novel-bin Chapter 290 Resolution - Slowpoke's Tail
Chapter 290 Resolution - Slowpoke's Tail
"That's natural—Professor Medan received a lot of help from researchers in Galer when he was researching androids in Binhai City, and he was naturally very grateful to those who assisted him at that time."
Officer Jenny continued, following up on Hayden's words, a contented smile on her face.
She suddenly understood the conditioned reflex of the champion of Bamboo Orchid, who said that "once you see a flaw, you can't ignore it."
"The android project, which was originally expected to take twenty years to complete, was able to shorten the time significantly and achieve its ultimate goal in just seven years. This was not only due to Professor Medan's outstanding personal abilities, but also because the commercial groups that promoted this project were not limited to Hayden Pharmaceuticals."
Officer Jenny, having grasped crucial intelligence, was beaming with pride. Her earlier decision to stay at the Mori Mansion under a pretext was indeed correct—she had almost been fooled by that old fox, Hayden.
"Mr. Hayden, the medical representative from the Galar region that you personally met before coming here—the one backed by that mysterious business organization, isn't he? Over the years, like a Libra doll spinning at high speed, you've skillfully maneuvered between the Sinnoh and Galar regions, expanding the company you founded with great flair. You've really had a tough time."
"I don't understand what you're saying. It was just a slip of the tongue..." Hayden said evasively.
Officer Jenny ignored the businessman's explanations, waved the tablet in her hand, and continued speaking to herself—
"While reviewing cases in this meeting room, I chatted with the colleague on night shift and looked up some basic information about your company. In it, I discovered a very interesting fact—"
"Hayden Pharmaceuticals has grown from an unknown small company into the behemoth it is today, naturally requiring countless capacity expansions and capital financings along the way. Of course, these are all perfectly legitimate business operations, and we have neither the capacity nor the inclination to nitpick your company in this regard..."
"However, the changes in your company's shareholding structure over the years are quite intriguing. About eight years ago, a business community composed of many small and medium-sized pharmaceutical distributors unknowingly became the second largest shareholder on the board of directors, with its shares second only to the founder, Mr. Hayden, at the time."
“Using equity to attract distributors is a perfectly normal business practice.”
Mr. Hayden, leaning on his cane, shook his head weakly as if trying to explain.
"If we operate in this way, firstly, the company can raise funds to expand its scale; secondly, in order to increase the value of the shares they hold, the distributors will naturally spare no effort to use the channel resources they control to help our company's products occupy the market, so that our Haiden Pharmaceuticals' medicines and medical devices can enter various pharmacies and hospitals in the Shenao area without any obstacles."
"Hmm. It's like a symbiotic relationship between Slowpoke and Shellder. The former extends its delicious tail to attract collaborators, and the latter helps the former evolve into a more powerful form."
Miss Officer Jenny nodded kindly, but then changed the subject—
"However, this is precisely where things seem unusual. Although the business community's license says 'Sinnoh Region Medical Sales Alliance,' it is actually a global organization. According to the investigation of the partners' hometowns, more than half of the distributors participating in the alliance are from other regions, especially the Galar region."
"Isn't that very strange? Eight years ago, although Hayden Pharmaceuticals showed some signs of growing bigger and stronger, it was far from being able to expand overseas. These distributors across the ocean are not venture capitalists in the financial city. They wouldn't invest just for some vague future potential. So why did they take a liking to Hayden Pharmaceuticals at that time?"
Hayden frowned and remained silent.
"Mr. Hayden. Eight years ago, when the android project had just started two years prior, you used the android project, which had just achieved some research breakthroughs, as the tail of that real Slowpoke to lure in the help of collaborators from the Galar region, right?"
"These are all just your conjectures..."
"My job is to speculate. Intelligence often reflects not the truth or evidence, but the needs of the recipient."
As if nothing had happened, Officer Jenny from the Alliance's intelligence department said something extraordinary.
"And that was exactly eight years ago. Just like when Meidan moved, it was exactly two years ago. It's like a fateful day, isn't it?"
Eight years ago, in the 114th year of the Alliance calendar.
This is a day that anyone who dedicates themselves to research or is passionate about academia will never forget.
Mewtwo, the first man-made Pokémon in human history, was born in Team Rocket's secret laboratory.
Under the orders of the leader of that evil organization whose ambitions rivaled those of the Red Sun, Mewtwo was immediately thrown into Team Rocket's battle to eliminate dissidents, demonstrating to the world its unparalleled power and lawless brutality.
Until Team Rocket abruptly disbanded two years ago, this Psychic-type artificial Pokémon was the symbol of the most powerful force on the entire planet.
"Eight years ago, intelligence agents in the Kanto region obtained top-secret information confirming that the Pokémon Team Rocket was controlling at the time were artificially created genetically engineered creatures. Because the undercover agents who obtained the information had already evacuated in time, the news was immediately made public by the Kanto League... and the world was in an uproar."
"Unlike the Porygon family that people later researched, Mewtwo, this artificial Pokémon, has body temperature and a heartbeat like a living being, has facial features and limbs like a human, and even has the superpower to communicate with people's minds. The shock it brought to the world at that time is unimaginable to people today. Although this news could not completely destroy the authority of the gods as Medan had dreamed, it was like a fierce hurricane, which had a great impact on the conservative atmosphere around the world."
Officer Jenny looked at the entrepreneur in front of her, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce through eight years—
"And so at that time, Mr. Hayden, you felt your opportunity had come."
When people see the value of artificial Pokémon, they will naturally also perceive the value of artificial humans.
"Initial attempts are often accompanied by risks and controversies, but when similar things happen a second or third time, humans will once again demonstrate an acceptance commensurate with their species status."
What was originally Hayden's personal science fiction instantly became a highly commercially valuable investment target after that day in the year 114 of the Union Calendar.
A path that investors have been eagerly anticipating—
Slowpoke's tail.
"As long as you stand on the right trend, even a bulky Snorlax can sometimes soar into the sky."
Officer Jenny flicked her finger, as if a Snorlax was actually flying above the black ceiling.
"You took the android project, which had been underway for two years, to the Galar region, which at the time had the most open academic atmosphere. Naturally, you found the financial backer of Hayden Pharmaceuticals and Professor Medan's colleague there... I don't need to go into the rest of the story."
Hayden fell silent, his face grim.
"Oh, by the way. The Alliance's intelligence department has been very curious about something for the past few years—"
Officer Jenny clapped her hands lightly, startling the stunned entrepreneur.
"Since the Rotom research of the Galactic Group was made public two years ago, related research projects have been launched one after another in various places. In this Rotom competition, why did the Galar region ultimately come out on top and develop the mobile phone Rotom that is now popular all over the world?"
"Rotoms in that area should be quite rare, only occasionally appearing during thunderstorms at a local lake. Who exactly helped the Galar region overcome the problem of Rotom sourcing and ultimately achieve a breakthrough in the competition?"
"Oh, right, right, Hayden Pharmaceuticals seems to have obtained a lot of information from the Cosmic Energy Development Agency, right? It's impossible that the Galactic Group's report on Rotom's habitat wasn't included, right? Besides, could that evil organization have hidden more unknown research data about Rotom in the documents?"
Her implication was quite clear—
"Do we have reason to suspect that your company may be involved in leaks and Pokémon poaching activities...?"
"No! No, no, no! Absolutely not! Haiden Pharmaceuticals is a legitimate and compliant company!"
Hayden quickly interrupted Officer Jenny's mutterings.
The old fox's mouth has finally been completely pried open.
"We only shared information leaked after the destruction of Team Galactic within the board of directors. This was an agreement established when the board was founded. At the time, no one knew that this information might involve Alliance secrets! Moreover, Hayden Pharmaceuticals has never been involved in illegal activities such as poaching. During the reconstruction of the Forest Mansion, everything was done in accordance with the rules of the Natural Habitat Protection Ordinance, without disturbing the normal life of Rotom here at all—if you don't believe me, you can ask Aying. He still has the construction video from back then!"
"Is that so?" Officer Jenny asked with a doubtful expression.
However, the intelligence officer knew perfectly well that the reason the Galar region had an abundance of Rotom to aid in its development was because, upon receiving the intelligence, the locals immediately began artificially breeding the Rotom they had collected in the past. It wasn't because anyone was poaching wild Rotom from elsewhere.
While there is some competition among the alliances, it's far from intense enough to necessitate concealing research progress from each other; in fact, cooperation outweighs any rivalry. The claim of leaking secrets is entirely unfounded.
Unfortunately, Mr. Hayden was unaware of these things and was still trembling with fear.