You are ordered to support the War of Resistance against Japan; China enters Level 1 combat readines

The following day, when the representatives from the four countries re-entered the small hall of the exhibition, each person had a different expression on their face.

White's eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating he hadn't slept all night, but his steps were more steady than yesterday.

His deputy, who was following behind him, carried an extra briefcase containing a full power of attorney sent from Washington overnight.

The last thing the president said to him in the telegram was: "White, this technology is more important than a hundred battleships!"

"Bring back penicillin, and you'll be an American hero! If you can't, then don't come back."

Morgan had a new cigar, but the fingers holding it trembled almost imperceptibly.

It wasn't nervousness, it was excitement.

He had only experienced this kind of excitement once before, on the eve of the stock market crash in 1929, when his father led him to short the entire market overnight.

The Morgan family’s lobbying team in Washington worked through the night to persuade the Congressional Armed Services Committee to temporarily triple the Morgan family’s credit line.

He can now access not 300 million, but 1 billion.

With a billion dollars, plus the Morgan family's gold reserves at the Federal Reserve, he believed that no businessman in the world could refuse that figure.

Von Speer had changed into a brand new uniform, the Iron Cross on his collar was polished to a shine, and the sound of his leather boots on the tiles was still powerful and resounding.

He had a number weighing on his mind, a number that the leader hadn't told him, but that he had calculated himself.

On the Eastern Front, the number of German soldiers who died each month from wound infections was equivalent to a full-strength infantry regiment.

In other words, if penicillin could be fully distributed to the front lines, it would be equivalent to saving an extra regiment of soldiers every month!

That's twelve regiments a year, a full-strength division!

This doesn't even take into account the increased combat effectiveness brought about by wounded soldiers returning to the front lines.

What he wanted to buy this time wasn't medicine, but a perpetual motion machine that would ensure the German army never suffered casualties.

Shen Wang stood behind the booth, his hands resting on the edge of the table, watching the group of people file in.

His attire today was exactly the same as yesterday: a gray cloth long gown with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, and a pair of cloth shoes. He still looked like that honest businessman who had been bullied to death by the capitalist powers.

"Everyone, did you rest well?"

Shen Wang greeted him with a smile, his tone as friendly as if he were a neighbor.

"The weather in the city is a bit dry, so please drink plenty of water. There's plenty of cola and luncheon meat, so don't be shy."

Morgan's lips twitched.

The two words he least wants to hear in his life are "cola" and "luncheon meat".

The savory taste of the luncheon meat from yesterday still lingered in his mouth, and it was that taste that made him fear this Eastern businessman for the first time.

Mr. Shen, no need for formalities. Name your price for the penicillin technology.

Shen Wang smiled but did not answer.

He picked up the enamel mug on the table and slowly took a sip of tea. The tea was hot, freshly brewed, and the tea leaves were swirling in the mug.

"No rush, tell me what price you can offer first. I don't like to quote a price upfront in business, it can easily damage the relationship."

"You guys talk it over first. If it's a good fit, we'll continue; if not, we'll part ways. Anyway, I don't necessarily have to sell this technology."

It's not necessary to sell!

This made the representatives of the four countries look rather unpleasant.

There is only one person in the world who has the technology to mass-produce ten tons of penicillin, and this person says he can refuse to sell it.

This isn't bluffing; he genuinely doesn't have to sell.

He had military rations, lighters, stockings, and flashlights; any one of these items could be a lucrative business.

For him, penicillin was just icing on the cake, but for the four countries, it was a matter of life and death!

This was a game in which the seller had a clear advantage, and Shen Wang didn't even bother to hide his advantage.

White spoke first, his tone devoid of the composed diplomatic cadence of yesterday, replaced by an almost blunt urgency:

"Mr. Shen, the United States is willing to contribute $500 million, plus technical cooperation terms. We will provide the equipment, and you will provide the strains and processes. We will jointly build a factory, and the profits will be split 10/90."

But no sooner had he finished speaking than Speer coldly replied, "Germany is also willing to offer 500 million, plus 50 pieces of Oriental artifacts."

Sir George was not to be outdone: "The British Empire will contribute five hundred million, along with imperial preferential trade privileges."

Soviet representative Ivanov was even more direct: "Five hundred million, plus fifty cultural relics, and we can sign the contract now."

Everyone's eyes turned red.

Shen Wang remained leaning back in his chair, slowly sipping his tea, barely uttering a word throughout.

He's not in a hurry.

The world's only industrialized mass production technology can save lives, make money, and determine the course of war. Those who have the right to arbitrate and demand exorbitant prices are never the buyers.

Thus began another long period of tug-of-war.

The once unbreakable four-nation price-cutting alliance has long since crumbled into dust. Now, while each party is wary of raising prices, they take turns using both soft and hard tactics on Shen Wang, switching between good cop and bad cop, completely losing the decorum they had when they first arrived.

Mr. White pleaded, "Shen, six hundred and fifty million! This is the most we can offer! You can't be too greedy!"

Morgan gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with anger: "You're a robber! Even more ruthless than the worst capitalists on Wall Street!"

He was momentarily stunned as soon as he said those words.

Just yesterday, when he slashed the price of luncheon meat to 8 cents a can, Shen Wang pointed his finger at him and cursed, "You bunch of robbers." At that time, he was smug, thinking he had the lifeline of Eastern merchants in his hands.

Now the tables have turned, and he's the one who's cursing, but he doesn't have the slightest bit of confidence.

Speer, standing next to him, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot, and the scar on his left cheek was white from the tension, showing no trace of the Junker aristocracy's reserve.

"Seven hundred million! Germany is offering seven hundred million in gold, plus seventy artifacts!" He

After quoting the price, he stared intently at Shen Wang, and seeing that the other party merely blew on the tea froth at a leisurely pace, he was instantly furious. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a sentence:

"You devil! You're a devil who takes advantage of people's misfortune!"

Two days ago, if anyone had dared to tell him that an Eastern businessman could drive a representative of the Imperial Armaments Department to the point of cursing, he would have pulled out a gun on the spot.

But now he has to admit that the technology for mass-producing penicillin is the key to the fate of the entire Third Reich.

Hundreds of thousands of wounded soldiers on the eastern front are waiting for life-saving treatment. Every day that the technology is delayed means the death of thousands more elite soldiers.

He can't afford to waste time, nor can he afford to gamble.

Sir George gripped his ebony cane so tightly his knuckles turned white; his former gentlemanly demeanor had been almost completely worn away, so he simply resorted to playing the emotional card.

"Mr. Shen, for God's sake, have pity on those children on the front lines!"

"In North African hospitals, countless young men lie in hospital beds with high fevers, waiting for this medicine to save their lives."

"The British Empire's sincerity is already evident: 750 million, plus twenty pieces of porcelain from the royal collection—that's truly the limit."

When did the diplomatic representatives of the former British Empire ever need to bow and scrape before an Eastern merchant?

But reality is what it is: let alone lowering his stance, he would have to sign a trade concession agreement on the spot with a smile.

The group argued and bickered, sometimes slamming their fists on the table and cursing Shen Wang for being greedy, sometimes softening their tone and pleading for mercy, and sometimes undermining each other and trying to raise the price.

Today it's up by 50 million, tomorrow it's up by 80 million, the price is skyrocketing like a rocket.

Starting at 500 million, it eventually rose to an unbelievable price...