Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [284]

Pierpoint—a planet renowned across the galaxy.

With the wealth of the universe, the tilt of resources, and thousands of years of transformation, it has finally become the most prosperous commercial hub in existence, a paradise for financiers, the true center of galactic commerce!

Here, everything can be measured in wealth. Every life form has a price tag, even if, from an ethical standpoint, some of these "commodities" should never have been commodified…

In short, wherever there is trade, there is the IPC—Interstellar Peace Corporation!

At the heart of Pierpoint stands a structure that resembles a city in its own right. A massive, angular human face logo emits a gradient glow, embedding itself into the minds of all who look up, no matter where they stand.

Rather than calling this the headquarters of the IPC, it would be more accurate to say that the entire planet of Pierpoint is the IPC itself.

In the center of a palace-like conference room, a massive round table crafted from premium percrystal sat grandly. Around it, more than a dozen individuals assumed various postures in their seats, yet their gazes were all fixed on the central holographic projection above the table.

It was a report.

A report capable of reshaping the IPC—perhaps even redefining the future operation of intergalactic civilization itself.

Seven board directors. Eight major departments.

Some directors also served as department heads, enjoying immense dividends while continuing to maximize their influence and contributions.

The governing principle was clear: those with talent hold their positions; those without must step aside.

"Aside from the newly appointed head of the ‘Public Information Department,’ Jelena, all necessary attendees are present. Now then, let’s hear your thoughts."

The leading figure waved a hand, causing the holographic image to shift like liquid clay in his grasp. Countless images and dialogue records unfolded before everyone’s eyes.

The decision they were about to vote on would shape the trajectory of the entire universe.

"Diamond, this project began with you, and Jelena was personally selected by you as well. Why don’t you start?"

From the left, the fourth man from the end—clad in a formal tailcoat—heard his codename and smirked faintly, shaking his head.

"Predicting market trends is not my specialty. I have nothing significant to contribute. Besides, I played no part in this, and during last night’s discussion, my opposition was quite unpopular with some people—right, Osvaldo?"

Diamond’s voice was rich and magnetic, its distinct timbre making it impossible to forget once heard.

"For a market of this scale, what difference does a single person make?"

The man called Osvaldo stood up, raising his crystal-clear wine glass.

"Think carefully, everyone—do you understand what mastering hyperspace navigation means? It means we can manage larger markets, that communication between our branches will increase exponentially!

"This is the advantage that information and speed bring us, a treasure we’ve never had access to before! What does a single person matter in the grand scheme of things? Even if it cost tens of billions, I’d still vote in favor!"

Osvaldo, the Head of Market Expansion and a former Nameless Drifter, had an almost fanatical dedication to conquering new territories and markets through capital. One could argue that 80% of the IPC’s intergalactic trade empire existed thanks to his efforts.

It was precisely this obsession, this fervor, that had propelled him into the Board of Directors’ candidate pool.

"Heh… Osvaldo makes a compelling argument."

An elderly man, slightly hunched, leaned against the table, his hands clasped over the lower half of his face.

"But we should also consider Diamond’s feelings—it’s true that we wronged that young girl."

Osvaldo immediately saw through the old man’s veiled words and sneered.

"Oh? Supervisor Tian, have you set your sights on another piece of the pie?"

"Not quite a pie—more like the peels and cores that no one else wants." The old man chuckled. "Like when you all dumped the unprofitable energy production facilities onto me. I just worry whether these old bones can withstand yet another wave of projects in dire need of optimization."

No one could see through the depth in Tian’s weary eyes, hidden behind his glasses.

"So you’re against the collaboration?"

"I never said that. If the future truly looks brighter, who wouldn’t want to be on the right side of history?"

Osvaldo’s smile faded. He understood exactly what Tian was implying.

Tian was accusing him of sacrificing Jelena to gain favor with the Empire—of undermining the cohesion that IPC employees had built over the years.

Scoffing, Osvaldo turned to the others.

"Everyone, stop staying silent. It’s time to voice your opinions.

"If the Empire is willing to work with us, even if they only want to sell us finished products—so what? With the finished product, reverse-engineering it is only a matter of time.

"Whatever we sacrifice now will be worth it. Once we weave the galaxy into a single economic web, every ‘loss’ will return a thousandfold.

"And that so-called ancient Empire, the one hoarding the most valuable resources? Once they’ve given us a foothold, do you really think they’ll be able to keep us out forever?

"They’ve been hiding in the shadows for far too long—I can’t wait to enter their market."

These individuals hailed from all across the galaxy. They had traveled the stars for years. None of them were naive children.

They had long since outgrown playing house under a blue sky.

Conquering the cosmos, uniting it as one—now that was a dream worthy of heroes.

Diamond straightened his tie, smiling.

"Entering the Empire’s market? I must admit, it’s an enticing dream. But what if the Empire refuses, Osvaldo? Have you considered that?"

"Then we sweep those worthless antiques into the trash heap of history!"

Osvaldo’s lips curled into a manic grin.

"Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.

"If the Empire truly possesses limitless resources, then there must be a steep price hidden behind that abundance.

"Otherwise, why would they offer energy as currency? There’s definitely a catch. Perhaps their technology demands a massive energy supply just to sustain itself!"

"Sometimes, a hunter must disguise himself as prey—to lure the predator in."

This was something he had long suspected. Now that his carefully orchestrated cooperation strategy was proving effective, Osvaldo no longer needed to conceal his intentions.

So, the Empire needs all kinds of energy, huh? Well then… our company will go all in, ramping up energy production and trading it with them.

Once they reached a certain critical point, the IPC would seize the Empire’s lifeline. Separating from them would become a catastrophic risk for the Empire.

The IPC had an endless market and an enormous population as its foundation.

No matter how mighty the Empire was, could it truly stand against half the galaxy?

—This so-called ‘cooperation’ would soon turn into a complete reversal of power.

"I agree."

A voic"I agree."

A voice, clearly processed through a voice modulator, emerged from a helmeted woman.

"The Genius Society is more than happy to take on the task of reverse engineering. We’re confident we can pull it off."

"That’s a civilization whose existence predates recorded history. Making bold claims like that could easily backfire."

Tian still played the role of the kindly old mediator, but to Osvaldo—the staunch expansionist—this was nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to tip the scales.

Strange. The usually neutral Tian was siding with Diamond today?

Apollyon shook her head.

"Research, science—normal technological progress follows an additive model. Reverse engineering, on the other hand, turns addition into subtraction. And subtraction is easier—we already have the answer, we just need to deduce the process that led to it."

"In that case, I should lend my support."

The man beside Apollyon finally spoke.

"With the R&D Department involved, we might even discover materials we previously overlooked. Maybe... it’ll even catch Their interest."

Osvaldo gave a light round of applause.

"Taravan makes a good point—a guaranteed win for the company. And what about you two? Yan, Zazad?"

"If it improves employee efficiency, we’re naturally in favor. Achieving maximum profit at minimal cost—I’m sure every department would welcome that."

The man, with features characteristic of the Xianzhou, spoke calmly.

The one beside him nodded in agreement.

"As always—let’s begin."

Osvaldo turned his gaze to the figure seated at the head of the table, already confident of the outcome.

The person nodded, tapping their terminal.

"Please cast your votes. The fate of this project is in your hands. For the Amber King."

"For the Amber King."

"......"

---

Inside Belobog Grand Hotel, the employees of the Strategic Investment Department stood in stunned silence.

Their boss—disheveled, flushed, and intimately clinging to a certain man's arm—emerged from a hotel room and escorted him downstairs.

"Hey, hey, A-Wei, did you get a good look? Was that... the Imperial Governor?"

"Unless I suddenly went blind—yeah, that was him. And didn’t the boss say... ‘Pleasure doing business’?"

"So the deal’s already sealed?! Just like that?!"

"Yeah, she definitely said it… This is huge! Hurry, send me a few of those photos you took—I need to share them in the group chat."

"Don’t say they’re from me!"

"Relax, your secret’s safe with me."

Not long after, as the staff gleefully circulated the explosive news, Topaz gathered them for an emergency meeting—where she dropped a bombshell announcement.

The Empire and IPC had officially struck a deal!

She then informed them that headquarters had ordered the establishment of a new department—the Public Information Department—with her as its director.

And every single one of them had to make a decision—right now.

Join the newly formed Public Information Department under Topaz’s leadership… or leave Jarilo.

Everyone in the corporate world knew how to read between the lines.

One option meant returning to headquarters—where they’d be stuck under the other directors of the Strategic Investment Department, overworked and underpaid, barely able to keep their heads above water.

The other?

A brand-new department, where their boss was directly in charge, desperately in need of talent, and with positions wide open for the taking.

Only an idiot would pass this up.

Besides, the Public Information Department was about to become the primary bridge between IPC and the Empire—handling all imperial-related communications with headquarters.

Given how heavily invested headquarters was in this collaboration, the department’s future was practically guaranteed.

Most employees immediately chose to follow Topaz in building the new department.

The more strategic ones inquired about its exact responsibilities—to which they were told:

"Maintaining IPC’s diplomatic relations with the Empire, handling negotiations, and securing the best possible deals for the company."

Before long, every last person had made their choice.

Even the Strategic Investment Department employees stationed in neighboring star systems—currently overseeing liquidation operations—chose to follow Topaz into the new department.

To them, she was one of the only higher-ups who treated them like actual people.

They weren’t naive enough to expect huge promotions and pay raises, but at the very least—she wouldn’t dock their bonuses over trivial nonsense.

The few who refused packed their bags, preparing to return to headquarters and await reassignment.

Once the selection process was over, Topaz personally sifted through the candidates.

With absolute authority over personnel appointments, she had sole discretion over who was assigned to what role.

All she had to do was submit the final roster and promotion requests to accounting—and they’d rubber-stamp it without question.

Even with all that power, she still eliminated over 300 out of the 400+ applicants—leaving fewer than 60.

Every single one of them was an outstanding woman.

The Public Information Department, after all, was tasked with diplomatic relations—where appearance and intelligence were both critical assets.

The rejected male employees groaned in frustration.

They knew their chances had been slim—after all, the Imperial Governor was a man.

...But wait—if they had been selected, wouldn’t that have been even worse?!

As reality set in, the eliminated candidates began packing their things, preparing to leave the Jarilo Sector that very night.

With everything settled, Topaz glanced at the final list with satisfaction.

Every single woman on it had been handpicked.

None of them had strong convictions.

All of them had long been crushed under IPC’s corporate oppression.

Tomorrow, she would send them to a specific location for "training."

There, telepathic specialists would ‘gently guide’ them—implanting safeguards to ensure their loyalty.

And after that…

Heh.

The entire department would be hers alone.

His alone.

A world of absolute utopia…

She could already see its foundation taking shape.

After witnessing the Empire’s radiance, she could no longer stomach the false salvation that IPC claimed to offer—when it was nothing more than oppression in disguise.

Being the Lord’s loyal hound…

Now that—

That had a future.

—

BZZT—BZZT—

Her communicator vibrated.

Seeing the caller ID, Topaz frowned, adjusting her expression before answering.

"Yeah? What is it?"

A young man’s voice came through her earpiece.

"Congrats, congrats! Never thought you’d turn a flaming-hot mess into a career opportunity—and even get promoted out of it!

"...Whoa, what’s with the ice-cold tone? What, not in a good mood?"

---

T/N: okay... SO im hoping she didn't get brainwashed and was just... gaslighted/manipulated the old fashioned way...? UGTUAHFUSHIFAH

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!