Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [144]

“Ugh…”

Chen Lin groaned as he got out of bed, tossing his phone aside with a resigned sigh. Guess that’s not going to work. I’ve really underestimated this.

His experience with psionics-driven hacking was sorely lacking. No matter what method he tried, he couldn’t figure out what Silver Wolf had done to his phone. He was completely unable to send messages to anyone outside his immediate circle of contacts.

Blocking my communication… probably another part of the Stellaron Hunters’ grand scheme, he mused. As for their exact goal, he figured he’d have to track down one of them to get answers.

Oh well, doesn’t matter much. Nothing critical seems to be happening back on Jarilo-VI anyway. Everything should be fine there.

With that thought, Chen Lin decided to let it go. Worrying over blocked communication wasn’t going to accomplish anything. It was better to focus on the current situation in the Xianzhou Luofu, especially since he had already obtained permission from Jing Yuan to intervene in the ongoing activities of the Alchemist Comission and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus .

Night had fallen, and the Xianzhou Luofu’s bustling the Exalting Sanctum district was alive with the warm glow of countless lanterns. Despite the aftermath of the Stellaron crisis, life in the district carried on as if nothing had happened. The locals ate, drank, and went about their routines with a carefree attitude.

Chen Lin straightened his appearance and decided to head to the Exalting Sanctum, following the fragmented memories he had extracted from the Mara-stricken member of the Alchemy Commission earlier. Although the memories were incomplete, they contained enough environmental details for him to locate where the individual had first met with members of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus .

Initially, he considered asking Qingque or Tingyun to accompany him. But after the unsettling events with Dan Shu earlier, he figured it would be better not to involve too many people. The fewer who know, the safer this investigation will be.

Even if he didn’t find the exact location, it wasn’t a big deal. After all, the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus  was a long-standing issue, one that the Cloud Knights had been struggling with for some time. Solving it overnight was unrealistic.

With his mind made up, Chen Lin donned his coat, greeted the inn staff as he passed by, and headed toward the Exalting Sanctum.

The Exalting Sanctum was as lively at night as it was during the day, bustling with crowds. The commercial street he had previously visited with Qingque was particularly packed, with street vendors lining the roads, calling out to potential customers.

“Skewers, fried snacks, desserts! Don’t miss out, folks!”

“Handmade trinkets and ornaments, no deception here!”

“Sir, your order is ready!”

“Ladies and gentlemen, gather around! Tonight, I’ll perform a sword-swallowing act—three feet of steel, down the hatch! Tips and applause are both welcome!”

The vibrant streets and the cheerful atmosphere seemed to dispel any lingering shadow of the Stellaron’s impact. It was almost as if the disaster had never touched this part of the Luofu. People laughed, ate, and enjoyed their rare moments of leisure after a hard day’s work.

Street performers danced, sang opera, and displayed dazzling acrobatics on temporary stages. It was a lively celebration of life and resilience.

Amid the bustling crowd, Chen Lin weaved through the streets, his sharp brows furrowed slightly. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t find the location from the Alchemy Commission member’s memories. The fragment he had seen showed a secluded alleyway, but here in the Exalting Sanctum, the streets were packed, and solitude was impossible to find.

The district was vast, with countless alleys crisscrossing through it. Being unfamiliar with the area, Chen Lin had no clue where to begin. Even with psionics extending his senses twenty or so meters, it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.

After wandering aimlessly for over two hours, Chen Lin’s patience was wearing thin. He grabbed a few skewers from a vendor and plopped down on a nearby bench to gather his thoughts.

Maybe I should ask Fuxuan for help tomorrow? He considered explaining his situation to his “Sister Taibu” and requesting permission to use psionics for his search. Wandering alone like this wasn’t just inefficient—it was practically pointless.

Even if he found the location, there was no guarantee the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus  would still be operating there. The uncertainty was too great to justify wasting more time.

Just as he finished his last skewer and was about to leave, he noticed movement in the dark corner beside the bench. A small figure was hunched over, munching enthusiastically on its meal.

Chen Lin’s absentminded arm swing accidentally smacked the figure’s food clean out of their hands.

“Ah, sorry about tha—” Chen Lin froze mid-apology as he recognized the familiar figure in the shadows. The small, round-eyed girl glaring down at her fallen skewer was none other than Bailu, the mischievous Vidyadhara girl he’d met earlier.

She noticed him at the same moment. Her wide eyes filled with shock, and whatever indignation she’d felt vanished instantly. Without a word, Bailu bolted, her tiny frame darting into the crowd like a startled rabbit.

“Not fair! You promised to wait until after midnight to find me!” she shouted indignantly as she disappeared into the throng.

Chen Lin stood there, dumbfounded. He had been about to offer to buy her a replacement skewer, but now he was left staring blankly at the spot where she’d been moments ago.

What just happened?

Bailu’s status as one of the Vidyadhara wasn’t lost on him. Jing Yuan had explained her situation during their earlier conversation, including why she had been staying at the Alchemy Commission. Her elders had sent her there to study medicine, though it seemed she spent more time escaping than studying.

According to Jing Yuan, Bailu was considered the new Dragon Ruler of the Vidyadhara—a title that likely indicated her position as their leader, though Chen Lin wasn’t entirely sure what that entailed.

One thing was certain: Bailu was incredibly familiar with the Luofu’s layout. Her countless escape attempts proved as much. If anyone could navigate this maze of streets and alleys, it was her.

Well, if she can run, I can chase!

Determined, Chen Lin tightened his coat and prepared to track down the mischievous dragon girl.

The game was on.

Chen Lin couldn’t spread his psionic observation too far on the Xianzhou Luofu; after all, he had to avoid detection by the Divination Commission. However, extending it to a modest ten or twenty meters to track Bailu was no problem at all.

The mischievous little Vidyadhara girl weaved through the crowd, darting around stalls and cutting sharp corners, but her movements were no match for Chen Lin’s pursuit.

Oh, trust in the Father of the Gods!

Every time Bailu glanced back, she would spot Chen Lin steadily closing the distance. Her small, cherubic face paled as she pushed herself to keep running, too scared to stop.

Chen Lin could have easily used his telekinetic powers to pin her down but instead chose to play the part of a hunter. He chased her leisurely, allowing her the illusion of escape while subtly guiding her route. As he pursued her, he discovered many side alleys glowing with pink neon lights and strange, flamboyant signage.

Well, this is oddly entertaining, he thought with a smirk.

Whenever he got too close, Chen Lin would slow down, ensuring that Bailu always thought she had a chance to lose him if she just turned another corner or picked up her pace.

After over an hour of this impromptu game of tag, Bailu finally gave up. Exhausted, she flopped onto a set of steps, her tiny frame heaving with labored breaths. Puffing out her cheeks in frustration, she crossed her arms and glared at Chen Lin with a mix of defiance and resignation.

Seeing that she had stopped running, Chen Lin sauntered over and plopped down beside her, grinning cheerfully.

“Why’d you stop running, Miss Bailu?”

“Hmph! I don’t talk to bad guys who break promises and hang out with liars!” she huffed, turning her face away.

“What liars? I don’t recall breaking any promises,” Chen Lin replied with feigned innocence. “All I did was accidentally knock over your skewer. I wanted to buy you a new one, but you bolted before I could say anything. I hate owing people, so naturally, I had to catch up with you.”

“Liar!” Bailu snapped, glaring at him. “Don’t even try to fool me! Just get it over with and take me back already!”

With that, she plopped onto her back, closed her eyes, and sprawled dramatically on the steps, making herself look as pitiful as possible.

Chen Lin chuckled, pinching her squishy cheeks. When she refused to react, he hoisted her onto his back and stood up, heading toward the main street.

“Seems like you know these alleys pretty well, Miss Bailu,” he said conversationally.

“Hmph!” Bailu snorted, refusing to answer.

Chen Lin pressed on. “You must’ve dodged pursuers quite a few times to know your way around all those hidden paths, huh?”

“So what if I have? Didn’t you catch me anyway?” she grumbled.

But as they walked, Bailu noticed something strange. They weren’t heading toward the Alchemy Commission—or her home in the Vidyadhara domain.

“Wait… where are you taking me?” she asked, her tone suddenly wary.

“To a human trafficker,” Chen Lin replied with a sinister chuckle. “I’ll sell you off as a child bride. A Vidyadhara Dragon Ruler like you? You’ll fetch a high price. Once we’ve got you, we’ll feed you muting medicine so you can’t talk, and then ship you off to some backwater planet. You’ll spend the rest of your life locked up in a tiny hut, waiting to marry a local savage.”

The horrifying imagery painted by his words made Bailu shiver. In her mind, she could already see herself trapped in a dilapidated village, surrounded by wild beasts and endless forests, mute and helpless against her captors.

Chen Lin’s eerie tone was so convincing that even the most skeptical would’ve taken him seriously. Bailu certainly did.

“Put me down! Let me go!” she shrieked, struggling against him. “If you dare do that to me, I’ll—I’ll scream!”

Chen Lin laughed ominously. “Scream all you want. Everyone here works for me. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one will help you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial. “Don’t force me to use this. One dose, and our little Dragon Ruler won’t be able to make a sound ever again.”

Terrified, Bailu froze. When Chen Lin loosened his grip on her legs, she realized she couldn’t move. Her body felt as though it had been locked in place by some invisible force.

She opened her mouth to cry out, but it was as if her lips were sealed by an unseen hand. All she could manage were muffled whimpers.

I’m doomed, she thought miserably. For the first time in her life, she felt a pang of regret for leaving her safe, boring home.

As they passed a group of patrolling Cloud Knights, Bailu’s hopes flared. She heard the familiar clink of their armor and thought she was saved.

But when the knights saw Chen Lin, their reactions crushed her last shred of hope.

“Good evening, Lord Governor,” one of them greeted respectfully. “Hmm? Isn’t that the Dragon—”

“Official business,” Chen Lin interrupted smoothly, flashing the insignia Jing Yuan had given him. “It’s a complex situation; no time to explain.”

The knights exchanged a glance. Those unfamiliar with Chen Lin hesitated, but the sight of Jing Yuan’s token silenced all questions.

“Yes, sir. Understood,” they said, saluting.

“Carry on, then. Pretend this never happened,” Chen Lin instructed, smiling.

“As you command!”

Bailu stared in stunned disbelief as the knights departed without so much as questioning him. Even the Cloud Knights are working with this monster?!

Her spirit broke. She slumped against Chen Lin’s back, her tiny frame trembling in despair.

The world is too dangerous… I want to go home…

A short while later, Chen Lin bought a bag of skewers and took Bailu to a quiet alley. Setting her down gently, he handed her the food.

“Here, this is to replace what I knocked over. Eat up.”

“Huh?”

Bailu blinked in confusion. She found that she could move and speak again. Looking up at Chen Lin’s smiling face, an odd feeling stirred in her chest.

“You… you’re not going to sell me?”

“Of course not. Just messing with you,” Chen Lin said, waving the insignia. “This lets me command the Cloud Knights in the Exalting Sanctum. My brother, Jing Yuan, asked me to handle some business. I bumped into you and figured we could have a little fun first.”

Realization dawned on Bailu as she pieced everything together. Seeing how the Cloud Knights had treated him, she finally understood.

“You tricked me!” she shouted, leaping to her feet with surprising agility.

“Not bad, Miss Bailu. You’ve got some energy left,” Chen Lin said with an amused smirk.

“Alright, I was wrong!” Bailu cried three minutes later, her cheeks flushed red as she cradled her tail protectively. “Please stop messing with my tail!”

“Do you still want to ‘teach me a lesson’?” Chen Lin teased.

“No! Definitely not!” she stammered, hastily changing the subject. “Uh… this skewered meat is delicious! How did you know I bought it from this stall?”

“Tell you what,” Chen Lin replied with a sly grin, “let me play with your tail for a bit, and I’ll tell you.”

“Never!” Bailu declared, hugging her tail tightly.

Chen Lin raised an eyebrow, and she froze.

“Okay, okay! I really want to know! But please, stop thinking about my tail!” she pleaded.

The usually brash little Dragon Ruler had been thoroughly humbled.

What a bad guy! A scoundrel! she thought indignantly.

But despite her indignation, she couldn’t help but reflect. Aside from being infuriating, this man was strangely reliable. Handsome, charming, and unexpectedly kind… If only he weren’t such a troublemaker.

“So, what do you need me for?” she asked cautiously.

Chen Lin grinned. “Finish eating, then we’ll talk.”

Bailu sighed. This wasn’t over yet.

—

T/N: bleugh i was choosing either the Exalting Sanctum or Aurum Alley…, I chose the Sanctum since thats where you meet Bailu anyway

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!