Sudden Change (Seeking Flowers)

The crimson sky and the rust-flavored air constantly awakened dormant memories in Wang Dong's mind.

"Along H-22 pedestrian belt, three intersections, I should have transferred."

"Hmm, that's right, it's this intersection, transfer to S-19 pedestrian belt."

He actually walked all the way back to his residential complex without a single mistake or detour.

That was a road he hadn't walked in over ten years.

He chuckled self-mockingly. It seemed that the peaceful days on KQ-03 had left a deep mark on his life.

He supposed so. Whether it was his true identity being exposed, going to the barony, or the subsequent decade of fleeing, none of them were pleasant memories.

In comparison, the time spent in the mining sector was indeed the most comfortable period of Wang Dong's life.

With the system's assistance and his own efforts, he had gained widespread recognition and respect as an interstellar miner.

Economically, he also had substantial earnings, constantly mining his first pot of gold.

There's no harm without comparison.

Therefore, KQ-03, where he couldn't feel any birds singing or bright sunshine, became a symbol of peace and beauty.

Shame of a transmigrator, truly.

Criticism and self-reflection complete.

After passing identity verification, Wang Dong entered his home.

The neat and simple decor, along with a completely masculine style, highlighted Wang Dong's single status.

The colonial history of KQ-03 was only a few hundred years.

The permanent population on the planet was only a little over ten million, living off mining and related industries.

The technological level on this planet was not high. Apart from a heavy industrial base in mining and metallurgy, other aspects only met daily living needs.

In the interstellar era, objective distance became the biggest obstacle.

Not to mention the distances between star systems calculated in "light-years," even the technological levels on each planet within the same star system could be uneven.

This was normal. The popularization of technology also required resources. Without necessity, who would spend a large amount of resources for no reason to popularize civilian technology?

Just like the industrial revolution on his home planet, how many resources were needed to build numerous factories? How many resources were needed to popularize education to provide more qualified citizens? How many resources were needed to build sufficient roads and lay enough railway tracks?

Not to mention, in the current Purple Thorn Kingdom where Wang Dong was located, under a social system similar to feudalism, how many noble lords would waste resources just to improve the quality of life for their citizens.

This was a kingdom where the privileged class monopolized extraordinary power and high-end military force, with a solid ruling foundation.

Public opinion was just something to listen to.

The noble lords didn't need votes.

According to Wang Dong's habit, the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month were the days for mining operations.

Three times a month, his income was around 300,000 (Purple Thorn Kingdom currency).

This was considered a very high income.

Wang Dong was a soul transmigration case, directly transmigrating into an infant and growing up in an orphanage.

His original life plan was to save enough money and find a way to acquire a warship in a more prosperous star sector.

Then, he would officially activate his cheat and embark on the pinnacle of his life.

After being reborn and returning to the age of twenty, Wang Dong naturally knew that his original life plan was ultimately just a mirage.

There was no room for it to be realized.

Life, in essence, was the result of countless choices converging.

And Wang Dong's future life was one where a large portion of his choices were frozen.

Before his transmigration, this so-called life had not given Wang Dong many opportunities to choose.

Fortunately, the experience and memories brought back by this rebirth had finally earned him a sliver of breathing room within the tight noose.

Over the next few days, Wang Dong made thorough plans.

His previous free time had been too short to conduct a systematic review and planning.

Then, he cautiously made some preparations without attracting attention.

In the midst of fulfilling busyness, time always passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, it was June 10th.

A day Wang Dong would never forget.

Mining company, mining spaceship docking bay.

"The profit share from last time was 822,600 yuan, already deposited into your account. No problem?"

While selecting a spaceship, the scruffy administrator briefly reconciled the accounts with Wang Dong.

Speaking of which, this administrator nicknamed "Old Third Zhou" was quite a talent.

He held multiple positions, including security, warehousing, and settlement, all of which he managed clearly and efficiently.

As far as he knew, all dealings with Wang Dong had been crystal clear.

Wang Dong nodded, indicating no objections.

This money had been transferred to Wang Dong's account two days ago, and he had already skimmed through the details.

The reason for such high returns was the Ghost Titanium Ore.

This revenue allowed Wang Dong to be even better prepared.

He still chose a Mine Overlord Type 2 with a better hull condition.

What Wang Dong valued was the maneuverability brought by its eight directional adjustment engines.

Perhaps at a critical moment, relying on its high maneuverability could increase his chances of survival by a tiny sliver.

His heart churned with emotion, but his face showed no hint of it.

As usual, Wang Dong nimbly boarded the spaceship, took off, and set his course.

His destination: Entrance Number 3.

Sixteen hours later, Wang Dong arrived at his destination.

Entrance Number 3 was a bit farther than Entrance Number 2, which Wang Dong had visited last time.

This time, Wang Dong was lucky. When he arrived at the forward base, it happened to be an off-peak period, allowing him to enter directly.

Wang Dong took a deep breath.

Then, he exhaled slowly and steadily.

From this point on, it was all about acting.

He headed straight into the mining area, and after reaching a suitable depth, began his mining operations.

"33 seconds, junk ore, get lost."

"68 seconds, aluminum ore, too low specific gravity, not worth it."

As usual, Wang Dong muttered to himself, following the conclusions drawn by the detector.

After a while, picking and choosing, Wang Dong selected an irregular asteroid containing Aotong Ore for extraction.

He skillfully approached, used magnetic containment, deployed the drill, and finished perfectly.

Wang Dong fully embodied the skills of a seasoned interstellar miner.

Anyone observing him could easily conclude.

This was a young and talented interstellar miner.

But the string in Wang Dong's heart remained taut.

Just as Wang Dong was preparing to end his mining operations in this area and move to the next to search, the unexpected happened!

With a strange spatial distortion, a behemoth suddenly appeared above Wang Dong's Mine Overlord Type 2!

It was a warship with a hull length exceeding three hundred meters and a beam exceeding sixty meters!