Chapter 058: A Secret Infiltration of the Laboratory

"When did this happen? It wasn’t like this the last time I was here!" Qiao Qingmu made idle conversation with the driver.

"Your last visit must have been two months ago. Two months ago, word spread from the laboratory up ahead—they’d developed a drug with effects similar to the legendary life-saving medicine from America. Within days, the SS surrounded the lab and the pharmaceutical factory, and all the residents inside were forcibly relocated."

Qiao Qingmu exchanged a glance with Mio Fujiwara. As expected, the same playbook as America, copying it step by step. This was trouble!

The car drove straight ahead, the road flanked by towering stretches of barbed wire that seemed endless. They got out at a decent-looking inn and went inside to check in.

Once inside their second-floor room, Jiehua Chen signaled Mio Fujiwara not to speak, preparing to inspect for any listening devices. Caution never hurt anyone.

If a ruler isn’t discreet, he loses his ministers; if a minister isn’t discreet, he loses himself. A few indiscretions can ruin everything. That’s why the wise act carefully and don’t reveal secrets. (Book of Changes)

The current situation had already exceeded their expectations—far exceeded Jiehua Chen’s understanding. The deviation was significant!

The SS were notorious during World War II, but it was only 1929—Hitler hadn’t even risen to power yet! There was already an SS?

That was one thing. Second, the leak about sulfa drugs was inexplicable. Now the purpose of that colleague’s visit was clear: he must have gone to America first, failed to profit from the penicillin factory, and then decided to try his luck here.

So, he wasn’t American, nor German. Which country was he from?

Jiehua Chen had barely finished pondering for ten seconds after closing the door. He hadn’t even checked all the usual places listening devices might be hidden, when suddenly his heart skipped—a warning!

Without hesitation, Jiehua Chen stuffed their suitcase into the spatial pocket, pulled out a gun and a scalpel for Mio Fujiwara.

Mio Fujiwara instantly understood, rushed to the window to check outside—nothing amiss. She glanced back; Jiehua Chen signaled: go!

Covering each other, they slipped out the window, skirted two storefronts, and mingled with the crowd returning to the front entrance.

So that was it! The trouble stemmed from that imperial mark note. The taxi driver had gone straight to the SS, reporting two East Asian faces inquiring about the laboratory and checking into that inn.

Chaos erupted in the inn; there was no going back now, and the money was wasted. Worse, they’d lost their place to stay!

No matter. If they couldn’t stay, maybe they could go straight in and find Gerhard’s team to get information. Quietly, they melted into the darkness, heading for the barbed wire at the perimeter of Bayer’s sealed zone to observe inside.

A squad of six SS soldiers patrolled with wolfhounds. Timing their movements: fifteen minutes later, another patrol—a different squad. Another fifteen minutes, a third squad.

Checking the barbed wire, fortunately it wasn’t electrified. It was high, but not insurmountable.

"Seems the security here is no weaker than in America! Even the residents have been moved!"

"Once the next squad passes, I’ll climb over. You stay outside and hide somewhere; wait for me to return. No matter what happens inside, don’t come after me—if things go wrong, run. If I get caught, you can still try to get the family to rescue me."

"Alright, I’ll do as you say."

Jiehua Chen deftly scaled the wire, cautiously evading patrols, slipping through a lengthy buffer zone. Damn, those Americans taught nothing but trouble—who’d have thought of a ring-shaped buffer, so much hassle!

Inside the factory, bright lights illuminated workers busy at every station. Each production line was guarded by dedicated SS soldiers. The workshops produced only one drug: Balandoxin, in tablet form!

Tablets! Damn, now it made sense. Penicillin required saline, syringes, and trained medics—ordinary soldiers couldn’t use it. Worse, it wasn’t a universal lifesaver; allergic reactions could kill faster, and surely there’d been plenty of deaths after allergic incidents.

But sulfa was different. Balandoxin could be made as injectable for hospitals, or tablets for soldiers to carry. No need for extra medics—remarkably convenient!

Another crucial point Jiehua Chen had previously overlooked: while Balandoxin had allergic reactions too, they were rare and far less fatal. This made its strategic military value even higher than penicillin’s.

To judge the value of medicine with modern thinking, ignoring the historical context, was pure folly!

Jiehua Chen wasn’t sure if he’d opened Pandora’s box or something worse. Would this change history? Would it embolden Hitler, bringing World War II sooner? He didn’t dare imagine.

For now, he decided not to think about it, dodging guards to slip into the warehouse and stow two cases of Balandoxin tablets in his spatial pocket.

Next was the laboratory. From memory, Bayer’s lab was at the factory’s center—his own pharmaceutical plant had been modeled after Bayer’s.

Compared to the workshops, the laboratory’s security was surprisingly lax. Were they not concerned about experimental data? Jiehua Chen easily found the young and robust Gerhard Domagk.

"Mr. Gerhard!"

"Oh, my dear Boss! At last, I see you!" Gerhard Domagk pulled Jiehua Chen into his lounge.

"Mr. Gerhard, what’s going on outside? Why are there so many SS soldiers surrounding the factory?"

"Ah, my dear Boss, I must apologize. After returning from America, we kept researching in the lab, and within a month we succeeded! But because we failed to keep it confidential, the same thing happened as with the penicillin team. Some members secretly took the drug out to use and sell—you know how it is, many spent all their money."

"Mr. Gerhard, I fully understand, and I solemnly declare, I forgive you all. It was my oversight. But now, I want your experimental data!"

"I’m terribly sorry, dear Boss. The experimental data and test materials were all seized by those thieves!"

"What? Who? The SS outside?"

"Yes, my Boss."

Damn, what a disaster—years of hard work, only to clothe others.

Just as Jiehua Chen hung his head in despair, Gerhard Domagk suddenly whispered, mysteriously, "However, Boss, I kept a copy just for you, hidden among a pile of old supplies in the warehouse."

Seeing the lovable yet exasperating face across from him, Jiehua Chen wanted to slap it—damn it, could he not pause for dramatic effect?

"Then what are we waiting for? Take me there!"