Stellaris Tech Tree HSR

After discussing his thoughts with the group, Dan Heng was the first to voice his approval.

"Not a bad idea. In Trailblazing, we face the unknown, and every step must be taken with caution. We still know very little about this world."

He turned to the poised young man beside him and added, "Himeko was right to put you in charge of the team. I've never considered these aspects before."

Chen Lin waved it off modestly. He genuinely enjoyed spending time with this group. Though none of them were particularly conventional, they all understood the importance of mutual respect.

"Facing the unknown requires some respect, that's all. I just like to overthink things when I have nothing better to do. You're not obligated to follow my lead. We're all friends here, no need for formalities."

Dan Heng nodded with a rare smile, while March gave Chen Lin a hearty slap on the back.

"C'mon, we're family! We'll wreck this together as a team of four!"

"I'm not your 'brother.'"

Stelle suddenly struck a serious pose, drawing the group's attention. However, she couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds before breaking into a mischievous grin.

"I'm your big sister!"

Chen Lin, March, and Dan Heng: "…"

Classic Stelle.

As the group chatted while walking, they soon noticed clusters of Riftspawn near the entrance of a distant canyon. These creatures resembled glowing butterflies with crystalline wings, flitting around and emitting an eerie light.

The four exchanged glances. Chen Lin broke the silence. "Is this the only way through?"

"We could take a detour, but it'd add at least five hours," Dan Heng replied coolly.

"Then let's see just how strong this crowd is!"

Chen Lin pulled out his recently developed weapon, the "Auto Cannon." It was capable of firing large-caliber shells, some designed for piercing and others for explosive impact, making it perfect for crowd control.

He had also brought along a new prototype deflection shield. Now was as good a time as any to put them to the test.

Just as the others moved to engage, they turned to see Chen Lin wielding a weapon that resembled a machine gun, its ammo belt gleaming menacingly. Any weapons expert on-site would've recognized the gun's base design as an MG34—only much more intimidating.

Ratatatatata!

Bullets rained down like a storm, but unlike the original MG34's 7.92x57mm rounds, Chen Lin's version fired ammunition closer to 20mm in caliber.

And these weren't ordinary rounds. Each projectile exploded on impact, either sending Riftspawn flying or creating massive craters in the icy terrain.

March, covering her ears against the deafening gunfire, dropped back with a yelp. Dan Heng stood just behind Chen Lin, his expression twitching as he watched the carnage.

Within thirty seconds, the Riftspawn were obliterated, their remains littering the battlefield. Snow and ice shards scattered everywhere, and not a single creature was left moving.

Satisfied, Chen Lin slung his weapon over his shoulder. "Let's go. The unknown isn't going to explore itself."

"This doesn't look like exploring—it looks like a bank robbery!" March grumbled, still rubbing her ringing ears as she trudged along after the group.

---

Belobog—the only city on Jarilo-VI where the temperature was still survivable for humans.

Beyond its thick, fortified walls, nearly a hundred soldiers in matching armor were locked in a brutal battle against the Riftspawn. Their weapons, long-handled axes, clashed with energy-based attacks and even humanoid Riftspawn.

Clang! Clash!

The air echoed with the sounds of blades and screeches, while soldiers shouted and screamed in pain. Blood stained the pristine snow, painting it crimson. Despite their wounds and losses, no one retreated. Victory demanded a heavy price.

Blood spattered the soldiers' metallic visors—some from the enemies they struck down, some from fallen comrades nearby.

But there was no room for hesitation. To survive this fight, they would have to endure unimaginable costs.

"Captain Gepard! The eastern line is about to fall! We've lost too many men!"

One soldier, battered and bleeding, staggered up to a cold-faced young man. His pallor suggested he was moments away from collapsing, yet sheer willpower had carried him this far.

Gepard immediately supported him, calling for two lightly wounded soldiers nearby.

"Get him to the safe zone for treatment. I'll hold the line here."

"Yes, sir!"

The summoned soldiers moved without question, taking the injured man and retreating quickly.

Gepard's expression darkened. If this continues, we'll lose too many soldiers to defend the outer city. Eventually, even the inner city will be at risk…

"Damn these Riftspawn!"

Raising his massive shield, Gepard leapt into the air and slammed it into the ground. The resulting shockwave sent a dozen Riftspawn flying, briefly easing the pressure on the frontlines.

What he didn't know was that, 300 meters away, Chen Lin's group had just arrived.

Huddled beneath the sparse, frostbitten branches of a winter tree, the group climbed a steep snowbank to get a better view of the battlefield.

The scene was chaos. Human soldiers and Riftspawn clashed violently amidst snow and blood. Corpses and injured fighters littered the ground, their cries of pain echoing in the frigid air.

Low temperatures claimed lives as quickly as wounds. Soldiers too injured to move succumbed to frostbite and blood loss within minutes, their bodies freezing solid until they became statues of ice.

March gasped, her eyes widening. "Wow, Chen Lin! You were right—it's a real battle down there. Let's go help them!"

"Wait."

Chen Lin grabbed March's arm, halting her mid-step.

"Huh? We're not helping?" she asked, confused.

Chen Lin furrowed his brow. "Not yet. We need to decide how to introduce ourselves to avoid causing unnecessary problems."

"Our identity?"

Dan Heng spoke up.

Earlier, on their way here, Chen Lin had warned them not to reveal their mission to retrieve the Stellaron or their connection to the Astral Express. He had brainstormed a few potential disguises for their purpose.

Dan Heng's suggestion was straightforward. "We could say we're interstellar travelers."

Chen Lin shook his head. "No good. A battle this intense makes it obvious the city's under siege. If we show up claiming to be tourists, it'll just sound ridiculous."

After a moment of thought, Chen Lin nodded decisively. "We'll say we're a scientific research team. I'll be the researcher, and you three will be my escorts. Sound good?"

---

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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