Chapter 2948: Malfunction

Inside the base ship, Wayne’s team was cooperating in sorting a batch of newly delivered ores.

Wayne said, “Mr. Fang, maybe I’m just being paranoid, but I have a bad feeling. While our relationship with the military department is good, if the parliament doesn’t want to continue cooperating with us…”

“It’s fine, I’ve got it under control,” Fang Heng reassured him.

Fang Heng didn’t really care about the Federation’s attitude.

If the Federation was willing to cooperate, he could save a lot of trouble and provide some benefits, allowing for a win-win situation.

It would save time and effort.

But if the other side was too greedy…

He had at least a hundred ways to make sure the Federation wouldn’t get a single contribution point.

Fang Heng looked at the game prompt.

Due to the long-term corrosion effects of the sandstorms on the surface of the world, movement of the Lickers on the sandy ground had been severely slowed. Exploration of the entire world had barely reached 5%.

There should be more mining areas in this world.

So the next step was to find ways to improve ore extraction efficiency.

Building roads?

Fang Heng rubbed his chin.

He decided to take it step by step.

“You all continue, I’ll go outside and take a look.”

Under everyone’s gaze, Fang Heng once again left the safe zone’s defensive barrier.

The fierce sandstorm lashed at him like blades, and normal people couldn’t leave the defensive barrier without protective suits.

But Fang Heng was different.

The sandstorm couldn’t damage his skin.

Not far away, the ship’s researchers saw Fang Heng through the glass barrier, and their expressions turned curious.

Li Zhixuan also looked up and stared at Fang Heng for a few more seconds, deep in thought.

Not long ago, she had contacted Su Guantong.

Su Guantong hadn’t revealed too much about Fang Heng’s identity, but she repeatedly reminded her that in an emergency, she could seek Fang Heng’s help.

So what was Fang Heng planning to do?

Under the curious eyes of the research personnel, Fang Heng slowly spread his arms, and in front of him, the Book of Elements appeared.

“Earth barrier!”

“Boom! Boom boom boom boom!!!”

With his mental strength poured into it, the sand quickly gathered from the ground and rose up like a towering rock wall, blocking the entrance to the temporary base.

This works?

Ordinary earth spells would only create a barrier about two meters high, but Fang Heng’s was more than ten meters high with a thickness of two to three meters.

The engineers and researchers on the ship were witnessing this terrifying control of magic for the first time. Their eyes widened in shock.

Fang Heng frowned slightly.

This wouldn’t work.

The sand was very loose to begin with, and with the continuous sandstorm erosion, the outer layer of the barrier was rapidly being corroded away.

Unless he continuously expended mental energy to condense the sand, it wouldn’t last long.

Fang Heng let go of his hands and stopped infusing his mental energy.

The thick two-meter sand layer quickly thinned before their eyes due to the constant sandstorm erosion, collapsing completely after ten minutes.

What a pity.

Inside the base, the researchers all showed disappointed expressions.

A researcher stepped forward and said, “Li Bo, we’ve conducted some research on the sand. We’ve made some discoveries, please take a look.”

“Okay.”

Outside the ship, Fang Heng shrugged.

There was nothing else he could do. For now, they had to rely on the teleportation barrier and anti-gravity system as a temporary base.

Hopefully, the Federation could find a way to alter the terrain to help the Lickers quickly transport supplies.

As for now…

They could only rely on the Licker swarm to transport materials slowly.

…

The sandstorm continued throughout the night without showing any signs of stopping.

Collete furrowed his brows, feeling anxious.

It had already been twelve hours since the Federation’s ship was supposed to return with supplies, yet it still hadn’t returned.

What was going on?

Had they encountered trouble?

Li Zhixuan from the research department had already come to him several times.

Anxiety was spreading throughout the safe zone.

But due to the local world’s sandstorm, the communication with the ship’s headquarters had been intermittent.

“Sir! There’s news!”

A researcher’s eyes lit up as he reported, then lowered his head and saw the message from headquarters. His smile immediately vanished.

Collete rushed over and asked, “What did headquarters say?”

In the temporary control hall, several researchers and soldiers all turned to look at the researcher.

“Headquarters says…” The researcher’s face showed sorrow as he said, “The ship encountered a malfunction after returning to headquarters. It’s under repair right now, and we need to stay here for a while.”

The ship broke down?

They couldn’t go back?

Upon hearing this, everyone’s hearts sank.

Collete’s brow furrowed tightly, and he sharply turned to look at Vian in the crowd.

The ship had been sent to headquarters for maintenance after the insect nest battle, and during that period, there had been no combat. After returning, no repairs should have been necessary. So how could they suddenly find a problem?

Something was off.

Had the expert team done this intentionally?

Vionne noticed Collete’s gaze and remained calm, with a quiet smirk in his heart.

Indeed.

It had been their expert team’s suggestion.

What could you do if you figured it out?!

Collete asked, “How long do we need to wait?”

“The communication was cut off again. Headquarters didn’t specify how long it will take, but they’ve asked us to prepare. The repairs may take some time, and we won’t be picked up until the ship undergoes a thorough inspection to confirm everything is fine.”

The researcher paused, his face pale, lips trembling as he continued, “Additionally, headquarters recommends that we immediately upgrade the spawn transition system in the temporary base to avoid any potential danger in extreme circumstances.”

A researcher couldn’t take it anymore and shouted, “What do you mean? Headquarters won’t be coming anytime soon? Are we being abandoned here?”

“Shut up!”

Collete glared at him, and his anxiety grew stronger. He asked, “What’s the status of the transition system? And how is the temporary base holding up?”

Li Zhixuan walked out from the group of researchers and said, “Currently, the energy remaining in the temporary base is 78%. The situation is good, and based on the current status, we estimate that the remaining energy can sustain us for another 52 hours. The mainframe transition system was urgently repaired two hours ago, and we can now contact the spawn network and perform basic material transitions. Vice Captain Collete, you should have some spawn contribution points on you.”

“Yes, I have some spawn contribution points, enough to exchange for defensive barrier energy and food.”

Collete looked around at everyone and continued, “Given the situation, we’ll stay quiet and wait for rescue. I’ll stay here with you, so what are you afraid of?”

Upon hearing this, the tension in everyone’s hearts eased slightly.

At least they wouldn’t run out of energy or food, and their lives were not in immediate danger.