Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 2969 Internal and external troubles
Just as the "Mirror Image" project was quietly unfolding, an unexpected intelligence lead was activated.

The "Shadow of the Forest" team, which previously helped obtain "ghost cassava," stumbled upon a small, isolated Native American tribe while operating deep in the rainforest.

The shamans of this tribe possess a very special method of using vine-like plants.

Extracts from this vine can significantly promote root development in a variety of crops at extremely low concentrations, with remarkable effects, especially in poor soil.

Black Panther, the captain of "Forest Shadows," recognized its value and sent the message to Yang Geyong via an encrypted channel.

"Promotes root development...this is a great thing!"

Yang Geyong immediately became interested, "Especially for our promotion projects in those barren lands in Africa, it's like a godsend!"

Ye Yuze, however, became even more cautious: "Wasn't the lesson from the 'ghost cassava' last time enough? This kind of behavior of directly obtaining biological resources from indigenous people carries extremely high ethical and legal risks."

"Moreover, we cannot be sure whether the other party is willing to make the deal, or whether this is another trap."

“This time is different,” Yang Geyong insisted.
"Black Panther said that the tribe was suffering from an imported respiratory disease and lacked medical care and medicine. We can provide medicine and basic medical assistance in exchange. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement, not extortion."

After intense discussion, Ye Yuze finally agreed to attempt contact, but with extremely strict rules:

First, transactions must be conducted on the premise that the other party is completely voluntary and fully understands the consequences (communication should be conducted through translators whenever possible);

Second, only a small number of samples are obtained for research, and the population in its native habitat is never destroyed;

Third, the assistance provided must be tangible, and there must be a commitment to provide further support if needed.

Fourth, the entire operation must be highly covert and must not attract the attention of any official or unofficial organization.

Yang Geyong personally planned this operation codenamed "Vine of Life".

Instead of using the "Shadow of the Forest" team, he found a Doctors Without Borders team with a genuine medical background and good reputation through Chen Hao's connections (some members of which were tacitly aware of the "special mission").

Carrying medicines and basic medical equipment, the medical team, guided by a safe route provided by the "Shadow of the Forest" team, entered the isolated tribe.

The process went more smoothly than expected. After receiving the much-needed medicine and witnessing firsthand the improvement in the condition of the sick tribespeople, the tribal shaman readily agreed to the deal.

He not only provided live samples and tissues of the magical vine, but also dictated the knowledge passed down from his ancestors on how to identify, collect, and initially prepare this vine to a member of the medical team who was good at drawing, forming a simple but precious "user guide".

The transaction was conducted silently, and both parties quickly withdrew afterward, leaving no unnecessary trace.

Ye Yuze and Yang Geyong both breathed a sigh of relief when the incubator containing the vine samples and the hand-drawn guide was safely delivered into the underground laboratory.

This not only means that they may have obtained a novel biostimulant with great potential, but also demonstrates the possibility of a sustainable "resource cooperation" model that strikes a balance between risk and ethics.

However, just when Ye Yuze thought the situation was temporarily under control, a real crisis struck from an unexpected direction.

The rapid development of Junken Seed Industry in China, especially the huge success of the "Fengji" series, has not only alerted international giants but has also begun to touch the nerves of certain interest groups in China.

Some traditional seed companies that rely on imported technologies are feeling unprecedented pressure.

Meanwhile, the overly mysterious "independent research and development" capabilities of Junken Seed Industry have also attracted the attention of some relevant departments.

One day, Ye Yuze received a call from an encrypted number in China. The caller was one of his trusted confidants whom he had placed within the military reclamation seed industry.

"Mr. Ye, the situation is a bit delicate."

The other party lowered their voice, "A joint research team from above has come. It's a high-level team, ostensibly to investigate agricultural technology innovation, but they've asked very in-depth questions, especially focusing on the 'original innovation' process of our core technologies and the details of international cooperation."

"In addition, I noticed that some people within the company seemed curious about our 'overseas technical support channels' and made some inquiries in informal settings."

Ye Yuze's heart sank. One of his worst fears had come true—internal scrutiny and potential infighting.

The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind. The rapid rise of the military reclamation seed industry has undoubtedly disrupted many existing balances.

"Stay calm and respond according to the established plan."

Ye Yuze calmly instructed, "We should emphasize that we are based on independent innovation, actively integrate global open resources, and conduct extensive international academic exchanges."

"Regarding the overseas portion, they always use 'trade secrets' and 'protecting partners' privacy' as excuses."

"At the same time, immediately initiate a 'purification' process to clean up all internal documents and communication records that may be directly related to us."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Yuze remained silent for a long time. He could still navigate the open and covert attacks from the outside world with his wisdom and courage.

However, undercurrents from within, based on complex interests and suspicions, are even more difficult to guard against.

"What's wrong? Has something happened back home?" Yang Geyong noticed his unusual behavior.

"got windy."

Ye Yuze gazed at the calm green dots on the screen representing the status of various nodes around the world, and slowly said:
"And the wind was blowing from behind us."

He walked to the huge world map and gently pointed his finger towards the South China Sea.

"It seems we need a more independent 'Noah's Ark', one that's further away from trouble. Perhaps it's time to turn our attention to the sea."

Yang Geyong followed his gaze, seemingly lost in thought:
"At sea? You mean...?"

"high seas."

A resolute glint flashed in Ye Yuze's eyes. "In some situations, international waters may be 'safer' than the territory of any country."

A grander and more adventurous blueprint began to take shape in his mind.

That would be a real, mobile "Seed Ark" floating on the blue planet.

Meanwhile, over the Brazilian plains, cumulonimbus clouds are gathering, and a tropical storm is on its way.

The underground "root server" continues to operate silently, and the "digital Tower of Babel" continues to tirelessly decipher the code of life.

Internal worries and external threats, like the weather, foreshadow a road ahead filled with more thunderstorms and turbulence.

Ye Yuze and Yang Geyong knew that their brief respite was over. The next storm might be more intense than ever before, and would strike from multiple directions simultaneously.

They must be prepared, for the seeds buried deep underground, waiting to sprout, and for that seemingly unattainable yet essential belief.

Ye Yuze's "Ark on the High Seas" concept was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

With the involvement of the domestic investigation team and Agxi's relentless pursuit, he realized that no land-based outpost, no matter how well-hidden, could completely escape the legal constraints of sovereign states and the infiltration of adversaries. Only the international high seas, that blue territory that did not belong to any country, could provide a relatively detached operational space.

The project is codenamed "Deep Blue Fortress".

The core is a specially modified ship with strong self-sufficiency and scientific research capabilities.

Ye Yuze secretly acquired a medium-sized oceanographic research vessel that was about to be decommissioned through a series of offshore companies.

The ship was sent to a Southeast Asian shipyard that had no connection with the military reclamation and seed industry, where it underwent a "major modification" that lasted for several months.

The renovated vessel retains the unpretentious appearance of a marine research vessel, but its interior is a completely different world:
Sealed agricultural compartments: The ship is equipped with multiple controlled-environment agricultural compartments, which utilize LED artificial lighting, hydroponics and a circulating water system to conduct crop cultivation experiments under different climatic conditions.

Mobile biological laboratory: A containerized modular laboratory that meets P3 level biosafety standards is installed in a reinforced ship cabin and is capable of conducting complex biological experiments, including gene editing.

Powerful data processing capabilities: Equipped with a miniaturized high-performance computing cluster, it serves as a floating node of the "Digital Tower of Babel" on the high seas, capable of independently running the core model even when disconnected from the shore-based network.

Independent energy and supply: Upgraded solar-assisted power system and large-scale freshwater production machine extend self-sufficiency.

It also designed a concealed drone take-off and landing platform and a small and medium-sized submersible deployment and retrieval device for sample transport and communication under special conditions.

Information "black hole": Equipped with state-of-the-art satellite communication and signal shielding systems, it can maintain selective connectivity with global networks and "hide" itself from the electromagnetic spectrum when needed.

The captain and core crew members were a group of retired personnel with clean backgrounds, rich experience, and who kept quiet about their high salaries, selected by Yang Geyong through special channels.

The research team was drawn from the "Seed Ark" network scattered around the world by Ye Yuze, and the team members took turns boarding the ship to work.

The ship, named "Explorer," quietly departed the shipyard after completing all preparations and disappeared into the vast South Pacific Ocean.

Its whereabouts are elusive; it often disappears from international shipping lanes for weeks and reappears in remote, unnoticed ocean areas.

Here, it can conduct experiments that might be strictly regulated on land with relative freedom, such as using the design of the "Digital Tower of Babel" to directly verify the gene function of certain crops across species.

However, the high seas are not lawless zones and are fraught with unknown risks.

Just as the "Explorer" began its sea career, the undercurrents within the military reclamation seed industry finally came to the surface.

The confidant who warned Ye Yuze brought even worse news.

The joint investigation team's investigation appears to have made some "progress," and a vice president within the company responsible for liaising with international partners (mainly Ye Yuze's channels) has been asked to "assist in the investigation" and has temporarily left his post.

While the stated reason is to understand compliance issues in international cooperation, this is undoubtedly a dangerous signal.

What alarmed Ye Yuze even more was that he sensed a force within the military reclamation seed industry that seemed to be trying to "de-Ye Yuze-ize" them.

This force is led by several elders who prefer stable and transparent international cooperation, or who have deeper ties with other domestic interest groups.

They believe that although Ye Yuze's overseas network has made significant contributions, its operation is too shady and the risks are uncontrollable, making it a "potential liability" for the company and even higher levels.

They argued that since Junken Seed Industry has mastered the core technologies, it should gradually sever ties with these "unclear" overseas channels and shift towards more transparent and compliant independent research and development and international cooperation.

"They're trying to kick us out after we've gotten what they wanted!"

Upon learning this, Yang Geyong flew into a rage. "Without us risking our lives outside, would they be as successful as they are today? Now they think we're a problem?"

Ye Yuze was much calmer: "It's not entirely true. Their concerns are valid. Our approach does indeed skirt the line."

"At this stage of the company's development, seeking stability is an inevitable choice. However... they don't understand, or rather, they pretend not to understand, that truly cutting-edge technology is never easily obtained through completely transparent cooperation."

"We need to use unconventional methods to catch up with the giants."

The internal rifts made Ye Yuze feel even more powerless than the external enemies.

This means that he and his team may simultaneously face global persecution from Agxi, scrutiny from relevant domestic departments, and alienation or even abandonment from within the military reclamation seed industry, which should have been a strong support.

"We must have our own trump cards."

Ye Yuze told Yang Geyong, "'Explorer' is a beginning, but it's not enough. We need to ensure that even if we lose the support of the military reclamation seed industry one day, our cause and the 'seeds' we have can still continue."

Under pressure, access to resources and funding has become increasingly urgent.

In addition to the funding provided by Junken Seed Industry through complex channels, Ye Yuze's team needs more "fresh capital" to maintain its vast global network and the costly "Deep Blue Fortress" project.

One day, a mysterious middleman contacted Chen Hao through encrypted channels.

The other party claimed to represent an "international agricultural investment foundation" and was very interested in "Oasis Agriculture's" "unique capabilities" in developing specialty crops. They were willing to provide huge sums of money in exchange for "exclusive cooperative development rights" for crops with certain specific traits (such as extremely fast growth rate and special medicinal value).

Chen Hao relayed the message back: "Boss, the other party is asking for a very high price, but their background is extremely vague. I suspect... it might be related to the underground black market for biological products."

The biological black market, a gray area that straddles the line between law and ethics, trades everything from genes of rare species to illegal gene-editing tools. It offers enormous profits, but is also rife with deadly traps.

Yang Geyong was somewhat tempted: "If we can make a quick buck, our pressure will be much less. Some cutting-edge technologies might actually be easier to obtain on the black market."

Ye Yuze resolutely refused: "No! Absolutely not! Once we get involved with the black market, we'll be doomed."

"That's not just a legal risk, but it would completely tarnish our original intention. We are searching for a spark of future food security, not creating biological weapons or satisfying some people's curiosity!"

He ordered Chen Hao to immediately sever all contact with the middleman and strengthen security at the ranch to guard against possible retaliation or reconnaissance actions if the middleman refused.

However, this incident also served as a wake-up call for Ye Yuze.

Their activities have begun to attract the attention of some dark corners. Future enemies may not only be business giants and state apparatuses, but also these unscrupulous shadow forces.

The real storm finally arrived on a calm night in the South Pacific.

The Explorer was targeted during a routine data reception and sample exchange operation.

Harrington's "Deep Plow" operation successfully pinpointed the possible activity area of ​​the Explorer by long-term monitoring of unusual patterns in global satellite communications and combining this with some fringe intelligence (including vague clues provided anonymously by a middleman in the biological black market after being rejected).

This time, Harrington did not use official power, but instead hired a vessel from a private military company (PMC) with "maritime security" qualifications to attempt a "boarding inspection" under the pretext of "suspecting the ship of conducting illegal marine scientific research or smuggling activities".

This is a provocative act in the gray area of ​​international law, aimed at obtaining evidence or directly seizing the vessel.

On the dark ocean surface, PMC's high-speed interceptor approached the Explorer like a ghost, its bright lights illuminating the hull and its loudspeakers blaring warnings.

"Captain, what should we do?" a crew member asked anxiously.