The crimson sky and the metallic scent in the air kept stirring long-dormant memories in Wang Dong's mind.
"Follow the H-22 pedestrian belt, three intersections… I should transfer here."
"Mhm, right. This is the one—switch to S-19 pedestrian belt."
He made it all the way back to his residential district without a single mistake or detour.
A route he hadn't walked in over a decade.
With a self-mocking smile, Wang Dong realized that his peaceful days on Planet KQ-03 had left a far deeper impression on him than he'd expected.
It made sense. Whether it was the public revelation of his background, his transfer to the Baron's Territory, or the decade-plus of fleeing and hiding that followed—none of it could be considered fond memories.
In comparison, it was truly his time in the Mining Star Region that had been the most tranquil, the most pleasant days of his life.
With the help of the system and his own efforts, he had earned recognition and respect as an interstellar miner.
Economically, he had built up solid earnings—laying the foundation for his "first bucket of gold."
There's no pain without comparison.
And so, even this barren, rust-tinted world of Planet KQ-03—devoid of birdsong or sunshine—became a symbol of peace and happiness.
The shame of a transmigrator.
Self-criticism: complete.
After passing identity verification, Wang Dong entered his home.
The decor was clean and minimalist. Starkly masculine in tone—it screamed "single guy."
Planet KQ-03's colonial history spanned only a few centuries.
Its permanent population barely surpassed 13 million, most of whom relied on mining and its affiliated industries.
Technologically, the planet wasn't advanced. Aside from a solid foundation in mining and metallurgy, other sectors merely met basic life needs.
In the interstellar era, objective physical distance remained the greatest barrier.
Forget distances between star systems—measured in light-years—even planets within the same system often had drastically different tech levels.
This was normal. Technological advancement required resources. And in the absence of necessity, who would spend vast sums spreading civilian technology?
It was like the Industrial Revolution back on the mother planet—how many resources did it take to build massive factories, expand infrastructure, or provide quality public education?
Not to mention, Wang Dong's current realm—the Zijing Kingdom—was a semi-feudal society.
How many noble lords in such a system would burn through their resources simply to improve the quality of life for their peasants?
This was a kingdom where the privileged elite monopolized supernatural powers and advanced weaponry—its ruling class was immovable.
Public opinion? Just noise.
Nobles didn't need votes.
By Wang Dong's routine, the 1st, 10th, and 20th of each month were designated mining days.
Three mining trips a month brought in about 300,000 yuan (Zijing Kingdom currency).
A very respectable income.
Wang Dong was a soul transmigrator—he had arrived in this world within the body of an infant and grown up in an orphanage.
His original life plan had been to save up enough to travel to a more prosperous region, find a way to acquire a Battleship, and activate his golden finger system—thus stepping onto the path to glory.
But having been reborn at the age of twenty, Wang Dong now knew his original plan had been an illusion.
Nothing more than a mirage.
Life was a series of choices that added up to a single result.
And Wang Dong's life—at least in that timeline—was one where most choices had been stripped away.
He had never truly had any control.
Fortunately, the memories and experience brought back from rebirth now granted him at least a small pocket of breathing room within that suffocating fate.
In the days that followed, Wang Dong set about carefully drafting a new plan.
He hadn't had the time before to do a proper top-down review of everything.
Now, with caution, he quietly made preparations without drawing attention.
Time passed quickly amid such productive busyness.
Before he knew it, it was June 10th.
A date Wang Dong would never forget.
Mining Company. Mining Vessel Dock.
"Your profit share from the last trip is 822,600 yuan. It's already been credited to your account—no issues, right?"
While Wang Dong was selecting a ship, the bearded administrator casually confirmed the payout.
This "Zhou Laosan," as everyone called him, was a multi-talented worker who handled security, storage, accounting, and more—with surprising competence.
At least, in all his dealings with Wang Dong, the accounts had always been clean and accurate.
Wang Dong nodded without issue.
He'd already seen the money two days ago and reviewed the breakdown.
The high payout was thanks to the Dark Titanium.
It gave Wang Dong the resources to prepare even more thoroughly.
As usual, he chose a well-maintained Mine Overlord Type II.
What he valued most was its eight directional thrusters and exceptional maneuverability.
In a critical moment, that kind of control might be the sliver of chance needed for survival.
Though waves churned in his heart, not a trace showed on his face.
Wang Dong boarded the ship with practiced ease, took off, and set his course.
Destination: Entrance No. 3.
Sixteen hours later, Wang Dong arrived.
Entrance No. 3 was farther than Entrance No. 2, which he had used last time.
This time, luck was on his side. He arrived at the Forward Base just as a Mining Window opened—he could enter immediately.
Wang Dong took a deep breath.
Then slowly exhaled.
From this point on, it was all about performance.
He plunged straight into the mining zone and, after reaching a suitable depth, began operations.
"Thirty-three seconds. Trash ore. Moving on."
"Sixty-eight seconds. Aluminum. Too low in density—doesn't pay."
...
As usual, Wang Dong muttered to himself based on the scan results.
After a while, he settled on an irregular meteorite containing auric copper ore for extraction.
Skilled approach. Magnetic tether. Drill extraction. Flawless execution.
Wang Dong perfectly embodied the skill set of a seasoned interstellar miner.
Anyone observing would easily conclude:
He was a young, gifted professional.
But in Wang Dong's heart, the tension never eased.
Just as he was preparing to finish this area and move to the next—
Something went wrong.
A strange spatial distortion swept through the zone, and above Wang Dong's Mine Overlord Type II, a massive vessel suddenly appeared!
It was a Battleship—over 300 meters long and more than 60 meters wide!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。