CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: FAKE IDENTITY

Chen Ming followed the middle-aged maintenance worker into Dock’s neighboring Space Arm No. 2.

This area felt much less residential compared to the central city area of the Space Station.

Everywhere were large factory buildings equipped with various industrial facilities, with immense noise from numerous machines filling the space arm, producing who knows what.

Although there weren’t many people in this space arm, it wasn’t so hidden that any danger could be encountered.

Still, Chen Ming kept his hand on the gun at his waist.

The middle-aged maintenance master either didn’t notice or noticed but simply didn’t care.

He quickly led Chen Ming to a small house in front of one of the factory buildings.

From the outside, it looked like a hardware store, with various tools displayed within.

Upon entering, it was clear that the little house had excellent soundproofing.

The boss sitting at the counter instantly perked up upon seeing the middle-aged maintenance master enter and asked, "Old Wu? What brings you here?"

The middle-aged maintenance master, referred to as Old Wu, chuckled.

He reached out to pat Chen Ming’s shoulder, but Chen Ming dodged.

Old Wu didn’t mind, saying, "Register a card for this newcomer, put it on my tab."

The boss, evidently familiar with Old Wu’s ways, asked skeptically, "Are you really so kind-hearted?"

"That’s none of your business."

Old Wu retorted and reached out to Chen Ming, saying, "Give me your terminal; if you don’t have one, spend some money on a second-hand one, and tell me your name too."

Chen Ming handed over the terminal given by the doctor, providing a false name, Mu Shuikong.

Old Wu took the terminal, glanced at it twice, and saw nothing but the scraped-off marking on the back of the terminal.

He said nothing, took tools out of his pocket, and skillfully dismantled the terminal.

"Did you remove the data card?"

Chen Ming didn’t speak, and Old Wu didn’t ask further, directly handing the terminal to the boss.

The boss took the terminal, operated it behind the counter for a while, and soon handed a new data storage card and the terminal back to Chen Ming, saying, "Give it a try."

Chen Ming inserted the storage card and turned on the terminal.

The terminal worked perfectly, with personal files and savings cards that had been unusable due to the removed card now viewable.

The personal file displayed Mu Shuikong’s personal information.

The avatar was an ordinary person, so unremarkable it could blend into a crowd unnoticed.

The resume details on the file seemed fabricated, just a civilian spacecraft pilot born in a colony on the periphery.

Chen Ming glanced at the terminal in his hand, then at Old Wu and the boss, unable to resist asking, "Does this really work?"

Old Wu patted the boss’s shoulder, saying, "In the Edge Star Realm, you can use it everywhere; even if you run into a military outpost and get flagged, a bit of bribe will clear it."

"In the Prosperous Star Realm, as long as you don’t go self-destructing at official or military places, it’s the same."

"Don’t believe it? Go ask around; many people got their cards here at the Space Station."

Chen Ming looked around the quiet shop and said, "I don’t see many people here."

Old Wu said matter-of-factly, "That’s obvious, once people get their cards, why would they come back? Also, don’t be fooled by the current lack of crowds; just wait for a few days, and you’ll see."

Chen Ming scrutinized Old Wu’s face for a moment without further entanglement, then opened the savings card on the terminal and said, "What about this card...?"

"Just treat it like a legitimate card, bound one-to-one with the identity; as long as the identity is fine, the card won’t be a problem, won’t get flagged."

"There’s fifty left for you in the card, there are restaurants all over the city, try it out, you’ll see."

"If any problem arises, look for me, after all, you know where I work; everyone knows I’m the top dog at the maintenance factory, Wu Ping’an."

Chen Ming stared at Old Wu, eager to state that what they just did seemed somewhat shady.

However, Chen Ming restrained that thought, secured the terminal, ready to test if Old Wu’s claims were indeed true.

Even if deceived, his loss would be mere gold from a not-so-rich slag.

Being new here and clueless, and with no information traceable online, he could only utilize this method for formal initiation.

Losing a bit was just losing a bit, after all, it was all useless stuff anyway.

"Alright then."

Chen Ming tossed the gold he’d been clutching to Old Wu and said, "But I remember initially I wasn’t asking you to register a card for me."

Old Wu hurriedly pocketed the gold, chuckled, and said, "Hi, it’s inevitable; even if I don’t bring you here now, when you earn money, you’d still come here for a card."

"But since you want to know ways to earn money, I’ll tell you."

Old Wu patted the pocket containing the gold Chen Ming gave him and said, "Go to Space Arm No. 13, there’s a place that buys such stuff called Er Yang Recycling, mention my name for a discount."

Chen Ming noted down the name but continued, "Actually, I’m more interested in learning if there are ways to earn money at the maintenance factory."

Old Wu skeptically examined Chen Ming’s opaque protective suit helmet and said, "Do you really have skills?"

"Then you have to ask our leader; he only visits the maintenance factory once every few days. I don’t know where he is usually. You need to find work; look for him, asking me is in vain."