Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 260

Inside the old house on Yanjia Lane, Lin Chen placed his phone on the coffee table.

They hadn’t put away the arrangement they made earlier for discussing Zhourui Pharmaceutical, and there was a pile of cushions on the carpet.

Lin Chen didn’t want to go to bed and casually sat down on the floor. Xing Conglian had no choice but to stuff many cushions behind him.

However, as soon as he entered the house to get a blanket, Wang Chao barged in and carelessly threw his backpack next to Lin Chen, as if he were going to pounce on the pile of cushions.

“Stay away from your A’Chen Gege,” Xing Conglian held the blanket and sternly warned Wang Chao.

Wang Chao was still panting heavily, his face turned pale from intense running. He didn’t care about Xing Conglian’s tone and replied while resting his head on one of the cushions near Lin Chen, lying down and shouting at the ceiling, “Fuck me… damn… Boss, do you have no humanity… I… I took a taxi back… sprinted a hundred meters!”

“Are you tired and causing trouble by coming near?” Xing Conglian interrupted him. “Don’t you know your A’Chen Gege’s health isn’t good? What if you’re pressing on him?”

Upon hearing this, Wang Chao immediately sat up, panting, and carefully examined Lin Chen. He asked seriously, “A’Chen Gege, do you have any physical discomfort? Is the effect of that drug still present?”

Xing Conglian was afraid that Lin Chen would feel embarrassed, so he rushed over to pick Wang Chao up and take him away. But just as he was about to grab the back of Wang Chao’s neck, he heard Lin Chen say, “It’s fine. I’m normal. It’s just the usual discomfort after same-sex intimacy.”

Wang Chao was thunderstruck by his words. He stared at Lin Chen with his mouth wide open, almost letting the gum in his mouth fall out.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Chen reached back and petted the teenager’s hair.

Only then did Wang Chao snap out of it, and his face turned bright red. He stood up abruptly and couldn’t even speak properly. “I-I-I… A’Chen Gege, the Boss is a beast!”

Xing Conglian was bewildered by his sudden outburst. He saw Wang Chao rush into the bathroom like a gust of wind, and then, as if he had gone to the wrong place, he immediately rushed out and ran to the kitchen sink to drink water.

Finally, Xing Conglian bent down and had the opportunity to spread the blanket over Lin Chen. He half-knelt in front of Lin Chen and whispered, “Why are you so straightforward?”

Lin Chen hooked his neck, kissed him lightly, and smiled. “Why are you so shy?”

The gaze of his lover was calm and gentle, with long eyelashes that made people want to kiss them. Seeing him lying on the blanket was undoubtedly a very beautiful scene. Although they had already done what should and shouldn’t be done, at this moment, Xing Conglian also wanted to rush into the bathroom to calm down.

After Lin Chen finished speaking, perhaps feeling that if he continued, something would go wrong, he let go of Xing Conglian and called out stiffly to the young man drinking water in the kitchen. “Wang Chao, wait to drink water. I have something important to discuss with you.”

“Ah!” Wang Chao howled halfway in the kitchen, then rushed out like a little pet and obediently crouched next to Lin Chen.

Without need for any preamble, Lin Chen said directly, “After I woke up this morning, I received a text message.”

As he spoke, Lin Chen reached for the phone on the coffee table and lit up the screen.

A text message appeared on the white smartphone screen, still unopened and displayed in red letters.

Xing Conglian lowered his head to look. The sender was a long string of numbers that didn’t look like a phone number. The content of the message was also a string of characters.

——30:1103-1126

Wang Chao leaned in and glanced at the phone. He changed his sitting position to a cross-legged one, as if he was still feeling embarrassed. He deliberately kept a little distance from Lin Chen and said, “A’Chen Gege, is it a scam message? Don’t worry, I’ll make that jerk regret ever existing.”

Lin Chen shook his head and pushed the phone in front of the teenager. “Take a careful look, but don’t open the message yet.”

Wang Chao picked up the phone and looked left, right, up, and down. He almost put the phone in his mouth to taste it, but he still looked very puzzled. “Then, should I scan the phone for viruses or trace the source of this message?”

“What’s wrong?” Xing Conglian held his hand, but Lin Chen withdrew it, a subconscious physiological reaction that made Xing Conglian feel that Lin Chen was afraid of something. He immediately felt a sinking feeling in his heart.

The text message that made Lin Chen fearful and drove three hours back, disregarding his arrangements, must be something out of the ordinary.

Lin Chen held his hand back; even though his palm was cold, he remained emotionally restrained.

He looked at Wang Chao and asked slowly, “The content of this string of characters and the numbers displayed as the sender’s name—do they have any specific meaning in your field… In the field of technology? Can they be transformed into directly downloadable files, for example?”

Wang Chao’s face wrinkled, and he leaned on the table to observe carefully. “It’s not a magnet link, and it’s not a Bitcoin account address either. But now that you mention it, this string of numbers does seem strange. It doesn’t match the usual meaning of a phone number, nor does it look like a code from mass messaging software. It seems to have been tampered with… Should I try to decrypt it?” The young man hesitated slightly. “But there are many things to do right now. Are you sure you want me to decipher it? It’s possible that I’ve tried countless methods, and it’s just random data from a prank.”

Wang Chao’s rambling might have been a bit excessive, and Lin Chen suddenly rubbed his forehead.

Xing Conglian noticed that at this moment, Lin Chen seemed to be forcing himself. He didn’t know why Lin Chen’s mental state suddenly worsened, but the drug given by Shen Lian clearly couldn’t be completely metabolized overnight. He squeezed Lin Chen’s hand but didn’t receive the expected response.

“Do you need to rest for a while?” he asked.

“Not for now.” Lin Chen suddenly raised his eyes sharply. “Under what circumstances could I receive an unidentified message, with the possibility of the sender’s number being tampered with?”

“Ah, then it must be a fake base station,” Wang Chao replied. “It’s not difficult technologically. You just need a host and a laptop. The other party doesn’t even need to stay near you; they just need to slowly drive through a certain area.”

Xing Conglian looked at the time the message was received, which clearly showed 21:27.

At that time last night, Lin Chen was at Tzu Chi Hospital receiving treatment.

Xing Conglian said, “If someone knows your phone number, they can completely use an anonymous app to send you a message, but with the use of a fake base station, they can tamper with the sender’s number and turn it into a special string of digits. So, this string of numbers must have some meaning.”

“That’s what I think too.” Lin Chen nodded and asked Wang Chao with keenness, “Why did you immediately associate it with a Bitcoin account?”

“Ah?” Wang Chao scratched his head and pulled out his laptop from his backpack. “Because this morning, there was some activity on the Deep Web, and I was just about to ask the boss if we should monitor it.”

“Open it. Let me see,” Lin Chen said.

Wang Chao snapped his fingers and placed the laptop flat on the table, quickly lighting up the screen. “I was going to tell the boss about this today, but he didn’t even listen to me. A’Chen Gege, you tell him, how can someone be so irresponsible with work just because of love!”

“That’s true,” Lin Chen said calmly.

Wang Chao, for the first time, gave Lin Chen a resentful look and said in a desolate tone, “A world without love… I think… it’s time for me to move.”

Lin Chen patted his shoulder and pointed to the now illuminated computer screen, saying to Wang Chao, “Get to work. What’s happening on the Dark Web?”

“I was thinking if there was a large-scale betting activity, but I have no idea what these sickos are playing with.” Wang Chao gritted his teeth in anger and continued, “But A’Chen Gege, in one of the related posts, I saw a map of the three provinces around Hongjing. I’m afraid this event is related to us.”

Wang Chao, like completing a game level, delved deeper into the website, and finally, he managed to bring up a simple page with a black background and green letters.

The page was filled with various money symbols, exuding a predictably bloody and festive atmosphere.

Wang Chao quickly scrolled down the page until he reached the reply that he was particularly interested in.

The grammar used by the person who replied was complex and difficult to understand, clearly indicating a lack of proper education. Xing Conglian’s gaze shifted to the outline of the map in the reply.

With just one glance, he recognized that it was indeed a map of the three provinces surrounding Hongjing.

The map displayed the coastal provinces of Jiangxia and Zhelin, as well as the neighboring province of Yong’an.

The specific city names and roads were erased from the white-based map, replaced by numerous small black dots connected by lines, resembling a network radiating outwards.

Xing Conglian took out his phone, found a map of the three provinces, quickly zoomed in to a similar size, and compared it to the burnt-looking white-based map on the computer screen. Then he glanced at Lin Chen.

The dots and lines on the map didn’t represent specific cities or roads; they seemed to be meaningless grids.

Wang Chao was also very perplexed. He pointed to the words in the reply and asked, “Boss, what does this passage mean?”

“It’s Russian, roughly meaning ‘a balancing game on a wire’,” Xing Conglian glanced at the post and said coldly.

Wang Chao retreated back into the pile of cushions. “What the hell is this? Is the Chuunibyou syndrome* so severe across countries?”

*Japanese colloquialism describing early teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out, and who have convinced themselves that they have hidden knowledge or secret powers (AKA eight-grader syndrome/teenager syndrome).

Xing Conglian noticed that as he heard his answer, Lin Chen’s gaze became colder and seemed to freeze on the map.

A touch of pain flashed across Lin Chen’s face, and his complexion turned pale.

Xing Conglian held Lin Chen’s hand again, and Lin Chen returned the grip. He said briefly, “Give me some time.” He spoke solemnly, pressing his temple and looking at Wang Chao. “I’m just speculating on the possibilities of the sender because if you’re not familiar with it, the only person who is familiar with it can only be me.”

“I don’t understand,” Wang Chao looked at Lin Chen in bewilderment.

“I’m sorry. I was just hoping to get some other possibilities from you out of sheer luck.” Lin Chen smiled bitterly at Wang Chao. “If I’m not mistaken, in fact, these numbers represent citations from a particular publication,” Lin Chen said.

“Damn it.” Wang Chao bent down again and began typing on the keyboard, as if he wanted to immediately search for the literature.

Lin Chen stopped him. “The specific publication and citations can only be found by me. It would be a waste of time for you to search. But decrypting the sender’s identity will be your responsibility. We’ll work together.”

“Who could it be?” Xing Conglian asked.

Lin Chen’s gaze grew deep, and he furrowed his brows in silence.

Xing Conglian feared that at this moment, Lin Chen already had a speculation in his mind.

The person who took the opportunity to send him a message when he was mentally disturbed, after preventing Shen Lian from committing suicide—the identity of that person had become clear as day.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 259

“This… This is true…”

In the back seat of the car, Xing Conglian held Lin Chen’s hand.

Just a moment ago, after Mr. Lin, the head of the family, suddenly descended on Zhourui Pharmaceutical and disrupted all his plans, he started to deal with the situation swiftly.

Lin Chen first handed the old man over to Dr. Zheng, asked Huang Ze to take the two of them to the hospital, and gave Wang Chao twenty yuan to take a taxi back to Yanjia Lane. Then, he and Xing Conglian got into the nursing home car that brought Lin Chen here.

As soon as they got in the car, Lin Chen took off his shoes and leaned against him, frowning lightly. It seemed that the discomfort in his body made it difficult for him to sit still. Xing Conglian felt unexpectedly soft-hearted and swallowed the second half of his sentence.

But Lin Chen didn’t seem to pay any attention to that statement. Instead, he simply said “Please” to the driver.

The extremely astute driver didn’t look sideways and raised the front and rear seat partitions and window blinds, making the backseat space dim.

Before Xing Conglian could react, he heard Lin Chen’s soft voice saying, “Come here.”

That phrase sounded somewhat familiar. Xing Conglian slightly lowered his head and turned towards Lin Chen’s position, only to be forcibly pulled by his neck and pressed down.

Lin Chen’s breath sprayed against his cheek, followed by warm lips. Lin Chen decisively pried open his teeth and kissed him earnestly.

Xing Conglian embraced Lin Chen’s waist, responding to his kiss while feeling that the situation was a bit off.

Taking advantage of the moment when the angle changed, he skillfully switched positions with Lin Chen, laying him flat on the seat. Then, he consciously unbuttoned Lin Chen’s shirt, caressed his earlobe with one hand, and kissed from behind his ear to his neck.

Lin Chen’s breathing became rapid, and his pulse raced. His gasps carried a hint of sweetness.

However, Xing Conglian keenly noticed that Lin Chen’s hand, which was originally hooked around his neck, had moved to his chest, as if ready to push him away at any moment of uncontrollable circumstances.

Detecting this, Xing Conglian grabbed his wrist, licked his ear, and blew gently.

Lin Chen shrank sensitively. Taking this opportunity, Xing Conglian quickly pulled his hand over his head. He then leaned close to his ear and said, “Mr. Lin, resisting and welcoming is not a good idea.”

Lin Chen raised his legs to gently touch his lower body that was being pressed down, and then he kissed the tip of his nose, saying very gently, “Captain Xing, it’s about enough.”

“We’re still far from enough.” Xing Conglian held onto Lin Chen’s waist and prepared to kiss him again.

“I’ll say one word, and you’ll let go of me.” Lin Chen’s voice became wet and ambiguous amidst the kiss.

“You can try.”

“Pain.”

Indeed, one word was enough.

Xing Conglian immediately released him, sat back in his own seat, and reached out to turn on the reading light.

Lin Chen lay on the black seat while his chest rose and fell. His lips were kissed red, and his neck and collarbone were adorned with love marks and damp spots, making him look… enticing…

Xing Conglian looked at him and couldn’t help but bend down to kiss the corner of his mouth.

Lin Chen retracted his legs, sat up while holding onto the car door, and began buttoning up his shirt.

With his head lowered, his neck elongated under the pale yellow light, displaying a graceful posture.

Xing Conglian held his hand and placed it beside him, then pinched the shirt front and meticulously buttoned up each button that he had previously undone.

After finishing all this, when he looked up, he found Lin Chen gazing at him, with a calm and affectionate look in his eyes.

“Why did you spend three hours bringing me to the recuperation center?” Lin Chen asked him under the reading light.

This opening question felt a bit like an interrogation. Xing Conglian was unsure how much Lin Chen remembered from last night’s events, but he could only honestly answer, “Because I was angry.”

“Angry at whom?” Lin Chen’s serene voice sounded in the dimly lit space.

Xing Conglian opened his arms and embraced Lin Chen. His chin rested against Lin Chen’s neck, and his voice was muffled. “Of course, myself, Consultant Lin.”

“Why?”

“It’s hard to say.” Xing Conglian simply held onto Lin Chen, feeling his body become softer in his embrace.

“Take your time, I’m listening.”

Lin Chen’s gentle voice was irresistible, and there was almost no environmental noise in the car, creating a very quiet atmosphere.

“Suddenly, I realized that you love me more than I imagined,” Xing Conglian said. “I feel foolish and regret missing out on so much time.”

“You didn’t miss out if you’ve experienced it,” Lin Chen interrupted him.

“I feel guilty,” he said.

“And then you go and torment me like that?” Lin Chen created some distance between them and looked at him with a smile.

Xing Conglian felt like an inexperienced youngster, unable to provide the correct answer to his lover’s questioning. What did the online guides say? He should immediately bow his head and apologize, but it seemed that apologizing wasn’t the right thing to do either. Xing Conglian racked his brains, almost resorting to asking for advice from internet users on his phone.

Finally, Lin Chen let out a long sigh, looked at him, and said, “I’m sorry.”

Xing Conglian was stunned. He didn’t expect the answer to be like this. He didn’t believe that Lin Chen needed to apologize at all. Just as he was about to speak, Lin Chen looked directly into his eyes and said, “Although my memories are jumbled, I still remember a little from last night. Regarding what happened last night, I want to address two main points.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“First, even though your techniques may not be very strong and all over the place, we still have to take responsibility for each other and practice diligently in the future.”

Lin Chen’s words were spoken slowly, making Xing Conglian’s heart feel like it was on a roller coaster, fluctuating between highs and lows, almost getting thrown off by a drift.

“Consultant Lin, you have to listen to my explanation,” Xing Conglian immediately said, but he felt it wasn’t right and could only continue, “I will work hard. Please provide me with more opportunities to practice. Don’t always act sickly and make me feel like a beast.”

Lin Chen nodded solemnly and replied, “Approved. The organization will also make efforts for rehabilitation.”

Xing Conglian smiled, rubbing the back of Lin Chen’s head, finding him incredibly adorable.

But Lin Chen looked at him with deep eyes. The words Xing Conglian wanted to say got stuck in his throat as he heard Lin Chen say, “The second matter, I genuinely apologize to you. Please accept it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Listen to me.” Lin Chen paused and insisted, “Although I love you very much and always want to do my best, in reality, by doing so, I have been increasing your burden.” Lin Chen created some distance between them, maintaining their conversational posture. “You are a very good person. The reason you are in so much pain is that you suddenly realize you owe me too much. You feel like you haven’t fully understood my intentions, and you constantly see me making sacrifices for you, but you may not have time to repay me. The accumulation of these things has caused you to lose control.”

Lin Chen analyzed the situation very calmly, and Xing Conglian stopped smiling and simply listened to him speak.

“However, looking at it from a different perspective, all of this is caused by me. Sometimes, being too kind to others without giving them the chance to reciprocate can indeed create a significant psychological burden for kind-hearted people.”

“I always feel like you’re forcefully defending me,” Xing Conglian said.

“No, I believe this is a problem that both of us have.” Lin Chen kissed the back of his hand and said, “When we’re in a relationship, we’re always too polite to each other.”

Xing Conglian was taken aback. He had never considered the issue of being “polite”.

“While it’s good to show respect, it can also create too much distance. We dare not express our true feelings, always wanting to take good care of each other. Accepting a little love makes us feel like it’s a huge need for repayment, which is not entirely correct.”

Xing Conglian looked at the clear and serene gaze hidden beneath Lin Chen’s eyelashes. Every word he said was a heartfelt confession, and Xing Conglian fell into contemplation. Lin Chen’s words were meant for him to hear, but he was also speaking for himself.

“So how should we solve it, Consultant Lin?”

“I think we both need to be a bit willful.”

Lin Chen was very serious, and upon hearing this, Xing Conglian couldn’t help but laugh.

“For example, you bringing me to the seaside recuperation center in the middle of the night, spending three hours on it—I think that’s very willful, and it’s good.” Lin Chen said, “You didn’t treat me as a stranger. You felt that you could make better choices for me, and it was necessary for me to receive better care. I really like such gestures.”

Xing Conglian was speechless. Honestly, he didn’t think there was anyone in the world who could be so eloquent when facing Lin Chen.

He could only nod awkwardly and then say, “So, Consultant Lin, are you also using willfulness to repay me?”

“I really wanted to wait for you there, but I encountered some unexpected circumstances and had to come find you. But we can discuss that matter when we get home. Bringing it up now would ruin the atmosphere,” Lin Chen said. “So I used your car and medical personnel. I don’t think I need to inform you about that. The driver is good, and I want to keep Dr. Zheng by my side to take care of me. I probably won’t be able to return to that bed for a short time.”

“Of course, you have the final say,” Xing Conglian said without hesitation. “What else do you need? Shall I buy Tzu Chi?”

“Money can solve small matters,” Lin Chen finally smiled and replied. “No need. I want to go home. Please try to avoid leaving me in the hospital in the future.”

Lin Chen’s tone had a hint of commanding manner, but Xing Conglian felt extremely content listening to him. He understood a bit about the significance of Lin Chen’s conversation regarding “politeness” and “willfulness”. But all he could do was hold Lin Chen tightly once again, grateful for his good fortune.

The car had slowly come to a stop, and Xing Conglian felt reluctant to leave the warmth of the moment. He even wondered if, in accordance with the willful approach, he should dismiss the driver and continue the actions from before when Lin Chen pushed him away.

However, Consultant Lin clearly understood the essence of “willfulness” better than he did. Lin Chen grabbed his hair, gave him a kiss, and casually opened the car door, starting to put on his shoes.

The bright sunlight poured in, highlighting Lin Chen’s refined features and giving him a commanding appearance as the head of the household.

As expected, the driver seemed to have received some signal and slowly lowered the partition. Xing Conglian stared at him through the rearview mirror, but the driver, wearing sunglasses, acted as if he hadn’t seen his protesting gaze at all.

After putting on his shoes, Lin Chen quickly got out of the car. However, as if he remembered something, he suddenly turned back and looked at Xing Conglian. “Xing Conglian.”

“Yes,” Xing Conglian promptly responded.

“Although I am the head of the household,” Lin Chen leaned halfway into the car, saying straightforwardly, “You can have complete authority.”

Xing Conglian looked at Lin Chen’s face and had a strong desire to go back and buy Zhourui Pharmaceutical all over again.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 258

When Lin Chen woke up, he was surprised by the environment he found himself in.

As he realized that he could react with surprise to his surroundings, it indicated that he had recovered somewhat from his disordered mental state.

He lay on a hospital bed that was as white and soft as a cloud. Outside the window, there was a vast blue sea, and the morning sunlight turned the surface of the sea into a flawless, pure color. Everything seemed boundless and immense, making humanity appear tiny like specks of dust and allowing many important matters to drift away with the wind.

This magnificent scenery was perfect for relaxation and recuperation. However, Hongjing wasn’t located near the sea, and apart from Xing Conglian, no one else could find a similar privileged place. But Xing Conglian wasn’t the type to go against his own will in urgent situations.

So, what had happened during the time when he had experienced mental problems? Lin Chen pondered for a moment, feeling a splitting headache. It was a very melodramatic ailment, but it was undeniably real. He felt that he couldn’t concentrate his thoughts, so he exerted some effort to force himself to avert his gaze from the view outside the window.

He rubbed his forehead and attempted to sit up, but soon realized that something was off with his body.

The soreness in his muscles and joints couldn’t be faked. What was more, just because he hadn’t eaten pork didn’t mean he hadn’t seen a pig run*. In any case, Lin Chen’s initial reaction was that Xing Conglian was a bit beastly or had some peculiar preferences. The key issue was that his technique really wasn’t good…

*Proverb referring to not having experienced things personally but have heard of them, seen them, and have a little understanding.

As Lin Chen thought about this, even the simple act of sitting up felt unbearable.

The entire hospital room was spacious, and Xing Conglian wasn’t present. The sunlight outside the window became glaring, and he couldn’t help but close his eyes.

……

Zheng Gong was the doctor in charge of monitoring Room 801. From the moment Lin Chen woke up, he had been observing the patient’s reactions.

To be honest, Lin Chen appeared surprisingly calm for someone who had just arrived here for the first time.

He watched as Lin Chen woke up and looked towards the sea, showing a relaxed and serene expression. Zheng Gong knew that the mental state of this important patient had improved somewhat.

He ticked off a few boxes on his tablet, then looked up, realizing that the patient was attempting to sit up.

As trained professionals, they wouldn’t rush in like enthusiastic healthcare workers to help someone sit up quickly. Zheng Gong carefully observed Lin Chen’s body movements and found that, apart from slightly delayed reactions, there was no coordination issue with Lin Chen’s physical movements.

Just as he made this judgment, he saw Lin Chen suddenly close his eyes.

The young man on the hospital bed furrowed his brows, gripping his forehead tightly, as if experiencing fragmented flashback scenes, appearing confused and in pain.

Zheng Gong immediately entered the room, wearing a stethoscope as he approached Lin Chen’s bed. He tentatively called out to him twice, but Lin Chen didn’t react immediately.

“Lin Chen, can you hear me?” he repeated.

At this moment, the patient on the bed opened his eyes, appearing clear-minded and determined.

“I can hear you clearly,” Lin Chen managed to squeeze out these words with some difficulty.

“Sir, I’m handling some matters, and I will take care of you,” Zheng Gong concisely stated. “Now, I need to conduct some examinations for you.”

To his surprise, Lin Chen didn’t show any resistance or ask for a detailed account of the cause and result. He simply nodded, appearing very calm and understanding.

“Understood, thank you,” Lin Chen said, lying back down and looking up at him. “Could you please hand me my phone?”

Zheng Gong nodded and noticed an ordinary-looking phone next to the flower vase on the bedside table. The color of the purple daisies was beautiful.

He picked up the phone and placed it in front of Lin Chen. “Is this it?”

“Yes.” Lin Chen took the phone, nodded in gratitude, and moved his fingers on the screen. Zheng Gong thought that he was probably going to call the big boss.

But just then, he noticed that Lin Chen’s fingers suddenly paused, as if he had seen some important message. Lin Chen’s gaze became resolute.

……

Xing Conglian quickly descended the stairs.

Whether it was Wang Chao or Huang Ze, or even the old man carrying the urine bag, they annoyingly followed behind him, constantly asking where he was going. But Xing Conglian didn’t want to listen to any of them.

The text message on his phone showed that Lin Chen had woken up over two hours ago, but he had been busy dealing with Zhourui and hadn’t seen this message.

The fact that Lin Chen woke up when he wasn’t there was completely unexpected.

He was now extremely agitated, and the voices behind him became even more unbearable.

“Boss, wait for me, I have something to tell you!” Wang Chao shouted.

“Don’t think I don’t know, Xing Conglian. Why do you want to buy Zhourui!” In the empty stairwell, Huang Ze asked him loudly, “Why are you doing this? Do you know that your behavior is unbecoming?”

Not only that, but the old man he casually brought along had also become a big trouble as he hurried to reach Lin Chen’s side.

“I’ll buy it if you want me to, but you’ll have to allocate funds for personnel. Give me your Xiao Liu. I’ve had my eye on him for a long time,” the old man said, chasing after him like this. “But first, you have to take me to the hospital. I didn’t bring any money when I left!”

Xing Conglian was being chased by these three individuals, and when he reached the fire door in the stairwell on the first floor, he suddenly stopped and turned around, looking at the three people behind him.

He patted Huang Ze’s shoulder first. “Does it have anything to do with you what I’m going to do? Moreover, I just realized that, Inspector Huang, you have a strong old lady attribute. In that case, please take care of this old man for me.”

He looked at the old man and pointed at Huang Ze, saying to the old man, “If you need anything, ask him. His family is very wealthy.”

“What about me, Boss!” Wang Chao interrupted. “Give me a chance to speak.”

“As for you…” Xing Conglian looked at Wang Chao. “Whether it’s the end of the world or an alien invasion, you better have something important to say.”

“I really do have something—no wait, it’s not me, something is happening on the internet!” Wang Chao was so flustered that he couldn’t even speak properly.

Xing Conglian opened the fire door in the stairwell and stepped into the lobby. “You have one minute from here to the outside.”

“That’s how it is, Boss,” Wang Chao said. “I’ve been monitoring the Deep Web. Although it’s difficult to monitor, well-known underground forums are within my control… ” Comrade Xiao Wang proudly stated.

“Get to the point.”

“Just now, I discovered that these underground forums have seen a surge in new users. They seem to be inquiring about something, and there may be a major event happening in the Deep Web.” Wang Chao swallowed his saliva but didn’t dare to pause for too long. “More importantly, in some reply threads, there are regional maps of Hongjing and neighboring provinces in our country. I don’t understand the language, and the translations are a mess. Can you take a look and see what’s happening, and if it’s related to our case here?”

When Wang Chao said the last sentence, Xing Conglian knew that he wouldn’t be able to rush to Lin Chen’s side immediately.

He turned around, grabbed Wang Chao’s ear, and questioned him, “You’re not usually this proactive in your work. What would happen if you told me a minute later? Would the world be destroyed?”

But Wang Chao’s reaction surprised Xing Conglian. The young man wasn’t looking at him but seemed to be staring in astonishment behind him at the lobby lounge.

“What’s wrong? Is something happening again?” Xing Conglian furrowed his brows. “Can you stop being so jumpy?”

Wang Chao opened his mouth, pointed behind him, but couldn’t say a word.

Xing Conglian slowly turned around and saw a slender figure.

Wearing a white shirt, black pants, and matching canvas shoes, the person stood by the sofa in the lobby, calmly looking at him.

It was Lin Chen.

Xing Conglian’s first reaction was embarrassment. After the first night with a lover, everything should be normal, from kissing to saying “I love you”. There was nothing wrong with the script.

Moreover, he had put Lin Chen through so much trouble. The floor-to-ceiling window he had prepared, and the vast sea view were all meant to alleviate the awkwardness of this moment when Lin Chen woke up.

But in the current situation, he certainly couldn’t rush over and embrace Lin Chen for a kiss. Besides, the way Lin Chen was looking at him now, calm and indifferent, made it difficult for him to determine what kind of attitude Lin Chen had toward him.

Xing Conglian had never felt so uncertain before. The fear of losing something must be one of the side effects of being in love.

His heart was beating very fast, and there were only a few dozen meters between him and Lin Chen, but for him, it was undoubtedly one of the most anxious moments in his life.

But in the current situation, he certainly couldn’t rush over and embrace Lin Chen for a kiss. Moreover, the way Lin Chen was looking at him now, calm and indifferent, made it difficult for him to determine what kind of attitude Lin Chen had toward him.

Xing Conglian had never felt so uncertain before. The fear of losing something must be one of the side effects of being in love.

His heart was beating very fast, and there were only a few dozen meters between him and Lin Chen, but for him, it was undoubtedly one of the most anxious moments in his life.

He was extremely nervous, but unconsciously, he had already started walking towards Lin Chen.

Just then, he suddenly felt that something was amiss around him. He stood still and turned around, almost colliding with Wang Chao behind him.

Not only that, Huang Ze and the old man were also following closely behind him, one on each side.

These three individuals simply wouldn’t leave him alone.

Xing Conglian took a step back, creating some distance between himself and these people. He pointed at them and warned, “Stay right here. Don’t move, don’t follow.”

After saying that, he turned to leave, but he still felt uneasy. He abruptly turned back, staring at the three individuals behind him who were leaning forward, “Dare to come closer, and I’ll kill you.”

Zheng Gong stood by Lin Chen’s side and experienced a similar awkward situation as Xing Conglian.

He saw the boss preventing others from approaching and felt that he should take the opportunity to leave, like the driver, Master Li, who had already disappeared.

But if he left now, would it seem too obvious?

Just as he hesitated, the boss was already standing in front of him.

He quickly lowered his head, only to hear the boss ask in a gentle voice, dripping with tenderness, “Why did you come here? Is your body alright?”

Of course, these words weren’t meant for him, but he couldn’t help but shiver uncontrollably. That soft voice made goosebumps rise all over his body.

Zheng Gong took a step back, feeling that he shouldn’t hesitate and should slip away immediately. But just then, the boss’s tone changed, coldly saying, “Did you bring him here?”

Such a cold remark was undoubtedly directed at him. The boss could change his demeanor in an instant. But in the current situation, anything he said would be wrong.

He stiffly raised his head, wanting to explain, but Lin Chen took a step forward, stood in front of him, and said very chivalrously, “I asked them for help.”

Zheng Gong felt like the current situation was simply repeating in a cheesy TV drama. It seemed amusing when he watched it while eating melon seeds and watching TV, but going through it himself was agonizing.

Sure enough, Lin Chen still looked weak. Xing Conglian wouldn’t get angry with Lin Chen; he would only take it out on them.

“Why didn’t you inform me before coming here!” Xing Conglian said.

“Because I told them that I am the one in charge of family matters,” Lin Chen said gently.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 257

Upon hearing these words, the people sitting or standing in the conference room were stunned, but their first glance wasn’t at Xing Conglian but at the old man with a limp leg and a urine bag.

There was no doubt that Morgan Stanley was the largest global financial services company, involved in all industries related to money. And the fact that the old man was the former CEO of Morgan Stanley indicated that he had held a prominent position in the world of finance.

The old man grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth without any modesty. “What are you looking at? That’s how I roll!”

“So, what about Captain Xing…?” someone tentatively asked as their gaze shifted to Xing Conglian with a similar intensity as if they were looking at a bank vault.

“Come on, do you really think I’m his chauffeur?” The old man was also exasperated. “With my status, how could I be his driver? After the retirement of the President of Metti, he can only be a gardener for our master. Even the Governor of Yueqiu has to wait in line to visit our home…”

The previous look of satisfaction on the face of Chairman Zhou gradually faded as he listened, finding these words increasingly bizarre and suspicious. At first glance, they seemed like nonsensical ramblings, but considering the old man’s identity, he had to play along with the act to cover for Xing Conglian. Therefore, Xing Conglian’s identity was not merely described by the simple phrase “a kid from a rich family”.

Furthermore, all these theatrics conveyed one message: Zhourui Pharmaceutical, you think you’re valuable, but we don’t really care. Therefore, the accusation of bribery is akin to a beggar accusing a wealthy person of extortion—nothing more than a joke.

Chairman Zhou clenched his teeth. The old man didn’t directly insult him, but every word felt like the ultimate humiliation.

His emotions fluctuated wildly, and his face turned from red to blue to pale. He began to ponder the causes and consequences of the entire story and where he had ultimately lost. But in the end, as he lifted his head and looked at the employees in the entire conference room, he realized that from the very beginning, he had no chance of winning.

Why did it turn out like this?

His gaze fell outside the window. The current floor they were on was relatively low, with only a narrow strip of sky visible between buildings.

Suddenly, in that moment, he seemed to have thought of something very interesting, and a trace of understanding appeared on his face.

The expression was extremely relieved, even carrying a sense of satisfaction from avenging a great enmity.

In reality, there were no winners, only a prearranged storyline.

He finally stood up slowly, with a hint of a smile appearing on his face. It was as if he had just realized that there was no one around him anymore.

In that instant, Xing Conglian keenly captured this reaction. Since entering the conference room, it was the first time he had stood up from his seat.

“Inspector Huang,” Xing Conglian called out.

Huang Ze stood against the wall and looked over.

“Please proceed with recording.” Xing Conglian paused, then addressed everyone. “I want to have a private conversation with Chairman Zhou.”

As soon as these words were spoken, within two minutes, everyone in the conference room had cleared out completely.

Xing Conglian stood by the window, with the influential figure from the pharmaceutical company approaching him slowly, dragging his heavy steps.

From the third-floor window, he could clearly see the bustling scene downstairs.

Office workers hurriedly rushed out of the subway exit, and young people ran quickly on the square, fearing they would be late for clocking in. Everything was a typical scene of a normal workday, thriving and bustling.

In just a dozen steps, the chairman seemed to have aged by over ten years.

The middle-aged man finally stood beside him, hunching his body. This figure of authority finally shed all the cunning, maliciousness, and worldliness, speaking candidly and sincerely. “I have investigated your background. You are just an ordinary detective. To target you was the best choice for me at the time.”

Xing Conglian listened to this explanation, and although he knew that people could be very bad and foolish, he still felt angry when such things kept happening.

Zhou Shi continued, “Because of the information asymmetry, I underestimated you. Captain Xing, you effortlessly dismantled our company, using various means. I, Zhou, willingly admit my defeat.”

Xing Conglian looked at the office workers rushing around downstairs, and for a brief moment, he remembered the scene from yesterday when he overlooked everything from a tall building.

At that time, Lin Chen sat beside Shen Lian, and they both made the most difficult decision of their lives.

Thinking of Lin Chen, Xing Conglian calmed down, suppressing the anger in his heart, and said to the businessman beside him, “Chairman Zhou, everyone makes mistakes.”

“Please go on.” Chairman Zhou bowed respectfully, showing his humility.

“I once witnessed a scene.” Xing Conglian turned his head, his gaze falling on the crow’s feet at the corner of the middle-aged man’s eyes. “On the road, one dog bit another dog, and the bitten dog turned around and attacked a passerby.”

A trace of chill flashed across Chairman Zhou’s face as his thoughts were struck, but he still lowered his head and said obediently, “Dogs are extremely foolish.”

“So, do you still think that I am the one who brought down your Zhourui Pharmaceutical until now?” Xing Conglian didn’t like playing games, especially not with someone like Zhou Shi. He continued, “Out of millions of compounds, the TERN miraculous substance appeared, possessing strong healing properties, while the isomer is an unheard-of poison. As the boss, please estimate how many experts and teams you would need to develop such a compound?”

“It’s hard to say. All scientific research actually involves luck.”

Xing Conglian said, “Is that so? Then, at the beginning of TERN’s development, before Shen Lian joined your company, who introduced this compound into Nao Kangning?” Xing Conglian said coldly, “How could Shen Lian alone accomplish such a massive plan? From the initial compound screening to the final production and release of the drug, it took over a decade. Over a decade ago, someone secretly planted a seed, and countless people watered it tirelessly over the years. It only fully erupted yesterday, causing your pharmaceutical empire, built through countless days and nights of hard work, to collapse overnight. But you are shortsighted, only seeing me standing here, and you fail to see the person who planted the seed over a decade ago.”

The middle-aged man suddenly looked up at him, but Xing Conglian raised his hand to stop Zhou Shi from explaining and firmly said, “Just half a minute ago, you wanted me to give up pursuing the bribery through preemptive explanations and meaningless flattery. So now, please answer me two questions. First, since you never suspected Shen Lian of wrongdoing in Nao Kangning for a long time, why did you suddenly discover yesterday that she was the mastermind? Second, within the entire administrative department, you had countless options to choose as scapegoats, so why did you solely target me? Is it a coincidence or a deliberate arrangement?”

The commercial district buzzed with voices as office workers carried their breakfast and streamed out of convenience stores. It was an ordinary morning.

Zhou Shi’s body finally completely slumped, and the intense struggle in his heart seemed about to overwhelm him.

Finally, he raised his head and looked at Xing Conglian. “I guess I am truly very foolish.”

……

Huang Ze had been standing outside the meeting room.

Although Xing Conglian instructed him to take people for interrogation, as an Inspector, it felt strange to be ordered by a subordinate like Xing Conglian.

Apart from him, the old man who had just wreaked havoc in the meeting room was also there.

To be honest, he couldn’t connect this bald, emaciated old man with the former high-flying executive of a major corporation, especially when the old man was carrying a urine bag, constantly hopping and complaining that his urine was about to leak out.

However, apart from them, the first scientist who stood up against Zhourui Pharmaceutical was also present, along with the young members of the team led by the scientist.

Li Zheng was persistently pestering the old man, constantly inquiring about the follow-up matters of the company’s acquisition.

The old man became impatient with the questioning and directly threw the urine bag at the other party’s hand. “How would I know if the acquirer is reliable? Look, I can’t even hold my urine. How could I have the capability to buy your company?”

Li Zheng became even more anxious. “What will happen during the period of turmoil? Will the production and sales of our company’s regular drugs be affected? Will many research projects be immediately interrupted?”

“It’s hard to say. The duration of the acquisition can range from weeks to a year. Moreover, the upper management of your company is deeply involved in a criminal case, so trading will be halted tomorrow. The best choice, of course, is to wait until the stock price plummets after trading resumes and then make the acquisition.” The old man twirled his mustache and glared. “Do you know how much it costs to consult someone like me for a similar question?”

“But I really don’t have that much money.” Li Zheng held the old man’s urine bag with great sincerity. “But I must ask you this question, and I implore you to answer it. It not only involves my research project but, more importantly, I cannot become a criminal. As you mentioned just now, in addition to vaccines, our company also produces some rare medicines with extremely low profits. Only we have the capability to produce them. If our company really falls into turmoil, there may be serious problems with the supply of certain drugs and even vaccines. It could lead to situations where patients suddenly fall ill and are unable to receive medication, which is a societal issue that affects everyone.”

Li Zheng earnestly pleaded.

“What exactly do you want?” The old man snatched his urine bag back and turned to leave.

Li Zheng said firmly, “Can you use your resources to buy our company in the shortest possible time?”

The old man was surprised to hear this, and Huang Ze frowned while looking at Li Zheng.

Just then, the doors of the meeting room were pushed open, and sunlight poured in like water.

Xing Conglian stood in the doorway; it was unclear how long he had been standing behind the door.

The old man seemed to have not noticed that the chairman of the pharmaceutical company was standing behind Xing Conglian. He pointed at Li Zheng and spoke to Xing Conglian as if no one else was present. “Are all the researchers sick? They have no understanding of economics. He actually asked me to buy Zhourui at the fastest speed?”

“Can you do it?”

To Huang Ze’s surprise, he heard Xing Conglian ask such a question.

“Of course I can…” The old man began, but suddenly he stared at Xing Conglian. “Are you crazy?”

Just then, Xing Conglian’s phone rang. He answered the call and hung up. His tense expression suddenly relaxed, and a relieved look, as if everything was destined, appeared on his face.

Huang Ze knew that Lin Chen had probably woken up.

“Take action.”

Xing Conglian raised his head and uttered those words with a determined gaze.

Wang Chao, who had been sitting on the ground playing with his laptop, suddenly stood up, causing the laptop to fall to the ground. “Fuck me Boss!”

The young people looked at Xing Conglian in confusion, not understanding why things had suddenly taken this turn.

And at that moment, Huang Ze seemed to see the figure of Lin Chen overlapping with Xing Conglian.

It was only then that Huang Ze realized how much Xing Conglian resembled Lin Chen.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 256

Xing Conglian looked at the old man with a determined gaze, making it imperative for him to answer.

“How many senior executives change jobs every year and get accused by their previous employers under various pretexts? Look into the name ‘Liu Chunning*’.” The old man, holding the urinary bag, smiled ambiguously at the guilt-ridden executives from Zhourui. “The most likely scenario is that these naive kids have been squeezed. They probably have some shares of Zhourui themselves. If the company goes bankrupt and they end up in jail, they might as well come forward now to protect the company. Who knows, the chairman might have promised to take care of their wives and children and give them more money every year. That’s how it goes when it comes to taking the blame.”

*Alibaba’s vice president who was arrested for bribery and corruption.

No one had expected Xing Conglian to publicly expose this hidden truth, let alone the fact that this “bum-like old man” he brought along would be able to point it out and dare to do so.

“How should it be resolved then?” Xing Conglian asked.

“It’s simple.” The old man’s gaze suddenly became shrewd and sharp. “You can tell them that even if they take the blame, the company may not necessarily be saved. When disaster strikes, it’s every man for himself.”

“I’m afraid that reasoning won’t convince them,” Xing Conglian said. “Behind pharmaceutical companies are complex financial conglomerates, and the days of rebels are probably not going to be easy.”

The old man took two steps forward and stood facing Xing Conglian, and he replied, “That makes it even simpler…”

He dragged out his tone, and in an instant, all the high-ranking executives who were prepared to take the blame turned to look at the old man, instinctively awaiting his answer.

“The highest bidder wins,” the old man casually said, as if he were casually buying a pastry.

Everyone in the conference room was dumbfounded, as if they had heard the most nonsensical plot twist.

The first one to burst into laughter was the chairman of Zhourui Pharmaceutical.

He took off his glasses, lowered his head, and smiled helplessly. “With such a mess, if you want to buy it, we can discuss the price.”

“Who wants to buy your pathetic company?” The old man hunched over, limping his way to the chairman, and seemed to be pointing out the way forward. “But just because I don’t want to buy it doesn’t mean no one is interested in it.”

Before the chairman could speak again, the old man affectionately patted his head, which was shiny with hair gel, and said, “You’re promising them a possibility for the future, but not the greatest possibility. In a sense, you’re deceiving them.”

The old man snapped his fingers and said directly, “Comrade Xiao Wang, show these uncles the case of the hostile acquisition* of Anlijie Pharmaceutical by Canadian pharmaceutical company Wali.”

*Also known as a hostile takeover, it is when a company (the acquirer) takes control of another company (the target) without the approval or consent of the target company’s board of directors. This is usually done when the acquirer goes directly to the shareholders or fights to get management replaced to get their acquisition approve.

Since the old man entered the room, Wang Chao seemed to have figured something out. He had been making gestures at his boss for a while, but Xing Conglian remained inscrutable, giving him no hints. When he heard the old man’s request, he looked at Xing Conglian with surprise, and then, as if he had been prepared all along, he clicked on the document on the desktop, and a well-detailed acquisition process appeared on the large screen.

Except for the research and development personnel, everyone in the room had some understanding of business acquisitions, so they had no trouble following along. The executives’ gazes became evasive and no longer as resolute as before.

“In fact, it’s very difficult for your company to survive.” The old man stood with his hands behind his back and said, “When I was taking a dump, I read some news about your company. In early September of this year, you initiated the acquisition of Li Nanquan Pharmaceutical. On September 7th and 8th, you acquired 19.5% of Li Nanquan’s shares through secondary market transactions.”

The old man paused, and as soon as he mentioned the acquisition, everyone became tense. The old man comforted them. “Don’t be too nervous, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a normal hostile takeover. With an additional 0.6%, your company will become the largest shareholder of Li Nanquan Pharmaceutical. But the problem is, isn’t your company already in big trouble? Li Nanquan could easily adopt the common poison pill defense plan* in the industry to counter the acquisition. Then your company, not only invested a significant amount of money in a doomed acquisition but also faced the dilemma of a major criminal case, along with issues such as bank loans coming due. With multiple pressures, things will be miserable. Oh, wouldn’t you end up bankrupt and undergo restructuring? In that case, the big shots in the capital market will definitely step in to acquire Zhourui. If you were the boss, what would you do?” The old man walked and talked, and finally casually patted the shoulder of a high-ranking Zhourui executive who was ready to take the blame, whispering to him, “You’ll be the one to go to jail for him, and he’ll sell the company and run away. If he’s kind-hearted, he might fulfill the promises he made to you. But if it were me… You’ve already admitted guilt, so what does it have to do with me?”

*A defense tactic also known as the shareholder rights plan. It allows existing shareholders to buy newly issued stocks at a discount if one shareholder has bought more than a stipulated percentage of stock, resulting in dilution of the ownership interest of the acquiring company (hostile company trying to take over). Usually, the buyer who triggered the defense is excused from the discount. This basically aims to make the company a less attractive target (thus why it’s called a poison pill). You can learn more about hostile takeovers here.

The impeccably dressed industry elite trembled.

Although the old man intentionally lowered his voice, in the completely silent conference room, his voice, filled with sarcasm and amusement, was enough to deeply shake people’s hearts.

He implied that the high-ranking executives of Zhourui would definitely refuse to take responsibility and face protests.

“With such a big mess caused by our company, who would be willing to take it over? Won’t bankruptcy be the only way out?” someone asked, feigning concern.

“Zhourui is indeed in a mess, and in a sense, you’ve made a mess of it. But is that really the case?” The old man spoke as if listing cherished treasures. “Zhourui is not only the largest pharmaceutical company in the country, but also one of the world’s largest producers of vaccines and blood products. The R&D institutions under Zhourui have more than 30 patents for the production processes of various major disease vaccines. The sales revenue from vaccines and blood products accounts for 39% and 29% of the total pharmaceutical sales business, respectively. This means that even if your pharmaceutical department is completely ruined, the profits from the vaccine and blood product departments alone would be enticing enough.” The old man sighed. “Such a good company. If I had some money, I’d really like to dismantle it and swallow the most valuable parts.”

The old man dragged out his sigh for a long time and made chewing sounds with his mouth wide open.

The comical sound echoed in the silent conference room, and everyone continued to contemplate the seemingly random words of the old man.

Before long, it was evident from their gazes that the Zhourui employees who were prepared to take the blame were now seriously wavering in their thoughts. They just needed some assurance, and they would change their minds.

At this moment, a female researcher sitting with crossed legs in the sunlight shook her long wavy hair and asked the question that concerned everyone the most. “Even if they choose to cooperate with the police and avoid punishment, and we end up being acquired, they will still be treated as expendable. But if they take the blame for the chairman now, they can immediately receive a large sum of money. How can we say that the former choice is necessarily better than the latter?”

“You must be a research scientist to have such a lack of understanding of finance, little sister.” The old man laughed out loud and didn’t answer Feng Zhenzhen’s question.

Feng Zhenzhen widened her eyes and almost wanted to argue with this old man who was teasing them.

Seeing this, Xing Conglian intervened and spoke up.

“Thank you,” Xing Conglian said.

The old man was delighted to hear the word “thank you”. He pretended to bow to Xing Conglian and even made a gesture of removing hair.

The production supervisor withdrew his gaze from the screen, swallowed hard, and made a determined decision as he walked up to the old man, bowing and asking, “Are you suggesting that our company will ultimately be acquired by a more powerful party, and they will choose to directly acquire our shares or terminate our positions, and at that time, we will receive a severance package. So the best choice is to cooperate with the police?”

“Why are you asking me? How should I know?” The old man widened his eyes and looked at the young production supervisor as if he were looking at a lunatic. “In life, who can guarantee anything for you? It all depends on whether you have the courage to take risks.”

The production supervisor nodded at the old man and then turned to bow to Chairman Zhou, saying solemnly, “Chairman, thank you for your years of cultivation.”

After saying that, he walked toward the empty seat in the sunlight.

His posture was so upright, as if he had never been so dignified in all these years.

Just like the most classic domino effect, as the production supervisor took the 11th seat, there was suddenly a clattering sound in the meeting room—the sound of chair legs rubbing against the floor.

The employees who had been observing from their seats realized the gravity of the situation as the old man exposed the truth. They immediately rushed out of their seats like hungry wolves, trying to occupy the remaining nine vacant seats. Even the previously unmoving top executives of Zhourui Pharmaceuticals shifted in their seats, as if having different thoughts.

However, the seats were instantly taken.

The employees who missed the last opportunity looked as if they had lost their souls, standing in the vacant space in front of Xing Conglian, not knowing what to do.

“Captain Xing, can you give us another chance?”

“We are willing to testify.”

Similar pleas kept ringing out, and in that instant, the once unshakable alliance of Zhourui Pharmaceutical turned into scattered dust under the sunlight.

However, Xing Conglian remained unmoved. He looked through the gaps in the crowd and locked eyes with Chairman Zhou.

Chairman Zhou stared back at him expressionlessly, but then he suddenly let out a cold laugh and raised his hands, applauding sarcastically.

“Captain Xing, you came prepared,” he exclaimed loudly. “I now understand that what Captain Xing is interested in is not the case itself but our Zhourui Pharmaceutical!”

Upon hearing this, Wang Chao was stunned. He had encountered ruthless businessmen before, but he had never seen someone so malicious and unrepentant.

Comrade Xiao Wang’s anger surged, possibly influenced by Zhourui Pharmaceuticals’ habit of banging the table. He also stood up and cursed, “Damn, what did you just say? Watch your language!”

“Getting all worked up because you’ve been exposed; there’s no need for such embarrassment,” the Chairman sneered.

“There’s something I must say, even though it’s vulgar. First, you accused our boss of bribery, and now you’re accusing our boss of investigating your company to sabotage it for an acquisition. Even a clay figure has three points of anger. If you continue to be so shameless, we… I’ll!” Wang Chao paused abruptly as he realized that he couldn’t say, “I’ll just arrest you and beat you up.” It was inappropriate due to his public position. Comrade Xiao Wang pursed his lips, searching for the right words but finding none that sounded quite right. In the end, he could only mutter, “Damn it, if A’Chen Gege were here…”

“Indeed, it seems that law enforcement agencies don’t allow people to speak the truth anymore.” Seizing this opportunity, Chairman Zhou continued his counterattack. “Captain Xing, you casually travel in luxury cars, and your driver used to be the former CEO of Morgan Stanley*. If that’s not coming prepared, then what is?”

*An American multinational investment bank and financial services company headquartered at 1585 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. With offices in 41 countries and more than 75,000 employees, the firm’s clients include corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley ranked No. 61 in the 2021 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 255

The seminar had finally reached a crucial point. Xing Conglian found it hard to sit up straight and looked at Xiao Zhan.

Wang Chao also nudged Mr. Xiao Zhan and asked, “What is an isomer?”

Xiao Zhan initially flipped through the previous test data in a panic, but when he was suddenly called upon, he began reciting somewhat hesitantly, “Isomerism refers to the phenomenon where compounds have the same molecular formula but different structures. Isomers with the same molecular formula but different structures are called structural isomers. For example, the molecular structure of optical isomers* is very similar to the compound itself, to the extent that their melting and boiling points are often the same. They can usually be observed using physical methods.”

*Two or more forms of a compound which have the same structure but are mirror images of each other and typically differ in optical activity.

“After mixing isomers, can the effect of a drug change?” Xing Conglian asked.

“It’s possible. For example, chiral isomers are widely present in nucleic acids and proteins within the human body, and most drugs also exhibit chirality*,” someone explained to Xing Conglian. “There is a drug called levodopa used for Parkinson’s disease, and its D-isomer can cause optic neuritis and lead to blindness.”

*When two isomers that are mirror image of each other. They have the same chemical properties except when reacting with other chiral compounds.

Furthermore, the young man who had walked out earlier added, “Several decades ago, an isomer incident involving thalidomide* caused severe teratogenic reactions in pregnant women.”

*Drug use to treat a number of cancers and many skin disorders (mainly leprosy). When it was first released in 1957 in West Germany, it wasn’t tested on pregnant women and resulted in major birth defects and the deaths of many babies, leading to its removal from the market in 1961. This led to greater drug regulation and monitoring in many countries.

“But during our TERN experiments, no adverse isomers were produced. It shouldn’t be our fault.” Feng Zhenzhen pushed Li Zheng and grew anxious. “Professor Li…”

Li Zheng remained silent for a long time, and his silence caused all the researchers around him to quiet down.

In contrast, the other Zhourui employees opposite of them looked at the researchers who had taken the initiative with a gaze that seemed to say, “We knew this would happen.”

“Speaking of which, I still find it unbelievable that such a thing occurred.” Li Zheng pushed his golden-rimmed glasses, and his face became filled with disappointment and weariness.

Wang Chao anxiously looked at the scientist who was the first to speak out, unsure of what to say. “Well, this… it’s not your fault either.”

“In fact, the absence of a TERN isomer suggests there may have been some oversight in our development process, but I’m not trying to shift the blame because I’m certain that, according to the pharmaceutical formulation we provided, it would be impossible for adverse isomers to appear.” Li Zheng finally looked up, his gaze becoming calm and cold. “Considering the series of process improvement proposals put forward by Shen Lian, it’s likely that our company ‘optimized’ the pharmaceutical process to save costs, resulting in the production of a small amount of optical isomers in TERN through the optimized process. However, due to negligence in quality control or deliberate concealment by the factory, these isomers were not discovered.”

“Li Zheng, speak with evidence. Are you trying to shift the blame onto our production team?” The supervisor in charge of pharmaceutical production at Zhourui Pharmaceutical angrily rebuked.

The chubby researcher next to Professor Li stood up abruptly and slammed the process optimization report on the table. He was visibly angry and pointed at the other person. “Then tell me, with your chest held high, that you thoroughly checked the purity of each batch of drugs after process optimization. Dare you say that there are absolutely no optical isomers in Nao Kangning?!”

“Just because you’re being aggressive doesn’t mean you’re right!” The deputy general in charge of production also stood up and slammed the table.

“Tsk.” Feng Zhenzhen, sitting with her legs crossed, sneered, “Then please clearly tell us, does it exist or not?” Before the other person could respond, Feng Zhenzhen didn’t give him a chance. “Let me come up with an excuse for you. Either you didn’t conduct isomer testing at all, or when the drug problems arose, you detected the isomers, but their quantity was minimal. Separation and purification would require substantial costs. So, you simply conducted simple drug tests during production, found no major issues, and covered up the matter. However, as adverse reaction cases increased and TERN was shared through patents, you were afraid of being held accountable, so you came up with the method of replacing the old drug with a new one.” The female researcher continued, putting down her leg and sitting up straight. “Although we now know that TERN has a problem and can quickly deduce the presence of isomers, the pharmaceutical process is very complex. Even if you investigated it accurately while being deliberately concealed, you had a whole eight years. If anyone among you had the courage to come forward and say we should cut off the limb rather than choose concealment, how could the situation have evolved to what it is now?”

Wang Chao was stunned by everything he had heard so far and interjected, “But I remember that we were able to discover the issues with the old and new drugs because Zhourui was replacing the manufacturer. Doesn’t that imply they also didn’t know how the isomers were produced? Otherwise, Shen Lian wouldn’t have been able to hide until now?”

“There’s one explanation.”

A deep voice resounded. Xing Conglian, who had been quiet all along, suddenly spoke.

Wang Chao turned to look at his boss, and his boss’s cold gaze fell upon the chubby figure of the chairman of Zhourui Pharmaceutical. In that instant, it was as if the most cunning hunter had finally caught sight of his prey’s vulnerability.

Xing Conglian spoke slowly, composedly, and unrushed. “Now, let’s hear Chairman Zhou’s answer. Is it true that the person responsible for secretly conducting investigations into the issues with the Nao Kangning drug is Shen Lian?”

Wang Chao was momentarily stunned but quickly understood the question at hand.

Zhourui Pharmaceutical knew there was a problem with Nao Kangning, but they had never discovered that Shen Lian was the one behind it. If it wasn’t due to the incompetence of the investigator, then the most likely explanation was that the person in charge of the investigation was Shen Lian herself.

Her boss had posed an extremely tricky question, implying: If you admit that the person conducting the investigation is Shen Lian, then it means your company had discovered the adverse reactions of Nao Kangning long ago but failed to report it, allowing a toxic drug to circulate in the market.

“I am not aware of any investigation regarding the Nao Kangning drug mentioned by Captain Xing.”

Chairman Zhou could no longer control his facial expression, and Wang Chao couldn’t fathom how this cunning old man could still attempt to argue.

It seemed as though Xing Conglian had been waiting for this moment.

His sharp gaze fell upon the faces of the high-level Zhourui executives who had dared to stand out and berate others. He casually said, “Since the chairman is unaware, then let those below speak up.”

He pointed at the production supervisor. “Let’s start with the production department. Did you ever discover the issue with isomers? Did you choose to conceal it for the sake of your own job security without reporting it to the company’s higher-ups?”

The production supervisor and deputy general never expected Xing Conglian to so easily bypass the chairman and target them directly. They dared not look at anyone, and beads of cold sweat seemed to drip from their foreheads.

“It’s not that complicated. There are two choices: to shoulder the responsibility or not.” Xing Conglian maintained his calm tone, but his meaning was thought-provoking.

Upon hearing this, the anxious man instinctively looked up, glancing at the remaining ten empty seats. He subconsciously placed his hand on the table, as if about to stand up.

His action was noticed by another executive sitting beside him, who immediately stopped him.

The person shook his head gently.

“They won’t say anything, will they? They’re all in cahoots! Everything is documented in the meeting records. With cross-examination, we’ll be able to find out the truth!” This reaction somehow ignited Li Zheng’s anger. The scientist picked up a pen and pointed at someone who had spoken during the previous discussion. “You’re right. The key question is why the project for improving the drug was suddenly initiated. If it was a normal project for drug improvement, and Tan Kang changed the TERN configuration for the purpose of improving its ingredients, without the company’s knowledge, then it was solely Shen Lian’s doing. Our company would also be a victim and bear the responsibility for regulatory oversight. On the contrary, if our company collected clinical feedback, became aware of the drug’s issues, and concealed the truth for certain reasons, allowing a harmful drug to spread…” Li Zheng looked at the chairman, even expressing some pain. “From 2008 to 2016, a whole eight years, all of you were accomplices in covering up the crime for personal gain. You are murderers!”

Li Zheng’s words were like the final straw that broke the camel’s back, causing the production supervisor mentioned by Xing Conglian to tremble like a sieve.

Witnessing this reaction, Wang Chao believed a confession was within reach, and Zhourui was about to collapse.

However, Wang Chao watched helplessly as the man wiped the sweat from his forehead, his smile filled with extreme bitterness. In the most desperate tone, he said, “What can I do? It’s just that I failed to report it upward. I… I had a secret romantic relationship with Shen Lian… I was her accomplice…”

The meeting room exploded, and everyone looked in shock at the production supervisor, who had voluntarily confessed.

“Fucking hell!” Feng Zhenzhen was the first to curse.

In the chaotic environment, no one noticed the abnormality on a few seats scattered among the hundred-member team of Zhourui Pharmaceutical. Some people appeared crestfallen but clenched their hands into fists as if determined.

“Are you an idiot?” Wang Chao frustratedly cursed.

At that moment, another executive stood up as well. “I am also guilty. I failed to fulfill my supervisory duties, resulting in such serious consequences, yet I chose to conceal the truth. I cannot absolve myself of blame.”

Wang Chao looked at the madman-like gaze shifting to the person who had just confessed.

However, the admission of guilt by the senior executives at Zhourui didn’t stop there. Along with the production supervisor’s confession, several other responsible individuals stood up, confessing their own crimes. Some even walked up to the police officers after speaking, extending their hands to be handcuffed.

Meanwhile, some higher-ranking individuals remained silent, observing their subordinates confessing with cold eyes.

The police officers exchanged looks, somewhat bewildered, and could only turn to Xing Conglian, awaiting guidance from the one in control.

“You… Why are you all so stupid!” Wang Chao nearly overturned his computer in frustration.

At this point, a triumphant smile finally appeared on the chairman’s face. He curved his chubby lips slightly and looked at Xing Conglian. The previously feigned anxiety and nervousness were gone. He seemed to have a complete grasp of the situation, as if he had already prepared for every possible outcome. Everything was developing in the direction he had anticipated.

Ever since entering the office, Xing Conglian had been relatively silent. Now, faced with the chairman’s true provocation, he didn’t argue or persuade. He simply picked up his phone and sent a text message.

Before long, the back door of the conference room was kicked open with a bang.

An old man, holding a urinary bag, stood at the doorway, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Young nephew, what do you want from me? Is everything settled? My urinary bag is almost full. I’ll have to go to the hospital later.”

Everyone in the conference room looked toward the door as if they had seen a ghost, laying eyes on a thin, elderly man with a prosthetic leg.

The old man also noticed that there were so many people in the conference room, and his tone immediately changed when he spoke to Xing Conglian. He became extremely obsequious and said, “Boss, what can I do for you?”

Only then did everyone recall that this old man was seemingly the driver of the sports car from before. If he was indeed Captain Xing’s driver, then this police captain had an incredibly formidable background.

Faced with those questioning and puzzled gazes, Xing Conglian didn’t explain much. He politely asked the old man, “I have a question to ask you.”

“I will speak all that I know without reservation!” the old man said. “If you let me play outside for a couple more hours, I’ll even tell you my bank card password.”

“The current situation is like this: I offered lenient punishment to some middle-level employees who made mistakes. But why do they prefer to take the blame for the highest level of the company rather than accepting my goodwill?” Xing Conglian asked.

Upon hearing this question, the old man looked at Xing Conglian as if he had seen a ghost, wearing an expression that seemed to say, “You clearly know the answer, so why are you asking me?”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 254

“You stay out of this,” Li Zheng impatiently reprimanded. The chief engineer of Zhourui’s most renowned laboratory seemed completely immersed in the investigation of the drug issue and didn’t even notice his boss’s dark expression.

Chairman Zhou didn’t speak further; he simply looked deeply at his once most trusted research staff.

The atmosphere in the room became even more somber, and some of the pharmaceutical researchers followed Li Zheng’s lead and began to think quickly.

The more silence there was, the more the management team sensed the unfavorable atmosphere in the room. Some perceptive employees rushed to defend their boss. “Professor Li, I’ll say something blunt. Chairman Zhou didn’t mention it, wanting to save face for you, but in this three-stage analysis and the problem with TERN, aren’t you the most suspicious one?”

This was a very serious accusation, but Li Zheng didn’t care at all. He didn’t even have the interest to argue.

The person wanted to say more but was interrupted by a female researcher from the Nao Kangning team. “Manager Wang, Nao Kangning is a project from more than a decade ago. To thoroughly investigate the development issues, there are hundreds of thousands of compounds involved in the initial screening alone. The specific experimental process is incredibly complex, and it involves hundreds or thousands of researchers. Do we have so much time now?”

“Thorough investigation?” The person known as Manager Wang, sneered. “Feng Zhenzhen, you really have a simple mind. Didn’t you understand what the chairman said earlier? If everyone starts attacking each other, the company will surely collapse. We can only overcome this difficult situation by uniting.”

“Manager Wang’s words are quite interesting. So if we investigate the problem thoroughly, the company will collapse. No wonder you want everyone to stay silent—to hide what can be hidden, and when it can’t be hidden, find a scapegoat.” The female researcher sneered, standing up. She patted the shoulders of her two colleagues next to her and said, “Make way, I’m going out.”

“Feng Zhenzhen…”

Chairman Zhou, sitting in the center, looked at Li Zheng across from him and softly called the female researcher’s name, with a serious tone that increased the pressure.

“Chairman.” The female researcher imitated Li Zheng’s manner from earlier and said to her boss, “I’m just going to sit for a while. I don’t have any leverage against you, so you don’t have to worry.”

She was wearing a pair of mismatched sports shoes and sat next to Li Zheng with a light and brisk pace. Now, there were 18 empty seats out of the original 20.

The calm captain of the criminal investigation division, who seldom spoke, maintained his composed attitude. “And who are you?” he asked.

“Feng Zhenzhen. I was previously involved in the initial screening of compounds and later worked in the Nordren team,” Feng Zhenzhen said decisively, pointing at the manager who had just berated her. “Before you all arrived, Manager Wang warned us, the lower-level employees, not to speak recklessly in front of the police.”

“Feng Zhenzhen, please refrain from attacking others indiscriminately.”

“Oh, of course, you wouldn’t say it like that, but that’s how it sounded to me,” Feng Zhenzhen said contemptuously.

The female researcher’s gaze wandered over her colleagues sitting across from her. Each person had a different expression, and amidst the crowded seats, some looked at her coldly, some showed disdain, and others stared at the timeline on the wall as if reminiscing about something.

“You’re disgusting!”

Rebels naturally provoke strong collective hostility.

A woman with curly hair couldn’t bear it any longer and coldly said to Feng Zhenzhen, “How is it possible that they won’t find any problems if they continue investigating? The police just want to arrest a group of people and quell the public’s anger. Manager Wang and Chairman Zhou have already made their intentions clear! By stepping forward now and sacrificing the interests of other colleagues to satisfy your own sense of justice, you think you’re so great? So remarkable? Have you ever considered other people?”

These words also stirred up the indignation of others. The crowd became fervent, and Feng Zhenzhen became the target of criticism.

Huang Ze instinctively looked at Xing Conglian, but apart from initially arranging the 20 empty seats and announcing the rules of the game, Xing Conglian had not controlled the situation. He had been observing the development of events with a cold eye. Huang Ze felt anxious because he realized he couldn’t grasp the other’s thoughts, just as he had never been able to understand Lin Chen’s thoughts.

Feng Zhenzhen’s voice rang out, overpowering everyone else. “I’m the troublemaker who disregards collective interests. Compared to whether you all go to jail or the company goes bankrupt, what matters more is my own conscience.”

“Hypocrites always act so righteous!”

“So what? We are pharmaceutical researchers. I have to take responsibility for the products I develop and for the health of the patients who use these drugs. I don’t have time to consider you right now!”

At this point, Professor Li Zheng, who had been immersed in his thoughts, finally interrupted the female researcher next to him. “Enough. Arguing with them is meaningless. You should also think about what exactly went wrong with TERN.”

“I’ve thought about it, but I can’t figure it out. I believe that Dr. Tan Kang must have discovered something, which is why he changed the TERN configuration and mentioned in his notes that Shen Lian was poisoning people. So there must be more detailed information in his notes. What exactly did Shen Lian do, and how did she do it?” Feng Zhenzhen’s gaze fell on Comrade Xiao Wang, who was operating the computer.

Wang Chao looked frustrated as he said, “The smart electronic pen contains fragmented text. I’ve been sorting through it for a while, and it subtly mentions the drug issue and Shen Lian’s poisoning… And who the hell knows if it’s true or not…”

“What if we change our approach?” Perhaps Feng Zhenzhen’s words had an effect, as someone else spoke up in the crowded seats of Zhourui’s side. “If we investigate what Shen Lian did in the Nao Kangning and Nordren related project teams, maybe we can understand how she poisoned and what methods she used to turn our clinical trial drugs into ones with toxic side effects?”

Upon hearing this, many hostile gazes were directed at the young man who interrupted.

Researchers were either silent or very distinctive. Upon seeing this, the young man said, “Do we have to go over there to speak? Then I’ll go.”

As he spoke, he turned to a few people beside him and asked, “Do you want to come with me?”

Several young people around him stood up in unison, led by a chubby young man. He pushed past the Zhourui executives sitting on the outside and led the group to the empty seats opposite.

After they sat down, the chubby young man proactively said to Xing Conglian, “We’re not part of the Nordren team, but it’s interesting to seize the opportunity to reduce their sentences.”

Wang Chao looked at these energetic young people with his mouth agape, and muttered to himself, “The young delusion of saving the world—the ancients don’t deceive me*.”

*This a sarcastic comment that basically says how young people’s actions are somewhat delusional and overly idealistic (which is ironic since it’s coming from him).

But the other people in the meeting room completely ignored him.

Feng Zhenzhen said, “I also think so. In the three stages Professor Li just mentioned, I believe the problem lies in the second stage—specifically, the stage from obtaining approval for Nao Kangning to when the company decided to improve the drug. The work done during this stage involves collecting and tracking clinical data, which Shen Lian could have tampered with it.”

Small beads of sweat formed on Xiao Zhan’s forehead. In the presence of the beautiful female researcher, he became somewhat hesitant and stammered. “I… I also think so, but… Shen Lian submitted a lot of things, and she might have submitted proposals in the name of the team, so… I can only compile a rough timeline. I’m not really an expert in pharmaceuticals, so I can’t understand it very well…”

“You’re already amazing,” Feng Zhenzhen said to Xiao Zhan.

Mr. Xiao blushed and quickly displayed the timeline on the large screen.

2008.1 Nao Kangning receives approval

2008.1 Shen Lian joins Zhourui Pharmaceutical Factory and is responsible for the production of Nao Kangning

2008.3 Shen Lian and her team propose a series of process improvement documents, involving hundreds of reports and suggestions

↓

2011.1 Nao Kangning improvement project initiated

Li Zheng asked, “Can we take a look at the production process improvement proposals submitted by Shen Lian and her team?”

Feng Zhenzhen interjected, “Do you want them printed? I can go and make a few copies.”

At this moment, Wang Chao inexplicably glanced at Xing Conglian. He pulled out his heavy backpack from under the table, unzipped it, and revealed rows and rows of materials inside. “We’ve prepared this a long time ago.”

The young man struggled to lift the bag onto the table, and Xiao Zhan began distributing the materials. Those who received the materials quickly started reading.

The conference room was filled with the sound of flipping papers. The heated argument session unexpectedly turned into an internal discussion meeting within Zhourui.

Chairman Zhou crossed his arms and looked at Xing Conglian, as if saying, “Captain Xing, you have great tactics.”

“Exactly. This compound is indeed TERN,” Feng Zhenzhen said again. “Should I go back to the laboratory and check again?”

Li Zheng first stopped Feng Zhenzhen and asked Xiao Zhan, “What kind of tests did you perform?”

“Gas chromatography* and liquid chromatography. The fragmented pieces produced matched exactly,” Xiao Zhan replied.

*A laboratory technique for separation of a mixture into its components. The mixture is dissolved in a fluid solvent (gas or liquid) called the mobile phase, which carries it through a system (a column, a capillary tube, a plate, or a sheet) on which a material called the stationary phase is fixed. Because the different constituents of the mixture tend to have different affinities for the stationary phase and are retained for different lengths of time depending on their interactions with its surface sites, the constituents travel at different apparent velocities in the mobile fluid, causing them to separate.

“What do you mean by ‘matched exactly’? Did you simply isolate TERN from Nao Kangning, or did you reconstruct it?” asked the chubby researcher.

Suddenly caught in the crossfire, Xiao Zhan became even slower in his speech. He said, “I… I… didn’t have enough time. I… only compared it based on the structure you provided.”

“You were too hasty. A more reliable approach would be to conduct batch tests on the drug’s issues. After all, there are still many possibilities, such as interactions between various components, resulting in the formation of new toxic compounds,” Feng Zhenzhen added.

Upon hearing this, the expressions on the faces of the representatives from Zhourui improved significantly. If the police rushed their investigation, they would soon have a chance to turn the tables.

However, at that moment, Li Zheng stopped everyone from arguing and said, “Our approach to discussing the problem should not be like this. What if we accept two premises? First, the substance with severe side effects is indeed TERN, and second, there were no such severe side effects when Nao Kangning obtained approval in 2008. Assuming these two premises, we can draw a conclusion that Shen Lian did something after 2008 to cause the compound with the same structure to have toxic side effects. Let’s reason out what Shen Lian might have done.”

Under the sunlight, a young person seemed to have realized something and asked, “Professor Li, are you suggesting…”

The chubby researcher’s voice was somewhat eerie as he said, “Could it be an isomer*?”

*Are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formula–that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomers do not necessarily share similar chemical or physical properties. Two main forms of isomerism are structural or constitutional isomerism, in which bonds between the atoms differ; and stereoisomerism or spatial isomerism, in which the bonds are the same but the relative positions of the atoms differ.

“The mass spectrometry fragments are the same. If TERN is really the issue, then the possibility of an isomer is the highest!” Feng Zhenzhen said with a shudder.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Usually I provide some supplement knowledge when needed, but I was pretty bad at chemistry to the point of failing, so this might not be the most accurate explanation.

An isomer is a molecule that has the same number of atoms of each element, but its chemical structure is different. For example, hydrocarbon C₃H₄ has three structural isomers:

I Propadiene	II Propyne	III Cyclopropene

While they have the same number of atoms (carbon and hydrogen), their structures are different, making them different compounds. This can result in different physical and chemical properties.

Relating to this case, TERN has its own chemical structural compound, but Shen Lian changed the structural compound while still keeping the same amount of atoms in TERN. This change in structure completely changes the element.

As for how to detect whether an isomer is present, I’m not sure if chromatography can do it. That’s too much science for my brain to handle.

Anyway, I’m not a chemist, so if anyone’s more knowledgeable in this area, do chime in.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 253

The Chairman was slightly overweight, wearing a dark golden tie and meticulously styled hair. His speech was full of reason and emotion, which made him appear persuasive.

Every word he spoke seemed reasonable and heartfelt, but Huang Ze felt nauseated.

However, after that, Xing Conglian uttered only one word, with a very short tone.

He said, “Oh.”

Huang Ze was stunned, as were the Chairman, and all the employees present.

Xing Conglian remained calm and confident, overlooking the struggling ants at his feet without needing to make any unnecessary reactions.

The Chairman stood awkwardly in place. After a brief moment of silence, the Chairman extended his hand, revealing his wristwatch, and said with righteousness, “Captain Xing, please handcuff me.”

The entire room fell silent. Zhourui’s employees sat down, each harboring their own intentions, all looking at Xing Conglian, waiting for his response.

The current situation seemed to have turned into a competition of who could say the right words and gain the trust of the employees, as whoever succeeded would emerge victorious.

However, Xing Conglian had no intention of winning. He adjusted his posture, leaned forward, and looked at the police officers present. “Didn’t you hear what I said earlier?”

The police officers responsible for the arrest swiftly escorted the members of the Nao Kangning team away from their seats.

At that moment, a deep male voice cut through the chaotic atmosphere.

“Stop!”

In the corner of the room, a middle-aged man stood up. He was wearing a white lab coat with a pen tucked into his front chest pocket, displaying the demeanor of a traditional scholar. Moreover, his hair was mostly gray, which didn’t match his age.

A smile appeared on Chairman Zhou’s face as he also looked towards the source of the voice.

“Who are you?” Xing Conglian calmly asked, seemingly unsurprised that someone like Li Zheng would stand up.

“I’m Li Zheng. I led the development of Nao Kangning,” the man said seriously. “I am the head and chief engineer of the Coreda Laboratory under Zhourui.”

“Mr. Li.” Xing Conglian paused, giving him the opportunity to continue.

“If there are indeed any problems with Nao Kangning, the main culprit should be me,” Li Zheng said. “I led the development of this drug that you refer to as a psychotropic substance. It turns people into uncontrollable demons, and yet I failed to discover its strong side effects. I cannot shirk my responsibility…”

As Li Zheng spoke, he walked towards the center of the conference room and stood in the vacant seat, facing Xing Conglian. Huang Ze furrowed his brow tighter and tighter. They needed to investigate the case thoroughly, not find a scapegoat. If a second company executive voluntarily confessed, it could inadvertently turn into the police pressuring Zhourui’s employees to admit guilt, which would be very unsightly.

Xing Conglian leaned against the back of his chair, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “So what?”

“I have a question.” Li Zheng pushed his glasses up, hands in his pockets, and stared at the rotating compound on the projection screen, as if organizing his thoughts.

“I didn’t fully understand earlier. Are you saying that the substance that drives people crazy is TERN? It’s identical to it? Are you sure?”

Xing Conglian glanced at Xiao Zhan, signaling him to answer the question.

Mr. Xiao Zhan’s response was unexpected. He pointed to the 20 vacant seats, mustering his courage, and said, “I won’t speak to you while you’re standing here.”

Li Zheng didn’t expect this move. He followed Xiao Zhan’s pointing finger and looked over.

In the next moment, Li Zheng took a step forward and walked towards the 20 vacant seats, as if it was a very easy decision.

Watching Li Zheng’s figure, cracks finally appeared on Chairman Zhou’s meticulously maintained face.

The morning sun outside had fully risen, casting a brilliant path. The scientist with graying hair didn’t look back.

Sitting in the sunlight, Li Zheng first spoke to Xing Conglian. “Honestly, I don’t have any inside information to share. If it is indeed my responsibility, you don’t need to reduce my sentence. I’m sitting here because I want to figure out what’s going on.”

Xing Conglian looked at him and nodded in agreement.

The slightly overweight Chairman clenched his teeth and restrained himself as best he could.

“Chairman Zhou, I’ll just sit for a while. Once I understand the issue, I’ll come back. You can take a seat for now.” Li Zheng realized this and politely addressed his boss before finally turning to Xiao Zhan. “Can you answer my earlier question now?”

“I’m certain. The two compounds do indeed have exactly the same structural formula,” Mr. Xiao Zhan said.

A faint worry finally appeared on Li Zheng’s previously calm face. He pondered for a moment and said, “But I am equally certain that in numerous clinical trials, TERN itself didn’t have such powerful toxic side effects. How is this possible?”

“I… I don’t know… but that’s what the analysis results showed.” Xiao Zhan became hesitant again, as it was part of his nature.

“Speaking of which, there are so many types of problematic drugs, involving hundreds and thousands of compounds. Why did you specifically compare it to TERN?”

“Well, it’s the result of deduction,” Xiao Zhan felt somewhat embarrassed, as if he had copied the answer in advance. “From comparing the old and new components of Nordren and Nao Kangning, I found that you had exclusively modified TERN, so I thought the problem lay here.”

Xiao Zhan’s voice was soft and timid, but the accusation in that statement was clear and severe, sending shivers down people’s spines.

Li Zheng remained silent for a long time. Fear and anxiety filled his expression as he looked at the many people in front of him—his colleagues, superiors, and, of course, his boss. The scientist’s hand, resting on the table, tightly clenched into a fist, as if considering countless possibilities to absolve his company, but ultimately defeated by this simple and straightforward statement.

He finally turned to his own boss and asked, “Didn’t you say that the so-called drug problem in the news was Shen Lian poisoning our company’s medication during the production process?”

“The internal investigation results of the company do confirm that,” Chairman Zhou replied.

“But how did you find out about Shen Lian’s involvement in the poisoning so quickly?” Li Zheng persisted in a posture as if he were the true presiding judge.

Xing Conglian had been listening with his arms crossed the whole time, remaining quiet.

“We have already submitted the relevant information to the police. Whether we can disclose it publicly in such a setting still requires the approval of the police,” the chairman humbly responded.

“That’s fine,” Xing Conglian said.

Chairman Zhou took a deep breath and spoke slowly. “Dr. Tan Kang has a smart pen that automatically records writing data and converts it into electronic documents. After his death, his notebook was stolen, but we found that pen. It recorded his suspicions of Shen Lian’s poisoning. Afterward, our company conducted an internal investigation. The surveillance records from the day before Dr. Tan Kang’s death were erased, but we managed to restore all the entry and exit surveillance records, which revealed Shen Lian’s presence. Finally, we submitted this as evidence to the police and issued a public warning.”

Chairman Zhou deliberately emphasized that the final document was a converted electronic document, not handwritten. In other words, the content of the document was actually very easy to forge. This line of reasoning had likely been nested repeatedly within the upper levels of Zhourui, even among the staff, and had been confirmed before being presented.

Wang Chao kept his head lowered, apparently not finding any issues in the statement.

Li Zheng took a pen out of his pocket and casually grabbed a shopping receipt, writing and doodling on the back. Finally, he tapped the table, saying, “Since TERN has a problem, let’s reverse engineer it in three stages. The first stage is the safety period when Nao Kangning was approved for clinical trials and market release; the second stage is a blank period, which involves tracking the repeated clinical data; the third stage is the Nordren modification phase. Chairman, please tell me. Why did you change the structural formula of TERN in the new drug Nordren?”

“That was Dr. Tan Kang’s suggestion.” Chairman Zhou paused, then said, “You are the pharmaceutical experts I rely on, while I am merely a manager. You can find out the purpose behind changing the structural formula of TERN by looking through the reports. I am only responsible for signing off.”

Chairman Zhou’s attitude was sincere and quite convincing, shifting the blame to the late Dr. Tan Kang. Although it seemed suspicious, no one could point out any problems with this.

“Does anyone on the Tan Kang team know about it?” Li Zheng tapped the table and looked at the crowded seats across from him. “Xiao Chen, you were part of my team and later went to Tan Kang’s team. Speak up.”

Li Zheng now completely resembled a meeting in the laboratory or a mentor guiding students, casually singling out people.

The researcher who was called upon stood up, looking very awkward. “Professor Li, what do you want me to say?”

“Just speak freely. Tan Kang discovered that there was a problem with the medication I supervised the development of, and they adjusted the TERN structural formula. Although the internal research and development progress of the team was kept confidential, there should have been discussions internally. There must be meeting records of when and why the change was made, right?”

“Dr. Tan Kang did independently propose changing the structural formula of TERN, but I don’t remember the specific reasons. However, all the meeting records and project progress copies were taken by the police yesterday,” Xiao Chen answered.

Li Zheng looked at Mr. Xiao Zhan and asked, “So all the information is with you. Have you sorted through it?”

“The reason was improvement,” Mr. Xiao Zhan replied.

“It’s too abrupt.” Li Zheng frowned and contemplated. “Is there a specific time frame?”

Mr. Xiao Zhan said, “I had the same thought and summarized it yesterday.”

Wang Chao opened a new document, and a clear timeline appeared on the screen.

2011.1 Nao Kangning improvement project initiated

2011.6 New ingredient introduced

2012.2 TERN structural formula modified

2012.3 Entered animal experimentation phase

2013.2 Entered clinical trials

2016.2 Completion of three-year monitoring period for the improved drug, entered approval process

2016.10 Obtained approval and market authorization

“After the modification of the TERN structural formula, animal experiments were immediately conducted?” Li Zheng pressed his lips together. “That’s too fast. Was Tan Kang so confident?”

Everyone present was an industry professional, and this timeline, clearly summarized by Mr. Xiao Zhan, finally sparked low murmurs and discussions throughout the room.

“The purpose is too specific,” someone said.

“The approval process followed the procedure for modified drugs, so no wonder it was so fast…” someone else commented.

But finally, someone asked the most crucial question, “Why was this project suddenly initiated?”

As soon as this question was raised, the noisy conference room fell silent once again, and everyone looked at Chairman Zhou, who had a firm grasp of the situation.

Chairman Zhou had endured until now and had to continue to endure. He tapped his head and suddenly realized. “If that’s the case, could Tan Kang be an accomplice of Shen Lian? They conspired together, and Shen Lian killing Tan Kang was an internal conflict?”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 252

The wait was excruciating. Time ticked away, but the doors of the conference room remained unopened, and Xing Conglian was nowhere to be seen.

Most of the people grew restless once again. A mixture of annoyance and unease started to rise. Zhourui Pharmaceutical had already gained the upper hand by pinning everything on Xing Conglian, so why were they still so anxious?

Huang Ze sneered, and at that moment, his phone vibrated lightly. Su Fengzi, who seemingly hadn’t been asleep at all, acted swiftly, checked his phone, and then stood up before everyone else. He said to everyone in the conference room, “Let’s go. He’s waiting for us in Room 303.”

……

Room 303 was another conference room.

The reason for moving the Zhourui executives from one conference room to another was simple—room 303 downstairs was larger and could accommodate more people.

Reluctantly, Huang Ze led the Zhourui executives downstairs. Along the way, he had to use some means to suppress the dissenters, but when they pushed open the door, everyone inside and outside froze in shock for a few seconds.

The office was packed with people. Xing Conglian had managed to gather almost all the mid-level and higher-level management personnel of the company, including a few elderly individuals with snow-white hair. Huang Ze recognized one of them as a renowned chemist who oversaw one of Zhourui’s pharmaceutical laboratories.

Everyone in their seats looked at each other, unable to comprehend the situation. Finally, Xing Conglian’s voice broke the frozen state.

He sat at the head of the table, pointing to the empty seats and saying to everyone outside the room, “Come in.”

Huang Ze took the first step, noticing that Xing Conglian’s tone was the same as when Su Fengzhi said “let’s go”—casual and self-assured, as if victory was already in his grasp.

Huang Ze surveyed the entire room.

Room 303 was filled with many people, and all the seats were occupied. The conference table was split, with chairs featuring deep blue cushioned backs facing each other, resembling a courtroom. However, the number of seats on each side was unequal. The left side of the conference room was crowded with nearly one hundred and eighty chairs, while the other side had…

Huang Ze quickly counted. The right side had only twenty chairs.

He looked toward the end of the conference room. Xing Conglian’s assistant had set up a table in the upper left corner of the room, and both Xing Conglian and Xiao Zhan sat in front of their computers, resembling court clerks. Xing Conglian himself was the presiding judge of this courtroom.

Huang Ze couldn’t understand what Xing Conglian was up to, but that didn’t prevent him from glancing coldly at his Uncle Shi.

As the middle-aged man entered the conference room, everyone who had been whispering among themselves in their seats stood up simultaneously, showing a respectful demeanor. This simple gesture revealed the hierarchy within this large conference room.

And Uncle Shi seemed to enjoy this emperor-like treatment. Zhourui employees stepped aside, clearing a path for him to the center seat.

The Chairman entered slowly, and the employees on either side of him bowed respectfully. He humbly exchanged greetings with many employees, creating a friendly atmosphere as if it were an ordinary daily meeting within the company.

A group of people left the captain of the Criminal Investigation Division sitting at the head, ignored. Huang Ze glanced at Xing Conglian and noticed that he was leaning back in his chair, one hand resting on the table, in a casual posture. However, he seemed to be in a very unpleasant mood.

In that moment, Huang Ze didn’t know why he disregarded everyone else but was concerned about Xing Conglian’s expression. After all, in various respects, he was Xing Conglian’s superior.

But, to be honest, in this crowded conference room, he didn’t have much time to figure out his own mindset. Just as the middle-aged man in a suit was about to take his seat, Xing Conglian suddenly spoke up, interrupting the lively atmosphere on the left side. “I didn’t ask you to sit.”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.

The Chairman adjusted his suit collar and didn’t show any anger. He turned his head to face Xing Conglian, slightly lowered his head, and looked down at him with a smile. He said, “Captain Xing, you seem a bit impulsive.”

However, Xing Conglian didn’t seem interested in having a good conversation with anyone from Zhourui. He didn’t even bother to look up and simply said to the hundred or so Zhourui employees standing in a line, “Anyone willing to cooperate with the police and provide evidence of your company’s deliberate concealment of the side effects of Nao Kangning and disregard for public safety can sit over there.” Xing Conglian pointed to the twenty vacant seats on the right side of the conference room and paused before adding, “There are twenty spots.”

His tone was calm, but everyone, including Huang Ze, was stunned.

Quick and direct—there were no better words to describe it.

However, the only response to Xing Conglian came in the form of the light sound of chairs being occupied. The Chairman of Zhourui Pharmaceutical took the first seat, his chair gliding across the floor, and the rest of the employees followed suit, sitting down in an orderly manner, displaying unity.

Xing Conglian appeared composed, but there was a profound coldness in his gaze. He looked at the hundred or so people on the left side of the conference room and asked, “Has the development team of ‘Nao Kangning’ all arrived?”

Xing Conglian played his cards quickly, and everyone looked at each other. The Chairman of Zhourui Pharmaceutical placed his hand on the table and lightly tapped it.

Employees scattered throughout the room raised their hands, of different ages, some even still rubbing their eyes, as if they didn’t understand why they were summoned to the scene.

“Wasn’t it a poisoning incident? The mastermind has already been caught. Why mention Nao Kangning…” someone straightforwardly asked.

Xing Conglian raised his hand to interrupt the person’s questioning and nodded at the two young individuals sitting in the role of court clerks, who appeared nervous.

Wang Chao received the signal and displayed a rotating molecular structure on the projector.

As if they had rehearsed it beforehand, Xiao Zhan recited, “Through investigation, it has been found that the substance injected by Shen Lian to Consultant Lin Chen shares consistency with the neurotoxic drug that caused the riot at the barbecue stall the previous night, namely the base component TERN in your company’s Nao Kangning.”

Xiao Zhan finished speaking in one breath, and everyone in the conference room looked in a daze at the rotating molecular structure on the screen. He cleared his throat, turned his head, and pointed at the screen, saying, “This is it.”

At that moment, Xing Conglian casually put his hand down, and the back door opened, allowing a team of police officers to enter.

“Take all those who raised their hands back to the police station, verify the list, and issue arrest warrants for those who didn’t attend.” Xing Conglian’s tone remained unchanged, as if he were describing the most ordinary thing.

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere became intense, and many people took out their phones to take pictures. Someone even shouted loudly, “We don’t know anything. You can’t just arrest us without any reason!”

Xing Conglian had been observing coldly all this time until a member of the Nao Kangning development team solemnly said, “He doesn’t have any relevant evidence. He’s just asking us to assist in the investigation. There’s nothing to fear.”

“Let me correct you on two points.” Xing Conglian didn’t stop the arrest operation but said, “First, this is not assistance in the investigation. The detention order has already been signed by the bureau chief. Second, instead of wasting time taking photos, it would be better for you to use your phones to search for keywords and see how many casualties have been caused by the medication your team has developed up until now. I suggest you don’t take it lightly.”

This was probably the longest sentence Xing Conglian had said since entering this office. He was serious, and when someone like Xing Conglian became serious, even if his tone was calm, it carried an irresistible authority.

As he spoke, several team members were already being escorted out of their seats. Most of them looked bewildered and didn’t seem to be feigning ignorance.

“There must be some problem here. Our Nao Kangning has undergone numerous animal experiments and several years of clinical trials. Since it passed the approval of the drug regulatory authority, it means the medication is completely safe. This is impossible. It’s impossible for the composition to be exactly the same!” A woman spoke rapidly, expressing her deep concern and nervousness. She appeared to be in her forties, perhaps a mother. “And even if you want an internal investigation, you need to give us some time!”

Upon hearing this, everyone in the team nodded in agreement, still holding onto a glimmer of hope.

“I’m afraid you haven’t understood the current situation,” Xing Conglian interrupted all protests once again. “I will reiterate: among you, some have known or heard about adverse reactions related to Nao Kangning, reported responsibly to their superiors, but received no response. Or some of you have received inquiries about the medication but couldn’t draw any conclusions and were required to keep it confidential. If any of these circumstances apply to you, you can choose to sit over there.” Xing Conglian finally revealed the truth about the twenty vacant seats. “The prosecution offers an opportunity for reduced punishment for the twenty individuals responsible for the related incidents. You all know how severe the impact of this event is. Following the precedent of cases of adverse reactions to vaccines, I guarantee that those responsible for the incidents will be sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison, not to mention the prohibition of employment. Are you all willing to jeopardize your livelihoods by sinking with this pharmaceutical company?”

Huang Ze suddenly looked up. He had thought Xing Conglian was genuinely investigating the case, but he hadn’t expected it to be a direct retaliation against Zhourui Pharmaceutical.

Starting from the bottom and toppling the top, Xing Conglian’s strategy couldn’t be clearer.

All the employees present began to look around, some focusing solely on themselves, others feigning indifference while keeping a close eye on their own thoughts. Some whispered to each other and secretly observed the twenty vacant seats. Each person had their own thoughts, contemplating and making judgments. In a subtle manner, Xing Conglian managed to unsettle the seemingly united employees.

Now, all that was left was for a leader to stand up, and the facade of false unity would crumble.

Huang Ze shifted his gaze to his Uncle Shi, knowing that his uncle wouldn’t let Xing Conglian have his way.

After contemplating for a few seconds, the ultimate decision-maker of the company finally spoke up, “Captain Xing, are you trying to incite our company’s employees to expose their superiors?”

Xing Conglian showed no intention of responding and simply leaned against the back of his chair, watching the Chairman.

His attitude was both unreasonable and arrogant, ultimately making everyone extremely uncomfortable.

However, in front of all the elite employees of the company, the Chairman of Zhourui showcased excellent acting skills. He let out a long sigh, stood up, and looked at Xing Conglian. “Since we have reached the point of whistleblowing, in the end, it is I who bears the responsibility. Captain Xing, just take me into custody directly and spare the others from any trouble.” The Chairman paused, then turned to address all the employees. “During our time working together at Zhourui, I want to express my gratitude for the dedication and hard work you have shown for the company, striving to overcome human diseases through research. I believe that none of you would turn a blind eye to the side effects of Nao Kangning. But I trust in all of you, while the police may not trust, or rather, cannot trust, because they need someone to hold responsible, and that someone can only be me. I have one request for all of you: please refrain from unnecessary infighting and damaging the relationships between colleagues and yourselves.”

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Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 251

When Xing Conglian opened his phone, numerous messages flooded in.

The busy medical staff had already left the room, leaving Lin Chen peacefully sleeping on the bed, covered like a fluffy cloud. A floor-to-ceiling window stretched across the room, with the sea just a short distance away.

In the far distance, where the sea and sky met, it was no longer pure black. The sea appeared in a deep blue color, tranquil and profound, like the most soothing lullaby.

Lin Chen’s face was calm. His black hair obediently fell to the sides of his ears. There were kiss marks and accidental bruises on his neck, but they held no sexual implications.

Or perhaps, standing outside this room and looking at Lin Chen, he repeatedly recalled the events that had just taken place. There were no sexual motives in his heart, and of course, nothing to regret.

The taxi driver had repeatedly asked him why he had spent three and a half hours bringing Lin Chen here, but Xing Conglian truly couldn’t answer. Considering various reasons, perhaps it was because this place at home was quiet and undisturbed, or maybe it was to keep Lin Chen in a place within his control so that he could feel at ease. Of course, there was also the reason that he had lived in this room before and the view from the window was nice. However, Xing Conglian was well aware that these reasons were not entirely accurate.

He had spent three and a half hours taking a taxi to bring Lin Chen to this sanatorium simply because he felt lost. He couldn’t be like Lin Chen, always knowing exactly what to do to be right.

Until now, he could only act according to his primal instincts; in other words, being willful.

Xing Conglian lowered his head to look at the screen.

The result of his willfulness was countless missed calls, one progress report after another regarding the case, and even Huang Ze’s final ultimatum.

He scrolled through the phone, hastily reading through these things.

The morning light was gradually rising, casting a hazy golden hue, making one side of Lin Chen’s face even brighter. Bathed in the morning light, his eyelashes were distinct. A bunch of daisies sat on the bedside, looking beautiful.

Everything was filled with vitality, giving Xing Conglian the illusion that at any moment, Lin Chen would sit up on the edge of the bed and greet him with a “Good morning.”

But the high dosage of sedatives meant that this scene could only exist in his imagination. Also existing in his imagination was the peaceful life he fantasized about having with Lin Chen.

There was no one in this world who could be absolutely capricious and free.

Xing Conglian put his phone back into his pocket and turned to leave.

……

Standing in the underground parking lot of the sanatorium, Xing Conglian realized the troubles that would follow after he spent three and a half hours bringing Lin Chen here.

There was no other reason but the fact that this was the family’s sanatorium, naturally inhabited by many friends of the family.

One minute ago, he was ready to randomly find a car and drive back to Hongjing.

Suddenly, the corner of the underground garage erupted with the roar of an engine, and the car lights flashed. Before he could react, a sports car had already reversed out of the garage and was racing towards him.

The sports car was an extremely flashy bright yellow color, with a low body, scissor doors, and sleek streamline. It was like a hot and noble young girl, bold yet full of elegance. It was probably a flagship supercar from a certain brand, maybe even a limited edition worldwide. However, Xing Conglian didn’t understand these things, so he couldn’t tell how much the car was worth.

A few seconds later, the sports car came to a steady stop in front of him.

The car door opened, and someone sitting in the driver’s seat flashed a smile, revealing a set of white teeth. The first thing they said was, “Take me out to have some fun, and I promise not to tell your parents about you liking men!”

Sitting in the car was an old man who looked withered all over, thin to the point of being unrecognizable, completely mismatched with the high-tech interior.

One pant leg on the old man’s accelerator pedal was empty, revealing a metal leg brace. He had an extremely long scar on his arm, a Fu Manchu mustache, and a catheter bag hanging from his waist. However, his eyes were sharp and piercing. What was even more excessive was that the old man had a smoking pipe in his mouth, puffing out clouds of smoke.

It took Xing Conglian a moment to remember who he was looking at. He looked coldly at the old man sitting in the high-tech driver’s seat, and the old man happened to exhale a mouthful of smoke.

“You… You haven’t told them already, have you?” The old man stared at him with wide eyes, blowing his mustache.

“What if I did?” he retorted.

“Then I wish you all the best!” The old man reluctantly placed his bony hand on the steering wheel, feeling grumpy.

Xing Conglian didn’t want to continue the conversation. He bowed to the old man.

In the corner of the garage stood helpless medical staff. Xing Conglian signaled to them with his eyes, and soon someone came over and swiftly snatched the smoking pipe from the old man’s mouth, preparing to escort him out of the car.

“Wait! Wait! You gay people have no compassion!” The old man struggled and shouted.

The garage guard also approached him and asked in a low voice, “Are you planning to take this car?”

“This is my car! Mine!” The old man shouted with all his strength, sounding almost like he was about to cry.

“Find me a rental car,” Xing Conglian said.

“Why rent? I’ll drive you!” the old man exclaimed.

By then, most of the old man’s body had been dragged out of the car. Something hanging on his side waist caught his attention. Xing Conglian carefully looked at it and realized it was a transparent catheter bag. He stopped the medical staff on the scene.

During this gap, the old man swiftly climbed back into the car, holding onto the steering wheel and refusing to let go. “The doctor said I only have three months to live.”

“So what?”

“So you’re allowed to bring back a man in the middle of the night like King You of Zhou*, but I can’t go out for a short stroll?” The old man rubbed his face and then became excited again. He patted the emblem on the steering wheel, happily saying, “This is my newly purchased car. I haven’t even test-driven it yet. If I die, I won’t be able to step on the gas pedal!”

*Twelfth King of the Zhou Dynasty, who is infamous for his indulgent lifestyle and neglectful behavior towards his kingdom. One of his most famous references in literature is trying to please his concubine Bao Si, who wouldn’t laugh no matter what he did. King You then tried to amuse her by lighting the warning beacons and fooling his nobles into thinking the Quanrong nobles were about to attack. When the nobles arrived, they found themselves laughed at by Bao Si. King You continued to do this and eventually lost his nobles trust until the Quanrong really attacked. Unfortunately, his nobles didn’t answer the warning beacon’s call, thinking it was all a ruse. (However, this story seems to be fabricated, but now it is often tied to King You as a metaphor for a ruler who prioritizes personal desires over the welfare of his subjects.)

……

Huang Ze sat in the conference room, feeling completely exhausted.

In front of him were all the evidence presented by Zhourui Pharmaceutical regarding Xing Conglian’s bribery: including two villas in Anshan Scenic Area, records of an 8 million cash transfer, and some unsigned Zhourui equity transfer agreements.

These pieces of evidence were laid out in front of him. Except for the unsigned equity agreement, everything else seemed to be genuine. However, apart from the clearly accounted-for money, the remaining evidence wasn’t direct. The other party’s argument was that Xing Conglian hadn’t had the opportunity to sign, and the company decided to expose this corrupt cop without being coerced.

“Inspector Huang, you have been looking at these pieces of evidence for over an hour,” someone reminded him. “Captain Xing probably won’t come, right?”

Huang Ze gritted his teeth.

If Xing Conglian didn’t show up, Zhourui Pharmaceutical would insist that Captain Xing was a dirty cop. It was almost time for work to start, and they couldn’t continue detaining everyone present.

What made it even harder for him to accept was that Su Fengzi, after causing a commotion throughout Zhourui’s upper management all night, was now sleeping with his head on the meeting table, while his arm pressed on a real estate document, emitting a faint snoring sound.

Huang Ze’s face turned cold. He packed up everything on the table one by one and slammed them back onto the table. “You consider these as evidence, but I believe they are fabricated to frame someone.”

He spoke with righteous indignation, but what he didn’t expect was that the following scene would become extremely awkward.

At first, the roaring sound of an engine from outside the building drowned out the arguments in the conference room.

Everyone in the office looked bewildered. Some instinctively walked to the window, their mouths agape, unable to utter a word.

The thunderous noise from the high-performance sports car’s engine shook the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Huang Ze furrowed his brow. From the sound, it seemed like the sports car had stopped downstairs at Zhourui. A sense of foreboding flashed through his mind.

At that moment, Su Fengzi, as if feeling uncomfortable in his position, turned over and continued to sleep. Huang Ze clearly saw a strange smile on his lips.

“This… This is a sports car! Whose car is it from our company?” Someone at the window exclaimed at a loss for words.

Huang Ze immediately stood up and took a few quick steps to the window.

A bright yellow Lamborghini sports car arrogantly raised its door. Its sleek body, front and rear double wishbone suspensions, and even a somewhat wild and audacious rear spoiler made the car shine under the sunlight.

Huang Ze’s heartbeat quickened, and in his mind, he instantly recalled all the data about the entire car. Men always loved luxury cars, and this was the car model he had always dreamed of but couldn’t afford. His mind became heated, and he even had the impulse to go downstairs and get closer.

However, the figure stepping out of the sports car made him feel as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him.

The wrinkled clothing, scruffy facial hair, and those weary eyes that seemed as if they had just returned from a long journey…

Although Huang Ze recognized him at a glance, it took him a long time to confirm that he wasn’t mistaken.

He clenched his fist, took out his phone, dialed a number, and looked downstairs.

The person standing in the center of the square stood still and answered the phone.

A cold and deep voice came from the other end.

It was Xing Conglian, looking decadent and arrogant—even more like a dirty cop than those portrayed in TV dramas!

“What the hell are you doing?” Huang Ze struggled to restrain himself, feeling that everything he had argued on behalf of Xing Conglian just moments ago had become a joke.

“I didn’t feel like attending the meeting,” Xing Conglian replied indifferently.

“Do you even realize how dangerous your situation is?” Anger surged in Huang Ze’s mind. He wished he could rush downstairs immediately and grab Xing Conglian by the collar to question him if he knew what a critical moment, public scrutiny, and keeping a low profile meant!

Upon hearing this, the police officers in the square instinctively turned their heads and glanced at the flashy sports car.

At the same time, an old man with a limp quickly climbed down from his seat, still holding his bright yellow catheter bag, and looked at the building with great excitement.

Xing Conglian turned back and impatiently said, “I couldn’t find a taxi out in the countryside earlier, so I had to call for this car.” After speaking, he abruptly hung up the phone.

Huang Ze stood by the window, his face turning pale as the glass reflected his anger. At the same time, in the silent corner of the office, a long, cold snort could be heard.

He turned his head to look, and his Uncle Shi pushed up his glasses on his nose and smiled like a victor.

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