CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 54 SPECULATION, TRADE, PROCUREMENT

In the crowd of onlookers around the spaceship collision earlier.

Someone deduced from the visible damage on the spaceship’s exterior while it was still operational that the culprit causing this situation was Dusk.

In fact, Chen Ming could more or less see it too, after all, high-temperature burns and melting marks, as well as laser sweeps and penetrations, were ubiquitous on that spacecraft.

These are the obvious signs of energy weapons commonly used by Dusk’s ships.

However, at first, Chen Ming didn’t consider the aspect of Dusk and thought it was simply scars left from a firefight with others who also possessed energy weapons.

Because the ship’s condition was insufficient to support its voyage through the Superspace Channel.

The encounter that left the ship in this state must have occurred within the Star System.

That’s why Chen Ming thought it was highly likely a conflict with others.

But someone in the crowd mentioned Dusk, which had recently been more active in this Edge Star Realm.

And this saying was immediately affirmed by others.

Almost everyone had no objection to the fact that Dusk appeared in the Star System.

It seemed as though this matter was already recognized, as if Chen Ming was the only one unaware.

So the newly arrived Chen Ming naturally chose to believe the words of those who were running in the Dangerous Star Realm daily.

After all, no one would disregard their own life unless they have nothing to their name.

But most of the people around the dock have their own ships, so they couldn’t be considered to have nothing.

Therefore, their words, their experience, Chen Ming would rather believe they exist.

What could be seen from the spaceship was limited to this.

More detailed information about this ship’s prior encounters was basically all speculation.

The real situation probably could only be known by the people from the Space Station Administration who took away the spaceship wreckage and the black box.

With nothing much to see at the dock, Chen Ming returned again to Space Arm No.2.

The matter of Dusk was still somewhat distant to him for the time being.

Even if Dusk’s situation was somewhat different from what Chen Ming previously imagined, not being restricted by the military outside the Human Empire’s territory, and instead having started infiltrating human territories.

Chen Ming wasn’t too worried either, as the Pirate Space Station, after all, had been operating for decades, if it was so easily destroyed, it would have vanished long ago. Staying in the space station, at least, had some safety guarantee.

Therefore, rather than continuing to focus on the whereabouts of Dusk in the Star System, it was better to attend to the main business first.

Soon, Chen Ming was standing again at the hardware store counter, putting down the liquor and cigarettes he brought.

"Treating me?"

The boss joked, got up to set the terminal aside, and picked up the smoke and liquor from the counter.

While confirming if the items were unopened original goods, the boss suddenly said, "There seems to have been an alert over at the dock just now."

"Yeah, a shabby ship didn’t navigate steadily and crashed into the dock, exploded."

"Oh."

The boss replied offhandedly, then operated on the computer behind the counter, seemingly checking the information on the cigarettes and liquor.

Leisurely with nothing better to do, Chen Ming then asked, "By the way, those ships that got blown up next to it, do they just accept their bad luck?"

The boss instantly saw Chen Ming’s concern and said, "The Space Station usually takes responsibility, after all, business must go on, but you have to find someone accountable, if you can’t find one then..."

"However, if those ships are insured, that would be fine, without insurance, they’d really have to just accept their misfortune."

Insurance.

Chen Ming almost forgot there was such a thing.

Actually, Chen Ming had the impression that there were quite a few insurance companies, after all, if the ship is lost, the probability of people returning is somewhat low.

So the profits from insurance are actually pretty significant, and most people coming to the Edge Star Realm, if they own a ship, would also try to insure it.

Though his Iron Ore No.’s armor was made with White Cloud Steel, having extremely strong protective abilities.

Even the explosion force from that other ship earlier shouldn’t have been able to take Iron Ore No. down with it face-on.

As long as the ship didn’t explode on the spot, Chen Ming would be able to repair it.

But just in case, Chen Ming must look for an insurance seller afterward, to insure his ship.

However, deciding whether to buy insurance for the Iron Ore No. or for the new ship still needed some consideration.

While Chen Ming was pondering, the boss had already finished confirming the goods and asked Chen Ming, holding cigarette and liquor samples in each hand, "Is it just these two kinds in total?"

"Yes."

"How much in total?"

Chen Ming recalled those boxes cramming half the storage compartment, occupying most of the working compartment, and said, "Thirty-four boxes of liquor, fifty-seven boxes of cigarettes."

Actually, there were still some scattered pieces of liquor and cigarettes on the spaceship that couldn’t make a full box, so Chen Ming didn’t bother to bring them out separately, might use them for gifting later.

Upon hearing Chen Ming’s response, the boss was somewhat surprised and asked, "Boxes? Standard boxes?"

"Standard boxes."

"Such quantities, just scored a deal?"

"Why?"

"Nothing, just asking casually."

The boss operated on the computer again, then looked up at Chen Ming saying, "This kind of goods are normally bought at a 30% discount."

"But if your goods have slight flaws like these, generally it’s a 35% discount."

The boss pointed out the dents on the cigarette packs caused by the explosion shock, as well as the scratches on the liquor bottles.

Chen Ming also knew about the condition of those goods he rescued from the cargo hold of the exploded ship and honestly said, "65% discount is fine."

"Alright, remember to declare your own prices in such deals next time, otherwise there might be issues."