Homo Sapiens

With the success of this oil shale extraction using the biological decomposition method, everyone burst into cheerful applause.

Li Qingye turned his head and asked in a low voice, "Ms. Zhang, what's your estimate for how much methane the oil shale on Cianlan Island can produce?"

Zhang Hong thought for a moment. "I've previously studied the geological survey reports for Luzon and found a considerable amount of shale here. If we can fully develop it, my preliminary estimate is that it would be equivalent to 2 billion tons of crude oil."

Then she added, "If we include the shallow seas, other incompletely surveyed regions, and especially the deep shale, Cianlan Island's long-term potential could be equivalent to roughly 6 to 8 billion tons of crude oil."

"In my opinion, if you add the shale and igneous rock on Luzon Island, the long-term potential could reach the scale of 15 to 20 billion tons of crude oil," Qi Yuanchao said with a smile.

Suddenly, Li Qingye asked another question. "What do you two think of Hongsawaddy's potential for rock oil?"

"Hongsawaddy?" Zhang Hong thought back to Hongsawaddy's geological profile, taking a few minutes before she replied.

"Hongsawaddy's surveying is incomplete, especially for deep oil and gas—it's basically a blank slate. If the company invests there in the future, unless we use the biological decomposition method for extraction, the production costs won't be very low even if we discover a major oil field."

"Additionally, the Shan Plateau has a considerable amount of shale and igneous rock. If new technology can be applied, then it holds great promise for the future."

After hearing Zhang Hong's assessment, Li Qingye had a clearer picture.

For Homo Sapiens Company to support high-welfare benefits for 250 million employees in the future, or even more, energy was an issue that required top consideration.

Building on Southeast Asia's abundant agricultural resources, only by shoring up its energy deficit could the region withstand the covetous gazes of the world powers.

Otherwise, with only agricultural resources and insufficient energy, the difficulty of developing Southeast Asia without being coerced by external powers would increase by an order of magnitude.

After completing the experiment, Li Qingye boarded his private yacht and returned to Luzon Island.

In the southern part of Luzon Island, there was another secret base, this one drilling into igneous rock oil reservoirs.

To avoid detection by satellites, they had to use a domed steel structure to conceal the extraction site, which in turn increased the cost.

But this concealment was essential.

Li Qingye had no plans to use the biological decomposition extraction technology openly—at least, not in the short term.

After all, energy is the foundation of the US Dollar. If this technology were exposed, America would undoubtedly come to seize it by force.

Until he developed and stockpiled enough hydrogen bombs, he had no intention of confronting America head-on.

Therefore, they had to use the domed steel structure for concealment and a methane fermentation plant as a cover, since both, in any case, produce methane.

As long as they kept it concealed initially and controlled the output, the outside world wouldn't notice anything amiss right away.

Furthermore, the gas produced by Homo Sapiens Company was mostly used for its own operations, such as powering construction vehicles, transport trucks, industrial boilers, and electricity generation.

The outside world wouldn't notice any anomalies in this usage data for some time, and Homo Sapiens Company could easily doctor the numbers on paper.

Homo Sapiens Company continued to maintain a relatively conservative stance on many matters, aiming to secure a stable external environment while it solidified its foundations.

Li Qingye oversaw the secret development of rock oil in Luzon.

Meanwhile, at the Hongsawaddy Branch.

They were ramping up secret exploration for petroleum and natural gas, while also prospecting for shale and igneous rock oil.

However, Hongsawaddy's core energy source was actually hydroelectric power.

After more than a year of development, the three major corporate groups, led by Qingye Group, had built a considerable number of small and medium-sized hydroelectric power stations throughout Hongsawaddy.

The Shan Plateau, with its significant changes in elevation, was a particular focus for Hongsawaddy's hydroelectric development.

However, Hongsawaddy's hydroelectric system had its own unique characteristics.

It was dominated by small and medium-sized power stations, featured a dense network of energy-storage reservoirs, and supported only local power grids.

Currently, this had resulted in the formation of the Northern Shan Water Grid, the Shan Dong Water Grid, the Western Shan Water Grid, the Shan South-Kayah Water Grid, the Qin State-Ruokai Water Grid, the Qin State-Shwekye Water Grid, and the Kachin Water Grid.

These seven water grids accounted for 97% of Hongsawaddy's hydroelectric output, with a current total installed capacity of 17,200 megawatts and an annual generation of 110 to 130 billion kilowatt-hours.

Additionally, the energy-storage reservoirs had an installed capacity of around 2,500 megawatts, capable of storing and recovering 11 to 13 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

While vigorously pursuing its hydroelectric strategy, Hongsawaddy also built a considerable number of new thermal power plants.

This led to the formation of the Deline-Mon-Karen Fire Grid, the Irrawaddy-Yangon-Bago Fire Grid, the Bamana-Magway Fire Grid, and the Mandalay-Shwekye Fire Grid.

These four major fire grids all used gas-fired power generation, with a total installed capacity of 8,300 megawatts and an annual output of about 63 to 68 billion kilowatt-hours.

Clearly, over the past year, Hongsawaddy's power industry had been developing by leaps and bounds.

Before Homo Sapiens Company had fully entered Hongsawaddy, the region's installed power generation capacity was only 3,700 megawatts, with an annual output of less than 30 billion kilowatt-hours.

Now, however, the installed capacity had increased to 28,000 megawatts, with an annual power generation reaching 184 to 211 billion kilowatt-hours.

This was an increase of almost six to seven times.

Only with sufficient electricity would there be enough energy to support modern industry.

...

As an engineer for Dongfeng Electric Machinery Company, Youxing had been dispatched to Hongsawaddy.

He was currently busy at a medium-sized hydroelectric station. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sighed, "Whew, this weather is really hot."

"Mr. You, have some lemon tea," a local intern, Mao Hao, said as he came over carrying a large case of iced lemon tea.

Without ceremony, Youxing grabbed a bottle. "This unit is calibrated."

Twisting off the cap, he quickly downed more than half the bottle before sitting down in the rest area to cool off in front of a fan.

The other engineers and technicians were also on a break, resting and chatting.

Ding Ye, who had come with him, was deep in an animated conversation with Mao Hao. Youxing knew exactly what Ding Ye was thinking. 'If I weren't so old and set in my ways,' he thought, 'I'd probably have the same idea.'

Qingye Electric Machinery Company had certainly poached its fair share of employees from Dongfeng Electric and Mechanical.

For any skilled engineer or technician willing to work for Qingye Group and immigrate to Hongsawaddy with their entire family, Qingye Group would handle all the naturalization paperwork.

When Ding Ye first arrived, he had no thought of switching jobs or immigrating.

But as time went on, his mindset, along with that of some of the other young engineers, began to shift.

It's the comparisons that get you.

The benefits at Qingye Group, in particular, were incredibly attractive to the average young engineer.

Even Youxing, who was in his forties, was stunned by the benefits.

The company covered basically everything—from food, clothing, housing, and transportation to all entertainment and even cradle-to-grave healthcare. All employees had to do was dedicate themselves to their work.

Even as non-Qingye Group employees here for installation work, they enjoyed many of the same benefits, everything except a salary.

For example, they received triple pay for overtime, high-temperature subsidies, a five-day trip once a month, plentiful food, free physicals, and had even each been issued three sets of casual clothes.

For some of the more home-bodied engineers, these benefits meant they hardly needed to spend any money at all.

The company even provided employees with premium VIP accounts for online gaming and movie streaming.

Being single, Ding Ye naturally couldn't resist. Lobbied by Mao Hao and other local employees, he had already decided that once this hydroelectric project was finished, he would resign and jump ship to Qingye Electric Machinery.

But Youxing, long past the age for impulsive decisions, had already bought a house, married, and had children, so he dismissed any thought of changing jobs and immigrating.

Youxing wished the young man well in his choice.

After all, the pursuit of a better life is only human.

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