Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [244]

A nation was not a household.

It was a vast machine with countless interlocking gears, each needing to function without failure.

Balancing competing interests was an eternal challenge, and for a newly established government like Jarilo’s—barely a year old— this issue was even more pressing.

Before Bronya took power under Chen Lin’s guidance, the economy of Belobog had already been showing serious cracks.

A small city-state like Belobog had severe limitations in population, technology, and industrial capacity.

As a result, military production took up a staggering 80% of total output, leaving only 20% for civilian needs.

With such spartan economic conditions, the City Builder families—the aristocracy of Belobog—easily monopolized all high-end industries through government contracts.

Every time Qlipoth Fort allocated tax revenue to the Silvermane Guards, the money inevitably flowed into the hands of the wealthy elite.

However, Belobog’s domestic economy lacked the consumption power to sustain such a structure.

This led to an ever-widening wealth gap:

• The rich got richer.

• The average citizen got poorer.

Belobog had always encouraged population growth.

With the Everwinter Rift looming as an eternal threat, the nation needed manpower for defense.

Yet, due to widespread poverty, the common people were forced into monogamy.

Meanwhile, the City Builder families engaged in polygamy on an extreme scale—three wives, four concubines were considered modest.

It was common for a single aristocrat to have over a dozen spouses.

By tradition, their children were automatically granted government or military positions—even if they did absolutely nothing.

This led to a massive bloat in the bureaucracy and military payroll, where incompetent nobles drained public funds while hoarding political power.

A classic oligarchy.

A small elite controlled all wealth and influence.

Even if a City Builder’s child was a complete idiot, the worst they could become was a department supervisor.

When Chen Lin came to power, he tore down the old system entirely.

His reforms dismantled and reconstructed:

• Politics

• Economy

• Agriculture

The old production model was utterly inadequate to meet the needs of a modern nation.

And it was incapable of providing both material comfort and spiritual fulfillment for the people.

Sweeping reform was the only path forward.

Technology and resources were not an issue.

As long as those two factors were secured, the difficulty of reform dropped to nearly zero.

Chen Lin implemented:

• Agricultural Utopianism –

  • Climate-controlled mega-farms ensured 2000% food surplus.

• Global Production Strategy –

  • Even with vast distances between industries, a centralized system kept all production coordinated and optimized.

In politics, he introduced a governance model inspired by the Stellaris tech tree:

• Centralized Bureaucracy –

  • Government departments operated under a hierarchy, ensuring streamlined decision-making.

• Psionic Intelligence Bureau –

  • Established by Pela, this department functioned as the central think tank.

• Governor’s Oversight Commission –

  • Directly under Chen Lin and Bronya’s authority, this entity bypassed local governments entirely.

• Administrative Audits –

  • Officials underwent constant ideological screenings under Pela’s brutal supervision.

• Severe Consequences –

  • Any deviation or corruption was treated as high treason.

Economically, he introduced a radical imperial model:

• The Belobog Government became the sole financial entity.

• Prices, currency, and trade were state-controlled.

• All private sector interference was eliminated.

With Chen Lin in charge, resources were functionally infinite.

Most goods were produced at zero cost.

But despite his confidence in the reforms, he still had doubts.

This was why he personally disguised himself and traveled among the people—to identify any hidden flaws in the system.

So far?

He had found nothing.

The citizens were overwhelmingly satisfied.

After all, everything on Jarilo-VI—aside from a small labor cost—was essentially free.

That’s why, when someone finally voiced an opposing opinion, Chen Lin’s interest was instantly piqued.

The speaker was a short-haired young woman in a business suit.

She sat at the table behind Chen Lin, flipping through a book while eating strawberry-flavored ice cream.

She didn’t even glance up as she spoke.

Based on her clothing and speech patterns, she was clearly not from Jarilo.

Chen Lin couldn’t detect any psionic potential from her either—confirming that she was an off-worlder.

“…Can I get this to-go? Let’s leave.”

She must have realized her words weren’t well-received by the locals.

Without waiting, she asked the visibly annoyed shopkeeper for a takeout bag and prepared to leave.

Only then did Chen Lin notice the small Warp Trotter at her feet.

“Miss, if you have a moment, I’d love to hear more about your perspective.”

Chen Lin leaned forward, his tone polite.

“Would you mind staying a few minutes? I’ll cover all expenses.”

The woman paused.

She glanced at him, slightly surprised.

This plain-looking young man hadn’t caught her attention earlier.

Had he not engaged in political discussion, she wouldn’t have spared him a second thought.

“You sure?” she asked skeptically.

“My views are completely heretical by your nation’s standards.”

Chen Lin smiled, shaking his head.

“In this world, there’s no such thing as absolute truth—only different perspectives.”

“I’ve always been interested in economics and politics. I’ve even participated in academic discussions on the topic. I’m open to any argument.”

The woman hesitated.

She had been observing this country for a while.

She had also noticed how fiercely the citizens defended their leader.

She had once made a casual remark about the economy—only to nearly get reported as an enemy spy.

Now, she had finally found someone willing to debate properly.

After a moment of thought, she sighed and sat across from Chen Lin.

“Call me Topaz,” she said. “And thanks, but I’ll pay for my own meal.”

Chen Lin chuckled.

“Nice to meet you, Topaz. People usually call me A-Lin. This is my girlfriend.”

Topaz raised an eyebrow.

“Alright, A-Lin. You sure you’re ready for this? Because it’s actually very simple.”

She tapped her ice cream cup.

“I’ve been analyzing this country’s market for some time now.”

“And based on everything I’ve seen—this nation’s ‘prosperity’ is nothing more than an illusion.”

“Belobog is burning through its own wealth at an unsustainable rate.”

“It’s projecting strength to the outside world, but in reality? It’s just masking its own decline.”

She pointed at her ice cream.

“According to Belobog’s official exchange rate, one Winterhold Shield is worth 5,000 credits.”

“But this ice cream?”

“For locals, it only costs 15 credits.”

“For outsiders like me? 2,000 credits.”

“The excess charge is funneled into government reserves—”

“—But keeping an economy afloat by sheer government spending is a dangerous game.”

Across from her, Phantylia smiled politely.

But in her mind?

Master… you’re enjoying this way too much…

In what seemed like a free-flowing market, in reality, everything was stagnant. Business profits were pitifully low, severely dampening the enthusiasm of merchants. Furthermore, when the citizens of this nation traveled to other countries where credit points were the primary currency, various issues would become significantly more severe…

“Let me think… So, in order to boost business enthusiasm, we need to open up the market, allow prices to fluctuate freely, and increase the added value of goods and companies. Then, once businesses reach a certain level, they can issue relevant stocks and bonds to raise market capital. According to the principle of survival of the fittest, they can choose to expand their original industries or invest in others…”

Chen Lin stirred his drink on the table. “Government intervention not only strains fiscal resources but also prevents tax revenues from increasing. Without sufficient funds, infrastructure projects and various import-export investments will be impossible to finance. This ultimately leads to a vicious cycle—when one link in the chain breaks, the entire nation will be plunged into an economic crisis.”

“Well, well, I didn’t expect you to have such a talent—you understood all that in an instant.”

“Psionics provide quite a boost to cognitive abilities.” Chen Lin chuckled helplessly. “Besides, Miss Topaz gave plenty of examples, making it relatively easy to grasp.”

Topaz laughed. She recalled how, when she first arrived at Jarilo-VI, she had been shocked for quite some time by the incredibly low prices. Unfortunately, as she wasn’t a local, she couldn’t enjoy the benefits of cheap purchases and had to pay the same prices as in most other regions.

After observing for a while, Topaz realized the terrifying hidden dangers lurking behind this country’s so-called prosperity. Originally, she had been sent here on a mission to negotiate cooperation, but now she was stuck waiting for further instructions from both her company and the Belobog government.

The company had asked her to continue conducting multi-faceted investigations and submit a report, while the Belobog government had allowed her to meet with the Grand Guardian. However, the official seemed disinterested in her, merely stating that the Governor was not present, and that negotiations would have to wait until the Governor returned.

And so, she had been waiting for over two months. Occasionally, the Belobog government would contact her to inform her that approvals for visiting certain farms, factories, and bases had been granted, but beyond that, there was no further news. The company, on the other hand, remained completely silent…

Currently, Topaz and her team were staying at a nearby hotel. Some of her subordinates had been sent to investigate other cities, while she had already gathered a general understanding of Belobog’s situation. With nothing else to do besides eating, shopping, and sleeping, she felt as if she were being subjected to torture—an unbearable fate for someone who loved their work.

But she had no choice.

For now, she could only continue investigating Jarilo-VI. This star system was under extremely strict military control, with many areas tightly sealed off. Expensive warships patrolled daily without restraint. She couldn’t fathom where Belobog was getting the money to sustain such extensive operations.

Chen Lin looked at her seriously. “So, Miss Topaz, how do you think these ‘hidden dangers’ should be addressed? Of course, neither of us has the power to interfere with national affairs—this is just hypothetical.”

“It’s quite simple.”

“Oh? How so?”

“The core issue facing Jarilo-VI is its overly rigid economic control, which severely hinders foreign trade. Although credit points are acknowledged here, they are primarily managed by the state’s financial department and mostly circulate as local currency.”

As she spoke, Topaz took out a silver coin. “I’ve heard these things have some sort of psionic anti-counterfeiting mechanism. The development cost must be quite high. If that’s the case, why not simply adopt credit points for full circulation? Many nations within the observed star systems already use credit points as their primary medium of exchange, and their financial systems are mature—wouldn’t that be much more convenient?”

“Heh.”

A voice suddenly chimed in—Phantylia couldn’t hold back any longer. “Miss, you’re adorable. But really, unless they’re left with no other choice, who would be foolish enough to place their nation’s economic lifeline entirely in someone else’s hands without any defense?”

Topaz fell silent.

Chen Lin feigned annoyance. “I was having a serious academic discussion with Miss Topaz—what are you even talking about?”

“It’s fine,” Topaz said calmly. “Your girlfriend does have a point. However, I also have something to say—economic liberalization brings far more benefits than costs. Besides, our company thrives on credibility. We would never shoot ourselves in the foot by damaging our own reputation.”

“Miss Topaz makes a valid argument! Could you elaborate on your perspective regarding foreign trade?”

“Certainly. The advantages are actually quite obvious, they—”

“Oh, oh, oh! But wouldn’t that increase the risk of currency depreciation due to unforeseen circumstances, potentially triggering a rapid, short-term, and cyclical financial collapse in one or more nations or regions?”

“…”

The two of them continued their discussion for several hours. Suddenly, a man rushed over and called out to Topaz.

“Boss, we just received a report from E4 team.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there.”

Topaz thought the young man in front of her had real financial talent. His comprehension, ability to draw inferences, and knack for identifying loopholes were all exceptional. With just a bit of training, he would be a valuable asset. She almost felt reluctant to part ways.

“Apologies, Mr. Lin, I have work to attend to. May I have your contact information? I feel we have much to discuss.”

“No problem.”

Chen Lin pulled out his phone and exchanged contact details with Topaz, then watched her leave.

Not long after, he received a message from her.

Topaz:
“There were too many people earlier, Mr. Lin, so let me formally introduce myself again. I am a senior executive in the Strategic Investment Department of the Interastral Peace Corporation. Would you be interested in working with us? I’ll offer you the highest possible compensation. As for verifying my identity, you can check my ID card number, SID00009, on our official website. Looking forward to your response.”

“Well, well, turns out she’s a high-ranking officer.”

Chen Lin glanced at the message and politely declined.

After spending most of the day together, Phantylia realized that Chen Lin wasn’t as intimidating as he had initially seemed. After multiple tests, he confirmed that Chen Lin wasn’t upset, and his courage gradually grew. Now, he even dared to peek at Chen Lin’s messages.

“My lord, did you already figure out Topaz’s identity?”

“She wears the company’s department insignia on both her collar and sleeve. A wealthy friend of mine once told me about it during a chat.”

Chen Lin waved dismissively. The incident didn’t mention that the company had sent representatives to Jarilo-VI, but he had asked Jing Yuan about their operational style before. The company never acted without a clear benefit—so they were certainly here for a reason.

“Let’s go. Back to Qlipoth Fort.”

—

In a high-end hotel directly operated by the Belobog government, Topaz and her team had been assigned accommodations. As a senior executive, her suite was lavish, complete with various functional rooms.

Inside one of the office rooms, Topaz was sorting through reports sent by the field teams stationed in other cities. The sheer volume of data made the task highly time-consuming, but she managed to finish before her dinner went completely cold.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, she held her meal container while gazing down at this impossibly constructed city. Then, she looked up at Qlipoth Fort, towering at the center of the administrative district’s skyscrapers.

Ordinary people here aren’t ordinary at all… The waters of this nation run far too deep. Just what kind of hidden value does this place hold for the Empire to invest so much in it without hesitation…?

Topaz pulled out a pocket watch from her coat, glanced at it briefly, then put it back.

It was a replica of an artifact, issued to her by higher-ups. This device could analyze nearby individuals’ energy fluctuations to assess their strength—reportedly, it could even detect Herald-level energy signatures. Of course, the prerequisite was that the target wasn’t actively concealing their power.

The fact that such a valuable government-issued tool had been entrusted to her spoke volumes about how seriously the Empire regarded Jarilo-VI.

As a side note, part of her job also involved assessing the planet’s military and economic standing—particularly the average combat capabilities of its citizens.

That was all within her scope of duty.

Did the Empire really create all of this from scratch…? She found it hard to believe. Such large-scale climate engineering and urban development… It’s as if an entire city and population just dropped out of thin air. I can’t afford to wait, but I also don’t have enough leverage for negotiations…

As she murmured to herself, her holocomm suddenly vibrated.

The caller was the high-ranking government official who had initially received them—none other than the current Chairperson of the Internal Affairs and Oversight Committee of Jarilo-VI. She was a political advisor to the Grand Guardian and, at the same time, a deputy leader of the Psionic Honor Guard, responsible for intelligence operations and armed combat.

Her name was Pelageya Sergeyevna.

From what Topaz had gathered, Pelageya was a close confidante of both the Grand Guardian and the Empire’s Governor overseeing the Jarilo sector. There were even rumors that, during a previous incident where foreign infiltrators attempted to stir up chaos on Jarilo-VI, she had somehow orchestrated their deaths remotely—despite being over 30,000 kilometers away in another city…

If there was one thing Topaz had learned about the people of Jarilo-VI, it was this: under the influence of psionics, everyone was battle-ready.

After connecting the call, Topaz gave a respectful nod.

On the other end of the transmission, Pelageya stood in her military uniform, flanked by two imposing Psionic Honor Guards. She spoke with unwavering formality.

“Miss Topaz, the Governor has concluded their diplomatic visit and returned to the sector. I have reported your company’s negotiation request to the Governor’s office. The Governor has approved the meeting.

Tomorrow at 9:00 AM, the Governor and the Grand Guardian will receive you at Qlipoth Fort. Your side must make the necessary preparations.”

Hearing this, Topaz let out a quiet breath of relief. Finally, some progress. She also understood why Pelageya had emphasized must. After all, last time…

“Thank you for the reminder, Advisor Pelageya. We will make all necessary preparations and do our utmost to ensure there is no repeat of the misunderstanding caused by our previous recklessness.”

—

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!