Chapter 1300: New Drug Development and Does Ergua really's Diarrhea

The meticulous Zhang San's first move upon getting the fluorite was to test it.

While testing, he reminded Xia Qing of the precautions for collecting minerals. "No matter what mineral you pick up, you must first test whether it contains radioactive substances. If the situation is urgent and testing isn't convenient, wrap it in this kind of radiation-shielding packaging bag, then put it in your backpack. If you don't have this kind of packaging bag, put it in an ordinary packaging bag, keep it as far from your body as possible, and never let your skin touch the mineral directly…"

The dangers of survival during the Calamity Era don't only come from visible things; more come from invisible microorganisms and radiation.

When facing unknown objects, Xia Qing would protect herself as much as possible. The damaging-element detector she carried was a high-end model, capable of detecting radiation and common toxins. Her backpack always contained aluminum-based composite radiation-shielding packaging bags—the stone her idol had sent over was packed in exactly this kind of bag.

But when her idol told her these things, Xia Qing didn't feel a trace of impatience; she listened very attentively.

"No radiation, crystal intact, natural strong phosphorescence, high color saturation, no visible impurities inside the crystal…" After finishing the test, Zhang San gave his conclusion. "This is a gem-grade natural fluorite with collectible value—extremely rare."

Xia Qing explained, "Does Daigua really likes collecting sparkly stones; that crystal pillar was probably collected by it too. Third Brother, do you see any use for this fluorite?"

"Fluorite's main component is calcium fluoride; its phosphorescence comes from small amounts of rare-earth elements inside. But it has little use for industrial or scientific research. It can be made into ornaments or decorations, or help some people relax and enter a meditative state."

After explaining the stone's value, Zhang San stated the reason he'd had Xia Qing bring the stone over. "I want to use this stone to trade with someone who likes collecting gems for two kinds of scarce evolution medicinal materials. If I can successfully cultivate them, I want to use these two materials plus the evolution moss grass from the mountain pool on Number Twenty-Two as the main ingredients to develop a new drug."

"After preliminary medicinal-property matching research, this new drug should be usable for tissue repair and wound healing, hematopoietic system reconstruction, and treatment of degenerative diseases. It may also have a certain effect on treating the headaches triggered when brain-domain evolvers and magnetic-sense evolvers use their abilities."

Ever since Xia Qing discovered the evolution moss grass containing Yi-12, Zhang San had had the idea of researching this type of medicine and had carried out preliminary feasibility studies.

With this fluorite, he could actually push the research forward. Before that, he needed to inform his partner of the risks of this research.

"But it's only a possibility, and the success rate for developing this new drug is only 10%. As far as I know, sixteen research institutes in the country are developing this type of medicine, and two drugs have already entered Phase II clinical trials."

Unlike improvement research based on existing drug formulas, new drug development is costly and lengthy. Even with a top expert like Zhang San leading the research team, pouring in enormous effort and huge costs, success is not guaranteed.

Even if this drug passes clinical trials and reaches the market, it still has to face market competition pressure from similar drugs, ultimately leading to losses. Just like the scar-removal remedy that Liehuo spent time, effort, and points researching, only to have its market launch intercepted by a more cost-effective similar drug called Scar-Clean, released by Hui Three Pharmaceutical Factory.

If Zhang San's partner were still Hui One Base, this research project couldn't be approved, and he wouldn't have submitted the project application. Because Hui One, or even the official Hui City authorities, would make rational decisions and come up with various reasonable arguments to have Zhang San work on the base's urgently needed improved drug research, or simply use him as a doctor.

Now his partners are Xia Qing, Hui Three, and Red Eleven Base. As long as Xia Qing agrees, Zhang San has the confidence to negotiate with Hui Three and Red Eleven.

Even if the latter two don't approve the project, he can still carry out the research. He'd fight for policy support and other conditions from above on his own; Xia Qing could handle the funds and safety protection needed for the research.

Zhang San quietly watched Xia Qing, waiting for her decision.

This was the first time her idol had seriously proposed new drug research since Xia Qing confirmed their partnership. As a visual and auditory evolver, Xia Qing could sense her idol's seriousness and… rare nervousness.

Having worked with her idol for so long, Xia Qing certainly knew how great the risks of manpower, money, materials, technology, and the market were for new drug development, but she still unhesitatingly pushed the stone that Does Ergua really liked back in front of her idol.

"Take this stone to trade for medicinal materials and develop new drugs. It'd be a good thing if the research succeeds, and it's perfectly normal if it doesn't—don't feel pressured. When you're well-fed and rested, do whatever you want to do, just don't ruin your health." When my allies and I get injured, sick, or poisoned, we're still counting on you to save our lives. So even if the sky falls, she has to keep her idol safe!

Zhang San looked at Xia Qing's sincere face, momentarily unsure how to express what he was feeling, so he simply gave her a few tubes of medicine and shooed her out.

Well-fed Xia Qing happily took the medicine her idol had given her and headed home, only to be greeted by a familiar stench the moment she took off her protective mask.

She sighed, quickly stripped off her protective suit and entered the first-floor bathroom, where she discovered a scene that left her speechless yet touched.

In the bathroom, Does Daigua really was squatting beside its little basin washing a diaper, while Does Ergua really was soaking in the small wooden tub Xia Qing had specially made for Does Daigua really's medicinal baths.

Seeing the huge human approach, Does Ergua really, who had a little strength now, struggled to climb out of the tub. Does Daigua really held up its still-dirty diaper for Xia Qing to see. "Ee!"

Xia Qing turned on the exhaust fan to disperse the stench and asked gently, "Does Ergua really pooped?"

"Ah!" Does Daigua really held the diaper up even higher.

Xia Qing didn't scold this hardworking little monkey. "Does Daigua really is amazing, but the absorbent pad inside the diaper is made of paper. When you're done using it, just tear it off and throw it in the trash. Let me start a fire, and I'll teach you how to do it."

Xia Qing took firewood from the kitchen and lit it in the fireplace, moved Does Daigua really's tree branch in front of the fireplace, then took out deodorizer to clean the smell in the house. In Xia Qing's home where she lived with animals, deodorizer was never in short supply.

After tidying up, Xia Qing put on rubber gloves and returned to the first-floor bathroom, teaching Does Daigua really how to tear off the absorbent pad stuck inside the diaper, then she nimbly began washing the VIP monkey.

At this job, she was absolutely the most experienced person in Northern Zone One territory. After bringing the then-paralyzed Does Daigua really back from Number Fifty-Five Mountain in May, she'd done this job for over a full month.

After washing Does Ergua really clean and wrapping it in an old bedsheet to dry it off, Xia Qing didn't use a hair dryer to blow it dry, but put it directly into Does Daigua really's nest.

Because the hair dryer's noise was too loud, and this little monkey that had just come to her home to recuperate was in a state of tension, further stimulation might worsen its condition and cause diarrhea again.

Does Daigua really, who had finished washing the diaper and hung it on the rack outside, came back inside, took a bath in the hot water Xia Qing had prepared for it, then used the hair dryer to blow its fur dry, and crawled into the warm nest to groom Does Ergua really's fur.

Xia Qing? Sitting on the sofa sewing a diaper for Does Ergua really.

The boss and Wolf Lao Er? The house was too smelly, so those two had long since hidden outside.