Chapter 679 — Fat Lai Seizes the Momentum

"An ancient poison, unmatched through the ages!"

"Undetectable? Similar to a seasoning?"

The reporters all cried out in astonishment. Fat Lai's claim was a little too incredible for them to swallow all at once! This was far too bizarre, wasn't it? An ancient poison, unmatched through the ages, no less?

"Really? If it's such an ancient poison, how come nobody else knows about it? And how did you people manage to study and analyze it?" A reporter began to ask questions. This reporter was one of Crippled Wolf's crew, one of Crippled Wolf's underlings! Crippled Wolf was busy following up on the fainting incident, so this press conference was attended by one of his underlings.

"Heh heh, I've already said it -- this ancient poison, unmatched through the ages, has long since been lost. In other words, no one knows the poison's formula anymore; only a few of its principal ingredients are recorded in the ancient texts!" Fat Lai had started spouting nonsense again. "It was only after we identified seven medicinal herbs and compared them against those principal ingredients that we finally determined it was the lost Seven Grasses Death Powder!"

"Oh? Then may I ask what these seven herbs are? And if it's already been lost, how could anyone still have used it to poison people?" Crippled Wolf's underling naturally did not want the direction of public opinion to shift, so he kept firing off sharp questions.

"My apologies, but the poison formula is not something I can provide. For one thing, it involves our company's confidentiality policy; for another, if we made the formula public, what if ill-intentioned people were to make use of it?" Fat Lai smiled. "However, we have already submitted the poison formula to the Songshan City police. As for why someone could still use the poison after it was lost, that's a matter for the police to investigate. We are merely a pharmaceutical company -- that is not within our scope of business!"

Fat Lai's words drew a burst of laughter from the reporters below the stage, but Crippled Wolf's underling was furious! He said hastily, "Could it be that you people made up some poison just to make a name for yourselves? All this talk of an ancient poison, unmatched through the ages, is nothing but a way to cover for First High and drum up publicity for yourselves. This ancient poison, unmatched through the ages -- can you cure it? If you can't cure it, what use is producing a poison formula? And who's to say whether the formula is real or fake?"

Though Crippled Wolf's underling had spoken rudely, he had given voice to what many reporters present were thinking. They too harbored doubts about the authenticity of the Seven Grasses Death Powder; after all, this whole affair was simply too bizarre, beyond the bounds of what one could normally accept!

An ancient poison, unmatched through the ages, was simply too far removed from real life. So although Crippled Wolf's underling's question had been somewhat rude, it did indeed represent the thinking of a portion of the people.

"Heh heh, if it's an ancient poison, unmatched through the ages, and even the poison formula has been lost, how could there be an antidote formula?" Fat Lai smiled, and when he reached this point, he deliberately paused.

"In that case, you're admitting that you're using this as an opportunity to hype yourselves up?" Crippled Wolf's underling's eyes lit up, and he pressed his attack.

"I didn't say that. I merely said that since even the poison formula is absent from the extant ancient texts and records, naturally no antidote formula exists either." Fat Lai made a gesture for everyone to be patient, and continued, "However, although there is no ready-made antidote formula, through the tireless efforts of Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals' team of experts, and after numerous experiments, we have finally compounded an antidote targeting the Seven Grasses Death Powder. At present, our factory is already working overtime to rush the antidote into production. By roughly tomorrow morning, it can be mass-produced and used on the comatose students!"

"Whoa --" Even Crippled Wolf's underling, along with all the other reporters, could not help but cry out in an uproar! They had really compounded an antidote? This wasn't just a publicity stunt?

A strange comatose condition that even the hospitals were powerless against had been diagnosed by Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals as an ancient poison, unmatched through the ages -- and not only that, they had actually compounded an antidote. Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals really was, just as the rumors said, simply too miraculous!

"Of course, this antidote is not a product we sell. It was made specifically for this poisoning incident, and we do not intend to charge a single cent for it!" Fat Lai said. "We will be giving it to the comatose students free of charge. This too is the social responsibility of every pharmaceutical company. Making money is secondary; saving lives is the first priority!"

Fat Lai's words could not help but fill the reporters present with profound respect. This truly was a pharmaceutical enterprise with a benevolent heart. Had it been some more ruthless company, not only would they not have given it away free of charge, they would have jacked up the price on the spot and sold this batch of antidote to the Gu Group for an astronomical sum!

Everyone knew that if this incident could not be quelled, the ones most affected would naturally be First High, under the Gu Group. And if Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals seized this opportunity to raise the price of the medicine, it would not be difficult for them to reap a rather handsome profit!

"Next, I would like to announce to everyone our new product -- the functions and therapeutic effects of Guan Daifu Trauma Medicine, as well as its launch date..." Having finished with the poisoning incident, Fat Lai naturally took the opportunity to promote his own company's product...

And the reporters all listened carefully to Fat Lai's introduction, preparing to go back and give this matter a proper write-up...

After Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals' press conference, the winds shifted abruptly. The previous direction of public opinion began to reverse outright. As the various media outlets prepared to condemn the poisoner, they were also filled with sympathy for First High, and likewise gave Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals high praise!

Even Crippled Wolf was helpless now. Though he had taken Li Cihua's money, he could not swim against the current, could he? Now the truth had come to light. Everyone was denouncing the culprit and praising Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals. Crippled Wolf could hardly keep attacking First High, could he?

Even the newspaper's editor-in-chief had him draft an article that, while retracting the previous piece, would also denounce the culprit and praise Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals! After all, one could hardly set oneself against all the other mainstream media, could one? What good end could come of that?

There was no help for it. Crippled Wolf had no choice but to call Li Cihua.

"Brother Cihua, it's Crippled Wolf!" Crippled Wolf said, a little guiltily. "I did my utmost to smear First High and the Gu Group before, but there was no way around it. That Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals is too formidable -- they actually found the cause of the students' coma, said it was some Seven Grasses Death Powder, and compounded an antidote. I had no way to keep lying through my teeth with my eyes wide open!"

"What?!" Li Cihua was startled the moment he heard Crippled Wolf's words. "What did you say? Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals found the cause of the students' coma? And compounded an antidote?"

"Yes. Brother Cihua, what should we do now? The task you gave me wasn't completed... and the money..." Crippled Wolf actually did not want to return the money. After all, he had done quite a lot of work before; who could have known that Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals would thrust itself in like that?