Star Ocean: Starting from the Abandoned Mining Space Station

Chapter 57 Trying and Afterglow Beacon

What Old Wu said made the factory director suddenly hesitate and asked: "Then what is his background?"

"do not know."

"do not know?"

"I really don't know. He's a newcomer. He probably committed something and hid here."

"I don't understand anything. I just helped him apply for an identity with Lao Wu yesterday. His name is Mu Shuikong."

"Lao Wu is also very interested in this new kid. It seems that he has relapsed into his old habits."

Seeing that Old Wu was about to change the subject, the factory director quickly interrupted: "Don't worry about other people's interests and hobbies. Just help me find a way to investigate him, so as not to be a spy."

Old Wu said with an indifferent look: "What are you worried about here? Spies are just spies, and they can steal anything from you."

"You have such good skills and you come to a remote place like ours to find work. Do you believe that there is no problem?"

"It's really not necessary, is it okay for a few of us to come to our pirate space station?"

"I'll give you the money."

"Say it early."

Lao Wu's attitude immediately changed 180 degrees, and he said with enthusiasm for work: "How do you want me to examine him?"

"Just confirm the purpose of his coming to the space station. As long as it doesn't affect us, his identity and origin are not important."

"I don't plan to let him do any work, just help me teach others. If his skills are as good as those of the losers I have, I won't have to wear these clothes every day."

Lao Wu looked at the factory director wearing work clothes and smiled and said, "You don't even think about this place. Who is willing to come here and suffer with skills?"

The factory director clicked his tongue in displeasure, looked at Old Wu's face and said, "I think your skills are pretty good. If you are willing to be more diligent and help me teach people, I don't need to rush to retain people now."

"Hey, I don't have that much energy to spend on this kind of thing. You'd better bother the young man."

"Actually, if you ask me, don't wait for me to figure out what Xiao Mu is here for. Just trust Lao Wu. Aren't his eyes always good?"

"Since he is interested in Xiao Mu, just invite him over first."

The factory director did not get angry because of Lao Wu's words. Instead, he seriously considered his suggestion and said, "What you said makes sense. If I let you test it, and someone gets upset and runs away, it's not good for people with such skills." Find another one."

Old Wu followed the factory director's words and said: "Yes, yes, by the way, aren't you still looking for me to work today? You might as well just go to him directly."

When the factory director heard this, he turned his head and glared at Lao Wu, and his arms instantly wrapped around his neck.

"Don't think about it, you can't escape."

"We really can't let him, a newcomer, do the tasks handed down from our superiors."

"Anyway, I'm going to keep him here first, and you can help me take a look at it later, and I'll reimburse you for the money spent."

Lao Wu struggled twice and found that he couldn't get away. He put his arm on the factory director's shoulder and said, "You said so, then I must help you figure it out, right?"

"Be careful and don't go too far."

"rest assured."

After the two discussed it, they let go of their hands and stepped off the spacecraft.

The factory director soon came to Chen Ming again and asked with a very serious expression: "Mu Shuikong, right?"

Chen Ming nodded and replied: "Yes."

"You performed very well. I think our repair shop needs people like you. Are you interested in staying?"

Chen Ming was not too surprised by the factory director's invitation. As long as he agreed, he would get the job in the maintenance factory.

But now a question suddenly flashed in Chen Ming's mind, that is, since he has a job, he must sign a contract.

But does this pirate space station maintenance shop, which is on the edge of the law or even outside the law, pay attention to the legal validity of the contract, really make sense?
Chen Ming glanced at Old Wu, who was whistling next to the factory director, and saw that he showed the same bright smile as when he cheated him of 3000 yuan before, and gave himself a thumbs up.

Chen Ming resisted the idea of ​​punching his old face, and planned to trust Old Wu Bo first, and then run away if there was really a problem.

After pretending to think for a moment, Chen Ming replied: "I am very interested in this."

After receiving Chen Ming's affirmative reply, the corners of the factory director's mouth could not help but rise.

Although Chen Ming's identity is currently unknown, at least his skills are there, and two people he knows are also optimistic about him, so the probability of overturning is not too high.

The factory director calmed down his expression slightly and continued to say to Chen Ming: "The maintenance factory personnel are not here today, so I have to trouble you to come back tomorrow. I'll pay you today's salary first."

"Row."

Chen Ming agreed casually, but immediately remembered that when he was chatting with the bald man just now, he seemed to say that this kind of maintenance work was done on a weekly basis.

After all, the remaining payment will not come over until the owners of the spaceship, that is, the pirates, have accepted it.

Somewhat puzzled, Chen Ming turned his head and glanced at the bald man who was eavesdropping on the conversation, and found that his expression was also very surprised.

However, the unexpected expression on the bald man's face quickly disappeared, because when he thought about Chen Ming's skills, he felt that everything made sense.

This performance made Chen Ming even more confused, but since others wanted to give him money, it was impossible for him to refuse.

Chen Ming took out the terminal, brought up the payment interface, and showed it to the factory director.

The factory director quickly transferred the labor costs for repairing six spacecraft, totaling 20.

It was more than Chen Ming originally estimated.

Generally speaking, the cost of repairing a spacecraft only includes labor costs, not excluding replacement parts, which is about [-].

The repair shop takes half of the fee, and two maintenance technicians usually work together to repair a spacecraft, and each person can only get more than 2 yuan.

Chen Ming's original [-]% should be [-] for one ship, and [-] for six ships.

Now it seems that the factory director has understood the specific situation of the maintenance task just now, so he directly gave Chen Ming 20%, and also chipped in the whole amount, and finally it was [-].

Chen Ming estimated that the repair shop would not have many opportunities to repair so many ships at once, so the 20 yuan was not bad.

After confirming that the money was received, Chen Ming nodded to the factory director and prepared to leave.

But before leaving, Chen Ming didn't forget why he came to the maintenance shop today.

Chen Ming bypassed the factory director and said to Old Wu, "Old Wu, I have something to ask you. Are you free now?"

As if there was no place to put his hand, Lao Wu suddenly put it on the factory director's shoulder.

"Hey, not yet. Lao Lu asked me to do some work. I will definitely be free after get off work."

"Okay, then I'll find you later."

Old Wu waved his hand and walked deeper into the maintenance factory with Director Lu.

Chen Ming watched the two people's backs gradually disappear, and it was no pity.

It just so happened that he could take this opportunity to confirm whether his abilities could be used on other people's spaceships.

And just now, Chen Ming had almost made the choice of the spacecraft he wanted to control.

The most suitable among them was the Sentinel-class ship that he first repaired.

Sentinel-class ships with relatively strong maneuverability are very suitable for playing the role of forward or reconnaissance.

A ship undertaking such a mission is likely to leave the fleet alone, maintaining only communication contact.

Chen Ming can monitor the Sentinel as soon as it breaks away from the main force.

Then he can forcefully control the Sentinel and run to an unknown place before others can react.

Turn off the life support and engines, and when the pirates above freeze to death due to lack of oxygen or cold, the spacecraft will be completely yours.

At that time, Chen Ming drove the ship back to the space station before the pirates could react.

Dismantle what you need outside the space station, and sell the remaining spacecraft directly to the repair shop.

If there is no proof, why would the pirates steal meat from the repair shop?

Chen Ming quickly put on the equipment he had used when repairing the spacecraft.

It just so happened that everyone else was going to eat at this time, and no one would come to stop Chen Ming.

Even if someone saw his actions on the surveillance camera, he would have a bunch of reasons to explain.

Chen Ming came to the Sentinel class again and reached out to press on its hatch. [New spacecraft signal detected, whether to change the brain control signal connection]

[Number of currently connected spaceships: 1/1]

"replace."

With the choice confirmed, Chen Ming could clearly feel that he was losing control of the Iron Mine.

The Sentinel-class in front of it is gradually becoming an extended limb of itself, just like the Iron Ore before it. .

And changing the spacecraft does not consume much mental energy.

Soon, a new spacecraft panel appeared in front of Chen Ming.

[Spaceship Panel]

[Ship name: Sentinel]

[Type: Sentinel-class civilian escort armed ship]

[Fuel Reserve: 10%]

[Port side weapon: none, none]

[Small missile mounting points: None]

[Armor: Reinforced titanium alloy external armor]

[Engine: Civilian Guard Grade Engine]

[Built-in cabins: captain's cabin, engine cabin, missile auxiliary operation cabin, living cabin, storage cabin]

[Important equipment: Bridge control system module (in operation), stance traction module (in operation), life support system module (in operation), missile attachment module (in operation), simulated gravity module (in operation), landing module ( In operation), hyperspace channel system module (in operation)]

There are some differences between the Sentinel-class panels and those of the Iron Ore.

The most obvious place is in weapons.

The Sentinel-class has an asymmetric design similar to that of the Cerberus-class, so there are no ordinary weapons on the starboard side. There is only a missile mount point fixed on the right front of the spacecraft.

It seems strange, but the fact that this design has been preserved shows that it must have merit.

At least that missile hardpoint gives the Sentinel more tactical options.

But these are not important to Chen Ming, because what is really important is that he can indeed control this Sentinel-class ship now like he controls the Iron Ore.

At this time, from the perspective of the maintenance shop surveillance, you can see Chen Ming's hand pressing on the hatch, and then moving his hand slightly, the hatch opens.

But in fact, the operation of opening the hatch is carried out through Chen Ming's consciousness controlling the spacecraft.

Chen Ming's control of the Sentinel was no different from his control of the Iron Ore.

This means that all his previous ideas are possible.

At this point, Chen Ming finally had a look of satisfaction on his face.

The next thing he has to do is simple, just wait.

When the pirates take the ship out again, the rest will be completed as if it were a matter of course.

So now, it's almost time to go have lunch.

Just when Chen Ming left the maintenance shop.

The factory director and Lao Wu happened to arrive at the deepest part of the maintenance plant, a maintenance area that was smaller than the outside.

In the gravityless area here, the wreckage of a ship is floating.

If Chen Ming were here, he would definitely be able to tell that this wreckage was the ship that hit the dock yesterday.

After all, the repair shop is run by the space station, and the task of investigating the damaged spacecraft naturally fell on the repair shop in the end.

The factory director quickly put on his equipment next to the spacecraft.

But Lao Wu was dawdling beside him at this time, unable to put on a simple set of auxiliary mobility equipment for a long time.

The factory director knew what Lao Wu was thinking when he saw the look on his face. He sighed and said, "If you finish the work for me honestly, I will count it towards your perfect attendance this month."

Lao Wu didn't say anything, but suddenly yawned, and the half-dressed equipment slipped off again.

The factory director could only continue: "There will be a bonus after the work is done."

"Say earlier."

Lao Wu suddenly became more agile and put on his equipment immediately.

We walked into the gravity-free area and started working with the assistance of the factory director.

They need to sort out and confirm the cause of the spacecraft crash.

The fastest way is naturally to extract the black box and the records in the recording equipment that have not been completely damaged.

For Lao Wu, this task is not too difficult.

He cooperated with the factory director who operated the external heavy maintenance machinery, and quickly removed the wreckage of the spacecraft piece by piece, cleaned and dismantled it, and it didn't take long to find the black box.

However, neither of them was in a hurry to see the contents of the black box, but continued to dismantle the wreckage.

The plan is to clean up all the wreckage, collect all valuable things, integrate them together, and quickly and accurately confirm the cause of the spacecraft accident.

The work of dismantling the wreckage was soon in its final stages.

At this moment, the director suddenly discovered that something seemed to be flickering in the last piece of debris, which was probably the engine of the spacecraft.

The factory director immediately reminded Lao Wu, who was working in the gravity-free area: "Old Wu, look at your right hand."

Old Wu looked in the direction the director said and found a needle-like object as thick as Old Wu's little finger that had penetrated into the interior of the spacecraft.

There is a signal light at the end of the needle, which is constantly flashing light blue light.

The explosion of the spacecraft did not leave any traces on it, and it looked very solid.

At this time, the factory director came directly to the edge of the gravity-free zone, looked at the needle-like object in Lao Wu's hand and asked, "What is this?"

Old Wu said with some uncertainty; "This looks like an afterglow, it shouldn't be a weapon."

He picked up a tool, placed it next to the object, scanned it, and continued: "Its internal structure is very simple, there is nothing dangerous, wait, this thing..."

Old Wu paused and continued: "This seems to be a locator. They may be attacking the space station."

When the director heard what Lao Wu said, his brows suddenly came together. He asked with confusion: "What is this? What's the reason? Is there any benefit to Afterglow attacking the space station?"

"I'm not Yuhui, how do I know?"

"You can't think that Yuhui determines the location of the space station to avoid the space station, right? Or do you think they just want to confirm the location and do nothing? Is that possible?"

"Since Yuhui and the others are doing this kind of thing, they must have ideas about the space station."

As Old Wu said, he left the gravity-free area, stood on the ground of the space station, and took off his equipment.

"Anyway, let's take a look at the black box first."

The director did not object, and together with Lao Wu, they relied on a pile of recording equipment that had not been completely damaged and the well-preserved black boxes to restore the previous encounters of the spacecraft.

This spacecraft had a companion spacecraft before, and together they jumped out of the hyperspace channel to the edge of the galaxy where the space station is located.

When they just came out of the channel, they were attacked by a small afterglow fleet that had been crouching for a long time.

Another ship was destroyed on the spot, but this one had weird luck.

Although the attacks of all Afterglow ships were on target, they all avoided fatal positions that could lead to the direct sinking of the spacecraft.

And it seems that out of vigilance against the armed forces of the space station within the galaxy, this small afterglow fleet only operated on the edge of the galaxy, and did not go deep into the galaxy. It hunted down the spacecraft and allowed it to successfully escape back to the space station.

Now it seems that Yuhui obviously let the water fall on purpose.

First, a beacon was left on the ship, and then the ship was put back to lock the location of the space station.

Sunset must have expected that the beacon would be discovered, but they did it anyway.

In other words, there is a high possibility that Yuhui's assault force is already on the way.

(End of this chapter)