Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [100]

Time slipped by quickly, and the agreed-upon day to head to the Overworld arrived.

Two days prior, Chen Lin had spent a bit of money to acquire a map of the mine tunnels leading to the Silvermane Guard’s defensive line from Sampo. After verifying its accuracy through a few Wildfire scouts, he tossed the map aside without a second thought.

Clara’s work was progressing smoothly. Chen Lin had visited a few times, intending to help her if she encountered any issues, but to his surprise, Clara handled everything herself, overcoming every obstacle with determination.

“Why is Dan Heng taking so long?” March 7th grumbled as she crouched on the inn’s steps, her tone filled with boredom.

Last night, Chen Lin had informed everyone of his plan to return to the Overworld. Reactions varied, but both March 7th and Stelle were visibly excited. They were eager to see what kind of people Chen Lin’s “forces” were, their curiosity driving their enthusiasm.

Dan Heng, on the other hand, had been more reserved. After the others left, he asked Chen Lin if he had recovered any of his lost memories—a backstory Chen Lin had fabricated upon meeting them to avoid hostility.

Chen Lin shook his head, prompting Dan Heng to pat his shoulder with a rare word of encouragement, respecting whatever choice Chen Lin would ultimately make, whether to return home or remain on the Astral Express.

Chen Lin appreciated the sentiment but refrained from explaining further. How could I possibly tell him that the ships and people supposedly “seeking” me were all constructs I created from thin air?

The idea of fabricating both ships and people sounded absurdly idealistic—even to someone as steeped in psionics as Chen Lin.

But for now, Chen Lin had no plans to leave the Express. He still hoped it would lead him back home, eventually.

“Dan Heng should be fine,” Chen Lin reassured the group as he scanned the surroundings. “Seele is with him, and if something really goes wrong, she’ll definitely come back to let us know.”

“What exactly are they doing?” Stelle tugged at his sleeve, her curiosity piqued.

“Yeah, you didn’t explain,” March added.

“They’re rescuing people,” Chen Lin replied.

This morning, Seele had rushed into his room while he was still half-asleep, reporting that scouts had spotted about forty soldiers near the outskirts of Rivet Town, surrounded by Fragmentum monsters. The soldiers, clad in armor resembling the Silvermane Guards, were heavily outnumbered and unable to break through.

The strange part? Bronya hadn’t mentioned sending reinforcements to the Underworld. Even more peculiar, communication signals had grown weaker, making it impossible to confirm anything with the Overworld.

“So, you think they might be Bronya’s people in trouble?” March 7th asked, her brain—rarely in use—seeming to spring to life.

Chen Lin raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. “Wait, March, you’re actually thinking things through?”

He leaned closer, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied her.

To his amusement, Stelle mirrored his movement, as if discovering a rare phenomenon.

March flushed with embarrassment, snapping, “I’m not an idiot! This wasn’t that hard to figure out!”

“Don’t strain yourself,” Stelle said in a deadpan tone.

“I’m not straining anything!” March huffed.

Half an hour later, just as Chen Lin considered using his psionics to check on the situation twenty kilometers away, a familiar energy signature brushed against his awareness.

Seele.

He turned toward the source, spotting her running toward them.

“Seele!” March waved enthusiastically. “Where’s Dan Heng? And the others?”

Seele paused briefly, her expression unreadable. “They’re on their way.”

Her gaze shifted to Chen Lin, her face a mixture of emotions that he couldn’t decipher.

“What happened?” he asked.

Seele hesitated, then shook her head. “I can’t explain. You’ll see for yourself when they get here. It won’t be long now.”

Chen Lin’s curiosity deepened. What could be so complicated that she can’t even put it into words?

Seele entered the inn, retrieving a small flatbread wrapped in wax paper. She tore off a piece and offered it to Chen Lin.

“Natasha made it. Want some? I can warm it up for you—it’s a little cold, and I know you don’t like that.”

Despite her morning filled with physical labor, Seele hadn’t eaten much. Her growling stomach betrayed her need to refuel, a habit ingrained in her after years of balancing work and unpredictable emergencies.

“You sure you’ll have enough?” Chen Lin asked, eyeing the palm-sized flatbread skeptically. He knew Seele’s appetite—while reduced due to improved living conditions—was still much larger than his.

“I’ll manage.” Seele pointed to the wax paper, revealing two more pieces. “I’ll just heat this up for you.”

Before she could leave, Chen Lin grabbed the piece she had offered and bit into it. “No need. If you can eat it, so can I.”

Seele stared at him for a moment before turning away with a small smile. “Suit yourself.”

Not long after, the rescue team arrived. Dan Heng led the group, his expression unreadable. At the rear was a formation of armored soldiers—clearly Silvermane Guards.

Chen Lin’s sharp eyes immediately caught the details. These weren’t Bronya’s people. The insignias on their armor marked them as members of the Palace Guard, an elite unit directly serving the Qlipoth Fort.

The Palace Guard was a collective term encompassing several specialized branches, including the royal bodyguards who protected the Supreme Guardian and her heir, as well as ceremonial troops. Recruited from the ranks of the Silvermane Guards through rigorous selection, only those who excelled in loyalty, combat skills, and various elite criteria earned the title.

Their presence here, far from the Overworld, was both unusual and troubling.

Chen Lin glanced at Seele, who was now nonchalantly munching on her flatbread. He couldn’t help but suspect the situation was related to her earlier cryptic comments.

“I’m back,” Dan Heng announced, stopping a few steps away.

“Good work. Any casualties?” Chen Lin asked.

Dan Heng shook his head. “Two Wildfire members were lightly injured. I didn’t ask about the others.”

He gestured toward the Palace Guard at the rear. “You’ll want to deal with them yourself.”

Chen Lin nodded, issuing orders for the injured Wildfire members to receive medical attention and a paid three-day leave. Then, he approached the soldiers.

The group was visibly battered, their armor dented and stained with blood. Some still bled from gaps in their plating, yet they stood tall, their postures unwavering despite the grueling twenty-kilometer trek.

The leader of the group—a man with the highest rank among them—noticed Chen Lin and immediately stepped forward.

To Chen Lin’s surprise, the man trembled as he accepted a two-meter-wide board covered with red cloth from another soldier. With shaky hands, he carried it over, then fell to his knees with a loud thud.

“What are you—”

“Sir Chen!” the man cried out, his voice filled with remorse. “We’ve wronged you terribly… please forgive us!”

The captain of the Palace Guards spoke in a trembling voice.

“Cocolia ordered us to come to the Underworld and apprehend you. She even sent her trusted allies to oversee the mission—like the eldest son of the Rockefeller family, the third-ranking member of the McMillan family, and the heir of the Shamalov family. But once we set out, things escalated. The McMillan and Rockefeller representatives demanded we bring your corpse back instead of taking you alive. When we refused, the Shamalov heir tried to return to report us."

"We couldn’t let that happen. So, we silenced them... permanently."

“We’ve grown weary of the corruption within the palace. Ever since Lady Bronya left, the Qlipoth Fort has been tightly controlled, with constant personnel changes and key routes monitored by these newly empowered families. It’s been impossible for us to defect. But now, we hope to use this opportunity to pledge our loyalty to you and Lady Bronya by presenting this offering as proof of our sincerity!”

Chen Lin’s brow twitched as he reached out and pulled away the red cloth covering the wooden board.

Beneath it lay seven severed heads. Judging by their decorations and features, these were clearly people of noble status.

One of them, Chen Lin recognized immediately—a politician from the McMillan family. This man had obstructed the hydroponic farm project back when Bronya, under Chen Lin’s guidance, was working to stabilize the Overworld. His interference had delayed the project for days.

At Chen Lin’s suggestion, Bronya had heavily fined the McMillan family. In the end, they had resolved the issue with money.

So, this politician had been one of Cocolia’s trusted allies all along. No wonder.

Perhaps these noble families resented Chen Lin more than Bronya herself, given that he had been the one constantly reporting their schemes and cutting off their means to manipulate politics and siphon funds.

Chen Lin also recognized members of other families. Bronya had mentioned to him during their discussions how some aristocratic houses in Belobog were being systematically replaced. The Landau family, who had held sway over the military, was labeled as traitorous by Cocolia, making room for other families like the McMillans to rise.

These upstarts weren’t just targeting Landau allies in the palace; they even kidnapped distant Landau relatives to hold them hostage, with many dying under brutal interrogation.

My manpower, wasted...

The more Chen Lin thought about it, the more he understood Seele’s silence upon her return. Having little knowledge of his involvement in the Overworld, she likely feared miscommunicating the situation and had chosen to say nothing at all.

Still, the sheer level of corruption and chaos within the Qlipoth Fort was staggering. Even the Palace Guards—handpicked through strict screening processes—had defectors seeking asylum with him. If this trend continued, the Qlipoth Fort’s elite forces would be entirely hollowed out.

Wait... hollowed out?

“Stand up,” Chen Lin said, waving the captain and his men to their feet. “Get your injuries treated. Are you hungry? Fill your stomachs first, and we’ll talk.”

“Sir Chen...”

Before the captain could say more, Chen Lin helped him up, instructing nearby medics to treat the wounded guards and distributing food among them.

The kindness and warmth overwhelmed the guards. Many had assumed Chen Lin would reject their offer of allegiance, but the reality far exceeded their expectations.

Recently, Chen Lin had noticed a new breakthrough in his psionic abilities—an ability to detect the surface-level thoughts of others. Though faint and requiring the subject’s cooperation, it had proven reliable enough to discern whether someone was lying.

Seele had helped him refine this ability through repeated practice, confirming that he could determine whether a statement was wholly or partially untrue.

Testing the Palace Guards now, Chen Lin found their loyalty to Bronya—and surprisingly, himself—remarkably genuine. Their sincerity was so pure that even Chen Lin felt slightly guilty for doubting them.

After reassuring the guards and thanking them for their efforts, he issued them a task before calling over Dan Heng. Quietly, Chen Lin entrusted Dan Heng with a separate mission, whispering instructions in his ear.

Then, with a confident wave, Chen Lin gathered his group and set off for the Overworld.

Dan Heng remained behind, tasked with accompanying the Palace Guards as they retraced their steps back to the Qlipoth Fort. Chen Lin had entrusted him with something crucial that required handling within the heart of the palace.

---

T/N: LMAO Cocolia is stupid as fuck

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!