Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [69]

Inside the clinic, everyone formed a circle, with Chen Lin at the center, carefully handing over sheets of paper filled with material lists to Natasha.

Many of the listed items were standard for chemical industries, but for the few Natasha hadn’t heard of, Chen Lin had written out the preparation methods, complete with annotations crammed into the margins.

Natasha turned out to have a surprising grasp of chemical knowledge, which spared Chen Lin the hassle of lengthy explanations.

When he inquired, he learned that Natasha had once lived in the overworld, and her parents were both highly educated intellectuals. That explained everything.

Although many advanced industrial technologies had long become unfeasible due to various factors, related textual materials remained part of the curriculum. While students couldn’t practice these concepts fully, their theoretical foundations in chemistry were still solid.

Natasha’s background showed its value here. Though she couldn’t entirely grasp the intricate details Chen Lin explained, her fundamental understanding allowed her to quickly catch on after a bit of hands-on guidance.

“Let’s prepare these materials first,” Chen Lin said seriously. “I’ll handle the more dangerous production processes myself. For any steps involving toxic gases, make sure the workspace is ventilated and everyone has respiratory protection. Beyond that, there shouldn’t be any issues.”

“Huh? These things are that useful? Just these… pieces of paper?”

Seele’s head was spinning. She had been curious about how scientists worked, and since her patrol had just ended, she decided to follow along.

But the chaotic scribbles on the papers might as well have been ancient hieroglyphs. Even after listening to the explanations, her head was still swimming. That she hadn’t dozed off was a miracle in itself.

If this were a math class back when Chen Lin was a student, Seele would have been the kind of student math teachers adored—attentive and quiet, even when utterly lost.

Chen Lin glanced at March, who was dozing off against his thigh, occasionally mumbling in her sleep. Maybe studying just isn’t her thing, he thought with a silent sigh.

Learning requires talent, and Chen Lin himself was once a math major. Realizing he lacked the aptitude for it, he switched to biomedical research, becoming a perpetually sleep-deprived lab assistant.

It wasn’t surprising that Seele didn’t understand. Natasha, however, with her solid chemistry foundation, could at least piece things together.

If Chen Lin wasn’t bluffing, these chaotic papers could save countless lives in the Underworld.

“…Thank you,” Natasha said softly, carefully tucking the papers into her bag. “If this works, you’ll be the greatest benefactor the Underworld has ever known. On behalf of everyone, thank you in advance.”

Seele’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s amazing?!”

He can just scribble some notes and potentially become the Underworld’s greatest hero?

If anyone else had said it, Seele would have dismissed it as nonsense. But coming from Natasha, it carried undeniable weight.

Seele’s gaze returned to the gentle young man before her, reevaluating him. Scientists, she concluded, were truly incredible—fragile-looking, perhaps, but immensely valuable in ways far beyond her own fists and fighting skills.

“It’s nothing,” Chen Lin said modestly. He then gently pinched March’s cheek to wake her as she nibbled on his leg in her sleep. “We still have business to attend to. Sampo’s probably getting impatient by now.”

Natasha asked, “Have you found a place to stay yet?”

“Not yet,” Chen Lin replied. “Once we’re done with the important matters, we’ll deal with food and lodging. Priorities come first.”

Meeting the local powers was essential before settling in. Chen Lin had written out the medicine recipes as a gesture of goodwill, but he deliberately omitted the full preparation steps, intending to keep some leverage.

Doctors like Natasha were invaluable assets in a place as dangerous as the Underworld. Having her vouch for him would likely earn some level of protection from Wildfire, the Underworld’s “provisional government,” at least until his orbital shipyard was complete.

Once that was done, Chen Lin had plans to give Cocolia a “friendly” demonstration of extraterrestrial military might—a small nudge to destabilize the overworld’s power structure and further his goals.

Natasha offered, “If you don’t mind, I can arrange accommodations for you. It’ll make communication easier.”

“That’d be great—thank you, Natasha!”

“It’s no trouble,” Natasha assured him. “Compared to the help you’re giving us, this is the least we can do. The Underworld will repay this debt—we promise.”

Now that their future communications were settled, Natasha asked about their current plans. “Are you looking for someone or something? I know plenty of people here and might be able to help.”

Chen Lin didn’t hesitate. “Since we’ve just arrived, it’s only proper to meet with the local leadership to avoid misunderstandings.”

“You mean… you’re looking for Wildfire?” Natasha asked after a moment’s thought.

“That’s right.”

Natasha turned to Seele, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Then you don’t need to look far. We’ve got a Wildfire member right here—a core member, no less. Isn’t that right, Seele?”

Chen Lin blinked, surprised, as he turned to the cool-looking girl.

Caught off guard, Seele hesitated but quickly regained her composure. Crossing her arms, she said, “You could’ve just said so earlier. I’m with Wildfire. If you want to meet Oleg, I can take you to him right now. If Natasha says you’re helping us, then you’re friends, and friends help each other.”

The rocky walls of the Underworld and its cold, damp atmosphere offered little comfort. While it was sheltered from surface weather, the lack of sunlight and harsh living conditions more than compensated for the absence of natural disasters.

As they made their way through the winding streets, Chen Lin reflected on the peculiarities of fate. He had expected hostility and challenges in winning over the Underworld’s people, along with potential attacks from criminals.

Instead, he was quickly building bridges with key figures.

The Underworld was rife with conflict, from the class divide between miners and drifters to disputes over scarce resources. Wildfire, as a mediator, often found itself torn between the interests of these groups.

On the other hand, the robot Svarog and his automated army provided shelter to many drifters, further complicating the Underworld’s intricate dynamics.

After saying their goodbyes to Natasha, the group followed Seele to meet Oleg, Wildfire’s leader.

Oddly, Sampo was nowhere to be seen. No matter how Chen Lin tried to sense his presence, it was as if the man had vanished into thin air.

“Don’t mind him,” Seele said dismissively. “That guy comes and goes like a ghost. Nobody knows what he’s up to, but at least he gets the job done.”

“Are you close to him?” Chen Lin asked.

“Me? Close to that slimeball? As if!” Seele snorted. “I just know he showed up years ago and started making waves. If he hadn’t helped Wildfire a few times, I would’ve cut him down during one of our earlier fights.”

Her expression was deadly serious. It wasn’t a threat—it was a promise.

Chen Lin found Seele’s straightforwardness refreshing. She had no filter when it came to her opinions, wearing her thoughts on her sleeve.

If nothing else, the Underworld seemed to produce people of strong character.

“Let’s move on,” Chen Lin said, mentally flagging Sampo as someone to keep a close eye on. The man’s behavior was far too convenient to be coincidental.

“This way,” Seele called, leading the group through a series of narrow, winding streets. Finally, they stopped in front of a stone building with dimly glowing lights.

“This is where Oleg lives.”

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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!