The contents of the gem were intricate, but not overwhelmingly numerous. Bronya, with her years of military training, possessed exceptional physical resilience.
Or rather, the people of Jarilo-VI had physiques far superior to those of Earthlings, with their physical limits exceeding anything achievable by humans on Earth.
Chen Lin occasionally mused that if Bronya were sent to Earth, with just a bit of training, she could dominate most Olympic events with her extraordinary physical prowess.
The “superhuman” reputation of Jarilo-VI’s people was well-deserved.
After about half an hour, Bronya regained consciousness, struggling to open her eyes.
“Oh? Finally awake?”
“You… Miss Seele? Mentor…”
“He left a while ago. Told me to keep an eye on you,” Seele replied nonchalantly, legs crossed as she idly polished her massive scythe with a cloth. She barely glanced at Bronya, her tone disinterested.
Due to her upbringing, Seele harbored little goodwill toward the people of the Overworld, particularly those of higher status, whom she despised the most.
It wasn’t entirely her fault. Seele’s first trip to the Overworld as a child had shattered her perceptions.
While people in the Underworld starved, patrons in Overworld restaurants gorged themselves, ordering dozens of dishes for just two or three people. Whatever they couldn’t finish wasn’t packed to go but instead dumped straight into the trash.
How could she possibly hold any affection for the Overworld after witnessing such disparity?
“If you’re looking for Chen Lin, find him yourself. I’m leaving,” Seele said, putting away her weapon. Without even turning to face Bronya, she walked toward the door.
“Wait… could you wait just a moment? I’d like to ask you something, Miss Seele…” Bronya sat up, clutching her forehead, her voice weak.
Seele, as though she hadn’t heard, was already halfway out the door.
“I don’t have anything to say to you. And don’t you dare try to boss me around like some Overworld official,” Seele said sharply.
“I…”
Bronya faltered, her smile strained, and her tone grew softer. “I just wanted to ask Miss Seele what the Underworld needs most. Perhaps, in the future, I could help… I know Miss Seele harbors a deep resentment toward the Overworld, but without dialogue, it will be impossible to bridge the divide or understand the root of our conflict! Mentor… he must have placed you here with me for this very reason…”
Seele froze in her tracks, standing still for a moment before scoffing.
“You talk like you know him so well.”
“No, I don’t know Mentor at all,” Bronya admitted, shaking her head. “But he’s the first person in my life who, when I made a mistake, not only told me I was wrong but also explained why. My mother used to simply tell me, ‘This is wrong.’ My tutors only taught me knowledge without explaining the reasons behind it. But Mentor… he taught me how to distinguish right from wrong, how to analyze things critically. He told me the world isn’t just black and white. These were things I’d never heard before. Mentor is kind and selfless, but I must admit… I don’t truly understand him.”
Seele thought back to Chen Lin’s instructions before he left, and her mood soured.
Why had someone like her—someone who lived a rough-and-tumble life in the Underworld—been tasked with such a significant diplomatic role? And with Bronya of all people, the successor to the Supreme Guardian she loathed?
Chen Lin had made it sound simple: just chat with Bronya and build a good rapport. But Seele wasn’t good at that!
Seeing Bronya’s sincere demeanor and how humble she was being, Seele hesitated before reluctantly turning back and sitting down again.
“Enough with the lofty talk. That stuff annoys me. Let’s start with how you met Chen Lin in the first place.”
With no intermediary between them, Chen Lin was the only thread connecting the two women. Curious about how Bronya had come to know her “Lin,” Seele decided to ask directly.
Bronya took a moment to recollect and then began recounting the first time she met Chen Lin—a frail-looking scientist among the team, a visitor from beyond the stars. Their first encounter had taken place in front of the administrative hall of Qlipoth Fort…
—
Chen Lin’s return to the Overworld was still a closely guarded secret. Aside from the officers and soldiers who had greeted him earlier, no one else was aware. The only ones seen by the public were March 7th and Stelle, who, following Chen Lin’s instructions, feigned ignorance whenever questioned.
To maintain confidentiality, Gepard ordered all soldiers in the honor guard and the officers who participated in the welcome ceremony to keep the news under wraps.
At this moment, Chen Lin, having shed his disguise, was in the command center. The room was sparsely populated, with only a few high-ranking military officers, Gepard, Serval, and Pela present.
Chen Lin paced the room, deep in thought.
“I understand your concerns. It’s true that this situation is precarious. A single misstep could lead to disaster. But we have no choice—the Silvermane Guards have no options left except for an armed coup. For Belobog’s future, the current regime must be replaced.”
“Mr. Chen, what about the… thing above us?” one officer asked cautiously, referring to the terrifying spacecraft in orbit.
“I’ve contacted them. While the fleet hasn’t rescinded its bombardment orders, they won’t attack Belobog,” Chen Lin reassured them.
After calming the officers, he continued, “The Silvermane Guards can’t act directly. While Qlipoth Fort is indeed riddled with corruption, that alone isn’t enough justification for the Guards to intervene. On the contrary, with external threats looming, many citizens would prefer to see the Guards and the government unite to protect Belobog.”
“What are you suggesting, sir?” Pela asked, her round face creased with worry. She couldn’t think of any way for the Guards to take action with a legitimate cause.
All the border troops’ officers were aligned with Bronya. If they didn’t stage a coup to install her as the new Supreme Guardian—or if the coup failed—they would all face unprecedented peril.
This was precisely why Chen Lin had concluded that the arrow was already notched on the bowstring.
“The Empire can’t intervene directly,” Chen Lin explained. “Otherwise, it’ll appear to the public as foreign aggression. My proposal is this: I’ll go to Qlipoth Fort as a prisoner to alleviate the citizens’ fears and suspicions. This will justify the Guards’ actions. Then, under the banner of ‘ineffectual governance,’ the Silvermane Guards can march into the palace.”
Chen Lin swept his sleeve and laid out his plan.
Pela immediately objected, her tone urgent. “That’s far too dangerous for you, sir. I cannot agree to this plan!”
Realizing she’d overreacted, Pela gritted her teeth and added, “Miss Bronya won’t agree to this either.”
“I don’t agree either,” Gepard and Serval said simultaneously.
The siblings exchanged surprised glances, astonished that they had spoken in unison.
Serval frowned and spoke first, “I have to point out that based on the information you’ve given us, Cocolia’s connection to the Stellaron seems far from simple. If you go through with this, you could be putting yourself in significant danger.”
“My objection,” she added firmly, “is rooted in the fact that most of the key ministers in the palace aren’t trustworthy. You’ve already worked with Bronya to suppress them once before. If you let yourself get captured, who knows what those shortsighted scumbags might do.”
Gepard followed up with his analysis, “Perhaps we could open negotiations with the ‘Empire.’ If you assist us from their side, we could achieve the same goal of calming the populace.”
His suggestion gained broad support from the group.
But Chen Lin suddenly countered, “And if Qlipoth Fort accuses the Silvermane Guards of colluding with foreign powers to overthrow the Architects, can you bear the weight of such a label?”
“…”
Gepard fell silent, his mind racing along the lines Chen Lin had just drawn. A cold chill ran down his spine.
The Silvermane Guards wouldn’t be able to refute such an accusation.
Even if the coup succeeded, Bronya and the Guards would carry the stigma of “traitors to Belobog” for life, and Chen Lin would be vilified as a symbol of foreign invasion.
Chen Lin knew that this was a title he could not afford to bear. That’s why he had his own plan to ensure the coup would appear legitimate and gain public support.
However, he had no intention of revealing the full extent of his plan to anyone present.
“There’s no need for further discussion! Bronya is my student, and Pela, after following me for so long, you’re practically my student as well. Your actions must proceed without a hitch!”
Chen Lin’s tone was firm and righteous. “No matter the danger, as your mentor and as someone you trust, it’s my responsibility to create opportunities for your success! What’s a little risk? No action comes without danger. Besides, I doubt they’ll dare harm me. It’s decided.”
“Sir, I…” Pela tried to protest, but Chen Lin cut her off.
“Do you have a better solution?”
Silence fell over the room.
The Silvermane Guards officers looked at Chen Lin with growing admiration. They held all the military power and tactical advantages, yet they were being forced to hand over the most respected figure among them to the reactionary government. The humiliation, the potential mockery, and the jeers he might face—they could all imagine it vividly.
While few in the room were highly educated, they all understood that intellectuals and researchers valued their reputations above all.
Their hearts ached. Why hadn’t we thought of a justification for the coup sooner? Why didn’t we prepare a valid excuse for mobilization in advance? Why did we let Mr. Chen make such a tremendous sacrifice?
We’re such useless failures! Absolutely pathetic!
Though the group tried to dissuade Chen Lin for some time, it was clear his plan would not change. They had no choice but to reluctantly accept this humiliating course of action.
After the meeting, the attending officers resolved that they would not let Chen Lin’s sacrifice go to waste. They would overthrow the reactionary government and ensure his efforts were not in vain!
“Chen Lin, I still think we could take a little more time to come up with a better plan…” Gepard persisted, unwilling to give up.
Chen Lin sighed deeply. “We’re out of time. This is your best chance to act. If you wait any longer, the soldiers’ morale will falter, and if Cocolia regains the public’s favor, your chances of success will vanish. As descendants of the Architects, the Landau family would be branded traitors and forever etched into the annals of shame.”
“…” Gepard said nothing, his expression bleak. With heavy steps, he left the command center.
Serval, equally dejected, left in frustration, unable to think of a better solution.
“Sir…” Pela’s voice trembled, her glasses fogging slightly. “If anything happens to you, Miss Bronya…”
“I’ve considered the risks and have confidence in my chances. Don’t worry.”
Chen Lin ruffled Pela’s hair lightly and spoke with feigned ease. “Cocolia sent people to the Underworld to look for me. She’d rather negotiate with the Empire’s fleet to ensure Belobog’s safety than let something happen to me. She won’t risk my life.”
“But she must hate you!” Pela blurted out.
“Let her hate me, then. I don’t know what deal the Stellaron made with her, but if this planet is destroyed, that deal will mean nothing.”
Chen Lin explained further, “Before I came here, I reviewed my nation’s research on Stellarons. Those things represent destruction. For years, Stellarons have been scattered across the cosmos, and every civilization that encountered one faced total annihilation. Stellarons possess independent consciousness. Our researchers speculate that their purpose is to destroy civilizations—no matter the means, their end goal is extinction, turning planets into desolate wastelands inhabited only by aberrant lifeforms.”
He shared the information Dan Heng had once told him, slightly adjusted for the context.
“So when the Underworld was sealed off and the Silvermane Guards were stubbornly ordered to attack the Fragmentum, it was…” Pela’s eyes widened as she pieced together the implications.
Chen Lin nodded grimly. “It seems Cocolia’s objective aligns with the Stellaron’s—destroying all of Belobog. But I can’t understand why she’d do this. What did the Stellaron promise her that made her willing to take such a path?”
Unfortunately, only Cocolia herself knew the answer. Chen Lin had spent ten sleepless nights in the Underworld trying to figure out her motives, but to no avail.
Whatever she’s after, it doesn’t matter. Chen Lin thought to himself. This planet is mine now.
Just then, an event notification appeared in front of him:
[Jarilo-VI: Political Turmoil on a Habitable Planet]
Portions of Jarilo-VI have been contaminated by the Stellaron. Under the leadership of Belobog’s current Supreme Guardian, Cocolia Rand, the planet is heading toward destruction. However, not everyone is resigned to this fate. Bronya Rand, the Supreme Guardian’s successor, is rallying the military to launch an operation to confront the Stellaron and her mother head-on.
Stellaron contamination threatens to turn this rare habitable planet into a dead world, extinguishing our hopes for a new home!
[Support the military coup covertly!] (Provide substantial resources to the rebel forces; post-coup integration will significantly increase.)
[Let go of the savior complex, respect other nations’ destinies.] (End event chain.)
Chen Lin’s fingers twitched slightly as he considered the options. Under Pela’s watchful, anxious gaze, he finally spoke.
“While neither I nor my nation can act openly, I’ll secure additional resources to aid your operations. The Underworld will also lend its support.”
—
T/N: grrr i really wanna play stellaris now
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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