Chapter 550 — Guan Xuemin Goes Too Far

"Yes! His price really is far too low!" Kang Guifeng had grasped the crux of the matter as well.

"So all we need do is sit back and watch how things unfold!" Kang Zhaolong said with a cold laugh. "I imagine our opponent is either a very wealthy consortium, or has Guan Xuemin's backing. Naturally they want to make a splash with their first shot. But we occupied the market first, after all, so the only way they can take it is to attack with low prices. And if we want the market back, our only option is to cut our prices; then they will certainly cut theirs again, forcing us to keep cutting, and by then we will be locked in a vicious cycle! With them in the game, the raw materials market is bound to rise as well, and our costs will climb without pause. At that rate everyone simply loses more and more, and the moment the Kang family's cash flow runs into trouble, we are finished on the spot! It is a very crude tactic of market competition, but I have to admit it works; plenty of people have come to grief over it!"

"Zhaolong speaks the truth. If we cut our prices merely to hold the market for a moment, we will have fallen into our rival's trap, and then they will surely cut again and squeeze us to death! Since they are prepared to lose money, they must be deeply backed. All we have to do is sit by and do nothing," Divine Doctor Kang said, thoroughly in agreement. "We do not lower our prices. Let them play their own game, and see how long they can go on bleeding!"

"Son, your analysis is really thorough. I have to say, you are vicious! Running into a competitor like you, they must be out of luck for eight lifetimes!" Kang Guifeng truly admired his son.

"Dad, is that praise or an insult? Calling me vicious..." Kang Zhaolong said, though inwardly he could not help feeling smug: he had seen through his opponent's scheme, and he felt like the fisherman waiting behind the curtain.

Of course, judged by ordinary circumstances, there was nothing wrong with Kang Zhaolong's thinking; it was, in fact, quite correct. But this particular affair was anything but ordinary.

"This time, the product we are auctioning is the Deluxe Edition of Trauma, which is naturally not the same as what can be bought on the market." Fatty Lai continued from the stage: "This Deluxe Edition of Trauma naturally has extraordinary effects. Not only does it possess the basic effects of Trauma, it also beautifies the skin and nourishes the complexion! The wonder of our Trauma lies in its power to heal a wound swiftly without leaving a scar, while this Deluxe Edition can repair old scars of many years' standing and remove them completely! Of course, these are only the principal effects; there are many subsidiary ones besides, such as beautifying the face and nourishing the complexion, improving the skin and clearing away dullness, shrinking the pores, and so on..."

The moment Fatty Lai said this, the hall fell silent again, and in the next instant erupted into uproar!

This Deluxe Edition of Trauma actually had the very same effects as Divine Doctor Kang's Beauty-Nourishing Golden Wound Salve of the day before! What had become of the world? How could such a coincidence occur? Two days, two different pharmaceutical companies, and the showpiece products they put up for auction were astonishingly alike!

The faces of the Kang family changed in an instant! Divine Doctor Kang's expression turned terribly ugly. He was now certain that his elder brother must have stolen a look at the formula and then told Guan Xuemin! Otherwise, why would Guan Xuemin have the formula for the Beauty-Nourishing Golden Wound Salve too? Only he did not call it that; he called it the Deluxe Edition of Trauma!

"This is plainly aimed at the Kang family!" Kang Guifeng's expression was frighteningly dark as well. "No wonder they wanted to snatch that thousand-year snow lotus yesterday. So they knew what the thing was good for! But they did not get it, did they? How dare they still put it up for auction? Are they not afraid of having no stock?"

"If I guess right, they must have obtained a thousand-year snow lotus long ago!" Divine Doctor Kang said. "Rare as such a thing is, it is not absolutely unobtainable! Did we not come across one ourselves? And with Guan Xuemin's fame, laying his hands on rare ingredients is far too easy."

"Grandfather, then what of our becoming a great clan...?" That was what worried Kang Zhaolong most.

"I fear the situation has changed," Divine Doctor Kang said, somewhat worried himself, yet utterly helpless. Who had made their family so unlucky as to run into such a thing?

"No wonder the Yu family looked at us so strangely yesterday. They knew all along! And they never gave us so much as a hint; plainly they wanted us to make fools of ourselves!" A flicker of hatred crossed Kang Zhaolong's eyes. If the Kang family could not become a great clan, then the uncertainties ahead would only multiply.

"Guan Xuemin, this is going too far!" Kang Guifeng sneered. "Then let us see, from now on, who outlasts whom!"

After Fatty Lai finished his introduction, he stepped down, and what followed was the auctioneer's business! In truth, there was not much auctioning to be done, for after yesterday's affair with the Kang family, Fatty Lai had suggested that Wei Zhao increase the number of lots. Fatty Lai had parted with his own share in pain, scraping together ten bottles, bringing the total to thirty. He had also advised Wei Zhao to add fifty pre-authorizations, which too was learned from the Kang family, the aim being to strike at them. They were rivals now, after all!

Fatty Lai had originally intended to spend some effort persuading Wei Zhao of the reasoning, but the moment Wei Zhao heard it was to strike at the Kang family, he agreed at once! To avenge his little brother Kang **, Wei Zhao was duty-bound! He especially admired Fatty Lai for voluntarily giving up the share that was already his! This also made Wei Zhao gradually accept Fatty Lai, and he was preparing to take him into his inner circle of trusted men.

Fatty Lai took it all very philosophically. What did Wei Zhao not have? Following Wei Zhao, what was there to lack? There was no need to haggle over a momentary gain or loss. So he cheerfully contributed his own goods, and once he had spoken with the Yu family, the Yus were overjoyed to hear that so many more shares had been added. Not only would it increase the auction's commission, it would also free them from the Kang family's coercion!

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