Day by day, time passed. After undergoing governmental reforms, the entire Jarilo Star System gradually recovered from its initial chaos.
As people grew accustomed to the AI algorithm’s management, government officials across all departments found themselves enjoying an unprecedented sense of ease in their daily work.
Chen Lin and Seele had conducted multiple inspections of the military parade rehearsals. The event wasn’t taking place on any particular planet but rather near Skydome Fortress.
Within the engineering ship’s construction module, a small megastructure could be built using alloys. This structure wasn’t derived from traditional or ascended technology but directly from technological research.
It was a rare purple-tier technology, on par with the [Orbital Habitation Station] in terms of classification.
Once the research was completed, engineering ships could begin construction immediately, utilizing policies like [Modular Construction] and [Multi-Engineering Teams] to significantly reduce build time.
Enabling the [Multi-Engineering Team] policy would consume an additional 0.2 coefficient of resources for the constructed building. Up to seven engineering ships could be assigned to the project, with each additional ship reducing construction time by 10%—a bonus that would not be diluted.
Stellar Corridor: As the name suggests, this is a transparent corridor built in the vastness of space. Those who walk through it can freely stroll in the void, marveling at the beauty of the starry seas and gazing upon the bustling empire.
Upkeep: 100 Minerals/month
Output: +100 Cohesion/day, +10% Empire Trade Value
Cost: 7200 Alloys, 3600 Cohesion
After more than a month, the [Stellar Corridor] was nearing completion. Chen Lin had already designated it as one of the parade grounds for the army!
The Special Operations Division and Phantylia had returned to duty over the past two weeks. The civilizations that had politely declined his invitations were completely overturned, with new regime governments established in their place…
The grand military parade was scheduled to begin in about a month and a half. Many civilization leaders had already embarked on their journeys with large entourages, and a few had even begun arriving at Jarilo-VI’s docking ports two days ago. Pela and Phantylia were responsible for handling their accommodations.
For those interested, tours to various scenic locations were available under the escort of the Psionic Legion, as long as they returned in time for the parade’s opening ceremony.
Neither Chen Lin nor Bronya had any intention of personally greeting the guests, and the leaders of these civilizations were wise enough to play along. Since Qlipoth Fort remained silent, they obediently followed arrangements, waiting patiently without protest. No one dared to throw a fit over perceived neglect and storm off.
Perhaps they all understood the consequences such defiance would bring…
Outside the study, the sound of knocking echoed. Shortly after, the door swung open. Phantylia stood at the threshold, a sly smile gracing her fox-like face as she stepped inside.
“Master, today we are expecting representatives from Botwahl, the Darris Dominion, the Free Afemia Confederation… in total, 26 civilizations. These aren’t just envoys—they are the highest leaders of their respective nations.”
“Handle it as usual. Let them entertain themselves while they wait. They aren’t our primary targets.”
“Understood.”
Just as Phantylia was about to leave, Chen Lin suddenly called out to her.
“How many civilizations have arrived so far? Including today, how many guests do we have in total?”
Without hesitation, Phantylia replied, “I did an inventory check yesterday. Including today’s arrivals, a total of 61 civilizations have reached Jarilo-VI. Counting their escorts and attendants, there are 1,923 guests in total, with 547 scheduled to participate in the parade…”
With less than 50 days before the ceremony, already a third of the guests had arrived—far exceeding Chen Lin’s expectations. It was clear that the surrounding civilizations held the Administration’s work in high regard.
Otherwise, despite their politeness, these influential figures—accustomed to wielding absolute power in their own nations—would hardly sit idly in Belobog, waiting on his whims. If they felt slighted, some would have surely left in protest.
Yet here they were, obediently following his arrangements, leisurely traveling around Jarilo-VI with their families.
Chen Lin fell silent for a moment, his mind drifting to his “dear” sister and brother-in-law.
Originally, he thought Luofu would send either Fu Xuan or Jing Yuan—after all, with Luofu’s extensive responsibilities, it made sense to leave one key decision-maker behind to keep things running smoothly.
But unexpectedly, both of them came, temporarily handing over Luofu’s affairs to Yukong as acting governor…
Upon hearing that Fu Xuan would be arriving in person, Qingque was utterly distraught. She hadn’t visited Bronya for days, likely buried in an attempt to catch up on all the work she had skipped—lest Fu Xuan lecture her upon arrival.
Chen Lin asked, “Any updates from Luofu?”
Phantylia blinked and replied, “They’re en route. Based on their coordinates, they should arrive by next week at the earliest.”
“Good. Go assist Pela with her tasks.”
Waving her away, Chen Lin watched as Phantylia departed. He then absentmindedly tapped the UI of the galactic map in his mind, deep in thought.
The neighboring Rilu and Sterbe Star Systems had revealed a trove of tempting resources, discovered through the clandestine surveys of his cloaked research ships.
Sterbe alone contained over 40 planets, with its homeworld, Sterbe-I, being the only habitable one. The rest had been systematically renamed and numbered according to Chen Lin’s own, unofficial classification system.
Aside from Sterbe-I’s 14 units of exotic resources, seven other uninhabitable planets contained smaller deposits: 2, 1, 4, 1, and 1 units of exotic gases, while two more housed a single unit of volatile motes.
Rilu, while not as resource-rich, still held promise. A nearby ocean world boasted a 3-unit deposit of rare crystals.
With these fundamental rare resources secured, Chen Lin could forgo the exorbitant costs of purchasing from [Paradox’s interstellar] market. Instead, his empire would have its own supply.
With them, new warship weapon modifications, advanced shield plating… the fleet’s power would see an enormous leap forward!
This was crucial to his long-term expansion. That was why he had fixated entirely on Rilu and Sterbe.
Hopefully, the locals would be wise enough to accept his generous terms and hand over their territories without resistance.
Just then, a sudden shiver ran down Chen Lin’s spine. He shot up from the couch, a rare glimmer of excitement flashing across his face.
—A message had arrived from the [The Shroud].
After an extensive period of semi-lockdown and reconstruction, it had finally evolved!
As its sole master, the [The Shroud] was intrinsically linked to every fiber of his being. In the past, simply focusing his mind would allow him to sense its state.
But now, he had transcended those constraints. Just by willing it, a faint projection of the realm would manifest in his vision, no longer requiring physical entry.
Yet… it looked the same as before.
The trees, rivers, pathways, and wildlife—all precisely as he had left them, like a simulated world he had meticulously placed together.
“…How long has it been? Almost two months? 54 days and 13 hours…”
Chen Lin ran a quick calculation, arriving at an exact number. His curiosity only deepened.
“So what exactly evolved?”
The urge to investigate overwhelmed him. With no pressing matters at hand, understanding the realm’s transformation took priority.
As he raised his hand to open a rift into the [The Shroud], something unexpected happened.
Instead of a controlled portal, a sudden, forceful suction pulled him in.
Without warning, Chen Lin vanished.
—·—·—·—·—
Inside the Nexus.
Chen Lin looked around at the renewed surroundings. Birds chirped, trees flourished, and ethereal psionic mist drifted through the air. He blinked, stunned.
“…What the hell? How did I just get pulled in?”
That peculiar sensation of encompassing the entire world within himself remained, yet Chen Lin found himself preoccupied with a different concern—how had he arrived here?
There was no spatial rift, no noticeable shift in sight, smell, or sound. He hadn’t even needed to make any extra movements. A mere thought in his mind, and he was inside.
So… was the ascension’s effect simply allowing him to return home without opening a door?
Seriously? I spent all that [Zro Dust] just to shave off a few milliseconds of spellcasting? That’s a colossal rip-off…
Frustrated, Chen Lin attempted to communicate with the [The Shroud], hoping to extract an explanation.
But the realm remained silent, as if it had died. No matter how he called out, there was no response.
This isn’t normal.
Chen Lin frowned. His authority over the realm remained intact, so he activated his omniscient view, scanning the entire realm from a god’s perspective. Eventually, his gaze settled on a sphere deep within the forest—shrouded in swirling black mist.
What the hell is that?
Chen Lin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
That sphere had been there long before the realm’s ascension. Now that everything else had stabilized, and the [The Shroud] had successfully evolved, the sphere still remained.
His instincts told him that the reason the realm was ignoring him had something to do with this ominous, energy-laden black orb.
Here, Chen Lin was the realm, and the realm was Chen Lin. He could bend reality to his will, making trivial changes at no cost.
Instantly teleporting to a designated location within the [The Shroud] was one such triviality.
At the heart of the forest, a bizarre clearing had formed amid towering ancient trees. Outside this space, the ecosystem thrived—lush vegetation, natural cycles of decay and renewal.
But within the clearing, there was no sign of life. Only violent gales howled through the air.
The dry, cracked earth looked as if it hadn’t felt a drop of rain in years. Deep fissures ran through the ground, and upon closer inspection, the soil itself appeared to be undergoing desertification. Gusts of wind carried fine dust away, scattering it across the forest.
Chen Lin didn’t rush forward. Instead, he stood at the perimeter, observing.
He quickly noticed that every living creature in the forest, whether predator or prey, instinctively avoided the clearing.
Even animals on the verge of death—mere moments from being caught by a pursuing predator—could escape their fate simply by reaching the clearing’s edge. Their hunters would immediately abandon the chase, turning away with palpable reluctance, as if confronted by some unspeakable abyss.
Not long after, the winds within the clearing abruptly died down. As golden sand settled, the black sphere—previously enveloped in swirling mist—vanished without a trace.
Chen Lin was still contemplating the cause of this phenomenon when—
A streak of black shot past his vision, accompanied by an unfamiliar yet strangely enticing scent.
That smell… it doesn’t belong in the [The Shroud]. It’s something from human society.
It was somewhat reminiscent of… fried food?
No.
Wait—whatever I think about, that’s the scent I perceive?!
“…?!”
The fierce gales softened into a gentle breeze, rustling the trees behind him. A delicate pink petal drifted down, landing silently upon the ground.
Time itself seemed to pause.
Then, a hand reached out—lightly grasping Chen Lin’s wrist.
He sensed something approaching, but no matter what, he couldn’t bring himself to dodge.
Perhaps… something deep inside him refused to.
When he fully registered the touch, a cool sensation spread across his wrist. Just as he was about to react in alarm, a childish voice reached his ears.
“…Hungry…”
“…Huh?”
Chen Lin turned his head—and met a pair of dark, pearl-like eyes, brimming with both joy and familiarity.
Just by locking gazes, he could feel it—her hunger.
A hunger so vast that nothing, no matter how much was offered, could ever satisfy it.
Dangerous…
Extremely dangerous.
Startled, Chen Lin instinctively leaped back several steps, his entire body on high alert as he stared at the sudden intruder—a little girl.
“Who are you?!”
At his sharp question, the girl flinched, pursing her lips. Her expression grew aggrieved, and her large eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Chen Lin was momentarily thrown off by the unexpected sense of familiarity.
The girl silently observed him for a while, then, as if resigned, she crouched down, hugging her knees.
Fat tears rolled down her pale, delicate face, her sobs light at first, then growing louder.
“…Papa doesn’t want me anymore… doesn’t want me anymore… wuu… wuuuuu…”
What the hell does your dad abandoning you have to do with me?!
Chen Lin cursed inwardly.
The sight of the girl crying her heart out—her pitifully pale face drenched in tears—made it incredibly difficult to ignore her. He had to fight the overwhelming urge to pick her up and comfort her.
Instead, he kept his distance, silently scrutinizing her.
She looked about eight or nine years old, with an oval-shaped face and striking wine-red eyes. Her delicate features and small frame naturally evoked sympathy.
She was dressed in a long, black fuzzy coat, its edges adorned with what appeared to be black feathers from some avian creature. Beneath it, she wore a black dress, reminiscent of a modified ceremonial gown.
Seeing that she had no intention of stopping her crying, Chen Lin finally broke the silence.
“What’s your name?”
Between sobs, the girl hiccupped out a response.
“…Shi… Sha…”
“…Oh—wait, WHAT?!”
The moment the name registered, Chen Lin felt as if he’d been struck by a hammer. His demeanor changed instantly.
“…Uh… Shi Sha…?” He forced a more neutral tone. “And… who’s your father?”
The girl simply stared at him.
Then, as her tears welled up again—
She let out a loud wail.
Chen Lin barely had time to react before she vanished from her spot.
In the blink of an eye, she was right in front of him—throwing herself into his arms and burying her face against his waist.
“Papa, I’m not hungry anymore… I don’t eat much… so don’t abandon me… wuuuu…”
—
T/N: hmmm Terravore is a civic! in Stellaris, it was Shi Sha which meant like sand or earth and after some researching and snooping around the wiki I found Terravore, so maybe it’s a personified version and it does make sense since it keeps consuming and eating!
NOPE NOPE I WAS WRONTG ITS THE WORLD FUCKIONG EATER
KEEPING SHI SHA SINCE TOGETHER ITS BASICALLY WORLD EATER AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
also… after doing more research… I THINK that Zroni Nexus is The Shroud… so uhhh if im wrong tell me plz but i will change it to the shroud from now on
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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