Space Odyssey from Abandoned Mining Space Station

Chapter 148: Chapter 81: Changes in the Whispering, Illusory Figures_3

Old Wu suddenly started talking like a tour guide: ”Although this planet experiences snow all year round, there are four months a year when the equatorial temperature exceeds twenty degrees Celsius, so it qualifies as a habitable planet.”

”Normally, a planet like this wouldn’t have colonial development because there are plenty of good habitable planets, but unfortunately, the other planets in this star system are too exceptional.”

When Chen Ming heard Old Wu’s chatter, he recalled the situation of Dusk’s Colony from before. After comparing the development gaps between the two sides, he asked with great interest, ”How exceptional?”

Old Wu suddenly got enthusiastic and said, ”The innermost two planets in the star system contain abundant common and high-grade metal resources.”

”Being close to the star results in high heat with no atmosphere, eliminating pollution concerns, and it has unique advantages in building industrial smelting facilities.”

”The two outermost gas giants, one gaseous and one icy, can provide large amounts of rare isotopes like deuterium, which are useful in industry.”

”The remaining two planets are relatively average but still have resources worth developing.”

”That barren planet was once a habitable one, and its rock layers contain a lot of fossils for research.”

”The planet with intense geological changes and volcanoes everywhere, although it has no development value, hosts the Star System Patrol Team’s headquarters.”

Chen Ming asked puzzled, ”The Star System Patrol Team’s headquarters are built in such a harsh environment?”

”Yes, in fact, most star system governments capable of building a Patrol Team headquarters, if possible, would choose to build it on the star system’s volcanic planet.”

”I haven’t really understood this aspect. Why is that?”

Old Wu smiled at Chen Ming and said, ”Hey, I don’t know either.”

”In any case, due to the relationships of those other planets, the Star Realm Government ultimately settled on the star system’s only habitable planet.”

”This star system is practically a perfect template, capable of being almost self-sufficient just on its resources alone.”

”You probably won’t find a star system like this within several thousand light-years.”

Chen Ming turned his attention back from the heavy snow to his surroundings and asked, ”How come you know so much?”

Old Wu smugly shook the terminal in his hand and said, ”I just looked it up.”

”...”

The Space Elevator smoothly reached the ground after some time.

Due to the generally cold climate of the planet, most inhabited buildings are constructed along the equator.

The Space Elevator fortuitously reaches directly to the equator and isn’t too far from the Star Realm Government.

With the help of transport robots carrying the coffins, Chen Ming and Old Wu quickly arrived at the government building.

Although the sky outside looked like it was almost night, the government departments were still working.

According to the Empire’s regulations, all government department work hours must adhere to Earth Standard Time, regardless of the local time.

With the level of human technology, dealing with darkness is just a matter of adding more lighting.

Similarly, technology also allows making interiors as dark as nighttime during the day, without affecting people’s normal rest.

This unified planning aids personnel flow between star systems.

Both the entrance to the government park and the Space Elevator have security checks.

The people in charge of inspection, just like those responsible for security at the Space Elevator, acted as if they hadn’t seen what was inside the coffins and just let Chen Ming pass.

They even pointed Chen Ming to where he needed to go next, the government’s police department.

The guard in charge of letting them through had clearly received permission to pass but seemed to want to say something. However, Old Wu stuffed something into his hand to stop him.

Chen Ming and Old Wu carried the coffins into the government park smoothly and arrived at a separate small building next to the government office.

This was the colonial police headquarters.

Walking in, there were several service windows all empty, with nobody appearing to want service.

Chen Ming stepped up and gently tapped on the glass.

The staff handling documents looked up, noticed the transport robots behind Chen Ming, and the several coffins on them, and said, ”Hello, are you here to confirm a bounty?”

”Yes.”

”Alright.”

Upon receiving Chen Ming’s confirmation, the staff skillfully picked up a terminal from the side, tapped a few times, and showed it to Chen Ming.

”Please scan with your terminal to register your identity, then prepare the necessary materials—battle records, videos, and spaceship wreckage can all be used.”

”Also, please specify the subject you wish to claim the bounty for.”

Chen Ming recalled the intelligence he had noted before and said, ”A pirate with the alias Worm, whose real name is likely Liu Kang, with a bounty of two hundred and twenty million, and his three subordinates.”

”We don’t have battle videos or spaceship wreckage, but we brought the corpses.”

Chen Ming patted the metal coffin behind him.

After all, battle videos and records would expose his Dusk Ship, and the spaceship wreckage had mostly been reprocessed into materials.

Mule Level as a Destroyer is still useful to Chen Ming and couldn’t be handed over, plus it had already been repaired and held no value as evidence anymore.

A hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of the staff; a pirate with a bounty of two hundred and twenty million may not be huge, but it’s not small either, and does carry some weight.