Shadows of the Deep Space-Chapter 107: Intelligence (Extra for Alliance Leader Dongyou Lingyu) (Part 3)

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Intelligence (Extra for Alliance Leader Dongyou Lingyu) (Part 3)

freewёbnoνel.com

Lin Fang spoke to Su Ming with a calm demeanor.

"A meat dish, a vegetable dish, as well as rice and soup, this kind of set meal is 10 Federation currency!"

"That’s so cheap!"

Su Ming nodded in agreement.

"The first thing I have to say is definitely don’t go to the commercial district for meals, a set meal like this would cost five thousand Federation currency there!"

Lin Fang said very seriously.

Su Ming was also very surprised upon hearing Lin Fang’s words.

"That expensive? Why is the discrepancy so big?"

"First of all, the cost of living in Starlight City is very expensive, there is nowhere in the entire Federation more expensive than here. Additionally, Imperial Court Academy provides meal subsidies, and the vegetables at Imperial Court Academy are specially supplied, grown by the academy’s own cultivation department, and not priced according to the market! However, there is a limited quantity of meals, each person can only consume such a set meal up to three times a day, and if you want a late-night snack you can only go out to eat."

Lin Fang explained methodically.

"I see."

Su Ming nodded slightly in acknowledgement.

"Alright, let’s quickly finish lunch, and then I will take you to visit other public facilities of the school."

"Mhm!"

Su Ming immediately lowered his head to start eating.

Not long after, the two had finished their lunch, and Su Ming followed Lin Fang out of the cafeteria.

They walked along the wide road, and Lin Fang pointed towards a cubical building standing in front of them as he introduced it.

"This is the external school library, which also has a very comprehensive collection of books. You must spend some time soaking in there, to learn about the universe, Chilami, Mechanical Clan, Hive, and other knowledge, which can significantly enhance your cognitive level and this will be very helpful for your grade exams."

"Grade exams?"

"Mhm, Imperial Court Academy has a five-year program, but that doesn’t mean you can advance to the next grade after finishing a year’s studies, there are grade exams at the end of term! And the most important grade exam to pay attention to is the first year; you have three chances to retake it in the first year, if you fail all three times, I’m sorry to say you’re likely to be expelled."

"So, there is less need to worry after the second year?"

"As long as you can make it to the second year, even if you fail to advance to the third year, you’re already among the elite."

"I see."

Su Ming replied calmly.

Lin Fang continued to lead Su Ming forward, and soon they came to a hillside that was relatively higher in elevation.

He pointed his hand towards a distant area where they could see one Mecha after another taking off at high speed from the ground, rushing towards the vast sky.

"That area is the academy’s public training ground; there, you can rent First Generation and Second Generation Mecha for real machine training at a low rental cost. You should practice your combat skills whenever you have the time."

"That’s pretty good."

Su Ming replied, satisfied.

"Of course, if you’re in the position, you don’t need to rent, you can buy your own Mecha."

Lin Fang added, his expression somewhat dejected.

Su Ming, upon hearing this, asked with a bit of surprise.

"We can buy Mechas and bring them into the school?"

"Yes, and Imperial Court Academy encourages students to own their own Mechas. Look to the right, see that row of hangars next to the training base? Most of them are available for rent."

"Uh-huh,"

"Moreover, if you don’t have particularly reliable external channels, I personally suggest buying within the campus. Our school has many channels for buying Mechas, like the school’s official website exclusive store, as well as different Mecha manufacturing clubs and some private Mecha custom masters."

"I understand."

"Also, I want to emphasize once more, having a personal Mecha is a very important matter for students in the Mecha Department!"

Lin Fang reminded Su Ming very seriously.

"Could you explain why?"

"Because only if you have your own personal Mecha can you take on tasks from the school’s mission hall to earn money, join clubs to participate in activities, and better complete the school’s teaching tasks! Of course, buying a personal Mecha isn’t easy; after all, the good ones are super expensive."

"Could you give me an introduction to the current Mecha market?"

Su Ming asked Lin Fang rationally.

"Mecha prices aren’t fixed, they fluctuate based on performance. I’ll give you a rough breakdown of the current market; First Generation Mecha prices normally range from 100W to 1000W, Second Generation Mecha from 1000W to 100 million, Third Generation Mecha from 100 million to 10 billion, and Fourth Generation and above are even pricier, with huge fluctuations! It’s incredibly variable."

"Uhh..."

Su Ming’s brows furrowed upon hearing the prices Lin Fang mentioned.

He originally thought he was relatively wealthy, but it turned out his money was far from sufficient.

"But no matter how expensive, we must find a way to have our own personal Mecha, this point is crucial. Because it relates to your choices when you graduate and enlist in the military!"

"I don’t quite understand this part, aren’t we directly conscripted by the Federation Government after graduation? Couldn’t we still choose autonomously?"

"It is direct conscription, but if you have enough capital to bring your own Mecha into the military, you can freely choose different legions; furthermore, the treatment within the legion differs! I don’t mean to be crude, but if you have a Fourth Generation machine when you join the legion, they can’t just assign you the rank of a staff sergeant, can they?"

"That’s impossible; those who pilot Fourth Generation Mechas in the military are definitely either aces or main forces, and the ranks are quite high, at least the rank of a field officer."

Su Ming responded confidently.

"That’s why it’s not only about getting your own Mecha, but also getting the best possible Mecha. And the better the Mecha, the more expensive the accompanying facilities you need. You’ll have to rent large hangars, hire proficient students from the mechanical maintenance major for repairs, all of which require lots of money."

"No wonder you need a part-time job, senior."

"Alas, the reason I need a part-time job is because my private Second Generation Mecha was destroyed."

Lin Fang said dejectedly.

"I see."

Su Ming was somewhat surprised to hear Lin Fang’s words.

"Alas, there’s nothing I can do, Mechas are just too expensive. No matter how hard I work at part-time jobs, it’s hard to gather enough money for a Second Generation Mecha."

"It’s not your fault, Mecha prices indeed seem outrageously high."

"In fact, the reason Mecha prices are so high is not just because they’re complex to manufacture but mainly due to the raw materials!"

"Raw materials?"

Su Ming became interested at this point, as no one else had discussed this with him before.

"Yes, manufacturing Mechas requires a lot of raw materials, among which there are four crucial types of ores."

Lin Fang explained responsibly.

"Which four?"

"The first is Refined Iron; this so-called Refined Iron has little to do with iron. It’s an accompanying ore of iron ore, with very low production rates! Common iron is found everywhere in the universe, but often a large iron ore mine yields very little Refined Iron. This Refined Iron is the primary material for First Generation Mechas and Second Generation Machines."

"Mhm."