Facing Josh, a potential future employer, General McGinnis ignored Colonel Ross' overt and covert signals and told the story exactly as it was.
It was simply that under his lead, with Howard executing, they attempted to develop a drug to enhance soldiers' alertness and awareness during wartime—called "Night Light."
But after only preliminary biological testing, meaning lab mouse experiments, Howard had already determined it to be a failed drug.
However, General McGinnis did not believe that a drug developed with such effort could be a failure. He thought it might have miraculous effects in actual combat.
Of course, he certainly wouldn't use this stuff on his own soldiers.
So he ignored Howard's objections and directly included the drug in air-dropped supplies, delivering it to the front-line Soviet soldiers.
The result: an enhanced Soviet company, nearly 300 troops, was completely wiped out. Only 4 survivors remained.
Afterward, Howard and General McGinnis had a fierce confrontation over the incident, which eventually alerted the Supreme Command.
In the end, the military sided with Howard Stark and awarded him a multimillion-dollar contract, essentially burying the matter.
As for General McGinnis, he was stripped of all his duties and ordered to retire within a deadline.
There was no doubt that this constituted an internal military scandal and was an absolute blemish on McGinnis's military career.
But for this stubborn and somewhat hot-tempered old general, he disdained hiding the truth or lying to someone he considered an "insider" like Josh.
After McGinnis finished speaking, Josh did not immediately respond but instead fell into brief contemplation.
However, what he was pondering wasn't whether or not to reject McGinnis because of this—but rather that the initial purpose and properties of the Night Light drug were strikingly similar to a drug Yuri had once mentioned to him.
That drug belonged to the Yuri faction and was once widely used by ordinary soldiers—a secondary-level psychic stimulant.
Basic troops of the Yuri faction, the Yuri Initiates, gained not only heightened awareness from this drug compared to normal soldiers, but even slight psychic abilities.
However, for this psychic power to truly be effective in battle, it needed to be paired with a special psychic helmet. Otherwise, a regular soldier couldn't even kill a mouse with all their psychic output—not very useful in combat.
But even without the helmet, the drug was still a powerful and practical combat enhancer.
The only issue was that it had some side effects.
Being a neurological stimulant, it was highly addictive.
But that minor drawback was negligible compared to the Night Light drug, which had fatal consequences.
"Mr. Kane, if this puts you in a difficult position, feel free to say so. I wouldn't make things hard for a young man over something like this," said McGinnis, seeing Josh still silent and assuming he was pondering how to turn him down.
"No, no, General, you're overthinking it. What I'm considering isn't about that. In fact, I'd be honored to hire you. I was just thinking—this situation might not be beyond salvage!" Josh quickly waved his hand to explain.
He was being truthful. McGinnis' case was indeed a serious scandal, but it was mostly political.
Compared to the potential network and influence that came with hiring General McGinnis, that little bit of scandal was nothing.
Not to mention, it was Soviet soldiers who were harmed—not American citizens.
It posed no real risk to Josh.
But if possible, keeping McGinnis in the military would be even more valuable.
"Mr. Kane, what do you mean?" McGinnis and Colonel Ross exchanged a look, curious.
"I mentioned before that I was interested in getting into the military-industrial field, right? In fact, the reason I came to see Colonel Ross today was to recommend a new type of combat drug…And coincidentally, this drug is very similar to what you both just mentioned as Night Light—perhaps even stronger. It may even grant some extraordinary abilities. Of course, it has a minor side effect: if not dosed properly, it can become addictive like morphine. Also, it's a bit pricey!" Josh introduced the drug to the two without hesitation.
Of course, that "pricey" comment was just for show.
As something widely used by Yuri's ordinary troops, the actual cost of the drug was not much higher than morphine.
But did that stop Josh from putting a premium price tag on it?
"Are you serious, Mr. Kane?" General McGinnis and Colonel Ross both appeared visibly excited.
"Would I have any reason to lie?" Josh smiled and spread his hands.
McGinnis and Ross didn't answer—because indeed, he had no reason to lie.
"Do you have a sample?" asked General McGinnis.
"Of course. It's at a biological lab I acquired not long ago. I also bought a pharmaceutical plant in advance, just in case the military needed immediate production." Josh smiled. "I hadn't settled on a name before, but now… let's call it 'Bright Light'—what do you think?"
In fact, Josh—well aware that this highly practical drug would have no problem selling—had already had Yuri begin mass production once the adjacent facility was upgraded.
"Good, good, good! Bright Light it is! Let's go see this drug now!" General McGinnis and Colonel Ross were eager to see the drug's effects.
If the drug proved effective and could be administered to some troops before the landing campaign, even minor results could completely turn McGinnis' career around.
He had clawed his way to lieutenant general—how could he possibly accept falling just short of the finish line?
As for whether this would offend Howard Stark?
Don't be ridiculous—Josh didn't even know the guy.
Besides, once he entered the military-industrial arena, Howard Stark's company would inevitably become his biggest competitor, so whether he offended him or not didn't matter at all.
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"Look, this is my lab. Check this out—my carbon-polymer stab-proof suit. Most of the world's bayonets can't pierce it…And that, that's a new rotor aircraft. Leonardo da Vinci proposed the concept in the 15th century, and in my hands, it'll become a reality…" In a London mansion, a tipsy Howard held Whitney close, giving her a tour of his private lab.
"Oh, Howard, you're such a genius. By the way, what's that?" Whitney leaned affectionately on Howard, pointing to a sealed lab room deeper inside.
"Uh, those are various chemical compounds—pretty dangerous stuff, so I won't take you in there," Howard said, glancing that way and waving dismissively.
"You know, Howard, I really adore your brilliance. So? Don't you think… this invention pairs well with me?" Suddenly, Whitney jumped into the cockpit of the rotor aircraft—really a helicopter cabin—and lifted her skirt, revealing long, slender legs in black stockings, seductively teasing Howard.
"Heh…perfect. Definitely perfect…" Howard didn't hesitate and immediately started getting handsy.
And so, amidst the machines, the two launched into a steamy session.
Howard, lost in lust, didn't notice Whitney's eyes occasionally and subtly glancing toward that chemical lab.
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