This is really not mechanical ascension-Chapter 68 - Upgrading the Blast Shield, Silver Grey Mother Ore

It was time to steal something, Li Ming surmised, listening to Qin Xiao’s arrangements.

This visit to the Star Creation Company was only for a routine investigation, while the core members of the interstellar inspection team were dispersed, some staying in Silver Grey City and others heading to Star Dome City.

“Yes!” Wang Zhiheng nodded.

The sixteen of them were divided into two squads, led respectively by Wang Zhiheng and Zhao Xiong.

As it happened, Li Ming was assigned to the squad led by Zhao Xiong, which made Wang Zhiheng glance over several times.

In this whole squad, Li Ming wondered how many were Qin Xiao’s men.

The transport ship was ready, and with nearly forty people, the cabin felt quite crowded.

“Li Ming!” Xu Wei greeted him excitedly and politely interacted with the colleague next to Li Ming, swapping places with them.

Xu Wei sat down, pulled the safety strap in front of her across and buckled it at her abdomen, then inquired in a low voice, “Your injury, it’s nothing serious, right?”

“It’s just a superficial wound.” Li Ming glanced at her; her chest was pushed forward due to the safety harness, strikingly so.

“That’s good…” Xu Wei nodded and then somewhat excitedly said, “I heard you are also a promising new recruit of the city guards in Silver Grey City.”

“Yes,” Li Ming nodded, noticing that Xu Wei had already taken out a recording pen and activated the smart terminal, bringing up a virtual screen.

“I also heard that your father passed away not long ago, and prior to that, because of school bullying, you hadn’t been to school for two years.” Xu Wei’s expression changed slightly as she looked up and asked:

“What motivated you to kill a notorious criminal just a few days after joining the city guards?”

“You…” Li Ming looked her up and down, “Is this an interview?”

“Oh…” Xu Wei, who had a rather sharp look in her eyes initially, suddenly realized her mistake and hurriedly explained, “Just asking a few questions.”

After hesitating for a moment, she added, “I actually do want to do a feature on you.

Single-parent family, your father just died, and involving the sensitive issue of school bullying, it would likely attract a lot of interest.”

“Can I refuse?” Li Ming asked, his expression unchanging.

“Of course,” Xu Wei nodded, then whispered, “I understand your concerns, but don’t worry, I will embellish the aspects that are not favorable to you.”

“You are a regular city guard, a law enforcement officer by origin, and having a positive reputation can benefit you greatly.”

The transport ship had taken off, and a few people around them were subtly observing them.

Was she trying to curry favor by offering benefits?

But now wasn’t the time, Li Ming shook his head, “Reporter Xu, let me think about it.”

Xu Wei was a bit disappointed but didn’t press further.

She was a journalist from the Blue Star Times, and being able to accompany the interstellar inspection team here also represented something.

Normally, such a minor issue wouldn’t be featured in the Blue Star Times, but she could manage it.

However, Li Ming seemed somewhat resistant.

Did he not want his distressing past exposed crudely to the public?

She speculated, after all, Li Ming was now an imposing city guard, but in the past, he was a pitiful young boy who had been too afraid to speak up due to bullying.

Many famous individuals harbored such thoughts, especially someone at Li Ming’s age who still cared about his reputation.

The past was irreversible, but if it could be monetized, it would not belittle the troubles he had endured.

There was still time, and she believed she could change his mind, Xu Wei thought.

Meanwhile, Li Ming, who appeared to be daydreaming, opened the Control Bar.”

These last few days, he would activate his “Gene Radiation” ability whenever idle.

Although this gradually progressed the development to 3%, it was constantly exhausting.

Maintaining this state all day was challenging; he planned to upgrade his Explosive Shield to increase his stamina and endurance.

Three thousand units of metal energy were consumed, and the icon for the Explosive Shield became even broader, seemingly transforming into a conical shape.

[B-11 High Energy Explosive Shield–D Level: An advanced explosive shield with extremely strong impact resistance.

…

Control Effect: Stamina Enhancement–100%

Control Ability—Solid Wall: boost 150% defense.]

Physical boost doubled, and after using “Solid Wall”, the defensive ability might rival that of other gene seeds known for their defense at the same level.

Li Ming was satisfied.

Outside the porthole, Silver Grey City gradually shrank, left behind as this journey was his first true departure from Silver Grey City.

The planetary surface showed almost no change, vast deserts and barren rocks, with hardly any vegetation.

Mountain-like black mining machines under dark clouds added a sense of oppression and gloom.

Xu Wei took multiple photos for records.

Five hours later, they landed at a branch of Star Creation Company.

Even before disembarking, they could see through the porthole the towering buildings reaching into the clouds.

The exterior walls, made of black metal and glass, reflected the desolate surroundings, almost windowless, which was unnerving.

Chen Songnan had already dispatched people to wait for them, a row of black hover cars awaited eagerly, his voice high-pitched, “On behalf of the Silver Grey Star branch of Star Creation Company, I, along with all my colleagues, warmly welcome you all!”

No one responded to him.

The highest rank among the group was a short figure with green skin from Sandra, wearing a blue hooded robe embroidered with purple patterns, resembling some type of flower.

“Let’s go, I need to review Star Creation Company’s recent mining records and other data…” his voice sounded muffled.

“Naturally, please,” Chen Songnan said calmly, getting everyone into the cars and heading towards the massive building.

Hum—

The glass door opened, the floor and walls were a grayish-brown, other than the central glass exhibit, there was almost nothing on the first floor.

In the center of the glass exhibit, a clump of grey particles, resembling some kind of particles, continuously transformed into various irregular shapes, quite peculiar.

“This is the Silver Grey Mother Ore…” Chen Songnan introduced just right, sighing, “I’ve handled affairs on Silver Grey Star for many years, and only three pieces of this Mother Ore were discovered, with the other two having been sent away, leaving only this one for exhibition purposes.”

Mother Ore?

Li Ming perked up.

The kind containing special energy?

Xu Wei took two photos, “No wonder Star Creation Company is so rich and powerful, displaying such a precious item like this.”

“You jest, Mr.

Journalist, it’s not that precious,” Chen Songnan chuckled lightly, “Mother Ore is irreplaceable, meaning all creations from it cannot be mass-produced, it’s more of a research material.”

Li Ming took a closer look, only to realize it was just a holographic projection.

According to Chen Songnan’s casual comment, the real item was in his office.

“There are a total of 256 floors, with 9,752 employees, the vast majority of whom are native residents of Silver Grey Star.” As they slowly ascended in the hover elevator, through the glass capsule, employees bustled about in every floor.

With a smile, Chen Songnan introduced, “Across the entirety of Silver Grey Star, we employ over 500,000 mining workers, whose food, clothing, accommodation, and entertainment bring billions of Star Coins in annual revenue to Silver Grey Star.”

“Is that so…” Xu Wei said while taking photos, “But as I understand, they almost never visit Silver Grey City or Star Dome City, all their spending is done at the nearest station.”

“And these stations are operated by your Star Creation Company, simultaneously squeezing the miners’ wages and profiting from them.”

“Moreover, on Silver Grey Star, the crime rate among non-natives has been rising year by year, don’t tell me those are all stowaways.”

Chen Songnan’s face could barely maintain its composure, managing a strained smile, “Human nature is unpredictable, we perform rigorous checks before accepting each mining worker, but oversights are inevitable.”

Ding!

The elevator opened, Chen Songnan timely said, “Please, I have prepared everything you need to check, and accommodations are well arranged.”

“Tomorrow, I will personally accompany you all to inspect the frontline, rest assured, our Star Creation Company strictly adheres to interstellar disciplinary laws, as well as Blue Star’s local laws, with no violations.”

For Li Ming and others, their main task was to stand guard and keep watch, not to involve in the audit.

“Seriously, whether Star Creation Company has any violations or not, just take one look, everyone knows about it,” Wang Zhiheng complained, speaking quietly to Li Ming.

“That’s not the case,” Xu Wei heard him and couldn’t help but shake his head, explaining, “It’s an established fact that Star Creation Company excessively mines, but it’s still within the allowed range of the contract.”

“What the interstellar audit team is investigating is whether Star Creation Company deliberately conceals the harm of over-mining, and whether they have bribed the officials responsible on Blue Star when signing the contract.”

“What does that mean?” Wang Zhiheng asked, puzzled.

Li Ming shook his head, “It means that if Blue Star was aware of the harm caused by over-mining and still chose to sign the contract with Star Creation Company without any insider manipulation, then Star Creation Company has no problem at all.”

“Exactly,” Xu Wei nodded.

Wang Zhiheng was stunned, “So the interstellar audit team isn’t here to back us up?”

“Them?” Xu Wei paused, “We’re not even the same species, why would they back us up?”

“What about Gray Sand Disease?

The environmental trauma?” Wang Zhiheng pressed on.

“Compensate where compensation is due, that’s all we can do,” Xu Wei sighed.

Wang Zhiheng was stunned for a long while before cursing, “Damn bureaucrats!”

“Li Ming, come over and discuss tomorrow’s maintenance plan,” Zhao Xiong called to him.

The group secured a conference room and after the door closed, Zhao Xiong brought out a palm-sized metal disk.

Once placed on the table, bases popped out from around it, the center split apart, and a pale blue light column slowly rose up, stirring electromagnetic waves, enveloping them within.