Rebirth: Controlled Nuclear Fusion

Part 185：Dragon Pill

Traditional Chinese medicine?
An anti-cancer drug?
Both Long Lao and Song Zhe were utterly perplexed.
The idea of connecting traditional Chinese medical techniques with cancer research had never crossed their minds.
Years ago, when Western medicine entered the Dragon Kingdom, it swiftly dominated the market with its convenience and rapid effectiveness.
Traditional Chinese medicine began to rapidly decline, and now, most cities in the Dragon Kingdom have very few traditional Chinese medicine hospitals.
The few remaining are often staffed with Western medicine doctors, promoting a "combined approach" with claims of superior effectiveness.
"Xiao Fan, do you truly believe Chinese medicine can develop an anti-cancer drug?"
Long Lao asked in astonishment.
"Master, let us not forget that our Dragon Kingdom has a history of five thousand years, a culture of profound depth. The legacy of our ancestors' medical wisdom is a treasure!
The Huangdi Neijing, the Nanjing, the Shanghan Zabing Lun, the Shennong Bencao Jing—each of these medical texts is a wondrous compilation of ancient knowledge..."
Long Lao and Song Zhe, both proud of their heritage, naturally held deep respect for their ancestors' wisdom.
"Jiang Fan, we wholeheartedly agree with what you say. However, to apply Chinese medicine in the creation of anti-cancer drugs, we would need to master a vast amount of knowledge, and I specialize only in chemical pharmaceuticals,"
Song Zhe expressed his thoughts candidly.
Long Lao nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Chinese medicine is a remarkable art—curing diseases at their root without harming the body. But unfortunately, our ancestors did not leave us any formulas for anti-cancer drugs. To research such a thing from scratch would be incredibly difficult."
"Master, I once came across a formula for treating cancer in an ancient medical text—it's called Long Dan Wan. The book describes the method of preparation and its effects in treating cancer..."
"Long Dan Wan formula?"
Both Song Zhe and Long Lao were once again taken aback.
"Yes, I'll write it down for you."
Jiang Fan quickly found a piece of paper and wrote out the 108 ingredients for the formula.
Both Long Lao and Song Zhe studied it carefully, but they were unable to understand it.
"Academician Long, I suggest we try the formula Jiang Fan has written down,"
Song Zhe proposed.
Though the nm-89 drug molecule he developed had a high success rate, it still carried significant side effects, much like other conventional anti-cancer drugs.
Many cancer patients, after long-term use of these drugs, suffered from liver damage, weakened immune systems, and other complications.
If Jiang Fan's herbal formula for treating cancer proved successful, it could potentially eliminate these side effects.
After some discussion, Long Lao and the others decided to research both the nm-89 pharmaceutical and the herbal anti-cancer drug simultaneously.
The nm-89 drug had not yet received approval from the state, so they were still in the preclinical phase, giving them time to explore the herbal option as well.
They set out for the nearest herbal pharmacy.
Jiang Fan's system-rewarded anti-cancer formula, though it contained 108 ingredients, included only common herbs, none of which were particularly rare.
They managed to gather all the necessary materials easily, and now, the next step was to prepare the ingredients in precise proportions.
On the second floor of the Huakang Pharmaceutical Research Laboratory, white smoke occasionally billowed out as Jiang Fan and his team simmered the herbs.
Other researchers in the lab mistakenly assumed they were preparing traditional medicine for Long Lao.
Following the formula's instructions, Jiang Fan simmered the mixture for three hours. When he opened the pot, he found a gray, viscous substance inside.
He scooped a spoonful with a wooden ladle—it had the consistency of sesame paste.
At the same time, a bitter, pungent odor filled the air.
Long Lao reacted immediately, gagging.
Jiang Fan quickly moved the pot aside, and they all stared doubtfully at the grayish substance. Could this really be edible?
Jiang Fan, however, was certain that the system would not deceive him. He picked up a pinch of the mixture and put it in his mouth.
Long Lao hastily stopped him.
"Xiao Fan, don't..."
"It's fine, Master. These are all herbal ingredients; they shouldn't be toxic!"
Jiang Fan carefully tasted the mixture, quickly drinking several sips of water to wash away the bitter taste.
It was, indeed, unbearably bitter.
"Jiang Fan, let me analyze the ingredients,"
Song Zhe suggested.
He took a sample of the mixture and placed it in a transparent bag for analysis.
Jiang Fan suddenly realized that he had overlooked the final step in the formula, which required the concoction to be shaped into small pellets and left in the sun for an hour.
He glanced outside—the sun had not yet set.
He quickly rolled the mixture into small balls, placing them on a clean sheet of paper by the window, ensuring they were exposed to sunlight.
With everything prepared, all that was left to do was wait.
Jiang Fan, noticing Long Lao seemed somewhat fatigued, asked with concern,
"Master, are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm fine, just a bit more drained than usual," Long Lao replied.
Jiang Fan surmised that, although the cancer cells had vanished, Long Lao's body was still recovering from the previous ordeal.
It would take time for him to fully regain his strength.
"Master, let me get you a glass of water. Please take a rest."
An hour quickly passed, and Jiang Fan went to check on the drying pills.
When he reached the window, he was astonished to find that the once gray pills had turned a brilliant gold.