Chapter 406: Pharmaceutical Factory Assembly Line

Chapter 406: The Pharmaceutical Assembly Line

Inside the artifact refining laboratory.

Ye Xingli cast a glance at Zhang Yu, observing his latest work, and thought to herself, "He is already capable of producing Level 5 Azure Sand with such consistency?"

"Although Zhang Yu started from a weaker position, the fact that he has managed to advance his artifact refining skills to this level within a single month, all while keeping up with his Civil Engineering coursework, proves he possesses an exceptional capacity for learning."

"If he maintains this momentum, a transfer of departments might actually be within his reach..."

Just then, Ye Xingli caught sight of a jade-colored bracelet inadvertently peeking out from beneath Zhang Yu’s sleeve.

"Is that... the Yin-Yang Bracelet?" Ye Xingli’s gaze sharpened. "Zhang Yu, is that a new magic treasure you’ve acquired?"

Zhang Yu turned around, revealing the bracelet fully. "You mean this, Senior Sister?"

"It’s a body-tempering treasure lent to me by Director Gao."

Director Gao had previously mentioned he would secure a treasure to boost Zhang Yu’s body-tempering efficiency.

However, after more than half a month passed with no word, Zhang Yu had assumed the Director had forgotten.

To his surprise, a few days ago, the Director had delivered the bracelet, stating it was on loan until Zhang Yu’s physical strength reached Level 20.

The Yin-Yang Bracelet, once infused with spiritual energy, would continuously absorb the essence of the world as day turned to night, balancing the Yin and Yang within the body to refine the flesh and strengthen the physique.

"The Yin-Yang Bracelet..." Ye Xingli mused. "This is a new treasure crafted by Master; it hasn't even hit the market yet. To think she gave it to Director Gao, and he in turn lent it to Zhang Yu?"

"Master is truly too kind to Director Gao..."

Reflecting on this, Ye Xingli sighed, "Director Gao has gone to great lengths to support your refining efforts, even going out of his way to borrow such a treasure so you can temper your body while you work."

Zhang Yu was startled by this remark and quickly denied it. "Director Gao doesn't know I’m refining artifacts."

Ye Xingli paused, confused. "Hm?"

Zhang Yu added, "Senior Sister, Director Gao doesn't like me refining artifacts. Please, you must remember not to reveal my activities here to anyone in the Civil Engineering department."

"Every time I come here, I have my roommate book the lab for me, precisely to keep it a secret."

Meanwhile, Zhang Yu thought to himself, "That guy, Magnetic Pole Sovereign, claimed Ye Xingli would keep this confidential. Why does it feel like she has no sense of secrecy at all, even suggesting the Director supports my refining?"

Ye Xingli, however, remained slightly dazed, thinking, "I recall Master clearly saying that Director Gao wanted Zhang Yu to transfer departments."

Sensing the contradiction in their words, Ye Xingli frowned. "Why does Zhang Yu say the Director dislikes his refining... did I remember wrong?"

Ye Xingli was certain her memory was accurate, and there was one more thing she could confirm: both Zhang Yu and her Master had explicitly asked her not to mention this matter to Director Gao.

"Something is wrong."

"This whole thing is incredibly wrong."

"Could it be that it wasn't Director Gao who wanted Zhang Yu to transfer, but rather..."

A figure flashed through her mind, and Ye Xingli quickly halted her train of thought.

Looking at Zhang Yu, who was still busy refining the Level 5 Azure Sand, she whispered to herself, "That’s impossible."

"It makes no sense."

"Master and Director Gao have been friends for hundreds of years."

"There must be something I’m failing to grasp."

Ye Xingli’s mind drifted to the connection between Zhang Yu and Wen Wuya.

Magnetic Pole Sovereign, Director Gao, Zhang Yu, Wen Wuya, the Artifact Refining Department, the Civil Engineering Department, Tianjian University...

For a moment, Ye Xingli felt as though she were staring into a dense fog; the entire situation was unfathomable.

...

Wanfa University City.

The first basement level.

Zhang Yu and Le Mulan were traveling through the magnetic tunnel, heading toward the ninth underground level.

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Are you also heading to the Tianlan Pharmaceutical plant?"

Le Mulan nodded. "Our department has always maintained a partnership with Tianlan Pharmaceutical."

"They are expanding a new production line, and my mentor asked me to assist with the adjustments."

Since becoming a disciple, Le Mulan had begun studying the technique of self-produced medicine.

This technique used the human body as a furnace and spiritual energy as fuel, refining ingested herbs into various elixirs.

Unlike a pharmaceutical factory, this method could not produce medicine in massive quantities, but it had the advantage of linking one's cultivation level to their pharmaceutical grade. It eliminated the need for vast capital and time to set up assembly lines, and the production focus could be adjusted easily, making it perfect for high-end pharmaceutical work.

Furthermore, the process of adjusting a production line was an excellent testing ground for a cultivator like Le Mulan.

Le Mulan looked at Zhang Yu. "Are you here to participate in the factory expansion, too?"

Zhang Yu nodded, his mind flashing back to Director Gao urging him to join the project. This pharmaceutical project provided a massive daily supply of medicine, involved underground construction, and was perfectly suited for practicing the Great Wilderness Mountain-Moving Force—the second of the Seven Civil Engineering Arts—while offering a handsome income.

"Director Gao must want me to eat and drink well at this site, seize every moment to practice the Mountain-Moving Force, and incidentally raise my physical strength."

"Although my Mountain-Moving Force actually reached Level 20 a short while ago..."

Zhang Yu thought, "Still, coming to this site to eat more medicine and earn more money is a very good deal."

After all, with the money-burning hobby of artifact refining, he was willing to take on any job that paid well.

In the blink of an eye, the two arrived at the main gate of the Tianlan Pharmaceutical plant, where they saw a large crowd of low-level cultivators gathered, seemingly waiting for something.

Some spotted Zhang Yu and Le Mulan, their eyes sweeping over the university rankings hovering above their heads, filled with a mix of awe and envy.

Zhang Yu looked at the rankings above the heads of these cultivators and thought, "Guangliao Technical Vocational College?"

"Are these all junior college students?"

At the same time, amidst the shifting crowd, a line of spiritual projection text appeared at the factory gate: "Now hiring operators. Wage: 0.0003 Spirit Coins/hour. Registration here →"

As the text appeared, the cultivators erupted into a frenzy, all squeezing toward the direction indicated by the arrow.

Seeing this, Zhang Yu finally understood: these students were here to apply for jobs at the factory.

Simultaneously, Xiao Qingxuan appeared before Zhang Yu and said coolly, "You’re here?"

"Perfect. There’s a new factory building that needs to be grounded urgently. Use your Mountain-Moving Force to help dig the foundation."

Zhang Yu bid Le Mulan farewell and followed Xiao Qingxuan into the plant, only to realize he was walking in the same direction as the junior college students.

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Are these students also going to the new production line?"

Xiao Qingxuan nodded. "It’s urgent, and there are no blueprints. I’ll take you to see the factory they are currently using, and we’ll just build one exactly like it."

Zhang Yu followed him to the entrance of a factory building, where he heard a manager shouting: "We do not hire those who only possess biological skeletons."

A student protested, "I have tempered this body for eight years, through day and night, consuming countless potions. It is not inferior to a Dharma skeleton!"

The manager sneered, looking at him. "You think a body tempered by your own meager efforts can compare to a Dharma skeleton developed by experts, manufactured by major corporations, refined through generations, and embodying the wisdom of countless people?"

"Besides, assembly line work requires standardization. Everyone’s body size and shape are different; how can we standardize that?"

"If you want to work here, get a Dharma skeleton first."

"If you don't have the money, we offer rentals."

"If you aren't willing to pay, why even bother coming out to work?"

The vocational students hesitated for a moment, only to see a swarm of their peers rush forward, shouting, "I'll borrow! I'll borrow!"

Zhang Yu remained indifferent; on the second floor, whether as a student or a job seeker, possessing Dharma remains was an immense advantage, and he had long since grown accustomed to it.

The next moment, he and Xiao Qingxuan stepped into the factory, only to find the vocational students being ushered onto the assembly line one by one.

"Are the limbs being sold or placed in storage?"

"If stored, the fees will be deducted from your wages."

Amidst the rhythmic shing-shing of blades, Zhang Yu watched as the students had their limbs severed and chests pried open, only to be fitted with tool-like Dharma remains for hands and visceral Dharma remains designed for digestion and endocrine regulation.

Vibrant, living bodies were fed into the line, and amidst the spray of fresh blood, they were transformed in the blink of an eye into standardized, uniform factory workers.

Zhang Yu froze at the sight, unable to help himself: "What the hell... is this a slaughterhouse?"

Xiao Qingxuan replied, "How could it be a slaughterhouse? It is merely a standardized installation of work-grade Dharma remains to facilitate their integration into the production line."

"Once the digestive systems are uniformly calibrated, they can be fed collectively through nutrient tubes..."

"Once the endocrine systems are adjusted, the absorption of stimulants is enhanced..."

"After all, a factory is not a school. The operators remain on the line twenty-four hours a day, and all maintenance is performed right there."

Watching the operators being churned out, Zhang Yu felt as though these people had been reduced to mere components, finally assembled into the machinery of the pharmaceutical plant.

Through Xiao Qingxuan’s explanation, Zhang Yu learned that the plant had only recently recruited more workers due to an expansion.

The factory building Zhang Yu was meant to help construct today was, in fact, the very assembly line that produced these workers.

Xiao Qingxuan reminded him, "Use your ocular remains to record the data of this facility; try to replicate it one-to-one later."

Watching the relentless speed at which the line produced new operators, Zhang Yu couldn't help but ask, "Is this still not enough?"

Xiao Qingxuan answered, "The operators produced here don't just supply this sector; they serve all the others as well."

"The intensity of the university wars has escalated recently, driving up drug sales. Many pharmaceutical companies, anticipating further conflict, have decided to establish new production lines. There is still a significant shortage of standardized operators on the assembly line."

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Pinned post in the review section: Crowdsourcing your brainpower for meme suggestions over the next few days.

(End of chapter)