Chapter 6 5

Hello, Miss Ashe, it's nice to see you again!Skoppa approached, held out his hand to Mary, and smiled.Mary stood embarrassed by the door, not expecting such a warm welcome.Scoppa's handshake was strong and just right.He guided Mary to the small conference table where they had sat a few days earlier. Dr. Scoppa, I'm sorry for our meeting last Thursday Mary hesitated when she sat down. He waved his hand.I have to apologize!I was too rude to you that day.He smiled. We had a little setback in our experiment last week.How did I say that?In a bad mood.I'm Spanish, and you know, Spanish people are impulsive and not very controlled.It was me who misbehaved.

Oh no, no, we didn't show due respect.Mary answered. Scooper pursed his lips.Well, we agree on one thing anyway: we didn't start off well.But now that you're all here, let's see what's the best way to complete your commission!If I understand what Mr. Berlant means correctly, you have to assess the huge potential of Offana in the future and describe it accurately so that the reaction in the stock market is correct, right? Mary felt that it was better to accept this statement, so she nodded. Judy, I mean Miss Mabels, has a room for you.satisfied? Great, thanks a lot!Mary is suspicious of Scopa's overzealousness.Obviously, when she couldn't get rid of her as an advisor, it was best to have her on the same side.

So what are your plans?he asks. Mary looked at the note, on which she wrote down some questions and required information.She searched the Internet over the weekend and found a few pieces of information about Scoppa.Scoppa earned his doctorate at the University of Barcelona with a dissertation on the chemistry of taste in mice.After graduation, he taught at the university for a while.His name also appeared in a research project of a French cosmetics company.Seven years ago, he started to work as the director of research and development department of Ofana company.After Offana was acquired by Openham Pharmaceuticals, the founder of Offana left and he was promoted to general manager.

First of all, we want to understand your company's profile and need data on employees and expenses.But what I'm most interested in knowing is what kind of product are you currently working on?If I read correctly, you spend 20% of your turnover on research and development.What are you researching? Scopa got up and said: Please follow me, I will show you! He led her down a dark passage and down stairs into a large, windowless, long extension.A strong animal smell hits the nostrils.Countless iron cages and terrariums of strange shapes are placed along the walls.A young girl with a ponytail is standing in front of an iron cage, writing something on the plywood.

All this made Mary feel uncomfortable.Of course, developing an agent against pests would have to be tested with pests, but it still felt like stepping into an execution chamber.Fortunately, the animals in the cages are not cats, dogs or monkeys, as animal rights groups have plastered posters all over Berlin's shopping malls. We treat animals well.Scopa said, seeming to read her mind.Doesn't hurt them, just tests how they respond to specific smells.It's similar to sniffing the different bottles in a perfumery. But what you have developed is a natural anti-insect preparation, use it to deal with the pests in nature!

That's right.But the methods we use are gentle and toxin-free.We won't let animals suffer. He took Mary to a large glass box, in which a large group of hundreds of thousands of small ants gathered in the dark, and they were jumping on a group of objects with only a bare tail exposed.Obviously, it was a dead mouse. look carefully!Scoppa said, eyes shining with pride.He took out a bottle from several small glass bottles with computer-printed labels on it, sucked out a little with a straw, opened the glass box lid, and dripped a small drop on the dead mouse.The ants immediately dispersed, leaving only a bloody corpse of the mouse.

Mary looked away.Apparently, they don't love lab animals as much as Scoppa claims. As you just saw, we developed a scent that scares off ants.The smell is almost imperceptible to humans. Mary still couldn't figure out how to make money from it.I always thought that ants were beneficial insects! Indeed, especially in our forests.However, there is a kind of repelling ants in South America, and there are millions of them in one group.It rolled like a huge black wave, sweeping through the forest.It destroys all animals that cannot escape, and even kills large mammals. Thinking of that scene gave Mary goosebumps.

Also, we want to slightly modify the formulation to work the same way against termites.Scoppa went on to say, You don't know how much the white victim is in some countries on the equator.We humans think we are the way of life that dominates this planet.It's ridiculous!There are only 6.5 billion human beings, hardly even the number of insects within one square kilometer in the wild.The biomass of insects is at least 5,000 times larger than that of humans.There has never been a shape designed by humans that can approach the perfection, complexity and high performance of mosquitoes.Insects can survive the harshest climates, are resistant to ultraviolet light, cosmic rays, and are protected from numerous environmental toxins.

Mary could not share Scoppa's enthusiasm for insects, but listened fascinated nonetheless. Contrary to popular belief, it was not amphibians that first migrated from water to land, but millipedes and scorpions.When the earth was devoid of humans and mammals, insects were still around and built cities long before our ancestors came down from the trees.It is absolutely conceivable that those low primitive schwarmintelligenz will one day develop minds.In the fight against them, we lose far more times than we win.Think of the famine caused by migratory locusts in North America, and think of Anopheles mosquitoes and tsetse flies Example of it!

He gestured across the room.We're just experimenting here.Subdue the most powerful beings on Earth before they overpower us. Although that kind of thinking was against her wishes, to Mary's surprise, she was still deeply impressed by his words.She sees Scoppa as a calm, pompous manager who clearly burns with the passion of a scientist on a big mission.His radiant look and bright eyes actually fascinated her. Here is just a part of our research.He went on to say that our field station in Africa takes the compounds developed here and implements them in the field.That part is pretty tough.

Why choose Africa instead of here? Scopa laughed.Have you ever been to Africa? No. Now, the world is talking about Asia as if China and India are the future economic powerhouses.But I tell you, the future is in Africa.The area there is the whole of North America plus the whole of Europe, and the real estate resources far exceed any continent on the earth, and Central Africa is one of the most species-rich regions in the world.In the primeval forest of the Congo, there are many treasures of biological origin!Of course, it was also a ravaged continent, full of problems.The biggest problem is poverty, and the people cannot have enough food and clothing.Ofana Corporation wanted to help with this problem, and that's why they were there.In addition, we are the only German company in this industry with our own experimental station in Africa. Mary dismissed it.Skoppa acted like a savior to the poor, but she couldn't believe it. He smiled, seeming to see through her thoughts.Of course, we also want to make money from it.Believe me, there is a lot of money involved!We want to benefit from the tens of millions of euros that the EU invests in development aid and nutrition programs in Africa.Plus, our technologies that work in Europe and beyond can also be experimented with in Africa, a large swath of cheap land. Even if Africa has environmental protection regulations, they are definitely far less stringent than in Europe, and the labor is much cheaper.If you want to do something quietly there, probably no one in the local area cares. I can see that you still don't quite believe it.Scopa's charming smile returned.I have a suggestion, how about we go out for dinner tonight?At that time, I will further explain the company's future strategy to you.He stared at Mary with his dark eyes. His attentiveness made Mary vaguely uneasy, yet reluctantly admitted that his charm and attention were attractive.She didn't know how to respond.Scopa's enthusiasm was far beyond what she had expected.Still, for dinner?It is still too much.But she didn't want to stab him again, and she was counting on his support and cooperation with him! Scopa read Marie's hesitation.I can see my suggestion making you feel awkward.Of course you don't have to accept it.I just thought that having a meal together might help us get to know each other better and create a better working environment.I may have been too hasty. Oh no no.mary said eagerly, thank you, i just want my colleagues Scooper shook his head.I'd rather it be just the two of us.It's confidential, you understand? Marie looked at Scopa suspiciously.What is this man thinking?What important thing did he want to tell her that he didn't want to say in front of outsiders?Maybe, because he doesn't like Li Ke?Don't worry, Dr. Scoppa, we will keep everything you tell us absolutely confidential! Scopa nodded.certainly.It is easier to talk when there are only two people present.He smiled at Mary's skeptical look.Do you doubt my motives?I admit that it is unprofessional for a man like me to think wildly in front of a beautiful lady like you.He paused.But let me assure you, I just want you all to have a better time working together. Mary cleared her throat, and Scopa made her even more uneasy.Did he do it on purpose?To force her to lose her self-confidence with excessive enthusiasm that was almost aggressive?She restrained herself, a professional smile on her face.Of course, I am very happy. Scopa was all smiles.Me too.He looked at his watch.Unfortunately, now I have an appointment.I'll pick you up at half past seven.That's a deal? Mary nodded, looked at the glass box one last time, and returned to the task force's office with vague unease.