Methane Bacteria

Darte Port.

Pineapple Garden Science and Technology Park, this was a pineapple plantation that the Homo sapiens Company took over from the Fernando family, now converted into a research base.

The entire science and technology park covered an area of 42,000 mu. Currently, one-tenth of the area had been renovated, and five small laboratories had been built.

Although the Homo sapiens Company focused on biotechnology, it did not mean they would not develop other technologies.

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

A total of 183 researchers were recruited from various parts of Southeast Asia and China. The vast majority of them were master's or doctoral students in biochemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science. Many had no development space in their local areas or were fresh graduates.

Although Luzon was not particularly outstanding in Southeast Asia, the Homo sapiens Company had branches in Hong Kong and Yangcheng, so they could bring people over first.

Anyway, the Homo sapiens Company's benefits were undeniable. The average annual salary for researchers was around 30,000 to 80,000 US dollars, with food, accommodation, and flights all covered.

As the headquarters of the Homo sapiens Company, Darte Port's living facilities were also rapidly improving.

After the Homo sapiens Company merged with the Fernando family, its cash flow reached nearly 8 billion US dollars.

Should they not invest this money and strengthen their foundation, but let it sit in the bank and depreciate along with the US dollar?

Currently, just around Darte Port, the Homo sapiens Company was investing 300 million US dollars to improve infrastructure. Coupled with the internal surveillance system and industrial chain advantages, these 300 million US dollars could effectively achieve the impact of over a billion US dollars.

After all, in other regions of Luzon, if 300 million US dollars were invested in infrastructure, having even one-third of it materialize would be considered a sign of conscience from the corrupt officials.

Ma Lan, who had just graduated from Jinling University, stood up from the workbench and stretched. She looked at the various experimental equipment in the laboratory, much of which was very expensive.

"Xiao Lan, the Chairman will be coming around 2 PM this afternoon. You and Sas should organize the laboratory equipment," instructed the Lab Director, Jiang Mingxuan.

"OK."

"Alright."

Within the Homo sapiens Company, researchers had their own specific rating and positions, similar to employee levels and positions.

Researchers were divided into: Intern Researcher, Junior Researcher, Intermediate Researcher, Senior Researcher, and Top Researcher, corresponding to codes DCBAS.

The research institutions also had a five-tier system for researcher positions: General Worker, Team Leader, Lab Director, Institute Director, and Dean.

Similarly, other employees of the Homo sapiens Company also had levels, but they were simply SABC D. The positions were: General Worker, Team Leader, Section Chief, Department Head, and General Manager.

However, positions in subsidiary companies were usually one level lower than those in the parent company.

In addition, there was a hidden sixth level within the Homo sapiens Company: the Manager of the Spider Web.

And finally, the ultimate Chairman—Li Qingye.

Currently, as the Homo sapiens Company had only been established for a short time, although the positions were relatively complete, the employee levels were generally in the BCD tiers.

Jiang Mingxuan was previously a Ph.D. from an institute in Star Island, specializing in methane bacteria. However, the cost of living in Star Island was high, and he was also ostracized by some of his Indian colleagues at the institute.

Last month, he happened to see that the Homo sapiens Company was recruiting locally and decided to give it a try.

In the afternoon, 2:30 PM.

Li Qingye, under the protection of Fili and others, appeared discreetly at the Pineapple Garden Science and Technology Park.

Jiang Mingxuan and the others began to show him around the laboratory.

"I'm here today mainly for one thing. The company needs your laboratory to design a specialized methane production line. The Production Department will also be involved."

Upon hearing this request, Jiang Mingxuan immediately asked, "Boss, are we planning to build a biogas fermentation plant? If so, perhaps we could consider introducing German dry fermentation technology."

"There's no need for that. I want you to develop a production line based on this genetically modified methane bacteria."

After Li Qingye finished speaking, Fili, standing beside him, placed a briefcase he was holding on the workbench. He then entered the password and opened it, revealing a row of frozen reagent bottles inside.

"Genetically modified methane bacteria?" Jiang Mingxuan was very surprised. After all, using gene modification technology to alter bacteria was a very difficult and high-risk endeavor.

Li Qingye turned his head and handed a special USB drive to another Lab Director, instructing, "Akra, you are responsible for managing this information."

As the Lab Director responsible for daily management, Akra took the USB drive and replied meticulously, "Yes, Boss."

Akra led the group to an independent server room in the laboratory and then opened a safe fixed to the wall.

Seeing this, Jiang Mingxuan and the other researchers were also very surprised, as they had used the computers in the server room before and had seen this safe.

They just hadn't expected that this safe contained a computer, which was not connected to any wires. Five pairs of goggles were also displayed beside it.

Akra inserted the USB drive into a port on the computer. The screen immediately emitted some light, but no information was displayed.

Li Qingye picked up one of the goggles and put it on, then handed the remaining four pairs to Jiang Mingxuan and the others. "The screen of this computer can only be viewed with these special goggles."

In reality, this was to prevent espionage.

This computer, the USB drive, and the 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 nanometer particles of abalone shell mineralized with photosensitive cells, allowing them to see only specific wavelengths of light.

Through these measures, network espionage was basically prevented, and espionage through physical infiltration could also be defended against.

The soldier Akra, who controlled the safe's password, was another layer of security.

Seeing such stringent security measures, Jiang Mingxuan also felt a bit nervous. He then recalled the confidentiality clauses in the contract he had signed earlier, which were extremely harsh. He felt as if he had joined some secret organization.

The moment he put on the goggles.

Jiang Mingxuan looked closely at the computer screen, which indeed displayed a lot of text, formulas, symbols, and charts.

[Strain (JW0027): Methanogenic Bacteria No. 27, genetically modified...]

[The optimal breeding temperature for this strain is 23-28 degrees Celsius. It does not require co-cultivation with fermentative bacteria, hydrogen-producing acetogenic bacteria, or oxygen-consuming acetogenic bacteria. It can directly decompose organic matter to produce methane...]

[This strain requires Growth Hormone A15 for stimulation to continuously breed and produce methane...]

After reading this information, Jiang Mingxuan looked at the reagent bottles beside him, his face flushing slightly. "This is a revolutionary modification."

Li Qingye ignored the other man's excitement and disbelief and directly instructed:

"The brown reagent bottle contains the genetically modified Methane Bacteria, and the blue reagent bottle contains Growth Hormone A15. Arrange the experiment as soon as possible, test the relevant data, and cooperate with the Production Process Department and other laboratories to complete the design of the production line."

"If this Methane Bacteria truly performs as described, then I have no issues," Jiang Mingxuan replied confidently.

"Good, work hard," Li Qingye turned and headed to the next laboratory with Fili and the others.

Thank you all for your support (ω｀), and thanks to book friends "Heart of Haohao" and "Flying Fatty" for their rewards!