Chapter 156: Fieldwork Permit

What surprised Yang Bo was that the reward for this mission was up to 150,000 credits. This was after the Company’s cut, so he knew it wouldn’t be simple.

He picked up the task details and read carefully. The mine belonged to a mining company with an automatic excavation point. These automated sites didn’t involve on-site personnel, with all the mining robots controlled remotely.

There were many automated repair devices, charging stations, and other equipment over there. These devices were facing an ant infestation.

The key point was to locate the ant nest inside the mine and transfer it to the government-designated reservation area.

“This mission isn’t particularly difficult; it just requires enough attention to detail. Two companies, both specializing in bug removal, have already refused this task,” Fat Boss explained.

Yang Bo, of course, knew it wouldn’t be easy. Regulations about fieldwork were strict, forbidding the use of chemicals. The mine also required that no equipment be moved or damaged.

After some thought, Yang Bo realized he didn’t have much trouble with this, given the various methods at his disposal.

“If you accept the mission, I’ll apply for the fieldwork permit right away. The permit is valid for five days. You’ll have five days to finish. If you can’t complete it in that time frame, we’ll abandon the mission,” Fat Boss added.

Yang Bo nodded, “Boss, I’ll take it.”

“Good. I’ll apply for the fieldwork permit right now,” Fat Boss, familiar with these regulations, knew every planet had strict limits on fieldwork, including environmental assessments and the equipment used.

It couldn’t be helped. In the vast universe, habitable planets were extremely rare, and each one was precious.

So, why would a mining company operate on such a planet? Because of the unique mineral deposits. Most mining companies preferred mining in outer space, where environmental regulations weren’t as stringent.

Some wealthier companies would even blow up asteroids and use automated mining spaceships to gather materials, producing the finished product on-site and shipping it out via cargo ships.

It was common for large automated mining ships to operate with only a few crew members; the rest was fully automated.

“I wonder what kind of minerals they’re mining. I’ll take a look when I’m there,” Yang Bo accepted the mission because the difficulty wasn’t too high for him. Also, he was curious about the type of valuable minerals the company was willing to take such risks for.

After all, he needed materials to build mechs or spaceships.

After Fat Boss submitted the application, they sent over a bunch of documents.

“Yang Bo, memorize these. The relevant authorities will come to assess you. If this permit is approved, applying for the next one will be easier,” Fat Boss said as he sent Yang Bo the documents.

Yang Bo studied the documents carefully. They contained over 200,000 words detailing fieldwork protocols—what equipment could be carried and what couldn’t, including mandatory trash removal, and so on.

“Good thing I have superpowers. Otherwise, an ordinary person couldn’t handle this,” Yang Bo thought, overwhelmed by the complexity of the procedures, all while having to wear a recorder and being overseen by relevant agencies.

This was Yang Bo’s first time dealing with fieldwork. He hadn’t expected there to be so many things to watch out for, as even a slight misstep could result in lawsuits, fines, or imprisonment.

Luckily, the mission wasn’t in the wilderness but within the confines of a mine, which made things a bit easier.

“Boss, when will they come to assess me? I’ve nearly memorized everything,” Yang Bo said after spending a full day at the Company getting familiar with the process.

Fat Boss, hearing Yang Bo’s words, became even more convinced that Yang Bo was indeed a Genetic Evolver. After all, the 200,000-word procedure was quite complex.

“They’ll send someone tomorrow to assess you. After that, they’ll issue the permit,” Fat Boss nodded.

“I recommended this task to you to familiarize you with fieldwork processes. This planet isn’t too bad. Back on Pado Planet, some people waited half a year for their permits, and their missions had long expired,” Fat Boss said.

“Mining companies typically hire third-party contractors for these tasks. If they handled it themselves, they might be suspected of covering something up, resulting in unnecessary trouble. Besides, they aren’t qualified to handle this,” Fat Boss nodded again.

Yang Bo didn’t fully understand why the law was structured that way, but every rule probably had a classic case behind it.

“You should head out early today. Come back tomorrow morning. If things go well, you’ll have the permit by tomorrow afternoon or the following morning. If not, then we’ll drop this mission,” Fat Boss added.

“Are you doubting my abilities?” Yang Bo asked, a bit surprised.

“Not at all. It’s just that the assessors have subjective biases. Sometimes they judge based on your clothes or ask weird questions. You might think your answers are fine, but to them, you might not seem fit for fieldwork. Honestly, these people are a bit eccentric. If it were up to the standardized online tests, it would be much better,” Fat Boss explained.

“You could perform a seemingly innocent action or do something irrelevant, and they’d still decide you’re unfit for fieldwork,” Fat Boss added.

Yang Bo had a general idea now. It was like how some people with everything ready for a visa still got rejected by a picky consular officer, leaving them stuck in a tight spot.

“Alright then, boss. See you tomorrow morning.” After hearing that, Yang Bo nodded and left the Company for the day.

After work, Yang Bo went to the supermarket to buy a few things. Purchases here came with extra taxes depending on your citizenship level. Additionally, some special packaging required an extra fee for waste disposal.

“Huh?” While wandering the supermarket, Yang Bo suddenly noticed someone seemed to be tailing him. He was a little surprised. Who was following him?