Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Expansion
Li Qingye took a document from his drawer. "Xincheng, I have a new project here. Take a look."
Fang Xincheng took the document and began to read it carefully.
The new project was titled: Cultivation and Deep Processing of Genetically Modified Kirin Grass.
Using gene recombination technology, the seaweed known as Kirin Grass was used as the parent plant. By inserting genes from other plants, a genetically modified version of Kirin Grass was created. This new strain was characterized by rapid growth, the formation of massive aggregated colonies, and high contents of galactose, trehalose, and amylose.
According to laboratory test results:
The yield of genetically modified Kirin Grass was 3,400 to 3,700 kilograms per mu (wet weight). After dehydration, the dried Kirin Grass was 18% to 20% of its original weight.
Each mu of Kirin Grass could yield 120 to 130 kilograms of amylose, 62 to 66 kilograms of trehalose, 340 to 370 kilograms of carrageenan, and 500 to 540 kilograms of plant fiber.
Moreover, the growth cycle of the genetically modified Kirin Grass was relatively short. While the native Kirin Grass in the Luzon Sea Region could only be harvested twice a year, the new strain could be harvested four times a year.
This was because Li Qingye had enhanced the Kirin Grass’s photosynthesis and increased the surface area of its fronds, causing them to form enormous leaf-like structures similar to the giant water lily. By increasing the surface area, the goal of boosting photosynthesis was achieved.
Of course, this modification was not without its drawbacks. The genetically modified Kirin Grass would absorb vast amounts of nutrients from the seawater while simultaneously blocking sunlight from reaching the seabed, which would be a devastating blow to other types of seaweed.
It was like in a rainforest, where the plants beneath the towering canopy trees have almost no chance to receive sunlight and naturally struggle to survive.
To prevent this genetically modified Kirin Grass from escaping into the natural environment, Li Qingye had made many preparations in advance.
For instance, he implemented genetic sterilization, ensuring the modified Kirin Grass could only increase its biomass through cell division; these cells would be unable to release reproductive spores.
He also limited the lifespan of the genetically modified Kirin Grass to only three years. After three years, it would lose the ability to divide cells, withering and decomposing completely.
This meant that once planted, the genetically modified Kirin Grass could be harvested a total of 12 times over three years.
"Boss, isn’t this investment a bit too large?" Fang Xincheng asked with some hesitation.
Li Qingye’s plan was to construct 100,000 mu of seaweed cultivation ponds in Lima South Bay, south of Dart Port, with an investment of 300 million US Dollars.
Additionally, a supporting processing plant would be built to extract amylose, trehalose, carrageenan, and cellulose from the Kirin Grass, with an estimated investment of 200 million US Dollars.
The 100,000 mu of seaweed ponds would annually produce 1.36 to 1.48 million tons of Kirin Grass. From this, 48,000 to 52,000 tons of amylose, 24,800 to 26,400 tons of trehalose, 136,000 to 148,000 tons of carrageenan, and 200,000 to 216,000 tons of plant fiber could be extracted.
These products could all be used as raw materials or sold directly.
Currently, carrageenan sells for around 10,000 US Dollars per ton, trehalose for about 1,000 US Dollars per ton, and amylose for about 250 to 280 US Dollars per ton.
These substances are all essentially raw materials for the food processing industry.
Cellulose, on the other hand, can be used in papermaking, fuel, and plastics.
The total investment was 500 million US Dollars, with a projected annual output value of around 2 billion US Dollars.
Li Qingye waved his hand dismissively. "Our company has 1.1 billion US Dollars in cash flow right now. An investment of 500 million isn’t too much. Besides, next year we can get another large injection of capital from our eel fry and eel farming operations. We don’t need to worry about funding in the short term."
Fang Xincheng asked, a bit worried, "Boss, will the government in Luzon approve the cultivation of genetically modified Kirin Grass?"
"Don’t worry. Mad from the Fernando Clan and I are good friends. He’s agreed to invest as a shareholder and will help us handle all the local troubles," Li Qingye said, full of confidence.
After all, Mad was his man. The Homo Sapiens Company wouldn’t directly manage the Kirin Grass cultivation and processing business. Instead, it would operate through a subsidiary, absorbing capital from the Fernando Clan and structuring it as a joint venture.
This way, the Luzon people would save face publicly, but in reality, the subsidiary would still belong to the Homo Sapiens Company.
Since Li Qingye was so confident, Fang Xincheng naturally had no further objections. He inquired, "Then we’ll need to establish a subsidiary. What name do you have in mind for it, Boss?"
"Let’s call it the Haitian Agriculture Company."
"I understand. And the joint venture ratio?"
"We’ll take 70%, and the Fernando Clan will take 30%."
After the two discussed some more details, Fang Xincheng set to work, mobilizing the entire company according to the plan.
Lima South Bay was not small. The bay was shaped like a cloth sack, with its mouth to the north. It stretched about 38 kilometers from north to south and 17 to 25 kilometers from east to west, covering a sea area of roughly 900 square kilometers with a coastline of about 120 kilometers.
Since the Kirin Grass farm needed to be built by the sea, the only natural choice was a location near the coastline.
With Mad’s help, the Homo Sapiens Company quickly established the Haitian Agriculture Company. The two parties finalized their cooperation, and Mad invested in Haitian Agriculture in a personal capacity.
Mad also had to contribute certain resources, such as using his influence to help Haitian Agriculture acquire 100,000 mu of coastal mudflats and wasteland for free, along with 8,000 mu of land for the processing plant, and handle the local bigwigs.
Meanwhile, with the cooperation of Phil’s Internal Affairs Department, Chen Jianxiong remotely directed Mad to secretly pull out certain members from the gang under his control.
The chosen gang members were all orphans who had committed heinous crimes.
These individuals would be sent to Kalaqua Island in batches to undergo genetic modification and bio-chip implantation one by one. After completing their training, they would be integrated into the Security Department and the Internal Affairs Department.
Through this covert absorption, the forces under Mad’s command were gradually being transformed into the Homo Sapiens Company’s own power.
To funnel benefits to Mad and strengthen his voice within his clan, Li Qingye also used the pretext of engineering contracts to award the construction project for Haitian Agriculture’s cultivation ponds to a construction company under Mad’s name.
After all, the money had to be paid to someone. Giving it to Mad’s company was like letting the meat stew in their own pot—simply moving funds from the left hand to the right—ensuring a large portion of the capital returned to their own system.
Moreover, by giving the contract to Mad’s company, the Homo Sapiens Company could implement strict monitoring measures and wouldn’t have to worry about the construction company cutting corners.
After all, even the boss of the company was one of their own. If anyone still dared to try cutting corners, Li Qingye would have to admire their greed—valuing money more than their own life. He’d also be happy to prepare some oil drums and concrete to let them go "cool off" in the Luzon Trench.
Because the Homo Sapiens Company was keeping a very low profile and Mad was also suppressing information about the project, it was quite easy for the Fernando Clan, as the local powerhouse, to keep the news under wraps.
The construction company, having received the funds, quickly completed the land acquisition and began construction.
Meanwhile, Fang Xincheng found a contractor to design a comprehensive factory capable of extracting amylose, carrageenan, trehalose, and cellulose.
The required production scale for the factory was relatively high: at full capacity, it needed to be able to produce 200,000 tons of amylose, 400,000 tons of carrageenan, 100,000 tons of trehalose, and 1 million tons of cellulose annually.
Although the current output from the 100,000 mu of seaweed fields could not meet the factory’s full demand, this was a preparation made in advance for future production increases.
As long as there were no unforeseen problems with the eel industry, the Haitian Company could invest in expanding the seaweed farm by another 100,000 mu next year.
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