HLM -Chapter 737 New Industry

Hearing Dr. Yi’s words, the woman shed heartbroken tears. “I really regret not stopping him! My God, is he going to have surgery to remove it? What am I supposed to do then? We don’t even have children yet!”

Dr. Yi looked at her in surprise. “Who said anything about removal? He’s going to the hospital for a special detox treatment—our community hospital can’t handle this.”

The burly man, Raymond, leaned on the car door as he got out, his face pale. Judging by the way he walked, the area between his legs was still uncomfortable.

Dr. Yi handed him a spray bottle and said, “If it feels prickly or painful, just spray it. Remember, don’t scratch it with your hands under any circumstances!”

“Did he actually scratch it with his hands?” Kidd asked in astonishment. “Looking for more stimulation?”

Dr. Yi explained, “Bee venom irritates the mucous membranes, causing stinging, itching, and numbness. Many people can’t endure it and scratch, which eventually leads to inflammation in the genitals. That’s very bad.”

The SUV drove off. Dr. Yi handed out several spray bottles and said, “One per person. If you get stung by a bee, spray it quickly.”

Kidd snorted. “I’m not going to pee on the bees, don’t worry.”

Atulu winked. “Then I’ll take a bottle.”

Dr. Yi looked at the nearby bee swarm. “These are Italian bees from the western honeybee genus. They have mild venom; unless stung in a sensitive area, the harm isn’t severe.”

“However, these bees are highly social. They don’t live far from their queen or hive. So, if small swarms appear here, it means the hive is nearby. In other words, a large bee swarm has come to town!”

Wang Bo inhaled sharply. “You mean a large swarm has appeared?”

Dr. Yi nodded. “Yes, but this is normal. With so many flowers along the Birth Flower Trail, attracting bees is natural.”

On the way back, he opened his sand table to try locating the bee swarm. Unfortunately, compared to the over one thousand square kilometers of Sunset Town, the area he controlled was still too small. He couldn’t pinpoint the swarm.

When he went to work in the afternoon, he had Kidd post a warning on the forum: a swarm had appeared in town, and people should be careful. If anyone found a hive, report it to the police.

Just the next day, someone replied: “Mayor, I think I’ve found the hive you’re looking for! My goodness, you need to come quickly—it’s like an alien invasion!”

The hive was located between two small hills southeast of the town center. When Wang Bo arrived, a middle-aged man was taking photos with his phone.

Seeing the police car, the man approached and extended his hand. “Hello, Mayor, I’m—”

“Mr. Lawston Gordon, no need to introduce yourself. I really like your carved art. Recently, I even asked someone to help buy a small dog carving.”

This middle-aged man had recently moved to town. He and his wife came for the ACG elite school. Both were sculpture artists.

Nowadays, unless artists reach a masterful level or gain great fame, making a living isn’t easy.

The Gordons weren’t wealthy, but Wang Bo valued their craftsmanship and thought such people would benefit the town. He gladly approved their relocation application.

Seeing that Wang Bo remembered his name and identity, Lawston smiled happily. “I’m truly honored, Mayor. If you like our wood carvings, there’s no need to buy—just come by and pick one.”

Immigrants accepted by the town received a house, so residents were grateful to the generous mayor.

After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Bo looked at the distant hive.

Yesterday, he had researched Italian bees. Originally, New Zealand had no bees; all bees in Oceania were introduced from Europe.

In 1884, Australia imported Italian bees to Kangaroo Island. The following year, these bees were brought to New Zealand.

Besides Italian bees, New Zealand also imported Carnolian and Caucasian bees. To prevent bee disease outbreaks, the country has legislated against importing bees from other countries.

These bees are highly fertile, with concentrated egg-laying and brood density over 90%. According to Dr. Yi, this makes forming large swarms very easy.

According to Wang Bo’s research, if pollen resources are sufficient, the queen can lay eggs at full capacity. With diligent worker bees, the swarm can expand into hundreds of thousands during one summer.

The swarm appearing now was huge. Between the two hills, a tent was crawling with worker bees. Some bees were collecting tree resin, apparently using the tent as a base to establish a new hive.

Lawston explained, “I built this tent. My wife and I like sculpting outdoors, so I set up simple tents in a few secluded spots around town to avoid repeatedly packing up.”

“This tent was set up in early August. I hadn’t visited for a while, and today I came by by chance. I was shocked to see this scene—it’s truly astonishing!”

Wang Bo was equally shocked. The Birth Flowers were irresistibly attractive; such a large swarm had arrived.

Atulu rubbed his hands. “Boss, what should we do? Blast them with a high-pressure water cannon?”

Wang Bo pushed him aside. “Use some brain. Do you want to get sued? These bees aren’t disturbing anyone. Why destroy them?”

Uncle Bing stood with his arms crossed. “Italian bees are gentle. Boss, you’re going to make a fortune. These bees produce a lot of honey.”

Exactly what Wang Bo was planning: he wanted to hire beekeepers to raise these bees and even expand the swarm to produce honey.

Everyone knows New Zealand excels in livestock, but few know its honey industry is even stronger. One of the world’s top honeys, Manuka honey, is a New Zealand specialty.

Manuka honey contains unique active antibacterial compounds called methylglyoxal, which have powerful antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, preservative, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties, making it highly sought after worldwide.

Every Lunar New Year when Wang Bo visited home, he bought honey for his parents. He bought the best kind—250ml bottles costing nearly 2,500 yuan. That’s 10 yuan per milliliter!

Manuka honey comes from the Manuka tree. Its leaves and bark have been used by New Zealand’s Maori for centuries as natural medicine, for pain relief, colds, and disinfectants.

In early summer, the Manuka tree blooms with large clusters of white flowers, like snow covering the hills, attracting swarms of bees for nectar.

One hectare of Manuka forest produces about 35kg of Manuka honey per year. New Zealand currently has around 60,000 hectares, producing nearly 2,000 tons annually.

Yet for the global market, this is far from enough!