godfather of surgery

Chapter 1249 United as one
Inside the conference room of Ruixing Medical Technology Company, the air seemed to freeze.

Every executive present understood that the success or failure of Professor Yang Ping's research project was not only related to the life or death of a scientific research project, but also determined whether China's biopharmaceutical industry could break free from its dependence on others in terms of core tools and underlying technologies.

This is a crisis, but also an opportunity!
“We can’t let Professor Yang fight alone.” Huang Jiacai’s voice was not loud, but every word was like iron, striking everyone’s heart. “They are not blocking just one research group, but the future of our entire industrial upgrading. We must fight back—in our own way.”

He got up and walked towards the huge electronic screen, where a complex map of the supply chain of high-end experimental equipment and reagents slowly unfolded.

"Let's launch the 'Breaking the Barrier' plan ahead of schedule!" Huang Jiacai declared resolutely. "Our goal is not simply to provide alternatives, but to unite all like-minded colleagues in the country to develop, improve, and optimize a complete set of domestically produced equipment, instruments, software, and reagents that can meet the needs of cutting-edge scientific research in the shortest possible time." He glanced at the entire room. "We can't always drink the soup that others have spilled. We have to fight for it ourselves, to compete with them for the meat. Who says the meat must belong to them?"

"Breaking Through Barriers"—a name that embodies courage and determination—quickly became Ruixing's highest-priority strategic task. An elite team composed of top engineers, applied scientists, and supply chain experts was formed overnight.

Jiang Jitong received a call personally from Chen Zhi, the chief engineer of Ruixing. After several hours of in-depth communication, a detailed list of requirements—performance parameters, application scenarios, pain points and difficulties—was quickly sent to Ruixing.

Immediately following, an unprecedented "Industry Chain Collaborative Breakthrough Mobilization Meeting" was being prepared intensively at Ruixing's headquarters. Invitations were sent to leading companies in dozens of fields, including precision instruments, analytical testing, biochemical reagents, and software development, among which were former competitors or partners with whom there had been friction.

On the day of the meeting, the largest conference room was packed. The attendees displayed a variety of expressions: curiosity, seriousness, and indifference.

Huang Jiacai skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point. He demonstrated the specific methods of the international giants' "soft blockade" and their potential threat to Yang Ping's research group and even to China's biomedical innovation. When those once-admired brand names became nooses around their own necks, the faces of many in the audience gradually darkened.

"...That's the situation." Huang Jiacai surveyed the room, his voice calm yet penetrating. "I've invited you all here today not to complain, nor to ask for help. I just want to ask one question: Are Chinese companies destined to forever follow behind others, at their beck and call, picking up their leftovers?"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sharp: "I know that many companies here—including Ruixing—have tried to break into the high-end market. And what was the result? Either they were blocked by patents, or they launched their products but ultimately failed due to an immature ecosystem and a lack of trust. Why? Because we were a disorganized bunch, fighting our own battles, lacking the ability to operate as a system!"

A slight commotion arose from the audience; some nodded, while others frowned.

"But now, a golden opportunity is right in front of us." Huang Jiacai raised his voice. "Professor Yang Ping's research project is the best touchstone! His needs represent the most cutting-edge research direction internationally. If we can join forces to help him break through the blockade and complete his research, what would that mean?"

He asked himself and answered, "This means we have proven ourselves! We have proven that domestically produced equipment, reagents, and software can support world-class scientific research! This will be the most powerful and irrefutable affirmation of the entire domestic industrial chain!"

This is an opportunity, a golden opportunity!!!

Ideals burn brightly, but reality is cold and indifferent.

When Huang Jiacai proposed a specific plan—collaborative research and development, resource sharing, and even the requirement for some companies to temporarily forgo short-term profits in order to prioritize the supply and customized development of Yang Ping's research group—questions and resistance surfaced.

“Mr. Huang, we understand the logic,” Mr. Wang, the general manager of an analytical instrument factory in East China, spoke first, his tone tinged with helplessness. “But developing high-end equipment isn’t like hosting a dinner party; it requires a large investment and a long cycle. Mobilizing core resources for the short-term needs of a research group is too inefficient. What if the performance doesn’t meet the standards? The huge investment will be wasted, and we’ll ruin our reputation.”

“Yes,” echoed Mr. Li, who specializes in high-end biochemical reagents, “our enzyme preparations and specialty reagents do indeed lag behind the international top in terms of purity and stability. This is not something that can be caught up with overnight. If we rashly take on such a difficult task and fail, who will bear the losses? We have to be responsible to our shareholders.”

“There’s also the issue of standards,” a software company representative pushed up his glasses. “Different devices have different interfaces and protocols. Even if the hardware meets the standards, if the software can’t be integrated and the data can’t be communicated, it’s still just a pile of scrap metal.”

The conference room was heavy with the weight of reality. While patriotism and industrial ambition were undoubtedly inspiring, the pressure to survive, technological gaps, and past failures acted like invisible shackles, binding their hands and feet. Each company had its own difficulties, and each had its own self-interest.

A united front? Easier said than done.

Who doesn't want to break into the high-end market? Who doesn't want to earn huge profits like international giants? But the road ahead is fraught with difficulties, and hope is slim. Failure would not only mean all previous efforts are wasted, but the existing foundation could also be shaken. No one is willing to take that risk. The meeting reached a stalemate. Huang Jiacai looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar faces below the stage and understood. He understood all the concerns, but this invisible "wall" had to be broken down.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and Jiang Jitong arrived, looking travel-worn—this was specially arranged by Huang Jiacai. He didn't ask Jiang Jitong to prepare a fancy PowerPoint presentation, but only asked him to tell the truth about the research group's situation.

Jiang Jitong stood at the front of the stage, his face showing the exhaustion of days and nights of working late, but his eyes were unusually clear. He didn't preach any grand theories, but simply described how the research team had struggled to survive during the blockade.

He recounted how Liu Yang, lacking specialized enzymes, personally expressed and purified the cells, his hands stained with the culture medium; how Chu Xiaoxiao, clutching a heavy notebook, repeatedly optimized the detection conditions of the old flow cytometer, her eyes bloodshot from exhaustion; and how Wang Chao and He Zijian went to engineering departments to tinker with seemingly ridiculous homemade devices alongside professors and students…

"...We know it's difficult, we know that domestically produced products may not be as stable or easy to use as imported ones for the time being." Jiang Jitong's voice was hoarse, but every word was powerful. "But we have no way out! Professor Yang said that this is not just a war for our research group. It is a war for the entire scientific research and industrial system. If we give up, we will only be subject to others in the future."

He held up his phone and showed several photos of the lab: a cluttered workbench, a screen covered with data curves, and the tired but determined faces of the team members.

"We don't need perfect tools; we need weapons that can help us fight our way out! Even if they're rough or cumbersome, as long as they work, as long as they can help us take a step forward, they're good!" Jiang Jitong took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the entire audience. "I beg you all! We need you!"

The venue was silent.

That unadorned, heartfelt narration struck like a hammer blow to everyone's heart. All those calculations about costs, risks, and difficulties suddenly seemed pale and narrow in the face of the young people's do-or-die courage.

After a long silence, Mr. Wang, who had initially been skeptical, slowly stood up, rubbed his sore nose, and smiled wryly: "Dr. Jiang, don't say anymore... It's us old guys who have been worn down by the market and forgotten our original aspirations." He turned to Huang Jiacai, his eyes hardening, "Mr. Huang, our factory is in! We can't say for sure about other things, but we'll fight tooth and nail to get the optical components for that protein interaction detection module they need!"

"Count us in!" Mr. Li, the general manager of the reagent company, slammed his fist on the table. "It's just a matter of purity and stability, right? We'll form a special task force with our best technical experts. I don't believe we can't handle it! If Professor Yang's team dares to use 'homemade methods,' we dare to make our own 'homemade cannonballs'!"

"We'll take the lead in developing temporary standards for software interfaces and protocols!" The software company representative pushed up his glasses, revealing the unwavering determination characteristic of technologists behind the lenses. "At worst, we'll work overtime to develop conversion interfaces and a unified data platform! We will never allow hardware to become an information silo!"

In an instant, the atmosphere in the meeting room completely changed. The previous doubts and resistance were replaced by a long-lost passion and fighting spirit. Competition, barriers, and calculations melted away at this moment because of a common goal, and everyone reached a consensus: they must unite and break the blockade.

One, two, three… more and more company representatives stood up to join in. They exchanged contact information, assigned responsibilities, and discussed details on the spot. The meeting room resembled a makeshift wartime command center, bustling with activity.

Huang Jiacai stared at the scene before him, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Thank you all!" Huang Jiacai's voice was slightly hoarse with excitement. "Then let's join hands—for Professor Yang, and for ourselves—to smash down this wall of blockade!"

"Just now everyone was worried about the risk of failure. In business, all actions have risks. High risk, high reward. This kind of charge to seize the high ground is bound to be risk-free. If it fails, the consequences will be severe, but if it succeeds, the benefits will be endless. Sitting and waiting for death is also very risky. Everyone is fighting in the low-lying area, and in the end, they will only kill each other."

"As long as you join the alliance this time, Ruixing will provide certain financial assistance. Moreover, for projects that are related to the national economy and people's livelihood, the country will definitely give us certain help, such as subsidies, tax breaks, policy preferences, etc."

"So now is both a risk and an opportunity!"

The "Breaking Down Barriers" initiative has now truly begun. A nationwide, multi-sectoral collaborative network of industry-academia-research collaboration, with a highly unified goal, is operating at full speed with unprecedented efficiency and cohesion.

Behind all this is not only the drive of commercial interests, but also the spirit of unity and overcoming difficulties that is deeply rooted in our blood and always emerges in the darkest moments.

This spirit may be the most powerful weapon to break through all walls and barriers.