Chapter 1795 — In Grave Peril, Part Two

Therefore, Kang Zhaolong did everything he could to prove himself before Divine Physician Kang.

"Big Brother, although buying up small pharmaceutical factories is admittedly a bit troublesome — the production sites are scattered, which makes unified management inconvenient — that's no problem. Our Kang family's production lines can mainly produce the fast-selling items, while those small factories can handle the less popular products. With each factory concentrating on a single product, all we need is to send one of our own people to sit at each site and take charge, and that will be more than enough. Of course, what Big Brother said is also right — we can expand our production lines at the same time, running both in parallel so that production isn't held up!" Kang Zhaoming said.

"Mm, Zhaoming makes sense. Zhaolong, so long as you keep the formulas confidential, that will do. There's no need for you to stick your hand into operational matters like this!" Divine Physician Kang said to Kang Zhaolong.

A flicker of chagrin passed through Kang Zhaolong's eyes. He had once been the heir apparent to the Kang family, but now he had been utterly marginalized.

Fatty Lai and Guan Xuemin had never imagined that while Wei Zhao was off on a trip, such a momentous affair would erupt back home! When Divine Physician Kang Pharmaceutical Company first held its new product launch, Fatty Lai had paid it no attention, taking it for a loss-making publicity stunt — a final, desperate struggle!

But by the time Fatty Lai saw Divine Physician Kang's Golden Wound Salve and All-Pain Relief flowing into the market without end, clearly nothing like a loss-making publicity stunt, it was already too late! The pharmacies that had formerly worked with them all canceled their orders at once, as if they had come to some prior arrangement. The Liu family's inventory had raised the alarm, distributors' returns piled up into mountains, and even a seasoned veteran of the business world like Fatty Lai was completely dumbfounded.

For the situation before him had gone completely beyond his expectations. The cost of Divine Physician Kang's Golden Wound Salve was right there for all to see — how could they possibly sell it at such a cheap price? And where had the formula for their All-Pain Relief come from?

If one said that the price reduction of their Golden Wound Salve and the launch of All-Pain Relief came from stealing the formulas of Fatty Lai's company, then the appearance of the deluxe edition of the Golden Wound Salve and the weight-loss drug undoubtedly proved one point: their formulas had not come from Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals!

For not even Guan Xuemin or Fatty Lai had the formula for the deluxe edition of the trauma medicine in hand, let alone the weight-loss drug that had never been put into production! Every indication thus suggested that Divine Physician Kang Pharmaceutical Company must have recently obtained the backing of some powerful force; otherwise, it could not have kept launching new products one after another!

Moreover, under such tremendous sales volume, being able to maintain steady supply meant leasing the production lines of at least many small pharmaceutical factories — such connections were certainly not something Divine Physician Kang himself possessed!

Although Fatty Lai's conjecture was largely close to the truth, even knowing it was of no avail, for Wei Zhao was not at home, and they had no product with which to counter their rivals! What frustrated Fatty Lai most was that Wei Zhao's phone was switched off at such a moment!

Fatty Lai dialed without stop, yet all that came back was still the switched-off prompt. With no alternative, he could only go to Guan Xuemin's home to discuss countermeasures. He didn't know that Wei Zhao had turned off his phone earlier because he was afraid of being disturbed during cultivation, and afterward had fallen unconscious. Tang Yun and the others naturally never thought to turn Wei Zhao's phone back on!

"Elder Guan, how should we respond to these matters at Divine Physician Kang Pharmaceutical Group lately?" Fatty Lai came straight to the point. "The boss's phone can't be reached. But judging by the current state of affairs, if we don't take some measures, both the Liu family and we are going to be unable to hold out!"

"Xiao Yi's phone can't be reached... Did you try calling Tang Yun and the others? They should be together, right?" Guan Xuemin said after a moment's deliberation.

"This... I really did forget about that..." Fatty Lai was instantly rather embarrassed. His concern had clouded his senses; he had been so focused on contacting Wei Zhao that he'd overlooked the fact that Tang Yun and the others were with Wei Zhao. Thus reminded by Guan Xuemin, he hurriedly dialed Tang Yun's mobile phone.

This time, the call connected as soon as he dialed, and Tang Yun's voice came through before long: "Mr. Lai?"

"It's me. Sister-in-law, is the boss with you? I have something urgent to see him about..." With the call put through to Tang Yun, Fatty Lai instantly breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had found his backbone. Though the Kang family's business had come upon them suddenly, with Wei Zhao at the helm, defeating them would be no trouble at all!

For Fatty Lai remembered Wei Zhao saying before that these two drugs were only to test the waters; if the market response was good, other miracle drugs would follow. And it had been Fatty Lai, after all, who had advised against releasing everything at once — only by advancing step by step could they sustain the commotion in the market.

Of course, had the Kang family affair not occurred, Fatty Lai's approach would have been correct — it could keep Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals perpetually in people's view and ensure it was never forgotten. But Divine Physician Kang Pharmaceutical Group had played its move, completely throwing Fatty Lai's plan into disarray.

At present, if they wanted to settle the contest with Divine Physician Kang Pharmaceutical Company, cutting prices and releasing other products to stand against them was the only way — indeed, they would have to release even more numerous and more effective drugs before they could win back the lost market! After all, although Divine Physician Kang's Golden Wound Salve carried a high price, it was a time-honored brand; Doctor Guan Pharmaceuticals' trauma medicine, though comparable in efficacy, was after all a brand of far too short a history and had only won by its price advantage. Now that Divine Physician Kang suddenly sold its Golden Wound Salve at just half the price of Doctor Guan's, consumers would naturally turn back into the arms of the old, established brand!

"Wei Zhao, he..." Tang Yun glanced at Wei Zhao, who was lying unconscious on the sofa, and sighed softly. "Mr. Lai, if there's something, just tell me. Wei Zhao isn't convenient to answer the phone right now..."

"Then... this matter still has to be handled by the boss. If so, when the boss is free, have him call me back?" said Fatty Lai.

"He... he is cultivating... Why don't you tell me whatever it is, and I'll relay it on your behalf?" Tang Yun hesitated a little. Though Fatty Lai was someone trustworthy, Wei Zhao had made too many enemies out there. If, through the slightest carelessness, the enemies learned that Wei Zhao had gone into qi deviation, they would very likely come to seize the opportunity to cause trouble. And that was why Tang Yun did not tell Fatty Lai what had happened to Wei Zhao.