Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

Chapter 87

The land stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with lush green shoots amidst the gray-white soil. Two large transport airships drift through the sky; these airships are Terra's most traditional flying vehicles, suitable for use in the city for advertising, sightseeing, and more.

It is not suitable for intercity transportation. The reason is simple: due to the Originium Cloud, the weather conditions at high altitudes are extremely chaotic, and there is a risk of extremely powerful high-speed airflows causing the airbags to break and fall at any time.

However, it would also be good for use as a large flying vehicle on farms and ranches, especially as an aerial observation platform that can stay airborne for a long time.

"The soil test results are in, and they are... terrible." Kazdel's poverty is not without natural causes. The soil here is extremely poor, lacking in fertility and with poor water and soil retention. Coupled with the vegetation destruction caused by grazing, the situation is not optimistic.

"Senior, what should we do next? The soil here is hardly suitable..."

"Did you cheat on the exam?" Yelena looked at her two juniors with a puzzled expression. "Compared to your exam questions, the soil quality and conditions are quite good. You two continue to collect data and information, then go back and discuss and come up with a solution. We'll revise it gradually. If you have any questions, let Lao Xia answer them..."

"Uh..." That's well said, but... after looking at the vast, boundless land and the ranch workers looking at them with hopeful eyes, sweat started to bead on his forehead.

"I was so stupid. I only knew that Professor Xia was the most academically accomplished professor in the college, with a wide network of connections, and that there was a bright future after graduating from his graduate program. But I never expected that it would be so difficult!" The pressure is immense. The agricultural sector is probably the most "down-to-earth" part of Kazdel right now.

On the one hand, Terra's mobile cities make it impossible for agriculture to be very developed. After all, the city modules are only so big and the population is so large that if they cannot settle down and grow crops, it would be good enough if the output of the city greenhouses could feed the rich. Therefore, there are a lot of suburban planting areas that are hit and run.

On the one hand, Kazdel is a remote and impoverished region of Terra, where the locals are even poorer.

Therefore, the agricultural sector, which spreads agricultural technology and develops farms, has attracted everyone's attention. Wherever they go, whether they are from the countryside or the city, they are looked at with expectant eyes.

This gave these two newbies the illusion that if they didn't do a good job, they would be devoured by humans. Thinking about it, it's clear that such a thing is not impossible.

Of course, wherever he went, he was always surrounded by a large entourage and received numerous responses. He could mobilize personnel or even troops without anyone saying a word, and at a single command, at least 100,000 laborers could be mobilized at any time.

However, it is precisely this that makes people feel the weight of the nation's burdens. Even a small problem can cause tens of thousands of people to lose their jobs and livelihoods. Every decision one makes means determining the livelihoods and futures of millions of people.

Compared to Yelena, who slept soundly, these two couldn't sleep at all, and their hair was falling out in clumps.

"There's nothing to worry about. Just take it one step at a time. Being too hasty or too cautious isn't a good thing. Besides, Satie Farm will cover for you." Yelena's comforting words were useless. It was true that Satie Farm could cover for them, but the hardest thing for people was to overcome their own fears.

Fortunately, the seedlings and equipment support provided by Lao Xia were indeed quite good, or it may have been due to the efforts of these improved species themselves.

In summary, the first phase of the soil improvement plan, which was developed with great care, is progressing well, with a significant improvement in soil fertility and water retention capacity.

And the improved pasture grasses finally did not show any signs of large-scale death. They grew extremely lush in the spring drizzle, with tender and juicy green leaves that emitted a faint fragrance.

"The tests for sugar, protein, cellulose, and vitamins all passed!" He finally breathed a sigh of relief; at least the forage problem was initially resolved.

"It's still a long way off. This is just the first phase of forage. There are several more phases to come, and there are also plans for dealing with pests, diseases, drought, and waterlogging. You haven't given me those yet," Yelena shook her head. This was just the first step in a long journey, at most a small achievement. There was still a lot to be done about the forage alone.

"By the way, besides what's happening here, the breeding institute has also sent the first batch of dairy and beef cattle. You can't handle all this work by yourself, so it would be best to train a few assistants and find some of your juniors to help."

Given the difficulty of Lao Xia's research topic, the college is considering granting him a doctoral degree as an exception if these two students can complete the program without dropping out. Otherwise, it would be ridiculous for two master's degrees to be more valuable than a bunch of professors' doctorates.

The dairy cows were produced by the breeding research institute and were not significantly modified; they were merely practical exercises for Lao Xia's genetic modification cases.

Compared to regular dairy cows, they simply have slightly stronger disease resistance; there's no improvement in growth rate, milk yield, or milk quality. Perhaps, but so slight as to be imperceptible.

These black and white cows strolled leisurely across the pasture. As professional dairy cows of the Covenant, they possess exceptional environmental tolerance, calmly living and producing milk even in low-gravity environments. Of course, this requires the assistance of some specialized equipment.

Next to them are new dairy cows based on this baseline embryo, which look no different from the others except for red tags around their necks, which remind the breeders to keep them separate and avoid crossbreeding.

Although the modifications made to the breeding institute were minimal, it's always right to be cautious in matters related to biology and life sciences.

Next to the dairy farm is the area where beef cattle and meat goats are raised. These goats are used to eliminate the root systems left behind after pasture grows, which contain a lot of animal protein and toxic waste—goats have a habit of nibbling on plant roots, which is perfect for eliminating these troublesome residues.

After all, these grasses can hardly be called herbaceous plants. As long as the deepest, fine root systems remain, they will quickly grow back, provided that the two students do not make mistakes when guiding the preparation and use of various biocatalysts and chemical agents.

In addition to large livestock, poultry farms have also begun to produce eggs and chicken meat.

However, this is a huge undertaking due to the highly intensive nature of the farming. Therefore, disease prevention measures need to be planned very meticulously, otherwise the entire farm could easily die overnight.

With such a huge workload on his shoulders, he quickly followed Yelena's suggestion and actually asked his juniors from the two years below him for help, just like a regular professor on a research project.

Meanwhile, new livestock herds began to be released into the oasis. Compared to the chaotic occupation area, the established ranch area seemed relaxed and at ease, with artificial breeding, milk production, and egg production being sent to nearby processing plants to become various agricultural products that everyone likes.

"This is a newly built low-temperature milk bottling plant. It uses new sterilization technology provided by Mr. Xia and an automated filling production line designed by Mr. Ke. It can fill 4 bottles of organic pure milk every day. If it is further expanded, it can fill even more."

The factory manager introduced the massive, rumbling machinery behind the glass partition to the inspection and visit team.

Compared to his bad reputation in the military, in the food industry, the difference between a chef and God is about the same.

As for the reliability issue, it's not a problem at all. It's as if every piece of equipment here needs to work in a constant temperature, ultra-clean, sterile workshop.

After all, the food industry is most afraid of pollution, so in this environment, the complex equipment designed by Ke Shifu is not a flaw.

"Let me try it—" Old Tiger solemnly took a bottle of milk from the end of the production line, unscrewed it, and took a sip. He found no difference from the milk he usually drank, which made his expression even more serious.

As a noble family in Victoria and a major capitalist, they certainly wouldn't drink milk with all sorts of additives; they had their own estates and suppliers.

If he can't taste any major problems with the mass-produced milk here, then it's probably genuine organic milk.

At least the difference would be so small that most people, including nobles, wouldn't be able to taste the difference.

However, this product is positioned as a "mass-market high-end consumer product," which means that even if it is not a cheap, ordinary mass-market consumer product, it is a mid-to-high-end product that most people can enjoy by spending a little money.

This requires an absolutely abundant quantity of this product and a strong brand value. Now that these two old tigers have seen this, if the quality of every batch is like this...

"Hmm... If we expand production to 20 bottles per day, how much investment and how long would it take?" Even the richest family doesn't have surplus grain. Victoria's economic situation is similar to that of Lungmen. Capital simply can't find a place to go, and it seems like any investment would result in a loss.

"Well, the current production capacity of the upstream factory is only 12 bottles per day, and it will have to shut down for about two months in winter to repair the equipment... If we expand production to the limit, it will require at least 2 million LMD or about 3000 million Kazdel..."

"Hmm," the old ailing tiger didn't make a decision immediately. After all, such a large-scale investment couldn't be decided by him alone on the spot, but his behavior in having his attendants take notes showed that he was indeed somewhat tempted.

It has to be said that the most profitable business he ever did was the one where he exchanged shares with the Xia Group for those loans, even though he lost his daughter.

Although it's only a 5% dividend-paying stock, the question is, what is the significance of Xia's Group in Kazdale?

From machinery manufacturing to agricultural production, a Sarkaz person is in its cycle from birth to death, making all the money in the country. Is there a more terrifying way to make money?

Kazdel's prosperity was equivalent to his entire family owning 5% of the profits of a national-level economy.

If it weren't for his extreme caution and the fact that Old Xia himself lived a secluded life, and even had an heir, those industrial nobles in Victoria would probably have been swarming women into Old Xia's bed.

Therefore, there was little resistance in persuading the other elders in the family to agree to stake almost their entire fortune on Kazdel. It was obvious to everyone that the more developed Kazdel became, the larger the economy would be, the greater the profits for the Xia Group, and the more money they would make with their 5% share of the dividends.

Of course, given the multiple share swaps, the family naturally acquired a 5% stake.

However, Lao Xia also holds 20% of the shares in the Swire Group, and considering the issue of Little Tiger, the two of them together hold nearly 37% of the group's shares. In other words, Lao Xia is theoretically the largest shareholder of the Swire Group now.

Once Lao Binghu dies, and the couple's shares are inherited, then Lao Xia will hold an absolute majority of the shares in the Swire Group, which would be enough to initiate a forced merger proposal.

The Victorian government will definitely be furious. The country's top food companies and department store groups being forcibly acquired by foreign capital is a devastating disaster for anyone.

"Next, let's go see your agricultural machinery factory and candy factory. No need for formalities; when it comes to investments, the ultimate factor is the value." Since everyone present is either his own people or his son-in-law's subordinates, there's no need for social niceties; that would be a pure waste of time.

In this depressed era, when capital can't find a way out, there are plenty of people with money looking for projects. So, wasting time here means creating opportunities for competitors. As a professional businessman, Lao Binghu would certainly not do such a foolish thing and would make the most of every advantage he has.

For the PhD, attracting investment is a good thing in itself. On the one hand, it means that Kazdel's currency is beginning to be recognized and that foreign currency (Lungmen currency) can no longer be used as the local currency. This means that the country's fiscal power is in the hands of others, so how can it be allowed to be so arrogant?

On the one hand, Kazdel cannot ultimately rely entirely on Xia; with the group's expansion, it has reached its limit. Therefore, more companies are needed to fill the gaps.

Even if it's the nobles' money, they'll still try to make money from it. Moreover, those who escaped not only brought capital, but also a large number of technical talents and construction experience, which are all things Kazdel needs. It's a win-win situation.

The other party provided a way for capital to grow, and Kazdel also obtained a large amount of working capital to invest in production and construction, as well as valuable experience and talent.

The agricultural machinery factory was producing a type of tractor designed by Master Nian. She couldn't just jump out and say that she was the "God of Casting" back then, so she could only take a roundabout approach to show these idiots how a real vehicle chassis should be made.

Ordinary small tractors are suitable for working in hilly areas, mountains, and small plots of farmland, but not so suitable for working on large plots of farmland. For such work, the Titan chassis is currently the most suitable, as it has strong power, large size, and can integrate more large agricultural modules.

Old Tiger had absolutely no interest in this part, as Victoria also had a similar device and it wasn't competitive. However, he politely inquired a few questions and then left.

"Tsk, what poor judgment!" Master Nian tapped his palm with his fan. But that was normal. After all, he was just a businessman. Even if he had some military insight, it didn't mean he could tell whether a civilian piece of equipment was good or bad for military use.

In contrast, the candy factory was the main focus of this inspection. They started out making candy, which is a very important industry, but even the old and ailing tiger couldn't kill this business.

Otherwise, the elders in the clan would strangle him—to reiterate, who is the largest shareholder and sugar supplier of the Swire Group?

The colorful sugar cubes on the production line are like a rainbow winding between the machines and equipment. "We can produce all kinds of hard candy, soft candy, filled candy and sugar cubes. We can produce tens of thousands of tons of various candies every month, the main ones being sugar cubes and granulated sugar."

"Then how do you supply your raw materials, given such a complex production process?" After all, many processes and raw materials are not shared. For example, fruit gummies require a large amount of fruit, but no fruit processing equipment was seen on site.

"Well, because of the price of fruit, only high-end candy factories use it. We use a blending agent..."

That is, it is made by mixing fruit sugar syrup and flavoring. After all, this is a candy factory that targets the "low-end market". When Lao Binghu heard this, he did not scold the other party for the low quality. Instead, he immediately thought of a huge new market.

Under normal circumstances, the lower and middle classes of Terra would never have the chance to eat candy in their entire lives. But in the current economic climate, if a cheap candy were to appear, its sales would absolutely explode.

This has been proven in Earth's history. During the Great Depression, lipstick and sweets were the best-selling items, partly because they were the only luxuries that people could afford at the time.

Secondly, sweetness can be extremely comforting, possessing an addictive appeal in the cold winter. [Lipstick Effect]

In Terra, this effect would be several times greater. After all, the people of Terra in the past couldn't afford candy. Even this kind of inferior candy would give them a false illusion that they could enjoy the same things as the upper class. That kind of retaliatory consumption would be terrifying. At the same time, it would open up a completely new market, no longer confined to the narrow market that only the upper-class nobles could afford.

Although these people can't afford many, the base number is large enough, and it sounds like the other party used inferior and cheap materials, which isn't a drawback.

On the contrary, its biggest advantage is that the unit cost is low enough, and price wars are the most terrifying tactic in business warfare.

How much would it cost if I acquired it entirely?

“Uh, not for sale. The Xia Group is not short of money…” the factory manager replied tactfully. If this guy wasn’t the big boss’s father-in-law, he probably would have turned against this thing—what, don’t we Sarkaz people deserve to eat candy?

"What I mean is, what kind of return would I get if I were to invest?" Old Sick Tiger asked with great interest. "Or to put it bluntly, how much would I need to invest to acquire your shares?"

"40%, at most 40%." The Xia Group holds 60% of the shares, so the additional investment required to acquire 40% of the shares is an astronomical figure.

After all, even a fool knows this is a profitable business. How could they not raise prices and live with themselves?

"So how much would it cost to acquire the exclusive rights and agency rights for Victoria?"

"How much would it cost to invest in the Swire Group, including its trading routes and all its dealerships?"

As questions and solutions were raised one after another, Lao Binghu and Lao Xia eventually chose a more mutually beneficial cooperation.

Okay, considering the specific circumstances, Lao Xia's side won more, it should be said to be a win-win-win situation. Lao Binghu won once - he can beat his opponent to the ground and make him cry for his grandfather - Lao Xia won twice ojpg, because he is also the largest shareholder of Swire Group.

With Victoria's funding and personnel, the candy factory was the fastest to complete its expansion. A large quantity of new candies from Kazdel were put on the shelves at a price that outsiders thought was unprofitable, or even at a loss, instantly triggering a buying frenzy in Victoria and Lungmen.

During the Great Depression, the industry barriers and unspoken rules of the past were long gone. Companies and groups were frantically grabbing market share in order to survive. It was no longer a cooperative relationship like before, but a fierce battle where everyone had to fight tooth and nail to avoid bankruptcy.

In this situation, the Xia Group appeared as if the Pegasus Knights of Kazimierz had stormed into the peasant army.

Suddenly, all food-related stocks, especially those related to the sugar industry, plummeted from their previous gains to rock bottom.

A large group of well-dressed gentlemen suddenly appeared on the high platforms of Longmen and Victoria, performing a high-altitude no-rope bungee jump for everyone.

For the people of Kazdel, all of this was quite normal, after all, they had been talking about building a new candy factory for several days to ensure that every Kazdel resident could at least enjoy sweets during the holidays.

In contrast, Kazdale Milk's quiet entry into stores was overshadowed by a commercial crisis triggered by confectionery, silently forcing half of Victoria's dairy farms to close down.

High-end milk quality, mid-to-low-end price, low-end cost and quantity—who the hell can stand your disruptive behavior?

Incidentally, Terra experienced firsthand the scenario that the Covenant capitalists experienced back then. Any capital group that did not popularize AI management and AI-automated production suffered the same fate. The cost and quantity of low-end products, the price of mid-to-low-end products, and the quality of high-end products directly shredded any product.

The financial snipers were completely outmatched by the opposing AI trading platform, failing to achieve any effect from their off-market tactics.