Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 936: Chapter 42: Spaceship Classes

Vita, this Lobster Spirit, is quite good at reading people’s expressions. After all, in ancient times, his profession would be akin to a valet or chauffeur, though now he parks spaceships instead of cars.

Once these ’cargoes’ were inspected and confirmed to be sent to the ship library, the Lobster Spirit quickly approached, first casting a respectful glance at Du Zhaodi. His prosthetic eye was startled by Ms. Du’s mechanical pipes, and then he looked at Gao Gong, clearly recognizing the person in charge.

”Dear Sir, do you need guide services? As the 114th mooring officer of the Mechanical Serpent Constellation, I’ve been here for 40 years. I know all about the goods and market trends in this trade market. With me accompanying you, those black market merchants wouldn’t dare to scam you, and all you need to do is pay a little civilization credit. For 200 credits from any Level 2 Civilization like the Mirta Federation, Galen Republic, or Xinga Freemasonry, I will accompany you throughout.”

Xinga Freemasonry, that’s another Level 2 Civilization’s name.

Gao Gong did not reply but looked around at the planet below with interest.

This is a mechanically advanced planet, but compared to those inhabited by some mechanical races, its ’greening’ is done too well. The planet’s surface features various types of plants, blue skies, white clouds, a virtual fixed star, and an atmosphere that seems artificial, capable of displaying all sorts of brilliant landscapes. It’s no less than a civilization planet.

It’s hard to imagine this is a black market.

More surprisingly, this planet has far more than one satellite.

Besides the interstellar space port they’re at, Gao Gong sensed at least more than 10 satellites.

He hadn’t forgotten that the ’Xie Family’ from the Cyber Test Field purchased a satellite in this locale as their family ancestral land.

Seeing Gao Gong not responding, the Lobster Spirit was still somewhat persistent and persuaded again:

”Sir, with my authority, I can take you into the core area of the trade market.”

”What about my subordinates?” Gao Gong unexpectedly asked.

With the Star Thief Ship sold, players naturally have no place to stand. Fortunately, the space port is large enough; they are like country bumpkins entering the city, looking everywhere, and even trying to chat up nearby aliens to see if they can hitch a task on the ’new map’.

Many alien species curiously observed them; it is rare to see such enthusiastic modified humans.

”They can stay here, or go into the outer market, though the outer market is not very peaceful. Robbery, murder, deceit, slave trade—if your subordinates go in, there might be casualties—”

”That’s wonderful!” Gao Gong interrupted decisively, delightedly saying, ”Send them in; the aim is to temper in the outer market!”

The Lobster Spirit inhaled sharply. He already felt the exceptional nature of the one before him, and now it seemed this person could be an inheritor of some ’Iron Blood Civilization’ power?

Why else would he be so indifferent to people?

”How should I address you, Sir?”

”You can call me General G.”

Gao Gong gave the other a glance, and changed his mind temporarily. Initially, he planned to directly propose the ship, but now thought he’d roam for a bit first.

”Then I’ll trouble you.”

The Lobster Spirit was immediately delighted and began serving promptly, first arranging the players into the outer market, then providing the seniors of Du Gao Technology with a resting area.

The researchers of Du Gao Technology weren’t interested in shopping. Even Spark Mechanism is a soldier species of Level 7 Civilization, having been to countless places, long over curious. Others, like Little Woman, Ye the Big Lolita, Qin Zhenzi, Fat Xiang, Xiao Yu, and other planet natives, were quite interested in the interstellar realm, especially Xiao Yu, whose beautiful big eyes were full of anticipation.

”You aren’t going?” Gao Gong asked Du Zhaodi in surprise. She hadn’t expected Director Du to be uninterested in this black market.

Du Zhaodi shook her head, her eyes somewhat eager as she looked toward the space port.

”You all go, I’ll wait for you here.”

Gao Gong understood instantly. The interstellar space port, such a giant structure, for someone like Director Du, a mechanical girl, held more attraction than anything else. This level of interstellar architecture belongs to the top-grade Tier 3 Civilization architecture, and in civilization architecture, it’s a rare mega structure.

Such planet-level mechanical constructs naturally attract Director Du; she was initially very interested in Cybertron, though Cybertron, that mechanical satellite, was completely defunct, leaving her deeply regretful.

”Let’s go, take me below to wander a bit.”

After everyone was sorted, Gao Gong turned to the Lobster Spirit, who revitalized immediately, initiating the teleportation device in the space port. Nearly ten figures disappeared in the teleportation radiance.

And shortly after Gao Gong departed, another spaceship emerged from the interstellar passage. This ship looked peculiar externally—not metal structure nor biological side—a giant energy sphere. The energy level of this sphere is very high; as it manifested from superluminal mode, it resembled a small sun, lighting up the entire space port.

Even Du Zhaodi within the space port couldn’t help but glance over.

Venus, handling security, had a slight change in expression; she could feel the excitement of the spark inside her body.

A same-level energy body?

Three silhouettes floated from the miniature sun, their features indiscernible, yet seemed oblivious to anyone ahead, proceeding straight through a nearby humanoid creature, vanishing afterward.

The humanoid with horns was startled, frantically touching himself, worriedly speaking to his companion: ”Oh no, could I have been possessed by something dirty?”

The companion took a breath of relief after the silhouette vanished, scolding:

”Fool, daring to insult Master Void Dweller, are you courting death?”

”Void Dweller?” The other hadn’t quite caught on, still anxious: ”It wouldn’t be living inside me now, right?”

”Idiot, they are an energy species, atomic piercing life. What do you have that they would fancy?”

”Void Dweller?” Horned humanoid finally grasped, stammering: ”That only energy-type civilization in the Robert Star System?”

...

Meanwhile, the Lobster Spirit was explaining the black market rates to Gao Gong and others.

”In our trading venue, we mostly use the civilization credits of ’Mirta Federation’ and ’Galen Republic’. These two are the strongest regional dominators in the nearby star domain; their military strength, technological level, and civilization status are quite similar. The exchange rate of credits between these civilizations is 1:1.2, they’re on a similar level.”

”As for spaceships, a hard currency also has a set price, fluctuations generally don’t exceed 30%. A small armed spaceship costs 500 credit points; medium-sized is 1000, large around 5000; as for starships, the minimum is tens of thousands.”

Gao Gong calculated roughly; two hundred small spaceships equate to approximately 100,000 civilization credits, Mirta Federation prices; with the Galen Republic, it’d be around 120,000.

But the Lobster Spirit suddenly mysteriously said: ”General, you’ve arrived at just the right time. Selling ships now, especially packaging two hundred at once, the price might increase by 50%.”

Gao Gong didn’t ask why, only nodded, changing the topic.

”Tell me about starships.”

Spaceships and starships are two different systems.

Typically, the spaceships used by star thieves are modified ships, known as armed ships, where small, medium, or large refers more to firepower strength and engine level rather than size.

Of course, the higher the level, the larger the spaceship generally becomes. There’s scarcely any instance of high firepower yet diminutive spaceships; it’s contrary to the energy principle.

Regarding starships, it’s another system altogether.

The key difference between starships and spaceships lies in whether they possess civilization core technology. For instance, Cybertron starships are equipped with Cybertron Technology’s core, ’Spark Vault Technology.’

With it, as long as there’s sufficient energy, it can continually manufacture Spark Mechanism.

Upon reaching the starship system, there’s no specific tier demarcation because different civilizations have varied technology tree points and differing evaluation criteria. For instance, some civilizations divide starship levels by firepower strength, others by overlord speed, and some even by manufacturing speed. Take fortress-type starships: they are like moving super interstellar factories.

With the Lobster Spirit’s introduction, Gao Gong gained an initial understanding of this cosmic black market.

Xiao Yu glanced around, suddenly curious:

”Why do all the aliens here have human-like shapes?”