Chapter 478: Chapter 478
The utility of the Dinosaur Chicken can be set aside for now. As for the Dinosaur Eggs, they still require comprehensive experimentation, so let’s jot that down first.
12. The uses of Dinosaur Chicken and the value of Dinosaur Eggs.
However, the fact that the rooster turned into a Dinosaur Chicken indicates that the effect of the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring is related to time. It likely activates an organism’s strongest genes at a crucial moment, allowing them to survive in their most powerful form. The algae remained unchanged because that was already their strongest genetic form.
The red earthworms were reverted to their genetic state from a time when they bred wildly, solving their issue of poor reproduction. From now on, simply soaking the red earthworms in water diluted tens of thousands of times could revert them to their former prolific breeding state.
There are drawbacks, though. For instance, only the first generation of soaked red earthworms has the full ability to reproduce. The second generation has a diminished capacity, and by the Third Generation, this ability is completely gone. Given that the lifespan of red earthworms is less than seven days, even with the Spiritual Spring, one drop in several tons of water is too little to be effective.
The primary role of the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring is to stimulate former genes, serving as a catalyst. This catalyst can be used repeatedly, dozens of times, until the several tons of water are completely depleted. To deplete the water entirely would require soaking tens of tons of red earthworms, a cost negligible for Jing Shu.
This means that after the first generation of red earthworms breeds wildly and dies, Jing Shu will have to soak a new batch for reproduction.
However, to maximize benefits, Jing Shu will add trace amounts of ZS880 into the first generation’s pool. This could nearly double their reproduction rate. The principle likely involves enabling cells to divide again, thereby increasing the red earthworms’ yield.
But the biggest current need for breeding red earthworms isn’t these substances, but rather a food source. Algae, which can rapidly expand and develop, are the best choice. If red earthworms could consume organisms containing rotten corpse insects or Zombie viruses, it wouldn’t be so troublesome. Thankfully, algae can act as converters.
Therefore, Jing Shu’s red earthworm breeding method is slightly complicated. First, she collects various rotten corpse insects and Zombie creature flesh, which are mostly free and abundant in the apocalypse.
Then, she feeds this flesh to the algae, letting the special algae convert it all to a non-toxic state. Next, the algae are used as feed for the red earthworms to satisfy their rapid breeding needs. Lastly, the mature red earthworms are processed into cooked food to provide for the famine-stricken nation.
Why is Jing Shu’s method considered inimitable?
Firstly, the algae’s reproduction—the number of times their cells can divide—is limited. Once they reach a certain threshold, they stop dividing and growing, so the ZS880 substance is necessary to accelerate this process.
Okay, even assuming others also have this substance and manage to breed the algae, they still couldn’t breed Jing Shu’s red earthworms—her Blood-colored Spiritual Spring is indispensable.
Some may ask: is there any use in breeding only this mutated type of algae? As food, algae are just slightly better than rotten corpse insects, and they aren’t very filling. Feeding them to chickens or pigs is even less cost-effective.
Anyone involved in animal husbandry knows about meat-to-feed ratios and feed conversion ratios—that is, how much meat one kilogram of algae feed can produce in Domestic Poultry. If they consume less feed but grow quickly and yield more, then it’s worth breeding.
The genetically improved red earthworms can grow to 20 centimeters in just two days, boasting a short lifecycle and rapid growth. One kilogram of algae feed can yield dozens of kilograms of red earthworms. This results in a very high feed conversion ratio, far more rewarding than feeding chickens or ducks. No other organism can compete with such low costs.
Therefore, Jing Shu’s breeding method in the apocalypse hinges on the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring as a catalyst, with ample algae feed as a necessary condition. Without either, this model cannot be replicated by anyone.
By the way, speaking of the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring, oranges are hybrids of mandarins and pomelos. Jing Shu came to this conclusion after searching keywords. Hence, the oranges she planted in the Magic Cube Space reverted to their ancestral hybrid genes. This explains everything.
The Blood-colored Spiritual Spring has the ability to revert organisms to a previous state!
Wait a minute, she thought. In a few years, could I potentially use the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring to revert various extinct animals, plants, and vegetables to their pre-apocalypse versions, thereby collecting more extinct specimens?
Jing Shu swiftly wrote down her thoughts.
13. Further experiments with the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring to confirm its effects: it might be possible to revert extinct species to their pre-apocalypse versions. We could catch some Zombie creatures to experiment with.
If that’s really the case, then that’d be amazing! Jing Shu mused. So far, aside from a comprehensive collection of Seeds, I haven’t gathered a wide variety of other animals, plants, or delicious fish. Sometimes, just when I crave something specific, it’s not available. That’s truly torture for me. The source of thɪs content is 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝓷𝓮𝓽
Extinct species are always the most precious. With the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring, as long as I find something similar, I can restore it. This spring is really badass!
"Looks like the Blood-colored Spiritual Spring is pretty significant, but there’s so little of it," Jing Shu murmured to herself. "I’ve got to use it sparingly. And with so little Blood-colored Crystal, using a bit means it’s gone..."
Her phone buzzed non-stop. After thoroughly resolving the major issue of red earthworm breeding at the factory, Jing Shu finally picked it up. Her phone was nearly exploding with notifications: hundreds of unread messages on WeChat and a long string of comments under her recruitment post in Moments.
However, someone had shared her Moments post in the Crappy University group chat, causing an even bigger stir.
Ferris Wheel Girl: "Isn’t this Jing Shu, our college classmate who became an internet celebrity before the apocalypse? I had no idea being an influencer was in such high demand."
Short-Haired Mao: "Quit being such a snob. I heard from a high school classmate that Jing Shu has shares in Stone Garden and can casually munch on chicken legs whenever she wants—unlike you, who filmed some trashy movie that didn’t even get released before the apocalypse hit."
Ferris Wheel Girl: "You bootlicker! Think you’ll get a chicken leg for saying a few nice words about her? Do you really think she’d want someone who can’t even get their basic math right?"
Jing Shu stroked her chin and rapidly typed a reply with one hand: "@Short-Haired Mao, report to this location tomorrow. Next time, I’ll bring you a chicken leg."
"Worshipping the great one! Please give me a chicken leg!"
"What’s Jing Shu up to now? Such big talk."
Jing Shu closed the group chat and turned her attention to the comments on her Moments post.
"Boss, I was an auditor before the apocalypse. I’ve sent you my big data profile. How can I get a chicken leg?"
"My aunt’s nephew’s wife’s brother is a lawyer. If I introduce him to you, can I get a chicken leg for that?"
She quickly scanned past them.
There were a few resumes from people she knew that looked decent, and their characters seemed reliable. Jing Shu sent them the location; they would be officially employed after passing the ’trials’ she had set up.
"@Jing Shu, I heard you’re looking for a lawyer. My wife is a top-tier lawyer; want to give her a try? Oh, right, @everyone, I’m getting married at Stone Garden tomorrow! Hope you can all come to the banquet! Gifts are optional. How about we just have a get-together instead? @Jing Shu, boss! @Su Malie, boss!" Xie Zihao posted in the high school group chat.