novelraw Chapter 676: Egg Mentioned
Chapter 676: Egg Mentioned
You think this is your own backyard where you can call the shots? Even these unintelligent plants obey you, who do you think you are?
At best, you possess a secret formula! I was careless, too careless. I thought I had acquired the ’formula,’ but I didn’t realize that the most crucial step was still in Jing Shu’s hands. What exactly went wrong with that critical step?
After Wang Dazhi muttered these words to himself, his face showed a series of nods, as if he had suddenly understood.
"So that’s how it is. I was wondering why it didn’t work on our end when we were all using the same method."
Jing Shu just smiled without saying a word.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward, and no one spoke.
Despite his thick skin, Wang Dazhi felt extremely awkward. He gritted his teeth and said, "Boss Jing, they say a person who survives a great disaster is destined for good fortune. The inspection team thought you had an accident and left behind such a big mess. Now, the Insect Cake Factory is essential to people’s livelihoods, so we had to take over."
Wang Dazhi didn’t dare say too much, but smoothing things over for both sides was necessary.
"Look, your good fortune has arrived, hasn’t it? Since you’ve returned, of course, the factory should be yours. We’ve hardly gotten started, so it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of someone else, would it? Plus, you don’t need to return the 8,000,000 Virtual Coins; let’s just consider it compensation for the trouble and losses we caused your factory these days."
Uncle’s mouth fell open. He couldn’t believe these people were so easy to talk to. Was this the same Wang Dazhi who had been so aggressive before? To think that I was ousted from my position as soon as they showed up!
Jing Shu politely said, "The factory is mine, so it’s only right that I take it back. I don’t want the 8,000,000 Virtual Coins; I’ll return them to you. I don’t take advantage of others."
For the first time, Wang Dazhi’s face turned slightly red. Is she implying we’re taking advantage of her? he thought. He couldn’t even refute it.
"No, no, you must keep the 8,000,000 Virtual Coins as our compensation."
"I don’t want it."
"You must take it."
"I don’t care for it."
Wang Dazhi was speechless. Isn’t that a bit too hurtful?
Uncle and the others were blown away. Since when were 8,000,000 Virtual Coins so worthless? If you don’t want them, I do! No, no, this is too much of a turn of events, isn’t it? The factory is handed back just like that?
Wang Dazhi said, "Boss Jing, there’s a saying: no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. I admit defeat this time. As for the formula for breeding red earthworms, name your price. Whatever you want—money, power, status—just say it.
"Boss Jing, you’re quietly making a fortune in Wu City; we could be quietly making a fortune in the Imperial Capital. But things aren’t like before when transportation was convenient. If you want to expand production and distribute to surrounding areas, it’s not feasible. The freight costs, resource consumption, and time involved simply make it unworkable."
Wang Dazhi painted a glowing picture of sharing the formula, even clarifying all the pros and cons. A one-time buyout of the formula could instantly make Jing Shu the uncrowned ruler of Wu City.
Now I realize, Wang Dazhi thought, without Jing Shu’s formula, the Red Worm Cake Factory can’t continue operating. Damn that two-faced Jun Bao! I recall how gently he suggested ideas to us that day, even proposing a ’small steps for five years’ plan that got us all worked up. Who knew... We overextended ourselves and got burned. No, it’s worse than that; we’re completely screwed. If we can’t get the formula...
Wang Dazhi shivered, quickly formulating two ultimate gambits in his mind.
Jing Shu innocently shook her head. "I really don’t have a formula. Do you think I don’t want to open factories all over the country, including in the Imperial Capital?"
Wang Dazhi’s tone became severe. "If you need any material, any ingredient in the formula, we can get it! Don’t forget, the nation is facing its most perilous crisis and is desperate for food. If you conceal the formula for personal gain, then according to the new law..." He trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air. Their inspection team had come with a mission, after all: to find high-yield food sources throughout the country.
Uncle and his group grew tense. Here comes the threat again, Uncle thought. If she doesn’t reveal the formula now, are they just going to wait for it to be requisitioned?
Jing Shu smiled and produced a knife.
"You... what are you doing? Don’t do anything reckless!" Wang Dazhi stammered, alarmed.
With a sudden slash, blood welled from her wrist. DRIP. DRIP. The deep cut shocked everyone. Jing Shu frowned slightly; it had been a long time since she had felt pain.
The blood dripped into the pool, sending ripples across its surface.
"What is the meaning of this?" Wang Dazhi frowned.
"I too wish I could make this method flourish everywhere, spread it across the country, and feed more people. But unfortunately..." Jing Shu shook her head, letting her blood continue to flow. Then she said, "Look at the pool."
The green algae in the pool began to proliferate at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Everyone was astonished.
Wang Dazhi pointed from Jing Shu to the pool and back again, his expression one of utter disbelief. He seemed to be grasping the implication.
"Every month, I have to extract my own blood, refine it, and then bring it here. This is the ’formula.’ Right now, running this single factory is already my limit. I’ve also sent my blood to the Imperial Capital Biological Research Institute for thorough research to see if a useful compound or medicine can be extracted. It’s been two years, and they still haven’t succeeded.
"Otherwise," Jing Shu offered, a hint of challenge in her voice, "I could give you some. Perhaps you can study how to extract the ’formula’ from it?"
With the threat of requisition looming, it would be foolish to openly defy them by not handing over a "formula." However, my Spiritual Spring absolutely cannot be revealed. Attributing the ’formula’ to my blood has many downsides. For instance, wouldn’t I become like Tang Seng, coveted by all for my ’essence’? But as long as the truth about the Spiritual Spring isn’t exposed, this ’blood formula’ will be our shared secret—theirs to protect as much as mine.
No one would dare announce they’ve found a ’Tang Seng’; in fact, they’d be terrified of others finding out.
Of course, an exit strategy is simple enough. Once my blood ’no longer works’ to reproduce the algae, I’ll lose my value for exploitation. In any case, I must have an absolute escape route and countermeasures. I’ve thought it all through.
There are also significant advantages. You have to feed a hen to get eggs; you can’t just kill the hen for the egg, can you?
Therefore, the amount of blood I ’donate’ must be limited. What if it endangers my life? Will they still want Insect Cakes then? Wouldn’t I need to be protected?
Wang Dazhi knelt. He had never, ever imagined it would be like this. He wept. He wasn’t crying because Jing Shu was some kind of monster; he was crying because he himself was doomed.
Jing Shu withdrew her hand and slowly, methodically bandaged her wound. The two people behind her were so shocked they were speechless for a long time. Uncle also cried, patting Jing Shu comfortingly.
"Save us, please," Wang Dazhi begged through his tears. "We’ve already set up factories in the Imperial Capital, Modu, and six other locations. Most importantly, we’ve reported to the local Township Governments and borrowed a lot of materials and Virtual Coins..." It was an unpayable debt of money, favors, and goods.
The crucial thing was that everyone had high hopes for these factories.
If we can’t produce anything when the time comes... Wang Dazhi despaired. It’s all that damned Jun Bao’s fault and his terrible advice! ’Small progress in three years, a great leap in five’? What utter nonsense!