Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [246]

Early Morning.

The golden morning sun bathed the entire city of Belobog in its warm glow. The once-quiet streets gradually came back to life as people left their homes one after another, their faces brimming with a sense of ease as they hurried toward their respective workplaces.

Inside Room 80070 of the Belobog Grand Hotel, Topaz closed the newly completed inspection report on her terminal. She walked over to the fridge, grabbed a can of black bread soda, and sipped it while enjoying the hotel's complimentary Belobog-style red sausage.

Before long, a sudden knock on the door echoed through the spacious room, followed by a somewhat exasperated voice from outside.

"Boss..."

"Come in."

A company employee clad in power armor pushed open the door, his expression full of frustration as he took in the sight before him—Topaz, legs crossed, casually dining by the poolside.

Topaz looked at him curiously and asked, "What is it?"

"Boss… The people from Belobog who came to receive you are here, but…"

"But?"

"There are only two guys, and they look like low-level grunts."

The employee muttered resentfully, "These natives have no sense of propriety. Boss, you came all the way here to do business with them, yet they act all high and mighty, not giving you the respect you deserve. Sometimes, I really just wanna teach them a lesson…!"

"Teach them a lesson, my ass! Have you been working with Sampo for too long? You’re starting to pick up his reckless attitude!"

Topaz nearly spat out her soda, smacking the armored employee on the helmet before giving him a sidelong glance. "And who was it back then that didn’t even step foot in the arena before collapsing like a corpse?"

The employee winced in pain and shamefully lowered his head. Back then, under that overwhelming psychic-induced sleep, everyone in the company—except the boss—had collapsed without even a chance to react.

Not that it was their fault. After all, behind them stood the colossal behemoth that was the Interastral Peace Corporation. How could a bunch of mystic-worshiping natives possibly resist the company’s means? They had encountered countless civilizations like Jarilo who stubbornly resisted, yet in the end, all of them knelt down and begged to be bought out. And they—well, they had made quite a bit of profit from it.

In any case, he was just a corporate employee. Getting the chance to personally report to the boss on a business trip was a golden opportunity—one he had to seize to prove himself. If he could successfully uphold Topaz’s prestige, he might secure a recommendation for a promotion by year’s end. A promotion meant a salary raise, and that meant he could cut his remaining 54 years of mortgage payments down to just 49.

That would take a huge load off his shoulders.

"It's just that they don’t know your reputation yet, Boss. If they understood the company’s standing in the interstellar scene, they wouldn’t dare be so dismissive…"

"I already told you all that the plan has changed. Stop using the same old tactics that worked elsewhere. They won’t work here."

Topaz impatiently waved him off, cutting him short. "Get ready. Bring two people with me later. And listen up—unless I give the order, don’t open your mouths. If anyone speaks out of turn, say goodbye to 90% of your annual bonuses and performance incentives for the next three years!"

The employee stiffened at those words and hurriedly left to make preparations, leaving Topaz sighing at the closed door.

"They’ve all gotten too used to being arrogant. Do they not realize that no other so-called 'native civilization' has orbiting fleets of interceptors and warships? The Empire… Just what kind of civilization are we dealing with here?"

Rubbing her temples, Topaz got up and began adjusting her attire, making sure there wouldn’t be any slip-ups due to her appearance.

When it came to business negotiations, first impressions were everything.

...

Topaz and her team finally arrived near the grand square of the Qlipoth Fort. This was the first time they had come so close to the very heart of Jarilo-VI’s ruling authority.

Previously, she had only met the Supreme Guardian, Bronya Rand, once through a holographic transmission, with most of the follow-up handled by Pela.

As they passed through the towering, ten-meter-high gates and stepped inside the snow-white palace walls, Topaz quickly realized that the Qlipoth Fort was far from simple. The moment she crossed the threshold, she could faintly sense that the entire palace was enveloped in some kind of invisible energy—one that made it feel as if countless unseen eyes were watching them from strange, hidden spaces.

"Boss… I feel like we’re being watched. It’s making my spine tingle."

One of the employees voiced his unease. If even he could sense something was off, how could Topaz not?

A place as quiet and sparsely guarded as this supposedly being the seat of Jarilo’s highest authority? No one would believe that there wasn’t something more going on.

And yet, no matter where they looked, there wasn’t a single living soul in sight, only amplifying the growing sense of paranoia.

Even so, Topaz maintained her professional smile and quietly reprimanded, "Ignore it. Just keep walking."

Their instincts were not wrong. In reality, the outer perimeter of the Qlipoth Fort was lined with numerous psionic sentinels, hidden within phase-space. These concealed watchpoints had been personally established by Seele. On the surface, the palace appeared lightly guarded, but in truth, at a moment’s notice, dozens—if not hundreds—of psionic sentinels could materialize out of thin air to eliminate any intruders in an instant.

Calling the Psionic Sentinel Force a "small security team" was inaccurate. This elite unit, tasked with serving both the Governor-General’s Office and the Qlipoth Fort, had already grown beyond 30,000 members. Some were native Belobogians, while others were "Imperials" that Chen Lin had seemingly conjured from the ground itself.

Only a thousand or so of them remained stationed at the palace, acting as its elite inner guard, while the rest were dispersed throughout the Jarilo star system, monitoring every corner of the domain.

Thus, to call them a "small team" would be an understatement. They were, in reality, a well-trained, high-combat unit—an Imperial Guard, answering only to the Governor and the Supreme Guardian.

As they walked further in, a ceremonial rifle suddenly dropped to the ground with a sharp clang.

And then, something even eerier happened.

A hand emerged from thin air, swiftly snatching up the rifle before vanishing back into the void—leaving the space seemingly undisturbed, as if nothing had ever happened.

The psionic guide leading them furrowed his brow and paused for a moment before turning back to Topaz and her now-pale employees. He spoke calmly, "Apologies. A guard made an error while standing watch. I’ve already instructed his captain to discipline him accordingly. I hope you weren’t startled."

"It’s no problem," Topaz replied smoothly. "To think the palace uses such… unique methods for guard deployment. Our corporation and your nation both uphold the Path of Preservation. In some ways, I’d say we share common ground. I can already see the immense commercial valu—"

"Honored guest," the guide interrupted, stopping in his tracks once more. His tone was serious. "Our nation does not worship any Aeon. The Qlipoth Fort remains in name only, out of respect for past Supreme Guardians who fought against the Rift and the Stellaron. The Aeon Qlipoth once shielded the people here, but we—none of us—worship any Star God."

"You… what?"

The employee who had earlier voiced his fears was now dumbstruck, his growing anger threatening to boil over. But before he could say anything reckless, he was silenced by Topaz’s sharp, icy glare.

It was then that he realized—those invisible eyes around them were now fixated on him. And within them, the intent to kill was unmistakable.

One wrong word, and his head would roll.

Topaz swiftly bowed and spoke in an apologetic tone. "I sincerely apologize for my subordinate’s ignorance. I hope you can forgive us."

Seeing that the guide’s expression softened, she cautiously asked in a low voice, "To avoid further misunderstandings… may I ask, what does your nation believe in?"

"Why, in our Emperor, of course."

"Emperor… Your Majesty?"

Topaz was momentarily stunned. So, the Empire is quite literally an imperial monarchy.

This was new, definitive information—something they hadn’t been able to confirm before. Now, at least, the political structure of this mysterious Empire was finally clear.

The psionic sentinel leading the way sneered at the still-nervous employee before continuing, “His Majesty’s boundless grace can be seen across the entire Jarilo Sector—Jarilo-VI’s now-pleasant climate, its endless resource-rich mines, its abundant food supply, and even the advanced technologies gifted to us at regular intervals. Every city we stand upon is granted by His Majesty’s benevolence!”

As he spoke, his eyes shone with fervent devotion, an intensity that even Topaz—who had visited countless civilizations—found somewhat unsettling. She had never seen a monarchy where its people revered imperial rule to such an extreme degree.

Not to mention, just a year ago, Jarilo-VI had been nothing more than a frozen wasteland buried under ice and snow. Now, in the blink of an eye, it had transformed into a thriving nation. The sheer speed of this change made even Topaz feel uncertain.

Feigning curiosity, she asked humbly, “Then, may I ask what relationship the current Governor of Jarilo-VI has with the Empire?”

“The Governor is a figure of paramount importance within the Empire, chosen by His Majesty to spread the Empire’s grace,” the sentinel replied. “I advise you to keep that in mind and respect our customs. If you offend the Governor, no one can say what might happen.”

He sounded like he was offering a friendly reminder, but from the way he spoke, it was clear—it was a warning. No, more like a threat.

When they reached the foot of a long flight of white jade stairs, the sentinel finally spoke again.

“You are invited inside. We do not have permission to enter without orders from the Governor or the Supreme Guardian.”

With that, he glanced at Topaz and her two power-armored employees before issuing another warning.

“Also, slandering or insulting the Governor and the Supreme Guardian, even in your thoughts, is a serious crime. In particular, anyone who harbors 274 blasphemous thoughts should be extra cautious. Our Governor and Supreme Guardian are magnanimous and value peaceful coexistence. If you are here strictly for business, I advise you not to test their patience.”

The moment he finished speaking, the two psionic sentinels vanished into thin air.

The employee who had spent the entire trip inwardly cursing was now gripped by terror.

How the hell did he know how many times I insulted them?! Wait… even I wasn’t counting!

Topaz was equally taken aback. No wonder I kept feeling like my mind was being watched—it wasn’t just my imagination!

Realizing this, she turned to her two now visibly shaken subordinates and warned, “Once we’re inside, don’t let your thoughts wander. And definitely don’t speak carelessly.”

“Yes, Boss!” x2

The hundreds of steps ahead weren’t particularly long, but walking up them carried an inexplicable weight—especially with the vast, seemingly empty plaza behind them.

Or rather, a plaza that was empty in appearance only.

Sigh…

Thinking about the weight of her mission, Topaz couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The more she learned, the more complicated things became.

This was going to be much harder than she had anticipated.

Reaching the top of the final step, Topaz spotted Pela standing by the entrance. She was the one who had processed their applications, arranged their accommodations and meals, and even issued them Winter City Shields for entertainment expenses.

“Strategist Pelageya.”

“Mm. Please, follow me.”

Pela’s usual stern expression showed no change as she adjusted her glasses and led them inside.

As soon as they stepped in, they were struck by how vast and empty the interior of Belobog’s tallest building truly was.

Bookshelves were embedded into the walls, simple oil paintings hung nearby, and every corner was adorned with tall potted plants. At the far end of the carpeted floor sat a large crystal desk, covered with terminal devices and stacks of paper, marking it as an office space.

Behind that desk, a massive transparent glass wall took up the entire surface, offering a partial view of the city below.

The decor, however, was strikingly modest—far from what one would expect of a nation’s highest office.

This place is downright frugal, Topaz mused.

Her own office back at the company was far more extravagant. Before arriving, she had assumed that the Supreme Guardian’s domain would be the pinnacle of opulence—at the very least, adorned in gold and marble. But now that she was here, the sheer austerity of it all caught her off guard.

In front of the elevated desk was a long temporary conference table. Pela guided them to their seats before stepping aside to prepare tea. She soon returned with freshly brewed cups and said, “Miss Topaz and guests, please have a seat and wait for a moment. The Governor and Supreme Guardian will be with you shortly.”

“Thank you. We have plenty of time, so there’s no rush,” Topaz replied politely with a smile.

Internally, however, she scoffed. A simple intimidation tactic. Do they really think making us wait will throw me off?

Her bargaining chips might be limited, but she was still a senior executive of the company. She had enough experience not to lose her footing over a little power play.

A competent merchant never exposes their weaknesses.

The real problem… is that damn mind-reading ability.

Carefully observing Pela from the corner of her eye, Topaz quickly devised a strategy. With her composure restored, she lifted her teacup and took a slow sip, adopting a completely relaxed demeanor.

Unbeknownst to her, she had already fallen into a trap.

The truth was, outside of a select few sentinels under Pela’s direct command, almost no one in Jarilo-VI actually possessed mind-reading abilities. Even if they did, any form of direct probing would be easily detected by a wary subject.

Moreover, reading minds without proper authorization was a crime. Other than the sentinel who had been instructed by Pela earlier, no one else would engage in such actions under normal circumstances.

Pela, meanwhile, let out a small breath of relief at Topaz’s response, completely unaware that she was being scrutinized.

Her mind was still preoccupied with something else—namely, the scene she had walked in on just thirty minutes ago when she delivered the updated itinerary to the Governor.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen something like that, but even so, she couldn’t help feeling a bit flustered…

---

Elsewhere, Phantylia sat in a daze as she finished her breakfast.

Her experience last night had been nothing short of torment.

Following Chen Lin’s orders, she had been forced to hide in the corner of the palace’s sleeping chambers, her presence completely concealed, as she witnessed everything unfold before her.

At first, she had been merely curious.

Then came confusion.

Then shock.

And finally—

Wait… it’s possible to do that?!

That question had spun endlessly in Phantylia’s mind all night, yet no answer had come to her.

The thought that she would have to provide this kind of "close protection" every night from now on—witnessing things that were most certainly not suitable for children while standing guard as her master slept—left her deeply frustrated.

It felt like she had suffered severe psychological damage.

Calling him "Mentor" implied a mentor-student relationship. Calling him "Brother" suggested they were like siblings.

So, which is it?

Either way, it was… quite the situation.

No wonder someone as wise and formidable as her lord was willing to delegate such significant power to others. Turns out, it was all kept within the family—so in the end, it made no real difference whether he held onto it personally or not.

Thinking back to when she first arrived, she had eagerly offered advice on how to consolidate all authority into his hands. No wonder he had simply ignored her suggestions…

The Lord Ravager is about to become the The Lord Fool instead…

And if she hadn’t acted as an alarm clock this morning to remind them they had guests to meet, who knows how much longer they would’ve been… busy?

Just then, Chen Lin, sipping his soup, called out, "Seele."

"Hmm?"

Seele, still a little flushed, looked up in confusion. "What’s up, Brother Lin?"

"I’ve already ordered upgrades to the shipyards at the four surrounding outposts. Take some people with you later to oversee things and clear out any potential pirate threats in the area. For the foreseeable future, our full focus will be on strengthening our military forces.

"The fleet expansion plans are in my study—go take a look and start preparing for the new structural changes. Also, have Gepard and Dr. Natasha come see me this afternoon. I have something for them to handle."

"Got it! Finally, some action!" Seele grinned. "I’ll finish up as fast as I can. Brother Lin, wait for me, okay?"

"Just don’t forget to—"

Before Chen Lin could finish his sentence, a flash of soft purple light lit up Seele’s seat, and in the next instant, she was gone.

Leaving him standing there in awkward silence.

Bronya, watching from the side, let out a helpless chuckle. "Seele is still as energetic as ever. Mentor, should we go meet our guests now?"

"Mmm…"

Chen Lin glanced at Bronya, who had finished her meal, and then at the still-dazed Phantylia. Setting down his bowl, he stood up and said,

"Let’s go. It’s time to have a proper talk with our guests—about the substantial administrative fees they owe us… and to see what exactly the company is planning."

---

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!