Space Odyssey from Abandoned Mining Space Station

But Uncle Mao knew that Chen Ming was patting the note he had secretly slipped to Chen Ming earlier.

Chen Ming didn’t turn around, he was just working on the Power Armor with his tools facing the corner, saying, ”I’ve just checked, the surveillance system at the maintenance site here doesn’t include audio. What’s your intention?”

Uncle Mao glanced around to ensure there was no one nearby, then relaxed a bit and said, ”I want you to take me with you when your spaceship is repaired.”

”You might not know, but the Space Station is not a place to linger.”

”I’ve said too much; I fear you’ll get involved. Just take me with you and drop me off anywhere, as long as it’s not here. I won’t be a burden to you.”

Chen Ming didn’t immediately agree: ”Why should I take you if you don’t explain clearly?”

”Ah.”

Uncle Mao gritted his teeth, seemingly making a huge decision, and said, ”I’ll tell you, so listen carefully, but be mentally prepared and don’t make any obvious moves.”

”This Space Station is full of Zuo Jing.”

Chen Ming’s hand paused, not because of the mention of Zuo Jing.

It was because he could now essentially confirm that Uncle Mao was indeed an ordinary person.

Because the management personnel of the Space Station are definitely Zuo Jing members.

And the management personnel came to tell Uncle Mao that Chen Ming, the outsider, should leave as soon as possible.

Uncle Mao indeed relayed to Chen Ming what the management personnel instructed him to say.

This means Zuo Jing genuinely regards him as an ordinary person who arrived due to an accident.

Even if Uncle Mao was a Zuo Jing member, probing Chen Ming’s intentions, it wouldn’t make sense to directly reveal the Zuo Jing matter unless Chen Ming specifically targeted Zuo Jing, which would otherwise unnecessarily complicate things.

There’s completely no need for that.

Therefore, Chen Ming can be sure that Uncle Mao is truly an ordinary person.

Of course, Chen Ming can’t show Uncle Mao that he already knows about Zuo Jing, so he simply asked Uncle Mao, ”What about you? What are you?”

”I’m just an ordinary person trying to escape.”

”Then why are you here?”

”Because I was deceived.”

Uncle Mao glanced around and quietly explained to Chen Ming, ”I once heard a rumor.”

”Zuo Jing indeed wanted the entire Space Station to be full of their members. It couldn’t be done initially, but they could recruit and preach gradually.”

”Later, as the numbers grew, the Space Station only had so many positions, and Zuo Jing had to move people out.”

”Once people were moved out, recruiting new believers of Zuo Jing would be meaningless. They definitely wanted to recruit those who don’t believe in Zuo Jing.”

”Once recruited, they’d need training for work, and during training, they’d preach. When space ran out again, they’d send people away. This cycle is too troublesome.”

”So later, Zuo Jing changed their policy.”

”Difficult technical positions to cultivate and less important positions needing interaction with outsiders are given to ordinary non-believers like me and a few others in the office. When needed, they can use us as scapegoats.”

”I initially thought I found a good job when I first arrived, but just a few days in, I felt something was amiss.”

As Uncle Mao talked about Zuo Jing, he felt frightened, anxiously telling Chen Ming, ”So once your spaceship is ready, we should leave. Don’t get involved.”

”You seem to be at most thirty years old, you have many years ahead of you. Don’t report this or waste time, don’t associate with Zuo Jing, just run.”

Uncle Mao quickly explained to Chen Ming, again turning his head rapidly to observe his surroundings, clearly very tense.

”I provided you with information, please take me with you when the time comes.”

Chen Ming still didn’t give a clear response, and asked, ”Why do you know such details?”

”Because I have a compatriot who came here with me. He felt something was wrong here right away and told me all this, saying he wanted to leave.”

”But he hadn’t spoken for just a few days when he went missing during an outside assignment. He’s still missing.”

”It’s been almost three years due to him, and I haven’t dared to leave directly.”

”What kind of outside assignment?”

”Clearing near asteroids.”

Chen Ming frowned slightly, knowing that the outer layer of the Space Station has small weapons and traction devices for clearing asteroids, with no need for manpower.

The outside assignment was likely just an excuse.

Uncle Mao’s compatriot might already be gone.

Yet Chen Ming still didn’t agree explicitly, instead saying, ”I’m having difficulty believing you. I need more substantial evidence.”

Uncle Mao took a deep breath, saying, ”Check our office equipment, you can see outside the Space Station, right?”

Such equipment, built to receive emergency signals and aid spaceships, would be strange if it couldn’t see outside.

Seeing Chen Ming not speak, Uncle Mao took it as an agreement and continued, ”Every midnight, there’s a spaceship that leaves the Space Station. In a few days, I’ll find an excuse for you to cover the night shift, you can see for yourself the edges of that spaceship.”

Chen Ming is already convinced Uncle Mao is ordinary, so as long as there’s no logic flaw in his words, Chen Ming can believe most of what he said.

Especially this spaceship leaving at midnight, which is indeed strange.