Space Odyssey from Abandoned Mining Space Station

Bai Quan said someone is questioning Chen Ming.

But Chen Ming’s first reaction was not the questioning itself but the reason that caused it: "The news got out so quickly?"

Logically, the only people who know about this currently are the few in the conference room just now, Qiu Bowen, Bai Quan, and the other two vice admirals.

The matter hasn’t even concluded yet, and already someone knows the news and has begun questioning him.

This left Chen Ming momentarily at a loss for words.

Bai Quan understood why Chen Ming asked and explained: "Because the result of this matter is good, your fleet was attacked, ultimately leading to the destruction of a Mechanical Race stronghold. No matter how you look at it, that’s a good thing."

"If the result were not good, then the information wouldn’t have spread so fast."

Now Chen Ming got the reason; apparently, everyone sitting in the conference room earlier fueled the flames.

Indeed, this is how it should be done.

Proactively announcing examples of achievements in battles before the Empire’s war with the Mechanical Race has a great positive impact on overall morale.

Chen Ming could understand; he just didn’t realize it at first.

Understanding the ins and outs of this matter, Chen Ming no longer dwelled on it, he asked Bai Quan: "So what do those who question me mean? Questioning me on purpose of getting robbed? Getting robbed by the Mechanical Race is not a good thing."

"However, it’s quite normal for people to question. To be honest, if I were someone else and heard that I was robbed by the Mechanical Race, I wouldn’t believe it either."

Bai Quan chuckled.

Many people know that Chen Ming’s Spiritual Energy can control all machinery, including the Mechanical Race.

So this leads to Chen Ming being robbed by the Mechanical Race seems utterly absurd, but it’s the truth.

"Some people feel you did this to scam some materials and funds from the Legion."

"...Could it be those from Qiu Bowen’s side?"

Originally, Chen Ming thought it was normal for people to question, but after hearing what others are questioning about him, Chen Ming subconsciously had a new thought.

Bai Quan quickly said: "Not to that extent, the general wouldn’t seek people to scold you just because you took something from him."

"Actually, some people from our faction are talking too, but they mean they are surprised you’ve learned to scam funds so quickly and suspect that I led you astray."

"Well..."

Chen Ming shrugged, indicating he had nothing to say.

Then Bai Quan suddenly leaned closer to Chen Ming and asked in a low voice: "Did you do it on purpose?"

Chen Ming instinctively wanted to answer no, but after some thought, he still replied: "I don’t know."

Bai Quan heard this and returned to his usual sitting posture: "Then I’d rather believe you made a genuine mistake."

"However, although it might have started as an accident, I feel that when you discovered the Mechanical Race’s stronghold, you decided to make the best of the situation."

"Using this opportunity to seize the Mechanical Race’s things, while also gaining some additional benefits from the Legion."

"That’s not necessarily wrong; occasionally scamming funds has its benefits. The Legion can’t use up all its funds every year, so they always have to find ways to make them exceed the budget."

"Why is that?"

"Because if the Legion doesn’t exhaust its funds, the amount available next year will be reduced, so scamming funding occasionally is fine."

"But you could have told me about all your plans in advance."

"..."

Chen Ming remained silent, slowly nodding.

He really wanted to ask: "I didn’t even know I had such thoughts; how do you know?"

But looking back now, his subconscious action does seem like it was directed toward this purpose; there’s nothing wrong with it.

Maybe his subconscious felt that benefits could be obtained from the Mechanical Race’s stronghold after being attacked and so he did it.

He accepted it silently; there was no need to say more.

So Chen Ming thought for a moment and responded to Bai Quan’s initial sentence.

"Actually, this shouldn’t count as a mistake because I already made all the follow-up preparation, it’s just that the Mechanical Race’s preparations were more thorough."

"And next time, when transporting goods, I may still use only one cruiser,"

"Unless it’s really the most important thing, then I would use Spiritual Power to jump directly."

Bai Quan asked puzzled: "Your Spiritual Power is enough to support teleportation, right?"

"Of course it is,"

Chen Ming said: "But I can’t possibly transport everything myself. I want to build a reasonable transportation network, not one that exists solely because of me."

"Like that batch of Energy Crystal Crabs, even if it was attacked by the Mechanical Race once, it’s still slowly moving on its route; I won’t use Spiritual Energy to touch it."

Bai Quan did not ask what Chen Ming would do if the fleet were attacked again, knowing Chen Ming must have prepared for that.

Right now, what interested him more was the underlying meaning in Chen Ming’s words.

"You’re still thinking about going outside."

Chen Ming did not deny Bai Quan, saying: "You know the reason."

"..."

Bai Quan was speechless.

Because he knew Chen Ming had indeed seen too many vexing things within the Empire.

Some of those things even make Bai Quan himself feel disgusted many times, let alone Chen Ming.

He couldn’t persuade him much.

He could only hope Chen Ming has his plans, and at the same time, doesn’t abandon Cheng Xinghai.

"So be it then."

Bai Quan didn’t say things Chen Ming wouldn’t like to hear and straightforwardly left the place.

Chen Ming also, not long after, left the military base with a shuttle boat.