1995, Starting as a Criminal Investigation Expert

Seeing that there was still time, Ni Jingsong took Li Shu on another trip to the Institute of Medical Sciences and the Institute of Paleoanthropology.

There's only a small group of people doing NA research in China. They often sit together for meetings. Ni Jingsong is not young, but he's considered an expert in this field and has connections everywhere.

They ran until almost dark before returning to the Second Institute.

Instead of going back to the Second Institute, they found a nearby restaurant to eat at.

When ordering, Li Shu saw the two bodyguards who had been with him earlier sitting down at a table in the corner. He nodded slightly to them, signaling the owner to add two more dishes for them.

I managed to find my bicycle.

"This is outrageous!" Ni Jingsong picked up his wine glass and downed it in one gulp.

When I went there, he bragged about it a lot, saying that he had been friends with so-and-so for many years and that they had a very good relationship.

They confidently asserted that there would definitely be no problem.

Everyone I asked gave the same answer: there's no way to do it, we don't have the money or the manpower, the task is too big.

That's basically the gist of it.

This made Ni Jingsong's face turn black; the boast he made had completely backfired.

Li Shu poured him another drink, saying, "It's alright, things are tough enough as they are."

Ni Jingsong drank three cups in a row to calm herself down. As the dishes were served, she picked up some food and said, "Li Shu, should we wait a little longer?"

Today's meeting revealed that the other party not only made excuses to refuse, but also actually told us the truth.

Without a research and development foundation or relevant talent, we are now relying entirely on borrowing from others.

In short, the technical foundation is weak, and we are still working hard to catch up.

Ni Jingsong thought that it would be better to wait a few years and, once the foundation was laid, to conduct similar research.

Li Shu shook his head and explained the reason for the time.

People have already taken the lead, and all kinds of technologies are emerging explosively. In just a few years, foreign countries will be able to completely dominate this field.

For the next ten years, China will be subject to foreign control and will forever have to buy reagents and consumables from others.

The more you try to catch up, catch up, and achieve economies of scale in R&D, the more consumables you have to buy and the more money you waste.

It's better to spend the money now and then figure out how to earn it back later.

Ni Jingsong held his small wine glass and nodded repeatedly. He understood Li Shu's reasons and believed that the higher-ups were definitely willing to do this to change the situation.

The only question is, why should we bet our money on you, Li Shu!

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After a short while, Ni Jingsong asked, "Li Shu, you said before that we should do it ourselves. Have you done the math? How much would it cost approximately?"

It's better to rely on yourself than on others; if all else fails, do it yourself.

In the field of na fractals, it should have been the two institutes that took the lead.

Li Shuzhen did a preliminary estimate, then stretched out one hand, showing four fingers.

"Four hundred?" Ni Jingsong's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he immediately lost the idea of ​​coming.

During the last five-year plan, the Second Institute undertook the technical research tasks for 6 major topics and 16 sub-topics. The cost for a single topic ranged from 300,000 to 400,000 yuan to 700,000 to 800,000 yuan.

Over five years, totaling more than three million.

This is a national-level project, and there are also ministerial-level projects in cooperation with local governments, which can amount to several hundred thousand yuan a year.

The research and development expenses alone amount to only one or two million a year.

Like the previous automated R&D equipment, a batch of two million was quite a lot.

Li Shu asked for four million, which is equivalent to two years of research and development funding, and the Second Institute could not afford that amount.

"My Director Ni, it's not four hundred, it's four thousand."

Li Shu put down his chopsticks and started calculating with Ni Jingsong: "Such a large R&D project can't rely on just one electrophoresis apparatus. We need to buy at least three or four. The AB310, which was launched last year, costs $18 per unit, so that's a million dollars per unit."

"And then there are fluorescently labeled primers. I checked the information, and there isn't a single one being researched in China. The analytical and purification equipment all has to be imported, and it costs millions of dollars each."

"Take a survey on the frequency of occurrence of ethnic groups, for example. Let's not talk about 50,000, even if it's just 10,000, how much money would that cost in terms of manpower and resources?"

"Add to that tap enzyme, and software development, and all that other stuff. I'm saying 40 million, but whether that'll actually be enough is still uncertain."

To make a horizontal comparison, a major project under the 863 Program might only require an investment of tens of millions over five years.

Li Shu's one project is equivalent to three or four of others'.

But there's no way around it; you've essentially traversed the path that took other countries two or three decades to complete all at once.

Even so, it's only if you have access to future technological data, can control the direction, and know the correct answer. Otherwise, even if you invest several times more, you might not be able to research it successfully.

Ni Jingsong stared in disbelief, opening his mouth as if to say something.

He meant that he thought a few million was enough for a research and development project, but even with that, people were worried that he wouldn't be able to develop it and that all the investment would be wasted, so they didn't dare to gamble with him.

Well, with tens of millions involved, even if you're incredibly capable, the leaders would still have to think twice before trusting you.

"Li Shu, you didn't tell the ministry that it would cost so much money, did you?" Ni Jingsong asked in a low voice.

Li Shu picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and said, "Do you think I'm stupid? Why would I tell you?"

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The reason for seeking out a genetics research institute was that the work was too big, and they wanted to find someone to share the burden.

Unexpectedly, they didn't answer at all.

Ni Jingsong breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that you didn't say anything. Don't say anything in the future either. It's a research project with tens of millions of dollars in funding. It's such a big project. How long would it take to land it against the light?"

"Also, if I were in charge of such a big project with tens of millions in funding, I would be so worried that I wouldn't be able to sleep at night."

The moment I opened my eyes, I was faced with the prospect of spending tens of millions of dollars on research and development. What if we failed to develop the technology? Wouldn't I become a sinner against the country and the people? I would be worried to death.

"yes."

Li Shu was taken aback, realizing he had overlooked the approval time.

Regarding the previous NA automatic extraction project, which had a research and development budget of two million, why wasn't it reported to the Ministry of Science and Technology? It's because the approval process was too slow and the procedures were too long.

That's why he squeezed out the money to develop it himself.

As Ni Jingsong said, a project worth tens of millions of yuan would take two to three years to complete, including multiple rounds of research and evaluation, approval, budget preparation, and finally, funding.

But what you're fighting for is time; in two or three years, the opportunity will be lost.

Li Shu crossed his arms and thought for a long time before saying, "Then it seems we really have no choice but to do it ourselves."

Ni Jingsong stared wide-eyed, as if to say, "So all I said was for nothing?"

"No, Li Shu, you mustn't even think like that. Forty million! You could strain the ministry to death, but they still couldn't come up with that money."

In particular, Li Shu's report clearly stated that joint research and development should be carried out simultaneously in nine directions. This does not mean that funds should be allocated gradually, but that all funds should be in place from the very beginning.

This year, the total budget for the four public security, procuratorial, and judicial organs is 21.91 billion yuan.

The ministry took 12.87 billion.

Li Shu's 40 million project is one-thirtieth of that amount—an astronomical figure.

Li Shu shook his head, picked up his bowl and said, "Director Ni, let's eat quickly, and then we'll go to the institute."

Ni Jingsong was taken aback and asked what he was going to do there.

Even if you're doing NA research, and the institute is full of your own people, you still won't be able to do it.

While eating, Li Shu said, "I need to figure out how to sell our NA automatic extraction equipment for over 100,000 US dollars."

Since we don't have money, we should rely on ourselves and find ways to make money.

Li Shu then realized that he had something that could make money.

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For example, there are automatic NA extraction devices and bullet comparison systems.

Lin Zhenhui from Hong Kong has been clamoring to buy, so why not sell? Use the money to work on fluorescent T-series.

Forty million, five million US dollars.

If a single device can sell for over $100,000, then selling fifty units worldwide would be enough.

This stuff isn't just used in forensic medicine; it's needed in medicine, genetics, and many other fields.

There's also a bullet comparison system, which uses a unique algorithm for comparison in the world, and it can still be sold for money.

Perfect! We don't have to worry about not having enough foreign exchange anymore. We can just earn foreign exchange and spend it.

After finishing their meal, the two hurriedly set off, heading straight for a certain place.

Upon arriving at the destination, Ni Jingsong kept muttering, "Li Shu, $100,000 a unit, isn't that a bit too much?"

He was also part of the project team and knew that the institute was responsible for the equipment, which required integrating modules such as oscillation washing, magnetic control, synchronization, and temperature control.

We used a lot of imported equipment, but the total cost of one unit was probably only two or three hundred thousand, or thirty or forty thousand US dollars.

Li Shu actually wants to sell it for over 100,000 US dollars.

"black?"

Li Shu shook his head and said, "Director Ni, think about it yourself. They dare to sell silicone pillars that cost only a few dollars to produce to us for hundreds of dollars. If they're not ripping people off, then I think I'm not ripping them off enough."

The purpose of doing this research and development is to resist unscrupulous businessmen, and then strive to become unscrupulous businessmen ourselves.

Mentioning the silicone rod touched a nerve with Ni Jingsong, who nodded vigorously: "Then let's not go for 100,000, let's sell it for 1 million, five units will be enough for you."

Li Shuxin thought to himself that he wanted to, but he would have to be able to sell it for that much money first.

This thing simplifies the process and saves manpower. If you sell it at such a high price, won't foreign research institutions start exploiting graduate students?

If it can sell for around ten thousand US dollars, Li Shu feels that it needs to have more features added.

One institute is much larger than the other two, with more than a thousand people. It integrates science, industry, and trade and has its own large compound.

The main building is a seven-story office building, and there is also its own pilot production workshop, like a large factory area.

It has seven internal departments, each responsible for research and development in different areas.

This project was also taken very seriously by the institute, which treated it as a major project and drew elite personnel from seven departments to form a project team.

They set up a separate workshop to be responsible for equipment manufacturing.

When I arrived, it was already dark, and they should have been off work by then.

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On the way here, Li Shu made a phone call to Lin Fusheng, the deputy director in charge of the project.

The person was waiting for Li Shu in the workshop.

At the prime of his life, he was a senior engineer in the police communications research lab, and he led the research and development of the domestic police trunking communication equipment.

"Director Li, what's wrong? Why did you suddenly call me? You sounded quite anxious. Is something the matter?" Lin Fusheng asked nervously.

Li Shucai was the project leader, and when he suddenly called to contact him, he thought something had happened.

After exchanging pleasantries, Li Shu led Lin Fusheng straight to the workshop.

The prototype is right here.

Before the casing was finished, it looked like a machine tool, quite a large machine.

"Director Lin, we're going to change the design now, doubling it from 24 channels to 48 channels. Do you think that's feasible?" Li Shu asked.

Li Shu thought that if he wanted to sell at a higher price, he needed to improve efficiency and add more features.

Lin Fusheng was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Li Shu, this has already entered the debugging stage. If you change the design now, there will be too many parts to change."

It's close enough to start from scratch, if not completely overhauled.

Ni Jingsong was more practical, asking if there was enough funding if changes were made.

Lin Fusheng said, "It's enough, but the problem is, it's working perfectly fine. Why change it? Didn't we discuss it before and say that 24 channels would be enough?"

Li Shu knew he was asking too much, so he patted the prototype and said, "Director Lin, my idea is that when we export this equipment in the future, we can make more money, maybe a few hundred thousand US dollars."

Ni Jingsong was taken aback, thinking to himself, "You just said 100,000, and now it's over 100,000?"

That unit is US dollars.

"How much?" Lin Fusheng was shocked. Tens of thousands of US dollars, you really dare to dream.

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