When Seele mentioned automatons, Chen Lin’s thoughts wandered back to the Overworld, where he had visited several factories specializing in automated robots. Pela had even introduced him to a few of the factory owners. However, at the time, Chen Lin had been preoccupied with hydroponic farm development and didn’t delve into the peculiar technological gap. All he knew was that, like most robots he was familiar with, the automatons operated through pre-programmed instructions.
As for how Belobog—a nation devoid of any surviving computer technology—managed to program these automatons, Chen Lin had no idea.
“You’re talking about that faction near the Furnace Core… the one under Svarog’s control?” Chen Lin frowned.
The Underworld wasn’t solely under Wildfire’s control. In reality, it resembled a fragmented warlord state. Wildfire dominated most of the Geomarrow mines, towns, and scattered settlements, making it the largest faction in terms of manpower.
But there was another “warlord” faction near the Furnace Core, commonly referred to by the townsfolk as “Svarog’s Gang.”
Busy advancing the Underworld’s industrial development, Chen Lin had little interest in this faction and had not sought contact.
What he knew came secondhand: Svarog controlled a significant number of ancient robots from decades—or even centuries—ago. These robots provided refuge for displaced and destitute individuals, demanding nothing in return but for them to live orderly lives.
Seele spread her hands and nodded. “Exactly. Those rust buckets of Svarog’s. I figured they’re the only ones that meet your requirements… By the way, what’s for lunch?”
Seele had become much more relaxed around Chen Lin over time. She also knew his food preferences—he loved spicy, numbing dishes and could eat them with an unflinching expression, something she found quite impressive.
“Anything’s fine,” Chen Lin said as he walked into a nearby makeshift shelter to change into a clean jacket. Separating work clothes from casual wear had become a habit. “Aren’t those robots notoriously difficult to deal with?”
“They are,” Seele admitted. “I’ve seen them a few times. They follow rigid rules to the letter. Talking to them… well, you might as well talk to a wall.”
“Let’s shelve it for now. There’s too much on my plate already.” Chen Lin sighed.
The Underworld’s revitalization was underway, with its basic economic systems and industrial production capabilities improving steadily. But economic prosperity required resources—lots of them.
This was why Chen Lin offered substantial rewards to encourage the surrounding townsfolk to discover new minerals and mining sites.
Some resources were maddeningly elusive. No matter how much knowledge from Stellaris filled his mind, without the necessary materials, Chen Lin couldn’t conjure useful items out of thin air.
He wasn’t the Stellaris UI in his head, capable of performing magical feats of production and storage.
Chen Lin took a deep breath, clearing his mind of distractions. “Let’s eat first.”
Seele chuckled and followed briskly.
Chen Lin had no fixed dining spot in the Underworld. He simply sat wherever looked decent. Today was no different.
The two found themselves at a run-down private eatery in a dimly lit alley, its sign so old it was covered in grime.
Despite the secluded location, the restaurant was bustling, with at least 20–30 patrons.
“This time, it’s on me! I feel bad always eating at your expense.” After ordering, Seele stood up to pay.
Chen Lin raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You have money now?”
“Of course! Isn’t it all thanks to you?” Seele shot him a playful glare. “Didn’t you say we needed professionalization across various industries? With Wildfire generating income now, we can finally pay people. And hey, this is the first time I’ve received something called a ‘salary!’”
“Oh, that…”
Chen Lin had almost forgotten. Seele now served as a department head in Wildfire’s provisional government, receiving a salary from state-owned enterprises’ revenues.
Initially, Wildfire had nothing—no resources, no funds, and no way to accomplish anything meaningful.
Their main functions were maintaining order, acting as first responders, and trading with the Overworld for essential supplies to gain the populace’s trust. Beyond that, the organization was financially destitute.
Managing the towns under their control was minimal at best—barely any infrastructure development.
Seeing Wildfire operate in such dire conditions, Chen Lin couldn’t help but admire Oleg. Leading so many people with no tangible benefits or rewards was a testament to the extraordinary circumstances of the era.
It was precisely Wildfire’s dire state that motivated Chen Lin to step in and establish sustainable revenue streams. He even spent all the allowance Bronya had given him to hire workers.
His philosophy was clear: leaders and officials might endure hardship, but those doing the dirty and dangerous work must never suffer.
Workers received generous pay, with extra compensation for high-risk jobs. This boosted morale and productivity significantly.
After overcoming monumental challenges to kickstart some industries, Wildfire earned its first profits. Chen Lin then proposed formalizing roles within the organization, separating administrative, financial, and armed personnel into distinct categories, even if some individuals could handle multiple roles.
Chen Lin also prioritized education for Wildfire’s small cadre of officials. Every two days, he held educational meetings to instill ideas like “serve the people” and “the majority of citizens drive societal progress.”
As the newly appointed Director of Wildfire’s Defense Division, Seele was required to attend these sessions.
Currency issuance was under Chen Lin’s strict control. He was determined not to let the Underworld’s Winter City Shields devolve into a hyperinflated mess like some notorious currencies he knew.
All these efforts aimed to establish a self-sufficient industrial system and a robust economy in the Underworld. Chen Lin even spent massive amounts of minerals to exchange for resources to fuel development.
His Stellaris system allowed him to convert minerals into a wide variety of resources, provided he submitted a sample for scanning. Conversion ratios varied—some were exorbitant, others reasonable, and a few surprisingly cheap.
This feature, a bonus extension from his origin, was incredibly useful.
Soon, once the first batch of food from the hydroponic farms was harvested, the Underworld would experience a major boom.
After all, all of this was ultimately for his benefit. A bit of hardship now was a small price to pay.
True conquest and assimilation required more than brute force. Military might was only part of the equation.
Chen Lin propped his chin in his hand, watching Seele happily pay for their meal.
Since they first met, Seele had always been cheerful. Her current excitement was likely because she’d just received her first salary and was still riding the high.
Chen Lin couldn’t help but recall the time he received his first paycheck. He’d been so thrilled that he spent it all within days, surviving on instant noodles and free office lunches for the rest of the month.
Seele returned quickly, only to find Chen Lin staring at her intently.
In the Underworld, Seele was well-known. Her strength, personality, and looks made her stand out, and she often got recognized on the streets. But no one dared to stare at her so brazenly.
There were stories of drifters who’d harassed her during patrols and nearly got beaten to death for their trouble. If Natasha hadn’t intervened, there might have been corpses left on the street.
Even a few delinquent youths from town had once stalked her home late at night, attempting something unspeakable. The result? Four were severely injured—two permanently disabled—and one died shortly after from internal bleeding.
Since then, no one dared provoke Wildfire’s young officer, let alone look at her with predatory eyes.
Nearby diners whispered amongst themselves.
“Who’s that guy? Daring to stare at Miss Seele like that?”
“I think I’ve seen him before… can’t recall where, though.”
“Eh, mind your business. He’s probably some drifter. Let’s keep our distance—don’t want to get caught in the crossfire.”
The chatter subsided when something unexpected happened.
Seele wasn’t fond of being stared at, especially by unfamiliar men. Normally, she’d be furious, ready to draw her blade.
But now?
Now, she felt… uneasy.
“Is there dirt on me somewhere?”
Her first thought was that she hadn’t washed properly. Panicked, she quickly looked herself over.
“Stop. You’re not dirty,” Chen Lin interrupted. “I just noticed you’ve got a bit of a childish side.”
Seele froze, then scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Chen Lin chuckled. “How much was your paycheck? You look thrilled. Come on, tell me.”
Seele huffed, sitting back down. “Five hundred Winter City Shields… And here I thought I was wearing something dirty!”
“That much?” Chen Lin was surprised.
While it wasn’t much in the Overworld, five hundred Shields had considerable purchasing power in the Underworld.
He grinned, extending a hand. “Hey, rich lady, spot me fifty?”
Seele squinted. “What does that even mean?”
“It means lend me fifty bucks.”
Chen Lin had meant it as a joke, a playful throwback to his pre-crossing days when his friends would spam similar jokes in their group chat.
But to his shock, Seele took him seriously. Moments later, she placed fifty Shields in his hand, her face a mix of reluctance and resignation.
“Don’t waste it… I don’t have much money,” she mumbled, voice tinged with hesitation but no trace of regret.
Chen Lin stared blankly. She actually gave me money?
He had no intention of keeping it—Seele had lived through too much hardship. Taking her hard-earned money felt wrong.
But refusing might hurt her pride.
Fine, I’ll just hold onto it for her.
Their food arrived soon after. Chen Lin had ordered a simple meal of fried rice with pickles, while Seele enthusiastically devoured her noodles.
As they ate, a figure darted past the alley entrance, only to stop and rush back.
The person—a young man in overalls with blue hair—burst into the restaurant, shouting, “C-Chen! Big brother Chen! Miss Seele! Something terrible has happened!”
The sudden outburst startled Chen Lin, nearly causing him to choke on his rice.
Turning, he recognized the newcomer as Joshua, a Wildfire clerk with a slight stutter but a sharp mind. Chen Lin had taught him some basics of mechanical engineering.
“What happened?” Chen Lin asked, his expression turning serious.
“R-resources… our resources have been cut off!”
—
T/N: :3c
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!
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