Chapter 1803: This is metaphysics

Because the drug trial failed, the entire laboratory suddenly fell into despair.

The reason for the despair was not that they couldn't copy the Jiu Xuan Zai Zao Pill, but that they had copied it almost one-to-one, yet the results were vastly different.

This immediately led everyone into a dead end.

If copying it exactly didn't work, then what on earth should they do to make it work?

Rogers was also completely confused. He paced back and forth with the copied pills in his hand, muttering, "What to do next... what else can be done next... making it exactly the same doesn't work, do we have to try in a different direction next?"

Several pharmaceutical experts also looked frustrated.

They had been in the industry for so many years and had never encountered such an inconceivable thing.

Shi Misi thought for a moment and, remembering something, asked Rogers, "Could it be that Jiu Xuan Pharmaceutical has some different process in the preparation link?"

Rogers rubbed his forehead and asked, "What exactly do you mean?"

Shi Misi said, "For example, do they use a method of boiling and then air-drying, or do they use a baking method, or do they expose it to the sun for forty-nine days..."

Rogers asked confusedly, "Why forty-nine days? What is the logic behind this?"

Shi Misi said, "I don't know, but my daughter is reading the English version of 'Journey to the West', a Chinese mythological story. The immortals in it usually use square numbers to refine pills, such as seven times seven forty-nine, nine times nine eighty-one..."

Rogers said awkwardly, "This is too unrigorous, isn't it?"

Shi Misi said seriously, "This matter has become very metaphysical now, so we also have to think about whether there is anything metaphysical that we haven't noticed."

As he spoke, Shi Misi added, "By the way, I heard that TCM preparation itself has many requirements, such as how much water to add, how long to boil, whether to boil on high heat or low heat, all of which lead to different effects..."

Shi Misi remembered something and hurriedly added, "By the way, 'Journey to the West' also said that sometimes to make pills, you need to use 'rootless water'. If you use other water, you won't achieve the desired efficacy!"

Rogers rubbed his temples and asked him, "What is this 'rootless water'?"

Shi Misi said, "The explanation for rootless water in 'Journey to the West' is rainwater that falls from the sky. Because rainwater comes from the sky, it is called rootless water."

Rogers almost fainted and blurted out, "No matter where the water comes from, isn't it all H2O? Why is rainwater more awesome than other water? Isn't rainwater also converted from water vapor evaporated from the ocean?"

Shi Misi spread his hands and said, "So this is metaphysics! If it had a scientific basis, it would be science. Precisely because it has no scientific basis, it is called metaphysics."

Rogers asked him, "Then you mean, next we have to let different teams try to use different methods to prepare this formula? For example, who boils on high heat, who boils on low heat, who air-dries naturally, who bakes at high temperature? And then let them try different water, for example, who uses rainwater from the sky, who uses well water from the ground, who uses snow water from snow-capped mountains?"

Shi Misi said awkwardly, "I know this sounds strange, but I really think there is no better way now. The White House has made such a big formation for us, we can't just declare failure in less than a day, right? If that's the case, what's the difference between us and a bunch of losers in the eyes of the White House?"

Rogers was tearful and blurted out, "Shi Misi... we are all scientists, letting scientists do this kind of metaphysical thing, they aren't professional either..."

Shi Misi said, "No way, just bite the bullet and do it, otherwise what else can we do?"

At this time, a researcher with an Asian face plucked up the courage to say, "Mr. Rogers, I suggest it is best to go to Jin Ling for a field investigation, and then bring back a batch of environmental samples for research, such as the local air, soil, groundwater, surface water, and rainwater, etc."

Rogers saw that he had an Asian face and asked curiously, "Are you Chinese?"

"No, I am Japanese."

Rogers asked again, "Do you think it's necessary to be so troublesome to go for a field investigation?"

The man answered seriously, "Before I immigrated to the United States, I did microbial R&D in Japan for many years. At that time, Japan was experiencing an economic take-off, and all walks of life were imitating and catching up with excellent overseas products. Not only cars, optics, steel, and medicine, but even the brewing industry was like this!"

As he spoke, the man continued to explain, "At that time, many Japanese wineries entrusted us to help them reverse-engineer European and American whiskey and Chinese Moutai, and then copy them. Western whiskey was very simple, and we soon had a breakthrough. Not long after, Japanese whiskey surpassed the European products in quality and taste, taking a large market share. But only Chinese Moutai could not be copied."

Rogers asked him, "Why? Is there anything special about Moutai?"

"It is indeed very special," the Japanese researcher explained. "We used the same method to reverse-engineer Moutai and found that the taste was always much worse!"

"Later we found out that many local wineries in China also tried to copy Moutai, but they all failed. The reason for this is very mysterious. The same process, the same materials, the same formula, only in that place of Moutai can that kind of Moutai be produced. Once you leave that place, no matter how much you imitate, it still lacks a bit of soul."

Rogers hurriedly asked, "Did you finally find out where the problem lies?"

"We found it," the other party explained. "We later carefully studied the microbial flora during the brewing process of the wine and found that it was because the distiller's yeast we used always had a certain difference from the local distiller's yeast in Moutai. Even if we secretly got the Moutai distiller's yeast and brought it back to Japan to cultivate, it still didn't work."

Pausing, the other party added, "Our final conclusion is that pure Moutai can only be brewed in that place of Moutai, in that very unique environment. The local climate, altitude, humidity, and local water resources are all playing a very subtle but extremely important role."

"I understand..." Rogers gritted his teeth and said, "It seems that this is really very mysterious..."

After saying this, Rogers asked with an appreciative face, "What is your name? Which company do you work for?"

The other party hurriedly bowed excitedly and said, "My name is Junpei Nakamura. Before immigrating to the United States, I worked at the National Research Institute. Later, I jumped to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical to be in charge of microbial drug R&D. Now I work at Johnson & Johnson! It is a great honor to participate in the R&D work of this miracle drug this time! I will definitely go all out and do my best!"

"Kobayashi Pharmaceutical..." Rogers asked in surprise, "Is that the Kobayashi Pharmaceutical that was merged by Jiu Xuan Pharmaceutical?"

"Yes!" Junpei Nakamura nodded immediately, "Later, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical gave up microbial drugs and fully transformed into doing Hanfang medicine, so I left."

"Good!" Rogers nodded and said, "In that case, you will form a team and set off immediately to China to conduct investigation and research! See what is special about the location of Jiu Xuan Pharmaceutical! By the way, try to prepare the Jiu Xuan Zai Zao Pill locally to see if it will have any effect!" ===== CHAPTER 1804 =====