Chapter 242 Returning to Qinghetun
The following day, the plan was delivered directly to the desks of the relevant senior leaders through confidential channels.
It was the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, early morning. A thin mist shrouded Houhai Lake.
Three cars were parked quietly at the entrance of the courtyard alley.
Leading the procession was a Soviet-style sedan with an ordinary exterior but thick glass and a reinforced body; this was a "work vehicle" specially approved for Gu Baobao by her superiors.
Two military jeeps followed behind, carrying eight plainclothes but sharp-eyed guards, along with some necessary luggage and some medicinal herbs and documents that Gu Baobao planned to take back to her hometown.
Gu Dahe, Wu Guixiang, Gu Jianqiang, and Li Fenfang had already packed their bags, wearing thick cotton-padded clothes and carrying simple bundles. Their faces showed reluctance, but even more so, anticipation and peace of mind for returning home.
Grandpa Lu had also changed into a slightly worn dark blue Zhongshan suit, looking very energetic, and was carrying a small leather suitcase, looking like he was preparing to go to the countryside for a vacation.
Gu Baobao and Lu Zhanming checked the room and yard one last time before locking the door.
"Everyone's here, let's go."
Lu Zhanming put his arm around Gu Baobao's shoulder.
The group got into the car.
To avoid attracting attention, the convoy did not sound its sirens, but simply drove smoothly out of the alley and into the gradually awakening traffic of the capital.
A thin layer of fog condensed on the car windows.
Gu Baobao leaned on Lu Zhanming's shoulder, watching the gray streets and bare trees rushing past the window.
I don't know when I'll be back after this departure.
But she knew that when she returned, she would have to be stronger and more indispensable than she was now.
The car drove out of the city and onto the national highway leading northeast.
As the view opened up, the fields were covered with patches of unmelted snow, appearing vast and desolate.
Just as Gu Baobao's convoy drove away from the capital, across the ocean, the "Angel Wings" project in Lavoisier, Manhattan, was quietly experiencing its first minor crack.
In Lavoisier's core laboratory, the chief scientist frowned as he looked at a newly delivered long-term stability tracking report on the fourth batch of fusion optimization samples.
The report shows that when the samples were tested in the fourth round of metabolic cycles in a simulated human body environment, approximately 3.7% of the samples showed unexpected activity decay and a previously unrecorded trace metabolite was detected.
"It could be due to batch differences or slight fluctuations in testing conditions."
The assistant researcher explained cautiously.
"Previous clinical feedback has been very positive, so this anomaly...maybe we can ignore it? After all, there are individual differences in any biologic."
The chief scientist pondered.
The client is pressing for approval, so the production line is already up and running, and the first batch of official products will soon be rolled off the production line and packaged.
At this point, any report of irregularities could delay the process and trigger unnecessary scrutiny and questioning.
He recalled Mr. Lavoisier's excited announcement yesterday that another old European aristocrat had expressed great interest and that the first batch of products would soon be shipped to Europe.
"Record the data and continue to observe."
The chief scientist ultimately decided to lock the report in a drawer.
"Keep it quiet. Focus on ensuring that all batches about to leave the factory pass quality inspection. Tell the production department to strictly follow the established process flow and not allow any deviations!"
"yes!"
The assistant researcher breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.
The closing of that heavy drawer door also closed the last chance to discover the fatal hidden danger in advance.
Outside the laboratory, on the brightly lit production line, bottles of vitality bearing luxury labels carry the weight of countless greedy desires and yearnings.
It is being rapidly filled, capped, labeled, and packed into exquisite gift boxes. The green light on the quality control instrument is flashing cheerfully; everything is normal.
Lavoisier stood in the control room, looking down at the efficient production line through the glass, his face showing undisguised pride and satisfaction.
He could almost hear the pleasant clinking of gold coins and see the nobles bowing down in gratitude.
He picked up the phone and called his client manager at the Swiss bank:
"Yes, another loan will be provided to expand production. Collateral? My shares and patents in Angel Wings will suffice. Yes, I believe its value will soon increase tenfold, a hundredfold!"
Greed, like an ever-expanding balloon, blinded him and pushed him into an abyss of no return.
The wheels rolled on, heading towards a simple village, where there was the warmth of family and solid land.
Meanwhile, in distant Manhattan, a grand fireworks display, ignited by greed itself and destined to consume itself, has already set the stage, waiting for the protagonist to take the stage and enact the most magnificent... destruction.
Gu Baobao shifted into a more comfortable position in Lu Zhanming's arms and closed her eyes.
Conserve your energy and build up your strength.
The real journey has only just begun.
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