Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [309]

Military parades were a common and significant event among various civilizations—a grand spectacle meant to showcase national power, bolster military prestige, and project the unwavering strength of a civilization.

Across 365 system days, nearly every day, some civilization would hold a military parade for one reason or another. Any leader who had held power for long enough had likely been invited to attend more than one such event.

However, while parades held on terrestrial planets were a familiar sight, this was the first time any of them had witnessed a parade conducted in the vastness of space.

To say they weren’t excited would be a lie.

Above the blazing star of the Jarilo system, atop the colossal Skytower Fortress—an orbital structure the size of a city—nearly two hundred leaders from various civilizations had gathered.

Including their accompanying family members, the total number of distinguished guests had already exceeded 700.

Through the massive observation windows spanning thousands of meters, the entirety of the Star Corridor was laid bare before their eyes.

A breathtaking construct of transparent corridors stretched across the endless void of space, visible even to the naked eye.

As they beheld it, a single thought surfaced in the minds of many:

Just how massive is this engineering marvel?

How long did the Empire take to construct such a spectacle?

If our civilization were tasked with building it, would we even be capable? How long would it take us to finish?

At each seat lay a device resembling a pair of glasses. According to the provided instructions, this device was a ‘toy’ developed by the Empire’s research institute.

Utilizing phase miniaturization technology and psionic sensors, it allowed viewers to experience the parade through millions of different vantage points scattered across the event area, offering a truly immersive experience.

More astonishingly, the glasses could simulate cross-space tactile sensations, allowing wearers to physically feel changes in their chosen viewpoint—an innovation derived from Seele’s own phase-shifting abilities.

For years, the Empire’s research institute had been studying and developing new applications for her psionic powers.

Now, they had successfully devised a method to synchronize a user’s consciousness between different phase points.

Not only could wearers sync their minds with phase perspectives, but they could also enter a quasi-phase state, where their physical bodies could experience the real-world environment of their chosen perspective—without any actual harm.

In simpler terms, it was essentially a real-life out-of-body experience.

With the assistance of the maid staff from the Qlipoth Fort, the guests connected their devices.

Excited murmurs filled the room as they eagerly switched between various viewpoints, adjusting their perspectives at will.

If they so desired, they could even absorb all the available viewpoints simultaneously, imprinting them directly into their minds.

Under Topaz’s directives, experienced broadcasters from her department were assigned as news recorders and commentators. Their voices could be toggled on or off by the guests.

Additionally, Jarilo’s local television networks and select journalists from other civilizations—who had passed strict screenings—had been permitted to document the parade. These individuals had been stationed on the lower levels of Skytower Fortress to carry out their coverage.

However, it wasn’t long before some of the leaders—tinkering with their perspective controls—noticed something unusual.

At the far end of the Star Corridor, densely packed figures and equipment filled the space.

Just how many troops were there?!

Little did they know, Chen Lin had mobilized 80% of Jarilo-VI’s ground forces for this military exercise—totaling in the tens of millions.

This included vast numbers of mechanized armor units, as well as airborne divisions attached to the army.

The sheer scale of the formation, aligned in meticulously structured battalions at the starting point of the parade, was beyond anything these leaders had ever witnessed.

"A tide… A tide of steel…"

One leader murmured, his voice trembling.

Another, seated within the same coordinate space, muttered, "This… doesn’t seem reasonable.

"Just maintaining one percent of this force would be an unbearable economic burden for us…"

"Militarism… this is militarism taken to an extreme…"

Even from the thousand-meter vantage point within the Star Corridor, the gleaming steel formations below stretched endlessly into the horizon.

It was no wonder the leaders felt a chill creeping into their bones.

After all, maintaining an interplanetary-capable army was a monumental drain on resources.

The research, development, and manufacturing of such military equipment alone were enough to bankrupt some civilizations—never mind the astronomical maintenance costs that followed.

Ordinary civilizations had to carefully balance their resource allocation.

Who had the luxury of maintaining a permanently armed force of this magnitude?

It simply wasn’t sustainable!

At that moment, an impassioned voice broke through the hushed murmurs.

The other leaders turned their focus to the speaker—none other than the usually silent Emperor of Rilusia.

"Hah… Short-sighted."

"Why aren’t any of you questioning how the Empire managed to deploy such an overwhelming force—along with all this heavy equipment—into the Star Corridor overnight?"

"…!"

"…Hsss—!"

The realization struck like a bolt of lightning.

Yesterday morning, some of the leaders—escorted by the Empire’s Psionic Guard—had visited the outskirts of the First Army District to observe a military drill.

They had remained there until noon before returning to attend the banquet.

This meant that as of yesterday morning and midday, a significant portion of the Empire’s army had still been stationed on Jarilo-VI.

Now, in less than a day, the entire force had been relocated into space—fully assembled and battle-ready.

Silence fell over the room.

Had their consciousness been capable of sweating, these leaders would already be drenched.

A single, unanimous thought formed in their minds:

Under no circumstances…

…should this army ever be allowed to set foot on our planets.

If they were to land… it would be nothing short of a one-sided slaughter.

As most of the leaders focused their projections near the starting point of the Star Corridor, fewer chose to position themselves in the more distant areas with less optimal visibility.

Herta rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Isn't this scale a bit… excessive? What do you think, Screwllum?"

"I, too, am quite astonished, my friend."

Screwllum no longer concerned himself with why, as an inorganic lifeform, he could seamlessly connect to a psionic interface. Instead, he answered,

"This is the second-largest and most comprehensively equipped military force I have ever seen—its technology remains at the cutting edge of development."

"And the largest?"

Herta quickly answered her own question.

"Oh, I get it. You're probably talking about that anti-organic army from the interstellar war, right?"

"Based on historical data records and my personal observations," Screwllum replied,

"At least 50 billion inorganic combat units were activated under the anti-organic protocol during the War of the God-Emperor."

"…Suddenly, the size of his army doesn’t seem that outrageous anymore."

Herta absently stroked the chin of her intricately crafted puppet body.

"What's the population-to-military ratio?"

Screwllum inquired,

"Query: What is the total population of the Jarilo Sector? And its military size?"

Herta rolled her eyes.

"How should I know?"

"The prevailing theory suggests that an ideal military force should not exceed 0.5% of a civilization’s total population."

"Any higher, and it becomes difficult to balance military expenditures with economic stability."

Screwllum continued his calculations.

"Reminder: According to the Jarilo commentator’s statement 4 minutes and 53 seconds ago, the number of troops participating in this parade is exactly 31 million."

"Estimation: The total population of the Jarilo Sector should be between 5.5 billion and 6.2 billion."

"You’re probably right, but I still feel like the actual population of the Jarilo Sector isn’t that high."

"That information is classified."

"Aside from top leadership, no one should have access to the exact figures."

"However, I would speculate that the precise number is irrelevant."

"Based on the Empire’s general economic capacity, fully arming every single imperial citizen is not beyond the realm of possibility."

Herta couldn’t help but shrug, flashing a mischievous grin.

"Fair enough. Doesn’t really matter."

"But I bet it scared the hell out of everyone else."

"Now that—that was a real power move."

"Forgive me for being blunt," Screwllum said as he turned to her, maintaining his usual gentlemanly demeanor.

"But, my friend… your taste is not exactly one that aligns with mainstream values."

Herta scoffed, crossing her arms.

"Who cares? Have I ever been concerned about other people's opinions?"

"If you were in my place, would you care about the criticisms of a bunch of fools?"

Their gazes met.

Even though this was merely an extension of their manifested consciousness, Screwllum could still perceive the unique sense of pride and unshakable confidence in Herta’s eyes.

Her arrogance stemmed from a recognition of power.

Her candor was born from an unshakable certainty in her own vision.

Screwllum replied,

"No. Among those I know, only Mr. Ratio might care."

"He enjoys lecturing those he considers ‘mediocre.’"

"You mean that guy—the one who says he wants to die every time he encounters an idiot, a dumbass, or a moron?"

Herta waved dismissively.

"Doesn’t matter. He’s part of the Genius Society, after all."

"Query: What is your opinion on Mr. Chen Lin’s invitation to Miss Ruan Mei?"

"Invitation?"

Herta waved her hand as if swatting away an annoying fly.

"It’s just a transaction, nothing more."

"But I’d say this trip was worthwhile for me."

"That place—what he calls 'The Shroud'—gave me a lot of inspiration."

"As long as I’ve gained something, I don’t care what happens to anyone else."

Screwllum responded,

"I, too, have made a breakthrough in my current research limitations."

"An excellent experience."

"See? Told you I wouldn’t lie."

Herta glanced around at the extraordinary spectacle unfolding before them.

"From the moment I first met him, I sensed a restless ambition inside him."

"I wasn’t entirely certain at first,"

"But once I heard that Jarilo-VI was integrated into the Interstellar Rift Empire under his guidance, I knew I wasn’t mistaken."

She straightened with a self-satisfied air, practically beaming with pride.

If her face could fit the words Praise me already, they’d be written across her forehead.

Screwllum was long accustomed to her antics and humored her with a few compliments.

Just as he did, both of them felt another consciousness entering their projected space.

Turning, they found Asta and Ruan Mei approaching.

"Mr. Screwllum, Miss Herta," Asta greeted them politely.

To her, everyone present was someone worthy of deep respect.

"There’s no need for formality, Miss Asta."

Screwllum returned the gesture in accordance with the customs of his kind.

"Query: Where have you two been?"

Ruan Mei gazed toward the distant expanse of space, speaking softly.

"A lot of people have projected their consciousnesses in that direction."

"But weren’t they all clustered around this corridor earlier?" Herta asked, puzzled.

At the start, everyone had been scattered, freely exploring.

The four of them had agreed to meet at this location, and Screwllum had even disconnected briefly to remind the others of the rendezvous point.

But then he and Herta had ended up waiting for far longer than expected.

Asta scratched her head sheepishly.

"Well, when Ruan Mei and I got here, we overheard someone saying they spotted the outline of a fleet, so we, uh… went to check it out!"

"A fleet?"

Herta paused, then realization dawned.

"Oh, right. I nearly forgot—the Empire follows that whole ‘orbital supremacy’ military doctrine."

"Asta mentioned it to me on the way here."

"Yep, yep, yep!

"Chen told me about it, and during the banquet—when you all skipped out—he publicly explained it, too."

"The Empire’s military doctrine places its primary focus on space-based supremacy."

"While ground forces are important, they play a more stabilizing role in this doctrine rather than a decisive one."

Screwllum nodded slightly.

"When I first observed the escort fleets, I had several lingering questions."

"So this is a different strategic focus."

"Fascinating…"

"But also incredibly costly."

As they spoke, an exhilarating melody suddenly echoed through space.

Screwllum instinctively glanced downward.

Amidst the distant formations, he spotted large bands of military musicians—each equipped with instruments, their music amplified across the entire parade.

He was taken aback.

He had assumed that their ability to communicate in this space was purely due to psionic technology.

But evidently…

There was more to it than that.

Asta, noticing their expressions of surprise, chuckled.

"Take a look farther out."

"Do you notice anything different?"

"Different?"

Herta scanned the surroundings carefully.

She suddenly spotted something unusual—far in the distance, strange colors swirled like spiraling vortexes.

As someone who had studied Psionic Theory extensively, realization struck her instantly.

She gasped.

"Psionic shielding?!"

"That’s right," Asta confirmed.

"Chen told me—

"Once everyone entered Skytower Fortress, over a million psions would simultaneously channel their power to envelop the entire parade area."

"Oh, and he also said he’d figure out a way to fill this space with breathable air!"

Just as she finished speaking, the stirring notes of The Belobog March softened.

Suddenly, all of the guests’ phase-coordinates synchronized—

And Pela’s voice resonated across the entire psionic-shielded space, amplified as if through a microphone.

"Now presenting…

"Governor of the Interstellar Rift Empire’s Jarilo Sector,"

"Supreme Commander of the Jarilo Armed Forces,"

"Director of the Jarilo Imperial Research Institute,"

"Chairman of the Qlipoth Fort Political Bureau…"

"Governor Chen Lin, delivering an important address!"

In the Star Corridor, tens of millions of ground troops raised their heads toward Skytower Fortress.

All guests instinctively withdrew their projected consciousnesses, returning to the observation deck.

At the highest balcony of Skytower Fortress, Chen Lin stood firm—like an immovable tree rooted at the peak.

Nearby, holograms displayed his image in perfect clarity.

The Corporation was broadcasting the event live across countless civilizations.

And then, Chen Lin spoke—

His voice ringing across the stars.

"Citizens of the Empire, leaders from across the galaxy, representatives of the Interstellar Peace Corporation, and all the soldiers standing in formation before us—"

"Today marks one and a half years since the people of Jarilo achieved victory over the catastrophe of the Stellaron."

"It marks 748 years of relentless struggle."

"And it is the first grand military parade since Jarilo officially joined the Interstellar Rift Empire—one year and eight months ago—after successfully rebuilding its armed forces."

"A year and a half ago, I made a promise to the people of Jarilo."

"I told them that their future was no longer bound to the frozen wastelands beneath their feet, that they, too, could gaze upon the distant stars and claim their place among them."

"I vowed that we would build a strong and mighty force—one capable of defending our homeland."

"I vowed that the days of being trampled upon, of being subject to the whims of fate, would come to an end."

"And that the Empire would ensure that Jarilo’s people would live in prosperity and equality, never again at the mercy of a stronger hand."

"My fellow citizens, these achievements are not solely the work of the Empire."

"I must tell you this truth—99.9% of the so-called ‘Jarilo Miracle’ is the result of your own hard work, your own perseverance, and your own sacrifice."

"Let this be known: the path to peace is not built by walls, nor by isolation."

"It is built by solidarity."

"Prejudice, discrimination, hatred, and war—they bring only devastation and suffering."

"But mutual respect, equality, cooperation, and shared prosperity—these are the foundations of peace."

"As we look toward the future, the civilizations that make up the Starborne Collective must work together.

"We must uphold the principles of the Interstellar Charter, ensuring a stable and just interstellar order."

"We must forge a new era of diplomatic relations, one centered not on conquest, but on cooperation and mutual benefit."

"Petty disputes between nations are as common as grains of sand in the cosmos."

"But I ask you this—when the true horrors lurking in the depths of space emerge…"

"Who will stand to protect us?

"The land, air, and naval forces of the Interstellar Rift Empire are bound by duty."

"They are sworn to uphold peace across the galaxy."

"They bear the sacred responsibility of ensuring the security of the Empire and the peaceful lives of its people."

"And so, I make this commitment—"

"Within the next three years, the Jarilo Fleet will expand by a factor of forty."

"More than half of these forces will be assigned to the Starborne Collective Peacekeeping Fleet, dedicating themselves fully to the protection of interstellar civilization."

"My beloved citizens—"

"Nothing great is ever achieved without persistence."

"And when we reach the heights of glory, we must never abandon those who have stood with us."

"The brilliant future of the Empire does not belong to a single ruler—it belongs to the people!"

"We must drive out the shadow of war."

"We must save those on the brink of annihilation."

"We must build a galaxy where all may live in peace and prosperity."

"That duty rests upon every single one of your shoulders."

"We are bound together by fate."

"We are united as one!"

"We shall be the guardians of the stars, charging forward into the unknown!"

"We shall forge miracles that will shine across the cosmos!"

"The future belongs to all of us!"

"As the Governor of the Star Empire’s Jarilo Sector—"

"I hereby declare the commencement of the Star Empire’s 1.5-Year Anniversary Military Parade!"

---

T/N: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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!