I am a necromancer, and I absolutely love America.

Chapter 170 Renowned Doctor Daniel (7K-word long chapter, please vote and subscribe)

Bellow Group.

CEO's Office.

Bauer leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the computer screen.

The screen displays a real-time chart of Bellow Group's stock price, and the line has dipped further today.

Corbyn acted swiftly, launching multiple charges in just a few days, causing Bellows Group's stock price to plummet like a deflated balloon.

The secretary stood at the door, holding a tablet. After a few seconds, she spoke: "Mr. Bauer, the market closed down again today, down 23% from a week ago. The legal department says that all three cases have entered the formal investigation stage, and the FDA is also urging us to submit the materials."

Bauer sighed. "What was the board's reaction?"

The secretary paused for a moment:

'

...We had a conference call this afternoon. The chairman said that if the stock price falls further, some shareholders might reduce their holdings. If you can't maintain the market capitalization, this year's dividends will...

'

Bauer paused for a moment, then said, "Notify all department heads that there will be a meeting in fifteen minutes."

The conference table was filled with people on both sides.

A stack of documents lay open in front of the general counsel, while the public relations manager looked at public opinion data on his phone.

Ball sat down at the head of the table, without exchanging pleasantries: "I need a solution; the stock price can't fall any further. Does anyone have a plan?"

The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds.

The general counsel spoke first: "We can submit a supplementary statement to the FDA emphasizing that the autologous stem cell project was launched five years ago, and the standards at that time were different from now. Bello has now stopped all promotional activities for the project. If the FDA accepts this statement, the public pressure will be somewhat reduced."

Bauer looked at him, disgruntled, and said, "So what if the FDA approves? The market sees the words 'Bello is under investigation.' They don't care when you stop."

The general counsel shrugged and said nothing more.

The PR manager added, "I think we can launch a positive campaign. Show investors about Bello's compliance improvements and its performance data from the past few quarters. Let investors see that we are operating normally, not just embroiled in lawsuits."

Bauer shook his head: "Releasing these now will only make people think we're covering up the problem. Isn't there a better solution?"

The CFO, sitting in the corner, spoke up: "The company will use its cash reserves to buy back shares. If we don't have enough liquidity, we'll take out a loan from the bank to bring the stock price back up. That's the fastest way."

Powell refused again: "Buying back now would be telling the market we can't hold on any longer. The selling pressure would be even greater then. I need direct positive news!"

The office fell silent.

No one came up with any new solutions.

The head of the marketing department sat at the end of the table and remained silent.

After everyone else had finished speaking, he closed his notebook and said, "I have a message that might offer another perspective."

Bauer stared at him: "Speak."

"When I was doing market research, I noticed a small clinic called Katrina Clinic. The clinic itself was very small, with a registered capital of less than $300,000 and an estimated value of no more than $2 million. The owner was a woman named Catherine, whose daughter was very famous, St. Debbie. The core doctor of Katrina Clinic was Daniel Mason, the vice president of Queens Hospital."

"What Saint-Debbie? I don't care about that right now. I just want to get the stock price back up as quickly as possible: Daniel Mason? I think I've heard that name before."

"Yes," the marketing manager said quickly, "He's the vice president of the Queens Hospital where Eugene Yeager works. Didn't we find out why Eugene was scrambling for doctors? He wanted to make the plastic surgery department at the Queens Hospital the strongest in New York. The core doctor is Daniel."

Bauer sat up straight: "Go on."

The marketing manager quickly added, "I followed up and found out that Daniel-Mason has mastered a liposuction technique with ultra-fast recovery. Most patients recover within three to five days, and some cases have even been completed in three days."

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

An executive whispered, "Three days to recover? That's impossible. Post-liposuction tissue swelling takes at least seven to ten days to subside; that's basic physiology."

"Is this a scam?"

"It's definitely a scam! This doesn't make sense!"

The marketing manager continued, "At first, I didn't believe it either, but then I contacted four patients who had been treated at the Katrina Clinic. The fastest recovery took three days, the slowest five days, and the average recovery time was about 3.3 days! This data is unprecedented in the industry. I sent someone to personally check the bodies of two patients, and they had indeed recently undergone liposuction, and no signs of fraud were found."

No one in the meeting room questioned it anymore.

"OMG!"

"Three days!"

"Could it really be true?"

"This is a revolutionary technology!"

Bauer was still somewhat puzzled: "Where did Daniel get such advanced technology?"

The marketing manager shrugged: "I don't know, but there's one piece of information that might explain it: Daniel was Christina Shepard's student, and he had a very good relationship with Professor Shepard. Even years after graduation, he was still frequently seen entering and leaving the cell lab."

Once Christina's name was mentioned, everyone vaguely guessed the source of the technology.

As one of the top biomedical scientists in the United States, Christina is capable of conducting any cutting-edge technological research.

The chief scientist continued, "Professor Shepard's cell lab is working on a highly classified Project E. The specific objectives are unknown, but it is publicly claimed to be researching rejuvenation."

As one of the top scientists in the United States, Christina's research direction is closely watched by many, especially by medical giants such as Bellows.

As for rejuvenation, nobody cares.

It's perfectly normal for top scientists to have all sorts of crazy ideas; they have the qualifications and resources to do some unconventional research.

The chief scientist added, "Oh, right, there's an anecdote. Professor Shepard recently got hyaluronic acid injections somewhere. Then, he started a small project, apparently in the anti-aging field, and Daniel was on it. We don't know the specifics of their research, but it was later merged into Project E, maybe..."

97

Bauer's eyes lit up: "Perhaps that project has already yielded results, but instead of anti-aging, it has produced a byproduct of liposuction and rapid recovery?"

The chief scientist shrugged.

Such unintended consequences are very common in scientific research.

Viagra is a typical example. Originally a heart medication, it turned out to be a boon for men.

The marketing director continued, "That's right. I think Daniel has likely mastered a revolutionary tissue box technology, but it's still in the small-scale technology verification stage. The technology was developed by Professor Shepard and authorized to his disciple Daniel for use, so that he can cooperate in testing."

Now all the chains are working smoothly.

Bauer tapped his fingers twice on the edge of the table: "I see, you mean, acquire this clinic? To obtain the qualification for technology testing."

"Yes," the marketing manager said quickly. "Katrina Clinic is a small clinic, valued at no more than two million. If we give her four million, Catherine will most likely sell. Once we acquire it, we can use Daniel's technique for advertising: liposuction with a three-day recovery period. This gimmick is enough to generate buzz in the market! As long as the buzz is there, our stock price can stabilize, or even rebound!"

Another executive asked, "What if the technology isn't real? What if he just got lucky and found a few patients who recovered quickly?"

Bauer interrupted the executives' questions: "Whatever! Whether it's true or not, we'll treat it as real now!"

If he could boost the stock price, Ball wouldn't even mind throwing millions into the furnace to burn, let alone acquiring a small clinic.

After Bauer finished speaking, the chief scientist was about to retort, but Bauer raised his hand to interrupt him: "I know what you're trying to say. But we're talking about stock prices, not science."

Everyone understood that Bauer was being driven crazy by the board of directors.

The chief scientist wisely kept quiet.

Bauer thought for a few seconds: "Do you think Daniel would be willing to cooperate with us?"

The market research director said, "He should be willing. Daniel is just a minor shareholder; Catherine is the actual controller of the clinic. As long as the money is in place, he has no reason to refuse."

Paul picked up his phone again, glanced at the stock chart of Bellow Group, and then put it down.

That was a really, really bad fall!

If I fall any further, the board of directors will throw me into the sea!

Bauer made up his mind: "Put out an acquisition offer. I'll allow a premium of up to $600 million. And, start hyping up Daniel's reputation right now!"

The people in the conference room exchanged glances.

The CFO said worriedly, "The more famous he becomes, the higher the acquisition price will be."

"The hotter the technology becomes, the more famous Daniel becomes, and the higher our stock price will rise after the acquisition," Ball said confidently. "Paying an extra million or two, even if it only raises the stock price by 0.1%, is worth it."

No one objected.

The general counsel opened his notebook and began taking notes, while the public relations manager also wrote a few lines in his memo.

The marketing manager closed his laptop: "OK, that's settled then. I'll arrange for someone to make contact as soon as possible."

Ball needed a breakthrough that could turn things around, and now that line of thought has emerged. It may not be perfect, but it's at least feasible.

"Get it done! As soon as possible."

After the meeting, Bauer kept the head of the public relations department behind: "You need to start this hype immediately. Do you have a good idea?"

The publicity manager nodded: "No problem, I'll arrange for someone to contact him right away, but arranging a meeting will take time. Daniel doesn't seem to like being in the public eye."

Bauer immediately said, "Then let him have no chance to refuse. Contact a few industry media outlets and get him interviewed. Not those small magazines, but something like *New York Medical Technology*. Tell Daniel directly that they are planning a feature on 'The Next Generation of Leading Figures in Plastic Surgery,' and he is a key candidate."

The PR manager quickly jotted it down: "I know the editor-in-chief of *New York Medical Technology*, we can get it done."

Bauer continued, "And another thing. Try to convince a top journal to send Daniel an invitation under the guise of an academic paper. Say that they are very interested in his ultrafast recovery technology and hope that he can organize the technical principles into a paper for publication."

The PR manager thought for a moment: "What if Daniel refuses?"

"He won't refuse," Bauer said confidently. "No doctor would refuse an invitation to write to a top journal. Even if he didn't want to publish, he would see it as an opportunity. It's the industry rule, and he can't be an exception. Besides, we don't actually need Daniel to write the paper; we just need to let the outside world know that a top journal is waiting for Daniel to submit, and hype up his reputation."

"OK!" The publicity manager didn't ask any more questions and turned to leave.

Daniel was looking through a surgery schedule in his office.

His phone lit up, and when he picked it up, he saw a new email with the subject line: "Letter from the Editorial Board of the New England Journal of Medicine, Inviting You to Submit a Manuscript..."

""

The New England Journal of Medicine! They actually commissioned me to write an article! Daniel stared at the title for three seconds, then excitedly clicked on it.

"—Our journal has recently taken note of your outstanding performance in the field of ultra-fast recovery liposuction technology, and we sincerely invite you to write a review or case report on the relevant technical principles—"

Daniel started having a toothache.

The New England Journal of Medicine.

This isn't some roadside tabloid; it's a top medical journal!

Daniel put his phone on the table, then picked it up again, checked the sender's address, and then put it down.

He recalled the interview invitation he received from "Plastic Surgery" magazine yesterday, as well as the medical aesthetics-themed lecture that Becca had helped him confirm yesterday.

Today, a top-tier journal is waiting for his submission.

Daniel was completely numb.

I don't understand why I became famous so quickly.

I'm just a doctor!

Daniel felt himself being lifted up by some force, flying higher and higher until he could no longer see the ground.

Daniel picked up his phone and typed: "Richard, I've received a commission for a paper from the New England Journal of Medicine. What should I do?"

He looked at it for a while, then deleted it.

Change it to: "Want to chat sometime?"

I looked at it for a while longer, then deleted it.

He put down his phone, didn't send anything, and decided to talk to Richard himself, feeling that the situation was about to get out of control.

Just then, Becca rushed in excitedly: "Dr. Mason! Did you receive the email? The American Academy of Plastic Surgeons' Spring Meeting has invited you to give a keynote speech! They've listed you as a leading figure in ultra-fast recovery liposuction technology!"

Daniel was stunned: "—What? The American Academy of Plastic Surgeons?"

"Yes! Look at your email! I've already replied and confirmed! The appointment is in the middle of next month!" Becca was as excited as if she herself had been invited: "Also, *New York Medical Technology* magazine wants to do an interview with you, saying they'd like you to talk about the technological principles behind ultra-fast recovery!"

Daniel opened his mouth, then closed it again: "—How many is this now?"

"What number?"

'

"Meeting invitation."

Becca thought for a moment: "The fifth one. The previous ones were regional, this one is national. Dean Mason, you're amazing! You're completely famous!"

Daniel scratched his head.

Last week he was still worried about Eugene's pressure, but now he's being called a "technical leader" and has received an invitation to speak at a national conference.

Daniel, who was trying to deal with Eugene's fabricated stories back then, is now chasing after him everywhere.

He took a deep breath: "Becca, about the speech—don't confirm it yet."

Why?

"Because... I haven't prepared my speech yet."

"What's there to prepare? Just go over the usual technical points, won't that be enough?"

Daniel fell silent.

What the hell do I have to say about technical skills?!

The key technical point is Richard!

Daniel swallowed hard. "I'm too busy. Can you postpone it for a few days? I'll see if I have time."

"Okay," Becca said regretfully.

Daniel arrived at Katrina's clinic with a heavy heart.

The receptionist exclaimed with admiration, "Dean Mason!"

Young, promising, and capable—what girl wouldn't admire him?

Daniel couldn't laugh anymore. In the past few days, he had fully experienced the burden of his reputation, especially when he didn't yet have real skills.

Catherine came out: "Freya has arrived and is waiting for you in the lounge."

Freya is the wife of the state's deputy health minister and has been one of the most important clients during this period.

Daniel didn't dare refuse this client, so he had no choice but to move her to Katrina's clinic.

Daniel paused for a moment: "I still need to talk to her?"

Catherine shrugged: "Freya said she came early specifically to chat with you. She seems to admire you a lot. Oh, by the way, she also graduated from medical school. She said she wasn't very good with her hands when she was in medical school, so she especially admires people who are skilled."

Daniel took a deep breath and steeled himself as he walked toward the lounge, while Claire and Oliver chuckled to themselves.

The lounge is lit with soft, warm lighting, and the sofas are off-white.

Freya sat on the edge of the sofa, wearing a well-fitting cashmere coat, with a small handbag on her lap.

When she saw Daniel walk in, she immediately stood up and naturally extended her hand: "Dean Mason! It's so good to see you!"

Daniel grasped her hand, noticing that her grip was stronger than usual and lasted longer, carrying a sense of solemnity: "Madam, hello."

Freya released her grip, sat down again, and relaxed her posture: "Don't be nervous, just treat me like a normal patient."

Which doctor would dare treat the wife of the state's deputy health minister as an ordinary patient?

Daniel forced a smile.

"I saw your case of super-fast recovery, Daphne. She's my sister's college classmate." Freya smiled. "I've known her for many years. She's had liposuction at least three times, and her recovery time has always been more than ten days, so it's definitely not some kind of fast-recovery physique. When Daphne told me you did it in three days, my first reaction was that it was impossible."

""

Daniel sat down opposite her, his throat a little tight, trying to find an excuse: "—There have indeed been some technical optimizations."

Freya leaned forward slightly, as if trying to hear more clearly: "I studied at medical school for two years, and then switched to public health, but hands-on skills have always been my weakness."

There was no inferiority complex in her tone, only a frank envy: "That's why I especially admire skilled doctors. I've looked at Daphne's recovery photos repeatedly, it's so fast! You're a genius, Daniel!"

Daniel's ears burned when he saw Richard's ambiguous smile: "—You flatter me."

"It's not an overstatement." Freya spoke slowly and earnestly, "To be able to do this much is truly impressive."

Daniel opened his mouth, unsure how to respond, and could only smile: "—Thank you."

Freya stood up and picked up her handbag: "Shall we begin? I can't wait to try your skills."

2

"OK!" Daniel nodded and stood up as well.

Inside the operating room, all the operating lights were turned on.

Freya was wheeled into the operating room, her gaze fixed on Daniel. "Dr. Mason, don't be nervous. Even if it doesn't recover in three days, five days should be fine. I have plenty of time."

Claire suppressed a laugh.

"I'll do my best!" Daniel stood beside the operating table, feeling sweat on his back.

Oliver pushed the anesthesia cart over.

Freya added, "By the way, don't worry about those people online saying you're fake. I've seen Daphne's situation, and I know those people don't understand anything. Once I've recovered, I'll post a message online specifically to clear up everyone's misunderstandings, depending on my recovery speed."

Stop sending it! Stop sending it! Daniel was wailing inwardly, his expression almost crumbling: "Actually—it really doesn't need to bother."

"No trouble at all," Freya said sincerely. "A technical genius deserves praise."

Daniel quickly gestured to Oliver.

Unable to suppress a laugh, Oliver immediately came over: "The anesthetic is here, ma'am."

He moved quickly, pushing the needle, injecting, and observing. In less than ten seconds, Freya's breathing became steady and even, and her eyelids closed.

Daniel stood beside her, looking at Freya who was already asleep, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He glanced furtively at the others; thankfully, everyone was making preparations.

Richard had calmly put on his gloves and stood on the operating table to begin the surgery, his movements even smoother than Daniel had seen last time.

The needle placement is precise, and the amount of bleeding during the aspiration process is almost invisible, with no pauses between each step.

Daniel watched his fingers switch between the syringe and the suction device as if he were watching a machine in operation.

The surgery was completed quickly.

Richard finished the main tasks and handed the finishing touches over to Daniel.

After washing up, I took a break and scrolled through my phone.

Half an hour later, Daniel finished his follow-up work and found Richard.

.

"Look, Bellow Corporation is in trouble." Richard smiled and turned his phone to Daniel. On the screen was a news notification: "By yesterday's market close, Bellow Corporation's stock price had plummeted by 23.6%. State Attorney General Corbin-Yager has intervened in the investigation, and several projects, including the autologous stem cell project, may face criminal review."

Daniel sighed, "This is... Eugene's father made his move."

"Yes." Richard put his phone away. "He'll definitely get his revenge; it's just a matter of time."

Richard didn't say much more: "Relaxation time is over. We have another surgery coming up. Let's get ready."

Daniel suddenly asked cautiously, "Richard, I've been commissioned by a top journal to write an article about how to speed up the recovery process after liposuction. What should I do?"

Richard laughed: "Just make things up, they can't prove it wrong anyway. Don't ask me about these things in the future, you can decide for yourself. You took such a big risk for everyone's sake."

"I see." Daniel pondered for a moment.

Killian arrived at Brian's office, his face grim.

Brian, who was looking at documents, glanced at him through his glasses and asked, "Killian, what's up?"

Killian sat down opposite him, hands on his knees, his expression grave. "You know what happened! You have to help me!" Killian's voice held barely suppressed anger. "Paine is attacking K0M's exclusive rights. He's gone to the media, the public, everyone he can reach. This all started because of your unlimited powers. If you don't help me resolve this..."

"Are you blaming me?" Brian closed the file and threw it on the table, his tone as cold as ice. "Killian, I wasn't asking you to support my unlimited powers; it was a deal! My support for your Hart Island Act was the price! No, a deal is a deal, it doesn't mean I owe you anything. You're getting bullied by Payne again because you're weak, not because of me. Don't whine like a child!"

Killian suddenly broke down, covering his face in anguish: "—Brian, I can't take it anymore, I really can't take it anymore! I need your help."

Brian looked at Killian's face, which was filled with anxiety and resentment, and this time he did not argue.

That was enough; all he wanted was Killian's words.

Brian had been waiting for two days, just for this: "What do you need me to do?"

Killian took a deep breath: "Save the Hart Island Act, save K0M's exclusive rights. I can no longer push for unlimited powers for you, withdraw it."

0

Brian looked at him and said coldly, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. To hell with that damned unlimited power! All I care about now is securing my exclusive rights to K0M! That damn Payne keeps pushing me!"

Brian was satisfied.

Now, Killian's hatred is entirely focused on Payne.

He became the savior.

If he reaches out to Killian when he is most desperate, Killian will give him all his gratitude.

Benefits gained through personal connections are also benefits.

Brian never used the tax evasion evidence to threaten Killian; he only needed Payne to help him corner Killian.

And the evidence of tax evasion will eventually end up in their own hands.

"Okay, I'll go talk to Payne." Brian stood up. "You go back and wait for news."

Killian looked at Brian in surprise, not expecting him to be so agreeable: "You're really going to help me?"

Brian confidently replied, "When have I ever let you down?"

After Killian left, Brian picked up his phone and dialed a number he hadn't saved.

It rang twice, and then the other end answered.

"Payne."

Payne's voice came from the other end: "Brian. A rare guest."

Brian skipped the pleasantries: "Let's make a deal."

Two equally matched old foxes have no need to play mind games anymore; that would just be a waste of time.

Payne paused for a second: "Tell me about it."

Brian stated bluntly, "I withdraw my unlimited rights. You withdraw your attack on KOM's exclusive rights. Also, give me that evidence of Killian's tax evasion that you have."

Payne's voice remained unchanged: "Withdraw? How do I know you won't go back on your word and reintroduce the bill?"

Brian's voice remained flat: "You also can't convince me that you won't turn around and continue to pressure KOM after you've secured the security bill. We're both betting on the other to keep their word."

Payne did not respond.

Brian knew he was calculating.

"Why are you so insistent on protecting KOM?" Payne asked again, "You don't even care about that little bit of profit."

“I own shares,” Brian said. “I’m not like you, Payne. You’re running for office with your sugar daddies’ money, I’m running for office with my own money, I’ve even mortgaged my house! You need to curry favor with your sugar daddies, I don’t, I need money.”

That seems to make sense. Payne remained silent for a few seconds.

He was calculating the value of the deal.

The security bill is his core achievement and his most important asset after his re-election.

For him, the security bill was far more valuable than the limited operating rights of K0M, and it determined whether he could secure the support of the three major investors.

If Killian were to back down, he would be able to accomplish his most important legislative goal during his term.

As for Killian's evidence, that's not what he wants.

What he wanted was Brian's concessions, unlimited legal rights to withdraw from the voting process, and unimpeded passage of the security bill.

Instead of punishing Killian's sins.

Punishing sin is God's business.

In fact, the biggest gain for Brian in this deal was the evidence of Killian's tax evasion.

“Okay,” Payne said. “I’ll give you the evidence. But I need to see the unlimited powers officially withdrawn first.”

,"no problem."

"Brian, now that this evidence is in your hands, Killian's going to be in for a world of hurt, right?"

"That's what I deserve."

"You're cunning, Brian! You've taken the benefits, but Killian will only hate me!"

"This is what I deserve."

"snort!"

Killian formally withdrew the Preventive Arrest Act an hour later.

Payne glanced at the official letter, put down his fork, wiped his hands with a napkin, and then picked up his phone to dial Lawrence's number: "Come over here."