The small private business jet took off from Aircrew Base 131 with Chen Fei and Zuo Gengming on board, heading south.
The Zuo Family’s rare earth mine was located on the Flower State Peninsula along the east coast of North America and had changed owners four times, being mined for nearly two hundred years.
Initially, it was operated as a copper-iron mine with a small amount of silver ore. The annual output wasn’t significant and had been intermittent. Later, when rare earth elements were discovered, the extensive mining operations ceased. After being sealed for over a decade, they began the meticulous process of mining.
As a resource that has been long scarce, the price of rare earth elements continued to rise. The profit-maximizing Zuo Family was in no rush to excavate their ancestral industry haphazardly.
From the small private airport where the business jet landed, they traversed over thirty kilometers of wheat fields before plunging into the hilly area.
The mine was located at the edge of the agricultural area, and the nearby farmers had lodged repeated complaints about pollution from mining. Even though the Zuo Family had purchased pollution control systems and established green belts to isolate dust and wastewater, the complaints never stopped.
In the end, the Zuo Family, firm in their resolve, simply bought out all the nearby farms at a high price, and that was the end of it!
In reality, the farmers had lost a substantial amount during futures trading and leveraged the pretense of pollution to fleece the Zuo Family. Otherwise, the mine would have been complained into bankruptcy a long time ago.
The environment surrounding the rare earth mine looked no different from most of the aircrew bases on the front lines against the Mutants, except there were no Mutants nearby.
Occasionally, a few marine Mutants would land on the peninsula’s coastline, causing minor trouble, but the local residents were not concerned. Aquatic Species became significantly less threatening when they came ashore, reducing their menace tenfold, and even if they managed to flee back to sea, they would be tracked by the Coast Guard sonar. Just one guided torpedo, bang, and that was the end of them.
Water conducts the shock waves far better than air does; the same charge magnifies the impact several times over in water.
Chen Fei got out of the dust-covered four-wheel drive vehicle that had bounced its way to the rare earth mine, splattered with mud and muck.
"Good lord, what a terrible road!"
Chen Fei stepped out of the car, feeling quite shaken up.
Xiao Jiu descended from the sky and landed on his shoulder. It had flown the entire way and didn’t suffer the jolting ride.
Zuo Gengming said with a tinge of regret, "We had a helicopter, but it’s out on another assignment."
Because they had arrived in haste and the mine’s helicopter was out unexpectedly, they had to endure this rough ride.
Ever since entering the agricultural zone, the clay and stone roads predominated: covered in dust on dry days and caked in mud on rainy days—with only agricultural and freight vehicles coming and going, one could forget about seeing a wide and smooth asphalt road.
"Welcome, Young Master Zuo, and Mr. Chen Fei."
The manager hired by the Zuo Family had been eagerly waiting at the mine’s entrance, ready to attentively host the bosses from afar.
"Mr. Chen, how about you rest a bit, grab something to eat, and then we head over there."
Zuo Gengming gestured in the direction of the pit filled with old mining equipment.
He too was feeling dizzy and headachy from the bumpy ride.
"Sure! Something simple will do."
Chen Fei nodded. He didn’t have much of an appetite anyway; sandwiches and hot dogs would suffice.
The mine’s manager said, "We have a chef here who cooks Eastern cuisine."
He had made thorough preparations well in advance.
The mine’s chef was from Annan. Chen Fei, who thought he might have a nice little surprise, looked at a table full of cold dishes and fried chicken...Well! It seemed that one shouldn’t hold out too much hope when far from home.
Zuo Gengming was eating with relish. Seeing Chen Fei’s leisurely pace, he asked quizzically, "Not to your taste?"
"Hmm! It’s alright!"
After all, one must give face to the host’s efforts.
The meal, neither lunch nor dinner, ended, and after resting for a bit, Zuo Gengming led Chen Fei to a pit in the corner of the mine.
This place wasn’t originally an open-pit mine, but it was wholly excavated bit by bit after discovering reserves of rare earth elements, eventually turning into an open-pit mine.
The gravel road wound down around the edge of the pit to the bottom, where piles of various mining machinery and old vehicles were amassed. They had been exposed to the elements year-round and were rusting away, with many having sunk into the puddles at the bottom.
"It’s been over a hundred years. We can’t transport them out, so we just left them here. Take as much as you want."
Zuo Gengming had briefed Chen Fei about the origin of this scrap metal on the way over, completely indifferent to whatever quantity was agreed upon, and would be more than happy if it could all be cleared out.
If left unchecked, in a few thousand years, they would revert to ore, as time and entropy wear everything down, in an endless cycle.
Chen Fei turned around and asked seriously, "Really?"
The pile of mining machinery and old vehicles at the bottom of the pit definitely weighed much more than 1000 tons combined.
"24K solid gold, for real!"
Zuo Gengming replied with equal seriousness.
Energy Points: 3553/10000
"Let’s call it a day here!"
Chen Fei nodded.
"You’re not continuing?"
Zuo Gengming asked, puzzled.
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In the morning at the Aircrew Base 131, he had seen large Alloy Ingots vanishing into Chen Fei’s hands.
Were these scrap metals not suitable? Or did they need to be melted down again?
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Not just Zuo Gengming, even Boss Hanna knew little about Chen Fei’s Metal Elemental Psychic Power.
According to the unwritten rule, unless it is a supernatural power user’s initial registration after Awakening, Ability Characteristics are the user’s biggest secret and would never be casually disclosed to others, so no one would recklessly inquire.
"I haven’t finished digesting the earlier batch yet, Old Zuo, help me find a place to stay; I’ll be here for a few days."
Chen Fei turned and walked towards the four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle.
The "Metal Devouring" Skill could only "digest" 1,000 tons of metal per day, converting it into 1,000 Energy Points, and today’s allowance had already been used up at the Aircrew Base 131, so now he could do nothing but stare at the pile of metals.
Even though he could still forcibly absorb them, it wouldn’t grant him even half an Energy Point, so Chen Fei certainly wouldn’t let the Dog System, which loved to scrounge his Energy Points, benefit for free. Dream on!
"Oh, oh, no problem!"
Zuo Gengming suddenly realized and hurriedly followed him.
As long as Chen Fei was still in the North American Federation, even if he was not at Aircrew Bases 130 or 131, he could always rush to their aid at any time.
So, he couldn’t wait for Chen Fei to decide not to leave.
-
Early the next morning.
Right after getting up, while still washing his face and brushing his teeth, a line of text appeared in front of Chen Fei.
"System: Ding! "Metal Devouring" upgrade, now you can devour 10,000 tons per day!"
Good Lord, this Dog System is doing this on purpose!
As soon as it saw the mountain-like scrap metal, it immediately lifted the restrictions.
10,000 tons of metal a day means 10,000 Energy Points can be exchanged.
Opening the "Skill Shop" to take a look.
Sure enough... it’s been waiting right here!
1. Energy Points Storage Upgrade (+10000): 10,000 points
2. Asteroid Annihilation Cannon: 99999999 Energy Points
3. Precision Screw Technique: 100 Energy Points
4. Basic Microwave Emitter (upgradable): 1,000 Energy Points
5. Type 81 Rifle (1940 version): 100 Energy Points
6. Macedonian Heavy Infantry Armor: 500 Energy Points
7. Magnetic Levitation Module: 500 Energy Points
8. Hypnosis Mask: 1,000 Energy Points
9. Camel Pot Machine (14kw): 1,000 Energy Points
10. Shack: 500 Energy Points
Look! Look! What is all this random junk, I almost got completely confused.
The Dog System clearly wants to trap Energy Points, digging a hole and just waiting for me to jump in.
Chen Fei rolled his eyes, this is too much!
The current Energy Points storage can’t avoid being upgraded, who said "Metal Devouring" just so happened could fill up the Energy Points in one go!
After breakfast.
At the bottom of the abandoned mine pit.
Energy Points: 10,000/10,000
"Energy Points Storage Upgrade (+10000): 10,000 points", GET!
Energy Points -10,000!
Energy Points: 0/20,000
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"Metal Devouring" still has some leftover capacity.
Energy Points: 3,553/20,000
Continue tomorrow!
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