Energy

There was no point in delaying any longer.

Wang Dong quickly returned to the Mine Overlord Type 2, which was still in the War Axe's cargo bay.

Wang Dong had already activated the Quantum Entanglement Brainwave Control System module.

Once activated, the module directly bound itself to the captain's brainwave signals. Within its range, it could maintain a brainwave link to the warship's command system at all times, allowing him to operate it.

"Open the cargo bay doors."

Wang Dong completed the link with practiced ease and tried issuing a few commands. Only after confirming that everything worked normally did he proceed.

At his command, the cargo bay doors on the underside of the War Axe slowly opened.

Under Wang Dong's control, the Mine Overlord Type 2 darted out of the War Axe like a nimble swift, tracing a graceful arc as it glided away.

"Close the cargo bay doors."

The doors responded accordingly, slowly closing.

"Perfect."

Wang Dong snapped his fingers and piloted the Mine Overlord Type 2 swiftly away from the War Axe.

Twelve hours later, Wang Dong used the Quantum Entanglement Brainwave Control System module to remotely activate the Mirage System, and the War Axe entered stealth mode.

The War Axe then silently slipped away from the area.

Of course, Wang Dong kept the distance under precise control, making sure the War Axe remained within the Quantum Entanglement Brainwave Control System module's effective range.

A day later, just as he had for the past few years, Wang Dong returned safely to KQ-03 aboard the Mine Overlord Type 2, carrying a valuable haul.

Land, hand over the ore, go home.

Everything went on as usual.

He didn't immediately try using the Auxiliary System to send the War Axe into Otherworldly Space and begin collecting Source Points to strengthen himself.

It was because of the time constraint.

Wang Dong normally spent around three days mining each time.

Each battle in Otherworldly Space lasted twenty-four hours—a full day.

By the time Wang Dong had inherited the War Axe, almost two days had passed. He had only one day left, so he needed to speed up his mining operations.

That was the only way to avoid attracting suspicion.

Keeping a low profile was his top priority right now.

On KQ-03, the sky was overcast, and the air always smelled of rust.

The planet seemed entirely unaffected by the arrival of the two Fire Seed Warships.

Wang Dong did nothing out of the ordinary and headed straight home.

The next day.

After waking up, he stretched his back leisurely, his joints making a series of crackling sounds.

That felt great.

Before his rebirth, Wang Dong had never felt as carefree as he did now.

He still remembered how, back then, the War Axe's energy reserves had been limited.

After narrowly escaping his pursuers, hiding the War Axe, and piloting a mining ship back to the mining planet, the first thing on his mind had been how to obtain standard energy cells.

Standard energy cells weren't hard to buy.

They could be used by various kinds of engines.

Large construction equipment, spaceships, and the like could all run on standard energy cells.

Each standard energy cell was fairly small: ten centimeters long, five centimeters wide, and only one centimeter thick—about the size of a palm.

They were made primarily of high-energy fuel.

They weren't particularly expensive, either. Each one cost a thousand yuan.

Buying two or three at a time, or even ten or so, was perfectly normal.

But for a colossal vessel like a Fire Seed Warship, a mere dozen standard energy cells were no use at all.

Each use of the Mirage System or the Flying Colt Warp Device consumed energy equivalent to that stored in a hundred standard energy cells!

The Quantum Entanglement Brainwave Control System was another major energy consumer. While active, it used one standard energy cell every hour.

Add in the warship's engines and other equipment, and the War Axe needed at least thirty standard energy cells a day.

That was a minimum daily expense of thirty thousand yuan!

It was a game that ordinary rich second-generation kids simply couldn't afford to play.

Wang Dong had quite a bit of money saved up, but he couldn't openly buy large quantities of standard energy cells.

He wouldn't be able to explain it.

He still had to find ways to hide his identity.

Buying through legitimate channels wasn't convenient, so Wang Dong had no choice but to turn to the black market.

Back then, to obtain energy cells discreetly, Wang Dong had approached a stranger in charge of a merchant fleet and made a deal.

He bought a batch of standard energy cells at below-market prices and, in return, gave the fleet manager an extra sum as a bribe.

It had cost him a pretty penny, but at least it had eased the energy crisis.

Someone once said—perhaps it was Lu Xun—that everything left its mark.

Even though Wang Dong had played it safe by using a tactic akin to a "one-time encounter," deliberately making the deal with someone he didn't know at all, it turned out that the fleet manager was no pushover.

This wasn't a world full of NPCs.

The merchant fleet belonged to a great noble in the Northern Star Region.

By now, after the fierce chase between the War Axe and the Jin Family's warship in the Asteroid Belt Mining Zone, the related news was no longer a secret to the various forces on KQ-03.

That included the origins of the two Fire Seed Warships and the reason for their clash.

Never underestimate how much local powers know about what happens in their own territory.

Taking note of Wang Dong's unusual behavior and the related news, the fleet manager quickly spotted the value hidden in the situation.

It didn't matter that he didn't know Wang Dong personally. He simply reported what he knew.

And so, what had originally been a pursuit of Wang Dong and the War Axe by the Jin Family gained another participant.

This great noble within the Purple Thorn Kingdom would later interfere in Wang Dong's fate as well, bringing him plenty of trouble.

Earl's Territory of Tianfang. Fourth Merchant Team. Manager Wu Haoze.

Wang Dong had it written down in his little notebook.

He would definitely pay him back in kind!