Jing Shu has been staring for quite a while when Jun Bao finally said slowly, "Although it's still in the early development stage and there's a long way to go before we actually complete it, if it succeeds, the rewards will be enormous. Of course, it's also possible it will stay in the research phase forever."
She blinked, her eyelashes fluttering as she processed his words. Wait, was he seriously inviting her to join as a shareholder?
"Of course," Jun Bao said earnestly. He adjusted his glasses, his expression turning solemn. "Only one percent, though. But you will be responsible for providing the black and crimson liquids needed during the research phase."
He wasn't sure if the black liquid was useful or not, but as for the crimson liquid, one of the core ingredients, it was absolutely needed. It was a pity that Zhen Nantian had only handed over a small amount before. That was barely enough for anything; every experiment had to be repeated thousands of times for just a few drops. Honestly, Jun Bao had been thinking for a while about how to get more of it, and if Jing Shu could provide it, that would be perfect.
Jing Shu's eyes lit up. "Then, once the research succeeds, I won't need to keep providing it in large amounts, right?"
As a reborn survivor, she knew perfectly well that in about a year and a half, this food would be officially released on the market. By then, it would flood the world. But Jun Bao didn't know that. He still had no idea when this research would succeed, and his voice carried both uncertainty and hope.
"If we manage to create it, we will definitely be able to analyze its components, trace its source, and figure out how to cultivate it. Usually, that also means we can replicate its gene chains, so you won't need to keep supplying it in bulk anymore."
Her eyes sparkled even more. If that was the case, couldn't she try to collect more of these liquids in advance?
"No problem! Here, I will give you a cup first. Is one cup enough? If not, there's more."
Jun Bao stared speechlessly. "..."
"When we get back, we will sign the contract through the data system. As for how much we will need, we will only know once we are back."
"Alright, you guys go wait up there," Jing Shu said excitedly, rubbing her hands together. Her palms felt warm with anticipation. "I will handle this myself. If Yang Yang wakes up and no one is around, that will be trouble." She shooed everyone away with a quick wave of her hand.
At a glance, that puddle didn't seem like much, but it was actually a deep pit. Jing Shu first stored some into her Cube Space, watching the liquid obsidian vanish into the void. Then she filled two large wooden barrels to the brim, even scooping up the muddy surface layer so she wouldn't waste a single drop.
It must have been around two hundred kilograms total, which was less than the crimson liquid she had collected before. But back then, it had taken her a whole month to gather that much. The mountain range was huge, so there had to be more pools like this elsewhere. Maybe she would even find some in the muddy pits on her way back.
She carried the barrels up happily, the heavy wood straining her muscles, but her joy didn't last long.
She knew the black liquid could upgrade her Cube Space, so she had stored some inside right away. The space devoured it greedily like a starving beast… then it went completely silent. Not a single reaction followed.
Frowning, she poured in half a barrel more. Again, the Cube Space absorbed it instantly, the liquid swirling into a dark vortex before disappearing. Still nothing.
It was like feeding a bottomless pit. The familiar sense of hunger returned from within the space; it wasn't even close to being satisfied.
Her heart sank.
She couldn't use up any more. The amount had to match what she had promised, or Jun Bao would get suspicious.
"All done?" Jun Bao asked, noticing the gloom on her face. Just a minute ago, she had been grinning like a fool, and now she looked like someone had stolen her lunch. Women really could change moods faster than flipping a page.
"Yeah, it's done. Let's go."
"So weird…" he muttered.
Jing Shu had already discussed things with Wen Jun and Xiao Wei. They would first take one of the gastropods with them. The group's current goal was to find some people, then circle back to meet up with the bugs later. That way, Xiao Wei would know their route, and once they returned, the bugs could guide them through the mountains without getting lost.
"Let this battle-type red one go with you," Xiao Wei said. "It will help if anything happens on the road."
"Thanks, you are a lifesaver," Jing Shu said with a grin. She hung the two large wooden barrels on the red bug's massive three-meter-long pincers. Then she grabbed the still-groggy Yang Yang and got ready to leave.
Before heading out, she waved. "Thanks for the leg hair! I will bring you something tasty next time." She casually tucked the stiff red leg hair into her hair bun. Supposedly, with that hair, all the gastropods would obey her.
Xiao Wei had forcibly pulled that hair from one of her bug's legs earlier. It was tough as steel, and aside from commanding gastropods, it supposedly had other mysterious effects. But seriously, what kind of secret power could a single leg hair have?
The red gastropod seemed instinctively repulsed by the black liquid. It scraped at the ground with its thirty-six legs, moving awkwardly like a massive centipede. Its huge belly didn't make it look clumsy though; it looked more like it was carrying a living shield.
Gou Tou personally escorted Jing Shu with two of his men, acting overly polite the whole way. When they passed by the muddy swamp again, he even took a small boat to send them across, waving like a cheerful boss. "See you next time! Safe travels! If you need anything, just let me know!"
Across the river, Hong Bin's and Lǚ Liu's jaws nearly hit the ground. "Wait, what's going on? Isn't that the same guy who robbed us earlier?"
Then they noticed the enormous gastropod behind Jing Shu's group and went speechless again. "What the hell, they left with compressed biscuits and came back with a giant bug?"
Jun Bao quickly explained the situation. Jing Shu tossed Yang Yang into the minibus, carefully secured the wooden barrels, then hopped back onto the gastropod and slid into the muddy swamp again.
These gastropods were practically born for this environment. Just like dung beetles, they loved burrowing into swamps, feeding on the mud inside, and only surfaced occasionally to breathe.
In moments, the bug's entire body disappeared into the mire, leaving only its head above the surface. Jing Shu stood carefully on its head as it stirred the swamp's center with its pincers, scooping up mud and gulping it down like a hippo at lunch.
No wonder it was so huge; its appetite was monstrous. She couldn't help but wonder, once the swamps dried up later this year, would these gastropods still be able to survive?
She didn't have time to dwell on it though. Even now, the bug still hadn't reached the swamp's bottom.
Just how deep was this swamp?
The water was freezing, and she didn't want to wade in herself. But poking around with a stick didn't help either. After struggling for more than ten minutes without finding more black liquid, she finally gave up.
Frustrated but pressed for time, she marked the location for later. She still had to continue the journey and look for her seeds. With this many people around, she couldn't use her abilities freely anyway.
By then, Jun Bao had also wrapped up his discussions. "Let's switch to sea mode," he said. "We are already deep in the mountains, so it shouldn't be far now. Plus, we are running low on gas. We can't walk there on foot, right?"
Fair enough.
When Jing Shu climbed back into the minibus, Hong Bin was already stepping on the pedal, his face flushed red from the effort. The minibus creaked forward slowly, inch by inch.
Jing Shu sighed. "How about… I drive?"