Three days passed, and the Three Major Pharmaceutical Groups had found nothing!
After the people Zhenyao Workshop and Miaofang Pavilion had sent out had exhausted every possible method of investigation, they still did not even know whether the client was a man or a woman. Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao could not help flying into a rage.
However, neither of their two groups had any information about Jiang Fan to begin with, so searching for him was no different from finding a needle in a haystack. Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao both knew this, so they did not make things too difficult for their subordinates.
In the end, with no other choice, they changed their approach and assigned everyone to keep watch on the other two groups.
They had already developed the Fourth Generation Serum and thus held the advantage. As long as they ensured the other two groups made no progress, they would stand undefeated. It was not a bad strategy!
However, compared to Zhenyao Workshop and Miaofang Pavilion, Anshintang was in a much more passive position.
Although they had won the auction for the serum and knew some general information about Jiang Fan, several days of screening had still yielded no progress. Yu Jun could not help growing anxious!
"Have you still not found him?"
"River City only has five high schools. Even if you count everyone, there are no more than tens of thousands of people!"
"You still can't find him with such clear information?"
At present, Anshintang was the only one of the three that had not developed the Fourth Generation Serum. If this stalemate continued, the situation would become increasingly unfavorable for them.
Thus, Yu Jun abandoned his usual refined manner, and his voice unconsciously rose much louder than before.
The people below him were as silent as cicadas in winter.
"Boss, we've screened everyone we should have!"
"But if he deliberately hid his identity, we can't tell whether the information is true or false!"
Yu Jun shook his head and said with a dark expression,
"That is indeed a problem!"
"But can't you think of a solution?"
"Promise them rewards, beat around the bush—do I really have to teach you these methods myself?"
The people below him were too timid to speak.
Seeing this, Yu Jun shook his head in disappointment.
"What did Lu Bo from the underground auction house say?"
"Has he loosened his tongue at all?"
The subordinate below him hesitated in panic.
"He still hasn't!"
"From what he said, it seems he wants to wait and see what the other two groups offer!"
Yu Jun slammed his hand onto the table with a bang, sending tea splashing everywhere.
"Bastard!"
"How much has he already taken from us, yet he still refuses to reveal even the slightest bit of information? He's nothing but a scoundrel!"
Hearing this, the subordinate could only console him.
"Boss, if he won't tell us, then he definitely won't tell the other two groups either!"
"According to the reports from the people we sent out, the other two groups are also making inquiries everywhere. Clearly, they haven't gotten any reliable information from Lu Bo either!"
Yu Jun relaxed slightly upon hearing this.
"That's true!"
But then he sighed again.
"But we're different from the other two groups. They can afford to drag this out, but we can't!"
After saying this, he rubbed his forehead in distress.
The serum they had brought back from the auction had already been tested. It was confirmed to be about fifty percent more effective than the Fourth Generation products of the Three Major Pharmaceutical Groups.
According to the formula feedback from Old Xu, the cost of its medicinal ingredients was only about half that of the Fourth Generation product.
With such an enormous profit margin, they still had no way to analyze and reproduce the manufacturing process, nor could they find the serum's owner. It was enough to make anyone furious!
Most importantly, the group of old friends he had contacted earlier—the people helping him search for the Fourth Generation formula—had all reported back that it would still be difficult to uncover the corresponding formula in the short term.
If this continued, Anshintang would be left completely behind by the other two groups!
Could the heavens truly be determined to destroy Anshintang?
After everyone below him had left, Yu Jun sat quietly where he was, gazing deeply at the floor. Yet his thoughts had long since drifted somewhere far away.
Just then, a hurried sound of footsteps approached.
"Boss! Boss!"
The person who had just gone downstairs hurried back, gasping for breath.
Yu Jun quickly stepped forward when he saw him.
"What is it?"
"Is there news?"
His face was alight with excitement, and his body leaned forward involuntarily.
The subordinate panted,
"Just... just now, the underground... auction house sent someone over. They said the client is willing to meet us!"
"What?"
Yu Jun froze on the spot.
At the same time, Zhenyao Workshop and Miaofang Pavilion received the news. Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao hurriedly arranged matters at their shops before rushing toward the underground auction house.
An hour later, at the underground auction house.
Yu Jun encountered Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao, who had hurried over.
Yu Jun's heart sank.
"What are you two doing here?"
Sikong Yao smiled.
"Old Yu, whatever you came here to do, that's what we came here to do."
Yu Jun narrowed his eyes, immediately understanding what was happening.
He could not help thinking how sinister the person behind all this was. Every time, they summoned all three groups together, dangled bait before them without feeding them, and watched them scheme against one another.
They were probably waiting for the three groups to fight to the death before emerging to reap the benefits. How deep!
Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao had roughly the same thoughts as Yu Jun.
The three of them walked along the corridor with heavy thoughts.
Xia Chengyang suggested,
"The person behind this must be a master schemer. This time, he went to such great lengths to use the auction to lure us in, then kept us hanging without showing himself. Now he has summoned all three of us at once. I'm afraid he's plotting something enormous!"
"So I suggest that no matter what bait he throws out later, none of us should bid first!"
Sikong Yao thought for a moment, then nodded.
But Yu Jun clearly did not agree with Xia Chengyang—or rather, he simply did not trust the other two.
"Why shouldn't I bid?"
"If I don't bid, am I supposed to wait for the two of you to buy the formula?"
"I don't care what you do, and likewise, you have no say over what I do!"
After saying this, he quickened his pace, swiftly widening the distance between himself and the other two as he walked ahead, not giving them the chance to say anything more.
Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao exchanged looks behind him.
Sikong Yao frowned.
"That old fool has gone mad!"
Xia Chengyang shook his head with a bitter smile.
"Looks like the fact that Anshi Hall failed to develop the Fourth Generation product has driven Old Yu into a panic!"
"Let's hurry over too!"
After saying this, the two quickened their pace and headed toward Lu Bo's room.
By the time they reached the room,
Yu Jun was already seated, chatting with Lu Bo.
When Lu Bo saw Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao enter, he rose with a broad smile.
"Bosses, please, take a seat!"
The two sat down under Lu Bo's guidance. Sikong Yao looked around.
"Where's the client?"
Lu Bo smiled.
"Don't be in such a hurry!"
"Since we're discussing business, the person involved will naturally be here!"
"How could I not understand that?"
As he spoke, he clapped his hands.
"Brother Jiang, please come out!"
Following his voice, Jiang Fan walked out of the adjoining room, nodded at the group, and sat naturally beside Lu Bo.
Yu Jun's expression stiffened.
Xia Chengyang and Sikong Yao, meanwhile, were utterly dumbfounded.
What...
What was going on?
Was this a high school student?
Were they messing with them?
Before you continue