Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Drizzle

"Alright."

Hearing this, Long Ming prepared to leave.

"Mr. Red Ghost."

Betty suddenly called out to Long Ming.

"What is it?"

Long Ming looked at Betty indifferently.

Betty gazed at Long Ming with great interest and extended a seductive invitation.

"Mr. Red Ghost, I’d like to invite you to dinner. I wonder if you would do me the honor."

"No, thank you. If I have suitable business in the future, I’ll come find you!"

After speaking, Long Ming left without a backward glance.

Betty watched Long Ming’s departing back and ran her tongue over her rosy lips.

She was growing more and more interested in him. Very few people could refuse her invitations.

...

「A short while later.」

Long Ming returned to his room.

BUZZ~

Just then, his wristband vibrated.

"Notification: Received payment of 144.4 million Star Coins from the Star Canon Auction!"

Long Ming checked his total account balance: 244,568,353 Star Coins. That was over 240 million Star Coins!

This was a considerable sum of money.

But Long Ming’s brow furrowed. Helorin had told him clearly that at the last auction, a perfect Type III Genetic Potion sold for a final bid of 320 million Star Coins.

The money he had now was still a long way from 320 million.

Moreover, according to Helorin, the quality and efficacy of the Genetic Potion being sold this time were even better than the Type III Omni-Potent Genetic Potion produced by the Star Alliance, so the price would certainly be higher.

Plus, with that Young Master Gentan also eyeing the Genetic Potion, Long Ming couldn’t even imagine how high the final price would be pushed.

Long Ming felt this was getting tricky, his fingers drumming restlessly on the armrest of his chair.

「After a long while.」

Huuu...

Long Ming let out a soft breath.

He raised his wristband and booked a ticket to Omro Planet.

Since there was no good solution, Long Ming decided to return to Blacktan Fortress first. After all, he had already taken several days of leave.

...

「The next afternoon, at Blacktan Fortress.」

Long Ming returned to the squad’s area in a good mood. Right away, he saw that the number of "Extractors" parked in the warehouse had increased by three.

Mira was directing people in maintaining the Extractors.

"Check if the machines still have lubricant."

"Yes, ma’am!"

The soldiers present all responded.

"Mira!"

Long Ming called out in surprise.

"Long Ming, you’re back."

Mira turned to look at Long Ming and called out happily.

"Yeah. I remember we only had twelve Extractors. Why are there three more?"

Long Ming asked, surprised.

"Isn’t it all thanks to the Extractors you sent over? Our mining efficiency has gone up, so our profits have naturally increased as well."

Mira explained in a very good mood.

They hadn’t been idle these past few days, busy mining that small asteroid belt.

"Oh, where are Luoxue and the others?"

Long Ming looked around but didn’t see them.

"They’re having a meeting in the small conference room over there. They should be finishing up soon, I think?"

Mira pointed toward a storage room not far away.

"Okay, I’ll go find them first."

Long Ming then walked toward the storage room.

Just then, Luoxue and the others happened to push open the door of the storage room and walk out.

"Long Ming, you’re back."

A smile appeared on Luoxue’s face when she saw Long Ming.

"Yeah. What meeting were you all having?"

Long Ming asked with a smile.

"You’re back just in time. I have something to discuss with you."

"Did something happen?"

"Deputy Legion Commander Bassaf secured a ’benefit’ for us. He issued a new group mission for us to conduct mining operations on Guangxiao Planet. We get to keep ten percent of the ore we mine!"

Luoxue briefly explained the general situation to Long Ming.

Hearing this, Long Ming’s expression immediately turned grim. Others might not know what the situation on Guangxiao Planet was like, but he knew better than anyone.

While they were searching for the *Ocean*, they had gone there quite a few times.

The situation on Guangxiao Planet was completely unstable. The front lines of the Third Expeditionary Army were a total mess, and now even the Third Legion didn’t dare to go down and mine on Guangxiao Planet themselves.

However, Long Ming couldn’t explain this directly, so he could only say to Luoxue,

"Something feels wrong. Is Deputy Legion Commander Bassaf really that kind?"

"You’re thinking the same thing I am. That’s what I believe, too."

Luoxue told Long Ming her thoughts.

"Can we refuse this mission?"

Long Ming asked in a low voice.

"No. This group mission is called a ’benefit’, but it’s mandatory!"

Luoxue replied, shaking her head.

"Then where have we been assigned to operate?"

Long Ming asked, his brow furrowed tightly.

"The Mudogo Mine."

Luoxue told Long Ming.

"What’s that mine like?"

"It’s on the very edge of the developed mining area. In theory, it should be a relatively good spot, but..."

"But what?"

Long Ming asked, looking at Luoxue.

"But I don’t think it’s a good place, because Supervisor Dikaya was the one who assigned the operation points this time. That guy is not the type to repay evil with kindness. He was already at odds with us, and on top of that, you nearly killed him last time. I suspect he’s dug a pretty big pit for us this time."

Luoxue said to Long Ming with a smile.

"Smart. If I’m not mistaken, the spot he assigned us is probably quite dangerous."

Long Ming said, his expression turning cold.

’That Supervisor Dikaya is a menace. I have to find a chance to get rid of him later.’

However, Long Ming knew very well that now was not the time.

After the last incident, that guy would definitely not leave Blacktan Fortress easily, and he couldn’t make a move inside Blacktan Fortress.

"Exactly. But we can’t refuse."

Luoxue said with a smile to Long Ming.

"Let me think."

Long Ming felt a headache coming on.

Just then, a multi-purpose transport vehicle drove over and stopped in front of Long Ming and Luoxue.

Long Ming and Luoxue turned to look at the transport vehicle. On it sat a huge, mechanical metal container.

"Excuse me, is Miss Qian Luoxue here?"

A driver in a work uniform jumped down and asked.

"I am."

"This is your delivery. Please sign for it."

"Alright!"

Luoxue then signed her name on the delivery form.

The driver immediately unloaded the cargo and then drove away.

"What’s this?"

Long Ming asked curiously.

"Why don’t we open it and see?"

Luoxue walked forward and pressed a button on its surface.

CLANK!

The mechanical container immediately split open.

A brand-new Third Generation Mechanical God, the "Graylight," came into view.

"A Graylight? And the latest model?"

A look of surprise appeared on Long Ming’s face.

"That’s right!"

"Who sent this?"

"Take a guess."

Luoxue stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at Long Ming.

"That’s a bit hard to guess."

"My father sent it."

"Huh? Isn’t Mountain City Mountain in a tight financial spot right now?"

Long Ming was also a little stunned.

"It is! Because of my grandfather’s ’Drizzle Plan,’ everyone’s been tightening their belts to get by. But things have gotten a little better recently, so my father arranged to get me a Mechanical God first."

Luoxue said to Long Ming, a bit emotionally.

"What’s the Drizzle Plan?"

"It’s a plan to shelter and subsidize the populace. Back when we joined the Star Alliance, Mountain City Mountain didn’t choose to abandon the lower-class citizens like the other two cities did. Instead, we used the benefits from the Star Alliance, plus the money we’ve been constantly sending back over the years, to support the common people. Now, they’re starting to find work, bit by bit. Even though the money they earn is meager, there’s a saying: ’There is strength in numbers.’ I believe that sooner or later, they will recover and give back to Mountain City Mountain."

Luoxue gave Long Ming a rough explanation.

"I see. The City Lord is truly a man of great foresight and courage."

Long Ming couldn’t help but praise.

He could feel that Mountain City Mountain would rise sooner or later.

If nothing else, with so many people each contributing a little, it would eventually become a vast ocean.

"Yes, but this path is more arduous than imagined. I don’t know if we’ll succeed."

Luoxue replied, filled with emotion.

"I believe you will definitely succeed. Fate favors those who never give up."

Long Ming smiled at Luoxue.

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