Chapter 471: The Base

"Currently, we mainly rely on two flagship products: Telod capsules and Litmo compound injections. The former targets diabetes and can improve postprandial blood sugar; the latter targets post-cancer surgery patients, preventing recurrence and enhancing their constitution. These are the company's research results over the past few years. Besides this, the company is also engaged in the manufacture of various alchemical potions. Sunrise Biopharmaceuticals currently has a turnover of 1.9 billion shields, but after deducting costs such as R&D, marketing, and manufacturing, the net profit is only 220 million."

The head of Sunrise Pharmaceuticals, named Li Zexi, was an Easterner. However, he was not hired by Li Mochen but had already served as the CEO of Ether Biopharmaceuticals before that.

Li Mochen retained most of the management of Ether Biopharmaceuticals, and over the following period, he recognized Mr. Li's outstanding abilities, so he confidently entrusted the daily operations of Sunrise Biopharmaceuticals to this man.

In fact, professional managers like Li Zexi could be trusted for routine matters as long as they did not involve the company's major strategies. In this world, besides legally binding contracts, there were various magical covenants to ensure the loyalty of senior managers to the company.

"—However, aside from this, the company invests eight to ten billion annually in R&D, so it has been operating at a loss in recent years. Previously, it relied on bank loans and capital injections from Light Magic Industries and Mr. Braden personally. The former chairman allocated 70 million shields monthly from Light Magic Industries to maintain daily operations until you took over the company."

"I heard that a little over a month ago, there was some minor unrest within the company, with over twenty researchers planning to resign?"

Li Mochen asked about his most pressing concern: "What's the situation now? Were they retained?"

"It's already resolved, Chairman. Previously, many people were indeed worried about their future, including several professors and senior alchemists. They only barely stayed due to contract restrictions. However, after learning about your detailed background, the company's morale has stabilized. After all, you are the primary heir of the Wiltonshire Group. Although your wealth cannot compare to Mr. Braden's, it is sufficient to support their research projects. However—"

Li Zexi paused: "Everyone is still curious about how you view this company and this research center."

Li Mochen noticed that many of the accompanying people were looking at him with either worry or anticipation. He couldn't help but chuckle: "I haven't stopped financial support for this place over the past three months. Rest assured, my emphasis on Sunrise Biopharmaceuticals will be no less than Howard Braden's. I promise that my investment in this company this year will not be less than 1.5 billion shields. In fact, not long ago, I approved two new projects you proposed, didn't I? This was a test from you, and you, Zexi, tacitly allowed it, right?"

Li Zexi gave an awkward smile, but his eyes showed a hint of excitement. The chairman's massive investment and the company's growth undoubtedly brought great benefits to him as the company's manager.

"However, I also need to see results from these investments."

Li Mochen's expression was extremely serious: "Preferably within five years, the pharmaceutical division should be able to break even."

His finances were actually very strained. Although he had recently received several large sums and the Wiltonshire family had provided him with 1.5 billion shields, the upcoming Dark World expansion plan forced him to tighten his belt.

Originally, according to his plan, he would first find one or two suitable locations to build small fortresses and then proceed step by step. In that case, his finances would still be ample. But that Holy Stone Fortress was truly a money-devouring beast. Even with a bank like Atlantic Intercontinental, Li Mochen might not have enough.

"As long as you maintain the current level of investment, I believe we can achieve it."

Li Zexi showed no sign of concern; he didn't think it was very difficult. Light Magic Industries had been continuously investing over the years, with a total of nearly 15 billion shields, and it was almost ready to hatch this pharmaceutical company.

According to the information he had, several project teams in the lab were on the verge of producing results.

It could be said that Li Mochen took over this company at just the right time—right at the early stage of its explosive growth.

It was said that his predecessor, the boss, had sold Ether Biopharmaceutical to this Prince of the Wiltonshtan family for 2.25 billion gold shields. This left Li Zexi both puzzled and emotional—that Mr. Braden was simply insane, throwing away tens of billions of gold shields as if they were nothing, while Mr. Andre Lee Wiltonshtan had picked up a goose that laid golden eggs.

"So how is the security situation?"

"It's okay. The security forces you dispatched are very diligent. Their professional skills can't match those of Light Demon Security, but they outnumber them two to one. Following your previous instructions, the company has already invested 25 million in another upgrade to the research base's security facilities, scheduled for this month."

Li Zexi paused here, then smiled wryly: "Besides that, the Mitchell Group has been very accommodating to us."

He had heard that Mitchell's only daughter was likely to be his boss's future partner.

"Not enough! It's not just the security facilities; the cultivation and living environment here should also be improved. It would be best to buy up the nearby buildings and expand them, with funding from me. You can hire professionals to draw up an expansion and renovation plan, with a budget of 250 million, and the standard should be a fortress capable of resisting demigod attacks. Within at most twenty days, I will dispatch a legendary-level magic energy mage to take up residence. Also, Professor Gu Hong and his team will join the company to lead the research and development of the biological battle armor."

Before Li Mochen had even finished half of what he was saying, Li Zexi was already stunned, and it took him a while to react.

"Understood. I will revise the plan today."

He thought that the Prince of the Wiltonshire family attached as much importance to this place as Mr. Howard Braden did.

The subsequent inspection was unremarkable. The conditions in the dozen or so experimental zones were, as Li Zexi had reported, functioning well. Of the seventeen project groups, seven had already entered their final stages, covering various current difficult diseases. Once clinical trials were passed, they would bring substantial profits to the company.

Anthony had told him that this company would need at most two years for Ethos Biopharmaceuticals' revenue to grow to a scale of ten to fifteen billion, which was not an exaggeration.

Wherever Li Mochen went, every laboratory erupted with cheers. After all, it was a newly acquired company, and winning people's hearts was necessary.

Although Li Mochen considered himself quite poor, he was still willing to be generous with money at this time. Under the pretext of the New Year, he distributed bonuses to everyone. Though the amount was not large, it still pleasantly surprised the bookworms in the laboratories.

But the main reason was Li Mochen's promise of bonuses and profit sharing after the projects were completed, which greatly boosted the morale of these project groups.

Not long after, Li Mochen arrived at the first experimental zone of this biological laboratory.

This area not only housed the four most顶尖 scientists of Xuri Biopharmaceuticals but also a quarter of the entire experimental base's personnel and one-third of its floor space.

And the project they were responsible for researching was precisely the 'Bio-Armor' technology.

In fact, the vast majority of the Bradens' fifteen billion shield investment was used for the research and development of this core project. Even using one's heels to think, one could know that a biopharmaceutical company acquired by an arms dealer could not possibly be solely for pharmaceuticals.