CHAPTER 1083: CHAPTER 92: FIRST COLLABORATION

At the end of this meeting, Hero Liliang Chuangkou additionally informed Jeanne and Xiang Shan about some intelligence, regarding that Swift Army sergeant.

This time, the Godspeed Court traversed the Solar System by utilizing Jupiter’s gravity to decelerate. During this process, Swift Army sergeant Palmer left the Godspeed Court, carrying a large amount of fuel, and began approaching Jupiter to decelerate.

Only a behemoth like Jupiter qualifies as an auxiliary deceleration device for the Godspeed Court.

During this process, Palmer dropped off many fuel tanks along the way. She ensured that by the time she approached the Asteroid Belt, she had decelerated to about one percent of the speed of light, while the main external fuel tanks were discarded, making her size small enough.

Soon after, what Xiang Shan and the others saw occurred.

Afterward, Palmer rushed out again, and after a long acceleration, she just arrived at Mars.

According to long-distance observation with optical equipment, a large ship is waiting for her on the Mars side.

Meanwhile, between the orbits of Mars and Venus, the Godspeed Court began its long deceleration process.

As long as the timing is calculated in advance, a spaceship could safely dock with the Godspeed Court.

"This is really..." Upon hearing Jeanne’s account, Asgard shook her head and sighed, "When can we ever be so spectacular, directly crossing the Asteroid Belt, defeating a First Heavenly Layer expert without even stopping. It’s just... just... taking out an opponent with just the tail flame of deceleration!"

"He’s also carrying a small portion of initial speed from the Godspeed Court and has a long surprise attack distance." Jeanne shook her head, "This is meaningless. This time he had a comprehensive advantage in timing, preparation, intelligence, and his Prosthetic Body’s level was overwhelmingly strong."

Asgard inserted chargers into her weapons one by one, "That’s true... Speaking of which, we’re about to become Heroes tomorrow..."

"Strictly speaking, not really Heroes. It’s just some cooperation with the Chivalrous Power." Jeanne said, "Hermo Association is of similar nature."

"Come on, isn’t that the same, sister?" Asgard said, "According to our old work handbook, even ’scoundrels claiming not to be Heroes’ at this level are to be killed without mercy."

"Not a big deal under Old Dog. Maybe normal humans do care about such distinctions?"

"Really?" Asgard turned her gaze to a human head fixed next to the case, "Old Li, you were around in the old days, right? Do normal people care about this?"

In front of Li Zheyuan were several augmented reality windows, layered in his vision. These windows were shared. When Jeanne and Asgard looked over, they could also see the virtual windows. But it seemed Li Zheyuan’s attention wasn’t on that data. He was staring at Jeanne through the windows.

Upon hearing Asgard’s question, Li Zheyuan scoffed, "There’s no point in explaining to you. You won’t understand. This thing called ’identity’... haha."

Jeanne turned to Li Zheyuan, "Speaking of which, I’ve also requested a high-level biology laboratory from the Hero side. Just at Chaldea. Your experiment plans can start now."

Li Zheyuan was particularly wary, "This... this laboratory doesn’t require me to be present, right?"

"Not getting involved" has always been his survival rule. He once stood at the very center of the world with Xiang Shan, so he knows a bit about the wind one faces at the peak—albeit only a little. Since the death of the Usurper of the State, he has proactively distanced himself from all major events, passively accepting information from the outside while seldom expressing opinions. Even when researching new drugs, he insists on keeping to "slightly lower cost than commonly available types" instead of making any groundbreaking progress.

He definitely wouldn’t go to the Hero side. There are still a few old folks over there who might recognize him.

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, no need at all." Jeanne waved her hand, "You just need to design the plan and arrange the experiment schedule, no need to be present in person. We won’t make you go there in person either."

Li Zheyuan probably breathed a sigh of relief. From the moment Jeanne informed Asgard of the content of this meeting, he’s been worried about this. He feared he might be forcibly sent to a Hero-controlled laboratory.

That’s what he feared.

In the following days, everything proceeded smoothly. Li Zheyuan quickly completed the experiment plan, submitting the arrangements and requirements for the laboratory to Jeanne, who then forwarded them to the Hero side.

Meanwhile, with Xiang Shan’s help, Jeanne was gradually mastering the Prosthetic Body.

She was adjusting her instincts to match this powerful body.

During this process, Jeanne could clearly feel her external strength progressing.

However, this might not be a good omen.

Due to Xiang Shan’s initial warning, Jeanne has been consciously limiting her single dose and frequency of using the Restoring Enzyme to ensure Xiang Shan’s erosion of her does not become too severe, maintaining the subtle balance between them.

But now, even without any external drug aid, her progress can be described as rapid.

Tumor Xiang Shan is still worsening.

Under such circumstances, Jeanne finally received the first request from the Hero side.

The Heroes hope that Jeanne and her group will head to a mining site within the Asteroid Belt.

The distances between those truly large asteroids can be several light seconds, as is the density of interstellar dust. However, collecting dust in space proves too difficult, with costs too high. Mining in the Asteroid Belt focuses on heading to larger celestial bodies for extraction. If the material isn’t large enough, simple cutting can be done before the minerals are brought back.

Similarly, mining slag must not be wasted.

Even the dust left from mining is needed to be released to specific points, forming an invisible "barrier" around the Space City.

Even recovered metal materials require smelting and recasting, with the by-product slag from recasting handled similarly.

Neutral City must use every available means to survive.

This time, Liliang Chuangkou will also bring Jeanne to a construction site.

Jeanne, originally not long for this world, would rather not go to such places. Modern-day workers heading to outdoor work sites rely on their own carried fuel and inertia. They often consume forty percent of their fuel for one acceleration and then wait for inertia to take them to their work sites.

Ten percent of the fuel is used for orbit correction, forty percent for the return, and ten percent is reserved for emergencies.

They don’t care how long a round trip takes.

But Jeanne does care.