The Research Institute's Specimen

"Bei Rehe is really not close!"

After a five-hour drive in the chartered car, Zhang Xuezhou and Zhang Manqian finally arrived at this military restricted area.

Compared to more than ten years ago, the North Rehe before her eyes was clearly unfamiliar to Zhang Manqian.

More than a decade ago, North Rehe was still a desolate area.

The only thing worth visiting here is a hot spring, which results in the river flowing through the area having warm water for miles around.

Apart from that, there is nothing else in North Rehe.

Now, upon entering the gates of the 'North Rehe Research Center', various buildings of different sizes with black tiles and white walls come into view.

This area even includes supermarkets and restaurants.

This was completely different from the desolate area Zhang Manqian remembered.

"Isn't this supposed to be a military restricted area, where people aren't allowed to come?" Zhang Manqian asked in a low voice, "Why does it feel like security is so lax here? Look, there's even a place to buy things over there!"

"Have you forgotten the checkpoints we passed?" Zhang Xuezhou asked with a smile.

"Isn't that a tollbooth?"

"That's true, but we'll also intercept any vehicles that don't meet the requirements. If anyone tries to break through the checkpoint, the garrison will definitely be mobilized!"

Zhang Xuezhou picked up the herbal medicine packet, and after driving a few dozen steps, he saw a thin, middle-aged man with dark circles under his eyes drive up in a four-wheeled electric vehicle.

"Is this Director Zhang?"

The young man reached out and called out.

"Are you Xu Shengzhi, a researcher at the B13 Research Institute?"

Zhang Xuezhou thought about the blurry photo provided by Ren Wuyang, and then identified the person.

If we go back a little further, he could even call this middle-aged man "senior brother".

These are graduates of the Canglan Academy, with advanced research experience, and eventually worked in a research institute with state-owned background.

If we disregard the impact of the changes in the research institute's equity, Xu Shengzhi has found a job that is relatively relevant to his field.

"Yes, Director Zhang, I am Xu Shengzhi!"

The middle-aged man quickly nodded in agreement.

"Will it hatch eggs?" Zhang Xuezhou asked after tossing his bags onto the trolley.

"Hatching eggs is a basic operation, I definitely know how!"

"Raising chickens?"

"I helped my professor raise chickens when I was in school, and I took really good care of them!"

"Your major is a perfect match!"

Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

Zhang Manqian looked at Xu Shengzhi with a sense of sympathy.

For researchers like Xu Shengzhi, discovering some unique new thing may be a lifelong dream.

The other person would never want to become a chicken-raising researcher.

Compared to researchers like this, Zhang Manqian feels that graduates majoring in animal science or animal husbandry are more professional.

However, it was impossible for graduates majoring in animal husbandry to get into the research institute in Beirehe, so Zhang Manqian had to think about it. Xu Shengzhi, on the other hand, had to lead the team to do new work.

"That's right. You should know that there have been some changes in the shareholding structure of the B13 Research Institute, and our research focus has also shifted!"

"Definitely!"

"Director Ren and I have recently received some information," Zhang Xuezhou said in a low voice, "Some radioactive sources in the North Rehe region have a mutagenic effect on Wushao chickens. We need to breed a large number of Wushao chickens for high-precision testing!"

Where is that radioactive source?

"That's a question for the black-skinned chicken; only the black-skinned chicken could possibly find the radioactive source."

So, what are our research directions?

"Breed enough Wushao chickens and found a specific source of radiation."

Zhang Xuezhou assigned new tasks to the research institute.

It's fine for him to directly issue the order to breed Wushao chickens, but whether the researchers will do their best to help him breed their feed is another matter entirely.

After a roundabout explanation, things proceeded relatively well.

Considering that the North Rehe Institute of Technology hadn't produced any significant research results in over a decade, Zhang Xuezhou felt that raising chickens wouldn't be a waste of space and talent.

"In addition, we will cultivate some special medicinal herbs in the future to see if we can find enough clues about the sinkholes," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Director, all staff at the B13 Research Institute will ensure the mission is accomplished!"

As a new official, Zhang Xuezhou's research direction wasn't particularly outlandish.

Various experiments testing plants and animals are conducted at the major research institutes in North Rehe.

Xu Shengzhi also assumed that Zhang Xuezhou was just setting up a project to obtain research funding.

As long as the sign hanging at the entrance isn't removed, this research institute can conduct all kinds of compliant operations, and as long as it differs from the various experimental reports submitted in the past, it can apply for corresponding research funding.

Zhang Xuezhou's first project was "On the Correlation between the Wushao Chicken and the Launch Source of the Tiankeng".

This project is very suitable for applying for research funding. In the past, the institute has conducted various tests on plants and animals, but the Wushao chicken breed was not included in these tests.

The reason for this is simply that the Wushao chicken is not a conventional animal, and there is no need to use these specially modified genetically modified chicken breeds in experiments that can be conducted with ordinary chickens.

If Zhang Xuezhou's application is approved, it would be perfectly normal for him to later use a different project, such as "On the Correlation Between Guinea Fowl and Sinkhole Launch Sources," to raise money.

However, Xu Shengzhi's idea collapsed during the discussions at the B13 Research Institute.

"You mean we need to use these twenty eggs to breed a thousand Wushao chickens?"

"Isn't this a bit too difficult?"

Is it still possible to buy black-spotted eggs?

"Would other chickens work?"

"Raising so many chickens requires a lot of feed; they simply can't survive in an open-air environment!"

The research institute was initially bustling with activity, but once the hype surrounding the Sinkhole No. 2 incident subsided, many people were reassigned.

In the end, only Xu Shengzhi, a senior researcher without any connections, remained, followed by Huang Xiaoya, a researcher who had inadvertently fallen into this trap five years after graduation, then Zhu Feng, a new researcher, and finally Cai Li, the person in charge of security.

Most people stay here because the work is easy, the salary is high, and the research institute has a state-owned background.

If Xu Shengzhi had experienced intensive research work, and Huang Xiaoya had basked in some of the aftershocks of the Sinkhole No. 2's popularity, then Zhu Feng was a complete novice, and as for Cai Li, let's not even mention him.

After Zhang Xuezhou took out the twenty black-spotted eggs from Zhang Manqian, Xu Shengzhi was still able to barely maintain his composure, while Huang Xiaoya and the others had already lost their color and kept mentioning the difficulty of raising and breeding them.

"Xu Shengzhi will be responsible for the procurement, and everything else will be handled through communication and cooperation among us," Zhang Xuezhou reminded everyone, tapping the table. "I hope everyone can complete this research quite well. This is a gradual process of cultivation, observation, and research, and it will be an invaluable growth experience for you all. If you achieve something, everyone will receive a substantial bonus."

Zhang Xuezhou looked at everyone before raising his eyebrows.

"If anyone feels this job isn't right for them and wants to leave, I can grant them special permission to leave once they find a new job. This guarantee is valid as long as we own the equity!"

Although the researchers at the North Rehe Institute were all free-range, it was not ethical for Zhang Xuezhou to have chickens raised for his own needs.

He didn't completely ruin people's futures; in addition to proposing research plans and goals, Zhang Xuezhou also made related arrangements.

"New recruits all want to kill the enemy, but many end up as cooks, pig farmers, or construction workers. Director Zhang, you don't need to worry about our feelings about this research plan," Xu Shengzhi said. "This research program is quite challenging, but I'm confident we can achieve our goals within two to three years, and then trace the scientific link between black-skinned chicken and radioactive sources!"

"Actually, I really want to raise chickens!" Huang Xiaoya whispered. "I've loved chickens since I was little."

"I'll follow the leader's instructions," Zhu Feng said, shrinking back. "This is much more meaningful than observing wind direction and temperature in Beirehe every day. I will carefully record every piece of experimental data on the black-spotted chicken!"

"I... I will definitely not let anyone steal any of the chickens used for experiments in our research institute," Cai Li shouted.

Whether it was for the salary or something else, after Zhang Xuezhou used all sorts of persuasive tactics, everyone quickly accepted the chicken-raising research plan.

"From now on, let professionals handle these kinds of things. We just need to submit the requirements reports!"

Following a brief internal research meeting, Zhang Manqian also offered relevant suggestions.

Zhang Xuezhou's major in psychology and Zhang Manqian's major in genetics are not management majors, so they are extremely inexperienced in handling related matters.

Zhang Xuezhou nodded repeatedly at her suggestion.

In the past, these things were handled by others, and Song Fengying's management of Feiyu Live was also very unique, as Zhang Xuezhou had no management experience.

However, Zhang Xuezhou did not get too involved in management matters. He entrusted some matters related to the breeding of Wushao chickens and then put the related matters aside.

While checking whether the various instruments in the research institute's laboratory were functioning properly, Zhang Xuezhou's gaze also swept over the numerous collected specimens.

His gaze finally settled on a rock that appeared to be made of meteorite iron.

"This stone seems to be..."

The stone that Zhang Xuezhou noticed was also the specimen that Zhang Manqian was interested in.

The two exchanged a glance.

When Zhang Xuezhou carefully removed the stone, he immediately felt a faint warmth in his palm.

A tiny drop of gray liquid seeped from the stone and began to burrow towards Zhang Xuezhou's palm as if it were alive.

"This thing seems to possess an instinctive consciousness!"

Zhang Xuezhou stared at the gray liquid. Only after he quietly activated the Kunpeng Fighting Technique and shattered the gray liquid, rendering it completely inactive, did he make a preliminary judgment.

"What is this?" Zhang Manqian asked.

"Perhaps it's remnant of some kind of alien artifact," Zhang Xuezhou said uncertainly. "This thing looks somewhat risky!"

The fact that they could clearly perceive it themselves and Zhang Manqian might be due to the influence of their mental perception abilities, but more so because they had experienced the sinkhole incident together.

They had no sense of such things more than ten years ago, perhaps because they had not grown to a sufficient level, or perhaps the extraterrestrial demons within them had not grown to a sufficient level.

Thinking of the extraterrestrial demons, Zhang Xuezhou inevitably thought of Zhang Manqian's premonition.

Omens always have two sides. For example, when Zhang Manqian foretold Ren Yisheng's madness, it was a witness to his madness, but Ren Yisheng eventually emerged from the madness and even entered the Seventh Sequence.

This allowed him to remain calm and not appear flustered.

He stared intently at the gray liquid, vaguely sensing that if he were to break the deadlock, one of the factors that might be related to it.