Becoming an Emperor Starting from the World of The Wandering Earth

"Sir, this is the leafy vegetable section."

Long An Yi pointed to the rows of five-story white cultivation racks in front of him, "Lettuce, spinach, bok choy... I specially selected some vegetables with a growth cycle of 25 to 30 days, and the nutrient solution I used is also a standard hydroponics formula, which is 10% faster than the current standard growth rate."

Murphy nodded, his gaze sweeping over the lush green leaves.

A sensor is hung every few meters between the cultivation racks, and a red indicator light is flashing.

"What about the lighting?"

"All artificial lighting, LED light source, the spectrum has been optimized for different growth stages of crops." Long An Yi pointed to the slightly purple light tubes above his head, "The ratio of red to blue light is adjustable, but because the seedling period and the growth period are different, the energy consumption is not low. However, we have our own energy supply system, and overall, it is still more cost-effective than purchasing vegetables from outside."

Murphy didn't say anything, he just kept walking forward.

Several workers in gray overalls were busy among the cultivation racks. Some were checking the nutrient solution pipes, some were picking ripe vegetables, and others were using tablets to record data from sensors.

Upon seeing Murphy approach, the workers almost simultaneously stopped what they were doing and stood up straight.

"teacher!"

"Mr. Murphy!"

Murphy's face immediately lit up with a smile. He walked over and patted a young worker on the shoulder.

"Jackson, how's it going? Are you settling in well here?"

The young man was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting the boss to know his name, and then nodded vigorously.

"I'm used to it! I'm so used to it, sir!"

Murphy smiled and then turned to a middle-aged woman next to him who was picking vegetables.

"Maria, what about you? I heard you live in the North District, and your commute must be quite long every day?"

The middle-aged woman's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"Sir, how did you know I live in the North District?"

Murphy didn't answer, but just patted her arm again.

"Regarding commuting, the logistics department is currently working on a plan. In a few days, there will be a dedicated shuttle bus that runs twice a day, once at 7 a.m. and once at 7 p.m. You can just wait at the factory gate."

The middle-aged woman's lips trembled several times before she could speak.

"Thank you, sir, thank you..."

"Do a good job." Murphy nodded to her and continued walking forward.

Long An Yi followed behind, but there was something new in his eyes that he had never seen before.

In the three months since joining the company, Long Anyi has witnessed Murphy's decisiveness and efficiency, but he has also seen his warm and gentle side.

Those few words and actions made Long An Yi suddenly understand why this young boss could manage hundreds of people so well and wield such a huge influence in Houston.

It wasn't because of his high salary, nor because of the hot soup at the relief window, nor because of the sensationalized news on the internet.

It's because he really remembers these people.

From Jackson to Maria, from the production line to the farm, from the factory to the relief station, he could call everyone by name and knew the general situation of each person.

Long An Yi has worked in this industry for over a decade and has met countless bosses, executives, and officials.

Some people intimidate others with their authority, some bind others with their interests, and some deceive others by making empty promises.

But Murphy is different.

He makes people feel like they are being treated as human beings.

Long An Yi had actually experienced this feeling as well.

When he applied for the job, he thought he would be lucky to get a technical supervisor position.

After all, he was kicked out of UEG, and his resume has a blemish.

But after reviewing his resume, Murphy only asked him three questions.

First, what do you think you are best at?

Second, what aspects of your previous farm do you think could be improved but didn't have the opportunity to change?

Third, if I give you full authority, how long will it take you to turn an abandoned warehouse into a productive vertical farm?

Long An Yi answered.

Then Murphy said something.

"Alright, then you're the deputy manager. Make a list of what you need and get it from Garcia. If you succeed, you'll be a hero."

It's that simple.

No nonsense, no probing, no "let's study this further."

From that day on, Long Anyi knew that this boss was worth following.

The two walked through the leafy vegetable section and came to a taller cultivation rack.

"This is the fruit and vegetable section," Long An Yi said, adjusting his glasses. "Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and strawberries. They have a longer growing cycle and lower yields than leafy greens, but they are more economically valuable."

Murphy agreed with that.

After all, vertical farms rarely grow fruits and vegetables with long production cycles, as they need to supply the general public and simply cannot afford to consider these.

Therefore, the prices of tomatoes and cucumbers on the market are almost all driven up to extremely high levels.

Murphy looked at the tomato vines that had already begun to bear fruit and remained silent for a few seconds.

"What about the meat?"

"Over there."

Long Anyi pointed deeper into the farm, "To compensate for the scarcity of meat, I specifically chose fish, which makes it easier to achieve an aquaponics system with vegetables. However, it's not fully debugged yet, but the main structure is complete."

"There are two breeding ponds, one for tilapia and one for sea bass. The fish fry are still in the acclimatization period, and they can be officially fed in about a month."

The two continued walking forward, passing through a transparent partition door, where the temperature noticeably rose by a few degrees.

Two circular breeding ponds, each about ten meters in diameter, came into view. The water was clear, and you could see bubbles rising from the bottom of the ponds.

A group of finger-sized fish swam in the water, with a few occasionally leaping out of the water.

"Where's the feed?" Murphy asked.

"Some of it is purchased from outside, and some is made from waste materials from within the farm."

Long Anyi pointed to several pieces of equipment next to the aquaculture pond, "Dried leaves, residual roots, and substandard vegetable leaves can all be made into fish feed after fermentation. Fish excrement is decomposed by microorganisms and transformed into nutrient solution, which is then returned to the cultivation area to complete the closed loop and minimize losses."

Murphy walked around the breeding pond, then stopped, his eyes fixed on the small fish.

Murphy nodded without saying anything, and after watching for a while, he turned and walked back.

When we arrived at the leafy vegetable section, a young technician was squatting next to the cultivation rack, collecting nutrient solution samples in test tubes.

Upon seeing Murphy approach, the technician quickly stood up, nearly dropping the test tube in his hand.

Murphy smiled at him.

"Go about your business, don't worry about me."

The technician paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously, squatted down again, and continued working.

Murphy didn't bother him anymore, she just stood by and watched for a while.

The technician was very skilled; he took samples, packaged them, and labeled them all in one smooth motion.

"What's your name?" Murphy suddenly asked.

The technician paused for a moment, then looked up.

"Chen, Chen Mo, sir."

"Where did it come from?"

"California, sir. I used to do agricultural technology research at Stanford, but the project was canceled, so I..."

Chen Mo didn't continue, but Murphy already understood.

"A Stanford PhD is wasting his talent here."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo shook his head violently.

"I'm not wasting my talent, sir! Not at all! You've given me a way to make a living, given me a chance, allowing me to continue in my profession, I...I..."

Perhaps due to excitement, Chen Mo's speech became somewhat incoherent.