Chapter 410 - 408: New Drug Project Leader
The list of main ingredients for the new drug contains a total of twenty different medicines, nineteen of which have already been confirmed as correct, yet there’s still one that leaves him a bit unsettled.
This medicine is green tea!
The definition of green tea is too broad, even Biluochun counts as green tea. According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the effects of green tea include invigorating the mind, cooling the heat, relieving summer heat, aiding digestion, resolving phlegm, generating fluid to quench thirst, and even having certain pharmacological effects on modern diseases like radiation sickness, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
However, which effect is the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill trying to utilize with green tea?
Thus, Zhang Ju decided to focus on these key effects, as the pharmacopoeia always mentions leveraging the most valuable aspect of a medicinal herb, so naturally, green tea would be the same.
However, after more than a year of experimentation, he still achieved nothing, causing Zhang Ju much distress.
A few days ago, a mysterious multinational company began sending people to push the project, as they had secretly held a press conference, stating that within six months, the new drug would definitely be released into the market, with a huge investment of two billion USD.
Upon being informed of this, Zhang Ju was very surprised. As the overall head of research for their company, he couldn’t shirk his responsibility.
After all, he had once pounded his chest and guaranteed that the new drug would be successfully developed within a year, or he would stake his life on it.
Now, a year has passed, and he still hasn’t succeeded. The leaders of the mysterious multinational company genuinely believed he had the capability, and thus released the announcement early.
Zhang Ju sighed; now was the time for him to worry. Originally, he thought if it didn’t work out, he could quietly slip away.
But he discovered that they had already secretly planted spies within and outside his manor, making escape difficult.
"Manor Master!"
Suddenly, someone requested an audience outside the Alchemy Room.
"Come in."
Currently, Zhang Ju was very vexed, and his mood was quite gloomy.
Soon after, the butler Li Sheng entered the room and respectfully said, "Manor Master, there is a young man outside who wishes to see you!"
"A young man? Wishes to see me? For what reason?"
Zhang Ju was taken aback, clearly incredulous, as no one had visited in some time, except for them.
"Yes, he’s an eighteen or nineteen year old boy, along with a girl. He came to ask you to save someone," Li Sheng said directly.
"Save someone? Haha... What a joke. Who does he think he is, to come asking at will? Does he think this is a charity place, that I would go just because I’m asked?"
Zhang Ju was clearly a practical man; he would not help without benefit. Moreover, given his current situation, he couldn’t leave even if he wanted to.
The group certainly wouldn’t allow him to leave, as Zhang Ju was the sole researcher for the new drug, crucial to the project’s success. If he fled, the project would fail.
Twenty billion USD—no matter how wealthy the mysterious multinational company was, destroying so much flowing capital would severely damage the company, taking years to recover their Primordial Qi.
In the face of such fierce competition, economic stagnation for even a few years would mean instant bankruptcy!
"Oh, this young man says he will agree to any condition you propose."
"Boastful words!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ju became furious. At such a young age, he dares to be so arrogant, claiming he’ll agree to any condition I propose. Can he solve the issues with the new drug?
Can he offer me a twenty billion USD reward to help me through this crisis?
Clearly not!
Then what would any other conditions matter to someone who can’t even leave the manor!
"Ah? Manor Master, calm down. After all, he’s just a young man, probably anxious about seeking medical help for a friend." Li Sheng wasn’t a bad person; seeing the young man’s abilities in breaking his Twelve Bronze Men Array, he indeed showed great skill.
"Actually, Manor Master, this lad seems quite capable!" Li Sheng suddenly said.
"Oh? What capabilities? Let’s hear it!"
Zhang Ju smirked coldly. Having grown old, it didn’t matter if he couldn’t leave the manor. Yet, not completing this final project before his death would leave him unrested even in death.
"This lad could actually break the Twelve Bronze Men Array of this manor."
"What? Are you serious? The array set by the mysterious multinational company was broken?"
"Yes, it’s true. I saw it with my own eyes; otherwise, how could they come in, right?"
Hearing Li Sheng’s words, Zhang Ju suddenly understood. This array was set by the multinational company to confine him, almost impossible for anyone to exit, and only arranged spies could enter.
The young man who opened the door for Chen Tianlong at the gate was obviously an arranged spy inside the manor.
"Haha... not bad; this young lad is of some use, breaking the array for me." Zhang Ju was slightly pleased. With the array broken, escaping had become less difficult.
At least if he left within three days, apart from facing some obstruction from spies outside, there wouldn’t be any major obstacles.
However, Zhang Ju felt that even if he got out, he would be continually hunted, and his life would become a constant escape, something he did not wish to endure.
After laughing for a moment, Zhang Ju suddenly stopped and his expression turned serious. "So what? Even if he broke the array, if I go out, I’ll still be pursued relentlessly. It’s not the proper way to resolve matters."
"Well... that’s true indeed!"
Li Sheng also felt helpless. Having followed the old Manor Master for thirty years, their bond was deep. Knowing about that matter, he was also troubled.
Zhang Ju has a grandson. In the past, after his son Zhang Duo and daughter-in-law gave birth to a son, they died of poisoning for no reason, and later the grandson disappeared too.
Over the years, Zhang Ju has been unable to find any trace of him, and it’s a heavy burden in his heart.
Moreover, the reason behind his son and daughter-in-law’s death remained elusive. But when Zhang Ju found his grandson’s baby apron on the Sacrificial Altar, it was during the appearance of the Eight-Star Phenomenon that night.
Originally such a good astral event should have been an auspicious time for everyone to worship the heavens and pray for divine protection, but unexpectedly, it turned into a day of death, with his grandson missing too. It was truly tragic!
"Then... Master, shall I tell them to leave?" Li Sheng said.
"No! Let them wait. If they run out of patience, they will leave naturally. If this lad truly has patience, I want to see what conditions he will propose. How dare he be so audacious and claim to agree to all conditions without knowing the price for those words?"
While admonishing Chen Tianlong, he was also reflecting on himself, recalling how arrogant he had once been, leading to the predicament he faced now. Indeed, it was all brought upon by himself!
"Yes, Master!" After speaking, Li Sheng withdrew!
After some searching, Chen Tianlong and Zhang Yufei finally arrived at the rear mountain, where there was a small house. Looking around, there seemed to be no other buildings. Presumably, this was their supposed "seclusion" place.