godfather of surgery

Chapter 1341 I will disregard everything

On a rainy New York night, the study in the old Walker mansion was brightly lit.

The curtains were drawn, and twelve people sat around a heavy mahogany table. There were no assistants, no recording equipment, only a glass of water or coffee in front of each person, and an almost frozen seriousness filled the air.

“Everyone’s here.” Old Walker sat in the head seat, his voice calm. “Everyone here has received the same notification and is facing the same dilemma. Time is of the essence, so let’s get straight to the point: how to bring back K therapy and ensure that it is never taken away again.”

Seated to his left was Mark Reynolds, the founder of the social media empire, in his early forties, who tapped lightly on the table. “My people analyzed all the public data and internal sources. At the heart of this restriction effort is the ‘Traditional Medicine Interests Protection Coalition,’ a shadow lobbying network led by Horton and funded by the Big Seven pharmaceutical companies. They spent four months weaving a web between the FDA, NIH, and key congressional committees.”

He pulled up a relationship diagram on his tablet and projected it onto the wall. Intricate lines connected names, organizations, political action committees, and the flow of funds.

“Their argument is ‘protecting patients from the risks of unproven therapies,’” Reynolds sneered. “But the data doesn’t lie. Over the past five years, these seven pharmaceutical companies have seen their patents in the oncology field expire, and their revenue is expected to decline by 37%. The systemic regulation theory will gradually replace these traditional therapies in the future. This is not a safety issue, it’s a survival issue.”

“So they’re afraid.” The speaker was Alex Carter, founder of the AI ​​giant. He leaned back in his chair, his thinning hair from treatment making him look older than his actual age, but his mind was still sharp. “Afraid of a new technology that doesn’t require their expensive targeted drugs.”

“It’s not just fear,” Senator Richard Watson began slowly. He is a veteran politician on the Energy and Commerce Committee. “They portray systems medicine as dangerous and uncontrollable, a concept that is being constantly repeated by some media outlets.”

Ms. Lillian Windsor joined the video call from London; her image was positioned in the corner of the screen against a backdrop of a classic English study. “The situation in the UK is similar, but more covert. Our Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received an assessment report from an expert panel questioning the long-term safety of systems regulation therapy. But to my knowledge, three members of this panel have undisclosed consulting contracts with certain pharmaceutical giants. They actually did something similar when K-therapy went global, but failed. This time it's just a long-planned comeback; they want to solve the systems regulation theory and K-therapy in one fell swoop.”

“Australia, Canada, Japan… the model is the same,” Walker summarized. “This is a multinational coordinated operation. Therefore, our response must also be multinational coordinated.”

He surveyed the room: "We are all people who survived thanks to K therapy, or at least saw hope for survival. Anyone who tries to undermine K therapy and systems regulation theory is taking our lives!"

"How exactly do we do it?" asked hedge fund mogul Colbert, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table—a habitual gesture he made when contemplating market fluctuations. "Short their stocks? I could wipe out 20 percent of the market value of seven companies in a week. I'd do anything for my life."

Reynolds said, "Public opinion is key. My platform can adjust the algorithm to give the voices of experts who support Professor Yang's theory a hundred times more exposure. At the same time, it can accurately push negative news about pharmaceutical companies—clinical trial failures, side effect scandals, and investigations into overpriced products."

Carter added, "My AI team can analyze all relevant regulatory documents to identify procedural loopholes and conflicts of interest. For example, the FDA's 'new guidance on combination therapies' violated the disclosure requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act in four ways during its development."

Senator Watson flashed a statesman's smile: "Congressional hearings are a great stage. I can gather the heads of the FDA and NIH, as well as the CEOs of these pharmaceutical companies, and ask them a few simple questions on camera. For example, why reject a Nobel Prize-winning theory? Is it because they can't patent it? Which is more important, patient lives or company profits?"

Lady Windsor nodded gracefully: “The House of Lords has a similar mechanism. And the health concerns of members of the Royal Family always attract particular interest from the media.”

“There are also legal avenues,” a lawyer, who declined to be named but represented a Supreme Court justice’s family member, said in a low voice. “If we can prove that these restrictions are based on misinformation or a conflict of interest, we can file a class-action lawsuit accusing the regulatory agency of being ‘arbitrary and capricious’ and violating the Administrative Procedure Act. The chances of winning are not small.”

Walker listened quietly, and only spoke after everyone had finished:
"All of these actions must be launched at the same time. At 9:00 AM next Monday, New York, London, Washington, Tokyo, Sydney... will proceed simultaneously. Before the stock market opens, Colbert's short-selling report will be released; at 9:05 AM, Reynolds' platform will push a headline feature; at 9:30 AM, Senator Watson's hearing subpoena will be issued; at 10:00 AM, Ms. Windsor will raise an urgent question in the House of Lords... We must create a perfect storm so that they have no chance to breathe."

He paused, his eyes sharp:
"But our goal is not to destroy these companies, but to force them to change their stance: resume cooperation with Yang Ping's team, acknowledge the scientific status of the system regulation theory, and establish a fair regulatory framework. That is our only demand."

"Because K therapy is our only hope, we are saving our own lives."

“What if they don’t give in?” someone asked.

Walker looked out at the deep night: "Then let's escalate the contest until they realize that the cost of losing us is far greater than the cost of accepting a new theory. As Colbert said, I will do anything for my life; whoever takes my life, I will take theirs."

The meeting ended at 2 a.m. There were no paper records, and all electronic devices were left outside the study before entering. The twelve men left one by one, disappearing into the rainy New York night, each returning to their own kingdoms of power.

……

Monday, New York.

At 8:55 a.m., in Colbert's hedge fund office, traders stared intently at their screens, fingers hovering over their keyboards. Colbert himself stood behind a glass curtain wall, overlooking Manhattan, which was not yet fully awake.

"The report has been released," the chief analyst whispered.

Almost simultaneously, glaring downward arrows appeared next to the stock codes of seven pharmaceutical companies. The short-selling report was detailed and ruthless: it listed the hollowing out of these companies' oncology research pipelines, their short-sighted panic-driven suppression of systems medicine, and the high-net-worth client base they might lose by rejecting systemsic therapy. The report's final conclusion was like a hammer blow: "These companies are using 20th-century business models to fight against the 21st-century medical revolution, and patients and investors will share the cost."

At 9:00 AM sharp, the stock market opened. All seven stocks plummeted, with the decline quickly widening to 8%, triggering the circuit breaker mechanism.

At 9:05 AM, the homepage of the world's largest social media platform refreshed. The original trending topics were replaced: Patients' right to survival is more important than corporate profits; We need K-therapy and systems regulation theory; Science should have no borders. Clicking on it leads to a meticulously crafted feature: an interview with Nobel laureate Yang Ping, recovery stories of patients like Lele, interpretations of systems regulation theory by experts from various countries, and an interactive relationship diagram clearly illustrating the financial ties between Horton Networks and pharmaceutical companies.

Users were excited, and the number of participants in the topic was climbing at a rate of millions per minute.

9:30 a.m., Washington, D.C., Senate Energy and Commerce Committee hearing room on Capitol Hill.

Senator Watson sat in the chair, a three-inch-thick file in front of him. The audience was packed, and reporters' cameras were pointed at the empty witness stand—the heads of the FDA and NIH had not yet arrived, but subpoenas had been issued, requiring them to appear and testify no later than tomorrow.

“We’ve gathered here today,” Watson said to the cameras, his voice amplified through the microphone, “to answer a simple question for the American people: When one of the world’s most advanced cancer treatments is denied access to our country, who is making that decision? Is it based on science, or something else? What are the underlying reasons?”

His assistant promptly distributed materials to reporters, which were a summary of irregularities in the FDA's new guidance development process analyzed by Carter's team.

10:00 AM, London, House of Lords chamber.

Lady Windsor rose to her feet, her long silk dress rustling softly. Her voice was clear and restrained, yet carried an undeniable weight:
"...Your Excellency, the core of this urgent inquiry I am raising is: Should the health and safety of the British people be guaranteed by independent scientific evidence, or should it be dictated by certain experts who have close ties with pharmaceutical companies? Does a British citizen who is relying on K therapy to prolong his life have the right to know what forces are trying to take away his treatment options?"

An uproar ensued, and the Health Minister's face visibly turned pale.

The storm did indeed arrive in perfect sync.

……

Sanbo Research Institute, Nandu Provincial Capital.

Inside Yang Ping's team's meeting room, a large screen displayed split-screen news updates from around the world: stock market meltdowns, congressional hearings, senator inquiries, and social media storms. A data stream scrolled across another screen, showing a sharp drop in global applications for K-therapy and a chart depicting a surge in emergency contact requests from the sixteen listed countries.

Everyone stared in disbelief: "This...this is the power of the Top Patient Alliance?"

“It’s not just a patient alliance,” Tang Shun stared at the screen, “it’s a resonance of capital, media, political, and judicial forces. Walker and his team precisely identified the pressure points in the system and then applied pressure simultaneously. This isn’t a protest; it’s a precise, surgical display of power.”

Song Ziming pondered, "Why would they go to such lengths? Just so they could continue their treatment?"

“It might have started,” Yang Ping finally spoke, having observed quietly the whole time. “But now, it has evolved into a war over the right to speak and the right to set the rules. They are sending a signal through this storm: on the ultimate issue of life and health, patients, especially those with resources, are no longer passive recipients; they want to participate in setting the rules of the game.”

He paused, his gaze deep: "This also verifies another aspect of the system regulation theory: social systems are also complex networks. When a node, such as a group of patients, accumulates enough 'energy' and 'connections,' they can disrupt the balance of the entire network. Now, the disruption has occurred."

"This is the patient's iron fist!"

"Desperate efforts have probably become a tangible reality."

The phone rang urgently. Tang Shun answered it, listened for a few moments, then covered the receiver: "Professor, it's the US Secretary of Health's office, they want to speak directly to you. Their tone... is very urgent."

Yang Ping shook his head: "I don't want to get involved in these things, and I don't want to deal with these people. You handle it."

Tang Shun nodded; the call was brief. The other party expressed "the highest level of concern," hoping to "immediately initiate constructive dialogue" and being willing to "reassess the cooperation framework comprehensively." Tang Shun's response was consistent: Our door is always open, but the foundation is scientific principles and mutual respect; otherwise, nothing is worth discussing.

After hanging up the phone, the conference room was quiet for a moment.

"They conceded?" Song Ziming asked.

“This is just the first step,” Yang Ping shook his head. “Concessions under pressure are meant to alleviate pressure, not necessarily to represent genuine agreement. The real test is yet to come: how to build a sustainable and equitable new framework.”

As Yang Ping had predicted, the next 72 hours were a chaotic and tortuous tug-of-war of negotiations. The regulatory agencies of the sixteen countries on the list all sent out softening signals, indicating their willingness to "re-examine," "handle flexibly," and "establish special channels." But privately, the proposals put forward by all parties varied widely, but their core objectives were surprisingly consistent: to obtain K therapy and to minimize or eliminate the theory of systemic regulation.

They are willing to restore the K therapy to its previous cooperative state, and even go further in cooperation, while temporarily putting systemic regulatory therapy on hold.

These pharmaceutical giants are trying to maximize their profits because they had previously compromised on K therapy. However, that compromise was only temporary, and it was to buy them time to prepare for future actions.

“They still don’t understand,” Yang Ping said coldly. “Or rather, they pretend not to understand. K therapy is the fruit on the tree, but systems regulation theory is the tree. Do you only want the fruit, not the tree?”

“We must stick to our principles,” Tang Shun said.

“Cooperation within a complete theoretical framework. We can share applied technologies, train doctors, and jointly build laboratories, but the core technologies, ownership, interpretation rights, and development direction of the theory must be led by us. Partners need to receive comprehensive training in systematic medical concepts, not just learn the operating manual,” Yang Ping said firmly. “Otherwise, we would rather give up these markets.”

……

New York, Midtown Manhattan, top floor of a major corporation's headquarters.

Li Gaoyang stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the view of Central Park. The CEO of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical groups now stood ramrod straight. K therapy had saved his life, and more importantly, he had experienced Yang Ping's iron fist.

His assistant burst in, looking tense: "Sir, it's an emergency board meeting in three minutes. All the directors are online, and they're very concerned about the current situation. The stock price has dropped another 7%."

Li Gaoyang turned around, his face showing no sign of panic: "Tell them I'll be there on time."

Three minutes later, he sat in front of the screen in his office. In the twelve small windows were the anxious or angry faces of the board members of the giant corporation.

“Rigoyan, you must take immediate action!” the lead independent director said sternly. “Colbert’s report has listed us as one of the targets, we are scheduled to be subpoenaed for a congressional hearing tomorrow, and social media is full of negative news about us! Our market value has already evaporated by $30 billion!”

“Patient groups protested downstairs at headquarters,” another director added. “Some of our long-term, major clients called directly to question why we were blocking systems regulation theory and K therapy. Do you know how many important people were involved?”

"We need a crisis communication plan, immediately!"

Li Gaoyang waited quietly until everyone had finished speaking before slowly opening his mouth, his voice steady and powerful: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are standing at a turning point in the history of medicine. What has happened in the past few days is not a crisis, but a reckoning. A reckoning of our industry's past arrogance, shortsightedness, and fear of genuine innovation."

The board meeting was silent.

“For the past few months, what Horton and his team have been doing is trying to use the fences of the old world to block the torrent of the new world.” Li Gaoyang pulled up an internal report and projected it for sharing. “Our internal strategic analysis department has concluded that the system regulation theory is not a therapy, but a new medical paradigm. It is based on a profound understanding of the complexity of life, rather than simple molecular targets. Resisting it is like a coachman resisting a car—doomed to failure.”

He switched the screen to show research data secretly conducted by the giant corporation: "In fact, we didn't completely resist. Over the past year, we've had a good collaboration with Professor Yang's team on K-therapy. In fact, we invested a huge amount of money, under strict secrecy, to try to imitate and locally apply the concept of systemic regulation. And the result?" He pointed to the dismal curve, "We failed. Because we only imitated the form, without understanding the essence."

"So you mean we deserve it?" one of the directors asked angrily.

“What I mean is, we’ve chosen the wrong strategy.” Li Gaoyang’s gaze swept across every window. “When the torrent is unstoppable, the wise choose to build boats and go downstream, or even learn to navigate the torrent. Now, the opportunity to build boats has arrived, and it may be the last chance.”

He pulled up the last document, titled "Proposal on Reaching a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation with Yang Ping's Team at Sanbo".

"This is not surrender, it's a strategic transformation," Li Gaoyang said, emphasizing each word. "We will publicly acknowledge the scientific value and leading position of the systems regulation theory; we will sincerely seek comprehensive cooperation with Yang Ping's team—not just K therapy, but the entire systems regulation therapy, including all-round cooperation in theoretical training, technology transfer, joint research and development, and global market expansion. We will become the first pioneer among traditional pharmaceutical giants to fully embrace systems medicine. Just as we embraced K therapy not long ago, this time, we will open our arms wide to embrace this systems regulation theory."

The board of directors was in an uproar.

"Apologize? Apologize to the Chinese? Do you know how much damage this will do to the company's reputation?"

"Full cooperation? What about our existing pipeline? What about the oncology department?"

"This is too radical! The shareholders will never agree!"

Wasn't embracing K therapy a stopgap measure at the time?

After the uproar subsided, Li Gaoyang threw out his last bargaining chip: "Gentlemen, this isn't the first time we've apologized. You should all still remember the devastating impact of K-therapy, right? Do you want to do it again? Now, we have two paths: one is to continue hiding behind Horton, enduring the ever-growing storm until the ship is destroyed and everyone is dead; the other is to bravely stand up, admit some of the mistakes of the past, lead the change, and become the builder of the bridge between the old and new worlds."

He paused, his voice growing deeper: "If we can't beat them, we join them. I've always followed this principle. As for the shareholders... when the market value of the other six companies continues to plummet, while our stock price rebounds against the trend because we were the first to cooperate and obtained the full cooperation rights to the system regulation theory; when we develop the next disruptive therapy and redefine the market with our new cooperation model, the shareholders will understand what true vision is."

“Moreover,” he added meaningfully, “I am personally a beneficiary of K therapy, and my life is the best proof and endorsement of this vision. K therapy is just a small test of the systemic regulation theory in the field of oncology.”

This last sentence gradually quelled the fierce opposition. Reality, a harsh and powerful reality, lay before everyone.

An hour later, the board of directors of the giant group passed Li Gaoyang's proposal by a narrow majority.

The next day, at 10:00 AM.

While global media were still reeling from the ongoing storm created by the Patient Alliance, an even more explosive piece of news was simultaneously released through the official channels of the giant corporation and Rigoyan's personal social media account.

It was a seven-minute video.

Li Gaoyang, dressed in a dark suit, sat in front of a simple office backdrop, without a prepared speech, looking directly at the camera.

"I am Li Gaoyang, Chairman and CEO of Giant Group. Today, on behalf of myself and Giant Group, I would like to make the following statement."

"First of all, I must be frank about one thing: I am a patient with a malignant brainstem tumor, and medicine has already given me a death sentence. What allows me to stand here today, think clearly, and speak is the K therapy developed by Professor Yang Ping and his team, and the systemic regulation theory behind it."

"It seems like this is the second time I've sat here talking about this."

The opening remarks were earth-shattering.

"As a patient, I personally experienced the life-saving miracle brought about by the systemic regulation theory. As a leader of a pharmaceutical company, however, I witnessed and participated in the industry's rejection, misunderstanding, and inappropriate resistance to this theory. I deeply regret this and am willing to take personal responsibility for it."

"In the past few months, certain forces within the industry have attempted to limit the development and application of the system regulation theory through questioning, regulatory pressure, and public opinion manipulation. These actions stem partly from a lack of understanding of the new scientific model and partly from the protection of existing commercial interests. Regardless of the initial intentions, the result is that it delays medical progress and may deprive many patients of the opportunity to receive more effective treatments. This is wrong, absolutely wrong."

"Therefore, on behalf of the Giant Group, I hereby announce:"

"First, we publicly acknowledge the scientific value of the system regulation theory and its profound significance for modern medicine. We respect and congratulate Professor Yang Ping's team on winning the Nobel Prize, which is well-deserved."

"Second, we apologize for any inappropriate words or actions in the past that may have hindered the development of this theory. We will immediately cease any actions that may restrict the free exchange and cooperation of science."

"Third, and most importantly: We formally extend a comprehensive strategic cooperation invitation to the Sanbo Yang Ping research team. Our desired cooperation is not limited to the licensing of K therapy in specific regions, but covers the entire system from basic research, clinical translation, physician training to global market expansion. We are willing to work with the utmost sincerity and respect, under the leadership of Professor Yang Ping's team, to jointly promote the arrival of the era of systems medicine."

At the end of the video, Li Gaoyang paused, his gaze becoming even more resolute:

"The mission of medicine is to conquer disease and save lives. This mission transcends corporate profits, academic prejudices, and national border differences. Today, our giant corporations choose to stand on the side of life, on the side of the future, and on the side of truth. We look forward to working hand in hand with all those who share the same vision."

Within an hour of the video's release, it garnered over 50 million views and millions of shares.

Public opinion has completely reversed.

Twenty minutes after the video was released, the stock price of the giant pharmaceutical group rebounded sharply and surged all the way up, closing up 15% and almost recovering all its losses. Meanwhile, the stocks of the other six pharmaceutical companies, after a brief moment of surprise, faced even more intense selling.

Li Gaoyang's statement was clearer and more forceful than the last, like a precise scalpel slicing through the seemingly monolithic traditional pharmaceutical camp. He positioned himself and his group as "awakeners" and "pioneers," pushing other competitors into the awkward position of "stubborn conservatives."

More importantly, he provided a clear "solution" and "way out": comprehensive cooperation to embrace the future.

The pressure has now shifted entirely to the other six pharmaceutical companies, as well as the still hesitant regulatory agencies.