Stellaris Tech Tree HSR

It didn't take long for Chen Lin to notice something unusual about the available origins. They were nothing like the ones he had seen in Stellaris.

These were more akin to modded origins—the kind of overpowered mods that completely shattered game balance.

For example, one origin allowed summoning an army of Shroud Avatars after a cooldown, while another granted ten powerful relics at random. There was even one that periodically provided massive amounts of resources...

This is completely broken!

Chen Lin furrowed his brow. His experience as a veteran player told him these origins were ridiculously strong. However, most of their power seemed situational, limited to specific stages of development or entirely replaceable by technology or growth later on.

After carefully reviewing his options, his attention settled on a new origin labeled "Ascension."

[Ascension: Our species has achieved the ultimate evolution of both soul and body. No path shall exclude us; no god shall surpass us. We shall transcend all things—even divinity itself!]

Effects: Removes the limit on ascension perks and traditions. Ascension paths no longer conflict. Unlocks additional ascension types and traditions. Provides more species trait slots. No cap on ascensions or traditions.

At first glance, this origin didn't offer any immediate benefits to Chen Lin. But its long-term potential? Absolutely terrifying.

In Stellaris, there were traditionally four major ascension paths: Psionic, Genetic, Synthetic, and Cybernetic Ascension.

These paths typically conflicted with one another. For example, a fully synthetic species couldn't modify its human genetics, and any genetic modification would be minimal even after psionic ascension. Players were usually limited to the bonuses of one primary path.

Extremely limiting.

However, based on this origin's description, Chen Lin realized that if he survived long enough, he might one day create something absurd like a Psionic-Genetic Synth-Cyborg hybrid!

The possibilities were endless, especially with the "extra ascension types" mentioned in the description. He couldn't even begin to guess what those might entail.

Short-term gains or long-term potential?

The choice was obvious.

"Let's go all in!" Chen Lin exclaimed, slamming the confirm button.

Veteran Paradox players like him always maximized greed—every single time.

The moment he selected the [Ascension] origin, Chen Lin's body began to change.

The air around him ripped open, and tendrils of dark green energy poured out, wrapping tightly around his body. His feet left the ground as he hovered in mid-air, his eyes wide with shock as an unknown energy began to brutally reshape him.

His cells were broken down and reconstructed. His brain expanded in capacity and complexity.

The pain was immediate and overwhelming, robbing Chen Lin of consciousness within seconds.

Half an hour later, the dark green energy gently lowered Chen Lin's unconscious body back onto the ground. His breathing, once labored, returned to a steady rhythm. The energy receded into his body with a soft whoosh, leaving him transformed.

Chen Lin found himself dreaming—a vivid vision of a mountainous planet populated by extraordinary beings.

On this planet, people awakened various abilities upon reaching a certain age. Some could manipulate the genetic codes of others with their bare hands. Others could walk freely across water or temporarily transform their bodies into steel. Some were immortal, unable to die no matter how they were killed, while others spent their days discovering bizarre scientific and mystical knowledge.

After millions of years of self-modification and evolution, these people had perfected their minds and bodies beyond imagination. Only then did they remember the spaceship technology they had left behind—and with it, they set out for the stars.

---

"Ugh…"

Chen Lin slowly regained consciousness, his senses returning one by one. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the girl who had been unconscious earlier. Now awake, she crouched beside him, curiously poking his face.

The girl had long, ash-brown hair, mature features, and sharp, expressive eyes—though they carried a certain vacant quality that made her seem... not particularly bright.

"What's your name?"

Still dazed, Chen Lin caught her hand mid-poke and sighed. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? Who are you?"

The girl tilted her head, seemingly lost in thought, before clutching her head and collapsing onto the ground with a pained groan.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Startled, Chen Lin moved to check on her, only to pause mid-step.

His body felt… unbelievably light.

It was as if he'd been training with hundred-pound weights for years, and now they'd suddenly been removed. His every movement felt effortless.

What the hell?

The girl recovered quickly, sitting up and speaking in a calm, slightly airy voice. "My name is Stelle. What's yours?"

"Chen Lin," he replied.

"Oh."

Without hesitation, Stelle reached out and began poking his face again. "Soft… smooth… so squishy…"

"Why are you touching my face?" Chen Lin asked, utterly baffled.

"You're pretty. Your skin feels nice. It's also…" Stelle suddenly sniffed the air, leaned forward, and pressed her face against Chen Lin's chest like a cat. "You smell nice."

Chen Lin's brain short-circuited.

"W-WHAT THE HELL?!"

Startled, he stumbled back, putting some distance between them.

Unprepared for his sudden retreat, Stelle lost her balance and fell to the floor with a thud. She didn't seem the least bit bothered, though—if anything, she looked up at Chen Lin with curiosity, her lips curling into a faint smile.

"Let me touch again!"

"What?"

"If you don't let me, I'll get mad."

What kind of creepy person is this?!

Chen Lin broke out in a cold sweat.

Admittedly, he wasn't bad-looking. During his college days, he'd even been voted "Most Handsome on Campus" by a random student poll. He was used to drawing some attention when playing basketball with friends or hanging out at social events.

But someone as shamelessly bizarre as Stelle? That was a first.

"You stay over there. If you come any closer, I won't hold back," he warned.

"Hold back? Big brother, I'd love to see you try!" Stelle grinned mischievously, lunging toward him.

To his surprise, despite her speed and strength, Chen Lin managed to pin her down with relative ease. His newly enhanced body was clearly more than a match for her.

Before either of them could react further, the door on the far side of the room slid open.

Standing in the doorway were a young man with jet-black hair and an emotionless face, and a girl with vibrant pink hair wearing a bright blue dress that radiated energy.

"Oh look, another person…" The girl started to say something, but her words trailed off as she took in the scene.

There, in the middle of the room, was Chen Lin holding Stelle down on the floor, her hands pinned behind her back.

Stelle squirmed beneath him, giggling eerily.

The black-haired young man paused for a moment before nodding in understanding. "I see. Perhaps we've come at a bad time."

"Should we… wait outside?" the girl suggested.

"Probably."

Realizing these two were likely the people sent to find him, Chen Lin's blood pressure spiked. As they turned to leave, he shouted desperately:

"Wait! Come help me! This girl is nuts!"

---

T/N: WHYYYYY COULDNT IT BE MEEEE

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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-With love, Nahida 🌱