Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [121]

"Thank you to the four passengers for your assistance. The energy fluctuations from the Stellaron have subsided, the Astral Express has returned to normal operations, and the train will depart immediately. Please prepare yourselves."

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In a neon-lit corner of a bustling city, artificial threads of fine rain drifted over the lively streets.

Floating vehicles weaved between towering skyscrapers, hundreds of floors high. Some seamlessly docked into the parking zones of service establishments, while others ferried night owls eager to immerse themselves in the vibrant nightlife across various districts.

At the apex of a park, an intricate mesh of controllable energy spread out, guiding water droplets along invisible pathways to avoid falling on passersby. Amidst the constant movement of the crowd, two figures sat on park swings, their postures a study in contrast. One swing swayed back and forth, its occupant exuding playfulness.

“I just came looking for you. No need to get so absorbed in gaming,” Kafka propped her chin on her hand, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Especially since Elio asked me to come find you.”

“Just get to the point. I’ve already sacrificed plenty by skipping tonight’s raid commander duties to be here,” Silver Wolf replied flatly.

For a seasoned gamer utterly devoted to her craft, missing an opportunity to game in favor of meeting someone was, by her standards, a significant sacrifice.

If it hadn’t been Kafka, she wouldn’t have bothered. After all, what could possibly be more important than a raid?

Not even the end of the world!

“In the next script, you’ll have a few appearances. In a couple of days, help me hack into the Astral Express. I have some matters to discuss with them.”

“Oh? So it’s starting?” Silver Wolf’s hands paused mid-gameplay, her feet momentarily ceasing their rhythmic sway on the swing. “Ah... but I’m really busy. The day after tomorrow, a game I’ve been anticipating goes on pre-sale. I even snagged an early reservation through the backend system, but I have to pick it up in person.”

“And you call that being busy? Since when have you ever picked up a game in person? You always have someone fetch it for you.”

“Well, yeah. Going out is such a hassle—brushing my hair, getting dressed, washing my face, tying my hair.” Silver Wolf seemed to have beaten a boss, finally setting aside her console. Stretching lazily, she exuded satisfaction.

The intensity of the in-game battle was lost on Kafka, but she could sense Silver Wolf’s improved mood.

Sure enough, Silver Wolf tapped a few times in the air, summoning a delivery drone that promptly arrived with two frosty ice creams. Handing one to Kafka, she began to lick her own with a satisfied smile.

Kafka glanced at the ice cream in her hand. “Exploiting small businesses again?”

“Pfft, with a 57% profit margin, they can hardly call themselves ‘small.’ Besides, I pay for it.”

“Using hacked funds to pay, knowing the company will trace the transactions and cause trouble for them?”

“That’s their problem.” Silver Wolf continued enjoying her ice cream without a care.

Kafka spoke softly. “Ever since that guy showed up, Elio has been more cautious. I heard that many scripts have undergone subtle changes, and thousands of alternative futures have emerged. Elio admitted he can only offer that guy an opportunity, but whether it’s acted upon or not is beyond his control.”

“What’s that got to do with me? And don’t mention that guy to me!” Silver Wolf puffed her cheeks indignantly. “I don’t believe Elio didn’t foresee what happened, yet he didn’t warn me!”

“Ha-ha-ha…” Kafka chuckled knowingly, her tone soothing. “Alright, alright. But I can’t avoid mentioning him. You’ll be interacting with him frequently in the future, so don’t throw another tantrum like you did last time.”

“I didn’t throw a tantrum!” Silver Wolf’s voice rose with indignation but quickly settled. “So, all your running around is just to pair that guy with the Astral Express?”

“What else? Besides, that’s the price I have to pay.”

“Fine. It’s not like I’ll be in the story much. The main plot doesn’t suit me anyway. Better to stay home and game.”

Silver Wolf leaned back lazily, her fingers tracing symbols in the air as she tinkered with her interface.

“Huh? Why does the account of the Herta's Station's director suddenly show so much activity? Marked as ‘expert group commissions’?”

“What are you looking at?”

“The director of the Herta's Space Station’s account. I’ve had its backend open ever since my last visit. It’s idle fun to check now and then.” Silver Wolf didn’t even glance up. “An account that’s been dormant for ages is suddenly showing constant activity. Are they building up defenses? That won’t do! I’ll need to set up some extra backdoors!”

After a flurry of taps, she sighed in satisfaction.

Kafka asked curiously, “Aren’t you going to check what the money’s being used for?”

“Not interested. She can do what she wants. It won’t stop me.”

“What I mean is, I’m curious. From what I know, that guy has a good relationship with the director. Maybe there’s a connection. If I casually mention it to him, what would our famous hacker Silver Wolf do?” Kafka smiled teasingly.

Silver Wolf: “…”

“And if this becomes gossip in the hacker community…”

“Fine! I’ll check!” Silver Wolf snapped, her tone begrudging as she started investigating.

It wasn’t long before Kafka noticed a subtle shift in Silver Wolf’s expression, a flicker of surprise.

“What is it?”

“Did Elio mention the script for Jarilo-VI?”

“Yes.”

“Any changes from the version I heard?”

“Some, but not many. Essentially, the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI was sealed, and Elio’s predicted timeline was extended. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had time to perform other scripts,” Kafka said, adjusting her sunglasses.

Silver Wolf’s expression turned complicated. “Jarilo-VI has changed hands. It’s now merged with a faction called the ‘Interstellar Rift Empire.’ Shortly after the merger, strange energy fluctuations stronger than a Stellaron were detected. The specifics are unknown, but it’s a previously unseen energy, and observation has been difficult. The director hired an expert team to support construction, and that’s where the account activity is coming from.”

“When did this happen?”

“Twelve system days ago.”

“I’ve never heard of such a faction.” Kafka frowned. “Elio hasn’t mentioned this, but if you found it, he must know.”

Silver Wolf smirked. “And he didn’t care? Just sent you to tell me to prepare for the next script?”

“Exactly. It’s unrelated to us. Elio likely predicted countless possible endings. Even if there’s a deviation, it won’t affect the script.”

Kafka’s lips curled slightly. “Script changes, the appearance of a mysterious guy… He must be connected to this.”

“Not my problem. Stop bringing him up!”

“Don’t cry about it again,” Kafka teased, standing up. “I’ll come for you when it’s time. Then you can hack into the Astral Express.”

“Wait!” Silver Wolf’s eyes widened, her voice trembling. “I found a strange message relayed by the Interstellar Peace Corporation!”

“What kind of message could shock you like this?”

“I sent it to you. See for yourself…”

Kafka opened her communicator and read the mysterious, unsigned message:

“The species on our planet are undergoing what can only be described as a ‘great awakening.’ Previously, our latent psionic potential, inherent to our species, was only displayed in a select few. But now, almost overnight, every citizen of our empire has unlocked their full psionic potential, as if a shared psionic energy pool reached its activation threshold. This is only one facet of the countless changes reshaping our society. We are now connected in ways previously unimaginable—Interstellar Rift Empire.”

Kafka finished reading, astonished.

Such a message, transmitted across the universe, resonated deeply.

A terrifying empire, long hidden, had finally found its moment to unveil the mask of their disguise.

---

Since the Astral Express departed the star zone of Jarilo-VI, the dark cloud of stagnation that had plagued the train seemed to naturally dissipate.

In recent days, the crew had rarely seen either Chen Lin or Dan Heng onboard. Dan Heng, as usual, preferred to stay in the data archives, avoiding social interaction. However, Chen Lin's absence was far more unusual.

Even though he still occasionally appeared in their line of sight, his time in the main hall had significantly decreased. He used to join everyone for meals, chatting idly during breaks. Then, he gradually began skipping meals, only showing up once every few days.

Himeko initially wondered if Chen Lin was dealing with some trouble or burden, so she sought him out to ask. All she received in reply was a curt, “Just a bit busy lately.”

This cryptic answer only deepened the sense among the crew that something was amiss.

Finally, under March 7th's relentless questioning, Chen Lin admitted that he might need to go into seclusion for a while. A deep power within him was approaching a tipping point, and he had been preparing to face a personal “calamity.”

With this clear explanation, Himeko and Welt felt relieved and assured Chen Lin that he could always count on them for help if needed.

The train drifted past a vibrant, orange-red planet.

Inside his room, Chen Lin sat alone by the window, his eyes closed. Yet, through some inexplicable means, he could see the entirety of the planetary system the train was passing through.

The Astral Express, a complex structure combining scientific and engineering prowess, allowed Chen Lin to visualize any star zone the train passed through in the star map within his mind.

Every uninhabited system could be developed, either by constructing starbases or, with the host’s special permission, building mining and research stations like they did on Jarilo-VI.

In his wake, borders were established.

“So many…”

Reality, as expected, was far more complicated than a game.

In games, a single star zone or system might consist of only a few planets or stars. At most, there might be some asteroid belts, and player interactions were relatively limited. But now, faced with the real thing, how could a single star zone hold only a few dozen celestial bodies?

The sheer scale of the star map in his mind was dizzying.

It was simply too much.

In the past, Chen Lin had only himself to worry about—a lone traveler unburdened by responsibility. But now, after gaining control of Jarilo-VI, his sense of duty had grown exponentially. Each day, he had to oversee planetary construction, plan mining and research stations in outer space, and personally handle the occasional incident on Jarilo-VI.

Develop, develop, develop!

If he didn’t develop quickly enough, he wouldn’t even be able to repay his debt to the little heiress.

Of course, these were just surface-level issues. In truth, Chen Lin frequently opened his [Traditions] menu to monitor his Unity resource. He had long anticipated the arrival of the “Great Awakening” and had even taken the time to discuss its details with Bronya and the others several days prior.

As for his explanation, he framed it as a unique empowerment granted to the citizens of the empire.

Additionally, Bronya had informed him shortly after he left that the fleet had discovered numerous massive settlements with populations so vast they had yet to complete a census. Strangely, the inhabitants of these settlements showed unwavering loyalty to Belobog, behaving as though they were born and raised Belobogians.

Chen Lin understood this as the population bonus provided by the event chain. It wasn’t unexpected, so he didn’t dwell on it. Before leaving, he even designed a more efficient administrative model for Belobog, which Bronya was now implementing.

After spending several in-game hours—or rather, system time—he finally completed planning the star zone, initiating the construction of several opportunistic mining stations.

Thankfully, these structures didn’t require maintenance costs; otherwise, Chen Lin would have been left fretting over his negative resources for a long time.

Once the planning was done, he spent some time sitting with Himeko and chatting with March 7th and the Trailblazer about recent events. As the time grew late, he returned to his room.

By the next day, any newly acquired resources had barely settled before being automatically funneled into debt repayment. Only his Unity resource had reached its maximum.

Ding!

The familiar sound effect rang out, and Chen Lin couldn’t help but smile as he decisively activated the most critical Tradition tree in his second Tradition slot.

Unveil the Veil.

Hum—!

The moment he pressed the button, countless signals erupted from his body. The Astral Express was the first to intercept them, but the signals spread across the universe, reaching every faction and organization capable of receiving transmissions.

The veil had been lifted.

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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!