Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [104]

Boom!

A surge of air scattered snowflakes as the deafening explosion shook Belobog’s ground.

Cocolia sat stiffly in her office, her expression grim. She had recently communicated with the massive object in orbit, but the hostile bombardments had stopped for a while—only to suddenly resume with unrelenting force today.

During her efforts to track down Chen Lin and his companions, chaos within Belobog had only intensified. Violent conflicts escalated daily, and private soldiers of prominent families suffered casualties almost every day while trying to maintain order.

Beset by internal strife and external threats, the colossal ship in the sky had severed communications. They had left her with one ominous message: The time is near. We will contact Qlipoth Fort again after the final deadline in two days.

If she could capture Chen Lin and his guards before then, things might still work out. But if the deadline passed without her delivering anything, it would be over.

If the planet itself was destroyed, then the new world promised by the Stellaron would never come to fruition—everything would return to dust.

She had already sacrificed so much to ensure the loyalty of the aristocratic families. If the external threat wasn’t resolved soon, Belobog would collapse into a man-made apocalypse ahead of schedule.

That outcome wasn’t far removed from her original intention—but if the planet was gone, what new world could there possibly be?

Cocolia found herself questioning her past decisions. Why had she been so rash in ordering the capture and elimination of Chen Lin and his companions? Why had she imprisoned Bronya, her own daughter, deep within the palace?

She had sensed that these outsiders might be a key to Belobog’s survival. She had even tried to glean their perspective on Belobog’s future from the young man leading them…

Why had I done something so irrational?

"Hurry up and drive them away. The new world is calling to you."

"We warned you not to involve yourself with outsiders. This is your mess; you must clean it up."

"Our will is eternal. If you fail, the only thing that will vanish is you."

“Shut up! This is all your fault!” Cocolia snapped.

The voices in her mind only worsened her already foul mood. The Supreme Guardian of Belobog—once a figure of authority and control—was now shouting curses in frustration.

Yet, before she could unleash a full tirade, the Stellaron’s voice imposed a strange calm over her. Her anger dissolved, and the words she had been ready to hurl died in her throat.

"We walk the same path. Do not let the challenges ahead defeat you. Trust that we are your true allies."

“Let’s see about that…”

Cocolia dismissed the voice in her head and resolved to send more guards to hunt down the fugitives she had ordered captured.

Time was running out. There was no room for further arguments with the Stellaron.

As she stepped out of the administrative hall, a rush of wind came from her side. She dodged instinctively, spotting a palace guard, a squad leader by their badge. Her expression immediately darkened.

“Why are you in such a hurry? This is unacceptable behavior!”

“Ah… Lady Cocolia! Thank goodness I found you!”

Despite nearly colliding with his leader, the guard seemed unfazed, his face alight with excitement. “We’ve captured Chen Lin—the fugitive!”

Cocolia froze. She had been ready to reprimand him, but the report wiped the thought from her mind.

“Where is he?!” she asked, her voice betraying her elation.

“Right at the base of the stairs!”

Leaving the guard behind, Cocolia rushed down the stairs. It wasn’t long before she saw him: the disheveled youth surrounded by a group of palace guards, tightly bound with ropes.

His face was smudged with dirt, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion, and his clothes were ragged.

It really is Chen Lin.

Cocolia’s long-standing anxiety melted away as relief washed over her. The oppressive weight she had carried for days was gone, replaced by a rare smile.

Finally, the external crisis was resolved.

She turned to a nearby guard and issued an order. “Summon Dr. Peter from the Research Department. Have him prepare the equipment and establish contact with the Empire’s fleet.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The guard hurried off while Cocolia strode toward the group.

The palace guards parted to make way for her, though two remained, holding tightly to the bound Chen Lin.

“Mr. Chen Lin, it’s been a while. You’ve been quite elusive,” she remarked.

“And?” Chen Lin lifted his head weakly, sneering. “Lady Cocolia Rand, I assume you’ve already decided how to execute this fugitive of yours?”

Cocolia shook her head, gesturing toward the sky. “Given your past contributions to Belobog, I won’t harm you. Your superiors have come to retrieve you. I’m merely assisting in sending you back. No harm will come to you here.”

Execute him? Don’t be ridiculous. Killing the man before her would mean the obliteration of Belobog—and all of Jarilo-VI—within days.

Cocolia had kept a close watch on the sky. The massive ship wasn’t alone anymore; several other titanic vessels had arrived in recent days. None of them seemed to be bluffing.

It was only after the destroyer appeared that Cocolia realized Chen Lin wasn’t just a scientist. He was someone significant—possibly even a candidate for the Empire’s future leadership.

What the hell were you thinking, Chen Lin? Why would someone of your stature take on such dangerous work and nearly ruin everything for Belobog?

From within the crowd, Chen Lin heard her words and furrowed his brow, eventually letting out a bitter laugh.

“So, that’s how it is… I had hoped for more peaceful, cooperative relations between our nations. But I see we’ve already reached this point.”

“Belobog is vast and rich. It doesn’t require your concern, Mr. Chen Lin.”

“Pfft.” Chen Lin couldn’t help but laugh. “Well then, I wish you great success, Lady Cocolia Rand. May Belobog prosper, its people flourish, and your family live in harmony.”

With that, Chen Lin fell silent.

Cocolia clenched her fists. Though his words were factual, they left a sour taste in her mouth.

Especially since they reminded her of Bronya…

Her once-obedient daughter was now the leader of the rebels.

“Take Mr. Chen Lin inside the palace and keep a close watch on him. There can be no mistakes!” she commanded.

Recognizing the injuries and heavy losses suffered by the guards who had captured him, Cocolia decided to reward them.

Summoning the squad leader, she declared, “Your unit will handle his custody. All members will receive a two-rank promotion. The official recognition will occur three days from now.”

“Thank you, Lady Supreme Guardian!”

“Go,” Cocolia commanded, her long-standing frustration easing slightly. After a few steps, she turned and added, “I’ll send medics to tend to your injured men. Captain, follow me—I have questions for you.”

As Chen Lin was escorted deep into Qlipoth Fort, Cocolia led the captain of the squad responsible for his capture into the administrative hall.

Cocolia had already recognized this squad the moment she saw them. Their numbers were nearly halved, and several key figures were conspicuously absent.

Leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed, she asked, “What happened to the others in your unit? How did you capture him? I want the full story.”

“Supreme Guardian, I have failed you!” The captain’s voice cracked as he launched into a dramatic recounting of their mission, voice trembling and tears brimming in his eyes. Internally, he marveled at how Chen Lin had anticipated every question Cocolia would ask, preparing him with the perfect answers.

“After escaping the Fragmentum creatures, we stumbled upon several abandoned towns. In a place called Rivet Town, we found some civilian clothes and disguised ourselves as refugees. At Boulder Town, we gathered intel on the fugitive Chen Lin. To our shock, he had colluded with the Underworld’s rabble, amassing a force too large for a frontal assault.

“Lord Macmillan devised a plan. He sent us to infiltrate their loosely organized militia. I found an opening to drug the target with the sedative provided by Lord Shamalov and managed to knock him unconscious.

“Everything was going smoothly, but just as we were changing into our armor for extraction, we were discovered by a woman who didn’t seem very bright but had terrifying combat skills. Lord Ziebeck was struck by an arrow that pierced his left leg…”

“And the others?” Cocolia’s thoughts turned to the woman called March 7th, whose description matched that of the attacker.

“They were overwhelmed in the chaos. Fortunately, Lord Shamalov fought valiantly, and Lord Macmillan’s guards held off many of the enemy. During the commotion, I organized a breakout and managed to bring our group back… Supreme Guardian, you must punish those Underworld rebels and rescue our captured comrades!”

The captain bowed deeply, his body trembling as if reliving the trauma.

In truth, most of the guards who had accompanied the aristocrats into the Underworld had perished fighting Fragmentum creatures. This allowed the captain’s squad to decapitate the aristocrats they were supposed to protect, presenting their heads as proof of their defection to Chen Lin.

Of course, Cocolia knew nothing of this. Chen Lin had concocted the tale, which the captain now recited flawlessly.

“Hah…”

Cocolia massaged her temples. “Alright, you’re dismissed. I’ll see about mobilizing additional forces.”

Cocolia was well aware of the Underworld’s armed group, Wildfire, and their determination to protect Chen Lin—even if it meant outright rebellion. This behavior was unsurprising for Wildfire.

The real issue was that the aristocrats who volunteered for this mission—hoping to gain prestige—had all been captured by the Underworld. And worse still, they were from families she had been trying to win over.

If word got out, those families would surely demand answers.

Useless idiots!

Cocolia cursed internally. A fully armed detachment defeated by a ragtag militia, with critical personnel taken hostage. Pathetic!

She knew she couldn’t keep the situation under wraps; news of Chen Lin’s capture and the unit’s return had likely already spread among the aristocratic families.

What am I supposed to do now…?

“Supreme Guardian, Dr. Peter requests an audience!” a palace guard announced loudly.

“Let him in.” Cocolia smoothed her expression, adopting a more composed demeanor.

Shortly after, a slightly rotund, white-bearded man entered the hall. Cocolia addressed him immediately, “Dr. Peter, have you re-established contact with the ship?”

“Supreme Guardian, the channel has been severed. We are unable to reach them.”

“I see…”

It seemed the fleet above had no interest in further communication, likely annoyed by their constant pleas for leniency and extensions.

It appears our next opportunity to communicate will only come on the final day.

“Dr. Peter, monitor the communication equipment closely over the next few days. Inform me immediately if you receive any updates.”

“It is my duty,” Dr. Peter replied.

Raising his gaze slightly, the old researcher asked, “Are you concerned about the unrest among the populace?”

“In part,” Cocolia admitted with a sigh. Dr. Peter had been a loyal fixture of Qlipoth Fort, serving diligently and faithfully—especially after she had promoted him following Serval’s removal.

As head of the Research Department, Dr. Peter was well-informed. He likely already knew about Chen Lin’s capture and the unit’s return.

“The Rockfield, Macmillan, and Shamalov families will soon come seeking answers. Their members were captured during the mission to the Underworld,” she said, voicing her true concerns.

The Research Department typically refrained from political involvement, but Dr. Peter’s intelligence and wisdom had often made her wish he would join her advisory council.

Unfortunately, he was wholly devoted to his research, rejecting every invitation with polite firmness.

Looking at the elderly man in front of her, Cocolia wondered if the instability within the palace had prompted him to address political matters for the first time.

Dr. Peter furrowed his brow in thought before suddenly speaking. “Supreme Guardian, I have a suggestion that could resolve both of your concerns.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Host a banquet,” he proposed. “Invite representatives of all major families to attend. Simultaneously, lift the curfew and other restrictions, allowing the public to celebrate and ease tensions. This will make it difficult for the rebels to launch an assault without risking widespread casualties, as they wouldn’t dare strike amidst such a gathering.

“At the banquet, you could announce plans to deal with the Underworld, promising to rescue the captured aristocrats and divide the Underworld’s resources among their families. This would appease their current dissatisfaction with promises of future gain, while uniting Belobog’s internal forces against the rebels.”

Cocolia’s eyes lit up.

“Brilliant! A truly clever strategy, Dr. Peter. We’ll proceed as you suggest!”

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T/N: amomgh us

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!