… You don’t think Chen Lin’s seriously hurt under there, do you?”

“Nah, probably not,” Stelle replied, wiping sweat from her brow. “Chen Lin’s body is crazy tough. One time, I bit him just to see, and I couldn’t even break the skin.”

“…Wait, seriously?” March’s expression turned thoughtful. “Now that you mention it, I did dream of eating roasted meat once, only to wake up biting him. Couldn’t break the skin either.”

“Well, if he loses an arm or a leg, no big deal,” Stelle added, grinning. “I’ll just eat the leftovers.”

“…What?” March stared at her.

“As compensation, I’ll take over caring for him from now on!” Stelle declared, licking her lips.

March handed her a handkerchief. “Wipe your mouth and get some sleep later. You can dream all you want there.”

“Fine.” Stelle pouted.

Though they bantered, March felt her worries easing. Despite this being the worst hit Chen Lin had taken since they’d met, her gut told her that his body was far sturdier than it seemed.

After exchanging a few more quips, the two returned to clearing the rubble with renewed focus.

---

Meanwhile, Chen Lin’s shock grew as he observed the figure on the hillside.

It was unmistakably Cocolia, her tattered clothing and posture leaving no room for doubt. Even though her head was bowed, Chen Lin could recognize her half-exposed face.

Through Dan Heng, he’d learned that the strange forms of Riftspawn often resulted from the Stellaron creating them without any proper reference, akin to a child molding random shapes from clay.

However, humanoid Riftspawn were different. They were modeled after the bodies and souls of beings absorbed by the Rift. These mimics retained no memories or voices of the original, but their existence was proof that the original had perished within the Rift’s reach.

The realization left Chen Lin stunned.

“Poor Bronya… Her mom’s dead? Wait… something’s off.”

As one of his projections approached the figure, Chen Lin discovered that he couldn’t fully absorb the energy comprising “Cocolia.”

There’s something else here—something I can’t deconstruct.

Sensing its energy being drained, the figure reacted. It unleashed a beam of the same energy that had struck Chen Lin earlier, aiming at his projection.

This time, prepared and with the projections’ near-instantaneous reflexes, Chen Lin easily dodged the attack.

The figure visibly panicked, turning to flee deeper into the darkness. As it ran, the network of energy threads it had established crumbled, and the Rift began to dissipate.

“Oh no, you don’t.”

Intrigued by this mysterious entity, Chen Lin wasn’t about to let it escape. He commanded his projections to converge, clinging to the figure and consuming its energy at a frenzied pace.

Bit by bit, the figure’s arms, legs, and body dissolved into nothingness.

By the time Chen Lin was done, all that remained of “Cocolia” was a small, glowing orb of swirling mist.

Curious, Chen Lin examined the orb.

“What is this? Some kind of core?”

Before he could investigate further, one of his projections sent a message.

“This thing’s pretty!”
“Should we let the boss decide?”
“Good idea.”
“Actually… who cares? Let’s eat it!”

“Don’t you dare—!” Chen Lin shouted.

---

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!