Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 99 The Direction of the Protective Umbrella

A lifespan of over a thousand years... Hmm, rounding that up, isn't that roughly equivalent to immortality?

Nicolas Flamel only lived for a little over six hundred years.

"But why have I never heard of vampires that live so long?" Murphy wondered.

"Ahem, this is just the theoretical upper limit of cell lifespan under laboratory conditions, but the real situation in the human body is much more complicated than that. After all, a large number of cell divisions does not mean that cell function remains unchanged, not to mention there are cells such as nerve cells that are difficult to regenerate."

"Moreover, the living environment of vampires is much harsher than that of ordinary people. For example, their extreme photophobia means that they can only move at night and cannot get sunlight, which will lead to a lack of vitamin D. This will not only cause osteoporosis and increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, but may also affect their mental health."

"However, one thing vampires have in common with bats is that they have extremely high resistance to germs and viruses, making them very difficult to get sick. In addition, they can instantly increase their heart rate several times, thereby greatly enhancing their various physical abilities. Their superhuman speed, reaction and strength all come from this."

"Currently, we have two team members who are trying to explore the underlying reasons for vampires' DNA repair abilities. This research will undoubtedly have great reference value for extending human lifespan."

"In addition, we have also conducted research on the true blood of vampires."

"We discovered that true blood has a high concentration of cells and contains a large amount of substances that can infect other cells. It can transform an ordinary cell into a cell containing vampire chromosomes in a very short time."

"However, we haven't figured out the specific conversion process and mechanism yet. We've observed some unusual phenomena, which may involve some magical forces, but since we don't have a method for measuring and observing magical forces, we can't be sure. But we've heard that the spell research group is working on a magical force detector, so perhaps we'll be able to find some testing methods in the future."

"Yes, they've finished building it. You should communicate more with the spellcasting research group about this. By the way, how's the Animagus research going?" Murphy asked.

While the vampire's DNA repair ability might extend human lifespan, which is an unexpected bonus, Murphy hasn't forgotten that his original purpose in studying vampires was to find the transformation pathway, and the core of the transformation pathway is the Animagus.

“I was just about to discuss this with you,” Andrew said. “We consulted the methods for making Animagus potions in the book and discovered that Muggles simply cannot make them, and Professor Alex also said that no one has ever sold such a potion. But without the potion, we can’t conduct our research…”

The method for making Animagus potions is almost the most complex of all the potions Murphy knows.

The first step is to have the wizard hold a mandrake leaf in his mouth for a whole month, not to mention the subsequent collection of dew that has not seen sunlight or humans for seven days, and chanting spells to himself every morning and evening before the next thunderstorm.

The process was so complicated that even though Murphy had long aspired to become an Animagus and had tried two or three times during his school years, he failed each time.

There's a reason why Animagus is so rare in the wizarding world.

The fact that Sirius and others were able to become Animagus is enough to show that their relationship with Lupin was truly very good.

However, this problem must be solved. Without any magic potions to refer to, it would be a pipe dream for Andrew and his team to find the core principles of Animagus transformation out of thin air.

"I'll figure something out," Murphy said.

Murphy has already decided to recruit a bunch of wizards and have them put grass leaves in their mouths every day. It's just a matter of spending more money; there will always be someone willing to do it.

"Boss." After chatting with Andrew for a while, Boris finished his physical examination and came over.

Murphy wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the guy looked a little pale and thinner.

"How was it? Andrew didn't mistreat you, did he?" Murphy teased.

"No, Dr. Andrew and everyone else have been very kind to me," Boris replied earnestly.

Well, okay, Boris is great in every way, except he takes things a little too seriously.

He led him away from the magic laboratory and through the gate to the mansion. Murphy asked about Marianne's condition and learned that she had almost recovered and was currently studying painting.

"You've got a pretty good understanding of the company, right?" Murphy asked.

"I understand the general picture. Umbrella is a remarkable company," Boris said. "Its profitability is astounding, and its growth potential is limitless."

Murphy nodded; it was obvious to anyone. "How do you think Umbrella should develop in the future?"

This can be considered a small test of teaching ability.

Boris paused for a moment, then said, "Umbrella Corporation is still in a phase of rapid expansion. Generally, at this stage, the company has two possible directions for the future. One is to integrate upstream and downstream operations and cultivate the industry vertically, and the other is to expand its business horizontally and venture into more industries."

"In fact, every company with lofty ambitions will be involved in both of these directions, but with different emphases."

As a certified public accountant, Boris is no stranger to corporate strategy.

"So, which aspect do you think the protective umbrella should focus on?"

"I believe that Umbrella Corporation is better suited to focus on a vertically integrated approach."

"The Umbrella Corporation currently owns a pharmaceutical brand, Isis Pharmaceuticals, which mainly sells Yunnan Baiyao-related products. It also has a high-end cosmetics brand, Camelot, whose cosmetics are mainly based on the Venus series. In addition, it has a research and development center that has already produced patents, and can generate considerable revenue through patent licensing."

"To outsiders, the R&D center is a front-end department that provides product development for Isis Pharmaceuticals and Camelot. But after carefully studying those materials, I found that the R&D center is your ultimate goal, and Isis Pharmaceuticals and Camelot are just peripheral companies that provide funding to the R&D center."

"The R&D center is the core of the protective umbrella, or rather, what you need is the knowledge that the R&D center can produce."

This isn't something that can be seen solely from financial reports, but Boris, who frequently visits the underground magic research institute, has some understanding of Murphy's true purpose.

"With this goal in mind, I believe that Umbrella Corporation is better suited to become a high-tech innovative enterprise."

"First, we take innovation and R&D as our core driving force and competitiveness. By continuously developing new products and adopting new technologies, we can achieve a differentiated advantage and maintain a profit level far higher than the industry average."

"Secondly, we should actively explore new markets and seek channels for the transformation and monetization of research and development intermediates to ensure a virtuous cycle of research and development."

Finally, they build patent barriers, set industry standards, and become monopolistic oligopolies.

"After cultivating an industry to this extent, we can then move into the next related field and gradually expand horizontally."

"While the vertically integrated development strategy may expand at a slower pace, every step is incredibly solid, maintaining sufficient bargaining power and allowing for flexibility in any decision-making process. It is the most suitable development path for a protective umbrella company and best meets your requirements."

Murphy stood up after hearing this.

"Very good, I'm relieved. Come with me to see Patrick."

(End of this chapter)