Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [264]

The matter of knowledge and technology transfer wasn’t something Chen Lin needed to personally handle. There was someone far more suited for managing such tedious tasks—Svarog, who had always been responsible for maintaining network security within the Jarilo star region.

Stepping onto the lower district’s land, he observed that the tunnel entrance had already been widened by a large team from the Academy of Engineering after confirming that the mechanical city no longer posed a threat. It was now broad enough to allow three to four people to walk side by side.

The strange spatial conditions of the mechanical city remained unresolved for the time being. Seeker had assured him that it wouldn’t affect other cities on the planet’s surface, so Chen Lin simply set the issue aside. After leaving a few instructions for the Guardsmen, telling Svarog to meet him at Qlipoth Fort the following day, he led a CPU-overloaded Phantylia back.

Ever since he had informed Phantylia about the Kruz civilization, the fearsome Lord Ravager had been stuck in an existential crisis—Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?

There was no helping it. Phantylia had always believed that only Nanook posed a real, existential threat to her. Other factions might be able to defeat her in battle, but actually killing her? That was another matter entirely.

But now, she had learned that one day in the future, time and space would align on the same baseline, linking countless universes together. No one could say for sure whether terrifying beings from other dimensions might invade this starry expanse.

Her potential causes of death had just increased by +1.

In the silence, Phantylia cautiously flattered him, "My lord, you truly bear the destiny of a savior! You are both beautiful and kind; surely, you wouldn’t have the heart to turn away… right? That must be why that mechanical elder entrusted you with this great responsibility. If others were to learn of it, they would surely be moved to tears in gratitude!"

She thought back to the race known as the Zroni—a civilization capable of creating central black holes, standing shoulder to shoulder with deities. Yet even they, despite their overwhelming power, had struggled against the Kruz civilization for decades, perhaps even centuries. Their sheer military strength was unimaginable. And on top of that, it was said they had weapons capable of striking across the entire galaxy—wherever they pointed, they could fire, and a targeted star system would be reduced to a black hole in an instant.

Could any of the Aeon Emanators do something like that? Phantylia carefully recalled and realized… actually, yes, quite a few of them could.

The problem was that these Emanators, whenever they destroyed a star, did so with grand, world-shaking commotions. It was time-consuming and costly in energy. By the time they finished wiping out one system, that weapon could have already obliterated dozens.

Yet, despite their strength, even these two mighty civilizations had been swept away by the tides of history. They could foresee the coming crisis, but they were powerless to stop it. Their only choice had been to entrust their unfulfilled wishes to her lord…

Phantylia stole a glance at Chen Lin, making a silent vow—Even if my lord chooses to ignore this crisis, I will find a way to make him take it seriously.

After all, she was quite content with her current pampered life as a pet. Sure, she couldn’t indulge in her old hobby of erasing civilizations, but other than that, she had no complaints.

More importantly, she didn’t want to die.

No one knew how many more modifications her physical body could endure. And Chen Lin held precisely the kind of enhancement energy she coveted. If she only had to do a few small favors to get her hands on it, then she definitely wasn’t about to let anyone take that away from her!

Besides, Phantylia wasn’t exactly the loyal type. She had previously entertained thoughts of escaping Chen Lin’s control. After all, who could predict how powerful she might become by absorbing more of the mutated Arbor’s energy? What if I surpass him? What if I grow strong enough to break free from the contract’s restraints? Who wouldn’t yearn for unshackled freedom?

Yet now, that beautiful dream had been utterly shattered. The master who controlled her… was actually the incarnation of a civilization’s will.

Others might not understand the implications, but Phantylia did.

And precisely because she understood, she abandoned any lingering thoughts of rebellion.

Still, she wanted to live—that much was certain.

Up ahead, Chen Lin suddenly halted his steps. He turned and stared at her in silence for a long moment before speaking in an indifferent tone. "Who says this is about saving the world? And why would they necessarily be grateful to me?"

"Huh?"

"Let me ask you—why do you think I repeated every word of those conversations and messages to you, without missing a single detail?" Chen Lin turned his head slightly, his voice eerily calm. "Jarilo’s current strength isn’t enough to resist the tides of fate. If negotiations with the IPC fall apart, do you really think they won’t turn hostile? Even if we can continue developing without their help, do you think they won’t have any tricks up their sleeve?"

Phantylia’s heart clenched. "You mean… you want me to eliminate anyone who stands in your way?"

After all, she and Chen Lin were in the same boat—if he suffered, so would she. If he flourished, so would she. Throughout the entire process, he had always held the dominant position. If his interests were ever truly threatened, even if he didn’t say a word, Phantylia wouldn’t be able to sit idly by.

Sharing this information with her was a way of ensuring she could properly assess the situation—at the very least, it helped her prioritize her actions, so she wouldn’t need constant guidance like a mere tool.

"Yes. Unifying this entire star cluster is the best solution." Chen Lin patted her shoulder. "The question is—how long will it take?"

…!

Her master hadn’t even questioned whether it was possible. Instead, he was only concerned with time? Didn’t that mean he was confident in succeeding?

After spending time with Chen Lin, Phantylia had come to understand that he rarely spoke in absolute terms. But whenever he did, it meant he was completely certain of the outcome.

Phantylia stood frozen in thought. The image of Xianzhou Luofu surfaced in her mind, and she immediately grasped the best possible course of action.

"You intend to cooperate with them? By forming alliances, you can gain widespread support without shedding blood, greatly reducing both time and military resource consumption?"

"You’re not as dumb as you look." Chen Lin pinched the cool, springy cheeks of the little fox. "That’s the primary method. The secondary method…"

"Military conquest," Phantylia answered immediately.

Chen Lin paused, then chuckled. "Oh? So now you’re cutting me off to answer? Fine, as a reward—come to my room later."

Phantylia was unfazed by his teasing. She was well aware that he enjoyed making playful remarks, so she simply glanced at him and said, "Since when do I not stand guard in the corner of your room at night?"

Chen Lin: "…"

Fine. He admitted defeat. He couldn’t out-flirt this fox, who had been roaming the stars for who-knows-how-long. Waving a hand, he signaled a change of topic.

Phantylia pouted, slightly aggrieved by the interruption. But just as her train of thought was thrown off, a sudden realization hit her. Her ears twitched, and her expression turned to one of shock.

"You had this plan before your journey to Luofu?!"

After all, he had only learned of these recent developments within the past few days. But he had set off for Luofu a year ago. The timeline didn’t match up at all.

And Phantylia had heard from Bronya that ever since Jarilo fell into Chen Lin’s hands, the shipyards had never stopped building fleets.

If their goal was merely to defend their borders and repel pirates, their current military power was already more than sufficient. There was no need to produce so many warships.

Phantylia had seen those fleets herself. While they weren’t as powerful as the cruiser-class vessels that had nearly wiped her out, they were more than capable of overwhelming any opponent they encountered.

And that was just the ships visible in orbit. There were more.

Many more. Hidden away in quantum-space by Seele’s abilities. Phantylia hadn’t counted them all, but she was certain the true number was at least four or five times greater than what appeared on the surface.

She had traveled across countless civilizations, and even the IPC had to tread carefully around her. Yet now, she realized something unsettling—

Most civilizations focused on strengthening their ground forces. Their fleets were merely "sufficient." Merchant vessels dominated the skies.

But the Empire… had taken the opposite approach.

Their true military strength was in space.

Because they had never openly declared war on any civilization, no one knew how powerful their fleets truly were. Even when IPC forces trespassed into restricted space, all they had seen was their shields being breached before they were swiftly captured. No major military capabilities had ever been exposed.

And, more importantly—

Phantylia had also noticed another critical pattern.

The Empire’s mysteriously constructed outposts were all positioned around nearby civilizations.

To put it bluntly—if Chen Lin so desired, he could completely cut off those civilizations’ access to the outside world.

No one in, no one out.

Wasn’t it obvious what he was planning?

Chen Lin scratched his head helplessly and admitted frankly, “That’s right. Initially, my diplomatic strategy followed the principle of ‘befriending the distant while attacking the near.’ By establishing good relations with faraway factions, whenever we stirred up a bit of trouble on our end, they would simply turn a blind eye. After all, no one really cares about conflicts happening millions of light-years away from their own civilization. That way, their mouths are effectively shut.”

“But if the IPC…”

“What’s the IPC’s primary business?”

Phantylia answered without hesitation, “Making money.”

This concept of ‘money’ carried multiple layers of meaning because, in the IPC’s eyes, wealth wasn’t limited to mere currency.

Technology could increase productivity, so technology was money.

A beautiful and unique environment could attract tourism and bring joy, so the environment was money.

Mineral resources could be used to construct buildings and manufacture products, so minerals were money.

People could work, and exceptional minds could be selected for research projects—so, in essence, even people could be money once commodified.

Chen Lin scoffed, “So if I can help them make even more money, the price they pay is either speaking on my behalf or simply keeping their mouths shut and pretending they didn’t see anything.”

“No wonder you kept those IPC envoys around and even gave them permission to inspect and tour the place…” Phantylia was getting excited as she pieced things together but soon remembered her original question. “Then why did you say this isn’t necessarily about saving the world, and that they might not be grateful to you?”

“Because they’ll lose their nations.”

“…What?!”

“Phantylia, you’ll be staying with me for a long, long time, and I can already tell you get bored hanging around me.”

“My lo—”

“No need to explain. I’m not some slave master who gets angry over a few words or minor mistakes. What would that even make me?” Chen Lin clasped his hands behind his back. “You feel like I’ve restricted your freedom, that you can’t do as you please or fulfill your personal desires. That’s normal. And even if one day you were to stab me in the back, I wouldn’t blame you. I’d only blame myself for not treating you well enough.”

Phantylia’s pupils shrank as if someone had just unearthed the thoughts she had buried deep inside.

“I… I would never—”

Chen Lin ignored her and continued, “Self-preservation is an instinct shared by all living beings. But that doesn’t mean survival is their only goal—everyone has aspirations and interests. Didn’t you have barely any subordinates in the past? And weren’t you frequently mocked by your fellow Sovereigns of Annihilation for it? You’ve always wanted to prove yourself, haven’t you?”

Phantylia’s wide eyes said everything.

The Lord Ravagers were free—each one followed their own desires without restraint.

Zephryo was obsessed with the unparalleled beauty of destruction, and his followers flocked to him, drawn by the sheer spectacle. His status naturally soared.

Celenova was a master tactician, commanding armies in the trillions, instilling fear across the cosmos.

Irontomb’s ability to invade and corrupt inorganic systems could cripple entire machine empires in an instant. Even the strongest synthetic civilizations struggled against his assaults.

And Phantylia? Her power lay in sowing discord, fanning the flames of greed and wrath to drive civilizations into self-destruction. That was all she had.

Yet no matter what she did, Phantylia never felt truly respected.

Did people fear her? Sure, some did—but not many.

No matter how hard she tried, she could never earn the same level of fear and reverence as the others. As a result, her status remained unremarkable.

Whenever the other Ravagers were present, no one gave her a second glance. No one truly feared her.

Even Luofu’s diviners, when facing her true form, didn’t cower in terror. Instead, they dared to stand against her in direct combat.

Not strong enough… Too weak…

But does weakness mean I don’t deserve to dream?

Phantylia had always harbored one dream—to control the fate of countless civilizations, to ascend to a position where the masses revered her, where her very name alone could make children stop crying.

It didn’t matter whether she was feared or worshiped—so long as her renown was vast enough.

At that moment, Chen Lin’s voice slithered into her mind like the whisper of a devil.

“One step below me, but above all others… To make those who once belittled you see you in a different light… To be recognized across the cosmos, your name spoken with awe… Want to try it?”

“Yes!”

Phantylia answered without a shred of hesitation.

What does it matter if I’m below one person? Even if I have to rank below a few more of his ‘wives,’ or even twenty or thirty others, I’d still be willing! The important thing is slapping my former colleagues in the face—showing them that picking the right master is far easier and more rewarding than struggling on their own!

At the same time, Chen Lin reached out and playfully pinched the fluffy tip of her fox-like ears.

“You’ll be taking your first step soon. Start with those two neighboring civilizations.”

“…Huh? That’s it?” Phantylia’s excitement was instantly doused like a bucket of cold water.

Chen Lin smacked the back of her head, exasperated.

“What do you mean, ‘that’s it’? Let me tell you something important: It doesn’t matter how small an action is—what matters is how you package it.”

With that, he said no more and headed toward the upper district. Phantylia stood there in a daze for a moment before breaking into a bright, knowing smile and following him.

“My lord~ Won’t you give your humble servant a bit more guidance~?”

Chen Lin glanced at her and mimicked her earlier tone mockingly, “Huh? That’s it~?”

“…”

You really hold a grudge, don’t you…

Fortunately, Phantylia was nothing if not thick-skinned. She was charming and persistent, shamelessly pestering him for a long time before Chen Lin finally revealed a bit more.

With a flick of his fingers, he used psionic energy to form dozens of small glowing spheres in the air, connecting them with a complex web of lines.

“Be nice to Director Topaz. Your initial rise will depend on her. Her network is far more intricate and extensive than mine…”

Phantylia tilted her head as Chen Lin continued.

“Heh… Imagine this: The infamous Lord Ravager, who grievously injured a Luofu general and fought an Imperial Governor for days before vanishing, suddenly resurfaces—wreaking havoc in a neighboring system. The IPC, unwilling to waste money on an unstable investment, is forced to withdraw. Conveniently, the Empire is holding a grand military parade. Coincidentally, an elite unit led by a mere guard captain descends from the heavens to ‘bring justice’ and repel Phantylia. And who just so happens to witness the entire spectacle? None other than IPC Strategic Investment Director Topaz… And the narrative possibilities are endless. What do you think? Wouldn’t that make for some thrilling headlines?”

Trying to establish a puppet state within my backyard?

Have you ever heard the saying—‘How can one tolerate another’s snoring beside their bed?’

This way, Phantylia gets the fame and status she craves.

The IPC loses its leverage, weakening its negotiation position.

The Empire gains another star system, strengthening both its baseline and its upper limits of development.

In short—

If Qin Shi Huang had two clones, this would be a three-way victory.

Everyone walks away with something, don’t they?

---

T/N: Qin Shi Huang was a former emperor of china! china #1!

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!