Space Odyssey from Abandoned Mining Space Station

Chapter 60: Chapter 55: New Spaceship Connection

Chen Ming wanted to ask Old Wu about modifying the spaceship’s factory data.

The main reason is that spaceships that are officially released from the factory usually have a small device that stores the vessel’s identification code, installed inside the spaceship, and directly connected to the ship’s transponder.

The spaceship identification code is similar to a vehicle identification number, and it’s the most critical way to identify a spaceship.

Normally, when the spaceship’s transponder is on, it broadcasts its legitimate identity to the outside world and sends out the identification code, which is confidential data.

Only guards from Space Stations or colonies have the authority to read it.

This is used to quickly determine the situation of the spaceship and the identity of the pilot in case of illegal acts.

If it’s in a star system where there are official space stations and colonies, the transponder must be kept on at all times, otherwise, a patrol team’s spaceship will soon come to investigate.

Even if the transponder is off, they have the technical ability to forcibly read the spaceship’s data through professional methods.

This is specialized knowledge in the field of electronic warfare of battleships.

Chen Ming has some understanding, but he is merely a maintenance master at the Mining Space Station, and these things are not within his field of knowledge.

Therefore, although Chen Ming knows how to erase an identification code, he still cannot forge a fake spaceship identification code.

If Chen Ming wants to go to a prosperous star system in the future, it’s impossible to wander around with a spaceship that has no identification code.

So he has to ask Old Wu about this aspect because he’s definitely the expert in this regard.

Furthermore, Chen Ming also planned to ask about modifying the spaceship’s appearance for the same reason.

If only he could modify the Iron Ore No. so much that its original owner wouldn’t recognize it, on what grounds could the military recognize it as a Mining Space Station’s ship?

If it weren’t because Chen Ming didn’t see options for appearance modifications, he would have already started finding a solution himself, without needing to inquire if the repair factory’s equipment could be rented from Old Wu.

Of course, Chen Ming also knows that there are many ships of the same model and appearance out there, and appearance can only be a reference, not decisive identification evidence.

But Chen Ming thinks it’s better to avoid such issues whenever possible.

In short, as long as he can tackle these two aspects.

With significant changes in both the identification code and appearance, the Iron Ore No. will no longer be the Iron Ore No.

The chance of the military tracing the ship back to him would be very small.

As for the third inquiry about the price of a depreciated spaceship.

This is Chen Ming’s backup plan.

Although the chance of Iron Ore No. being discovered is very small, it’s not zero.

If there’s any trace of someone tracking the Iron Ore No., Chen Ming has to switch ships and escape.

However, the cost of a new spaceship is obviously beyond Chen Ming’s reach.

So, a secondhand depreciated spaceship suits his current situation very well.

Chen Ming doesn’t have a moral scruple, nor does he care if people have died on the spaceship, or if it was stolen.

After all, his maintenance skills could make any spaceship look as good as new, indistinguishable from factory condition.

Although depreciated spaceships do not depreciate as unfavorably as weapons, their prices don’t drop dramatically, but at least to Chen Ming, this is more cost-effective than buying a brand new spaceship.

However, this plan is somewhat unstable.

Because Chen Ming temporarily plans to stay at the Pirate Space Station for about one to two years.

If he doesn’t earn enough money during this period, he’ll have to move this idea to the next star system.

Although Chen Ming wants to stay longer, eventually, he’ll need to take off his protective suit, exposing his face, which is only a matter of time.

And the Space Station is definitely somewhat connected to a Military Outpost.

So the longer he stays at the Pirate Space Station, the more likely his face is to appear in people’s memories, increasing the risk of his identity being exposed.

To be safe, he can’t stay too long in any star system near a Military Outpost to avoid anyone discovering his situation.

While Chen Ming was deep in thought, the elevator had reached the docking bay doors.

The repair factory was right in front of him.

As Chen Ming entered the repair factory, he happened to see four or five maintenance masters walking over from the core city of the Space Station, seemingly just starting their shift.

However, Chen Ming didn’t see Old Wu among them.

Moreover, after wandering around the repair factory a bit, he didn’t find Old Wu slacking off in any corner.

So Chen Ming directly approached a maintenance master on duty at the repair factory, and under the same disdainful gaze he received from Old Wu yesterday, he asked, ”I’m looking for Wu Ping’an, is he here?”

The maintenance master looked at Chen Ming with some surprise and replied, ”Wu Ping’an disappeared last night, can’t be reached. Do you know him?”

”I do know him...”

Before Chen Ming could finish his sentence, he noticed that the maintenance master seemed to have seen something behind him, and his expression suddenly changed, seemingly a bit nervous.

Chen Ming immediately turned around and saw a person also wearing a maintenance master’s uniform, but with a noticeably different demeanor from an ordinary maintenance master, walking towards him.

He waved his hand, signaling the maintenance master chatting with Chen Ming to get back to his work, and then said to Chen Ming, ”You’re also looking for Wu Ping’an? If you see him, please tell him that there’s a ton of work at the factory waiting for him, and he should come over quickly.”

Chen Ming suddenly realized who this person was; it must be Old Wu’s boss, the repair factory manager.

Chen Ming immediately agreed, while expressing interest in work, he asked, ”What kind of work?”