Homo Sapiens

Meanwhile.

Back at the conference, the various pharmaceutical companies and heads of regional health departments were not surprised by the price of Lanf Anning.

This was mainly because it wasn’t a conventional drug, but a prescription one. After all, Lanf Anning had significant side effects, so only patients with fairly severe cases, or those who were critically ill, would likely use such a medication.

Patients with mild or no symptoms would most likely not use it.

In fact, this was one of Lanf Anning’s drawbacks. The drug couldn’t trigger the production of antibodies in the human body and, on the contrary, had a small chance of causing the virus strain to develop drug resistance.

Therefore, any region with foresight would strictly control the widespread use of Lanf Anning to prevent the virus from developing resistance.

Of course, such a ban would depend on the situation.

Li Qingye estimated that, given the current circumstances, there was a high probability that Lanf Anning would be overused, especially by reinfected patients, for whom it would be difficult to avoid.

A vaccine that could generate antibodies was the only fundamental solution.

Back at the hotel, Li Qingye had just finished a shower.

Phil reported some rather important matters to him. He took the earpiece-like storage device Phil handed him, inserted it into his ear, and opened his eyes a few minutes later.

”This is just as I expected. It seems that batch of equipment won’t be so easy to ship out.”

”Boss, should we proceed with the backup plan?” Phil asked.

Li Qingye shook his head. ”No need. Si Qiang.”

”Your orders, Boss.” Mao Siqiang immediately sat up straight, ready to listen.

”Have Tian Hemeng halt the supply of the new drug and the test kits. We’ll resume the supply when they release the equipment.”

”Yes, sir.”

...

After the press conference ended that day, pharmaceutical companies around the world, despite their busy schedules, scrambled to hold emergency meetings.

This included Pfizer Inc., one of the giants of the pharmaceutical industry.

Through their network of corporate partners, they had already learned about the new wonder drug, Lanf Anning, developed by Qingye Medical.

Inside the conference room at Pfizer Inc. headquarters, President Jackson put down the photocopied document in his hands. ”Steve, do you think we should continue developing our vaccine?”

Steve, the head of the drug development department, quickly replied, ”Mr. President, we absolutely must continue our research. Even if this wonder drug is highly effective, it can’t replace the role of a vaccine. In fact, it might even increase the importance of vaccines, since viruses can develop drug resistance.”

”Drug resistance? Are you sure this wonder drug will cause resistance? I heard from the AIDS lab that the drug developed by Qingye Medical uses a combination similar to a cocktail therapy, which can effectively reduce the development of resistance.”

Steve shook his head. ”Mr. President, you have to trust my professional judgment. The transmission mechanism is different from AIDS. Even with a cocktail combination, it can, at best, only delay the emergence of drug resistance.”

”Is that so?” Jackson immediately made up his mind. ”Then continue the development. But your progress is too slow.”

”We’re already going very fast. We can complete phase three trials by September,” Steve said, his expression one of utter helplessness.

’September?’ Jackson’s brow furrowed. ’That timing isn’t quite right.’ He then narrowed his eyes and said, ”I’ve been too hasty. Just arrange your schedule and have it ready before Christmas.”

”What?” Steve thought he had misheard. ”Finished before Christmas?”

”Yes. Safety is the most important thing,” Jackson said, putting on a compassionate, benevolent expression.

’Heh, who are you trying to fool?’ If Steve hadn’t been dealing with the man for six or seven years, he might have actually believed Jackson was concerned about the drug’s safety.

But as long as he had time to slowly adjust and improve the drug, Steve couldn’t care less what kind of schemes the company was plotting.

After Steve left,

Jackson turned to the silent head of the marketing department, Harley. ”Harley, go talk to Qingye Medical. As long as they’re willing to transfer the technology, we can negotiate any price.”

”Jack, do you think that’s even possible?” Harley asked in astonishment.

But Jackson was full of confidence. ”Mr. Harley, if they don’t agree, they can forget about ever entering the international market.”

”Is that so? Aren’t you being a bit overconfident, Mr. President? Even without the international market, they still have sizable markets in Asia, Central America, and Africa,” Harley pointed out.

”Can those markets compare to North America and Europe? What money do those poor bastards have? In the face of profit, even God can be painted black,” Jackson said, his words cutting straight to the point.

”Okay.” Harley was only offering a reminder; he had no intention of directly confronting his boss.

...

Meanwhile.

At the Jade Hotel in Bamana,

Han Shidao, the head of National Medicine Company’s Hongsawaddy operations, was hosting a dinner for Tian Hemeng.

”President Tian, Lanf Anning has already entered the green channel. I was wondering if the price could be lowered a bit?”

Tian Hemeng shook his head. ”President Han, on the matter of price, I can’t show favoritism. After all, everyone else is paying 5,000.”

Hearing this, Han Shidao felt helpless. He knew there was very little room for negotiation on the price, but he still wanted to try his best to get a more reasonable deal.

”President Tian, we’ve been cooperating for so long. You should know this is a massive market of over a billion people. Besides, Ai Qingling and Rabies Killer are also going through the approval process.”

Tian Hemeng remained unmoved. ”Then let them continue through the process. Our company is in no hurry.”

Faced with the impervious Tian Hemeng, Han Shidao was inwardly frustrated to no end. But what could his frustration do? After all, Qingye Medical held all the cards.

He could only change the subject. ”I hear the sanatorium in Old Street is doing well. It’s just that travel is a bit inconvenient, since crossing the border is rather troublesome these days.”

”Indeed. A large batch of our company’s equipment is still stuck at Hai Zhou Port. Who knows when it can be shipped back,” Tian Hemeng said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

’Hai Zhou Port? Equipment?’ Han Shidao quickly wracked his brain, but after a moment, he was still completely clueless.

”President Tian, haven’t we always had a good partnership regarding your company’s pharmaceutical equipment? Besides, that equipment is always shipped from Yangcheng and Rongcheng, not Hai Zhou Port.”

”You must be joking, President Han. Our company isn’t only in the pharmaceutical industry.”

’Not pharmaceutical equipment? Then what is it?’

But Tian Hemeng, who was playing dumb, seemed to be in low spirits. He took a few bites of food and then excused himself.

Back in his room, Han Shidao immediately called his headquarters and asked if Qingye Group had a batch of equipment stuck at Hai Zhou Port recently.

More than three hours later, headquarters finally called back.

After hearing the explanation from headquarters, Han Shidao finally understood the cause and effect of the situation. He anxiously warned, ”President Zhang, I suspect Qingye Group will use the drug supply as leverage. Even if the drug passes approval, whether they actually supply it or not is still up to them.”

”I know, but the situation with that chemical equipment is complicated,” President Zhang Licai on the other end of the line sounded equally helpless.

His temper flaring, Han Shidao stated his thoughts directly. ”Then, President Zhang, find someone to pass on a message: tell them not to rush us about the drug. Of course, if they’ve got the guts, they can come to Hongsawaddy and negotiate themselves.”

”Alright, calm down. I’ve already had someone report it up the chain. As for the drug import, we’ll just do our best. In any case, the responsibility won’t fall on us when the time comes.”

”Fine,” Han Shidao said, hanging up the phone. He sat down on the sofa, rubbed his temples, and sighed to himself.

”Sigh... Not a single day of peace.”

Outside the window, in the dead of night, a light rain began to fall again.

For many people, tonight would be another sleepless night.