Methane Bacteria

Darte Port.

Pineapple Garden Science and Technology Park was a pineapple plantation that Homo sapiens Company had taken over from the Fernando family. It had now been converted into a Research Base.

The science park covered an area of 42,000 mu. One-tenth of it had been developed so far, with five small laboratories built there.

Although Homo sapiens Company focused on biotechnology, that didn't mean it wasn't developing other fields.

The five small laboratories were the Biomaterials Laboratory, Methane Bacteria Laboratory, Gas Engine Laboratory, Food Additives Laboratory, and Pharmaceutical Laboratory.

The company had recruited 183 researchers from across Southeast Asia and Huaguo. Most were master's or doctoral graduates in biochemistry, materials science, and related fields. Many had no room for advancement in their home regions, or had only just graduated.

Luzon might not have been much in Southeast Asia, but Homo sapiens Company had branches in Hong Kong and Yangcheng, so it could bring people over first and work out the rest later.

In any case, the company's compensation was excellent. Researchers earned an average of 30,000 to 80,000 US dollars a year, and the company covered their meals, housing, and flights.

Darte Port, the home base of Homo sapiens Company, was also rapidly improving its amenities.

After taking over the Fernando family, the company now controlled nearly eight billion US dollars in cash.

Why invest and strengthen its foundations with that money? Was it supposed to sit in a bank while the US dollar lost value?

The company was now investing 300 million US dollars just in the area around Darte Port to improve infrastructure. With its comprehensive internal monitoring system and supply-chain advantages, that investment could easily have the impact of well over a billion dollars.

After all, if even a third of a 300-million-dollar infrastructure investment actually went to work in other parts of Luzon, that would mean the local parasites and corrupt officials had suddenly developed a conscience.

Ma Lan, a recent graduate of Nanjing University, stood up from beside the lab bench and stretched. She looked around at the laboratory's equipment, much of it extremely expensive.

"Xiaolan, Mr. Chairman will be stopping by around two this afternoon. You and Sass should get the lab equipment in order," Jiang Mingxuan, the laboratory's Institute Director, instructed.

"OK."

"Got it."

Homo sapiens Company had a dedicated system of ranks and positions for its researchers, much like its other employees.

The researchers were divided into Intern Researchers, Junior Researchers, Intermediate Researchers, Senior Researchers, and Top Researchers, corresponding to the grades D, C, B, A, and S.

Research institutions also had a five-tier hierarchy of positions: General Worker, team leader, laboratory director, Institute Director, and dean.

The company's other employees were similarly ranked, though their grades were simply S, A, B, C, and D. Their positions were General Worker, team leader, Section Chief, department head, and general manager.

However, positions at subsidiaries were usually one level lower than those at the parent company.

In addition, Homo sapiens Company had a hidden sixth rank: the managers of the Spiderweb.

And above them all was the Chairman, Li Qingye.

Since Homo sapiens Company had only been founded recently, its hierarchy of positions was now fairly complete, but most employees still fell into grades B, C, or D.

Jiang Mingxuan had previously been a Doctorate at a research institute in Singapore, where he focused mainly on methanogenic bacteria. But life in Singapore had been stressful, and several of his Indian colleagues at the institute had ostracized him.

The previous month, when he happened to see Homo sapiens Company recruiting locally, he decided to give it a try.

That afternoon, at half past two.

Under Fili and the others' protection, Li Qingye made a discreet visit to Pineapple Garden Science and Technology Park.

Jiang Mingxuan and the others showed him around the laboratory.

"I came here today mainly for one thing. The company needs your laboratory to design a dedicated methane Production Line. The production engineering department will also be involved."

Hearing this, Jiang Mingxuan immediately asked, "Boss, are we planning to build a biogas fermentation plant? If so, we could consider importing Germany's dry fermentation technology."

"There's no need for that. I want you to develop a Production Line based on this Genetically Modified Methanogen."

After Li Qingye finished speaking, Fili set the briefcase he was carrying on the lab bench. He entered the combination and opened it. Inside lay a row of vials filled with frozen samples.

"Genetically Modified Methanogen?" Jiang Mingxuan was astonished. Using Gene Modification to alter bacteria was extremely difficult and carried serious risks.

Li Qingye turned and handed a special USB drive to another laboratory director. "Akrā, you're in charge of managing these files."

As the director responsible for day-to-day operations, Akrā took the drive and replied meticulously, "Yes, Boss."

Akrā led everyone to a private server room in the laboratory and opened a safe bolted to the wall.

Jiang Mingxuan and the other researchers were surprised. They had used the computers in the room before and had seen the safe.

They hadn't realized, however, that the safe held a computer with no cables attached. Five pairs of protective goggles were arranged beside it.

Akrā plugged the USB drive into one of the computer's ports. The screen flickered with light, but no information appeared on it.

Li Qingye picked up a pair of goggles and put them on, then handed the remaining four pairs to Jiang Mingxuan and the others. "The screen can only be viewed through these specially made goggles."

In reality, it was a way to prevent information theft.

The computer, USB drive, and goggles were all specially made. The computer was a type of Biological Computer, and the USB drive was a DNA Storage Device. The goggles were made from nan particles of Abalone Shell, mineralized from light-sensitive cells, and could only reveal specific Light Waves.

These measures essentially shut out online theft and also guarded against spies infiltrating the facility to steal information.

Akrā, the soldier who controlled the safe's combination, was another layer of security.

Seeing how tight the security was, Jiang Mingxuan felt a little nervous. He recalled the company's confidentiality clauses, which had been exceptionally strict when he signed his contract. He couldn't help feeling as though he had joined some kind of secret organization.

The moment he put on the goggles,

Jiang Mingxuan looked closely at the computer screen. Sure enough, it was covered in text, equations, symbols, and diagrams.

[Strain (JW0027): Methanogenic Bacteria No. 27, gene-recombined type...]

[This strain reproduces at 23–28 degrees Celsius. It requires no fermentative bacteria, hydrogen-producing acetogens, or oxygen-consuming acetogens. It can directly break down Organic matter to produce methane...]

[This strain requires Growth Hormone A15 as a stimulant to reproduce and produce methane continuously...]

After reading the information, Jiang Mingxuan glanced at the vials nearby, his face flushing with excitement. "This is revolutionary."

Li Qingye paid no heed to his excitement and disbelief, and gave his instructions.

"The brown vials contain Genetically Modified Methanogen, and the blue vials contain Growth Hormone A15. Arrange experiments as soon as possible and test the relevant data. Work with the production engineering department and the other laboratories to complete the Production Line design."

"If this Methane Bacteria really works as described, I have no objections," Jiang Mingxuan replied confidently.

"Good. Keep up the good work." Li Qingye turned and headed to the next laboratory with Fili and the others.

Sorry for the trouble, everyone, and thank you for your support (ω｀). Thanks to readers "A Heart as Bright as the Sun" and "Flying Fatty" for their tips!