Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

"I accept." When the Columbia green bills in your pocket are only enough to buy the cheapest hamburger lunch, you don't have many other choices.

Two weeks later, Miss Pudding emerged shakily from the training tank. Although her face was pale, as if she had just crawled out of hell, she had managed to pull through and get the job.

"Congratulations, Miss Pudding. Here are your ticket and work pass. Please report to the launch center within three days."

“Okay, okay,” she said, feeling the need to indulge in a sweet treat. Kazdel’s milk pudding was her biggest source of mental support during training.

After a good period of relaxation and rest, Miss Pudding boarded the Ghost Shark spaceship, soaring into the sky with a mixture of fear and anticipation for the unknown. After two days of sailing, the Ghost Shark landed at the Ark construction site, and Miss Pudding, carrying her luggage, nervously passed through the airlock.

I expected to see a cabin similar to the one I used for training in the tank compartment, or a slightly larger activity room, and instead, the terrifyingly desolate environment described in the manual…

"Huh~?" Miss Pudding tilted her head. The bustling and noisy hall where she disembarked from the spaceship was understandable, since hundreds of people on the ship were here to collect their luggage and disperse, so it was normal for there to be a lot of people. However, when she entered the construction site where she was, what she saw was not an empty space and a bare platform.

Instead, it was groups of guys in bright yellow spacesuits from the engineering department, some carrying boxes, some struggling with malfunctioning drones, some working, some tidying up cables, and some shouting at the top of their lungs to tell their team members to report for duty.

There were seven or eight guys lying on the floor, slowly using small brushes and tweezers to expose the hair-thin bare wires, then disassembling and reinstalling them. For some reason, these ultra-high precision Originium induction conduction wires were installed backwards.

Although she couldn't hear anything because there was no air, as soon as she turned on the public channel, it was like standing in a noisy market. This was completely different from her previous training and mental preparation!

"Mainly due to some reasons, we had to rework twice, which seriously delayed the project. We were supposed to work in groups to carry out the subsequent work, but now we're all crammed here cleaning up the mess for those idiots in the production department." Kroos patted Pudding on the shoulder. "You're the new engineering assistant, right? You're going to be very busy from now on."

"Because of the delay, the engineering departments, which should have been scattered, are now crammed onto the platform, while more personnel are being sent up. So, this is the scene you see." Kroos knew perfectly well why the girl looked so surprised.

"But you're lucky. If you're in the equipment installation team, then it's pretty much as advertised in the manual. Look at that tower over there." The tiny white dots around the spire of the Ark's canopy in the distance were enough to show how far away it was. "They're installing equipment there; there's probably not even a bacterium around, let alone people."

"And then there's the idiot in the production department inside Ark. There are only a few of them living in an area the size of an entire city. Anyway, that's roughly the situation. Since you've just arrived today, I won't assign you too much work. Here are the blueprints. You can start with the simplest sorting work."

"..." Pudding held the memory card she had just received, her expression completely frozen. "Okay, fine." Since it's work, she'd better do her best to complete it. She hoped that the cafeteria here would sell delicious pudding.

Chapter 87 Three Great Benevolent Men

Chapter 87

At Kazdel, the medical research center, the communicator stayed on all night, until the early hours of the morning. Old Xia was still full of energy, communicating with medical institutions on the Covenant side about how to treat Oripathy more effectively to a certain extent.

"This is a bit troublesome. To be frank, theoretically, it's not even a disease, but rather a side effect of brutal genetic modification."

"I've never seen a mineral particle used as a substitute for mitochondria before. No, it should be that we're designing a new type of mitochondria that uses this mineral particle as a medium for oxidation. Please wait a moment while we do an experiment. We happen to have some spare equipment and mice on hand."

"What can you do without Originium Particles?" "Use something else to simulate it. After all, in living organisms, they only use this kind of thing to store and release energy. It's still possible to simply simulate this characteristic."

"So when will the effective drug be available?"

"I don't know. If I can't figure it out, I'll have to ask my advisor. This topic is quite interesting. I haven't been able to find a new project recently, so I can help you with it first."

Thank you so much!

"You're welcome." After all, they were a paid consulting client. "If everything goes smoothly, we can send over the synthesis process and related electronic vaccines soon. Um, do you have the necessary equipment like an organic recombination machine?"

"Yes, we have gene editors and large-scale drug synthesis equipment, as well as atomic needles." "Wow, that's quite a complete set!" The other person was slightly taken aback; that Tree of Life equipment wasn't cheap.

"How is it? Did they answer it?"

"Who would take the job for that little money?" Old Xia looked at the PhD student as if he were an idiot. "Of course, I asked my senior from university for a paid consultation. If it were a legitimate outsourcing, it wouldn't be a matter of just this little bit of money."

Developing a novel gene therapy for a previously unseen genetic disease costs around 1000 million Star Coins, and the price can increase depending on the circumstances. If you go through a reputable institution, the price can be quite exorbitant.

"So, she's willing to give you these synthetic processes at such a low price?"

"Because I didn't say it was for humans," Old Xia shrugged. "I went to a veterinarian."

They said that a new type of farmed animal discovered in the colony had contracted this strange disease, and then sent the relevant reports and information. Although the other party was curious as to why it was so similar to human cells, they didn't ask any further questions.

"So, it's gene therapy?"

"Of course not, how could you afford that stuff with your little bit of money?" Old Xia continued to look at him like he was an idiot. Even veterinary gene therapy agents aren't cheap. "It's just a special or potent drug, a drug that can quickly reverse Oripathy or prevent it. It's definitely more effective than my rudimentary sedimentation binder."

I originally thought it would take my senior a few months or even a year to get it done, but she sent the information to Lao Xia in just two weeks. "To be honest, I really can't make a cure-all for you, but if it's just for initial treatment, you can try this and see if it works. By the way, find a cheap animal to try it on."

"Physical therapy?" Old Xia glanced at it; it was a physical therapy method similar to the one he used. "If you want drug therapy, then you'll have to wait a long time. Some idiot in the research lab took away the experimental equipment I applied for, so I have to rejoin the queue. Why don't you try this first?"

"By the way, is this really for monkeys?" The other person was also a little uneasy, as the data looked too much like it was for human use.

"if not?"

"Okay, let's find a cheaper experimental monkey. I can't afford to pay for the one that's too expensive if it dies."

“Cheap lab monkeys are everywhere.” Old Xia nodded, turned off the communicator, and sent the downloaded solution to Kal'tsit.

"Oh, by the way, have you applied for a patent for this over there? If not, you should apply for one as soon as possible."

"Valuable?" Old Xia scratched his head, unable to think of any value in it.

"Of course, if you apply for a patent, give us a copy of the usage rights, as a way to... well, offset your commission fee." The senior student said excitedly, "We just happened to take on a terrible job from Tiancangwu and didn't know what to do. You're a lifesaver."

"What kind of mess?" Old Xia asked curiously. Don't get me wrong, he was just watching the show.

"It's not that some brilliant genius came up with the idea that just having some exotic animals and fantastical scenery wasn't unique enough, so they planned to introduce magical monsters. But where in the universe are there such things? We're not God. It seems that your fancy tricks are actually useful in this regard."

"By using nanoparticles to simulate this energy-generating substance, then using synthetic mitochondria to maintain the organism's metabolism, and processing the released heat energy through buried artificial pipes and secretions, we can create a flying dragon that can breathe fireballs."

“I don’t think tourists will like this idea much, and it’s too rudimentary.”

"So, the question now is, where can I buy this special field-effect mineral that's a local specialty? My mentor asked me to inquire about it."

"It should be ready soon. The mineral resources and information have already been sold to United Mining."

"Oh, then hopefully this thing can be released to the market soon, so we won't have to worry about how to make a bunch of organisms release magic without using too much modern technology and artificial organs." Of course, the intensity of this "magic" doesn't need to be too high, after all, it's for tourist attractions, and they might not dare to use a real fireball that could blow up half a street.

"By the way, do you need this kind of creature?" Old Xia uploaded the gene scan information of the rock crab from the bean sprout. "Let's make it clear first, it's not free."

"Let me take a look and I'll get back to you in a week." This rock crab should be of some use, right?

Although we don't have Originium, we can modify it to accumulate other metal objects. We can even embed a small gravity generator inside its shell and use Terra's neural pulse control technology to create some kind of magical monster—the kind for show.

A week later, a rather meager payment arrived. "The boss has reviewed it and is fairly satisfied, but it's a bit too monotonous."

"These are raised for food."

"If you know of any other interesting ornamental creatures, please send them over. We're currently looking for something like that."

"So, you found us a temporary, long-term income job? Collecting these lousy jobs from the Terran ancestors and then sending them over to see if we can make a few bucks?" The doctor accurately summarized what Old Xia had been doing.

"Otherwise, you guys need to have some star coins for self-defense, right? Don't worry, my senior's research institute is very wealthy, and Tian Cangwu is a boss who doesn't lack money."

"So, what are they doing?" Kal'tsit had no idea about the economic logic behind this, or what they were doing.

After thinking for almost a minute, Lao Xia, the "Decoration Planet," summarized it in four words: "Decoration Planet, and on the side, raising some ornamental pets, that's about it."

What kind of renovation?

"planet."

"Could we ask the renovation team over there?" the Doctor asked after thinking for a few seconds, so that the Ark problem wouldn't be a headache.

"No, the expedition team said that due to the width of the passage, large spaceships and personnel and supplies simply cannot pass through. However, they can help collect and send small supplies and equipment, but they told us not to go too far."

"So, what did you buy this time?"

"I just tried it out," Old Xia scratched his head, "I bought an unmanned delivery boat. Don't get me wrong, it can't carry people. That thing really is just for delivering packages."

These are ships with a payload of one or two tons, used for intragalactic information delivery in star systems without superluminal communication towers, commonly known as "postmen"—if latency is not considered, the bandwidth of these spacecraft, which can carry approximately 1.8 tons of storage, is much greater than that of faster-than-light communication towers.

"So, you're planning to send some Originium minerals over?"

"Yes, maybe we can even make some money from it." Besides, it's never a bad thing to establish a friendly cooperative relationship with Star Alliance research institutions.

A few days later, Doumiao, who was touring Colombia giving lectures and presentations on "Edible Crab Farming and Industrial Care," received an extra payment in the currency "Cinques CR," which she had never seen before.

What's going on?

"I've found a great buyer for your work; this is your share of the profits. Keep up the good work!"

"But what use is this star coin?"

"Um, buying books? We'll talk about it when you get back."

"Good" Doumiao hung up the call, completely bewildered, and continued her work—promoting rock crab farming in Colombia.

When Doumiao returned to the Colombian capital from the Red River Ranch area, she was surprised to find the streets in chaos. Just as she was wondering what was going on, she heard a bang and saw a person turn into a puddle not far ahead.

"Ah, this..."

"Another insurance tycoon has jumped to his death."

“I told you long ago, the Oripathy insurance thing is no good.” Columbia implemented Oripathy insurance, which allows insured individuals to obtain inhibitors and blockers from Rhine Lab at a relatively low price. This means that as long as you have Oripathy insurance, you are a normal person.

If your insurance expires, you will be required to renew it and have a medical check-up on the first of next month. If you are diagnosed with Originium schwannum, you will be sent to a public shelter for infected people. It is said that you can enjoy cheaper public medical services, but in reality, you will be waiting in line until you die of Originium schwannum before you can get treatment.

Not to mention that entering this public shelter means unemployment, means that your life will never have any hope or improvement, and you will be completely reduced to the scraps that the country has squeezed clean and left to fend for yourself on the edge of the city.

Of course, in order to prevent these infected people from causing trouble, Colombia has also introduced a series of laws, such as the Pioneer Act, to alleviate the conflict.

However, all of this is based on the premise that Oripathy is almost incurable and that various drugs are extremely expensive. Colombian citizens, out of fear, will purchase high-value Oripathy insurance, allowing insurance companies to make huge profits. However... "So, how did this insurance industry go bankrupt?"

"It's not just Rhine Lab and Rhodes Island yet, but also the Oripathy treatment developed by the Xia Group, which can directly cure patients with Oripathy in stages two and below, and control stages three and four." Although medical companies love diseases that don't kill people but require continuous medication, if someone really develops a cure, it's better to join in as soon as possible.

"Then why doesn't insurance just cover this drug, or simply exclude it from reimbursement?" If that were the case, drug prices would skyrocket, and most people wouldn't be able to afford it and would still have to choose to buy medical insurance.

“But those Sarkaz people are pushing their own health insurance services for free, which include this new drug with a 90% reimbursement rate. So who would buy these Oripathy insurance policies?” Doumiao looked puzzled. Aren’t Colombia’s insurance and banking industries very powerful? Why would they just sit idly by and wait to be killed?

Of course, those who jumped off buildings were just slow-witted nobodys. The real bigwigs in the insurance industry had already communicated with companies like Rhine Life and had all decided to transform their businesses.

Since the special medicine is effective, it means that those infected people who were sent to the containment camps and were considered to have been "squeezed clean" have once again become targets for exploitation, just like the shale gas revolution, where oil is squeezed out of every crack in the rock!

The bigwigs behind the insurance industry certainly wouldn't let go of this new market. In comparison, the losses from the transformation were negligible. Besides, Colombia's mineral sickness insurance business hadn't been doing well since the war.

For Colombians whose insurance has expired or who have been infected, there is a backup plan: to immigrate to Kazdel, Letania, or Casimir. These three countries have much easier laws regarding infected individuals, and inhibitors can be purchased at hospitals at relatively low prices.

Kazimierz obtained the medicine through a cooperative relationship with Rhodes Island, while Letania and New Gaul obtained it through trade agreements with Kazdel. Kazdel itself is simply part of the citizens' welfare program. In such an environment where people profit from Oripathy, a few conscientious individuals emerged. And you couldn't use force or off-the-ground means to bring these three conscientious individuals to the forefront.

The decline of Colombia's insurance business is an unavoidable fact, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Another world war? Ursus would certainly be happy to stab Colombia in the backside.

Moreover, Colombia's insurance industry is not powerful enough to influence whether a war breaks out, not to mention they have Rhine Life as a major mole within their ranks.

"Recently, Rhine Life Sciences began construction of a next-generation biopharmaceutical factory on the edge of the Sargon rainforest. It is expected that once completed, the facility will be able to produce more than 450 million doses of litholytic agents annually for sale in the Sargon and Bolivar regions. Following this news, Rhine Life Sciences' stock price has recently risen by more than 33%..."

Rhine Life's purpose in doing this was simple: there was no effective treatment for Oripathy before. Although the insurance industry was extremely profitable, precisely because of this, the money did not go to the medical group itself, even though they set the price of the drug extremely high.

However, those who can afford insurance can't use it, and those who can't afford to renew their insurance when it expires can't afford to buy it. Only those whose insurance hasn't expired and who accidentally get sick can afford it. This means that although the profit per unit is very high, the sales volume is too low.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing is an extremely costly research and development endeavor. Even if the production cost of these inhibitors is not high, the research and development costs are difficult to recover in the long run. Furthermore, Rhodes Island, that scoundrel, is selling drugs cheaply and even distributing them for free in a guerrilla-style manner, which further reduces their sales volume.

Moreover, the lethality of Oripathy makes most people terrified of it. With various effective protective measures, the infection rate is actually not very high. Furthermore, the elite class who can afford insurance have almost no chance of being exposed to Oripathy. Therefore, although it is extremely profitable for Rhine Life Sciences, the market has been slow to expand and is still shrinking.

The money has all gone to banks and insurance giants, so how could they be willing to live off the scraps for the rest of their lives? Now that this special drug has been developed, Rhine Life immediately acquired the exclusive patent rights and began large-scale shipments, preparing to market this stuff to the whole world.