Chapter 1017: Micro-Robots and Underwater Robots

This is amazing!

Yi element content 9.1‰—the highest among all the animals Xia Qing knows!

But the animals she had contact with were only a limited few. Xia Qing suppressed her excitement and asked her idol about the level of the giant bees on Mountain Forty-Nine. "Third Brother, would this giant bee count as having a relatively Gao Yi element content among animals?"

Zhang San, who had gone out for a breath of fresh air and discovered a new species with Gao Yi element content, was in a great mood. "Within the range of Hui City, it is second only to the termites in Hui One Research Institute, which have a Yi element content of 10.18‰. Moreover, the types and content of radioactive substances inside the giant bee are lower than those in the termites. If we can successfully breed them, we'll possess the highest-quality high-Yi-element organism in Hui City, and its value is incalculable."

In the three years before the Catastrophe, natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis occurred frequently. More than half of Blue Star's nuclear facilities and nuclear weapons were damaged, causing severe nuclear leaks that spread large amounts of radioactive substances with water and air currents to every corner of Blue Star. The radioactive substance content in Blue Star's organisms multiplied several times compared to before the Catastrophe.

If the Yi element had not promoted the evolution of organisms and formed a new metabolic balance within them, Blue Star's ecology would have long been completely destroyed.

When surviving humans classified food quality, radioactive substance content was also an essential indicator to consider. The lower the radioactive substance content in edible plants and animals, the better the food quality.

The radioactive substance content in Green Light food is very low. The radioactive substances ingested by humans with normal resistance who eat Green Light food will not cause significant harm to their health.

But when producing special-effect agents at the level of Yi Element Stimulant, the radioactive substances in the raw materials must be removed. This is one of the most technically difficult and dangerous steps in special-effect agent production.

That is why Zhang San said the giant evolved wasps on Mountain Forty-Nine are higher-quality high-Yi-element organisms than Hui One's termites, and their value is incalculable.

Hearing her idol's words, Xia Qing calmed down instead. "Do you use the termites from the Hui One laboratory to make Yi Element Stimulant?"

"I only have termite extract here, no live termites. My cooperation with Hui One has already been terminated. To obtain high-quality termite extract from Hui One again would require an extremely high cost." After briefing her on the current situation, Zhang Shiyi gestured for Xia Qing to continue looking at the test results.

Xia Qing quickly noticed the second result that surprised her: "There is no Yi synthetic element inside the giant bee."

Zhang San was very satisfied with Xia Qing's ability to read reports. "Therefore, the mechanism by which the Yi element forms a magnetic field inside this giant bee is the same as that of the magnetic field formed by aggressive Shang evolved plants: its body contains an excessive amount of Shang or Yi element, causing its bodily fluids to circulate too quickly and the magnetic field to strengthen, reaching the perception range of A-class and B-class magnetic-sense evolvers among humans."

Hearing her idol's analysis, Xia Qing felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head—it all suddenly made sense. "Third Brother, can the magnetic fields perceived by these two classes of magnetic-sense evolvers, A and B, be divided into two categories? One is the magnetic field produced by synthetic elements—Shang Snakes, the big Chinese toon tree in my territory, and the mistletoe red bean tree on Mountain Forty-Eight belong to this category. The second is organisms containing excessive amounts of the two elements Shang and Yi, which increases biological activity and strengthens the magnetic field—most aggressive Shang evolved plants and the giant bees on Mountain Forty-Nine belong to this category. Is that right?"

The way Zhang San looked at Xia Qing grew ever more affectionate. If this child were properly trained, she could become an excellent researcher. "Your inference is correct. The discovery of this giant bee enriches the sample library for magnetic-sense research and holds extremely important research value."

Xia Qing understood what her idol meant. "Third Brother, what are your plans for this giant bee, which has both extremely high application value and extremely high research value?"

"I called you over precisely to discuss this matter with you."

Zhang San handed the second document to Xia Qing. "I want to conduct in-depth research on this species of giant bee. This is my research plan, which lists the research steps, the consequences of research failure, and the value produced by research success. Take a look first."

Zone Three of Mountain Forty-Nine belongs to Xia Qing, and both the chestnut grove and the giant bees belong to her. Therefore, Zhang San must obtain Xia Qing's consent and cooperation to research the giant bees.

Xia Qing flipped through it quickly and could not help raising her head to pour out her inexpressible admiration for her idol. "You've put together such a detailed research plan in such a short time, and written it so clearly and at a glance—your work efficiency is truly astonishing!"

As befits a brain-domain evolution researcher standing at the very top of Blue Star's pyramid!

Zhang San...

Knowing when to stop, Xia Qing returned to the main topic. "I agree with your research plan and will cooperate with your research with all my strength."

Zhang San reminded Xia Qing again. "If the research fails, the scale of the wasp colony in the chestnut grove will shrink dramatically. The surviving wasps will be unable to clear the insects stuck on the chestnut leaves in time, which will cause the chestnut trees to weaken or even die."

Xia Qing had of course noticed this point. "How many days from confirming research failure to the mass death of the wasps?"

Zhang San estimated, "Five days to half a month."

Xia Qing immediately produced a contingency plan. "If it fails, notify me immediately. Within five days I will set up insect-proof netting over the chestnut grove and cover all the chestnut trees the wasps can't tend, so the leaves won't keep catching insects. That should do it."

It wasn't something that could be solved so easily. Zhang San reminded her, "They might die even if covered."

Xia Qing was very decisive. "Then we'll only cover the Yellow Light trees, and leave the Green Light trees for the wasps to continue clearing insects. The chestnut trees are indeed important, but that batch of chestnuts isn't an irreplaceable premium food—whereas that giant wasp is one of a kind. However..."

Xia Qing gave a sheepish grin. "Third Brother, if the research fails, can I repay the 1,600 jin of Green Light chestnuts I owe you with points?"

Last year, Xia Qing made an agreement with her idol to exchange 2,000 jin of Green Light chestnuts for premium rice and wheat seed from Territory Seven. According to the agreement, from Catastrophe Year Eleven to Catastrophe Year Fourteen, Xia Qing must deliver 400 jin of Green Light chestnuts to her idol each year. If the Green Light chestnut quantity is insufficient that year, 4 jin of Yellow Light chestnuts may be substituted for every 1 jin of Green Light chestnuts delivered.

This year, Xia Qing planned to deliver 200 jin of Green Light and 600 jin of Yellow Light chestnuts.

After a research failure, the number of chestnuts harvested each year would certainly decrease. Even if the entire harvest were sent to Territory Seven, it might still fail to reach the trade quantity.

Zhang San gave Xia Qing an exasperated look. True to form as a farming territorial lord—even while discussing such an important research project, she could still think of this.

Xia Qing explained with a face full of sincerity. "When my points and abilities were insufficient, you didn't look down on me. You allowed me to buy your premium supplies on credit, which improved my evolution ability and physical fitness and bettered my living conditions. You've been so good to me—of course I can't be ungrateful. Every kind of supplies and food I owe you, I keep firmly in mind. I will never welch on my debts."

Xia Qing's words left Zhang San both moved and grossed out, unsure how to respond.

After hesitating for two seconds between knocking Xia Qing out with a drug to shut her up and throwing her out, Zhang San chose the latter. "This is a micro-robot. Take it back, figure out how to use it, and tomorrow place it into the rock crevice where the wasp nest is. Use it to complete the sampling tasks on the list, and bring it to me tomorrow morning." After assigning the task, Zhang San began to shoo her away. "Go find Zhang Song to get the underwater robot."

Xia Qing stood up and asked one last question. "Third Brother, may I bring it to you tomorrow afternoon instead? Tomorrow morning I need to go to Mountain Fifty-Five to use the underwater robot to inspect a pool, and then help the wolf pack block an underground stream."

Zhang San was silent for a few seconds, then reminded Xia Qing, "That evolved wolf is very intelligent. You must guide it correctly and not let it go astray."

Xia Qing...