Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [334]

The next day, the storm finally passed.

At the camp on the outskirts of Tamz Star’s capital, the Yutu Battalion slowly regained consciousness.

In their endless desert dreamscape, they had wandered for what felt like weeks. When they opened their eyes and saw their comrades again, a wave of overwhelming relief washed over them—they had survived.

Tears glistened in their eyes as they embraced one another. It was a celebration of life, of enduring against all odds.

Soon, however, they learned the truth from the Yun Cavalry soldiers who had come to rescue them—they had only survived thanks to Governor Chen.

He had spent the entire night tirelessly working behind the scenes, finding a way to return their lost consciousnesses to their bodies. Without him, they wouldn’t be here.

Their gratitude deepened.

Many silently vowed that one day, they would find a way to repay this debt.

When Li Sushang awoke, a dull pain throbbed in her chest—like she had been hit with a few stones. Even breathing felt uncomfortable.

Nearby, a fire crackled in the stove, its embers swirling in the updraft. Bright sparks occasionally leapt into the air before vanishing into the ash.

A man and a woman sat around the fire, their faces softened by the flickering glow, engaged in quiet conversation.

“…You’re awake?”

The young man turned his head, locking eyes with Sushang just as she was about to sit up.

“Haha, Master…”

“We’ve gathered all the useful intel here. Get your things in order—we’re leaving before nightfall.”

“…Huh?”

Sushang blinked.

She had expected to stay here for months, maybe even years. After all, even as a new recruit, she knew full well how the Yun Cavalry operated—deployments often stretched on for decades without a return home.

Yet they were leaving after just a few days?

Then what was the point of coming here? A sightseeing trip?!

Unable to hold back, she blurted out:

“Wait—weren’t you here to handle something important?”

“I handled it.” Chen Lin shrugged. “Finished up not long before you woke up.”

The final piece of the Tamz Star Nano-Robot Mystery had been uncovered.

[Revelation Protocol: Origins]

[Our scientists successfully hacked into what remained of the Nano-Robot processing systems.]
[After sorting through mountains of fragmented data, they finally uncovered the origins of the Revelation Protocol.]

[Long ago, the civilization that first created these nano-robots discovered mysterious energy vortices appearing throughout their star system.]
[These vortices expelled all sorts of organic and inorganic debris—even fragments of entire planets.]

[The early nano-robots went berserk, consuming the foreign materials in an attempt to extract and replicate their properties.]
[Some of them, however, became infected with an unknown energy contained within the debris.]
[Thus, the Revelation Protocol was born—created by their masters, integrating this foreign energy with native technology.]

[It was embedded into every nano-robot, pacifying their initial rampage.]

[Our research suggests that the mysterious energy they encountered might be fundamentally similar to psionics.]
[The Revelation Protocol Code was a groundbreaking invention—it stabilized the collective behavior of nano-robots, restricting their actions while simultaneously fostering the development of a sophisticated AI.]

[It’s possible their creators had always hoped the nano-robots would one day evolve into the perfect form of life.]
[This could explain why they were programmed with the Revelation Code to begin with.]

[However, something doesn’t add up.]
[Unlike conventional programming, these codes seem to possess sentience.]
[They continuously rewrite and adapt themselves, which could lead to catastrophic errors in their logic…]

[Choose an action:]

① "You’re right… but these codes are beautiful."
(Gain 42,575 Unity; Gain permanent empire modifier ‘Revelation Code Utilization’: +15% monthly research output for Physics, Society, and Engineering; Ends the Tamz Nano-Crisis event chain.)

② "There are no ‘errors’ where weapons can reach!"
(Gain 42,575 Unity; Gain permanent empire modifier ‘Revelation Code Warfare’: +25% damage to nano-robotic units; +10 nano-robot units per defeated enemy fleet; Ends the Tamz Nano-Crisis event chain.)

Greedy people stay greedy to the end.

For enemies that couldn’t be beaten, a 25% damage boost was useless.

For nano-robot units, an extra 10 wasn’t needed for now.

That left only one option—the permanent research boost.

Chen Lin, a man who suffered from chronic Research Point Deficiency Syndrome, naturally chose the first option—bringing his mission on Tamz Star to a close.

He had stripped this place clean of its secrets.

Not only had he secured permanent empire-wide bonuses, but he had also gained key insights into the history of the nano-robots.

A massive success.

Moreover, the L-Gates truly were different.

Even the history of the nano-robots had diverged here. Internal conflicts had escalated to full-blown war, an irreversible fracture among their kind.

If there was ever a right time to open the gates—this was it.

...

As Chen Lin finished explaining, Sushang just stared at him.

Slowly, she processed the realization.

So… the Yun Cavalry really DID just come here for sightseeing?!

…Well, not exactly.

They had played a role—as ground forces, they had triggered the event conditions and provided backup in case of emergencies.

After all, no one had anticipated Tamz Star turning into a wasteland.

Sushang hesitated before asking in a small voice:

“So… Master, should I start packing?”

“Mm. Luofu needs to prepare for war.”

“The Nano Catastrophe threatens every civilization in this galaxy—including Luofu.”

Then, Chen Lin suddenly smiled—a kind, yet profoundly menacing expression.

“…But not you.”

“You’re coming back to Belobog with me.”

“I’ll find you a teacher. Until you’ve mastered Psionic Theory, you’re not leaving the Jarilo-VI System—not even a single step.”

“…Huh?!”

“What do you mean ‘huh’?”

Chen Lin’s voice was calm.

“I was too busy planning strategic development before. Did you really think I was just letting you run wild?”

“…No…”

Sushang shrank back instinctively.

She had been raised never to talk back to her teacher.

Besides… when she first told her mother about taking a new master in Luofu, the only response she got was:

"Study well under your new teacher. If you slack off, I’ll have a ‘special treat’ waiting for you when you come home."

Sushang hated special treats.

Because in her mother’s vocabulary, “special treat” meant getting her ass whooped so hard she’d be bedridden for weeks.

Chen Lin turned away.

“Pack up. Also—”

“If you’re feeling well enough, join the other Yun Cavalry and bring back as many Tamz corpses as possible. I’m taking them back for research.”

“Got it!”

Sushang grinned.

At least she had a bit of freedom before her ‘prison sentence’ began.

She leapt off the bed and dashed out the door—didn’t even bother fixing her messy hair.

Chen Lin watched her vanish.

“…Still fast on her feet.”

Fu Xuan, watching from the side, waited until Chen Lin returned to his seat before speaking softly:

“You’re not planning on telling your little apprentice the truth?”

“…No need.”

Chen Lin shook his head with a smile.

“That girl became my disciple to learn psionics and swordsmanship, not to help me govern a nation. As long as she masters psionics and integrates it with her swordplay, we’ll have a real spectacle to watch when the Sword Champion’s Tournament comes around…”

Fu Xuan paused, giving him a long look before speaking.

“Since when did you develop such a taste for chaos?”

“I always have.” Chen Lin winked, though his tone remained completely serious.

“Speaking of which, Fu-jie, when you return, send me everything Luofu has on the ‘Masked Fools’. Since they’ve shown up on my turf without even bothering to hide, I’d like to know exactly what they’re up to.”

“Understood.” Fu Xuan gave a slight nod before asking, “And the Stellaron Hunter that the General encountered—how do you intend to deal with her?”

Chen Lin gritted his teeth.

“I’d like to punch her twice first.”

“…?”

“For over a year since I returned to Belobog, I kept getting security reports from Swarm, our chief cybersecurity engineer."

“First it was an intrusion here. Then another there."

“I kept wondering which little bastard was behind it all—turns out, it was her.”

Chen Lin’s gaze settled on the chessboard before him. His emotions quickly smoothed out as he resumed his game with Fu Xuan.

“Of course, that’s just me venting.”

“If she’s truly here to help, I’ll gladly accept the favor.”

“But if she’s just here to make trouble… I’ll remember that too.”

Fu Xuan nodded.

“As long as you don’t act recklessly, I have no further advice.”

Chen Lin tapped his fingers against the board thoughtfully.

“I expected the gate’s activation to draw a lot of attention, but I never thought it would interest the Stellaron Hunters too."

“Even Punklorde’s invisible emperor was sent in person."

“That’s… quite the move.”

Fu Xuan agreed.

As they spoke, Chen Lin’s eyes drifted back to the chessboard. Something about the piece placements felt… off.

“…Wait. Did I mess up my positioning?”

Fu Xuan raised an eyebrow.

“What… What do you mean?”

Chen Lin chuckled.

“Eh, maybe I just remembered wrong.”

...

Five minutes later…

Fu Xuan lost again.

That marked her 130th game against Chen Lin—out of which, she had lost 60 times and drawn 70 times.

She bit down lightly on her finger, replaying the match in her mind, her pale cheeks flushing red as she counted all the times Chen Lin had outmaneuvered her.

“…Another round!”

“You sure?”

“…Hm?”

“…Fine, fine.”

He used to play chess and chat with Jing Yuan all the time.

This was the first time he had ever played against Fu Xuan during a mission.

And her chess skills?

Blunt, no territory control, always snatching edges, and falling for every bait.

In short: terrible, but way too enthusiastic.

---

Belobog – Umbracelock Prison

A fortress designed to imprison high-level psionic criminals.

Every inmate locked inside had once wielded great psionic power, using their abilities to commit heinous acts.

The moment they were captured, Pela would personally shatter their psionic potential, rendering them completely powerless.

It was an absolute measure—one that could not be bypassed.

No one could be imprisoned here without the direct approval of either Supreme Guardian Bronya or Governor Chen Lin.

Within the prison’s damp, dimly lit halls…

The usual playful smile on Phantylia’s face had vanished.

Replaced by an icy stare.

She stood before a cell etched with glowing psionic runes, designed to devour all energy that existed within its confines.

Even an elite of the Psionic Guards would be unable to escape unscathed if locked inside.

And standing across from her—bound by these very runes—was a man who had not stopped yelling about his innocence.

“Oh, my heavens!"

“A woman so breathtakingly beautiful—as if painted onto the very fabric of reality!"

“Eyes that shine like the stars themselves!"

“Please, O radiant lady, hear out this humble Sampo Koski—a most noble-hearted soul who came only to deliver a friendly warning!"

“I swear, I am no spy, no Emanator, no Masked Fool agent—Sampo hasn’t the faintest clue what any of those words even mean! Truly!”

Phantylia simply smiled.

She examined the man before her—who had been shouting his lungs out for hours, yet remained full of energy.

Then she let out a quiet snort of amusement, crossed her arms, and fell silent.

Sampo’s smile stiffened.

“…You wound me."

“To think that Sampo Koski once fought side by side with Governor Chen for the liberation of Belobog!"

“I was even the one who led him through the Underworld when he first arrived!"

“And yet, here I am, imprisoned in Belobog as a ‘dangerous trespasser’—ah, what a cruel twist of fate!"

“Sampo’s heart grows cold…”

Phantylia rested her chin on her hand, pretending to listen.

“Oh, sure, sure. Keep going. I’m listening.”

“…I want to see Governor Chen!”

“He’s away on official business. Not back yet.”

“Then I want to see the Supreme Guardian!”

“Bronya’s busy.”

“…Then what now?”

“You sit here and behave.”

She casually examined her fingernails, completely ignoring his shouting.

Her job was to guard the prisoner.

Nothing more.

Sampo’s face fell into despair.

His disguise had been perfect.

How did this foxian girl see through him so easily?

It made no sense…

As he pondered, his expression brightened once more.

He flashed his signature grin.

“Hahaha… Miss, listen—Sampo Koski has already been searched, you’ve read my mind, and even my fruit knife—my one and only fruit knife—has been confiscated!"

“There’s no way I’m a bad guy."

“So how about this—give me a chance to prove my innocence!"

“Come on, be reasonable!”

---

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!