Apocalyptic Flood: Sexy Beauty Neighbor's Midnight Plea for Food Chapter 1104 - 449: The Role of the R&D Department

In the following days, the seasoned veterans at the military base progressively witnessed the specialized prowess of units like the Agricultural and Construction departments from Yangshan.

The Agricultural Department, in particular, successfully cultivated a variety of mutant crops, significantly broadening the dietary options and enhancing the daily meals for residents at the Yangshan Shelter.

"Old Tang, how come you haven't departed yet?"

Inside the dormitory, Zhou Wanxi and her companions entered a room on the lower floor, only to find Tang Dechang idling in the corridor with an insulated cup instead of heading toward the square for the morning assembly.

This sight left Zhou Wanxi and the rest of the group thoroughly astonished.

Tang Dechang took a slow sip and responded with a grin, "I am finished with mandatory labor starting today."

The group stood stunned, leading Meng Qin to press, "What do you mean you are done with labor?"

Tang Dechang let out a soft laugh and replied, "The instructor has assigned me to a different post."

"Are you serious?" Zhou Wanxi quickly inquired.

Tang Dechang maintained his smug demeanor, offering only a cryptic smile in return.

At that moment, Zhang Hengliang strolled past. Noticing the atmosphere, he caught on immediately and ran over to whisper, "Old Tang, I'll pay one Point; just guide us brothers on the right path."

Tang Dechang raised a brow and chuckled, "It is a deal, one Point."

"Agreed!" Zhang Hengliang muttered through gritted teeth.

Only then did Tang Dechang laugh, revealing, "During yesterday’s field work, I utilized my Wood Attribute Ability, which caught the eye of the Agricultural Department’s leadership. They have officially reassigned me to their team."

As it turned out, Grandma Li had noticed Tang Dechang’s Wood Attribute Superpower during his labor shift and immediately took an interest.

For the Agricultural Department, a user possessing a Wood Attribute Superpower was an asset of immense value.

Consequently, Grandma Li consulted with Zhao Kai, and the two decided to draft Tang Dechang into their ranks.

Starting this morning, Tang Dechang would begin his new tenure at the Agricultural Department.

Upon hearing this revelation, Zhou Wanxi and the others were stirred into an uproar.

"Wow, is that really allowed?"

"No way, Old Tang, is your Wood Attribute really that special? My Water Attribute Superpower can irrigate crops too; I should petition for a transfer to the Agricultural Department as well," Zhang Hengliang shouted.

Li Chongming turned slightly envious, but he remained collected and analyzed the situation quickly.

"Calm down, Liangzi. Old Tang’s Wood Attribute can actually nurture mutant flora—what exactly could your Water Attribute accomplish?"

"Irrigation? Look outside at this torrential rain; do you really think they need you to water anything?"

The group looked out at the unending downpour and immediately burst into laughter.

Zhang Hengliang felt so dejected he could practically spit blood, fuming, "Damn it! I am an elite Superpower User capable of Elementalization, yet I cannot even be utilized for construction?"

Tang Dechang chuckled, saying, "Listen, Liangzi, Old Zhou, Chongming, you fellas are still clinging to the old mindset."

"What did Mr. Liang tell us before? There is no such thing as a useless superpower, only users who lack the vision to apply them correctly."

"You guys are just being obtuse."

"Explain what you mean?" Zhang Hengliang urged.

Li Chongming leaned in, asking, "Old Tang, do you have any genuine advice?"

Zhou Wanxi stood silently, though she, along with Xiao Mingtian and Meng Qin, watched him expectantly.

Tang Dechang chuckled before asking, "Do you know where Xue Guohua, Tao Wei, and Zhai Guofeng have gone?"

Zhang Hengliang looked confused and asked, "Now that you mention it, I didn't see them yesterday. Where are they?"

Tang Dechang smiled. "The Construction Department."

"What?"

"They are in the Construction Department? Why?"

"What is going on?"

The men questioned him in a frantic flurry.

Tang Dechang blew on the tea leaves inside his mug, took a satisfied sip, and said, "What are the superpowers of Tao Wei, Xue Guohua, and Zhai Guofeng?"

Zhou Wanxi had a sudden realization and exclaimed, "Earth Attribute!"

Li Chongming caught on as well, "I understand now! The Construction Department needs to build structures and fire bricks; their powers are precisely what is required!"

Tang Dechang laughed, "Exactly. Now do you see the path you should be pursuing?"

"Focus on what you specialize in rather than blindly harvesting vegetables or engaging in mindless manual labor every single day."

"No matter how much effort you exert, can you outperform a Strength-type Superpower User?"

"For repetitive, mechanical tasks, can you outpace a Speed Ability User?"

"Reflect carefully on what your superpower is inherently suited for."

Tang Dechang’s words served as a sudden enlightenment for the group.

Xiao Mingtian’s eyes lit up, "I should head to the Weapon Factory!"

Being a Metal Attribute Superpower User, he realized the factory would be his perfect environment.

Zhou Wanxi frowned, "I possess formidable spiritual power. I excel at Telekinesis and Spiritual Interference... where does that leave me?"

Li Chongming remained furrowed in thought; he was also a Metal Attribute user, but his specific ability involved the unique manipulation of mercury.

That substance didn't seem to have a place, not even in the Weapon Factory.

Given his limited knowledge, he only associated mercury with making thermometers, leaving him unsure of how to apply his talent.

Meng Qin and Zhang Hengliang remained even more troubled, as their Water Attribute Superpowers felt redundant during the Great Flood Era.

They struggled to find a fitting role for their abilities.

Observing their distress, Tang Dechang suggested, "If you truly cannot find a new niche, perhaps you should return to your original profession."

"Huh? Our old line of work?"

"Boating?"

The suggestion left them completely stunned.

Tang Dechang laughed, "I heard that Mr. Liang intends to commission a fleet and is in desperate need of capable captains."

"You are all seasoned captains, accustomed to naval equipment and life on the high seas."

"Furthermore, your abilities are exceptionally suited for naval engagement. I suggest you serve diligently and aim to join Yangshan’s fleet in the future. Becoming a captain would be a great success!"

"Don't say Old Tang didn't warn you. Yangshan is currently a hotspot for underwater salvage, and captains with water-based talents are in exceptionally high demand."

Upon hearing this, the room suddenly felt illuminated.

Zhang Hengliang slapped his thigh and muttered, "We have been overthinking this. Our primary skill is sailing, and we nearly overlooked it!"

"Hey, Old Tang, you truly have a sharp eye."

The group erupted into hearty laughter before hearing Wen Xiao shouting from downstairs.

Snapped back to reality, they hurriedly rushed down to join the others for the assembly.

...

Over at the Meishan Military Base, Liang Yuan did not feel the need to pry.

Since he had placed these personnel under Zhao Kai’s supervision, he had full confidence that Zhao Kai could manage them appropriately.

Zhao Kai had successfully managed several waves of prisoners, long shedding the impulsive nature of his youth.

Currently, he possessed the capability to operate independently.

During these first few days, after spending some time enjoying life with his companions, Liang Yuan finally settled down to deliberate over the artifacts he had recovered from the Floating Island.

In the Sunshine District Research Department, Li Hanzhong, Ren Jie, and Fu Qibo were already gathered.

They collectively peered at a glass beaker sitting on the laboratory table with grave expressions.

The beaker was coated in a thick layer of frost.

Inside lay a crimson mass of blood, emitting a chilling, ominous aura.

Liang Yuan gestured toward the substance, stating, "I deliberately omitted mentioning Blood Ice during the briefing because I have yet to determine an effective method for extracting the necessary Genetic Species from it."

"I have brought you all here to brainstorm a solution: how can we isolate and purify the Ice Attribute Gene from this Blood Ice?"

"Mr. Liang, gene purification is a high-stakes experimental endeavor. Given our current limitations in equipment, it is a monumental challenge," Li Hanzhong replied helplessly.

Anyone with a basic academic background understands that gene purification usually demands the most advanced scientific instrumentation.

The others echoed his concern with troubled looks.

They were capable of manufacturing weaponry, constructing ships, studying Superpower Stones, and etching Skill Runes, but gene purification was an entirely different tier of difficulty.

Liang Yuan insisted, "It is not as impossible as you fear."

"Gene purification does not require precise machinery as much as it requires exploiting the internal repulsive reactions of the genes themselves."

"According to the methodology I have acquired, we simply need to construct a Genetic Furnace, insert this high-concentration blood, and then apply a process to burn away the impurities. This should leave behind the high-purity Ice Attribute Gene, which will eventually transition into a stable Genetic Species."

Liang Yuan offered a concise summary of the genetic refinement technique imparted by Qiu Gongrong.

The researchers were brilliant; once the concept was explained, they quickly understood the logic.

Fu Qibo quickly chimed in, "Is it conceptually similar to saline extraction, where we utilize different boiling points to isolate salt from seawater?"

His analogy was vivid, and Liang Yuan acknowledged it with a slight nod. "Close."

"However, we cannot simply use the boiling point method on this blood; excessive heat would certainly destroy the delicate genes."

Fu Qibo nodded, "I was merely providing an analogy. We must apply techniques suitable for the Superpower Era."

Interested, Liang Yuan asked, "Do any of you have a concrete approach?"

Fu Qibo shook his head, "Not yet, let me ponder this."

Li Hanzhong became deep in thought, then said, "This is an intriguing topic. I have a hypothesis that everyone should consider."

The rest of the group turned their attention to Li Hanzhong.

Li Hanzhong continued, "Saline extraction relies on boiling points to isolate substances. Since we are dealing with Blood Ice, perhaps the key is to focus on the unique properties of the Ice Attribute Gene itself!"

Fu Qibo exclaimed, "You mean we should identify a specific characteristic of the Ice Attribute that sets it apart from the others, allowing us to filter them out?"

"Precisely."

Fu Qibo pondered, "The most distinguishing feature of the Ice Attribute Gene is its inherent low temperature."

"Can we engineer an environment where the blood is kept at low temperatures, killing off genes that cannot withstand the cold, while the Ice Attribute remains unaffected?" Fu Qibo wondered aloud.

Li Hanzhong added, "It does not necessarily have to be low temperature; exploring the opposite extreme might yield results as well."

Fu Qibo frowned, struggling to grasp the point.

Li Hanzhong explained, "I am referring to high temperatures! The Ice Attribute emanates cold energy, so it must possess a degree of resistance to heat."

"Intense heat could rapidly destroy genes that lack heat resistance, while the Ice Attribute, due to its specialized nature, might survive. This method could potentially preserve the pure gene."

"But there is a risk of damaging the Ice Attribute Gene. The temperature control must be absolute. Any error could destroy the specimen and cause catastrophic loss."

The room quickly devolved into a heated debate over these two potential avenues, with Ren Jie already beginning to design a furnace enabled by his fire-based abilities.

Observing the scene, Liang Yuan could not help but smile.

An individual’s perspective is inherently limited, but collective intellect can solve even the greatest obstacles.

He had formed this Research Department specifically to tackle such complex issues, and their performance exceeded his expectations.

Within mere minutes, Professor Li and Fu Qibo had already proposed two viable paths forward.

Liang Yuan realized that if he had been left to ponder this alone, he would have struggled to find these solutions in such a short timeframe.