Chapter 503: Chapter 503
The Dinosaur Chicken was also very tired every day, to be honest. After the initial novelty and satisfaction wore off, it gradually felt that this whole affair was, well, just so-so. But how could Grandma Jing be willing to settle? Now, with just this one rooster, the Dinosaur Chicken, she was counting on it to be full of energy every day to mate with various hens and then lay eggs that had a one-tenth chance of hatching Mutant Chickens. So every day, Grandma Jing had to arrange several pairings between the Dinosaur Chicken and the other hens. Not arranging them wouldn’t do, and faking it was out of the question. When Grandma Jing put her hands on her hips, even the Dinosaur Chicken would cower. Imagine that—having someone supervise and critique your performance right after the act. It nearly made the poor chicken lose its vigor.
On the other hand, the Fat Chicken soon came to terms with it and felt fully compensated and superior, a feeling that came from food.
The Dinosaur Chicken, Mutant Chickens, and the hens could replenish their own nutrition through various foods. According to the research institute’s findings, it didn’t matter if you fed the chickens zombie flesh or anything else; as long as it had protein, these chickens could perfectly transform it into the energy their bodies needed.
This condition was the standard for measuring apocalypse mutated species. First, they had to adapt to darkness, able to survive without sunlight, and possess genes containing Antidark Pigment. Second, they had to be immune to all pre-apocalypse viruses, such as the Zombie virus.
Mutant Chickens perfectly met all these criteria. What was truly valuable was that their products could inherit the Antidark Pigment, and most importantly, they tasted delicious, making them one of the top-tier apocalypse mutated species.
"Really, they can lay such big, tasty eggs eating whatever? They don’t need to be fed grains and vegetable roots either?" Grandma Jing asked for confirmation again.
Jing Shu nodded with a smile. "It’s just that the yield is too low. At this rate, we can only hatch a few Mutant Chickens a month."
This was the number Jing Shu had settled on after careful thought. Scarcity adds value, and this number was also safe. She didn’t need to breed Dinosaur Chickens on a large scale, lest it arouse suspicion and jealousy. The key was to also become a member of the mutated species conservation effort, adding a layer of convenience for the future in the apocalypse.
"Ah, we should be content. It’s like getting something for nothing! Feed them anything, and the unhatchable eggs can still be eaten for nourishment. With the food shortage so severe now, chickens that can lay eggs without wasting precious food are extremely valuable. These are the chickens that lay golden eggs!"
Grandma Jing was overjoyed. Thus, the diet of these Mutant Chickens consisted of red earthworms, the least valuable thing they had at home.
Never mind the Fat Chicken, whose meals were better than human food; even the other Domestic Poultry of Jing Shu’s house like Da Hua, Gou Dan, Da Niu, Cuihua, and Ermao were fed vegetable leaves, beans, grains, and leftover rice. Grandma Jing tended to them meticulously, worried that insufficient nutrition would affect their production. Now, things were better. The Mutant Chickens weren’t demanding; although they ate more, at least they didn’t consume precious grains.
"They are all such good chickens," Grandma Jing had remarked to Jing Shu more than once about how low-maintenance this group of chickens was. The only issue was their tendency to follow her around, always looking ready for a fight.
Once the Mutant Chickens officially took up residence in a part of Jing Shu’s backyard, they became the undisputed rulers of the Jing family’s territory.
Before long, the Jing family heard a relevant report on the national news, which aired at 7:00 PM daily. Although it was just a brief mention, lasting only about twenty seconds, it was enough to excite the entire family.
"According to the latest report, citizens in Wu City have discovered a new mutated species: the Mutant Chicken. These chickens can survive and reproduce better in the apocalypse... unaffected by darkness and the food chain, they can eat anything. Although their egg-laying and hatching rates are extremely low, the unhatchable eggs are still very nutritious and contain Antidark Pigment..."
The following day, this report was featured on Wu City news. Furthermore, the research institute at Wucheng Farm explained:
"If a family could raise a Mutant Chicken, they wouldn’t have to worry about its feed for the next ten years, as it can eat anything. Because it’s a mutant species, there’s no concern about illnesses, allowing it to thrive in the apocalypse. The eggs it lays can satisfy a family’s need for Antidark Pigment. Owning a Mutant Chicken is like having an extra layer of survival security in the apocalypse—truly a chicken that lays golden eggs. Most importantly, a Mutant Chicken imprints on the first person it sees upon opening its eyes, considering them its mother and remaining affectionate towards them. Raising one can even offer personal protection."
After this news was released, there was no need for advertising. The next day, many people went directly to Wucheng Farm to see what the fuss was about. Moreover, many people from other regions were inquiring with the researchers about the price of Mutant Chickens.
However, when they heard that the chickens could only be exchanged for rare Domestic Poultry or other mutated species, this discouraged 80% of them.
The matter was handed over to the research institute at Wucheng Farm. They were responsible for identifying and hatching the eggs, as well as handling exchanges for precious Domestic Poultry. Grandma Jing’s role was simply to feed the chickens. If someone wanted to trade paired Domestic Poultry or mutated species, personnel from the research institute would negotiate with Grandma Jing. Only after her approval would the institute exchange the soon-to-hatch Mutant Chickens.
In other words, the research institute now acted as a go-between, running errands and drumming up business. The benefit for them was the ability to study all related species information and receive a Dinosaur Egg for every successful exchange.
As time went on, the population of Dinosaur Chickens also grew. They consumed a lot and produced an incredible amount of droppings. Mr. Jing processed the manure every day and transported it to the Medicine Association, successfully earning Jing Shu high Contribution Value and helping her pass the monthly assessments, which left Jing Shu completely free from these chores.
Jing Shu became a hands-off manager. She paid a small egg fee, and the researchers took care of everything. In any case, dealing with an official body was much more convenient and authoritative than Jing Shu selling or exchanging materials herself.
However, whenever a Dinosaur Chicken was about to hatch without a buyer, Jing Shu would also consider giving it away. For instance, she gave two to Qian Duoduo, one to Su Malie, and one to Jin Tianci.
She also d three Mutant Chickens to the Second Team, which were now being raised like national treasures by them. Nowadays, a patrol from the Second Team would specifically circle the villa several times every day, and everyone tacitly understood the situation. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾·𝗇𝖾𝗍
Some Mutant Chickens had been exchanged, and several more had already been reserved. All these customers were introduced to Jing Shu by Qian Duoduo. However, it would still take some time. Every month, Qian Duoduo’s plane would fly out with some goods and return with others; as a merchant, he still needed to make these business runs.
For example, when the three-month agreement with the Starvation Food Supervision Bureau expired, a wealthy individual from the Imperial Capital took on the task of this particular business run. Two officials from the bureau were responsible for collecting the eight Lion-headed Geese as originally agreed.
What surprised Jing Shu, however, was that the person who came was Tan Ke!
Not only Tan Ke, but he also brought his most beloved sister. After a long absence, when Jing Shu saw Tan Ke again, he had become darker and even more robust. It was unbelievable that the petite and delicate girl beside him was his sister.