Chapter 16 15

After a journey that seemed like a lifetime to Mary, they finally arrived at the experiment station.The imposing dome of Villagon Volcano looms high in the background.The experimental station is located on the slope of a small hill. It is an unremarkable wooden one-story house with a tiled iron roof and a dish satellite receiving antenna.Another detached shed is almost completely hidden by vegetation.A Range Rover parked nearby was the only sign anyone was there. When Mary paid the taxi driver, the driver thrust a business card into her hand.When do you need a taxi, just give me a call and I'll be right there!He said, showing his shiny white teeth again, then sat back in the broken car and performed another trick: in the narrow open space in front of the experimental station, he successfully turned around without touching even a hair of the Range Rover.

There is a metal plate with the logo of Offana Company hanging on the door, with only one line: Jisuo to Field Experiment Station.There is no bell on the door and the hum of a diesel generator can be heard behind the door. Mary pushed open the door and entered a long passage.The lab is bigger than it looks. Hello, Dr. Berger!she shouted. A door opens.A beautiful young African woman in a blue uniform stepped out. oh!She just said. Hello!Mary said in English, I am Mary.Ai Xue is the businessman of Copeland International Business Consulting Company.We want to speak to Dr. Berger. The young woman nodded and disappeared into another room.After a while, she came back with Berg.Berg was sweating profusely in his white robe.

Hello Dr. Berg!Mary said, this is my colleague Raphael.grande. Berg cast a malicious look at them, without stretching out his hand, the tip of his tongue seemed to spit out a rude word.Finally, he thought for a while, and squeezed out a slight smile.After all, you have come all the way here.I really don't know what you guys want to do here?There is nothing here for you to see.Plus, I'm busy! We're here to find out why this experimental station is so important to Ofana's success.Mary said, I think it would be beneficial for you to answer this question as well. Berg's face darkened.How do you judge?You are not biochemical experts.

Just as Mary was about to answer, Raphael interjected, can you show us the experimental station first, so we can get an idea. Berg glanced at his watch demonstratively.Well, please follow me! It took them less than fifteen minutes to see the experimental station.There are only six rooms here.The two labs are strewn with intricate glassware, sandwiched between freezers and electronics.Some of those instruments resembled microwave ovens, others resembled complex coffee ovens.Mary couldn't guess the use.For Rafael's question, Berg only responded with a few words, using technical terms or abbreviations that they didn't understand.One room was full of cages, full of insects, rats, and a few cages filled with swarming birds.Basically, these three studios seem to be a simplified version of Dreieich's laboratory.The fourth room contains two desks with computers and laser printers.That printer should be considered the most advanced on the market.The young African woman they had just met was sitting behind a desk, smiling coyly.This is my assistant, Mrs. Pember.Berg said.

The fifth room is a kitchen, conference room and dormitory room.Eight wooden chairs are arranged around a large table.The sixth room is full of shelves, stacked with various cardboard boxes.Many of the boxes had the address of Offana's company on them. that's it.I hope I haven't disappointed you too much, Berger said. What Mary felt at the moment was not disappointment, but bewilderment.For some reason, she felt that what she saw was not consistent with what she had imagined, but she couldn't tell where the difference was for a while. What exactly are you doing here?Raphael asked.

field test.Dr. Berger replied, conducting tests on various odor compounds.The compositions were all done in Germany.After the test, an evaluation is performed and the results are sent back. Raphael nodded.But what is the role of the experimental station?Why do we need a genome sequencing system and a molecular synthesis device?The facilities here are too complete.All the instruments are just to test the synthetics sent from Germany? This is it!Rafael pointed out what Mary wanted to say but didn't say it for a while. Berg glanced at him with some disbelieving approval in his eyes.You observe well.In fact, we not only tested the compound sent by our colleagues in Germany, but also continued the research.If the results of the field tests are not improved in situ, the lost time will be increased.

Raphael nodded.Understood. What about your other colleagues?Mary asked, when you were in Dreieich, you told me that there are some local staff here, and two German assistants. Dr Craig is on holiday in Germany and Williams is still dealing with officials in Canberra.The helpers are at the nearby farm He was suddenly interrupted by a sweaty African man with stained shorts and shorts, rushing in through the front door.Mary couldn't understand what he was saying, guessing it was Swahili.Africans looked very nervous. Berg stared at him reproachfully, and gave him some harsh words in Swahili.The African was taken aback, said something like sorry, then spat out a long string of unfamiliar words, and waved his arms while speaking.Berg said something to the man in a low voice.Those words made Mary uncomfortable.The African man nodded and rushed out again.

What's wrong?Raphael asked. Meet the bison!Berger replied. Bison? There are bison everywhere, mainly in the volcanic forest above.Often, however, they come down and traverse the botanic gardens, trampling the farmers' crops. Was that man a farmer just now?Rafael was dubious. No, it's one of our assistants.We wanted to do a field test on a nearby tobacco plantation.But a few bison broke into there just now.Although the botanical owner drove the bison away, the plantation was badly damaged, and it looks like our testing will have to start all over again.He shrugged.This sort of thing is the norm here.We are in Africa after all.

Can we participate in the field test? I don't know how that helps.We just hang a few scent test papers on the tobacco leaves, that's all.However, I don't want to stop you.The botanical garden has to walk forty-five minutes from here. It can only be walked, but it is farther by car. There is no shortcut. Just as Mary wanted to interject to say that it was unnecessary, Rafael took the first step.We want to see it.How did it go? There is no guide to lead the way.You will get lost in the forest, and it's dangerous.In addition to bison, there are leopards and poisonous snakes here.let's talk tomorrow!If you really want to go, you can go with the field crew then.

Can you continue talking about Rafael now, Mary interrupted him. It's not necessary, we have other things to do.Can you arrange a desk for us? You can see how small it is.Or, you guys go to the lounge!I can't provide more places. That's great, thanks! I have to work.If you have any questions, you can come to me.He took them to the small room and left them behind.There is a large window in the room, looking out is a thick wall of plants.In addition to a large table, there is a small kitchen with a countertop and a coffee machine standing on top of it. The two sat down and turned on their laptops.

What are we going to do now?Rafael asked. I don't think there's much we can do here.Mary replied, swallowing what she wanted to say: From the beginning, she thought it was unnecessary and a waste of time to come here.Obviously, they can't learn more here.They are not biochemists, and they have no way of judging whether this field laboratory is worthwhile.I think maybe we should leave sooner. Raphael looked at her in surprise.What?Want to leave now?Don't you think it's suspicious here? What's suspicious?Berg's attitude is not very friendly, but isn't that what scientists do? Raphael shook his head.The equipment in this laboratory is excellent.The value of the instruments here is at least two or three million euros! Didn't Berg say that?To improve the composition sent from Dreiaich in situ. I do not believe.I suspect that something very mysterious is going on here, something that can only be done in Africa, and that no one in Germany knows about! Now it was Mary's turn to look at him in disbelief.Rafael, no way!We have no proof! Rafael still insisted on his own opinion.My gut tells me that something is wrong with this experimental station.We have to find out. Mary tried to hold her temper.My dear, you'd better restrain your impulsive intuition first!Conspiracy theories don't do us any favors.We need facts, not intuition. Maybe the problem lies here.Sometimes, Rafael says, facts just don't work.What people can understand is limited after all, but the brain may recognize the connection without knowing the facts. This is pattern recognition.It is this ability that presents great challenges to scientists in the process of developing artificial intelligence.Ninety percent of the decisions humans make come from this thing you call intuition. That's why businesses need consultants.Marie shot back, to put a stop to this nonsense! This is not nonsense!I took a few semesters of psychology courses before transferring to business administration.Believe me, it is a great injustice to the complexity of things to limit human thought with the idea of ​​abstract logic! Maybe!But the problem is that intuition may well be at odds with reality.For example, the stars. Star?What does that have to do with it? Human beings have been paying attention to space all the time, and even see astrological charts that do not exist at all, and the conclusions they draw are all unheard of imagination.Some people still do it to this day.This is the consequence of what you call pattern recognition: superstition, paranoia. How can you be sure that there is really no astrological pattern in the sky?Of course astrologers today are exaggerating too much.But astrology has had a definite role in human beings for a long time.It can be used to locate and calculate the ideal harvest date.Consider the example of Stonehenge in England. Stonehenge is a place of worship built on an astronomical model, built strictly according to precise mathematical principles.It has nothing to do with intuition.In my opinion, the biggest difference between us and animals is ability: we can think logically and rationally, restrain our feelings and intuition, and perform calculations and logical thinking are inherent human abilities. Rafael said angrily: What has this human ability brought us?Every day, more than a dozen species of animals go extinct forever on Earth.And what about us?But they are doing everything they can to turn this planet into a desert.Is this what you call math, logic? nonsense!It is greed, suspicion and selfishness that push humanity to the brink of self-destruction, not mathematics and logic.The problem is that we don't see enough of how mathematics and logic express things clearly and precisely.In addition, people pay us money, not for us to debate whether to approve or not.What we have to calculate is Offana's commercial potential.But so far, I haven't found any evidence that this laboratory at the end of the world will help Offana, which will bring them a potential economic advantage. We are not at the end of the world, but at the beginning of the world.Rafael said that the birthplace of human beings is not far from here.Perhaps, the ancestors in the Riftvalley region of East Africa were the first humans to climb down from the trees!The deviation in geological structure caused by the Villagon volcano opened the southward exit.Also, I still don't think we've figured out what's going on here at all. Without that, there's no way to prove that this field lab is going to help Offana's future.Go back if you want, go to Dreiaich and enjoy your ledger numbers.I'm going to stay here for a while and investigate. That's enough, Raphael, stop messing around and focus on reality!As soon as I say go back, we both have to go back.that's all! Rafael jumped up from his chair.If being a consultant requires shutting down my brain, I'd rather not do it!You're the one with the blindfold, not me! The door opened, and Berger poked his head in.Can you keep your voice down?I have to concentrate, I can't stand the noise! Mary blushed up to her ears.Sorry, Dr. Berg, we I mean, we try not to bother you! very good!When Berg finished speaking, he slammed the door shut. Rafael sat down again, showing regret.Sorry for being too loud.But I still think we should enough!Say no more, said Mary.Write down what Berg said just now, and attach a sketch of the experimental station.I'll ask if I can get a list of the lab equipment. good.Raphael replied, turning to face the laptop. Mary walked to the office at the end of the aisle.Berger's assistant smiled sheepishly. Can we have a list of the instruments here?She asked in English, also, where is the toilet? outside.Mrs. Pemba replied that it was a small shed, and the conditions were not very good, sorry.There is no running water here.I'll ask Dr. Berg about the list. Mary thanked her and walked out of the bungalow.The shed was hot and smelly.The so-called toilet is just a wooden frame propped on the earth pit, full of flies.She fought back nausea.At least there is a small sink with a metal bucket and a disinfection bottle next to it.She didn't even bother to think about how many germs were lurking in it.Another reason to go back soon. She walked outside the shed, took a deep breath of the moist and fresh air, and was about to walk back, when suddenly, the sound of a few leaves rustling and branches snapping caught her attention.Someone just walked into the woods. She pushed aside some of the larger fern leaves and found a narrow path in the bushes behind.Before she could figure out what to do, she got into the dense forest and walked along the path densely covered with bamboo forests and ferns.After walking about tens of meters, she suddenly stopped moving.what is she doingDidn't Berger say that the best way to get to a plantation is on foot.He also said that it was dangerous to walk alone in the woods.She had no doubts about the truth of this statement. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she suddenly heard singing amidst the strange chirping of birds and the thumping of distant elephants.A woman's singing voice is a catchy and simple melody, soft and peaceful like a children's song.The singing is far away and very low. Curiosity drove Mary to follow the sound.After turning a few turns, she came to a small clearing in the forest.In the open space, a small wooden house about five meters long and wide appeared.It seems that this hut has just been built, not only is there no dense wild plants around, even the soil is newly turned.The wood of the house was unpolished and lightly colored. It was evident that the singing was coming from the cabin.Perhaps a family of Africans lived there.But Mary couldn't be sure how anyone could live in such a dense forest.Perhaps, it is the staff of the field experiment station? In order not to disturb the singing, she leaned over gently, feeling as if she was an intruder.A peculiar smell wafted from the hut, as if the people living inside were not humans, but animals.With a rare premonition, Mary looked in through the window.