Over the years, he had oscillated between yin and yang, switching between two faces. Yet, it was these days of anticipating the future that he truly yearned for.
The organization bestowed a codename upon each individual who endured countless trials to join, ensuring it bore no connection to their true identity. Within the organization, members were strictly addressed by their codenames to prevent the exposure of real identities.
By day, they busied themselves with visible roles in society; by night, they donned a new facade, scouring for disheartened souls to recruit.
His codename was “Green Hibiscus.”
Today, as usual, Green Hibiscus made his way to the shadowy, deserted end of an alley. Crouching in a damp, pitch-black corner, his sharp eyes occasionally scanned his surroundings, observing the sparse passersby.
The Xianzhou wasn’t some utopia. While full of opportunities, its fierce competition often crushed people under immense pressure.
After passing his adulthood examination, Green Hibiscus ventured into society and worked a variety of jobs, from odd tasks at restaurants to selling handmade trinkets to tourists and locals.
The instability of his work made his income erratic—when business thrived, he earned praise from neighbors; but when tourists dwindled or foreign merchants crowded the market, he could barely scrape by, let alone afford a decent meal.
However, Green Hibiscus had a knack for studying and exams. Determined to find stable employment, he secured a position in the prestigious Alchemy Commission, one of the Six Commissions, in less than a decade.
At the Alchemy Commission, his horizons expanded significantly. But with each passing day, so did his inner frustration. Just as he was on the verge of resigning himself to a monotonous, soulless life, he encountered the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus .
The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus was filled with peers like him—people disillusioned by Xianzhou’s societal norms, utterly uninterested in their mundane, three-point-line lives.
They became his friends, and together they discussed the taboos forbidden by Xianzhou.
It was then that Green Hibiscus realized the ignorance of others on the Xianzhou. They labeled the so-called “Mara-struck”—the path to ascension and immortality—as a disease. To him, it was the ultimate evolution and the key to true eternal life!
The Chief granted the members the power of the Mara-struck, allowing them to retain their intellect. To maintain their appearances and avoid detection in daily life, they were given a special pill that masked their transformations.
Forget the tales of calamity wrought by the Vidyadhara traitors. The Medicine King’s miracles were the only truth they believed in.
To Green Hibiscus, those who followed the Vidyadhara traitors were merely despicable ingrates.
Within the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus , Green Hibiscus found a profound sense of belonging. The fog obscuring his aimless future lifted, and he took on the vital task of recruiting new members for the Exalting Sanctum division of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus .
Using his position in the Alchemy Commission as a cover, he evaded detection several times by the Cloud Knights. On one occasion, when he was nearly apprehended, he fabricated an excuse about searching for a missing medicinal toxin. To his astonishment, the Alchemy Commission vouched for him, legitimizing his absurd claim.
The Chief’s influence truly reached everywhere, even within the Alchemy Commission.
Green Hibiscus became even more devoted to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus , swearing to dedicate his life to the organization’s ultimate goal: restoring faith across the Xianzhou.
“The streets have been so empty lately. Even the foreign visitors have dwindled…” Green Hibiscus sighed, gazing at the sparse passersby on the street ahead.
After so long working for the organization, he had honed an uncanny ability to identify those who could be recruited and those who were unsuitable.
His method could be summarized in three criteria:
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A face marked by worry, living in despair, with eyes devoid of hope.
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Foreigners who had spent all their wealth seeking forbidden immortality.
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Individuals with criminal records, who could never align with the Cloud Knights.
If someone met even one of these criteria, Green Hibiscus would approach them, probing their desire for eternal power.
People discontent with the Xianzhou’s status quo, particularly those with ulterior motives or criminal records, were prime candidates. Their disdain for tradition and resistance to law enforcement made them unlikely to report or betray the organization.
Unfortunately, with the Xianzhou Luofu now under complete lockdown, no one could enter or leave.
The decrease in population meant fewer chances for him to find new recruits.
For days, Green Hibiscus hadn’t encountered anyone suitable. Fortunately, the division leader and his comrades didn’t blame him; instead, they encouraged him to focus on maintaining the organization’s purity and minimizing the risk of exposure. This advice quelled his urge to recruit indiscriminately.
After all, most of the promising recruits in the Exalting Sanctum division had been brought in by him.
Yet, the lack of new recruits left him feeling dejected.
Clink, clatter!
The sudden sound snapped Green Hibiscus out of his daze. Before he could turn toward the source, a furious voice rang out.
“Lies! All those rumors about the Xianzhou having secrets to immortality are lies!!”
From the corner of the street staggered a gaunt young man with golden hair and a sickly yellow complexion. His hands trembled as he hurled an empty wine bottle to the ground, his broken Xianzhou dialect slurring with anger.
“I sold my house, sold my wife and daughter, spent everything I had to come here! After so many years, I haven’t seen any damn immortality—just endless days in prison! Redeem you? Ha! You were scammed so bad you can’t even go back, hahaha!!”
The drunken youth stumbled a few steps before collapsing onto the ground. Dust smeared his tattered coat as he curled up, sobbing uncontrollably.
Hidden in the shadows, Green Hibiscus’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
Hopeless, disillusioned, a foreigner… and a criminal record?
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Green Hibiscus’s excitement soared, but he didn’t immediately approach the man. Instead, he hurried to a nearby secondhand clothing store, bought a clean set of clothes, and returned to the desolate, filthy street.
Seeing the youth still crying on the ground, he exhaled in relief.
Feigning a passerby’s casual stroll, he ambled over and stopped next to the young man.
“Brother, what’s wrong? The ground is damp and cold—get up, get up…”
“Get lost!”
The youth snarled, struggling to stand but stumbling again, his drunken state making it worse. This time, Green Hibiscus stepped in, steadying the youth with one hand. He wasn’t offended by the outburst.
“Do you need help, brother? If there’s anything troubling you, feel free to share. Maybe I can help,” Green Hibiscus said gently, brushing the dust off the drunken youth’s tattered clothes. “I’ve lived on the Xianzhou Luofu for centuries. Who knows? I might know someone who can assist you.”
“Help… me?” The youth, now seated on the edge of a flowerbed, froze for a moment before yelling, “Impossible! It’s all a scam! No one can help me!!”
Hearing this, Green Hibiscus hid his delight and handed over the clothes he’d just bought. “These are just some washed-out clothes I had lying around. If you don’t mind, brother, you can use them.”
“Are you pitying me?!”
“No, no, not at all. I just understand your feelings, brother,” Green Hibiscus sighed deeply. “I’ve been where you are. In my younger days, when life was tough, I drowned my sorrows in alcohol, too. Back then, I felt hopeless about society and this world. But then, I met someone who changed everything…”
It was no wonder Green Hibiscus was such an asset to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus in Exalting Sanctum. He had a knack for empathizing with others, spinning tales that resonated deeply. Before long, he concocted a backstory similar to that of the blond youth before him.
As expected, his approach worked. The angry, golden-haired youth quickly warmed up, and the two began exchanging their stories.
Green Hibiscus soon learned the youth’s name and background.
He called himself Charlotte Lin Holmes, a foreigner from a distant, underdeveloped planet. After graduating from school, he drifted through life, eventually marrying and having children. One day, during a cargo escort job, he heard rumors about the Xianzhou’s secret to immortality. Desperate, he sold his wife and daughter to a slaver, using the proceeds to fund his journey to the Xianzhou.
But after over a decade on the Xianzhou, he found no sign of immortality. Instead, during a fight where the other party was at fault, he gravely injured another foreigner and ended up in prison.
Now, he was filled with hatred—toward those who deceived him into coming to the Xianzhou and toward the Cloud Knights, who cared nothing for justice.
Suppressing the surge of joy in his heart, Green Hibiscus leaned in and whispered, “Brother Holmes, I must tell you… those people didn’t lie to you.”
He stumbled over the tongue-twisting name, but the blond youth didn’t seem to notice. Instead, his eyes widened, locking onto Green Hibiscus.
“Are you serious? Prove it!”
“That’s because I’m one of those who’ve uncovered the secret to immortality—a ‘Cultivator,’” Green Hibiscus said in a hushed voice. “Stay calm, and watch closely.”
Picking up a fist-sized rock from the flowerbed, Green Hibiscus’s hand, seemingly ordinary moments before, began to mutate. Sharp, grotesque spines protruded from his flesh as his deformed hand crushed the stone into fine dust with ease. The powder scattered into the air.
The blond youth, who was actually Chen Lin in disguise, was genuinely taken aback.
According to Bai Lu and Jing Yuan, succumbing to the Mara was irreversible. Once someone’s body underwent full mutation, returning to their original state was impossible.
This was why Jing Yuan, Fu Xuan, Dan Shu, and even Bai Lu—who had witnessed him restore severely mutated Demonic Yin patients to their normal forms—were so astounded.
But now, here was Green Hibiscus, able to switch between normal and Mara-struck at will.
Switching to psionic vision, Chen Lin scrutinized Green Hibiscus but found nothing unusual. It was as if what he just witnessed had been an illusion.
The Disciples of Sanctus Medicus truly was extraordinary!
Green Hibiscus, pleased with Chen Lin’s reaction, spoke in a coaxing tone. “Brother, did you see that? This is the power of immortality. If you desire the chance to live forever, I can introduce you to the way.”
“The Xianzhou cares nothing for short-lived species like us. Their stubborn ban on our pursuit of immortality is despicable.”
“Do you wish to live forever? Such immense power is right here within your reach. We have countless brothers and sisters striving for the immortal path—handsome men, beautiful women, and gatherings free from the constraints of worldly ethics.”
“My name is Green Hibiscus. That’s my codename. Brother, it seems fate has led me to meet someone destined for the immortal path. What do you say?”
Faced with the temptation of immortality, few could resist, especially those who had hit rock bottom.
When you have nothing left, why not take a chance?
Success meant eternal life; failure simply meant death. Instead of clinging to a meaningless existence, why not gamble?
This was likely the mindset of most who joined the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus .
Chen Lin, feigning excitement, exclaimed, “I’m in! I’m in!”
“Shh! Keep your voice down, brother. This isn’t a safe place. Follow me somewhere more private…”
Meanwhile, a small figure pressed against the corner of a wall, eavesdropping on their conversation. Her understanding of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus grew clearer.
Once the two men left, she pulled out a magnifying glass and began examining the ground in the dim light.
“Holmes is amazing—he infiltrated the criminal organization so quickly. I can’t fall behind!”
Not long after, Bai Lu’s phone vibrated. She immediately put down the magnifying glass and checked the message. A new contact she’d recently added, saved as “Holmes,” had sent her an address:
—Exalting Sanctum Residential District, Dikun Road, Yiyou Area
Based on their prior discussion, Bai Lu instantly deduced that this was where Chen Lin was being taken.
As an assistant, she needed to support the detective by gathering additional evidence and clues. Bai Lu sprang into action, following the prearranged plan.
Familiar with every street and alley in the Exalting Sanctum, her short legs carried her swiftly, outpacing any ordinary pursuer. Bai Lu aimed to reach the destination first, documenting any suspicious individuals she encountered who might be connected to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus .
She clenched her tiny fists, determination swelling as she felt the thrill of driving an investigation forward from behind the scenes.
“Go, Dr. Watson! You’ve got this—you’ll help Holmes crack this case wide open!”
—
T/N: ah yes the good ol disguise of blonde hair LUO QINGGGG GHAHH
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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