Chapter Fifteen: Sealing the Partnership

To be honest, Zhu Lan had never conducted an experiment before; everything so far had been derived from equipment data. This was the first time Zhu Lan was actually performing an experiment. There were two reasons for this lack of hands-on testing.

First, the amount of gene serum was too limited to support extensive experimentation. Second, there was a shortage of manpower. Although Zhu Lan was intelligent, the gap was still significant; without assistance, conducting experiments was nearly impossible. This was precisely why Zhu Lan had always wanted Red Queen.

With Red Queen, Zhu Lan could extract and modify engineering robots from other technological worlds. Not only would confidentiality be guaranteed, but Red Queen’s formidable capabilities would also allow for more effective problem-solving during experiments, even surpassing human abilities.

Unfortunately...

The group, accompanied by a dog, made their way to the backyard. Luo Guoqiang’s house, built in the 1990s, boasted a large rear area, enclosed by walls.

After chaining the dog securely, Zhu Lan took the syringe handed over by a bodyguard and, somewhat awkwardly, drew the gene serum into it.

The rest kept their distance. Seven soldiers stood guard, obviously on high alert, something concealed at their waists.

Sensing its fate, the dog grew uneasy, crouching low and growling.

Two soldiers held the dog, while another managed the other end of the chain, ensuring it stayed taut.

Brandishing the syringe, Zhu Lan plunged it into the dog’s body, pushing the serum in at once.

Once finished, Zhu Lan quickly withdrew the syringe and retreated—her own body could not withstand an attack from the injected dog.

The two soldiers also released their grip and stepped away.

The dog began to convulse, and before their eyes, it grew visibly. The small animal, initially only thirty centimeters tall, rapidly reached half a meter.

A chilling glare shone in the dog’s eyes as it raised its head and growled—a look so cold that even the experienced onlookers felt their skin crawl.

The dog moved, its massive strength pulling at the chain, the sound of metal straining echoing clearly even to those standing far away.

"Now it’s your turn!" Zhu Lan called to one of the soldiers.

He nodded and signaled. Two men stepped forward, each wielding a pole over three meters long.

They swung hard at the dog.

As the sticks came down, the dog’s eyes flashed with ferocity. It leapt nimbly between the blows, lunging at the man to the left.

But it failed to account for the chain—caught short, it crashed to the ground, the poles landing heavily on its body.

The dog let out a low whine, its fury intensified.

Ordinarily, such a dog would have lost consciousness by now, but this one seemed only superficially wounded.

It began to contract, making the most of what space it had, but the iron post anchoring the chain was already loosening. It was clear it wouldn’t be long before the dog tore itself free.

A gunshot rang out. The dog collapsed in agony, convulsed a few times, and stilled.

Zhu Lan smiled. Seeing Luo Guoqiang order the dog’s death, she knew she had succeeded.

Back in the living room, Luo Guoqiang regarded Zhu Lan.

"Impressive. In my opinion, it’s ready for mass production!"

Li Hongjin nodded in agreement. The dog’s abilities had been nearly tripled; defense, strength, and speed had all visibly improved. Even without equipment, his own eyes didn’t deceive him. If the gene serum weren’t so precious, the experiment would have been carried out somewhere with adequate facilities. But as things stood, the serum’s results were excellent—about as good as could be expected.

This experiment made both Luo Guoqiang and Li Hongjin acutely aware of what might happen if this serum were mass-produced. If Luo Guoqiang were an army general, he might have demanded all the data on the spot. Unfortunately, as a naval admiral, his considerations were already aligning more with Qin Min’s perspective.

"There are still many issues with the gene serum—gene fusion in particular needs more experimentation. This time was just lucky; with humans, the problems will multiply," Zhu Lan said, keeping her head clear. She knew well enough that to develop a gene serum akin to the soldier stimulant in "Starship Troopers," there was still a long way to go.

"Zhu Lan is right. As much as I want this serum finalized, my expertise tells me it’s not yet perfected; there are still many issues," Li Hongjin agreed.

"You’re in such a hurry!" Luo Guoqiang said, laughing at Qin Min.

"Your research is extremely important, and I agree in principle with your requests, but there are a few points I need you to confirm!"

"Yes, Admiral," Zhu Lan replied, glad but mindful of her surroundings.

"State your requirements first," Li Hongjin interjected before Luo Guoqiang could continue.

Luo Guoqiang merely glanced over, saying nothing.

Zhu Lan nodded. "I already have leads for the next phase of gene serum development. I need funding to purchase equipment. As for procurement, I have friends abroad who can acquire what I need—I don’t require help with that. I need a research facility. I’ve recently chosen a location in the northern suburbs, a former key industrial development zone that’s now abandoned due to a highway reroute. It’s of no commercial value, surrounded by forests, and highly discreet. I understand the importance of secrecy for this project."

She paused, glancing at Luo Guoqiang, who gave a slight nod.

"I need only two things: first, a bank loan; second, more manpower. For the latter, Professor, I’ll need your assistance. S City University has enough qualified personnel for my needs."

"How much do you want to borrow, and what collateral do you offer?" Li Hongjin asked. While the gene serum was important, getting the military to back a loan was complicated—especially since the military couldn’t easily engage in commercial ventures.

Zhu Lan said nothing, simply looking at Luo Guoqiang.

He understood immediately. "I can approve the loan, but I’ll have people oversee the funds, and I’ll have some folks help resolve any issues."

"Thank you, Admiral!" Zhu Lan smiled.

Li Hongjin wanted to speak but, seeing Luo Guoqiang’s decision, held back.

"Old Luo, why did you agree so readily?" Li Hongjin asked after Zhu Lan had left.

Luo Guoqiang smiled, "If this gene serum actually comes to fruition, imagine the prestige we’ll enjoy."

"You..."

On the third day, Zhu Lan received a notice from the bank—one hundred million yuan had been transferred into her company account.

This was merely initial funding. The total loan was five hundred million, with the possibility of another five hundred million if necessary, though Zhu Lan understood the latter would require significant progress.

Five hundred million was not a large sum. Investments in genetic engineering in various countries ran into the tens or even hundreds of billions. In recent years, China’s investment exceeded five trillion yuan. But as a naval commander, Luo Guoqiang couldn’t authorize more—granting this loan was only possible with his intervention.

The loan wasn’t issued by one of the nation’s major banks, but by Nanhai Bank in S City—a commercial bank jointly founded by the city government and over a dozen enterprises. In just seven years, its deposits had exceeded one hundred billion.

Zhu Lan remained in S City for a week before driving back to the city.

The first thing upon returning was to check the status of the virus. Seeing everything untouched, Zhu Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

"There will be thirty-four people reporting to the company soon. Cheng Xue, please handle their reception," Zhu Lan instructed from the office.

"Understood!"

"This is our company’s general manager, Ren Linting," Zhu Lan continued as a man beside her stood up. "Hello, everyone!"

Ren Linting was a senior talent recruited through a headhunter, an economics graduate from Fudan University who had served as general manager for several enterprises. At thirty-seven, Ren was at the height of his career, but after offending influential people, he had to leave Shanghai and, through the headhunter, ended up here.

Zhu Lan was very satisfied with Ren Linting’s credentials. The information from the headhunter showed that he was highly respected by subordinates, but the companies he’d worked for were either state-owned or family businesses, making him an outsider.

"Next, the company will begin expansion, Manager Ren, you’ll take charge," Zhu Lan said.

Ren accepted the documents, glanced through them, and nodded, "Understood, Chairman."

"Good. You can handle negotiations with Luo You yourself. Buy all the warehouses in this row. Someone will come by to handle government negotiations, so you don’t need to go yourself. Also, buy the wasteland behind us—I’m authorizing you a fifty million yuan budget," Zhu Lan said.

The company was located in the farthest part of the northern suburbs, with mountains beyond. Since Zhu Lan planned to grow, she might as well think big.

The area in question was as large as three football fields. Apart from Zhu Lan’s twelve warehouses, the rest was wasteland, the grass half a meter high. Though the water was good, it was far from the city; even migrant workers rarely came here, and locals avoided it.

Ren Linting hesitated, "Chairman, isn’t this a bit...?"

"Don’t worry. Do as I say—just buy the land at the lowest price possible," Zhu Lan replied.

Seeing Zhu Lan’s insistence, Ren nodded.

"Yu Dongming, ten new members will join your security team the day after tomorrow—make arrangements."

"Cheng Xue, prepare to convert one warehouse into a dormitory for the security team. Use Warehouse No. 5."

The first company meeting after Zhu Lan’s return was filled with instructions; everyone went off to their respective duties.

"I may have bitten off more than I can chew," Zhu Lan mused. "Perhaps I’m moving too fast. And there are things I’m starting to sense... Is it Third Brother? If not, then who? What a headache." With a sigh, Zhu Lan ruffled her hair and pulled out a document listing the commercial values of various city roads.