Click!Sss!
Deciding once and for all to sever ties with Wang Jingyi, Tianxiao stepped into the H3-class mining drone, number 3377.
The drone, developed by Yunzhong Group, was designed specifically for extracting metallic ores from planetary crusts. Capable of near-orbit flight, it could navigate deep pits with ease. Its onboard chip had advanced analysis and mineral detection functions, along with obstacle avoidance, signal tracking, self-diagnostics, and full excavation capabilities.
For a competent operator, it took only a few days to master the drone, allowing smooth prospecting and mining. Only someone like Wang Jingyi—high-maintenance, chasing "rich husbands"—could fail to get the hang of it after half a month.
Hmph.A genuine ornamental vase.
People like her wouldn't survive three episodes if star beasts or insectoid swarms showed up.
Buzz…Whirr!
The cockpit illuminated.
Inside, space was tight; besides the pilot seat, there was just enough room to maneuver or rest.
As Tianxiao settled in, the front display lit up, lines of data flashing across the screen:
Drone 3377 | Pilot: Tianxiao (Status: Optimal)Age: 24Muscle Strength: 9.7Muscle Responsiveness: 9.3Bioenergy: 100 unitsChip Installed: H2 — QinglongCurrent Load: Full, Remaining Energy: 1,000 units
Once the pilot's self-check was complete, Tianxiao gave the command without hesitation:"Drone, self-diagnostic."
"Yes, Master."
A measured voice replied:"Drone 3377 fully charged, 1,000 energy units. Hull integrity: 100%. Circuit efficiency: Excellent. Signal reception: Optimal. Computing speed: Normal. Multi-functional excavator: 93% integrity, operation possible. Self-diagnostic complete. Status: Ready for ignition."
During his rookie days, Tianxiao had maintained his drones meticulously. He knew that for miners, a functioning drone meant food on the table.
Mining drones carried no weapons. Energy consumption was critical—it powered the drone and its operations. The multi-functional excavator was essential for ore collection.
"Ignite."
The tempered glass window of the living quarters slid open.
A cold wind swept inside.
The room temperature dropped rapidly.
The drone lifted smoothly and silently out of the quarters, its ascent fluid as silk.
Its twin wings trailed white streams as it sliced through the air.
Outside, the morning had already arrived. Base miners adhered to flexible schedules, moving as they pleased. Tianxiao's drone glided out of the compound along the flight path he had programmed, heading toward Sector G46.
The base itself thrived with activity. Beyond it, chaos reigned.
From a hundred meters above, Tianxiao peered through the cockpit window. Numerous pits of varying depths scarred the planet's surface, making it look like a sieve riddled with holes.
He frowned. The sight weighed heavily on him.
These unstable pits consumed countless miners' lives every year.
According to Earth Alliance statistics, over a million personnel went missing annually.
Unfortunately, the Outer Planet Protection Act had not yet been enacted. No regulations required corporations to refill or stabilize excavation sites. Companies operated with brutal efficiency, stripping resources with little regard for planetary safety or miner welfare.
The era of explosive colonial expansion made resource exploitation even more frantic. Technological and genetic products proliferated; chip upgrades extended human lifespans from the original hundred years to over three hundred. Overpopulation had skyrocketed.
Tianxiao paused, almost forgetting a detail."Qinglong, what's the current Earth Alliance population?"
"Approximately 370 billion registered individuals," Qinglong replied instantly.
Good grief.
That figure only included those officially recorded. Countless others had drifted into uncharted star systems, lost contact, even forming rogue states or turning to piracy. The real population? Over 400 billion.
"Drone 3377."
As Tianxiao continued reviewing current data, a voice crackled over the communicator:"This is Base Control. You have entered Sector G46."
"G46 is currently classified as a moderate-risk operational zone. Collapses are possible. Recent rainfall increases the risk of landslides and mudflows. Work in this area is not recommended."
The message came from Yunzhong Group Base Headquarters.
Each work area was evaluated in real-time: Safe, Low-Risk, Moderate-Risk, High-Risk, Extreme-Risk.
Safe and Low-Risk zones could be entered freely, but rarely contained valuable resources. High and Extreme Risk zones were temporary no-go areas due to magnetic storms, rain, earthquakes, or volcanic activity.
Moderate-Risk areas? The bread-and-butter zones miners navigated daily.
"If you insist on entering G46, a personal safety pledge must be signed."
A simple waiver appeared on the display: Yunzhong Group had fulfilled its duty of warning. Any accidents would be the miner's responsibility; no compensation beyond contractual limits would be provided.
Tianxiao had signed over 170 such pledges during his six months with the company. The remaining ten days were leave.
So… this was nothing.
He confirmed the recording and video log, verifying his own choice. The drone continued along its predetermined path toward the massive pit.
The fifteen-hundred-meter crater radiated a sense of oppressive depth.
Tianxiao thought of Nietzsche's warning:
"When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."
"Qinglong," he commanded."Mark this crater as a collection site. Begin analysis and detailed safety assessment."
Though he knew the mine was structurally sound, proper procedures demanded professional protocol. The calculations cost little energy and time.
Qinglong quickly delivered a report:"Sector G46 rock formations remain stable. No large-scale fissures or rockfalls detected. Support structures intact. Seventeen work teams are currently operating within the pit, following protocol. External weather: North wind, level 4. Local storm clouds expected to pass in 30 minutes, potentially causing water intrusion and internal pressure shifts. Moderate-risk assessment confirmed."
Moderate risk. Just as expected.
While Qinglong reported, Tianxiao manually maneuvered the drone into the pit, aligning toward the vein of high-value ore—the fractured deposit worth thirty million credits.
Unfortunately…Three bright lights flickered inside.
Someone was already mining.
Heh.First come, first served, huh?
Time to check it out.