Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Crop Planting
Different from simple curiosity or observation, this kind of "inspection" carries the connotation of scrutiny and exploration.
As the deputy district chief and Shi Ren chatted incessantly, everyone else's eyes were fixed on her. She had just realized that the gift and apology were specially prepared for her, so she naturally wanted to observe her reaction carefully.
But her intuition has always been sharper than her brain. She felt strange because the scrutinizing gaze hidden behind her natural love and closeness naturally aroused her self-protection consciousness.
She was so used to the stares that she began to overlook the hidden details.
Ye Ning immediately asked, "Who are those people following behind them?"
Gu Su: "They are from the regional research institute and the government. They are all orcs from the sheep, cattle, and lion tribes."
Hou Lin quickly asked, "Is there something wrong with those people?"
The other party hadn't specifically introduced them, so they all assumed they were accompanying personnel. Furthermore, the Deputy District Chief and Shi Ren were constantly talking, so their attention was focused on them and they didn't pay much attention to the others. Therefore, they didn't really have a deep impression of them.
Ye Ning: "It seems there aren't many pure humans in the Directly Controlled Area?"
Gu Su: "Yes, most of the pure humans are in the capital area. Because after the independent region became independent, it directly shifted its focus to the field of interstellar exploration."
The Federal Territory isn't actually very large. It's nestled between multiple regions, making it a relatively safe location. Furthermore, it's backed by the federal government and the tax revenues of the entire federation. So, to be honest, the Federal Territory is even wealthier than the National Capital Region.
This was also a major source of dissatisfaction among the other districts. Despite resource scarcity, the Federation's demand for resources remained undiminished, and a significant amount of tax revenue and resources flowed to the federal districts. However, over the years, the federal districts had failed to demonstrate commensurate results and progress.
Ye Ning: "I can't really explain it, but they give me a very strange feeling. If we have any contact with them in the future, we should be more cautious."
This was the first time Ye Ning said the word "cautious". Everyone looked at each other and became alert for a moment.
But they recalled the scene just now. There was no contact between the two sides, nor any in-depth conversation. No matter how hard they thought, there seemed to be nothing wrong. Everything seemed normal.
Gu Yu: "There's surveillance footage in the conference room. I'll check it out now."
Hou Lin: "I'll have someone disinfect everything they just touched."
Ye Ning stopped them, "No need. We just met for such a short time that we definitely can't find out anything useful. If they have other intentions, they will definitely come back to me."
Everyone looked at each other and said nothing more, but they still checked the information of those people in private and strengthened the monitoring of people in the direct-controlled area.
However, the people from the direct-controlled area did not stay for long. After leaving Shi Ren behind, the rest of the people left the Xisha area by aircraft the next day.
The activities during this period have finally come to an end.
That night, Ye Ning cultivated thousands of kilograms of rock grass in the research institute in Xisha District, sprinkled a large amount of intermediate pesticide on it, and handed everything over to Long Qi.
Only He Yang and Hou Sen knew about this matter. Even Hou Lin didn't know what she had done.
Everyone was waiting outside the door, but no one showed any excessive curiosity.
After Ye Ning finished dealing with everything, she secretly said to Long Qi, "If I have the chance, I still want to go to the center of the restricted area to take a look myself."
Long Qi immediately rejected her, "No."
Ye Ning patted his shoulder and said, "But I always feel that there might be something else there."
She later looked up information and found that the area had always been the source of the pollution. Dilong's death had happened decades ago, but the area had always been there.
Although the location has undergone some changes, the general range is still in that area.
"No." Long Qi refused decisively, leaving no room for negotiation.
But after he finished speaking, he felt that his refusal was too abrupt, so he explained: "It's very dangerous."
Ye Ning nodded, "I know it's dangerous, so you have to be careful too."
"Then wait until all the pollutants there are eliminated, then take me there."
Long Qi paused and looked into Ye Ning's eyes.
There seemed to be a gentle and passionate light in Ye Ning's eyes, and that light was as bright as the stars.
She seemed to have always believed that the pollutants in the restricted area would be completely eliminated one day.
Long Qi agreed, "Okay, I'll take you there once all the pollutants are eliminated."
Ye Ning was in a very good mood and patted his shoulder happily, "Then let's work hard together!"
Once she plants more plants and obtains advanced pesticides, the pollutants can be completely solved!
Long Qi disappeared again the next day, but no one went to ask about him.
After they checked and cleaned the planting area overnight, Ye Ning finally moved back into the planting area.
Although we had only been away for a few days, when we suddenly saw the planting area again, we all felt refreshed and refreshed.
Hou Lin stared at the plants and said, "Why do I feel like the plants are growing even more lush?"
Le Song nodded. "The leaves seem to be greener. I just saw that the cacti are blooming, and the saxaul trees are also blooming a lot of flowers."
Ye Ning also looked in that direction. A Haloxylon ammodendron tree not far away was covered with clusters of pale yellow flowers. The flowers of the Haloxylon ammodendron tree were relatively small, but there were many of them, a large area, densely packed on the branches.
The cactus Le Song was talking about had already blossomed with brightly colored white and yellow flowers. Compared to it, the Haloxylon ammodendron was much more plain.
She hadn't eaten the cactus fruit yet. It was still early, so Ye Ning suddenly became interested and said, "Let's go and take a look."
There happened to be a researcher recording ecological data over there, and he was very surprised to see Ye Ning suddenly coming over.
"Lord Ye Ning!"
Ye Ning greeted them and asked, "Are you recording data?"
The researchers nodded immediately and handed over the information in their hands. "This area is a sand-fixing vegetation zone. We are collecting soil samples to analyze the types, numbers, and activity of microorganisms in the soil."
"Look at this. The microbial community here has developed a unique adaptive mechanism. Not only can it produce more resistant enzymes to break down organic matter, but it also forms stronger aggregates, and its growth and reproduction capacity are rapidly increasing..."
Prior to this, due to the extremely hot daytime temperatures in the Xisha region and the near-absence of nutrients in the yellow sand, the microbial communities in the soil were in very poor condition. Some microbial communities would remain dormant during the day and only become active again at night when the temperature dropped.
But now, thanks to the combined effects of plant roots and ecological restoration, microbial communities have ample conditions for reproduction. This also means that the stability and resilience of the overall ecosystem are further enhanced, making it better able to withstand external interference and damage.
"We have incorporated these microorganisms into a newly developed soil conditioner, which has significantly enhanced its effectiveness."
The researchers happily shared the news with her. Ye Ning had actually read the information, but she still listened to their sharing patiently and felt their joy.
This is largely due to the intermediate soil conditioner provided by the system. The high-quality microbial flora within it laid the foundation for research, and coupled with everyone's diligent cultivation, it is only possible to achieve such great progress in such a short period of time. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, the microbial community would not be able to evolve so quickly.
After the researchers happily shared their thoughts, one of them suddenly reacted, "Master Ye Ning, what brings you here now? We've been busy talking to you, haven't we wasted your time?"
Ye Ning smiled and said, "No, I'm also very happy that our research has made such great progress."
She looked at the cactus next to her and asked, "Do you want to taste the fruit of the cactus?"
As Ye Ning spoke, she used her special abilities.
The bright, warm yellow flowers bloomed to their full glory, then the petals began to wither and fall off, and the receptacle inside gradually expanded and grew, eventually growing into several very brightly colored cactus fruits.
These oval cactus fruits are covered with tiny spines and vary greatly in color depending on the variety: some are bright red, while others are yellow-green and brown.
The researchers were amazed. Even though they had seen it many times, they would still be impressed by it the next time.
Ye Ning stretched out her hand, wanting to pick the fruits.
Cang Chen, who was standing next to her, immediately grabbed her. Le Song also stepped forward and said, "I'll pick them."
Ye Ning looked back at him with a smile on her face, and Cang Chen quickly let go of her hand.
He moved his lips, wanting to say something, but he didn't know what to say. The feeling from just now was still there, and his palms felt like they were burning, and his whole body was burning, and soon even his earlobes were flushed.
Le Song then asked again, "Should we pick all these fruits?"
Ye Ning nodded, "Give these two to the teacher, and we can divide the rest among the few of us. It's just right that everyone can try it."
Ye Ning's attention turned back to the cactus fruit, and she didn't seem to notice anything unusual about him.
Cang Chen couldn't explain what he felt in his heart, but he seemed to have a slight sense of loss.
Ye Ning had actually never eaten cactus fruit, she had only seen it in information.
Cactus fruit contains a lot of water and nutrients, such as various vitamins and dietary fiber. In the desert, cactus is definitely the best food variety.
However, not all cactus fruits are edible. Some varieties of cactus fruits contain toxins that are harmful to the human body, so before eating, you must carefully distinguish the varieties.
Generally speaking, edible cactus fruits are larger, have few thorns on the surface, and are very bright in color; poisonous varieties are the exact opposite, not only are they smaller in size and dull in color, but their surface is also covered with sharp thorns.
While Ye Ning was explaining to everyone how to distinguish whether the fruits were edible, she also reminded them: "Be careful not to let their sharp thorns pierce your skin."
Hou Lin said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter, we are so strong that we won't be poisoned."
Although the others didn't say anything, they all thought so. After all, even such a serious injury, they were able to recover quickly. Such a small plant fruit didn't seem to have any lethality at all.
Ye Ning looked at them and said seriously, "No matter if it has lethality or not, we can't take this matter lightly."
Poisoning and physical injuries are two completely different concepts.
Poisoning is a form of damage to the body, such as organ failure and nervous system damage, which are irreversible, so the consequences can be very serious. However, flesh wounds only damage localized tissues, so compared to poisoning, they are more controllable.
Ye Ning emphasized it to them again, and only after getting everyone's assurance did she let them cut the cactus fruit.
These cactus fruits didn't have any thorns, so Le Song simply used the dagger he carried with him to cut them into small pieces with skin and flesh, and then gave a piece to each person.
However, he handled the piece for Ye Ning very carefully, cutting the skin cleanly, leaving only a thin layer of transparent skin. He also disinfected his hands and dagger with alcohol in advance.
Everyone was holding cactus fruit in their hands, but they were all looking at Ye Ning.
Ye Ning: "Eat it, eat it. Just eat it directly. You may find it unpalatable, but you can still taste it."
After taking a bite, everyone was surprised by the taste of the cactus fruit. The flesh was soft and juicy, with a natural sweet taste and a unique aroma. However, the texture was a bit slippery, like gel.
Ye Ning doesn’t like the taste very much. She doesn’t like fruits with this kind of gel texture. She still likes common fruits like watermelon, strawberry and banana.
Ye Ning looked at them and asked, "Is it delicious?"
Everyone nodded immediately, and a researcher said, "This is a rare plant fruit, it must be delicious."
They are new researchers and the plants they eat every day are fruits and vegetables.
One researcher even chewed the peel and swallowed it directly, looking intoxicated.
Ye Ning suddenly felt that she should praise such thrifty behavior. Although they could eat plants every day, they still maintained a sense of awe, which was truly precious.
But she still doesn't want people to waste even the fruit peels, as it's too tight on finances.
She really should speed up and promote the crops.
Ye Ning looked at Hou Lin and said, "When the other fruits are ripe, ask the chef to squeeze them into juice and share it with everyone."
"Don't eat the peel. It's not tasty at all."
Ye Ning said goodbye to them and turned to go to the research institute building.
Several researchers watched her leave, their hearts filled with a strong sense of happiness.
A researcher held the peel in his hand, his eyes devout, "Master Ye Ning is really good to us."
Everyone nodded vigorously.
They had met many people who were completely different in front of others and behind their backs. But Ye Ning treated them even better in private than in public.
She could have used the cactus fruit today for publicity or given it to someone more prestigious and important, but she just shared it with them.
She is really nice to everyone and never puts on airs in front of them. Being able to work with her here is the greatest blessing in their lives.
The wind, carrying the scent of plants, blew over them, and the occasional chirping of birds and frogs mingled with the sounds from all around them. The once scorching sun gently fell on them, and a warm and peaceful atmosphere permeated the air.
As soon as Ye Ning arrived at the breeding room, Shi Cong welcomed her in happily.
The rest were still busy in different compartments.
After Ye Ning decided to promote crops, he mobilized 40% of his staff to join the crop gene optimization and cultivation program.
So the institute directly set up a new department to specifically promote this matter.
They divided the personnel into six types of crops. All the rooms were separated by transparent glass, so everyone could see each other and communicate immediately if there were any problems.
This department has been completely taken over by Shi Cong.
The other part of the ecological plan is also still being promoted, and the original researchers and Cang Hao are also there, and have not fallen behind.
There were several other researchers in the room, and they were all very happy to see her coming.
Shi Cong: "Master Ye Ning, look, this is our latest generation of wheat seeds."
He pulled Ye Ning onto the test bench, on which genetic data of different traits were projected, but only the seed was left on the table.
Shi Cong happily introduced the seeds to her.
"Take the climate conditions in the Xisha region as an example. The normal growth cycle of wheat is 120-150 days, but the latest iteration of wheat, Wheat 15, has a growth cycle of only 60 days. In other words, without consuming any resources, it can be harvested in just two months."
This is undoubtedly a huge improvement. Compared with other regions, the climatic conditions in the Xisha region are still relatively harsh. So if harvesting can be achieved within two months under such environmental conditions, then the growth rate will definitely be even faster in other places with better conditions.
"Look at the wheat grains. The original seeds yielded about 600 kilograms per mu, but after multiple generations, the yield has reached 900 kilograms per mu. Furthermore, the nutrients and taste have been further improved."
Of course, this data is still based on the harsh desert environment. Under normal circumstances, the average wheat yield per mu is around 850-1000 kilograms. If the growing conditions are extremely favorable, the yield per mu can reach 1200-1800 kilograms, or even higher.
Shi Cong looked at Ye Ning, his eyes gleaming with joy, "Lord Ye Ning, the wheat seeds can be promoted first."
Ye Ning felt inexplicably moved and couldn't help but applaud. "You guys are truly amazing. It's my greatest honor to be able to fight alongside such an excellent team like you."
Shi Cong shook his head firmly. "It's because the mother seed you gave us is so excellent, coupled with your innate ability, that we can iterate so smoothly. The seed genes in the original gene bank simply can't survive or even grow in this environment. Even if we iterate a hundred times, it may not be able to be successfully planted."
The original seeds were extremely genetically mismatched with the environment, and could even be said to have major defects. Without a mother plant sample and the ability to carry out substantial generation, these defects could not be improved at all.
Looking back now, it seems like it was a simple matter for them to cultivate Wheat 15. But without Ye Ning, cultivating Wheat 15 would be a fairy tale.
Everyone agreed.
"Yes, Master Ye Ning, without you we would never have been able to cultivate it so quickly."
"That's right, this is all thanks to your top-notch talent."
"Yes, it turns out that pure humans are the last hope of this world."
Ye Ning looked at them and said seriously, "Everyone always says 'pure humans are the last hope of this world,' but I've always felt that this statement is wrong. Whether pure humans or orcs, everyone is working hard for the future of Sea Dust Star. Without you, I couldn't have cultivated such high-quality seeds on my own. This is the result of everyone's hard work. Each of you is the hope of this world."
She never thought of herself as a savior who could save the world and everyone on her own.
All the success so far is the result of everyone's hard work. Like many people on the Dust Star, she is just doing her best to do what she can.
In her eyes, everyone's efforts and contributions are the same, it's just that those with greater abilities make more significant and crucial contributions. However, the emergence of these key milestones often reflects the hard work and dedication of countless people.
Time seemed to stand still, and everyone seemed to only hear Ye Ning's voice.
Ye Ning's gratitude was extremely sincere, and a feeling of being moved surged from the bottom of everyone's heart, and a gentle shock enveloped their bodies.
Ye Ning's recognition was too precious to them. Her pure human identity, her top-tier talent, the conditions and resources she provided them...
Some people's eyes began to heat up, some stood there at a loss, and some doubted whether they were worthy of such sincere affirmation, but then, an unprecedented sense of confidence and strength rose in everyone's hearts.
After a while, someone started to say, "Don't worry, Master Ye Ning, we will definitely work harder in the future!"
Ye Ning shook her head. "After you cultivate these seeds, you should take a good rest for a few days."
"Don't worry, we've all been getting enough sleep lately. You've provided us with such great conditions. It's much better here than my previous job."
"Yes, you don't know how companies out there exploit people. They want us to eat, drink, defecate and urinate in the company 24 hours a day."
"In fact, leaving here would make me feel uncomfortable. Being able to study plants here is already a break for me."
…
Shi Cong looked at Ye Ning and said with a smile, "I'll show you the progress of other crops."
Ye Ning nodded and followed him to other areas.
But before leaving, Ye Ning instructed Hou Lin to ask the chef to prepare an extra meal for everyone.
After all, today is a good day worth celebrating, it is the birthday of Wheat 15!
The progress of other crops is also going smoothly. It is estimated that all of them can be cultivated within a week.
In fact, considering the particularity of the desert environment and the need for large-scale planting, potatoes and edible fungi are the most suitable for the Xisha area.
Potatoes are drought-tolerant and highly adaptable to soil conditions, particularly those with loose soil and adequate drainage. Loose soil promotes root development and tuber enlargement, while good drainage prevents diseases caused by excessive waterlogging. The yellow sand of the Xisha region perfectly meets these requirements.
Moreover, potatoes are light-loving crops, and the Xisha area has sufficient sunlight.
Edible fungi are suitable for the Xisha area because they can be grown directly in greenhouses or sheds, which can effectively prevent the damage caused by wind, sand, insect pests and other factors in the desert.
However, potatoes do not need a greenhouse and can be grown outdoors. The large root system that grows in time can not only stabilize the soil and prevent wind, but also increase the organic matter in the soil and improve soil fertility.
The only problem is that potatoes are a cool-weather crop, and the midday temperature in the Xisha region can be quite high. However, that's not a problem. Baiqing's previously developed liquid coating has undergone multiple iterations and upgrades, and it can now be sprayed directly on plants to reduce the damage caused by high temperatures.
The soil is also easy to process. Just mix the arsenic sandstone and soil conditioner into the yellow sand.
Wheat is also a viable option. This was originally developed through an experimental optimization process based on the conditions of the Xisha Islands. Therefore, during the cultivation process, they paid special attention to the plant's suitability for the environment. As a result, Wheat 15 is highly adaptable and tolerant to drought and salt and alkali.
Everything is ready, and crop planting in the Xisha area has begun first.
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