Chapter 827 - 438: Spiritual Pigeons_2

Chapter 827: Chapter 438: Spiritual Pigeons_2

"A little less funding, smaller steps, slower development."

"When we’re flush with money in the future, we’ll increase the budget for the pigeon project again!"

Su Yaoyao’s face didn’t show any expression; she just nodded.

This "cut part of it" from the chairman was actually a high–EQ way of putting it. Judging from his attitude, the pigeon plant project was probably about to be put on pause and shelved indefinitely.

She could understand the chairman.

From his perspective, looking at this pigeon project, there was simply no hope to be seen.

In her mind, the Ancient Immortal also let out a sigh.

"For us of the Wind Feather Holy Land to bring our Secret Technique into the present world and use it to cultivate those ordinary birds was never going to be easy.

"Some experiments, some fine-tuning, some磨合, some consumption of resources—none of that can be avoided.

"But in the end there’s still a high probability of success.

"If you’re not willing to spend that money... then there’s nothing we can do."

So this was the reason behind Su Yaoyao’s stubbornness!

With an untainted Ancient Immortal Master involved, with Holy Land Secret Techniques fused into it, she knew this project was almost certain to eventually succeed!

She even believed that one day, the project wouldn’t just train carrier pigeons. It could train hawks, owls, ospreys, sea swallows... using the Secret Technique of Wind Feather Holy Land to cultivate one ordinary bird after another, sending them out to the lakes and seas, to guard the entire Human World!

Unfortunately, the reason for her persistence—the untainted Ancient Immortal Master, the identity of Wind Feather Holy Land—couldn’t be spoken aloud.

Su Yaoyao rested her hand on the conference table, nodded, accepted this outcome, and was about to sit down.

Right at that moment, in the quiet meeting room, a sudden bird call rang out.

"Coo, coo, coo..."

From the pocket of Su Yaoyao’s cotton work jacket, a gray-brown pigeon’s head poked out, wobbling, looking left and right, cooing. On both sides of its head grew little plumes, like two tiny ears.

Su Yaoyao gave an embarrassed smile.

"This is Xiao Mayu, the latest trainee from the pigeon plant.

"Yesterday it got injured during flight training—almost didn’t make it.

"Ever since the surgery, it’s been sticking to me.

"It’s just an ordinary bird, but it’s actually pretty spiritual, it knows who is safest to follow."

Su Yaoyao’s gaze softened as she reached out to rub the pigeon’s head.

But as soon as her hand touched it, the pigeon suddenly slipped out of the pocket with a "whoosh," flew out from under her hand, and landed on the conference table.

They saw the pigeon actually ignore Su Yaoyao, strutting around on the conference table, bobbing its head as it wandered along like it was on a leisurely stroll.

Professor Gan reached out, wanting to pet it, but it jerked its head fiercely and snapped with a "whoosh," almost pecking his finger.

There were already chuckles from the people around the table.

Is this what you call spiritual?

It looked downright silly.

The pigeon bobbed its head left and right, sizing up everyone seated around the table.

It glanced at Chairman Chen Shu and dropped a splat of pigeon poop.

Then it looked at the others, and actually wobbled into a little run, charging straight toward Bai Mo!

"Coo coo coo!"

Whoosh!

It hopped onto Bai Mo’s arm, rubbing its head against Bai Mo’s clothes.

It looked at Guo Kezhao in Bai Mo’s arms, then kept rubbing its head against Guo Kezhao’s shoulder, burying its bird head into Guo Kezhao’s fluffy fur. Guo Kezhao squinted with delight. Fox Claw petted its head and it wasn’t scared at all; instead, it happily rubbed even harder.

Laughter suddenly rippled through the meeting room.

It was Bai Mo laughing.

"It really does seem pretty spiritual.

"Is it truly an ordinary bird? Not an Immortal Beast?"

Su Yaoyao was stunned as well.

She had never seen this side of Xiao Mayu before!

"It is... it is an ordinary bird."

Mo Lanyou grinned, craning her neck to watch the bird’s blatant bootlicking.

"Could it be that it knows Expert Bai Mo has funding?

"Knows Expert Bai Mo can save them?"

Guo Kezhao beamed, cradling this new little brother in its Fox Claws, touching it, examining it, then tilting its head to look up at its master.

"Ying ying ying, awoo awoo awoo!"

Bai Mo also reached out, stroked the bird’s face and neck, feeling its affection.

He lifted his head and swept his gaze around, meeting the eyes turning toward him.

"Committee Member Su, Chairman Chen Shu, everyone here—if the issue is only funding... the pigeon plant can keep going.

"I’ll cover this budget."

...

Ninth Pharmaceutical Factory.

In the office, the "clack clack clack" of keyboard typing sounded as usual—that was Fang Xiaoyu at her desk.

There was also the "scratch scratch scratch" of writing—that was Wu Qingyun, frowning again as she struggled through her homework.

Crack!

That was Nut Claw, its two Fox Claws coming together for a light rub.

When it opened them again, the shell of the pecan had shattered, and two intact kernels lay in its Fox Claws.

"Ying ying ying!"

It beamed, placing the kernels into the dish for its master to eat.

Bai Mo, hand on the mouse and eyes on a paper, noticed Nut Claw.

"Pretty impressive!"

Fox Mountain had never grown pecans, let alone seen this kind of roasted pecan snack, but Nut Claw only needed to heft and shake it a bit before it could instantly crack it open with its Fox Claws!

Bai Mo patted its head.

Thinking back over the past few years, Nut Claw’s job on Fox Mountain had always been cracking nuts, handling all kinds of nut-based medicinal materials day in, day out, year after year—and it really had trained the skill to perfection and grasped the trick of it.

"Heh, not bad, not bad."

Bai Mo was over here eating pecans with his disciple, while not far away Fang Xiaoyu was staring at her screen, talking with Su Yaoyao.

[I went to that meeting today just to fight for funding!]

[This month’s salaries, I still have no idea where I’m going to dig the money out from]

[Who knew I’d get a "surprise" when I went—our project got axed!]

Fang Xiaoyu was typing and laughing at the same time.

[When Expert Bai Mo said he’d cover your funding, did you feel like he was super cool?]

[By the way, did you thank him properly?]

[Want to offer yourself to him in gratitude?]

Su Yaoyao replied in a flash.

[Quit talking nonsense!]

[Business is business, private is private!]

...

West Ridge Mountain Range, in the drafty prefab office, Su Yaoyao was hugging her laptop, chatting while her face burned bright red, her cheeks puffed up with indignation.

This move from Bai Mo had her all shaken up; she hadn’t even said a word to him after the meeting.

She honestly had no idea how she was supposed to face Bai Mo now.

She clattered away at the keyboard, sending a message to Fang Xiaoyu.

[Actually... he doesn’t know about the pigeon facility’s financial situation]

[The pigeon facility’s spread is a bit too big, money’s flowing out like water]

[Your side might not be able to cover all of the pigeon facility’s burn rate]

[Let’s first sit down and figure out which holes absolutely have to be plugged]

[I’ll trim back our operations, try to spend less of your money, just keep the pigeon facility going for now]

[The Immortal Committee over in Silver City can also throw me a bit of funding]

[I’ll show you the ledger first]

[This spreadsheet is staff salaries]

...

In the office.

Fang Xiaoyu sat in front of the computer, watching the chat window, feeling a bit nervous too.

How big a spread are we talking?

How big a hole?

How big a burn?

How much money will it take?

Su Yaoyao sent over the first spreadsheet.

[Staff salaries]

She immediately opened it and did a rough calculation.

Su Yaoyao sent over the second spreadsheet.

[Feed, medicine, consumables]

She opened it right away and did another rough calculation.

Su Yaoyao sent over the third spreadsheet.

[Logistics budget summary]

She clicked it open quickly again, rough calculation.

...

Ooooh...

The wind from the West Ridge Mountain Range poured through the cracks of the prefab office.

Peacock Red Treasure was huddled behind its master, "crunch crunch" working through today’s half a pineapple, its eyes full of resentment.

It used to get two whole pineapples every day!

Now it only got half!

How is that acceptable?

It’s still growing!

Over at Su Yaoyao’s side, all the spreadsheets had already been sent to Fang Xiaoyu.

[You see all that?]

[Scary, right?]

[Hurry up and help me figure out what we can cut and what absolutely has to be spent]

[See how much you can squeeze out on your side, how big the hole is that’s left, then I’ll think of something!]

On Fang Xiaoyu’s end, there was a brief hesitation, then a message came through.

[That’s it?]

[There’s no more?]

[Just this?]

[We really didn’t know the pigeon facility’s financial situation before]

[But looks like you don’t know the pharmaceutical factory’s financial situation either]

Su Yaoyao froze.

[What’s that supposed to mean?]

Fang Xiaoyu quickly replied.

[I just did a rough calculation, and had the factory’s finance department take a look too]

[These expenses you’ve listed really aren’t that bad]

[The pharmaceutical factory can totally carry them]

[You just focus on raising your pigeons, stop worrying about funding]

[This level of spending isn’t anywhere near enough to cripple the pharmaceutical factory]

[Objectively speaking, at most, it’s just a bit of skin off, that’s all]