What It's Like Being a Vampire

You Meng looked a little puzzled, “If you’re not intending to have a farm, what would you use this land for?”

“I just want to live here.”

“But you don’t need such a large piece of land for just that. Plus, moving in will require a lot of work and take a long time to clean up. There is liveable space inside, but the conditions are quite poor. You might as well live in Tongshi Town. If you want to experience rural life, you can occasionally visit the surrounding mountains. ”

“I still want this place.”

“Forget it, It’s your decision. The farm owner is still not answering his phone.

Let’s go to his house and see.”

You Meng then started his van and drove Xiang Kun toward the area in the village where there were more buildings.

When they got to the doorstep of the farm owner’s house, they found it empty. Soon, a man in his thirties wearing a linen short-sleeved shirt, loose cloth trousers, flip flops, and a buddhist bead bracelet on his hand, with a golden necklace with a jade tag around his neck and riding an electric bike stopped by the side of the road. He asked You Meng, “Ah Meng, is this the friend you mentioned who wanted to buy the farm?”

You Meng nodded and said, “Yes, this is my good friend Xiang Kun.” Then he introduced the man to Xiang Kun: “This is Deputy Director Liu Caifu of Chongyun Village. The owner of the farm is his relative.”

Liu Caifu glanced at the tightly locked gate in front of them, “Liu Dage took his wife back to her parents’ house. They probably won’t be back for a couple of days. Have you contacted him?”

“I tried calling him just now but he didn’t answer. I thought for sure we’d be able to find him if we came here.” You Meng said, somewhat annoyed.

“Want to come sit at my place?” Liu Caifu pointed to a small three-storey building not too far away.

“That works. I wanted to ask about the procedure of land transfer for the farm anyway.”

Liu Caifu rode his electric bike over first, while You Meng followed in his van with Xiang Kun.

“Director Liu holds quite a high status in Chongyun Village and also owns many businesses in Tongshi Town. He owns eight storefronts on the commercial street where my shop is located, and he has a lot of connections, probably even with environmental protection authorities. If you really want to start a farm here, it would be beneficial to be on good terms with him.” You Meng quickly introduced Xiang Kun to the Deputy Director Liu Caifu in the car.

Xiang Kun understood that most village officials were not national civil servants, but rather managers of the village committee, who weren’t officially on the country’s payroll, but helped local governments carry out work in rural areas. Therefore, many rural village officials carry influence and authority within their communities.

This Liu Caifu was clearly one of these influential figures.

After parking the car outside the yard, Xiang Kun and You Meng had just walked into the courtyard when a large grey dog that had been tied up in the yard immediately stood up, ready to bark.

Xiang Kun swept his gaze over, making eye contact with the large grey dog. The low, resonant bark that the dog had been readying in its throat was curtailed, turning into a whimper. The dog shied away to a corner.

You Meng was puzzled, he said to Liu Caifu, who had just come out with some tea, “Director Liu, is your dog sick? It seemed to cough just now.” Indeed, the sound that had just begun to emanate from the base of the dog’s throat had been abruptly cut off, sounding very much like a cough.

Liu Caifu, surprised, glanced at his usually aggressive but unusually docile dog, but didn’t think much of it. He said to You Meng, “Like I’ve said before, there’s no need to call me ‘director’ or ‘deputy director’ in private. Just call me Brother

Cai or Brother Fu.”

After sitting down and starting to make tea, Liu Caifu responded to You Meng’s question about the livestock farm by saying, “If Mr. Xiang is planning to buy the farm just to raise pigs, then it’s almost impossible to get environmental approval. ”

Xiang Kun replied, “I’m not raising pigs, but rabbits. I might also raise some chickens, ducks, and possibly a few cows.”

Liu Caifu was taken aback, “Such a mixed batch? That’s not a farm, it’s like a family farm, isn’t it? If you’re talking about rabbits, depending on the scale, it might be feasible if it’s not too big. After all, the place is far from a drinking water source, it’s not a tourist attraction, and the town hasn’t developed plans for it yet.”

Deputy Director Liu then explained some basic knowledge about environmental assessments, the different types of environmental assessment reports and their approval times, with the difficulty progressively decreasing. The comprehensive report would take 60 days to review, while the registration form would get a response within 15 days.

If there are more than 3,000 pigs, or it involves an environmentally sensitive area, a comprehensive report is required. For more than 100 pigs, a report form is needed. For rabbits, 30 rabbits count as 1 pig.

Given the situation of the land, it could not even pass for 300 pigs, let alone 3,000. If it’s small-scale rabbit farming, and a registration form is used, there might be a slim chance of approval.

“The main issue is that Liu Dage had built the farm and brought in the breeding pigs before getting the environmental assessment approval. Once discovered, he tried to get retrospective approval, but it was not approved, so he had to quickly sell the pigs. Given his precedent, even with small-scale farming, it might be difficult to get environmental approval. If you are sure about taking over, I recommend investing in infrastructure only after the environmental approval has been granted. In theory, if it’s not approved, the place should be dismantled directly. Otherwise, it may result in disputes and it won’t look good.” Liu Caifu didn’t hide the fact that the original farm owner, Liu Dage, was his relative, and he spoke frankly about the situation.

As he had also run a farm before, Liu Caifu went on to mention some possible pitfalls and difficulties that might be encountered on a farm, and he evaluated Xiang Kun’s plan to start a farm as “impractical”

His words effectively dissuaded Xiang Kun, who had initially been eager about the land. The boss of the Belgian rabbit meat farm he had consulted before had made running a small farm sound incredibly simple: minimal initial investment, basic venue requirements, and it was generally quite easy, which had led him to overlook several issues.

In fact, Xiang Kun never planned to start a large livestock farm because he could not manage it alone and would have to hire people. He hadn’t seriously planned on selling the rabbit meat he raised, he would rather keep the operation under constant “unsold stocks and poor management”.

The idea of the farm was simply an excuse for him to raise a certain number of livestock and poultry. After all, he anticipated that his “appetite” would quickly increase in the future. Consuming four or five rabbits per week would not be a problem, but when it came to a dozen or even dozens, if there’s not a sufficient base number, it would be unsustainable. Surely, for raising so many rabbits, there has to be a reason.

He originally thought that he had asked a lot of questions and searched for a lot of information online, reading a lot of “experience talks”, and so he thought he had thought it through.

But now, it seemed that he was oversimplifying things. Without practical experience, there would be many mistakes and oversights just relying on cursory consultations and searches for information.

Then, Xiang Kun came up with alternative plans, such as turning the land into a family-friendly farm?

“Mr. Xiang, how did you come up with the idea of starting a farm in our

Chongyun Village? Where did you graduate from?” Liu Caifu asked curiously.

Xiang Kun didn’t hide anything and briefly introduced his previous company’s projects and what he was responsible for.

“Isn’t that great? Internet, Al, big data, aren’t these popular now?”

“The competition is too strong; our company’s point of entry was correct, but the timing was bad. One step behind means always being behind.”

After listening, Liu Caifu sighed somewhat, “True, the internet bubble is too big. The future economy still depends on real industries. Agriculture, animal husbandry, these are the fundamentals! Just think, if one day, the whole world suddenly had no electricity, we couldn’t use computers, mobile phones, various appliances, we could still survive, but without food, vegetables, and meat, we couldn’t… However, Mr. Xiang, there’s a big difference between your major and farming, I suggest you find something else to do.”

Xiang Kun had originally planned on finding a particularly remote place to open a rabbit meat restaurant that wasn’t profitable, with most sales being takeaway orders and the shop only opening whenever he felt like it. He would even have a two-day off every week which would provide a legitimate reason for having a lot of rabbit meat, but Director Liu’s words made him a bit uncomfortable. Before his mutation, he had always been a follower and admirer of technology, believing that the internet could shape a better future and become the foundation of all industries. So, he couldn’t resist saying,

“Actually, I haven’t given up on my major. The main reason I asked Brother You Meng to help me find a place for a farm is not to raise livestock and poultry for profit, but to research technology that combines the internet, Al, and automated farming.”

“Oh? I can understand automated breeding, but how does the internet and Al come into play? Are you planning to sell the products on e-commerce platforms?” Liu Caifu asked with a smile.

You Meng also looked at his friend with some confusion. He had never heard him mention these ideas before.

“It’s not that simple!” Xiang Kun replied earnestly, his mind whirring and his mouth non-stop, as if he had already thought this all through. “Even among the same breed of rabbits, depending on the feed, the environment, and the breeding method employed, the end results can vary. The meat quality may have minor differences. We can train Al to observe and record various data, and based on our desired meat quality, the Al can provide targeted breeding plans, which could be actualized using automated breeding equipment.”

“For instance, if we want some rabbits to have stronger hind legs, to make the meat chewier, we can assign specific training tasks. If we want the meat to be tender, we can provide them with a targeted nutrition plan.”

“We can even make adjustments at the breeder rabbit level, determine the best time for conception, the optimal timing for giving birth and note down any changes in the meat quality under different circumstances. Furthermore, we can analyse the characteristics of male and female breeders and how they affect the final product, so as to conduct purposeful pairing.”

“All of this will form a vast dataset. We could link up with other fully automated rabbit farms nationwide, share resources, and arrange for suitable breeding rabbits. ”

“Customers can customise their orders online based on their taste or preferred type of rabbit meat, getting the most suitable meat for their taste or cooking method.”

“They could even directly participate, making minor adjustments to the breeding plan, thereby cultivating the exact type of rabbit they desire.”

“For instance, some rabbit meat is best suited for barbecuing, some is tastiest when it’s spicy, some is perfect for soup, and some is suitable for making canned food.”

Liu Caifu and You Meng listened in astonishment, completely forgetting to pour their tea.

Xiang Kun, who had stood up and started pacing the yard at some point, enthusiastically used hand gestures to emphasise his words. The only one not drawn into his vision was the big gray dog in the corner, looking as if it was fighting off sleep.

Xiang Kun’s mind felt like a high-speed train, gaining momentum and generating more ideas as he spoke. He wasn’t just making things up on the spot anymore, he was expressing some of his genuine daydreams.

“So… the actual purpose of our farm is to create an Artificial Intelligence and Internet Breeding Research Institute. We’ll start with the study of rabbit breeding and gradually expand this technology into other breeding sectors…”

“In the future, we would introduce gene research equipment, employ professionals with high salaries, and establish specialized laboratories…”

“In terms of computing, due to the large amount of data, we would also establish a professional data center and research facilities…”

“The data and methodology will not just be applied to breeding, but also to many other fields. There will be matching facilities for all these applications…”

“Our research will not only focus on the breeding field, it will expand in various directions. We could even promote societal technological progress and lead the development of the era…”

“By then, there will be large-scale construction here, not only in the farm but also throughout Chongyun Village. We’ll transform from a research institute to a research center, and from a research center to a specialized research base…”

After a long while, when Xiang Kun finally sat back down and took a sip of water, You Meng and Liu Caifu slowly came back to their senses. Yet, the shock and admiration in their eyes remained unchanged.

“Can it really become like that?” Liu Caifu muttered.

Xiang Kun replied: “This is purely wishful thinking for now. We probably won’t be able to build the farm right away, so we need to take a long-term view…”

However, as he was speaking, he suddenly noticed four fervent gazes fixed on him.

Shoot! Did he just get carried away?

Xiang Kun resisted the urge to slap his forehead, recalling the feelings he had just indulged in. He seemed to be daydreaming about a future where he wielded vast wealth, built his private research center, and had all the researchers serving his secret purposes. Their study wouldn’t be about combining breeding technology with the internet and Al, but about his unique characteristics. Based on the outcomes of these studies, they could find the root cause of his mutation and how to guide its evolution more efficiently and safely.

From an emotional perspective, what they could perceive through his “Emotional Assimilation” should be those achievements of infrastructure he had imagined, correct?

Plus, with his verbal guidance, directing their thoughts towards a research center combining the internet, Al, and breeding technology, there should be no issues at all.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xiang Kun turned down Liu Caifu’s invitation to stay for dinner and continue discussing the “grand plan”. He drove back to Tongshi Town with You Meng.

They had driven quite a distance, but Xiang Kun could still see Director Liu standing at the doorstep of his house, watching them leave reluctantly, in his rearview mirror.

You Meng, who was driving, was also very excited. His eyes were glittering, his voice full of exuberance, “I knew it! I knew you could not be the kind of person who cannot survive in big cities and who wants to retreat to the mountains. I knew you, my lad, have ambitions and big plans! Just thinking about Chongyun Village turning into a research base, and the future technology being led from here, I just want to howl out loud from the excitement!”

Xiang Kun resisted the impulse to wipe imaginary cold sweat off his forehead, pondering the impact of this “Emotional Assimilation”.

What he had said should have been easy to perceive as mere fantasy and boasting without the effects of “Emotional Assimilation”. Many parts of his speech were simply too fanciful. Even if You Meng and Liu Caifu had little understanding of the internet and Al, they would still presumably harbor doubts. Especially the part about leading technological development – they would deem it unrealistic; after all, he was only one person, neither some ‘Tencent’, nor ‘Baidu’, nor ‘Alibaba’. How could he possibly possess the human, material, and financial resources necessary to realize such a grand idea?

According to the previous few instances of “Emotional Assimilation”, when time passes, and the effect of the “Emotional Assimilation” wears off, if they hear the same words, they would have a more accurate judgement and won’t be influenced again.

However, based on the social media responses Tang Baona had intercepted from the bar’s patrons, even if the effect of “Emotional Assimilation” waned, when the affected people recalled the related memories, the “Emotional Assimilation” was still present in their recollection, and they wouldn’t recognize any irregularity with their emotions.

So, when You Meng and Liu Caifu later recall what Xiang Kun said this afternoon, they would not suddenly exclaim: this guy was boasting!

Instead, they would still think: what he said makes sense!

Of course, if someone else said the same things, they would still think the person was a fool.

But Xiang Kun still hoped that they would soon forget the afternoon’s conversation. He also decided to abandon the idea for the breeding farm and considered opening a rabbit meat restaurant somewhere else instead.

It was almost six when they returned to Tongshi Town, and You Meng’s excitement level had mostly returned to normal. Yet, he did not remember anything strange or inappropriate about his previous reaction.

There were barely any customers in the “Youlong Restaurant”; just one table with three guests dining. You Meng’s nephew had already prepared the dishes, so, there was not much for You Meng to do when he returned.

The two went directly to the kitchen. Xiang Kun asked You’s grandnephew to take out the marinated bamboo rat meat. While he was processing it, Xiang Kun talked him through it.

Learning that You Meng’s close friend was going to cook bamboo rat meat himself, his wife also rushed to watch in the kitchen. The waitress, with the boss’s wife’s tacit approval, often peeked from the corridor to the kitchen..