Zhou Yi was left speechless as he was the last one in the room to know about the refrigeration box.

Gong Zheng apologized with a full face of regret: "Chairman, it's my fault for not reporting the progress to you in time. Please punish me."

Qian Su was the boldest of them all.

She spread her hands and said: "Mainly because, Chairman, you have always been concerned with major matters, like bombing the Shuanghe Region, developing flying Aliens, Earth-breaking Light Bomb… These minor advancements really aren't worth mentioning."

Zheng Tao also echoed: "Everyone just wanted to perfect the transformation before reporting to you."

Zhou Yi understood their intention but still said: "Completion is more important than perfection. Any new thing will undoubtedly have many controversies and flaws. However, that isn't a problem, as long as it benefits the majority, it is a good thing."

Everyone agreed.

When discussing pricing, Zheng Tao was somewhat puzzled: "Chairman, the refrigeration box could follow the previous model of the Flame Cup, handing it over to Mechanical Cities like Coral Port to achieve mass production, right?"

Zhou Yi shook his head: "We need our own manufacturing."

"In the past, due to insufficient population and lack of materials, objective conditions were the limitations. But the refrigeration box itself is simple in material, the core is in the design and ratio, we can completely produce it ourselves."

"There are three advantages to this."

He told the others: "First, it can drive the company, enabling some employees to learn basic manufacturing and processing, laying the groundwork for future related industrial upgrades. Only with our own production experience can we further improve and innovate."

"Second, it can absorb new employment groups. With the increasing number of new immigrants, the Guangtai Dam, due to its large scale, also needs to control the scale of workers, making management difficult. Manufacturing and processing can accommodate more workers."

"Third, we cannot overly rely on Mechanical Cities, otherwise, it would lead to indirect control and influence. We must have our own industry, although many things need to start from scratch, but this is the only way to have a future."

Zheng Tao nodded in agreement: "Indeed."

Qian Su's eyes sharpened: "Chairman, are we cutting ties with Mechanical City?"

"Not to that extent yet."

Zhou Yi said: "It's just adding an extra leg to walk on, it's never a bad thing. No matter what, you can't rely on others, you have to rely on yourself."

After all, she is a Weapon Merchant, and Qian Su's sensitivity to many matters is very high.

"Returning to the pricing of the refrigeration box. Let's all share our views."

Zheng Tao was the first to express his opinion: "The core of the pricing of the refrigeration box is the cooling coal, with material costs at 15 mushrooms per piece. According to the standard for daily consumables, the raw material cost usually accounts for 30%—40% of the retail price, we should set the external price at about 38—50 mushrooms, which can ensure a certain profit."

"This price means that to ensure continuous cooling every month, at least 2280 mushrooms would be needed, which is not affordable for the average person. So I'm actually quite concerned if it can be sold on a large scale."

"The refrigeration box is great for storing food long-term without spoilage, but it is a bit expensive."

This was also a concern for Zhou Yi.

Cooling and heating are different.

The latter is a necessity, without heating you'd actually freeze to death in the winter, and boiling water for cooking is a necessity.

The Flame Cup itself can be charged by the Dead Sea, so subsequent expenses are very small.

Therefore it is not a concern for sales.

However, the refrigeration box is more like a lifestyle upgrade, at least for the common people in the Wasteland era.

Qian Su thought silently for a moment: "Chairman, I very much agree with the point of having our own manufacturing capacity."

"How about this, we initially hand over some of the manufacturing tasks to other members of the Development Alliance. For example, Steel Refining City which has been producing coal and iron and has been making iron tools."

"They have ready-made workers and processing locations, we just need to provide technical designs, and the final production process can be handed over to them. Have Steel Refining City handle the processing and also the sales, and we just take a share."

"It becomes an internal distribution of benefits within the Alliance, which I believe the Steel Refining Guild would be very willing. As for the price issue, I think there's no need to worry."

The young girl spoke very confidently: "Normal people might find the refrigeration box a bit challenging to afford, but some industries really need it, even indispensably."

"Firstly, restaurants, they need to refrigerate food to keep the food—especially meat—fresh. In the past, they used cellars and ice cellars for storage, which were not effective and also had short preservation times. Ice cellars also needed to buy and transport ice blocks from outside, which was much more expensive."

"Then there are ships, where cooling is also extremely important. Long-term sailing in the Dead Sea could cause Light Imprint overheat and overload, with specialized crew members responsible for handling the cooling."

"Typically, crew members would hang wet cloths or reeds at the door and windows, where wind passing over the moist fabric could lower the air temperature. Or they would swing fans for cooling."

"Large enhanced ships and advanced ships have complete cooling measures, such as purchasing specialized Low Temperature Light Imprint."

She patiently explained: "But the majority are medium and small-sized ships that don't have much budget available, so this has always been a problem. It leads to them being unable to sail for long periods, needing to stop to cool down."

"Besides, preserving medicines, making ice blocks, and patient recuperation similarly require cooling."

"Selling the refrigeration box to these people, they wouldn't find it expensive, as this is already much cheaper compared to before."

Zhou Yi immediately had an epiphany after her explanation.

Indeed.

Although it is impossible to immediately popularize refrigeration boxes to every household, there are quite a few who need cooling and low temperatures for work.

"Besides selling to these people, we can also customize underground ice cellars for some specialized organizations. I won't mention merchants, but as far as I know, the Alchemist Association, Knight Orders, and the Craftsmen Guild all need ice cellars, because they need to store many specific equipment and materials."

"Our technology significantly reduces ice cellar costs, and with customization and design improvements, we aren't short of customers."

Qian Su smiled and said: "Our company now has Mechanical programmers who can calculate and design through programs, much faster than traditional methods."

Zhou Yi nodded frequently while listening.

In business aspects, Qian Su's professionalism was undeniable.

Zhou Yi immediately contacted the Steel Refining Lord.

Hearing about the refrigeration box, this Mechanical Sea Lord was overjoyed: "You really want to give this product to us for manufacturing and sales?"

"Of course."

Zhou Yi said with a smile, "How is it, can't you do it on your side?"

"Of course we can! Absolutely no problem!"

The other party quickly replied, "Cooling technology is very common in Mechanical City, and both the principles and technology are mature. It's essentially all metal structures, and involves coolants, working fluids, steam compression equipment, etc... However, we've never had to drive the cost down this low before."

"The structure of the refrigeration box is simple and the materials are cheap. Although the stability is slightly worse, affordability is the biggest competitive advantage!"

"Steel Refining City is a manufacturing and processing city, experienced in processing metals and coal. We can handle this project, from raw material processing to product manufacturing and sales."

"Please trust us. Steel Refining City can definitely do a good job on this."

Zhou Yi didn't waste any words and signed an electronic agreement on the spot, splitting the profits fifty-fifty.

The final market pricing was negotiated by both parties.

Then, he instructed Red Kestrel to synchronize and connect the design and formulation from the programmer's side with Steel Refining Lord's side.

Thus, the commercialization strategy for the refrigeration box was established.

The company was responsible for design and research and development, while Steel Refining City handled manufacturing and sales.

The two locations weren't far from each other, making communication convenient.

This was also a core idea of Qian Su.

"We'll retain and further develop the critical core technology, while outsourcing the labor-intensive parts to other cities within the Alliance.

"This way, the internal circulation of benefits within the Alliance is achieved."

"Many products and equipment can be manufactured by other cities in the future, which can provide a large number of jobs for locals, and absorb and stabilize more population, as well as considerable ongoing profits."

Now Shell City was handling the sales for Mushroom House abroad, Steel Refining City had secured the industrial chain for refrigeration boxes, and both were receiving a slice of the company's growth dividends.

They were the most central allies.

"Our courier business doesn't have these complexities; we just deliver items everywhere."

"As the number of Bone Fish deliverymen increased, the number of cities we can cover has also increased. Chairman, do you know? There's been some outrageous occurrences."

Qian Su showed a slightly helpless expression: "Some orders have actually asked us to deliver goods to ships at sea, providing them with food and supplies. They're treating us like a mobile transport team."

Zhou Yi was also shocked.

Indeed outrageous.

"What did you say?"

"I accepted, of course. It's annoying, but they pay well..."

Qian Su stood his ground and said, "The most outrageous thing is, we had two orders before, to deliver to both sides of a battlefield. They were urgently buying medicines, and we delivered them, almost getting attacked."

"..."

They were still placing orders for external logistics even during a battle.

Everyone was becoming more playful.

Zheng Tao then said, "Chairman, if you have time now, I'd like to invite you to take a look at the suspended layer of land with me."

"Why?"

"There's a... monster that appeared there."

Zhou Yi immediately understood.

The Land God had sealed the suspended layer, and after several months, it finally yielded results.

He and Zheng Tao headed to the suspended layer.

Here, the soil was growing white turnips and cabbages, which looked normal except for a few white turnips that had grown as tall as a person, resembling missiles planted in the soil.

Such giant white turnips, with four in the field, were all enclosed by fences and marked with caution tapes.

Zhou Yi was about to ask what was happening.

Suddenly, he sensed something sneaking around not far away.

Zhou Yi quickly stepped forward and discovered it was a... turnip pulling up radishes in the field?

The radish monster tugged out its roots and ran.

It vanished in a flash.

However, [Alert] still firmly locked onto this little creature. It emitted white light, signifying that it belonged to the Guangna Species.

Zhou Yi walked over, grabbed the radish leaves, and pulled it out of the soil with one swoop. The radish monster was still struggling fiercely.

Upon closer inspection.

This little creature looked similar to a regular white turnip, the difference being that it could move and had more developed and flexible roots which served as its limbs.

A plant-based Guangna Species.

This was the first time Zhou Yi had encountered one.

"Chairman, spare it, please!"

Zheng Tao hastily said.

Zhou Yi reassured, "Don't worry, I won't hurt it. What's going on?"

The Minister of Agriculture explained, "Actually, it's harmless. Those four giant turnips were all created by it."

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