Chapter 498: Change VI (2/2)

The 500 starships must be fortified in 15 days. The order sounded like an impossible task. There were quite a number of maintenance crew members in the fleet, but strengthening 500 starships in 15 days was still too much.

Hence, the job demanded practically all hands on board. Only the mech pilots were spared for their training.

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Yang Ming's eyes were bloodshot, but still he gritted his teeth and held on. The others around him all shared his present state of having barely any sleep for days.

His hands were sluggish. Days of work had pushed him to a state of extreme fatigue. His lips were cracked, his eyes sunken. His mind was a blank as he repeated the same old tasks.

He needed to sleep! He felt that if he closed his eyes for one second, he would just fall asleep instantly.

However, he could not sleep, not when time was pressed. Every second he squeezed out to work might just save another man's life.

Yang Ming and his family had decided to stay behind with Sir Jay while the other starships left. He and his family believed that Sir Jay was the only one who would lead them to triumph.

Yang Ming's foundation was excellent, and his constant work and practice recently had finally earned him the status of a fully certified maintenance crew member. His rise in status earned more respect from the people around him, and even more responsibilities.

Even now, Yang Ming trusted Sir Jay. The man was not too much older than Yang Ming, but he idolized their leader. Yang Ming was hardly the only young person in the fleet who idolized Ye Chong. Most of the people who chose to leave had been older.

The strong and wise Sir Jay had saved from the brink of death, leading them himself in their large scale victory. If not for Sir Jay, they would have perished in the hands of the red-tailed beasts. What reason was there not to follow him?

When the order came, Yang Ming immediately buried himself in work. Unlike other people who complained about not having enough time, he knew how desperate their situation really was. He also knew that his comrades shared the sentiment, only complaining out of frustration.

”Lil' Yang, get some rest,” a hoarse voice came from behind him, sounding concerned. It was Father Bach!

Father Bach watched the bookish young man with an aching heart. To him, Yang Ming was a good role model for all the young people in the fleet. He was young, smart and eager to learn. While he looked soft, he was strong in character. Besides, Yang Ming looked good enough to gain admiration from a good many young ladies in the fleet.

Yang Ming was pleasantly surprised. ”Father Bach.” Yang Ming felt self conscious, and a little uncertain. Father Bach had a strong reputation amongst the technical staff in the fleet. With him leading the logistics and maintenance departments, there was nothing they needed to worry about. This hearty man, the fair and skillful Father Bach, enjoyed profound respect from Yang Ming.

Father Back patted Yang Ming on the shoulder with his thick and calloused hands, complimenting him, ”Good work. Now leave it to me.”

Yang Ming nodded, hoping to reply back with something, but his parched throat refused to comply. He quickly went to a corner to drink some water.

Father Bach began to concentrate on his work.

Yang Ming's gaze landed on Father Bach's broad shoulders. He felt relieved, and sat in the corner to rest. Sleep enveloped almost the instant he closed his eyes.

A young woman walking past saw Yang Ming curled up asleep in the corner and felt an ache in her heart. She trotted off to fetch a blanket and covered him with it. Later, she returned to put some food and water beside him.

500 starships was a large figure for a fleet of starships. To fortify them all was likewise a formidable task.

This was a war against time.

If they could not complete the job in time, the civilian ships without fortified hulls would not be able to withstand the impact from the rocks in the Calamitous Asteroid Belt. Once a starship exploded, the rocks in the vicinity would be shot about even more violently. It would be catastrophic for the fleet.

Nonetheless, they could not afford to spend more time before entering the Calamitous Asteroid Belt. The red-tailed beasts were in tight pursuit behind them. If they caught on to the fleet, it would be very messy business. If the red-tailed beasts caught on to the fleet in the Calamitous Asteroid Belt, they would never survive the trip.

The floating rocks were everywhere in the Calamitous Asteroid Belt, advantageous for the red-tailed beasts but dangerous for mechs. This unfair battleground would not yield a desirable outcome.