Chapter 404: Pharmaceutical Factory Assembly Line
Artifact Refinement Laboratory.
Ye Xingli glanced at Zhang Yu beside her, observing his artifact refinement progress. “He can now consistently produce Level 5 Azure Heaven Sand?” she thought to herself.
“Although Zhang Yu started a bit behind, the fact that he’s managed to advance his artifact refinement skills to this level within a month while simultaneously keeping up with his Civil Engineering Department courses shows remarkable aptitude.”
“If he maintains this momentum, transferring to the Artifact Refinement Department might actually be possible…”
Just then, Ye Xingli noticed a jade-colored bracelet peeking out from Zhang Yu’s sleeve.
“That’s… the Yin-Yang Bracelet?” Her eyes flickered. “Zhang Yu,” she asked, “is that a new magical artifact you bought?”
Zhang Yu turned around, displaying the bracelet. “You mean this, Senior Sister?”
“Director Gao lent it to me. It’s a body refinement artifact.”
Director Gao had previously mentioned providing Zhang Yu with a magical artifact to enhance his body refinement efficiency.
However, over half a month had passed without any news, leading Zhang Yu to assume the director had forgotten.
Then, a few days ago, Director Gao delivered the bracelet, explaining it was a loan to be used until Zhang Yu’s physical strength reached Level 20.
The bracelet, known as the Yin-Yang Bracelet, continuously absorbs spiritual energy with the alternation of day and night after being imbued with Magic Power. This process regulates the balance of Yang Qi and Yin Essence within the body, refining the physical body and strengthening flesh and blood.
“Yin-Yang Bracelet…” Ye Xingli thought to herself. “This is a newly refined magical artifact by Master, not even released yet, right? Why would he give it to Director Gao to lend to Zhang Yu?”
“Master is truly too kind to Director Gao…”
Thinking this, Ye Xingli sighed, “Director Gao must have gone to great lengths to support your artifact refinement. He even specially borrowed this body refinement artifact for you, so you can temper your physical body while refining artifacts.”
Startled by her words, Zhang Yu quickly denied, “Director Gao doesn’t know I’m refining artifacts.”
Ye Xingli paused, slightly confused. “Huh?”
Zhang Yu added, “Senior Sister, Director Gao dislikes me refining artifacts. Please don’t reveal my activities here to anyone in the Civil Engineering Department.”
“Every time I come here to refine artifacts, I have my roommate reserve the laboratory for me, just to avoid leaks.”
Meanwhile, Zhang Yu thought to himself, “That True Monarch Magnetic Pole said Ye Xingli would keep it a secret. Why does she seem to have no sense of discretion at all, even mentioning Director Gao’s support for my artifact refinement?”
Ye Xingli was slightly dazed, thinking to herself, “I remember clearly, Master said Director Gao was the one who wanted Zhang Yu to transfer departments.”
Sensing the contradiction in their words, Ye Xingli frowned slightly, wondering, “Why is Zhang Yu saying Director Gao dislikes his artifact refinement? Did I misremember?”
Ye Xingli was certain she hadn’t misremembered. Moreover, she knew for sure that both Zhang Yu and her master had urged her not to mention this matter to Director Gao.
“Something’s not right.”
“This is seriously off.”
“Could it be that Director Gao wasn’t the one who wanted Zhang Yu to transfer departments? Could it be…”
A figure flashed through her mind, and Ye Xingli immediately stopped her train of thought.
Watching Zhang Yu refine Level 5 Azure Heaven Sand before her, she murmured to herself, “That’s impossible.”
“It makes no sense.”
“Master and Director Gao have been friends for centuries.”
“There must be something I’m missing.”
Ye Xingli then recalled Zhang Yu’s relationship with Wen Wuya.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole, Director Gao, Zhang Yu, Wen Wuya, Artifact Refinement Department, Civil Engineering Department, Heavenly Sword University…
Ye Xingli felt as if she were lost in a dense fog, the entire situation unfathomable.
Myriad Laws University City, 1st underground floor.
Zhang Yu and Le Mulan were traveling through the Primordial Magnetic Channel, heading towards the 9th underground floor.
Zhang Yu asked curiously, “Are you also going to Celestial Orchid Pharmaceuticals’ pharamaceutical factory?”
Le Mulan nodded. “Our department has always had a cooperative relationship with Celestial Orchid Pharmaceuticals.”
“This time, Celestial Orchid Pharmaceuticals is expanding its production lines, and my mentor asked me to help adjust the lines.”
Since becoming her mentor’s disciple, Le Mulan had been studying self-produced medicine techniques.
These techniques involved using the physical body as a cauldron and Magic Power as fuel, refining ingested medicinal materials into various medicinal pills.
Unlike pharmaceutical factories that could mass-produce drugs, this method linked cultivation level directly to pharmaceutical proficiency. It eliminated the need for massive investments in production lines and allowed for easy adjustments in drug production, making it ideal for high-end pharmaceutical development.
Moreover, processes like adjusting pharmaceutical production lines were perfect for cultivators like Le Mulan to participate in testing.
Le Mulan turned to Zhang Yu and asked, “Are you here for the pharamaceutical factory expansion too?”
Zhang Yu nodded, recalling Director Gao’s summons for him to join the factory project.
This pharmaceutical factory project offered a daily supply of medicinal pills, involved underground construction, and was perfectly suited for cultivating the Second Absolute of the Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering, the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force. The compensation was also quite substantial.
“Director Gao probably wants me to eat well and drink well on this construction site, while seizing every opportunity to cultivate the Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force and improve my physical strength.”
“Though my Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force actually reached Level 20 not long ago…”
Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Still, coming to this construction site to consume more pills and earn more money is definitely worth it.”
After all, Zhang Yu had recently taken up artifact refinement, a notoriously expensive pursuit. He was willing to do anything that could earn him more money.
In the blink of an eye, the two arrived at the main gate of Celestial Orchid Pharmaceuticals’ factory. There, they saw a large group of Qi Refinement kids gathered, seemingly waiting for something.
When some of them noticed Zhang Yu and Le Mulan, their gazes swept over the Myriad Laws University rankings floating above the pair’s heads. A hint of awe and envy flickered in their eyes.
As Zhang Yu observed the rankings above the Qi Refinement kids’ heads, he thought, “Guangliao Technical Vocational College?”
“Are these all Junior College Students?”
Meanwhile, amidst the bustling crowd, a line of text appeared in the Spirit Realm Projection above the pharamaceutical factory’s entrance: “Hiring Production Workers: 0.0003 Spirit Coins/hour. Registration →”
As the words materialized, the Qi Refinement kids stirred with excitement, all surging toward the arrow’s direction.
Watching this scene, Zhang Yu finally understood: these Junior College Students were here to apply for jobs at the pharamaceutical factory.
At that moment, Xiao Qingxuan’s figure appeared before Zhang Yu, his voice calm: “You’re here?”
“Perfect timing. We need to urgently construct a new workshop. Use your Great Wilderness Mountain-Shifting Force to help excavate the foundation.”
Zhang Yu bid farewell to Le Mulan and followed Xiao Qingxuan into the pharamaceutical factory, only to find himself heading in the same direction as the Junior College Students.
Curious, Zhang Yu asked, “Are these Junior College Students also going to the new production line?”
Xiao Qingxuan nodded. “It’s urgent, and we don’t have blueprints. I’ll take you to see the workshop they’re currently using. We’ll just build an identical one.”
As they approached the workshop entrance, they overheard a pharamaceutical factory manager speaking: “We don’t hire those with only Bionic Eyes.”
A Junior College Student said, “I’ve honed my physical body for eight years, enduring relentless training day and night and consuming countless potions. It’s definitely superior to any Bionic.”
The manager sneered. “You think your self-trained body can compare to Bionics developed by experts, manufactured by major corporations, refined through generations of upgrades, and embodying the collective wisdom of countless minds?”
“Moreover, assembly line work demands standardization. How can we standardize bodies that vary in size and shape?”
“To work here, you must install a Bionic first.”
“If you can’t afford it, we offer rental options.”
“If you can’t even pay for that, why bother applying?”
As the Junior College Student hesitated, several classmates rushed forward, shouting, “I’ll rent! I’ll rent!”
Zhang Yu remained indifferent. On the Second Layer, whether as a student or job seeker, Bionics were a significant advantage, a reality he had long grown accustomed to.
Moments later, he and Xiao Qingxuan entered the factory floor, only to witness Junior College Students being fed onto the assembly line one by one.
“Sell your limbs or store them?”
“If you choose storage, the fees will be deducted from your wages.”
Amidst the whirring and slicing sounds, Zhang Yu watched as Junior College Students on the assembly line had their limbs severed and chests torn open. Each was then fitted with standardized Hand Bionics for operating tools and organ Bionics for digestion and endocrine regulation.
One by one, living human bodies were fed onto the assembly line. In a flurry of blood, they were transformed into uniform assembly line workers.
Stunned by the sight, Zhang Yu blurted out, “What the hell… is this a slaughterhouse?”
Xiao Qingxuan replied, “How could it be a slaughterhouse? We’re simply replacing their limbs with Work Bionics for easy installation on the production line.”
“With standardized digestive systems, we can collectively feed them through feeding tubes…”
“And with adjusted endocrine systems, we can enhance drug absorption…”
“After all, a factory isn’t a school. The workers are on the assembly line 24/7, and all maintenance is performed there as well.”
Watching the endless stream of workers being produced on the assembly line, Zhang Yu felt as if they had been reduced to mere parts, ultimately assembled onto the pharamaceutical factory’s production line.
Through Xiao Qingxuan’s explanation, Zhang Yu learned that the factory had recently recruited more workers due to expansion.
The factory Zhang Yu was helping to build today was an assembly line facility for producing operator-class workers.
Xiao Qingxuan reminded him, “Use your Bionic Eye to record the factory’s specifications. Try to replicate it one-to-one later.”
Watching the assembly line churn out operator-class workers at such a rapid pace, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Isn’t this enough?”
Xiao Qingxuan explained, “The operator-class workers produced here aren’t just for this factory complex; they need to supply other complexes as well.”
“The intensity of the University War has escalated recently, driving up demand for pharmaceuticals. Many pharmaceutical companies anticipate further expansion of the war and are rushing to establish new production lines. There’s still a significant shortage of standardized operator-class workers for these assembly lines.”