Alien Relic Hunter

The entire cleaning process took more than four hours, and it was not until the sky turned completely dark that the team was able to get back on the road.

Since all the supplies on Car No. 10 were devoured by fungi, and the interior of the car was difficult to clean completely by cautery, Ke Lan simply gave up on Car No. 10 and only took away the important equipment and crystallized engine on the car.

"The material losses have been calculated. Here is the detailed list." Yu Yi handed the tablet in his hand to Ke Lan.

"This loss should not have any impact on the normal operation of the base, right?" Ke Lan took the tablet and asked.

"No, you can rest assured of this." Yui replied, "The consortium has considered the problem of unexpected losses during transportation from the beginning. Even if the convoy loses half of the supplies, this mission can be regarded as a success... To take a step back, even if we lose all the supplies, the base's emergency reserves are enough to support more than three months."

"That's good." Ke Lan's eyes shifted to the list - most of the items on Car No. 10 are food. Except for the high-end supplies such as poultry and livestock meat, rice, flour, grains, and fresh vegetables provided to the management staff, It also includes "popular foods" such as compressed biscuits, canned food, and synthetic rations. However, the material that accounts for nearly 80% of the list is something called "protein blocks."

From the notes on the list, we can know that this food is specially purchased by the base to serve as rations for the miners.

"No wonder 0420 said, 'Being a miner is better than being a dog for rich people'... Even if you are a dog, the food you eat is better than this..."

The so-called "protein block" is a rectangular block of plastic that is about the size of an adult's palm and is completely black. The packaging paper reads, "A ready-to-eat food made of high-protein natural materials. Only one piece is enough to satisfy an adult for a day." "Nutritional requirements", but there is no mention of the detailed ingredient list.

But Ke Lan knew that this "high-protein natural material" was actually cockroaches.

Cockroaches are tenacious, reproduce quickly, and are very easy to raise... Those factories that make protein blocks will buy the domestic waste produced in residential areas at extremely low prices and use it to feed these little black bugs that have a history that is far older than humans, and then Then put these bugs into the machine to crush them, mix them with various ingredients and water...

What finally comes off the production line is this "nutritional protein block" with a slightly pungent smell.

It's just that normal Ark residents rarely have access to this kind of food. Most of these protein blocks are purchased by the government and then used to relieve the "poor" who have no income, or whose income is so meager that they cannot feed themselves, and the rest The part of should be used here.

Although Ke Lan has never eaten protein blocks himself, he once saw a tasting post titled "Ark Dark Cuisine Inventory" on the forum, which introduced such protein blocks made from cockroaches.

According to the poster, in addition to smelling like a pungent chemical reagent, this protein block also has a disgusting bitter taste in your mouth. Even if a large amount of it is added, Even the seasonings cannot completely cover it... If you are unlucky, you might even end up eating something like a mutilated cockroach leg...

But from one aspect, the price of this protein block is indeed very low - the price of a bottle of "Roland Brand Malt Craft Beer" fluctuates between 60 and 80 credit points, while a standard unit of military Regular compressed biscuits only cost five credits... As for protein blocks, one credit can buy a large box, enough for a week.

In order to reduce costs as much as possible, all the major consortiums have almost the same approach - on the surface, they say that they will provide "food and accommodation" to the miners, but in fact the only food provided is this cockroach protein block and the minimum food that can barely be eaten. Grade drinking water, and if the miners want to improve their food, they have to pay for it out of their own pockets... Moreover, because the materials are precious, the price of everything in the mining base is several times that of the Ark. A bottle of malt brew can even Sold for more than 300 credit points, this is a completely unbearable high price for miners.

"With these conditions...can we really recruit miners?" Ke Lan was really confused.

"Not only can we recruit, but the quota is also very tight." Yui replied, "We treat the miners very well. The Mitsui Consortium at Base 6 uses the miners as consumables. Yes, they are not even willing to equip miners with equipment such as protective clothing. According to incomplete statistics, the mortality rate of their miners in a year is as high as 16%, and even if they finish the one-year contract alive, , and they will most likely suffer from very serious radiation sickness."

"That kind of company treats people like livestock from the old era..." the old dog muttered at the side.

"Wouldn't Ark take care of this kind of thing?"

"I can't control it even if I want to. The contract written in black and white is there. Those people are all voluntary." Old Dog took out a tissue from the side of his seat and blew his nose vigorously. "Especially the Mitsui Consortium. You know their size. What’s the biggest industry?”

"If I remember correctly...steel and precious metals."

"That's right, but that's just a business on the surface, and secretly, they control more than 80% of Ark's gambling business... Those miners who were forced to sign a contract of betrayal basically lost their money and were left with debts and no power. The gambler who pays off.”

"Yes." Yui nodded, "And since the official demand for various ores including crystals is very high, they have to acquiesce to the Mitsui Consortium's approach. After all, if the treatment of miners is improved, the cost of ore will also increase. A rising tide will lift all boats..."

Ke Lan noticed that Yui's eyes flickered when she said this - it was obvious that this smart woman wanted to put all the blame on the Mitsui Consortium.

But in fact, the Soma Consortium's treatment of the miners is just a joke.

After understanding this, Ke Lan finally knew the true purpose of this commission: "Actually... you don't care about the missing miners at all, right?"

"Mr. Ke Lan, what are you..."

"What you are interested in is actually the thing that attracts miners to the depths of Leviathan, right?"

"I...I don't quite understand what you are talking about." Yui shook her head stiffly.

"First of all, that thing is definitely not a crystalline ore." Ke Lan ignored her and analyzed it on his own, "Because the crystallized ore mined in Leviathan's body does not have a high unit value without refining, and the volume is too large. It’s so big that miners can’t hide it secretly.”

"Secondly, it is definitely not a certain mineral vein with rich reserves. If the missing miners really discovered a new mineral vein, then they can report it to the consortium in exchange for rewards - after all, with the individual strength of these miners, even if they discover a new mineral vein They can’t monetize top-grade mineral deposits.”

"Taking a step back, even if some of them are commercial spies planted by other consortiums, or intend to sell this information at a price, then it is not possible that the twenty-eight missing miners are all such people, so the first Two guesses can also be eliminated.”

[P.S. Tomorrow is March, and I will start updating twice a day. 】