Chapter 100: The Most Direct Method (2)
“Alright.” An Xiaoxue nodded. “Then there are still six portions of the genetic transcriptional serum of the Black-Crown Queen Bee that I just extracted. I’ll put it up for auction on the Blue Star Genetic Committee website later to exchange for some research funding.”
An Xiaoxue immediately hung up the phone after she said her piece.
Wei Dajiang smiled bitterly as he gave An Xiaoxue a thumbs-up.
Xu Tui was dumbfounded. He did not know who the Vice-Chairman Lu was from the Huaxia Genetic Evolution College or the Genetic Research Inst.i.tute. However, he must be a major figure since he was called the Executive Committee of the Genetic Committee. He could be considered the most powerful individual in the world.
However, An Xiaoxue was decisive in her retort. She hung up the phone even more quickly.
An Xiaoxue had just hung up when the phone rang again.
“Answer it, Little Xue,” Wei Dajiang said.
An Xiaoxue picked it up.
“Professor An, are there only six portions of the genetic transcriptional fluid left?”
“That’s quite a lot. I only had two to three portions left in the past.”
“Then hand it over. We’ll cut the funding for the long-term projects by half and give you 10 million,” Vice-Chairman Lu said, pushing his shiny bald head forward.
“It’s not enough. I’m not handing it over.” An Xiaoxue’s face became tense under her mask. “I want to sell it.”
“Six portions is too little. It only has research value and not experimental value. 10 million is high enough. If you have 12 portions, I’ll personally pay 30 million for it. It would be difficult for you to sell it for 10 million dollars even if you put it up for auction at the Blue Star Genetic Committee,” Vice-Chairman Lu said.
An Xiaoxue had a stubborn expression. “That’s not enough. I guess I’ll head to the auction instead. There have been people trying to kill me on the way back. There are fewer and fewer queen bees nowadays. It will only become more and more valuable.”
In the projection, the bald Vice-Chairman Lu hesitated for a moment, then said softly, “15 million. That’s a friendly price from the Genetic Research Inst.i.tute for Shang Long’s sake.”
An Xiaoxue bit her lips gently. She was still a little unwilling. Wei Dajiang, who was opposite her, shook his head gently. An Xiaoxue nodded slowly. “That’ll do.”
“Actually, Professor An, you should consider the matter of the incubator.”
An Xiaoxue hung up the call without waiting for Vice-Chairman Lu to finish his sentence.
“Fifteen million is a high price. The experimental value of six portions is too low. It would only cost more than 20 million even if there were 10 portions.” Wei Dajiang sighed.
“Thank you, Mr. Wei,” An Xiaoxue said softly.
Wei Dajiang shook his head and slowly stood up. “La.s.s, the load on the shoulders of the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 is too heavy. Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds have disappeared without a trace. Some of them are missing, and some of them are out and about. You are the only one left standing. It has been hard on you.”
“Mr. Wei, you only get what you put in. Look at my cla.s.smates. Even if they are geniuses, they probably don’t have their own research inst.i.tute, right? Not to mention my abilities, right?” An Xiaoxue said.
Wei Dajiang shook his head and smiled. “I’ve completed my mission. I’ll be leaving then. Remember, hold on if you can. Don’t worry about it if you can’t. Would the higher-ups really dare to allow Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 to be disbanded? I don’t think they would dare!”
“We can’t wait until then, right? I’ll send you off,” An Xiaoxue offered.
When they reached the elevator, Wei Dajiang stopped An Xiaoxue. “I’ll walk by myself. I’m old, but my eyes have not blurred.”
“Yes, Xu Tui, send Mr. Wei off for me.”
“Alright.”
Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 was on the 14th floor of the bas.e.m.e.nt. It had a long dedicated tunnel and a dedicated elevator. It would take two minutes to walk out of the building if he was a little slower.
Xu Tui, who had gathered a lot of information along the way, could not help but ask. “Mr. Wei, how much money do we need for the normal operations of the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 a year?”
“You should call me Grandpa Wei. But that’s not right. Alright, you can call me Mr. Wei as you please.
“If the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 did not conduct short-term research and maintained its operations normally, they would need 30 million dollars a year. It would be even higher if it did more research.
“Anyway, in my impression, the research cost of the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 had never been less than 50 million before this year. The highest it could reach was 70 million.”
“Is it because of me?” Xu Tui felt a little pressured.
“You are merely an inducement. You are still young. The things that are involved here are very complicated. It is not just a matter of borrowing the incubation chamber. Even if you did not appear, the conflict will still appear in one or two years. The influence over there is getting longer and longer. They even had designs on the founder’s incubation chamber.
“It’s simply…” Wei Dajiang shook his head, then patted Xu Tui’s shoulder. “You are quite a smooth operator, lad. I could tell from the incident at Deng Wei that you were setting a trap for that lad during your previous two exchanges. Were you avoiding the risk?”
Xu Tui felt a little awkward when the topic was brought up. “No, I was just holding back normally. If he had not been so overbearing, that would not have happened.”
“Don’t deny it. The few of us can still tell that you’ve managed to draw yourself out of the sticky situation through the two previous exchanges. Otherwise, how are we going to survive? However, if something like this happens in the future, you can go ahead and do it. I’ll back you up as long as it meets the rules.”
At this point, Wei Dajiang sighed. “You are stronger than Xiaoxue in this regard. Xiaoxue is still too soft-hearted. Little one, grow up quickly. Grow up quickly and help Little Xue. It’s a little hard on her alone.”
Xu Tui nodded. “Oh, yes, Mr. Wei, what can I do to help you?”
“What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
“What I mean is, what can I do to get research funding for the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 and reduce Miss An’s burden?”
At this moment, Xu Tui really wanted to do something for An Xiaoxue. He finally understood how much An Xiaoxue, or rather, the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14, had invested in him just now.
Someone was willing to pay 30 million for the 12 portions of the Black-Crown Queen Bee’s genetic transcriptional fluid.
Xu Tui used 42 servings. That was more than 100 million dollars. It was an astronomical figure if he counted the rest.
Xu Tui did not even think about it. Those numbers were too far away from him.
Currently, Xu Tui only wanted to help An Xiaoxue within the limits of his abilities and courage.
Wei Dajiang stopped abruptly when he heard Xu Tui. He turned around and looked at Xu Tui. He only spoke after thinking for a moment.
“There are two ways. The first is to come up with a new research invention. Actually, even if the research was successful in the short term, as long as the research was submitted and approved by the higher-ups, the research funds of the Research Inst.i.tute Number 14 would not be cut. Instead, there would be a reward. However, that was very difficult.
“This was no longer the era when genetic research had just started where an invention would appear every few months. The research had been going on for a hundred years. The time it took for the discovery to happen was getting longer and harder.
“Many professors might not have any research results even after three to five years. You shouldn’t consider it.”
“What’s the second?” Xu Tui asked.
This condition might sound difficult, but Xu Tui did not give up immediately. He could try it out in the future.
“Second, do you know where the results of professors like us, or rather, the most important score of the vice-chairmen, come from?”
“Personal strength?”
Wei Dajiang shook his head.
“Results of your research?”
Wei Dajiang shook his head again.
“Teaching results?” Xu Tui knitted his brows.
This time, Wei Dajiang nodded. “It’s close to that. Teaching scores are very important, but these teaching scores do not come from teaching students in a larger cla.s.s. That would only affect the level a.s.sessment and not the research funding.”
“What do you mean?”
“Specially recruited students. To some extent, a student specially recruited by the professor or an a.s.sociate professor is also a research project of his. If this student had startling growth and improvement, it would mean that the professor’s research project had yielded great results. That represented the success of the short-term research project.
“With the results, the research funding for the short-term projects would not be cut. If the student performed exceptionally well, they might even receive additional research funding.”
Xu Tui’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Mr. Wei, what should we do to get the school to determine that there is progress with Miss An’s research project? In other words, how do we get the school to decide that Miss An has made progress in nurturing a student like me?” Xu Tui asked.
“There are many ways. Make a contribution to the research. The higher-year students can complete a certain number of difficult missions. Or earn a certain number of contribution points from a mission.
“Of course, there’s only one direct way.”
“Which one?”
“The Longhu List. You can enter the top 10 of the Longhu List or directly enter the school’s Longhu Overall Rankings.”