Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [94]

[Gepard, let’s say—just hypothetically.]

[If one day the Supreme Guardian orders you to abandon the people of Belobog to achieve her personal goals… what would you do?]

The snowstorm raged on at the Forbidden Zone’s frontline as Gepard led a dozen camouflaged Silvermane Guards in a steady march. Amidst the biting wind, his sister’s voice echoed in his mind.

It had been years since that fateful moment when Serval had been stripped of her title and reduced to a commoner. The accusation of treason weighed heavily on the Landau family, leaving them unable to lift their heads in public. The so-called "victories" at the warfront were celebrated as grand triumphs, yet the soldiers who returned were little more than broken remnants.

During that time, Gepard had avoided the crowd’s gaze as flowers were strewn along their path. When he visited the workshop to repair his equipment, his sister had asked him that cryptic question.

Confused yet resolute, Gepard had firmly believed that the Supreme Guardian would never commit such selfish acts. He had responded with confidence, trusting in the Guardian’s creed.

Power comes with responsibility. Every Supreme Guardian inherits the mantle of their predecessors, wielding the divine authority entrusted to them. They swear to remain loyal to Belobog, to fight for its preservation, and to protect its people at all costs.

At the time, Gepard had unwavering faith that the Guardian would uphold such principles.

[I said, hypothetically.]

Serval had fixed him with a piercing gaze, as if trying to see through his very soul.

Without much thought, Gepard had responded decisively.

He had already sworn to protect Belobog and its people, no matter the cost.

As a descendant of Lazlo Landau, he admired his ancestor’s legacy—that hero who had stood alone against the endless waves of the Legion, holding the line until his dying breath.

Gepard had been inspired by the stories Chen Lin wrote to pass the time, especially one line:

“Humanity shines brightest when it fights against impossible odds, forging a path where none exists, moving mountains if necessary. Better to stand tall and fight than to live as a coward, cowering in submission.”

Gepard had resolutely vowed to always stand by the people of Belobog, to honor the Silvermane Guards’ promise, and to uphold the Landau family’s code:

Born of the people, fight for the people!

Every member of the Landau family possessed an extraordinary strength unmatched by ordinary men. They loved Belobog—its city, its nation, and its people.

Anyone who dared threaten Belobog would be challenging the Landau family itself.

That evening, Gepard had answered his sister with conviction.

“If protecting the people means defying the Supreme Guardian’s orders, even if it puts me in grave danger, I will still choose the people. That’s what I must do.”

Marching at the head of his unit, Gepard recalled his words with pride.

He remembered how his sister had laughed—boldly, almost maniacally—but with unmistakable pride in her expression.

[Gepard, oh Gepard.]

[You truly are one of us Landau.]

Clenching his fists, Gepard’s eyes burned with determination. He muttered under his breath, “This is what I must do… and what only I can do!”

“Hey, what’s with that brooding look?” Serval’s teasing voice broke his reverie as she clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to wrestle that giant shadow in the sky?”

“Sis…” Gepard’s lips twitched, his expression darkening as he forced a bitter smile. “I’m not that reckless. Besides, we don’t even have the means to fight it. And… I know this is our fault to begin with.”

Serval sighed. “What can I even say? That woman stirred up this mess, and now all of Belobog has to bear the consequences.”

“Don’t slander the Supreme Guardian,” Gepard said quietly, his tone heavy. “At least not until we have irrefutable evidence…”

“Oh, please.” Serval scoffed. “You don’t even sound convinced yourself. Stop defending someone who probably sees you as no different from the rebel officers.”

“I know…”

“Do you really?”

“I do. I just… it’s hard to adjust, and I…”

Before Gepard could finish, Serval straightened abruptly, pointing ahead. “There! Look!”

Everyone looked up and spotted a group of Silvermane Guards escorting a slight figure clad in similar armor. Strands of silver-white hair peeked out from under the figure’s helmet—unmistakably Bronya.

Serval blinked, startled. A quick glance revealed that Bronya’s escort wasn’t limited to just a small team; there were at least 60 or 70 Silvermane Guards from Qlipoth Fort with her.

“Gepard, weren’t there only three squads assigned to guard Bronya? What’s with the extra crowd?”

“I have no idea,” Gepard admitted, equally baffled.

Bronya called out happily, “Everyone, I’m here!”

The guards leading her approached Gepard’s group and saluted. “Captain Gepard, Miss Serval.”

Bronya removed her helmet, revealing her face to the gathered soldiers.

Still stunned, Gepard asked, “Lady Bronya, were this many guards assigned to watch over you?”

“Are you dense?” Serval smacked the back of Gepard’s head. “Now’s not the time for questions—let’s move!”

“Right! Back to the camp!”

Ten minutes later, the group returned to the military camp at the border. Pela, who had been waiting anxiously by the gate, lit up with excitement the moment she spotted Bronya. She rushed forward to greet her.

“Your Highness, are you safe? You weren’t hurt, were you?”

“I’m fine, thanks to Captain Gepard, Sister Serval, and everyone at the palace. Everything went smoothly.” Bronya removed her disguise and recounted her escape.

The initial route was planned by the captain of the guard squad watching over her, who scouted ahead to ensure it was safe. The palace’s night watch team stayed close to Bronya to protect her.

Another squad, scheduled to replace the current guard shift, feigned illness to gain access to Qlipoth Fort and smuggled a set of armor for Bronya’s disguise.

The riskiest moment came when a patrol captain overseeing the palace perimeter noticed something off—the group’s numbers didn’t add up, and someone’s armor didn’t fit properly. He began a thorough inspection, stopping right in front of the disguised Bronya.

“I had my hand on my blade,” the palace guard captain admitted nervously. “I was ready to cut my way out if things went south…”

The other captain, distinguished by the medal on his chest, shot him a glance. “The moment I saw you tense up, I realized it wasn’t a palace infiltrator but Lady Bronya herself.”

“And then?” Pela asked, her eyes wide.

“And then?” The first captain shrugged. “Then I stopped the inspection. Worked out perfectly for us, didn’t it? Turns out you guys were on our side, too.”

“Exactly…”
 The squad captain who had nearly drawn his blade let out a sigh. “Over a month ago, my team started discussing how to meet with Lady Bronya. The Supreme Guardian’s punishments were absurd, and we couldn’t accept the outcome. Two of my men initially tried to reason with Lady Cocolia directly, but they didn’t even get to see her. Instead, they ran into that old snake, Bidan!”

“Huh?” Pela’s expression was full of confusion. Even as a former intelligence officer, she hadn’t heard of any of this.

“The new Minister of Internal Affairs,” the captain explained. “Those two were executed on his orders. We couldn’t let that slide. And with Lady Bronya still trapped in the palace, we feared she might be assassinated like what happened during the Stepan Uprising. That’s why we decided to do whatever it took to meet her and voice our concerns.”

Captain Kris chuckled awkwardly. “At first, I thought your squad was a group of that old snake’s men sent to harm Lady Bronya…”

“So you beat up a bunch of soldiers from other squads?”

“Well, they were sneaking around!”

“We couldn’t exactly waltz in through the front gates, could we? This was a mission where discovery meant execution. Who would dare be so blatant?”

“Except Nicorov knew what was happening. He’s one of our people,” Kris pointed out.

“That little rascal! We’ve been suspicious of him for sneaking around all the time. We were even debating whether to get rid of him a few days ago.”

Nicorov, one of the mentioned captains, frowned. “Funny, we thought you guys were spies for Bidan’s faction and were planning to take you out too…”

“So… you all just decided to escort Lady Bronya out?” Pela asked incredulously.

“That’s right.” The captains nodded in unison. “We spread the word, and everyone coordinated under the guise of searching for stolen valuables from the palace. That allowed us to move freely.”

“How many squads are involved?” Pela asked.

A captain replied, “We have 26 squads confirmed for now. I also sent word to a few more comrades who were off-duty. They should be on their way.”

“Our research department’s patrol team is also in.”

“The Administrative Hall’s inner guards have five more squads coming too.”

Pela was stunned. She had expected Bronya’s escape to be an arduous and covert operation. Never did she imagine that practically the entirety of Qlipoth Fort was already working in secret to free her.

She hesitated, then asked cautiously, “If everyone shows up, could we gather 40 squads?”

Qlipoth Fort’s Iron Guard squads typically consisted of 3–5 members. Based on her calculations, the total number of Iron Guards shouldn’t exceed 300. If they already had a third on their side, this was monumental.

To her surprise, Captain Kris shook his head, then declared firmly, “More than that.”

Pela blinked. “What?”

As the newly defected Iron Guards were integrated into the Silvermane Guard’s roster, Pela directed them to rest in designated areas while posting a watch nearby.

Just as expected, more squads arrived in waves. Some guards had forgotten their helmets, some carried only weapons, and some were still dressed in civilian clothes.

By evening, the last of the defectors had arrived. Only one squad came in injured, their members bloodied and battered. They reported being ambushed by private soldiers loyal to Bidan and the emerging noble factions supported by Cocolia. The squad had lost one man, and several others were severely injured but managed to make it to the camp.

They brought troubling news: all routes to the border outposts had been blockaded by private armies under Cocolia’s favored families.

Inside the military camp’s meeting room, the gathered leaders absorbed the reports in heavy silence.

Some Iron Guards had originally been Silvermane Guards, disillusioned by Cocolia’s reckless decisions during past campaigns. Others were staunch supporters of Bronya, outraged by her treatment and secretly plotting to rescue her.

A few patrol guards, disheartened by the rampant corruption within Qlipoth Fort, sought to replace the leadership entirely.

Still others, having participated in the restoration of the Commercial District, were devout followers of Chen Lin. They believed the palace’s corruption was due to manipulative ministers poisoning the Supreme Guardian’s judgment and sought to expose and remove them.

Despite their differing motivations, all these factions had converged on one goal: to free Lady Bronya and establish contact with the missing Chen Lin. They saw him as the only hope for Belobog’s salvation.

Serval leaned back in her chair, muttering, “You’ve got to hand it to that woman. Not just anyone could mess things up this badly.”

Gepard shot her a glance before lowering his head and speaking in a worried tone. “Lady Bronya, our situation is dire. Now that you’re here, we await your command. What should we do next?”

They faced threats from all sides: a mighty empire prepared to annihilate their planet and its inhabitants, and the palace faction conspiring with opportunistic noble families.

If they didn’t act decisively, the Silvermane Guards risked being branded as traitors, and the Landau name would be forever tainted—assuming Jarilo-VI even survived to carry that shame.

Everyone knew the stakes. One wrong step would lead to ruin. They not only had to fight the corrupt court but also negotiate with the colossal war machine looming above them.

A situation that seemed utterly hopeless.

Bronya rose from her seat and gazed out the window at the boundless night sky.

Her voice, steady but laced with resolve, broke the tense silence. “My mentor is alive. He’s been working tirelessly to rebuild the Underworld. I can contact him at any time.”

Her words left everyone but Pela and Serval stunned.

“There’s no need to worry about his homeland’s fleet. From what I’ve observed, they’re as reasonable as he claimed. They might even become our allies.”

Bronya’s tone shifted, carrying both self-reflection and determination. “I’ve been so focused on my studies that I failed to see the signs in court. I neglected my duty to speak out and advise my mother, leaving her vulnerable to manipulation. That failure is partly my responsibility.

“But the situation is not beyond saving. As Belobog’s clearest voice of reason, we must stand united, prepare for battle, and focus on what truly needs to be done.”

She turned back to the room, her gaze sharp and unyielding.

“I will contact my mentor and the entity in the sky. In the meantime, everyone must prepare for war and remain vigilant.”

Bronya straightened her posture, her expression a blend of grim determination and fiery resolve.

“My mentor once said, in his homeland’s history, whenever a court had no virtuous officials and was overrun by traitors, they would raise an army to cleanse it and restore justice.

“Perhaps history will judge me harshly for what I’m about to do, but that judgment is for another day.”

Her voice rang clear and decisive:

“To protect the people, to safeguard Belobog, to reclaim our home from the Fragmentum—we must eliminate the traitors and cleanse the court!”

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T/N: ooooh iron guards werent a mistranslation... welp

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!