Chapter Fifty-Two: Soaring Out of Predicament

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“Mu, do you think we’re heading in the right direction?” Ye Chong, as if he had been holding back for days, desperately sought conversation with Mu.

“All directions have an equal probability of leading us out,” Mu replied coolly.

“But Mu, why do you need so much black gold ore?” Ye Chong asked curiously.

“Classified. No comment,” Mu replied mysteriously. According to Mu, black gold ore was an extremely rare mineral from which the precious metal black gold, scientifically known as Krauser metal, could be extracted. Not only did it possess outstanding physical properties, but it also had the extraordinary ability to repair itself—what made black gold most valuable.

To his surprise, the amount of black gold ore they had encountered along the way surpassed his previous experiences combined. Mu collected every piece they came across into his subspace. With a mere gesture, any size of black gold ore would vanish—leaving Ye Chong green with envy! Unfortunately, Mu told him this was an exclusive function, impossible to teach.

Ye Chong pouted in disappointment, then, as if suddenly recalling something, exclaimed, “Oh! I heard there are some exceptional mech engineers and mechanics at Blackhorn. If I’d known, I should have asked them to try and repair you! How could I forget?” He slapped his forehead in frustration. When with Mu, Ye Chong seemed a different person altogether.

“The mech you’re piloting now—was it made by them?” Mu inquired.

“Yes, and it’s a pretty decent mech!” Ye Chong replied.

“Then they could never fully repair me,” Mu stated calmly. The pride in his voice made Ye Chong glance at him in surprise.

Fortunately, Ye Chong had the habit of carrying spare energy combs; otherwise, no matter how long the F-58’s flight time was, it would have long since run out of power. While munching on the high-energy organic rations stored in his mech, Ye Chong found himself reminiscing about the delicious meals at the Blackhorn cafeteria, which only added to his misery.

Mu remained in subspace to minimize energy consumption.

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Blackhorn’s mechs were indeed advanced. Take Ye Chong’s F-58, for example—though only a training model, every component was more sophisticated than those on the so-called high-end mechs he’d used before, and its overall performance was several levels higher. The engine alone was unlike any well-known models on the market. Ye Chong had personally dismantled the F-58’s engine, and found that in both power and sustained flight time, it far outperformed the so-called advanced engines available elsewhere.

Of course, compared to Mu’s engine structure—which might as well have been written in an alien script—this was child’s play. Yet up to this day, Ye Chong still hadn’t managed to decipher Mu’s engine schematics.

Ye Chong and Mu found another piece of black gold ore, half a meter in diameter. Ye Chong summoned Mu from subspace, who immediately approached the ore.

Suddenly, Ye Chong sensed something and said uncertainly, “Mu, take a look—doesn’t it seem like there’s less debris around here?”

Mu replied lazily, “Strictly speaking, the density of debris per unit space here has decreased by sixty-two percent compared to ten hours ago. However, the data is somewhat random, for reference only.”

Ye Chong exclaimed excitedly, “Looks like we’re heading the right way!”

Mu dampened his enthusiasm out of habit: “Don’t celebrate too soon. Even if we get out of the asteroid belt, so what? Who knows where we are? Are there any planets nearby? How far away are they? Are there people? And if we don’t have a spaceship…”

Suddenly, Mu paused, his voice turning urgent. “Quick, head fifteen degrees to starboard, at full speed!” He swiftly stored away the black gold ore and returned to subspace.

Hearing this, Ye Chong knew something must be up. He no longer conserved energy, pushing the mech to its maximum velocity. After spending so much time in the asteroid belt, Ye Chong had gained considerable experience dodging debris. Even at top speed, he navigated nimbly, deftly avoiding each chunk of rock. Mu was somewhat surprised. “Yezi, your skills have improved quite a bit!”

Though Ye Chong appeared calm, his focus was absolute. He didn’t dare respond—his eyes fixed on the holo-screen, terrified that the slightest mistake would spell disaster. At this speed, a collision would be catastrophic, no matter how sturdy the F-58’s armor. Ye Chong had no desire to play with self-destruction at a time like this!

As the debris thinned, Ye Chong grew more at ease. He realized he had reached the outer edge of the asteroid belt, and his spirits lifted.

Sure enough, with a gentle beep, the F-58’s sensor system came back online, automatically scanning the surroundings.

Blackhorn’s products truly were top-notch! Ye Chong had never used the F-58’s reconnaissance system before, but it proved to be highly advanced, immediately detecting an anomaly ahead—a red dot rapidly expanding on the holo-screen. As the image enlarged, the details grew clearer.

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It was a spaceship! Ye Chong was overjoyed and sped straight toward it.

Three minutes passed, yet the other side still hadn’t detected him. Ye Chong was surprised—if the F-58 could spot a target from this distance, its reconnaissance system was truly advanced. But now that he was this close, how had they still not noticed him? Did the F-58 have an impressive counter-detection system as well? Ye Chong quickly pulled up information on the F-58 and, sure enough, the armor incorporated a special material capable of absorbing various wavelengths, granting it exceptional stealth. This material also accounted for the armor’s jet-black sheen.

With such power, what exactly was Blackhorn planning? The thought flashed through Ye Chong’s mind, but he dismissed it. After all, what did it matter to him? He had no intention of going back anyway.

“Should we ambush them?” Ye Chong asked Mu, a suggestion very much in line with his usual habits and style.

“Ambush? If you damage the ship, you’re done for too!” Mu was clearly not in favor. “It appears to be a civilian vessel—you could try sending a signal first.”

“Oh!” Ye Chong couldn’t think of a better plan. He had only recently learned just how much damage an attack from outside could inflict on a ship. Had it not been for the ample supplies on Cyclops’ flagship, he might not have survived last time!

The responding party did not seem panicked, instead repeatedly clarifying via message that they were medical volunteers.

“Medical volunteers? What’s that?” Ye Chong asked, puzzled.

Mu explained, “Medical volunteers are people skilled in medicine or nursing who freely treat the sick and wounded without charging fees. Their lives are often tough, but their creed is that life is above all else. Because they treat everyone equally—even pirates—they are almost universally respected. No pirate would rob medical volunteers; in fact, many pirates will even protect them as they pass through hunting grounds.”

“They are generally gentle and kind-hearted, overflowing with compassion. So, if you ask to board their ship, I doubt they’ll refuse,” Mu advised.

“Gentle?” Ye Chong searched his memory for any gentle creatures among the junkyard fauna he knew, but found none that matched Mu’s description. It was hard to fathom, but since Mu said so, it was probably true, Ye Chong thought.

Following Mu’s advice, Ye Chong sent a request to board.