At noon, the review team's roster was finalized. Alongside representatives from each family, several highly specialized professionals were included. Their responsibility was to inspect and evaluate families seeking admission to the Association, ensuring only those meeting the necessary qualifications could join.-The following morning, without prior notice, the review team departed for the Oberdeen Group. This lack of advance warning was integral to the review process—it tested the sincerity of those being assessed.In response to the notification, the Oberdeens had already begun preparations.The initial task of the review team was to assess the Oberdeen Group's assets. In King City, wealth served as the most straightforward criterion for evaluating a family's status. If a family failed to meet the required financial standard, they would not be considered for Association membership.If a family lacked sufficient financial resources, what value could they offer to other Associati
"Mr. Oberdeen, there's no need for that right now. Time is tight, and the task is demanding. Have you prepared all the documents as instructed in the notification?" Drew responded.Francis nodded promptly. The Oberdeens had been awaiting this moment for too long, and they would not slack off.The review work began immediately. Since Eric did not understand these matters, he refrained from intervening.Francis and his son stood to the side, personally offering coffee and water. While handing coffee to Eric, Ivan furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "Mr. Lopez, have we met somewhere before?"He had a deep impression of Eric. After all, he had never encountered anyone as powerful as Eric before, and he was undoubtedly someone not to be trifled with. Now, upon taking a second glance at Derek in front of him, he felt that he resembled Eric.Eric chuckled. "This is my first visit here. I'm certain you've mistaken me for someone else."Ivan nodded. He was certain that Eric wouldn't be
The review team swiftly commenced organizing the data upon their return. By approximately 8:00 p.m., relevant information regarding the Oberdeens found its way onto Eric's desk.Upon receiving the materials, Eric declared, "Alright, you all go ahead and have dinner. Everyone must be famished. Let's wrap it up for now and reconvene at 9:00 a.m. sharp tomorrow.""Are you not joining us for dinner?" Jessica asked. "The Association has already arranged dinner for our group."Eric shook his head. "You go ahead. I'll take a moment to review the Oberdeens' information."Eric possessed limited knowledge about the Oberdeens, only aware of their background in the pharmaceutical industry. Notably, none of the major families associated with the Association had ties to this particular sector, making the Oberdeens' inclusion significant in bridging this gap.As Eric read, he noted that families like the Oberdeens had emerged relatively recently. In just about two decades, they had transitioned
Seemingly significant matters were actually trivial in the Association. For instance, two companies with identical qualifications might engage in fierce competition for a specific project. However, such conflicts could be resolved by assigning the project to one company initially and then alternating for subsequent projects within the Association. The primary purpose of the Association's existence was to safeguard the interests of its members. Otherwise, why bother establishing it?The prominent families in King City knew the benefits of joining the Association, so they eagerly sought membership.After Drew's briefing, Eric nodded and remarked, "Tomorrow, let's delve into the Oberdeen Group's finances once more. Regardless of the outcome, inform the Oberdeens that, with their current standing, they remain unqualified for Association membership unless they demonstrate their worth."Drew grasped the rationale behind scrutinizing the Oberdeens' finances and concurred. "Understood.
Sylvia's occasionally astonishing remarks always caught Eric off guard, but he found it rather enjoyable. The next morning, the investigation team set out once again for the Oberdeen Group to conduct a detailed examination of their finances.Drew didn't summon Francis and his son until the afternoon to inform them of the result.Although Francis wore a smile, he felt quite nervous inwardly. Generally, investigations evaluated a family's overall strength, not just their economic power. Francis had a bad feeling about it—the investigation had only been going on for two days, and the results were already out.And his intuition proved correct.Drew said, "Mr. Oberdeen, I'm sorry, but the Oberdeen Group has failed the investigation.""Why?" Francis was still quite confident in his family. Moreover, only the Oberdeen Group had been inspected, so how could they fail?Drew sighed and explained, "The Association has high hopes for the addition of new members, but unfortunately, the Ober
The rest of the team was well aware that Eric and the group had left with Francis. Even if they were silenced, with so many disappearing, the Association would never overlook it. If the Oberdeens couldn't provide an explanation by then, they would undoubtedly face elimination by the Association. Therefore, it made no sense for the Oberdeens to silence them.Francis led them to the outskirts of King City, leaving Drew puzzled."Mr. Oberdeen, where are we?" Drew asked.As a holistic physician, Eric had already detected a faint medicinal scent.Francis chuckled. "Mr. McClain, just step inside and see for yourself. You're in for a surprise."He intentionally maintained an air of mystery. This was a separate production factory recently established by the Oberdeens, heavily guarded and inaccessible to ordinary people.Inside the factory, everyone donned clean shoe covers, hairnets, and other germ-proof items, indicating the Oberdeens' high regard for hygiene.At that moment, Drew fina
Francis led the team on a tour of the entire factory, showcasing its exceptionally high standards and cutting-edge technology."We've implemented the most advanced production equipment globally to ensure ample production and supply," Francis declared proudly.The Oberdeens had poured a fortune into this factory, resulting in a remarkably high level of automation.Drew, acknowledging this, asked, "If the special medicine has already been produced, why aren't you pushing it to market?"Francis smiled knowingly. "Mr. McClain, it appears you grasp management but not the essence of business. Business endeavors to maximize profits!"We've yet to unveil this drug to the public. We're biding our time, waiting for the opportune moment when demand peaks. There'll be a nationwide surge in purchases at that juncture, and prices will soar."With strategic maneuvering, our company's market value is bound to skyrocket, perhaps even multiply several times over!"The infection rates in Salt City
Ultimately, it was all about money! And what the Oberdeens were doing didn't make sense. Medicine was also a commodity. The law of the market showed that demand came first, then the commodity followed. If there was no demand, what was the use of producing the commodity?The tour ended around 2:00 p.m.After revealing his trump card, Francis thought joining the Association wouldn't be a problem."After we return, we'll organize the data immediately and reply within three days. If you could provide us with market analysis data for this drug, that would be even better," Drew said.Francis smiled. "Certainly! I'll have someone send the data to you immediately."It was just market analysis data, so Francis would naturally provide it.Drew and the team were sent back to the Oberdeen Group, and they left after getting all the data they needed.Jessica was puzzled. "Why are they exposing the pharmaceutical factory to us? Aren't they afraid?""Although I don't understand pharmaceuticals