activa-t Chapter 1074 $2 million
Chapter 1074 $2 million
Terauchi Hisaichi stared intently at the small ampoule in Zhou Zhengqing's hand, his gaze so intense it seemed to burn a hole in the glass.
Many images flashed uncontrollably through his mind: the young tactical genius who was forced to leave his staff post due to tuberculosis, returned to his homeland for recuperation, and whose future was ruined.
A powerful political figure in China, whose hair turned white with worry because his beloved daughter unfortunately contracted tuberculosis... and so on, there are too many to list...
If... if this streptomycin really works, even if it only controls the symptoms...
King Kyohiko's thoughts, however, unfolded at an even faster pace and on a more complex level.
He was thinking of those members of the royal family who had gradually faded from the inner circle due to health reasons, including suspected tuberculosis.
This brings to mind the almost superstitious fear and avoidance of tuberculosis within the Chinese community.
Imagine how much goodwill and how strong an alliance could be won in the deeply entrenched power circles of Kyoto by a truly effective anti-tuberculosis method, even if it is extremely early and scarce.
This is far more direct and effective than the strategic value of penicillin, which is mainly used to treat soldiers, in building a foundation of private power and consolidating one's own position!
This touches upon the most core and vulnerable interests of their social class... health, family continuity, and political life.
"cost?"
Terauchi Hisaichi's voice was dry and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against a rough stone surface, each word squeezed out from the depths of his throat.
He shed all pretense and politeness, tore away the last layer of disguise, and asked the most crucial question that hung between the three of them.
Although King Jiuyan did not speak, his gaze, fixed on Zhou Zhengqing, was as sharp as a hawk's, clearly conveying the same questioning and scrutiny.
The air in the study suddenly froze, becoming so heavy it was suffocating.
Only the restless crackling of the flames in the fireplace and the three people's breathing, some suppressed and some steady, intertwined and collided in the silence.
At this moment, all three of them knew the truth.
Zhou Zhengqing's intention in bringing up "Antibacterial Pill No. 2" at this moment was by no means merely to showcase another product.
This is more like a boulder thrown into a still lake, intended to show just how many coveted assets he holds, while also subtly and precisely casting out a rope for alliance.
The use of "Antibacterial Dan" and now the even more impactful "Antibacterial Dan No. 2" is enough to weave a tight web of interests, binding stakeholders firmly to the same boat and forming a group with shared interests.
Terauchi Hisaichi and Yasuhiko exchanged a silent glance, both seeing a barely suppressed tremor in each other's eyes.
They had to admit that the temptation was too deadly and irresistible.
Although the source of these two drugs is firmly in the hands of Takasaki Takuto, that is, the Takasaki family, they know that top noble families like the Takasaki family, who are well-versed in the ways of power, understand the ironclad rule that "profit sharing" is the way to survive.
At this moment, Takuto Takasaki's attitude conveys far more than just a simple sale.
He is more like a composed convener, probing, screening, and setting out to build a core interest circle that revolves around these two scarce resources.
This is no longer a simple transaction. It is a signal, an invitation, inviting them into a more secretive and powerful alliance.
Zhou Zhengqing calmly met their gazes and announced a figure: "Given the revolutionary health benefits that Antibacterial Pill No. 2 may bring, as well as the extreme complexity of the current extraction process and its yield comparable to gold, the initial price is..."
Each dose, a single ampoule, costs approximately $20,000 for an initial trial course of treatment.
The numbers echoed in the silence.
"Similarly, I need to clarify that this is far from a commercial price; it is more of a symbolic 'friendship cost price,' intended to cover some of the incalculable R&D investment, as well as potential compensation for volunteer subjects who may be recruited in the future and bear unknown risks."
$20,000! That's twenty times the "friendly price" for penicillin!
This is a truly enormous sum of money, enough to purchase a rather respectable mansion in the most bustling area of Kyoto, or to equip a well-trained infantry company.
Deathly silence, a suffocating deathly silence.
Terauchi Hisaichi and Yasuhiko stood like two statues frozen in time, only the rapidly shifting light in their eyes revealing the intense storm raging within them.
$20,000 a piece!
On the other hand, this price is like a cold mirror, reflecting the immeasurable losses that tuberculosis may bring them: the end of their political careers, the collapse of the family's pillar, and the enormous risk of being forced out of power struggles due to health problems.
Time passed by second by second, and each second felt incredibly long.
Finally, Terauchi Hisaichi seemed to have used up all his strength, and took a deep breath, which sounded unusually heavy in the silence.
He closed his eyes, then opened them again, his eyes now filled with ruthlessness and determination, as if he were signing a life-or-death agreement concerning his own fate.
"I... will purchase three shares."
He needed it, not only for that hidden worry that he himself might not want to think about deeply, but also to use it as an unparalleled gift to knock on the doors of certain key figures in the country who were also shrouded in the shadow of the "white plague," in exchange for their more steadfast support in military resources and personnel appointments.
Almost as soon as Terauchi Hisaichi finished speaking, Prince Kyohiko nodded slowly and solemnly, his voice regaining its royal composure, yet carrying an unmistakable seriousness: "Since Takasaki-kun has been so frank, and this matter concerns life and death... I will also purchase three sets, just in case."
Zhou Zhengqing smiled appropriately and bowed slightly: "Thank you, General, and thank you, Your Highness, for your trust in the Takasaki family's cutting-edge explorations and your support for scientific research."
I will personally arrange for Lingzi to prepare the medicine so that the two of you can take it away later.
At the same time, a very preliminary list of preservation conditions, potential risks, and key observation points for use, drafted by the laboratory's chief expert, will also be sent to you both in document form.
Zhou Zhengqing's last sentence not only absolved him of any potential future responsibility but also further emphasized the preciousness and mystery of the medicine.
From then on, Zhou Zhengqing's plan succeeded. A meticulously designed scheme successfully brought two of the most powerful figures in the Japanese army into his orbit.
He not only made them willingly pay an astonishingly high price, but also made them eagerly and proactively jump onto the "scarce resource supply" chariot he was driving.
From then on, they were no longer just buyers, but unknowingly became the most ideal testers and the highest-level unpaid promoters for his future "new drugs".
Once the drug proves effective on them or key figures around them, the resulting demand will snowball from the top of power, growing ever larger.
And the source of all these demands has always been firmly in Zhou Zhengqing's grasp.
Of course, Zhou Zhengqing himself was also within the rules.
He set an ironclad rule for himself: the “friendship price” he personally promised in the previous two transactions, namely $1,000 for Antimicrobial Dan and $20,000 for Antimicrobial Dan No. 2, was a benchmark set specifically for Terauchi Hisaichi and Yasuhiko.
This price will remain as solid as a rock for a very long time to come, and will never change.
This is about credibility, and it's also part of his rules of the game.
In the eyes of Terauchi Hisaichi and Yasuhiko, what they deeply felt today was the chillingly advanced biotechnology power displayed by the "Takasaki Family," and the seemingly bottomless research and development potential behind it.
What made them even more apprehensive was the young man named Takasaki Takuto, who accurately grasped people's fear of disease and death, skillfully manipulated supply and demand psychology, and calmly controlled the rhythm of the entire transaction.
This is by no means the kind of hot-tempered, vindictive, and reckless noble playboy that outsiders have described.
On the contrary, beneath the mask lies a calm and collected young talent of the empire, who is also subtly becoming a chess player.