Stellaris Tech Tree HSR

Chen Lin stood up abruptly.

Good thing I'm not in my original world right now—otherwise, tonight's trending videos would feature a guy with a bowl cut being harassed by a clingy weirdo.

Despite his frustration, he eventually escaped Stelle's clutches with the help of the two strangers, following the pink-haired girl in the blue dress to another room.

March 7th had been utterly shocked. At first, she thought it was just some odd roleplay between a couple, only to realize it was one-sided harassment!

Few people would enjoy being randomly pestered by a stranger, no matter how attractive the other person might be. Such abrupt behavior was bound to alarm anyone.

She glanced at Chen Lin, standing nearby in his slippers. He was undeniably handsome, and there was an enticing aura about him that made one instinctively want to get closer. Maybe… maybe Stelle's behavior wasn't entirely unjustifiable.

Still, she couldn't help but ask, "You're sure you two didn't know each other before this?"

"Nope."

Chen Lin's answer was immediate, without hesitation.

March 7th scratched her head, unsure how to continue the conversation. Before she could say more, Chen Lin broke the silence with a question.

"Miss March 7th, could you tell me where we are?"

"Wait—you don't even know where this is?"

"No idea. I don't remember much," Chen Lin replied with a helpless shrug. "I only recall that I'm a researcher."

Of course, this was the cover story he had already prepared. Who would believe a tale about transmigrating from another world? Claiming amnesia seemed like the safer, more believable option. After all, he genuinely didn't know much about this place, which wasn't far from the truth.

March 7th sighed. "That's... complicated."

"This is the Herta Space Station. Judging by your clothes, neither of you seems to be staff here..."

Space station?!

The words struck Chen Lin like a thunderclap.

If this was a space station, didn't that mean he was currently in outer space?

Since the rooms and corridors lacked windows, he hadn't seen the outside scenery. Now, learning he was in space, he felt his heart skip a beat.

Other people transmigrate to fantasy worlds with swords and magic or end up scheming in royal courts. At worst, they're stuck on solid ground. Why the hell am I floating in space?

Chen Lin felt a wave of despair. "So… what happens next?"

"First, let's head to the station master, Asta. Maybe she recognizes you two."

March 7th paused mid-sentence, then brightened. "If she doesn't, you could come with us instead! Join me on an adventure!"

"What kind of adventure?"

"Oh, right, I didn't introduce myself properly! I'm a member of the Astral Express, along with Dan Heng. The Express is docked in this station right now. We were sent to rescue people here on Asta's request. Normally, we travel to different planets for all sorts of exciting adventures!"

March 7th's eyes sparkled as she spoke, her enthusiasm boundless as she shared tales of her travels.

Her words mostly rambled, but Chen Lin gathered the gist: the Astral Express was searching for objects called Stellaron to seal them. The so-called adventures involved the dangers and breathtaking sights encountered during those missions.

Most importantly, the Astral Express had warp technology!

If that was true, perhaps he could use the train to search for a way back home.

Chen Lin considered this carefully but quickly abandoned the idea.

Earth's space technology wasn't advanced enough for casual interstellar travel. The farthest observable galaxy, MAMBO-9, was 13 billion light-years away. Chen Lin didn't even know where he was now—returning to the Milky Way felt like a pipe dream.

Still, the Express's warp technology intrigued him. If he could adapt the knowledge stored in his mind from Stellaris to recreate warp engines, it might drastically improve his chances of survival.

As for going home… he'd need to stay alive long enough for that to matter.

Chen Lin nodded, having decided his next steps. "Alright, I'll leave the rest to you, Miss March 7th."

"Just call me March. Don't worry, I understand how you feel—after all, I've lost my memories too. Relax, I'll take care of you!"

Excited at the prospect of gaining a new companion, March's sense of responsibility as a senior member of the crew flared to life. Puffing out her chest, she patted it with confidence.

---

Meanwhile, in another room, Dan Heng seemed to have finished speaking with Stelle. The two of them rejoined the group, walking side by side.

From Stelle's expression, it was clear Dan Heng had given her a lecture and filled in some gaps in her knowledge. As soon as she saw Chen Lin, she lowered her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong."

"It's fine. You've lost your memories too—I understand."

"Mm!" Stelle nodded firmly.

Dan Heng observed their interaction with a satisfied expression, then addressed March. "March, her name is Stelle. Like you, she has amnesia and remembers nothing besides her name. Let's take them outside for now."

"Wow! The Amnesiac Trio!"

Dan Heng blinked. "?"

"Oh, by the way, his name is Chen Lin, and he's lost his memories too!" March said smugly. "He even agreed to join us on our adventures! How's that for recruitment skills, huh?"

March stood with her hands on her hips, practically radiating pride.

Dan Heng sighed after a moment of silence. "Take them outside for now. I'll bring Arlan to the main control compartment and meet you there."

"Got it! Leave it to me!"

"Let's hope so."

As Dan Heng left, March handed Chen Lin a baseball bat she had found somewhere.

"You'll need this to protect yourself."

"I don't need it. Stelle can use it if she wants," Chen Lin replied, shaking his head.

He didn't need such a rudimentary weapon. In the [Fleet Designer] section of his Stellaris interface, he had discovered he could edit his available weapon technologies. For a minimal alloy cost, he could create whatever he needed.

In Stellaris, most of these bizarre weapons were designed to be mounted on ships, their sheer size making them impractical for human use. However, aside from ship equipment slots, Chen Lin had also discovered his own name listed—along with a personal dock.

It seemed he could edit his own equipment slots.

Stelle silently took the baseball bat and nodded in response to Chen Lin's suggestion. She ran her fingers across the back of his hand as she did so, a subtle gleam appearing at the corner of her lips.

"?"

Chen Lin blinked, feeling inexplicably uneasy.

---

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