After Rebirth, Married to a Deadly Enemy - Chapter 35

Possibly eager to quickly earn money to repay Bai Xiangxing, Xiangyan worked exceptionally hard since joining Xinshi. On the first day, he personally formulated the Mental Soothing Agent and continued to refine it, elevating the medication to an A-grade level.

 

The classification of Mental Soothing Agents is based on the level of psychic abilities, with A-grade specifically designed to soothe individuals with A-grade psychic powers, calming their mental unrest.

 

While A-grade Mental Soothing Agents exist, they usually require specialized pharmacists for formulation, making mass production unfeasible. The inability to mass-produce results in higher medication costs and increased treatment expenses. Once mass-produced, not only could it reduce the cost of treatment, but it could also save rescue time.

 

Upon learning that Xiangyan could formulate an A-grade medication, Zhou Qirong became especially excited. “If this medication is brought to the battlefield, it could be life-saving.”

 

Everyone turned their attention to him.

 

Zhou Qirong sighed, “I used to be a military doctor. In the military, the higher the psychic level of individuals executing dangerous missions, the higher the likelihood of psychic unrest during those missions. If excessive psychic usage occurs during a mission, leading to unrest, those lucky enough to be cured may still suffer lingering effects, relying on Mental Soothing Agents for life. Some, unlucky ones, never return.”

 

Upon hearing Manager Zhou’s sigh, the expressions of everyone present became solemn. Bai Xiangxing, however, subconsciously thought of Shi Zhen. The last time Shi Zhen was injured, he left the hospital after just a day, and after leaving, he appeared healthy. Bai Xiangxing naturally assumed he had fully recovered. However, he remembered the doctor mentioning that Shi Zhen’s psychic powers had also been affected, unsure if it might leave any aftereffects.

 

It shouldn’t be, right? Shi Zhen’s psychic level should be S-grade. If there were any issues, he would have been taken to recuperate by the doctors long ago.

 

“Let’s mass-produce this medication as soon as possible,” Bai Xiangxing suggested. “However, A-grade psychic patients are still a minority. Xiangyan, can you modify the formula to lower the grade of the Mental Soothing Agent, making it compatible with lower-grade psychic powers? This way, we can capture a larger market.”

 

Xiangyan nodded, “Certainly, and lower-grade medications don’t require high-purity herbs, reducing costs.”

 

To produce an A-grade Mental Soothing Agent, high-quality, uncontaminated herbs were crucial.

 

Bai Xiangxing agreed, “Manager Zhou, please arrange it. In the future, the herbs produced on Shi Ning’s private planet will only be supplied for A-grade Mental Soothing Agents and for the exclusive use of the Storm Legion. For others, we’ll purchase externally or cultivate them ourselves.”

 

Although these herbs wouldn’t necessarily enhance the efficacy when producing information-inhibiting agents compared to herbs cultivated by others, Bai Xiangxing wanted to provide the best for the Storm Legion, even if it meant offering benefits to shareholders.

 

“Understood,” Zhou Qirong replied.

 

“However, if we want to mass-produce A-grade Mental Soothing Agents, there’s another issue,” Xiangyan added.

 

“What issue?”

 

“On the market, any Mental Soothing Agent beyond B-grade requires manual formulation by a qualified pharmacist based on the patient’s psychic fluctuations. So, if we want to mass-produce Mental Soothing Agents beyond B-grade, merely using instruments for detection won’t be sufficient. We’ll need clinical trials and reports. Otherwise, the drug regulatory authority won’t approve it,” Xiangyan explained.

 

“Real human experiments are needed?” Bai Xiangxing asked.

 

“Yes, and at least fifty subjects. Finding fifty people with A-grade psychic levels isn’t difficult, but finding fifty with unstable psychic levels is challenging. Moreover, they have to agree to be experimental subjects, something most people wouldn’t agree to.”

“Dangerous? If it’s high-risk, let’s not rush into production,” Bai Xiangxing said.

 

Bai Xiangxing’s words brought a sense of goodwill to Xiangyan. He genuinely feared that Bai Xiangxing, in his eagerness to make money quickly, would overlook clinical trials and hastily release the medication into the market. When he was controlled by the drug dealers, many of the medications he produced had no proper clinical trials and were directly sold. Therefore, when formulating medications, he paid extra attention, considering various scenarios to ensure the final product’s safety, even if the efficacy wasn’t stable, to prevent irreversible damage to the users.

 

Xiangyan shook his head, “No, there won’t be. The efficacy of the medication during experiments might not meet expectations, but there won’t be significant risks. Moreover, I will be involved throughout to ensure safety.”

 

“Okay, then arrange the clinical trials. Finally, as for people…” Bai Xiangxing hesitated for a moment, then turned to Wan Tong and said, “Try to contact hospitals and find individuals with damaged psychic abilities but average economic conditions.”

 

The participants for clinical trials are usually two types of people: those with an illness but no money for treatment, and those with an illness but no corresponding medication available at the hospital. Mental Soothing Agents are not a cure for a terminal illness, just troublesome to treat, so they could only look for individuals with average economic conditions.

 

“Sure, I’ll go do that…”

 

Just as Wan Tong was about to agree, Manager Zhou suddenly spoke up, “Actually, there’s no need to go through so much trouble. Our company has suitable candidates.”

 

Everyone was stunned, looking at Manager Zhou in unison.

 

“Our company’s security team, many of them are veterans from the battlefield, and their psychic levels are not low. Some of them even have issues related to psychic abilities,” Zhou Qirong explained. “We may not have fifty, but we certainly have twenty or thirty. Additionally, some of their comrades might also need it. If the trial proves effective, gathering fifty people won’t be difficult.”

 

While Xiangyan did not participate in the production process, Zhou Qirong had tested the completed medication and reviewed the data from the instruments. As a military doctor, he understood the potential risks of conducting clinical trials, so he wouldn’t recommend individuals from the security team without reason.

 

“If they agree, that would be the best,” as it would save a lot of time, Bai Xiangxing said, hesitating for a moment before turning to Wan Tong, “You try to contact the hospital and find people with damaged psychic abilities but average economic conditions.”

 

“Willing, they’ll definitely be willing,” Zhou Qirong said confidently.

 

Bai Xiangxing, not knowing the security team as well as Zhou Qirong, decided to trust his judgment and delegated the task to him, saying, “Then, Manager Zhou, you take care of the contacts.”

 

“No trouble, it’s the least I can do,” Zhou Qirong replied.

 

“However, participation in the experiment must be voluntary, and whether they agree or not, we cannot force them. However, for everyone who agrees to participate, the company will provide them with extra compensation, and we promise that if any accidents occur during the experiment, the company will take full responsibility,” Bai Xiangxing said, turning to Wan Tong, “Prepare an agreement outlining these terms, and have every participant sign one.”

 

This agreement aimed to provide a sense of security for those willing to participate. As this was an experiment involving psychic medications, the worst-case scenario could potentially ruin a person’s psychic consciousness.

 

“Sure, I’ll prepare it right away,” Wan Tong said, lowering his head to jot down the details on the light tablet.

 

Zhou Qirong fought for this experimental opportunity for the security team not only to help the company address the issue of clinical trials but also for personal reasons. He wanted to assist the veterans in the security team who were struggling economically. Medications related to psychic abilities were difficult to produce, requiring diagnosis by pharmacists, making the treatment costs very high. Those who continued to stay in Xinshi as security after retiring from the military were soldiers facing financial difficulties. They might not be able to afford psychic medications even after saving a year’s salary.

 

In recent years, Xinshi’s situation had been deteriorating, and they were well aware of it. If it weren’t for unbearable discomfort, they wouldn’t even consider applying for medical assistance. Before Bai Xiangxing took over Xinshi, they even planned to form a team to take on exploration missions, aiming for self-sufficiency. However, they were aware of their mental conditions, and they also knew that sending ten people might not bring back three, but saving three was better than letting ten people wait for death.

 

In the recent past, Captain Du, leading the security team, successfully retrieved equipment from space pirates, and the company rewarded them with extra money. However, the sum was only enough for two courses of A-grade Psychic Soothing Agent, and it was intended for only one person. They were planning to take on missions again, and Manager Zhou was anxious. Just then, Xiangyan appeared with the Psychic Soothing Agent.

 

Manager Zhou had been eagerly awaiting this opportunity for clinical trials, hoping to help them obtain the medication for free. To his surprise, Bai Xiangxing was willing to provide additional compensation.

 

“Bai CEO, on behalf of those soldiers, I want to thank you,” Manager Zhou bowed gratefully to Bai Xiangxing.

 

Bai Xiangxing was taken aback and reached out to support him, saying, “Manager Zhou, what are you doing?”

 

“This medication, it can truly save many lives,” Manager Zhou said excitedly.

 

Rationally, Bai Xiangxing knew the medication could save many lives, but being just a businessman with the closest encounter to the battlefield being marrying Shizhen, he couldn’t empathize fully. Watching Manager Zhou like this, he couldn’t help but feel a bit moved, “You should thank Xiangyan the most; he’s the one who developed the medication.”

 

Manager Zhou immediately turned to Xiangyan and began bowing again, “Yes, yes, thanks to Mr. Xiangyan.”

 

Having grown up in District 64 and later taken away by drug dealers, Xiangyan had never been genuinely appreciated before. Terrified, he hugged Manager Zhou, who could be his father, and stammered, “No… no need. I didn’t do much.”

 

“Mr. Xiangyan, the medication you developed is truly invaluable,” Manager Zhou continued to praise.

 

“You… you’re exaggerating,” Xiangyan responded.

 

The two continued to support each other, one praising vigorously, the other modestly declining, leaving the onlookers amused.

 

Bai Xiangxing, seeing them about to continue endlessly, couldn’t help but say, “If you continue slacking off like this, I’ll deduct your salary.”

 

As working-class individuals, they immediately snapped out of it, picking up the medication’s fragrance and heading towards the security team’s dormitory.

 

After that, Bai Xiangxing didn’t worry about it anymore and started thinking about loan matters. Xinshi’s current cash flow was very healthy, and he had earned a considerable amount. However, production of the new medication required setting up new production lines and hiring new workers. Without a loan, the production volume couldn’t increase, and that wasn’t Bai Xiangxing’s style. Being a big shot reincarnated, his ambitions were beyond ordinary. If he was to do it, he had to do it big, especially considering that once this medication hit the market, demand would surely outstrip supply, especially from the military.

 

Speaking of the military, the previous Information Suppressant was handed over to other military units by Shizhen for testing, and while there were some military orders, the results weren’t as good as expected. The meager profit wasn’t something Bai Xiangxing valued much. He wanted to re-establish ties with the military and make Xinshi the sole supplier of medications for the military. It seemed that the Information Suppressant produced by Xinshi wasn’t enough to shake the relationship between the Mellon Group and the military.

 

The Mellon Group had replaced Xinshi as the military’s medication supplier.

 

However, with this Psychic Soothing Agent, Bai Xiangxing estimated that he wouldn’t need to actively seek out the military; they would contact him on their own.

 

While Bai Xiangxing was busy with loan applications and expanding the factory, he was also awaiting the results of Xiangyan and Manager Zhou’s experiments. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, half a month passed. Bai Xiangxing didn’t receive the results of the clinical trials but instead got a message from Shizhen.

 

Shizhen: [I’m going on a mission, I’ll be back in about half a month.]

 

When Bai Xiangxing received the message, he was in a meeting and didn’t think much about it initially. He simply replied, “Understood,” and continued the meeting. After it ended, he vaguely felt something was wrong. Shizhen wouldn’t specially remind him about going on a mission; could it be a dangerous task?

 

Worried, Bai Xiangxing immediately initiated a video call.

 

The video rang for a while before connecting, and on the other end, Shizhen was wearing a black combat suit, looking completely different from his usual self.

 

“Are you preparing to depart?” Bai Xiangxing asked.

 

“Yes, choosing weapons and battle armor,” Shizhen replied. During a mission, you could choose to wear your own battle armor or use the one provided by the military. The battle armor prepared by the military was based on your rank, military achievements, and the difficulty of the mission, but the level might not necessarily be high. On the other hand, your own battle armor could be as good as you wanted, as long as you had the money to buy it.

 

In usual circumstances, those with good economic conditions would choose to purchase higher-level battle armor to enhance their combat capabilities during missions. However, Shizhen, a “poor man” with only fifty thousand star coins in his bank account, couldn’t afford to buy battle armor and naturally had to select from the options provided by the military.

 

But Bai Xiangxing was unaware of this. “Is your mission very dangerous this time?” he asked.

 

“Not too bad,” Shizhen replied.

 

“If it’s just ‘not too bad,’ would you specifically notify me?” Bai Xiangxing countered.

 

Upon hearing this, Shizhen on the video call froze, lips pressed together, unsure of how to respond.

 

Seeing Shizhen’s silence, Bai Xiangxing raised an eyebrow and said, “If you admit it, then be careful on your mission. I don’t want to be stabbed again. Last time, I almost fainted from the pain.”

 

Yes, he wasn’t worried about Shizhen; this guy didn’t die even when he did. He just didn’t want to be dragged away again to extract Information Suppressant samples.

 

“It won’t happen again. Last time, it was because my battle armor level wasn’t high enough. This time, I applied for a Level 5 battle armor, so it won’t be like that,” Shizhen assured.

 

“You’re not lying to me?” Bai Xiangxing doubted.

 

Shizhen pressed his lips and continued, “I informed you because I promised you. I’ll let you know whenever something comes up, not because the mission is dangerous.”

 

Now Bai Xiangxing was the one left in a daze. Promised? When did Shizhen promise, and why did he make such a promise?

 

“So, no need to worry,” Shizhen reassured.

 

Who was worrying?!

 

Bai Xiangxing didn’t want to admit it, but looking at Shizhen’s sincere tone in the video, he found himself unable to voice any objections.

 

Fine, if he was going on a mission, he wouldn’t mess with his mindset.

 

“Well… you go prepare then. Don’t let me delay you,” Bai Xiangxing awkwardly said.

 

“I won’t be late, still two hours before departure,” Shizhen replied.

 

Damn it, can’t you hear that I’m trying to end the call? Two hours before departure, so what? Are you asking me to chat with you for two more hours? You have time; I’m busy making money.

 

At this moment, Xiangyan walked in, and Bai Xiangxing took the opportunity to end the call, saying, “Uh, I’m busy with work.”

 

After Bai Xiangxing ended the call, Xiangyan approached, “CEO Bai, did you need something?”

 

“Yes, I wanted to inquire about the clinical trial. How is it going?” Bai Xiangxing asked.

 

“The clinical trial is progressing smoothly. Many soldiers with unstable psychic powers have experienced relief. Currently, it seems the likelihood of success is high. However, the entire trial process takes two months. We must ensure there are no aftereffects before the data can be considered valid,” Xiangyan explained. 

 

“So, we still have to wait for over a month?”

 

“Yes, are you in a hurry?” Xiangyan asked.

 

“Not really. I just wanted to know the timeline to plan for subsequent matters. You don’t need to rush; the experiment must be meticulous, with no room for errors,” Bai Xiangxing immediately stated.

 

“Understood. I’ll continue with the experiment. I can’t be away for too long,” Xiangyan said.

 

“Sure, go ahead.”

 

Xiangyan nodded and turned to leave. However, as he reached the door, Bai Xiangxing suddenly called him back, “So far, have there been any adverse reactions?”

 

“No,” Xiangyan shook his head.

 

The experiment had been ongoing for over half a month without any adverse reactions, indicating promising results.

 

“Do you have any extra psychic comfort Agents? I’d like to get a few,” Bai Xiangxing requested.

 

“Sure, I’ve prepared enough for sixty people. How many do you need?” Xiangyan inquired.

 

“Give me ten,” Bai Xiangxing replied.

 

“Alright, when do you need them?” Xiangyan asked.

 

“As soon as possible. Arrange for someone to deliver them to me when you return,” Bai Xiangxing said. Shizhen was departing in two hours, and there was no time to waste.

 

Yes, these shots were prepared for Shizhen. Although Shizhen vehemently claimed that his mission wouldn’t be dangerous, it was always better to be prepared.

 

Without asking why Bai Xiangxing needed the shots, Xiangyan agreed to have them delivered after he returned. Bai Xiangxing received the elixirs but decided to deliver them personally, thinking of having Wang Ping do it at first, but ultimately, he made the trip himself.

 

Shizhen, who had just finished preparing for the mission, suddenly received a message from Bai Xiangxing, saying he was waiting at the military base’s entrance. Shizhen was puzzled by this and began removing his equipment, causing the rest of the Flame Team to wonder, “Boss, why are you doing this right after putting it on?”

 

“Bai is here; I’m going out to see him,” Shizhen explained.

 

“Ooooh~” Suddenly, there was a chorus of howls in the preparation room.

 

Shizhen, feeling somewhat awkward for a rare moment, ran out.

 

Bai Xiangxing, although a military family member, couldn’t freely enter military facilities. Therefore, he could only wait at the entrance. After waiting for about ten minutes, he saw a tall figure rushing towards him.

 

Shizhen ran out, and after passing through the gate, he smoothly stopped in front of Bai Xiangxing, asking, “Why did you come?”

 

The message Bai Xiangxing sent to him only mentioned coming out briefly, without specifying the reason.

 

“I brought you something.” Bai Xiangxing handed over the prepared medication shots to Shizhen.

 

“What’s this?” Shizhen opened the box, finding ten neatly arranged shots inside.

 

“This is the A-grade Psychic Comfort Medication recently developed by Xinshi. A-grade,” Bai Xiangxing emphasized the two words, “A-grade.”

 

“A-grade?” Shizhen’s gaze abruptly changed.

 

“Yes, but it’s still in the clinical trial phase. So far, no side effects have occurred. You’re only going out for half a month this time, but in case of an emergency, you can use it,” Bai Xiangxing emphasized. “Remember, only use it in a critical situation. Although there haven’t been any side effects so far, the entire clinical trial hasn’t been completed. Whether there are aftereffects is still unclear. So, I’m giving it to you for self-defense. Don’t use it unless absolutely necessary.”

 

Oops, he forgot. Shizhen’s psychic power level was higher than A-grade, so the efficacy of this medication would be limited for him. However, it should be useful for the rest of the Flame Team.

 

“Alright.” Shizhen carefully put away the box. Nobody knew better than him the value of these medicine on the battlefield.

 

“I’ll be going now.” Bai Xiangxing was about to leave when his arm was suddenly grabbed.

 

“Thank you,” Shizhen said, releasing his hand only after expressing his gratitude.

 

“I-I got it.” Bai Xiangxing quickly got into the car, his face somewhat flustered.

 

Wang Ping, watching his boss blush in the back seat, wisely kept his mouth shut until they reached a fork in the road. Then he had to speak up, “CEO Bai, are we heading back to the company or home?”

 

“Home,” Bai Xiangxing finally came back to his senses.