During this time, Chen Lin rarely left his residence. Most days, he was either hosting discussions with Bronya or poring over Belobog’s surviving historical records in solitude.
Occasionally, he would have to deal with Cocolia’s repeated requests for assistance—which felt more like deliberate provocations.
On a side note, the scientists at Qlipoth Fort proved incredibly efficient. Not long ago, Chen Lin provided them with blueprints for a city-wide heating system, and they had already developed the alloy required to manufacture steam pipelines. Apparently, the project had been delegated to private factories in the city, with the goal of installing affordable, durable coal heating in every home within six months.
As for weapons, in this world where nearly everyone possessed peculiar abilities, Chen Lin found himself at a loss.
Depending on one’s actions, it was highly likely to encounter a moment when they were drawn onto a so-called Path. The blessings of the Paths shaped their abilities, though their strength varied. This reliance on the Paths for combat meant that weapons could not be mass-produced efficiently but had to be tailored to specific individuals instead.
With limited options, Chen Lin could only provide a few designs for special alloys and detailed material ratios based on Belobog’s resources and technology.
“Something’s definitely off…”
After flipping through the thick Chronicles of Major Events in Belobog, Chen Lin closed the book and prepared to head out to discuss something with Dan Heng. Unexpectedly, there was a knock at the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me, Dan Heng.”
Speak of the devil!
Chen Lin hurried to open the door. “I was just about to look for you. Come in.”
“Did you find anything?”
Outside, Dan Heng glanced discreetly down the hallway, ensuring no one was following or eavesdropping before stepping into the room.
These small details didn’t escape Chen Lin’s notice. If it weren’t for me, Dan Heng would probably be playing both father and mother on this trip to find the Stellaron, babysitting March and Stelle. Just thinking about it sounds exhausting.
He pulled over a chair for Dan Heng and gestured toward the stack of thick official histories of Belobog on the desk.
“In the earliest records, it’s noted that before the arrival of the eternal frost and shortly before the Antimatter Legion invaded Jarilo-VI, a mysterious object fell from space onto the planet.”
Dan Heng frowned.
“That’s likely the Stellaron, but with such limited information, I can’t be certain.”
Chen Lin continued, “I asked Herta for some additional data. Over 700 years ago, Jarilo-VI experienced a massive emigration wave. Many original inhabitants of the planet gained full citizenship on other worlds through the Interstellar Peace Corporation and left.”
A massive emigration typically occurred due to either environmental degradation rendering a planet uninhabitable or the aftermath of devastating wars.
“Was it caused by the Antimatter Legion’s invasion?”
“The timeline doesn’t match. The emigration happened after the mysterious material landed on the planet but before the Antimatter Legion invaded.”
Chen Lin picked up his phone from the table. He had already compiled Jarilo-VI’s timeline into a chart, supplementing it with photos taken by nearby planetary exploratory ships at the time.
Back then, Jarilo-VI was lush with greenery, its oceans a brilliant blue. It ruled out the possibility of Dan Heng’s earlier hypothesis.
“What do you think? Strange, isn’t it?” Chen Lin smiled as he put the phone away. Across from him, Dan Heng was deep in thought.
“It is strange. None of it fits conventional logic.”
Dan Heng looked up. “Could we be missing other key information?”
The two had previously agreed to divide their responsibilities: Chen Lin would handle research and information gathering, while Dan Heng would categorize and verify the data, distinguishing what was substantiated from what was speculative.
The faint dark circles under Dan Heng’s eyes showed how little rest he’d been getting lately. While Chen Lin was arguably busier, his body was anything but normal. Even with only four to five hours of sleep a day, he remained full of energy.
Hearing Dan Heng’s question, Chen Lin returned to the desk, rummaging through the mountain of books until he pulled out several novels.
The people of Belobog had an intense passion for reading. Whether in alleyways, public squares, or on park benches, it wasn’t uncommon to see many engrossed in books.
These novels were ones Chen Lin had bought from a nearby bookstore—though not with his own money, as Bronya had covered the cost.
Flipping to marked pages in the novels, Chen Lin handed them to Dan Heng, motioning for him to read.
While Dan Heng read, Chen Lin moved to the window, gazing out at the snow-covered city. His heart remained calm.
The cold winds and snow, the people struggling for survival, Gepard leading his soldiers to protect their homeland, Bronya longing for a brighter future after the snow—
Aside from Cocolia, whom Chen Lin had identified as a problem, he found this orderly nation rather likable.
“Hm?”
Chen Lin narrowed his eyes. In the distance, he saw hundreds of Silvermane Guards rapidly assembling near the plaza. At the forefront was a familiar figure—Bronya!
Behind her stood Gepard, shield in hand, as the soldiers donned armor and brandished weapons, heading swiftly toward the far end of the street.
What’s going on?
By then, Dan Heng had finished reading the novels.
“These stories are different, but they share several commonalities. First, they all take place in the once-prosperous Jarilo-VI. Second, they’re primarily urban mysteries. And third, they all mention apocalyptic themes.”
“Well summarized. The authors of these books are quite renowned in Belobog. Initially, I didn’t expect to find any factual information in them, just a glimpse into the city’s literary culture.”
Chen Lin walked back and pointed to a passage in one of the books.
“Yesterday, I wondered if the mass emigration was just a coincidence. But after reading these novels, I came up with a theory: what if the ‘mysterious material’ made the people of Jarilo-VI view it as an omen of disaster?”
“…”
Hearing this, Dan Heng froze. After a moment of silence, he looked up at Chen Lin and asked, “At that time, did Jarilo-VI still had the Astral Track created by the Path of The Trailblaze, maintaining close contact with other planets?”
—
T/N: :3 i like when characters have no knowledge about the place they transmigrated to
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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