Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [351]

"Too slow!"

Silver Wolf pouted, muttering under her breath like a sulking child.

Kafka cast her a gentle glance, the corners of her lips curving into a smile as she casually explained, "Ran into a little trouble on the way. Took some time to deal with it."

"And that somehow justifies you staring at me for half a system cycle before waking me up?"

"Not really~ I just thought you looked really comfortable sleeping. Didn't have the heart to wake you up, that's all."

Leaning against a tree, Silver Wolf watched as Kafka's graceful figure swayed slightly. Her eyes flickered, and the smile on her face gradually faded. Turning her head away, she asked, "What kind of trouble? Don't tell me you ran into that bastard who set me up?"

"Not quite." Kafka's voice was unhurried. "I came across two Psykers leading a team to track you down. I'm really curious—what exactly did you do to provoke them? That's a group I'd rather never have to deal with."

"Psykers? What are those?"

"The young master's personal guards. Each one is highly skilled—on par with the company's top mercenary leaders, if not more. The scary part is that their abilities are all unique and unpredictable. One time, after talking to you on comms, I almost got caught by them…"

Hearing this, Silver Wolf looked slightly surprised, a trace of doubt in her expression. "Those merc leaders are just a bunch of brainless muscleheads. No way they could catch you. Are these guys really that strong?"

Kafka tapped her lips in thought, then softly replied, "My 'Spirit Whisper' don't work on them. Or rather, they only work for a very short time—ten seconds at most. That time I nearly got caught… it was because I suddenly fell asleep."

"…Huh?"

Silver Wolf jumped down from the slope, looking baffled. "Since when is 'falling asleep in battle' a technique?"

Kafka simply shook her head in silence, ignoring the question and changing the subject instead. "You still haven’t told me what you did at noon to stir up such a huge commotion."

Kafka was currently undercover as a bartender at a local tavern. That afternoon, she had personally witnessed a massive deployment of psionic police conducting mental scans on the shopkeepers nearby. Eventually, even the Psykers got involved. Clearly, Silver Wolf had caused quite a stir.

But Silver Wolf remained indifferent. "Nothing major. I just wanted to top up some credits in an account I got my hands on. This place makes buying stuff with credits ridiculously complicated—and outrageously expensive!"

The entire Jarilo sector was notoriously unfriendly to those using credit-based currency. The inconvenience of transactions was one thing, but the real problem was that paying with credits versus using Strale or Shields was like night and day.

We’re talking hundreds of times the price!

Kafka had an I knew it expression as she nodded and asked again, "And… how much did you hack?"

"Not that much. Just a trillion Shields." Silver Wolf shrugged, as if she were discussing pocket change.

At that, a hint of dissatisfaction flickered in her eyes. "But the moment the money hit my account, some guy in a police uniform literally materialized out of thin air and said he was arresting me! Next thing I know, he smacks the ground where I was standing and leaves a crater several meters deep! How is that 'arresting' me?! That guy clearly wanted to kill me! So stingy…"

As the ultimate freeloader among the Stellaron Hunters, Silver Wolf had never spent a dime of her own money in any civilization she visited. Even when it came to getting her hands on rare game cartridges, she had… well, let’s just say, rather creative methods of acquiring them.

Forget Belobog—even at the company's headquarters on Pierpoint, she had no qualms about hacking in and stuffing her account full of credits!

Kafka: "…"

…Has it ever occurred to you that this isn’t about stinginess, but rather the astronomical scale of the money you stole?

In Belobog, someone earning 100 Shields a month could already afford a luxurious home, drive high-end cars, eat whatever they wanted, and buy whatever they pleased—perfect financial freedom.

Kafka thought for a moment. If she recalled correctly, Governor Chen Lin and Belobog’s official highest authority, Bronya, did receive salaries… but even those two only made about 300 Shields a month.

And here you are, casually hacking a trillion Shields in one go. Why not go the extra mile and hack yourself into the Qlipoth Fort throne while you're at it?

No wonder the Psykers were sent after you. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Qlipoth Fort itself must be aware of this by now…

…But oh well.

Kafka gently ruffled Silver Wolf's ponytail, suppressing a smile as she said indulgently, "I’ve been making good money here. Enough to support you, so don’t do this again."

"You’ve been making money here?" Silver Wolf asked, intrigued.

"Yep~" Kafka smiled. "I got a job as a bartender at a local tavern. The customers there are very interesting. Before we switch identities again, I’ll take you there for a visit. What do you think?"

Silver Wolf’s mouth twitched. She waved a hand dismissively.

“No thanks. Right now, I have a serious problem with the word ‘alcohol.’ Instead of drinking, I’d rather know how my darlings are doing. If they’re gone…”

Silver Wolf paused, gritting her teeth before continuing, “Once I have time, I’ll head to that tavern. The Masked Fools all have their own masks, right? If I don’t teach them a lesson, then I’m not Silver Wolf!”

Kafka chuckled but said nothing more.

The two of them moved along the outskirts of Belobog, carefully weaving through rarely traveled areas. Silver Wolf didn’t need to think much about the route—Kafka being here to pick her up meant the way into the city had already been planned out.

It wasn’t until some time later that Kafka finally stopped and said, “Use your Aether Editing to put up a disguise and some defenses. Most people here, aside from the workers from Xianzhou and immigrants from St. Belobog, have some degree of psionic ability. Be careful—police telepaths might pick up on your thoughts.”

Silver Wolf, who had been busy plotting revenge in her head, snapped back to reality and nodded.

“…Oh.”

They passed through several districts, and it was hours later when they finally reached the heart of Belobog.

Kafka led Silver Wolf to her seventeenth home in the city—an upscale, fully furnished apartment on the twenty-fifth floor of a high-rise, the kind where you could move in with just a suitcase.

As soon as they entered, Silver Wolf dove onto the soft couch, her body sinking into its plush cushions. The past few days in Jarilo had been hell.

She was supposed to be a legendary hacker, feared across civilizations, someone who could thrive anywhere. So why had she been forging fake passports to get past border security and running from psionic police like some low-level crook…?

And now, according to Kafka, she was probably going to be placed on Jarilo’s most-wanted list, with the Psykers personally hunting her down. If she so much as tried using her abilities, she’d be caught instantly.

Silver Wolf slumped deeper into the couch, frustrated.

Doesn’t this make me completely useless?

Yet, despite her irritation, there was an odd sense of comfort in lying there, feeling the soft fabric against her skin.

…Maybe being useless isn’t so bad after all.

Though she had been on the run, Silver Wolf’s Aether Editing ensured she remained spotless. Kafka handed her a pair of fluffy bunny slippers before sitting beside her and asking,

“So, what’s your plan now?”

“Tomorrow, I’m heading to that damn fort to expose the fake parading around with my face—right in front of that bastard.”

Kafka didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she walked to the fridge, took out two cans of beer, pressed one against Silver Wolf’s cheek, and opened the other for herself.

“If you go in like that, you’ll run into trouble.”

Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow. “What trouble? We passed through that area earlier, and there was barely anyone around. Sneaking in should be a piece of cake.”

Kafka shook her head with a smile.

“There are at least tens of thousands of Psykers inside. If you just barge in, you will have problems.”

“…Hah?! How come I didn’t see them?”

“They’re hidden in a special space. Of course you wouldn’t see or sense them.”

Silver Wolf sat up, cradling her beer as she took small sips. Hearing Kafka’s explanation, she suddenly turned to her.

“…And how do you know that?”

Kafka gave her a knowing smile. “Heh, what do you think?”

“…Fine, I get it.”

Silver Wolf curled up, feeling utterly miserable.

I can’t do this, I can’t do that—what kind of governor needs an entire hidden army of Psykers just lying in wait?!

She pictured that smug bastard’s infuriating smirk. If he were in front of her right now, she wouldn’t hesitate to punch him.

She wasn’t mad about how tightly Qlipoth Fort was guarded. What pissed her off was the fact that he couldn’t even recognize his own imposter! He was being played like a fool and didn’t even realize it!

And considering how unpredictable the Masked Fools were, who knew what kind of nonsense the fake Silver Wolf might pull?

Like…

…playing eroge together?!

The thought made her ears suddenly burn red.

“Arghhh! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot—!”

Kafka watched in amusement as the girl suddenly attacked the pillow in her arms, venting all her frustration on the helpless cushion. Smiling, she took another sip of beer but said nothing.

When Silver Wolf finally stopped to catch her breath, her mask suddenly slipped off her head. But before it could hit the ground, an invisible force caught it, suspending it in midair between them.

Silver Wolf froze for a second, then immediately scowled.

“If you’ve got the guts, come out and face me—”

Before she could finish, Kafka cut her off, still holding her beer as she gazed at the floating mask with a pleasant smile.

“All Masked Fools have their own titles. Though they all pursue ultimate pleasure, their methods vary. So… which one might you be?” Her voice was teasing, but her eyes were sharp. “Of course, if you don’t want to say, that’s fine. But among those who would go this far—even targeting a Stellaron Hunter—the list is… quite limited.”

The Stellaron Hunters didn’t exactly have a good reputation. Most saw them as lunatics or agents of chaos. Practically every major force in the cosmos had clashed with them at some point.

Even the Interastral Peace Corporation, one of the wealthiest and most powerful entities in existence, had suffered plenty of losses at their hands. They even issued bounties on the Stellaron Hunters—so ridiculously high that they exceeded even the most elite assassination contracts.

Then again, every single bounty hunter who had tried to collect on those rewards had mysteriously vanished.

Because the only ones crazy enough to hunt lunatics… were lunatics themselves.

The number of Masked Fools frequenting the tavern wasn’t high. That alone narrowed things down.

And on top of that, the Stellaron Hunters personally knew a few Masked Fools. Finding out who had been behind the scheme to frame Silver Wolf wouldn’t be difficult.

Especially since the Stellaron Hunters had plenty of ways to track someone down.

“…Oh nooo, I’m so scared~”

The red-and-white fox mask swayed from side to side, as if its true owner was standing there, arms crossed, trembling dramatically.

Silver Wolf wasn’t an idiot—she knew full well the other party was messing with her. That realization only made her angrier.

“Do you have my stuff or not?!”

“That’s right~ Silver Wolf of Punklorde,” the voice from the mask sighed. “I was just joking around. No need to act like it’s life or death, hmm?”

The fox mask drifted closer to Silver Wolf’s ear and whispered, “How about this? I heard there’s a rare Aether cartridge hidden in Herta Space Station. What if I snag it for you?”

The playful tone made it clear they weren’t taking things seriously at all. Silver Wolf turned away with an irritated huff, swatting the mask aside.

“You think you are? If I want something, I’ll get it myself. Herta Space Station is nothing—I come and go as I please.”

“Aww, fine~”

The fox mask floated back between them, muttering to itself. “If there were anywhere else fun to be, I wouldn’t have come poking around a colleague’s turf. I’ve always been curious about the Empire, but I just couldn’t bring myself to steal someone else’s fun. So, I had to get creative~”

Kafka rested her chin on her hand, watching the mask with a lazy smile as she sipped her beer. She didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

The atmosphere fell into a brief silence before the mask spoke again.

“Well, since you two are so curious about my identity… or rather, since you Stellaron Hunters seem to want me to play along with your little script, I suppose a proper introduction is in order.”

Silver Wolf scowled. Script? She’d never been given any script from Elio. As far as she was concerned, she was completely in the dark about what was going on in Jarilo—she didn’t even know what Kafka’s plan was.

But hearing that the other was about to reveal themselves, she focused intently, determined not to miss a word.

“Now, now, no need to be so serious, dear~ Listen carefully! I’m just an ordinary little Masked Fool from the tavern. You can call me—”

…Call you what?

Silver Wolf tensed. She would have her revenge on whoever had set her up. No matter what it took.

The fox mask deliberately stretched out its words.

“—You can call me the beautiful hacker, Silver Wolf~!”

Silver Wolf: “…”

Her fists clenched. This bastard is even more infuriating than that idiot governor!

“Hehehe~ Just kidding! My name’s Sparkle, just a humble Masked Fool, playing for fun~ You two must have heard of me, right? Of course, even if you haven’t, that’s fine! What matters is that we enjoy this little game of ours… don’t you think?”

Enjoy your damn game. Right now, Silver Wolf just wanted to punch something.

“My intel tells me that behind the mysterious gate so highly valued by the entire Jarilo sector… lies countless secrets. And of course I wouldn’t miss out on something that fun!”

Kafka chuckled, twirling the can in her hand. “Miss Sparkle, I assume your goal of infiltrating Jarilo has already been met. By now, crafting a few fake identities should be child’s play for you.”

She slowly lifted her gaze, her smile deepening. “Isn’t it about time you returned the identity, appearance, and everything else to their rightful owner?”

“Ohh, now that’s not very fair.”

The fox mask suddenly zipped forward, stopping just in front of Silver Wolf’s forehead.

“Ever heard of body swap stories? I think it was back in… the Amber Era? Some movie made by the Interastral Peace Corporation became a huge hit across the universe. And I thought, wow, that’s a fun concept~!”

The mask floated away again, its voice light and carefree. “Sadly, I can’t swap bodies. But swapping faces? Now that is easy~ Want yours back? Then let’s play another game.”

“This one is called… hmm…! Detective Sparkle and the Case of the Two Silver Wolves~!”

“I’ll write the rules down on a little note for you both. Good luck, oh great Game Master! I can’t wait to see how you handle this challenge, hehehe…”

“Oh, right! One last thing—”

“Your face and your mask? They’re mine now. So be very careful with them~ If they get damaged… well, getting them back will be a lot harder~”

With that, eerie flames engulfed the mask. As the fire burned away, the mask lost its buoyancy—falling unceremoniously to the floor with a plop.

Silver Wolf’s chest rose and fell as she seethed, while Kafka, on the other hand, was desperately holding back laughter.

“Game Master… Who the hell are you calling Game Master?! Say that again, I dare you!!”

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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!