Back at the hotel, Elena's expression was grim.
A bad start.
She had thought that Ant Army Company's change in strategy would show a willingness to cooperate externally. She had not expected them to remain completely impervious.
If this had been any other country, they could have used force or other methods to pressure Ant Army Company into compromising. They had always found such tactics effective. But this was Huaxia. Huaxia's official protection of its domestic market was unimaginably strict. No conglomerate dared to act recklessly in Huaxia, or they would pay dearly for it.
After some thought, Elena dialed a number.
Ant Army Company refused to cooperate, and she had no better options at the moment.
"Elena, you're calling back so soon. Did Ant Army Company agree to cooperate?" A deep female voice came through as soon as the call connected.
"Laurie, Ant Army Company rejected our proposal for cooperation," Elena said unwillingly.
She had not even mentioned the price before Zhao Min ruthlessly rejected her. Countless pharmaceutical companies wanted to board their ship, yet someone actually refused to play along.
"They rejected it?"
In an office at Pfizer headquarters across the ocean, Laurie frowned deeply, her fingers repeatedly tapping against the desk.
She was Pfizer's executive vice president, responsible for the company's strategy, investments, and commercial operations. She was in charge of this contact with Army Ant, and Elena had been the vanguard she sent out.
Now they had been rejected.
Ant Army Company's foul temper was well-known in financial circles.
"What should we do now?" Elena asked. "Zhao Min's attitude was very firm. She rejected me before I could even state the terms of cooperation."
"It seems Ant Army Company truly does not want to cooperate with us," Laurie said.
"Why are they so opposed to working