Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [191]

The astral configuration shifted, transforming into countless glimmers of starlight that wove around Kafka. Causality, truth, space, and time erupted simultaneously, their force converging directly upon her.

The surge of energy peaked in an instant. The array driving the Matrix of Prescience began spinning wildly, the gears within creaking noisily.

Whoosh!

As if a pot of water had reached its boiling point, the power Fu Xuan infused into the array started overflowing. A tempest erupted from its core, carrying with it an unsettling illusion of inner turmoil.

Kafka's feet lifted off the ground as she began to float upward. Her expression twisted into an ambiguous smile, and the glimmer of Fu Xuan's lilac light flickered in her eyes, lending her an otherworldly allure.

On the periphery, a single Cloud Knight had just stepped into the array's boundary when they were immediately blown back by the surging energy. Fortunately, a quick-thinking comrade grabbed them, preventing an embarrassing fall.

In stark contrast, those closer to the core showed no sign of discomfort. The violent energy waves that had toppled the first Cloud Knight only stirred the hair and garments of those standing at the center. Their stances remained unshaken, firm as bedrock.

Even Qingque had the leisure to marvel at the spectacle of Fu Xuan activating the Matrix of Prescience. She stood rooted to the spot, unaffected.

Chen Lin crossed his arms behind Qingque, observing the disheveled Cloud Knight in the distance. He understood all too well that the shockwaves from the array's activation were insurmountable for ordinary people. Yet Qingque stood there effortlessly. Looks like my little confidant has some remarkable abilities herself...

An overwhelming stream of information began to flow out from Kafka's body. The Matrix of Prescience validated and filtered this data, sending the results directly to Fu Xuan's mind.'

---

Amid the ruins, Kafka walked alone. From a shadowed corner, a voice echoed.

"Kafka, I have glimpsed one of the countless futures of that gentleman. Though incomplete, it is marked by extremes..."

"Oh?"

"One day, the galaxy will be torn apart by entities from higher dimensions. Some will be called demons, others will multiply endlessly like the insect swarms of the deceased Insect Emperor. There will even be those from ancient machine civilizations that once dwelled in the galaxy, who will easily reduce it to ashes. No force will stand a chance."

The owner of Fu Xuan’s vision hesitated briefly before asking, "Does this involve the Aeon of Destruction?"

"I'll get to that. Their path and the paths of other Aeons have been assimilated."

The scene shifted to a bustling, holographic-filled street. Airships wove between skyscrapers as Kafka strolled casually along. From outside a game cartridge store, she caught a petite figure tightly bundled in a mask, hat, and scarf.

"So, this is the limited-edition game you risked sneaking into corporate territory to buy? Doesn’t look much different from the junk you already have at home."

"Why are you here? Did Elio assign another mission? Quit fooling around and give me back the cartridge. There are too many people here—let’s go back to the inn first."

Fu Xuan identified the figure as Silver Wolf, the famed hacker of the Stellaron Hunters.

"Remember that guy we met at the Herta Space Station? Elio says this mission involves him."

"...I don’t remember, nor do I care."

"You even kissed him once. That might’ve been his first kiss, and now you’re going to throw it away like trash?"

Silver Wolf’s face froze as she unmasked herself, her expression deadpan. Silently, she inserted the new cartridge into her console, sat cross-legged on the sofa, and immersed herself in her game.

After a while, she muttered in frustration, "This is your fault. I died again."

"I’m not joking. Blade’s also been dispatched by Elio. This mission is critical—it could determine whether you’ll ever get to keep gaming like this."

"That serious?"

Silver Wolf tossed two bubblegum pieces into her mouth, her indifferent demeanor wavering. “Is Elio saying I don’t have a choice?”

"Exactly." Kafka’s vision nodded.

"Care to elaborate? Honestly, I’ve already trashed the Herta Space Station incident into my recycle bin. Don’t remember a thing."

"No worries. I’ll help jog your memory."

"KAFKA!!!"

Silver Wolf’s thunderous roar was more like a child throwing a tantrum. Moments later, she exhaled deeply and regained her usual nonchalance.

"Fine. Give me the reason, the script, and my role. When can I leave?"

"The reason is that Elio foresees the apocalypse."

Kafka seemed to mimic the tone of a broadcaster as she recited:

"Belobog Broadcasting Corporation has received reports that the Jarilo-VII colony was attacked by a nation of nanorobots known as the Grey Tempest. The entire colony planet has been utterly destroyed, and none of the pioneers who ventured to Jarilo-VII survived. On Jarilo-VI, the area affected by the assault has reached over 42 million square kilometers. The Empire has called on all galactic lifeforms to unite against this crisis..."

"Regrettably, several factions have taken this opportunity to plunder Imperial resources and harm its citizens. Reports indicate that the death toll from the crisis and subsequent attacks has reached 4.6 billion, with an estimated 1.9 billion families shattered. Over 40% of the casualties were caused by factions within our own galaxy..."

"According to the latest intelligence from Stellar Peace Corporation, a battle between the Imperial fleet and the Annihilation Gang ended in just ten minutes. The Imperial Governor’s casual remark, 'Why don't you kill yourself, now,' triggered a mass suicide among tens of thousands of Annihilation Gang members. Experts believe this phenomenon may be tied to the Empire’s unique psionic capabilities..."

"Today, the Imperial Governor delivered a speech. The alien enemies have attacked the Empire’s core territories, obliterating colonies and even their stars. While one war ends, another begins. In light of the opportunistic attacks by many galactic factions, we are left with no choice but to deploy all our weapons to protect every Imperial citizen."

"The Jarilo Sector Governor’s Office, the Supreme Guardian of Belobog, and the Imperial Government have issued a joint statement: all factions involved in the attacks against the Empire should prepare themselves—Imperial judgment is coming."

"The Jarilo Sector has declared a state of full military lockdown."

"While inspecting the ruins of a destroyed colony, the Imperial Governor made a discovery that may allow the Empire to achieve dimensional ascension. If successful, the Empire and its people will gain the opportunity to return to their ancestral homeland. Every great work requires sacrifice. The question is: has the galaxy prepared itself to be ruled or destroyed by us? It doesn’t matter. We are ready."

"We will endure misunderstanding. We will face resistance. But we will not stop moving forward!""

Interastral Peace Corporation Report:
"In distant star systems, fleets are assembling. Recruitment orders have been issued, and countless Imperial citizens are eagerly enlisting. Factories, appearing as if from thin air, roar to life with deafening production. Rumors suggest that, for the first time in millennia, the enigmatic Empire has turned its attention to the galaxy."

"New shipyards are rapidly producing warships, and peculiar manufacturing facilities are building colossal vessels that obscure the skies. According to our polls, the entire galaxy is fixated on one question: when the once-dormant giant awakens and sheds its mask, who will be the first fool to stand in its way?"

"Supreme Guardian Bronya Rand of Belobog has renamed the government from 'Qlipoth Fort' to 'Imperial Court.' Following a resolution by the Belobog Capital Council, a comprehensive purge of all non-Imperial citizens in occupied territories has been decreed."

"The Jarilo Sector Governor’s Office has revised its foreign policy from 'Universal Cooperation for Mutual Benefit' to: 'By sword and flame, cleanse heretical lands; from their ashes, nourish the boundless galaxy.'"

"Energy detection by Interastral Peace Corporation reveals mysterious and destructive bursts within the Empire-controlled territories. Due to territorial lockdowns, the details remain unknown, and the Empire has issued no statement."

War Journal:
"Embedded reporters with the Empire’s Third Fleet reveal that two stars in the Krymta III system have been detonated, forming massive black holes that consumed everything in their vicinity. The Krymta people, once renowned for their interstellar trade, have been completely wiped out. They had opportunistically kidnapped thousands of Imperial citizens during a previous crisis, selling them as slaves across other star systems."

"An Imperial spokesperson declared, 'As of today, there is one less mongrel obstructing the Empire’s path. To those who enslaved Imperial citizens: prepare yourselves. Judgment is coming.'"

Breaking News:
"The Empire has reportedly begun raising lifeforms from the Bell civilization as livestock, processing them into food for mass distribution within its borders—a blatant violation of interstellar ethics."

"Today, I represent the Empire in declaring war on all civilizations in the galaxy. To the remaining powers, listen closely: if you fear that our actions will lead to your extinction, then... congratulations, your fears are justified."

Silver Wolf sat on the sofa, utterly dumbfounded, her face filled with disbelief. She looked exactly like a protagonist in a thriller who had just uncovered the mastermind behind the chaos.

"Are you serious? This sounds completely ridiculous. I remember him... he seemed pretty friendly."

"This is what Elio foresaw—a catastrophic conclusion. He’s exhausting every effort to observe alternative outcomes. Ultimately, these events will become known to the Xianzhou one day, so we must prevent Elio's vision from coming to pass."

Kafka maintained her casual demeanor, utterly unfazed by the apocalyptic future.

"So, what's the script? I still have tons of games to play. This world can’t be destroyed!"

"I’ve sent the details to your inbox. Just follow the script. The Xianzhou must establish a strategic military alliance with the Empire and forge ties with the Astral Express."

Silver Wolf pulled out her phone, scanned through the message, and exhaled in relief.
"Thankfully, my part is pretty short. There's a new game coming out in two weeks, and I was worried I wouldn’t have time to snag it."

"That important?"

"Any true gamer would know that missing a first-hand launch is outright disrespectful to the game itself. Plus, I have guides to write for other players. Time waits for no one—not for games, not for players."

"Until Elio foresees the next conclusion, we must remain in the shadows, averting these tragedies. Blade and I will head to the Xianzhou to prepare. Conveniently, the Stellaron is also en route to the Xianzhou Luofu."

"Fine. I’ll finish two matches and catch up. It won’t take long."

---

Fu Xuan delved into the revelations about the Xianzhou. Her fingers unfurled, halting the Matrix of Prescience.

The phenomena conjured by Fu Xuan and the array shattered abruptly. While the backlash was minor, it left Fu Xuan gasping for breath, her gaze filled with astonishment.

"The Stellaron Hunters... all of this, just for this? To influence one possibility out of countless futures?"

"How do you feel about the truth? Surprised?" Kafka floated above, smiling down at the startled Fu Xuan, radiating a calmness that belied her captivity.

"Even a one-in-a-million chance is enough for the Stellaron Hunters to act. As I said before, we exist to guide the future toward its best possible outcome. That’s all."

Fu Xuan frowned deeply. "Unbelievable... but the Matrix of Prescience cannot be wrong."

The enormous computational power had unraveled Kafka's secrets, and its deductions were irrefutable. No matter how implausible the possibility, it was the truth.

Fu Xuan glanced toward Chen Lin, who was chatting amiably with Qingque in the distance. It was unthinkable that in an alternate outcome where the Astral Express hadn’t arrived on the Xianzhou, she and the Xianzhou might have fallen at his hands.

A foolhardy insect challenging a cart...

If such a scenario were to come true, the Xianzhou Alliance wouldn’t stand idly by. The Alliance would face annihilation beneath an overwhelming Imperial fleet, its cities razed, its people extinct...

It all stemmed from the crisis soon to engulf the Empire. Forces that exploited the chaos had provoked the Empire’s wrath, inciting its merciless retaliation.

Fu Xuan’s blood pressure spiked at the thought.

"Damn it...!"

She cursed aloud. According to Kafka’s account of Elio’s warnings, the so-called Grey Tempest had merely destroyed the Empire’s colonies, while opportunistic factions attacked Jarilo-VI itself, violently plundering its trade vessels and planetary resources. These actions had been tantamount to declaring war.

Driven mad with rage, the Empire retaliated indiscriminately, declaring war on every civilization in the galaxy—and winning with shocking ease.

The lifeless expanse of Kafka's vision sent shivers down Fu Xuan’s spine.

Monstrous...

Everyone noticed that the Matrix of Prescience had ceased its operation. As they gathered around, Jing Yuan looked at Fu Xuan’s grim expression.

"What did you see? Why do you look so upset?"

Fu Xuan took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Hah... Kafka has no ties to the Stellaron. The Stellaron Hunters' goal is unrelated to the Stellaron. Rather, it concerns... and you! Absurd. Completely absurd!"

"Us?" March 7th blinked, puzzled. "What do you mean, us?"

Welt offered calmly, "Fu Xuan, please clarify. We mean no harm to the Xianzhou."

"I know you mean no harm. The Stellaron Hunters have been playing this game for so long, all in the hope of preventing a dreadful, infuriating conclusion."

Fu Xuan let out a cold snort. "I must report this to the General immediately. If you have questions, ask Kafka yourselves. Ask her as long as you’d like—I won’t entertain you further."

Without waiting, Fu Xuan strode toward the platform outside the array’s core. Above her, Jing Yuan observed the scene with a mix of curiosity and relief.

Though uncertain of what had transpired, he felt reassured that with sufficient information, the crisis would be easier to resolve.

Tap, tap...

"Fu Xuan, you walk so briskly. I can only assume you've uncovered something significant. I knew your insight would—"

"General, first let me ask: do you have low blood pressure?"

Jing Yuan: "?"

---

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!