Stellaris Tech Tree HSR

On the way to Herta's office, Asta intercepted Chen Lin and handed him a device resembling a smartphone. They exchanged beacon addresses, and Chen Lin couldn't shake the feeling that the interface looked oddly familiar.

Still, a phone capable of communication across countless light-years was impressive. For now, this world's technology was insufficient for Chen Lin to fully leverage the initial tech from Stellaris.

The road ahead is still long.

When Himeko learned that Chen Lin was heading to meet Herta, she pushed Stelle toward him, explaining that Herta wanted to see her as well. Himeko added that the Astral Express would remain at the space station for a while longer, giving them time to wrap up any unfinished business.

Chen Lin also gleaned another critical detail: the Stellaron was now inside Stelle.

What exactly a Stellaron was remained a mystery to Chen Lin. But one thing was clear—it shouldn't be something a human body could host naturally. Herta's interest in Stelle further confirmed that.

In the control module, many of the staff greeted Chen Lin warmly as he passed. For the first time in his life, he experienced the genuine gratitude of others. To his surprise, these employees seemed remarkably kind—not just because their goodwill generated a substantial amount of unity points for him!

Upon arriving at Herta's office, he found a room lined with holographic images on either side. At the far end stood an eerily lifelike Herta doll, isolated and motionless.

Sensing someone's arrival, the doll's chaotic, unfocused gaze gradually sharpened. It stirred to life, and a haughty voice rang out.

"You're late! I've been waiting for 13 minutes and 41 seconds!"

"The staff were so enthusiastic. I couldn't just ignore everyone who greeted me, right?" Chen Lin retorted.

The space station was dotted with countless Herta dolls, so she knew Chen Lin wasn't lying. Still, her frustration bubbled over.

The station's owner summons you to her office, and you spend most of the time socializing with the staff?

Chen Lin teased, "By the way, I heard that quite a few staff members are big fans of you, Miss Herta. They even formed a support club for you."

"Childish nonsense," Herta scoffed, her delicate face turning away in disdain. "They'll grow tired of it eventually."

Earlier, Himeko had shared some insights about Herta's background. Despite her youthful appearance, she had undergone age-reversal and was, in fact, quite old. With her numerous groundbreaking achievements, Herta's air of arrogance was understandable. She was a member of the Genius Society, a club filled with eccentric individuals. By comparison, Herta was considered one of the more normal ones.

Chen Lin couldn't help but agree. While Herta's tone was blunt, at least she was someone he could hold a conversation with.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Chen Lin noticed Herta and Stelle deep in discussion. He caught snippets about the "universe," "programs," and "Aeons." None of it interested him, so he wandered to the side of the room to examine the portraits.

The designs were excellent. As he approached, pre-recorded audio explanations from Herta played, providing a quick crash course on this world's notable figures and various fields of knowledge.

Oh right, I haven't checked what my new scientist, "Herta," is capable of yet!

Chen Lin opened his interface, navigated to the Technology tab, and quickly found the scientist he had gained at the end of the event chain.

[Scientist: Herta (Incomplete)]

Age: Unknown

Efficient Comprehension: Herta can rapidly understand and solve complex problems. (Research time -50%)

Genius Society Member: As the #83 seat of the Genius Society, Herta possesses an extensive research network. Many are willing to assist her in times of need. (1% daily chance to instantly complete the current research project)

Chosen One: Herta has mastered age-reversal technology, granting her physical immortality. (No lifespan limit)

Inquisitive Mind: With a highly advanced intellect, Herta becomes obsessively dedicated to studying the unknown. (Research speed +25%; daily Physics, Society, and Engineering research +50 each)

"…"

Chen Lin looked up at the portraits in front of him. The avatar for Herta in the UI matched the face on these walls.

Identical!

Theoretical research on psionics was still ongoing. As a conscious entity, Chen Lin couldn't quantify how much his intellect contributed, though it probably wasn't significant.

But with a scientist like Herta now in his roster—her stats absurdly powerful even compared to most MODs—he felt like he'd struck gold. A flat +50 to all research fields daily, coupled with +25% overall research speed? At this rate, he could surpass Fallen Empire tech in just twenty years.

This development hinted at a troubling implication: the Stellaris tech he had brought into this world might be even more broken than some MODs.

For now, Chen Lin focused on critical research priorities.

Physics: He began work on "Administrative AI," categorized under computational tech. This would pave the way for neural network upgrades and set him on the path toward machine ascension.

Engineering: He was advancing "Ceramo-Metal Armor," a Tier 2 armor tech. With Herta's overpowered bonuses, everything except psionics would likely finish by tomorrow.

Extra Ascension, extra traditions, and extra tech slots. These were part of the origin bonuses he'd chosen but hadn't fully understood yet.

What exactly did these represent? Chen Lin was eager to find out. It wouldn't be long before he accumulated enough unity points to unlock his first tradition.

Opening the Government interface, he assigned Herta as the station's head scientist.

At that moment, Herta, mid-conversation with Stelle, visibly paused. She frowned in confusion.

"How strange… It feels like something just got extracted from my brain."

It seemed Herta didn't realize she was now inadvertently working overtime for Chen Lin's research projects. She chalked it up to exhaustion.

Spotting Chen Lin idling near the portraits, Herta snapped, "What are you doing over there? Get over here!"

"Aren't you talking to Stelle?"

"It's a test!"

"Then finish testing her first. I'll just keep looking at these."

With his newfound confidence in his expanding capabilities, Chen Lin felt emboldened.

Herta, however, shot back matter-of-factly, "Who said I was only testing her? I'm testing you too!"

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Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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