---- Chapter 176 "It's like bacteria up against antibiotics." Julian broke the silence with a sharp voice. "Sure, it works at first. But later, the meds won't do a damn thing." Amid the friendly and collaborative discussion, his voice stood out, laced with defiance and sarcasm, sounding jarringly out of place. Wendy glanced at him, her expression turning serious. "We've already accounted for that. Dr. Harrison and I discussed it thoroughly.

The medication might be strong, but we've kept the dosage tightly controlled." "You're still going to increase the dosage anyway, aren't you? " Julian let out a cold laugh and pointed at the notes on the whiteboard. "If I'm not mistaken, didn't you just say the dosage has already been doubled, Dr. Sanders?" Wendy's jaw tightened. ''Yes, the dosage was increased , but it's still within the safe range-and I'm talking about the lower threshold of that range." She was done tiptoeing around him.

Julian had taken shots at her work more than once, and she wasn't going to let him bulldoze her in front of everyone. Her expression was icy as she stared at him, but Julian only responded with a mocking smirk. He raised an eyebrow. "Safe range? By whose standards? ---- Which country are you basing this 'low dosage' on?" Because Margaret had previously been treated in Ochor, some of the protocols followed international benchmarks.

Wendy paused, realizing too late that she'd just stepped right into his trap. If she said it was based on Ochor's standards, which generally allowed for higher doses, it would only fuel his accusations . She frowned , still trying to process everything , when Liam suddenly stood up and switched the slide projected on the screen. "This has been Dr. Sanders' protocol from the beginning. It's the same standard we all agreed on in previous meetings. So, unless you have a different memory, Dr.

Drake, I'm not sure what the issue is." 'Wendy stared at the slide projected on the screen, momentarily stunned. She and Liam had worked on this presentation together, specifically to report their progress at the symposium. However, she had no recollection of this part being in the presentation at all. Liam glanced at her. "Dr. Sanders, whether you're measuring by domestic or international standards , you're in the clear." He wasn't just backing her up-he was also gently reminding her.

He knew how overworked she'd been lately, which is likely why she'd forgotten to include such a crucial detail. It had nothing to do with her being unprofessional. Wendy nodded, facing Julian. "Exactly. It meets both ---- benchmarks. Is there anything else, Dr. Drake?" Julian looked at how Wendy spoke confidently , and the hand resting on his leg curled into a fist. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "Of course there's no issue. That was my whole point. I just wanted Dr.

Sanders to walk us through the data." But his tone still carried resentment. He glanced over at Liam and said with a half smile, "Dr. Harrison, you and Dr. Sanders seem to make quite the team. Looks like you know that presentation better than she does. Don't tell me she didn't actually contribute at all?" With just a few words, he casually dismissed all of Wendy's hard work. Wendy hadn't really taken it to heart and was about to clap back, but Liam beat her to it. "Dr.

Drake, do we now have to report who made what and how they made it to you every single time?" His voice was tinged with a lazy drawl. "If that's the new protocol, we'll be sure to keep you updated on everything from now on, Dr. Drake." At that, Julian's expression shifted. Liam didn't give him a chance to respond. "I've just returned to the country and might not be familiar with the protocols of local hospitals and conferences. I'd hate to mess up the rules just because I'm out of practice."