CH 237

In that instant, Xing Conglian’s heart skipped a beat.

He touched the back of Lin Chen’s neck and forced him to look up.

Lin Chen had a gentle expression and moist eyes, but of course, he wasn’t crying.

Xing Conglian lowered his head, and at that moment, not far from outside the car, a young man’s voice erupted in excitement, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the Jeep, and then the knocking on the door. “A’Chen Gege, we found it. It should be right!”

Lin Chen suddenly flipped off him and sat upright.

Xing Conglian’s emotions didn’t break, and he wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply held Lin Chen’s wrist and kissed the top of his head.

……

The back door opened, and Lin Chen appeared calm.

Wang Chao looked suspiciously at the two faces that were saying, “We were discussing official matters.”

“Speak!” Xing Conglian urged.

Wang Chao was startled and looked down at his laptop screen. He immediately said, “There’s a rural nursing home in Hongshu Village on the outskirts of the city.”

After saying this, Wang Chao paused.

“And then?” Xing Conglian asked.

The teenager flipped the laptop towards them and showed them, saying, “And then, I couldn’t find any information about available beds in this nursing home. They only have an empty website.”

“What does that mean?” Lin Chen narrowed his eyes.

“The nursing home doesn’t have internet access, which means it’s an isolated information island.” Wang Chao paused, then continued, “This Huihe Nursing Home is also a designated institution that cooperates with the government and accommodates a group of homeless people every year. But there’s no indication that Shen Lian has any connection with this institution. The investor is a company that deals with agricultural products, and the owner of the agricultural product company passed away three years ago. Shouldn’t we investigate that company…”

Wang Chao was about to start rambling again, but Lin Chen interrupted him, saying decisively, “This is it.”

“Ah, that’s right!” Wang Chao immediately shut up, shouting excitedly, “Should we inform that dumbass Huang Ze?”

……

In the office, Huang Ze sat alone in his seat with a sense of solitude. Most of the people around him had already left, and the office was mostly empty.

Due to the sudden situation that just occurred, the director from the provincial department urgently ordered all police officers in Hongjing City to return to their posts. After receiving their respective tasks, the people who were originally crowded in the office dispersed, and it was the personnel from the Inspector Office who now found themselves with nothing to do.

A subordinate who had been standing behind Huang Ze approached him and whispered, “Inspector Huang, Director Dong is asking for you.”

Huang Ze looked up, incredulous, and glanced behind him.

……

Huihe Nursing Home.

The girl who had been lying on the bed suddenly opened her eyes. It might have been because the sunlight outside was too strong, or perhaps the cicadas were chirping too loudly. She stared at the black mold spots on the ceiling, then reached and took out her phone from under the covers.

……

Outside Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant, a wave of scorching heat swept through the street.

The trees on both sides of the road swayed violently, as if sensing something. Xing Conglian didn’t immediately answer Wang Chao’s question; instead, he looked towards the entrance of the small restaurant.

The street fell silent, and the police officer who had been standing at the door, playing games on his phone, suddenly stopped. A new message notification appeared on his screen, and he reached out, opened it, and read it for a while.

The next moment, he put his phone back in his pocket. As if the pause in magic had ended, he turned and quickly walked towards the police station’s entrance.

Subsequently, the sound of ringing phones came one after another, and Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant became like a boiling bathhouse. Everyone put down their food, some read text messages on their phones, and others answered calls.

An officer who had rushed to the door looked like an athlete who took off after the starting gun went off.

The light blue plastic curtain at the entrance of the restaurant was pulled aside, and the next moment, all the police officers inside swarmed out, like a wave crashing towards the street.

Xing Conglian sat in the car, watching Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant empty out in a short period of time. He knew very well that just now, a notice had been sent out for all departmental police officers to immediately return to their posts.

……

Shen Ping was a news anchor at Hongjing TV Station.

Due to certain coincidences, he shared the same surname as a certain lady who was currently causing a stir among the higher-ups. Their names even sounded somewhat sibling-like.

But Shen Ping had no relation to Shen Lian whatsoever. In fact, he had no idea who Shen Lian was until he received that press release.

The press release came from Zhourui Pharmaceutical, a major taxpayer in the city. It was directly sent to his email after a phone call from the head of the public relations department, whom he was acquainted with.

At that time, he was preparing to record the top-of-the-hour news. The phone rang, and he keenly sensed the seriousness of the situation from the tone of the person from the public relations department at Zhourui Pharmaceutical.

When he hung up the phone and opened his email to read the press release, he realized in an instant that this was definitely a major case that would shock the entire country.

Shen Ping put down the script, glanced at the female anchor beside him, and rushed towards the direction of the control room.

……

Under the shade of the trees, inside the Jeep, Lin Chen and Xing Conglian simultaneously took out their phones and looked down. However, there was no vibration or incoming call displayed on their phones—not even an unread message.

This unusually calm situation made Xing Conglian’s expression solemn. His eyebrows slightly raised, but quickly returned to normal. Only those who knew Xing Conglian well would understand what this meant.

In theory, Xing Conglian could get out of the car and grab any police officer nearby to ask or make a phone call to find out what had happened to his subordinates. However, his first reaction was to step out of the backseat and say to the teenager standing outside the car, “Get in and sit down.”

After saying that, he walked straight to the driver’s seat, started the vehicle, turned on the air conditioning and the car radio.

The top-of-the-hour news on Hongjing TV Station happened to begin.

The anchor’s horrified voice came through the speakers and echoed inside the Jeep.

……

Shen Ping sat in the anchor room.

Before going on stage, he changed into a black-and-white striped tie to appear more solemn.

The countdown sound came through the headphones. Shen Ping closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and tried his best to calm himself down.

Three minutes ago, the director rushed down from the station manager’s office and shouted at him across the studio, gasping for breath, “Shen Ping, broadcast the news!”

Shen Ping knew he had made the right bet.

The young male anchor opened his eyes and clenched his fist; the bright lights in front of him dazzled his vision. He looked at the teleprompter in front of him and said in the most serious tone:

“The following is urgent news…”

……

“We have received news that Zhourui Pharmaceutical recently reported a severe case of drug poisoning through our station, as well as through other TV stations, including Yongchuan, Changping, and Fengchun, as well as online platforms, to the entire society…”

A neurology ward at a hospital.

The television hanging in the rest area outside the ward had been silent all along, and a person who looked like a nurse was sleeping on a bench. However, someone hurriedly ran out of the ward and turned up the volume of the television, causing a continuous flow of sound.

The deep blue studio made the male anchor in a well-tailored suit appear particularly solemn, but what made one’s throat tighten even more was the information mentioned by the anchor in the news.

“It is reported that the drugs involved may include Zhourui Pharmaceutical’s Nao Kangning, Huihe Pharmaceutical’s Shu Naoping, Yingmeng Pharmaceutical’s Liti Niping, and Kangtaidelin Company’s Pu’er Kangning, among various types and batches of drugs. Zhourui Pharmaceutical reminds all patients and friends who have taken these drugs that they may be contaminated with other chemical components or may cause various adverse reactions of the nervous system. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, depression, or mania, please stop taking the medication immediately and seek immediate medical examination. Zhourui Pharmaceutical also urges all middle-aged and elderly patients who have taken the aforementioned drugs to immediately stop taking them and not hold any wishful thinking.”

Because the TV volume was too loud, more and more people walked out of the wards and stood motionless in front of the television. It wasn’t only the patients’ family members, but also elderly people being supported and even those who stood alone with a cane, trembling as they leaned against the wall.

The TV screen paused for a moment, with black text on a white background, listing all the drugs involved in the case.

The ward fell into silence.

A doctor in a white coat stood in front of the television. Seizing this opportunity, he looked back at the bewildered patients behind him but didn’t know what to say.

“My father… My father seems to have been taking that medication all along!” a patient’s family member tentatively cried.

“Doctor, what does this mean? Has my mother been poisoning herself all this time?” An emotionally unstable patient’s family member’s eyes turned red.

More and more people crowded around the doctor, and the once quiet ward became noisy.

At that moment, an elderly person standing alone in a corner suddenly spoke, and their old and hoarse voice cut through the chaotic voices of inquiries, causing everyone to fall silent.

“Doctor, can we… can we still be cured of this illness?”

The old man opened his mouth and asked in such a manner.

A shiver ran through everyone present, and a sense of panic gradually spread along with this mournful question.

……

Principal Su sat on a small stage by the balcony.

The old man didn’t have the habit of watching the news, and he didn’t use outdated things like radios. Unfortunately, his wife was a professor of political science and ordered that the news be played continuously in the house. So, when the anchor from Yongchuan TV Station, in a tone almost identical to Shen Ping’s, solemnly spoke about the severe drug issue related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular drugs, he only heard a sound of intense rummaging through boxes and cabinets.

His wife was tidying up the storage cabinet, her trembling hands picking up the medicine bottles anxiously. She said with a worried expression, “What should we do?”

Thinking of Lin Chen’s recent phone call, Principal Su easily connected the dots, but he still casually said, “My dear, let’s analyze this problem using philosophical methods and divide it into two…”

His politically astute wife immediately interrupted him, “Did Chenchen call you because of this?”

“I don’t know.” The old man waved his hand. “It’s also possible that he just missed his mentor.”

“Stop that.” His wife’s face was filled with worry. “The situation is so troublesome that Chenchen had to call you. It’s probably serious.”

“Don’t worry too much. Even if the sky falls, there’s someone tall to hold it up.” The old man touched his chin. “For example, Chenchen is taller than me, and I’m definitely taller than you.”

His words didn’t calm his wife’s mood. The woman in an apron rubbed her eyes and took a couple of steps forward. She held his hand, half-squatted down, and tremblingly asked, “Or… should we call Fengzi back?”

……

Similar scenes were happening in many ordinary households.

Some elderly people were furious, some were reluctant to throw away the medicine in their cabinets, and some were already lying in bed. There were even those who hurriedly turned off the television and prepared to go to the hospital.

But most ordinary families didn’t have the same reckless attitude as Mr. Su. Just like there were many parents who loved their children in the world, there were also many filial sons and daughters who respected their parents.

Golden Harvest Tower, located near the city government’s CBD, was one of the top commercial office buildings in the city. At this busy time of the afternoon, all the usual office scenes came to a halt due to the breaking news.

The office manager’s computer was on, and Shen Ping’s voice echoed through the only speaker in the office. By the time it reached the corners, it was no longer very clear, and more employees were refreshing their web pages.

“According to sources from Zhourui Pharmaceutical, the suspect in the poisoning case is named Shen Lian. She was a former employee of the R&D department at Zhourui Pharmaceutical. Due to certain reasons, Shen Lian abused her authority and contaminated the medicine with special chemical substances for several years. Zhourui Pharmaceutical is issuing a public appeal through our station, warning that Shen Lian is extremely dangerous and currently carrying a large amount of highly toxic drugs. She is currently on the run, and we earnestly request the police to apprehend Shen Lian.”

Inside the office building, the sound of web pages being refreshed constantly filled the air.

On the internet, keywords such as “poisoning”, “Zhourui Pharmaceutical”, and “Shen Lian” skyrocketed in popularity at an alarming rate. Everyone held their breath and focused, trying to obtain the latest information.

Some clever netizens even linked “Shen Lian” to the tragic incident at the barbecue stall in Hongjing last night. In an instant, a bigger wave of public opinion spread.

……

The hotline of Zhourui Pharmaceutical was inundated with calls.

However, since the company had already made up its mind and prepared comprehensive crisis public relations, the incoming calls were handled with professionalism.

Sweet-voiced women answered the calls, offering apologies first and then expressing that the company would take responsibility. The soft and gentle voices calmed the tempers of many callers.

The women who answered the hotline had received the most professional training. After soothing the emotions of the callers, they would also express that Zhourui Pharmaceutical was also a victim and hoped that the police would apprehend the culprit soon.

By using a skillful approach, the pharmaceutical company transformed itself into a victim with a strong sense of social responsibility, while the party that had not fulfilled its duty became the police, which allowed the dangerous criminal to remain at large for over 12 hours.

Shen Ping paused, symbolically flipped over a page, and faced the camera to continue speaking. “Below is the official announcement just received from the police—the Hongjing police have issued an A-level warrant, publicly seeking the fugitive Shen Lian.”

……

In the office lobby of the Municipal Police Station.

All the working police officers on the first floor became nervous and busy. The arrest operation, which had been quietly initiated by Xing Conglian, was forcibly brought to the forefront.

Countless orders were issued from higher-ups, including traffic control at key points, community investigations, and online searches. The sounds of computer keyboards, printers, and typing filled the air. Almost everyone was busy with their tasks.

On the platform railing on the second floor, the top leaders of the Provincial Public Security Department and the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical stood side by side, surrounded by leaders from various departments, from the province to the municipal bureau.

The two individuals in front of the railing shook hands as a gesture of courtesy.

The impeccably dressed CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical, expressed regret, saying, “The relevant materials have been submitted to the task force. It was a management mistake on our company’s part, which has caused a lot of trouble for our police comrades.”

Dong Hua turned around, looked at the busy subordinates below, and didn’t directly respond to that statement. His expression didn’t reveal any emotions.

Just when the meeting was at a deadlock, the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical suddenly arrived with a large amount of information and reported a severe case of poisoning to the police.

The perpetrator’s name was Shen Lian, and for reasons, such as revenge on society, she had been releasing toxic substances in a series of brain recovery drugs produced by Zhourui Pharmaceutical for several years.

No one knew what kind of toxic substance it was. But as far as he knew, that maddening chemical component had caused an extremely terrible incident at a barbecue stall in the city last night, resulting in the death of a police officer.

However, even the pharmaceutical company itself couldn’t confirm the exact nature of that chemical substance. Based on the CEO’s brief remarks, it should be a new type of neurotoxic drug.

Dong Hua sneered in his heart. After the events of last night, they both knew that it was no different from a biochemical weapon, but no one dared to draw such a conclusion.

What made him feel even more embarrassed was the content of Zhourui Pharmaceutical’s public announcement through the news media.

In fact, the local police in Hongjing had already taken action last night, but during the operation, they failed to warn the public about personal safety and didn’t issue a formal arrest warrant for Shen Lian. Although he understood that frontline officers had their own considerations when handling a case, it was precisely because of these considerations that the pharmaceutical company, which should have been the main culprit, took the initiative and gained an advantage over the police. It was difficult to accept such frustration.

He tapped the railing and glanced back.

As the culprit’s immediate boss, Director Wu, the head of the Pharmaceutical Bureau, stood at the outermost edge, observing with detachment, like a dissident who didn’t fit in.

Dong Hua withdrew his gaze and looked at the CEO of Zhourui Pharmaceutical, nodded, and simply said, “You’ve worked hard.”

“Our company will do its best to cooperate with the police operation.” The CEO bowed deeply, showing utmost sincerity. “I won’t disturb the work of the police any further, so I’ll take my leave first.”

After speaking, the middle-aged man who effortlessly stirred up a huge storm completely withdrew himself. He turned around, about to leave, but after taking a step, he turned back as if suddenly remembering something. A humble smile appeared on his face. “Regarding the accusation made by the Captain of the criminal division against me for dereliction of duty and soliciting bribes from our company, I request that the police handle it impartially.”

Instantly, a hushed silence fell over the crowd, followed by murmurs and whispers.

No one expected that the content of their secret conversation just now would be this.

“Isn’t there someone from the Inspector Office present?” The senior leader paused, scanning the crowd. “Isn’t this your responsibility?”

Huang Ze raised his eyes sharply but could only take a deep breath and salute. “Yes, Director.”

……

Inside the Jeep parked outside the Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant, the atmosphere was absolutely calm and undisturbed by external forces.

The radio news had already moved on to the next topic, but neither Xing Conglian’s nor Lin Chen’s phone rang.

No one spoke inside the vehicle.

Wang Chao looked around, deeply shocked by the previous news. What did it mean? Zhourui Pharmaceutical voluntarily admitted the medication issue to the public but completely absolved themselves of the responsibility of concealing the truth. They even directly targeted Shen Lian and pushed her to the forefront as the mastermind.

In the end, the teenager couldn’t help but shout, “Are they all fucking idiots?”

Lin Chen and Xing Conglian exchanged glances; their lips curling into a cold, mocking smile. “How can you say they’re idiots? They’re obviously incredibly clever.”

“It’s an exemplary public relations move for a crisis,” Xing Conglian added.

But whether it was his boss or A’Chen Gege, neither of them made any further moves after saying that.

Wang Chao anxiously shifted on the seat. “Now that Shen Lian is wanted by the police, should we still report her possible hiding place?”

“Shen Lian is such an alert person that even the presence of a police officer nearby would make her escape immediately. Now that she’s being wanted with the highest level warrant on TV, how could she not react?”

Xing Conglian’s tone was unexpectedly calm, but the calmer he was, the more it alarmed Wang Chao.

“What should we do now? Should we keep Shen Lian’s hiding place a secret? Zhourui Pharmaceutical has already alerted her, so could Shen Lian suddenly go mad and start poisoning people? If Shen Lian escaped from the nursing home, what should we do?”

“What should we do? Of course, we’ll solve each problem one by one.” Xing Conglian turned his head and glanced at Lin Chen.

As if understanding his thoughts, Lin Chen nodded and said, “I understand. I’ll go to the outskirts first.”

“I’ll arrange for people to be on surveillance in the surrounding area. It’s better not to act rashly until the main force arrives. Stay safe.”

After Xing Conglian finished speaking, he made a motion of making a phone call. Lin Chen nodded, organized all the materials about Shen Lian on his side, held them under his arm, and pushed open the car door to get out.

Wang Chao became anxious. “A’Chen Gege, where are you going?”

“I’m going to the location you found. Hopefully, there’s still time.” Lin Chen got out of the car while speaking.

“Are you going alone? What about the Boss and me?”

Wang Chao sat in the car, shouting at the man sitting in the driver’s seat while looking at Lin Chen’s back.

“You go to Xiao Zhan’s place and see if there’s anything you can help with. Try to protect him and don’t let Zhourui’s people get there first.”

“But how can I protect Mr. Xiao Zhan when I’m powerless?”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Xing Conglian said decisively, “Take a taxi by yourself.”

His Boss’ voice was so intimidating that Wang Chao couldn’t help but get out of the car. When he stood on the hard asphalt road, he couldn’t help but turn around and ask, “And what about you, Boss?”

However, the engine had already started, and the Jeep backed up half a parking space, turned the front, and disappeared into the distance.

Wang Chao was sprayed with exhaust and took a few steps forward, holding onto Lin Chen’s sleeve in frustration. “Where is the Boss going in such an urgent situation?”

“With such a big incident happening and no one informing us, Zhourui Pharmaceutical probably did some action behind the scenes. He’s going to handle those matters.”

“Why would Zhourui Pharmaceutical suddenly take action? Did something happen?” Wang Chao opened the ride-hailing app on his phone. There weren’t many vehicles around, and he jumped up and down on the road in frustration. “But what can Zhourui Pharmaceutical do?”

“Don’t think too much.” Lin Chen’s reassuring voice came, and when Wang Chao looked up again, he could only see Lin Chen’s back as he walked straight across the road.

He hailed a taxi directly and shouted, “A’Chen Gege, should I call a taxi for you?”

With his back turned, Lin Chen just waved his hand and stepped onto the sidewalk. After walking a few steps, he stood in front of the entrance of Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant.

There, a retired police officer who had changed careers stood at the door curtain, looking at him with a solemn expression.

Lin Chen looked at the old man and calmly asked, “I need to go somewhere. Are your driving skills still good?”