Chapter 531: The Anti-Cancer Drug Conundrum

Chapter 531: The Anti-Cancer Drug (Update 4)

The laboratory was sealed at the time of the explosion.

The building spans three floors, with each window secured by protective bars.

There are two main electronic doors at the front and back.

There are only three methods to unlock them.

Key, fingerprint, and password.

Apart from these three, the doors cannot be opened from either the inside or the outside.

And only one person knows all three unlocking methods.

The suspect in the case is the head of the laboratory, Yao Zhengqi.

So… how did the missing researcher manage to escape?

Through footprint analysis.

Xiao Yu discovered that the researcher had exited through the back door.

To put it simply, imagine you’re the boss.

Would you ever share your safe combination with an employee who’s been there less than a month?

So now, two doubts emerge.

First, why would suspect Yao Zhengqi explain the unlocking method to a researcher? What was his motive?

Second, if it wasn’t the code ‘510’ given by Yao Zhengqi, then how did that researcher know the unlocking method?

Following the footprints, Xiao Yu tracked them for about 200 meters until they vanished onto the street…

Vehicles… Xiao Yu sneered.

Were they pre-arranged?

Or was someone there to pick him up?

No rush; we’ll wait until the Forensic Department confirms the identities of all eight corpses.

Then, the identity of the departed researcher will come to light.

Ring ring ring, the phone rang.

He glanced at his phone—Da Ju Yun Xiangguo?

“Boss, what’s up?” Xiao Yu greeted with a smile.

“How’s the investigation progressing?” Yun Xiangguo asked.

His tone carried the heavy weight of responsibility typical of Bincheng’s top police official.

“We’ve found some leads and are following up on them,” Xiao Yu responded.

“Good thing you’re on it.”

Yun Xiangguo exhaled in relief over the phone. “The Provincial Department is pushing us to crack the case… By the way, did someone from the Academy of Sciences visit you?”

“Hmm?”

Xiao Yu was taken aback. “Boss, did you get any instructions?”

Could it be that his superior was asserting authority?

“What instructions could I possibly give?”

Yun Xiangguo laughed, “It was just an old lead reaching out, asking us in Bincheng to show some respect to the Academy of Sciences.”

He deliberately left his words vague.

He made it clear to Little Brother: this matter wasn’t his concern, but you don’t disregard an old superior’s pride.

“I see.”

Xiao Yu chuckled lightly, “Boss, it’s not that I’m withholding respect. When I arrested that guy, he actually made me consider the consequences—quite an amusing twist, don’t you think?”

“Damn!”

Da Ju couldn’t help but curse, and Yun Xiangguo, astonished, asked, “He really said that?”

“Yeah.”

Xiao Yu grinned, “I had National Security take over the investigation. I’m curious to see just how formidable he is, and also to find out what consequences might follow for me!”

“…”

On the other end, Yun Xiangguo fell silent.

His hand trembled on the phone as a chill ran through his mind.

Really, Little Brother, do you have to be this ruthless?

“By the way, boss,”

Xiao Yu asked cheerfully, “What’s the surname of that old lead of yours?”

“…”

Regaining his composure, Yun Xiangguo gave a bitter laugh, “Give me a break—those old leads are retired. Just act like I never made that call.”

“Boss, if you put it that way…”

Xiao Yu clicked his tongue, “Alright then.”

Always so mindful of social niceties.

Yun Xiangguo had always looked out for him; respect must be paid.

If it were anyone else hindering the investigation, who would dare?

Xiao Yu would have no choice but to invite that ‘old lead’ for tea at National Security…

“Thanks!” Yun Xiangguo ended the call.

After hanging up, Xiao Yu frowned deeply.

Something about Yang Yuhui from the Academy of Sciences just didn’t sit right.

Why was he so hell-bent on meeting suspect Yao Zhengqi?

Was it merely for the anti-cancer drug?

And what about the investigation under Wang Dong’s supervision…?

……

In the Forensic Department’s autopsy room.

It had been a long time since Xiao Yu had set foot here.

The cold air, coupled with the lingering smells of disinfectant and decomposing bodies, evoked uneasy memories.

He couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

Gazing at the eight neatly arranged autopsy tables with charred corpses, Xiao Yu’s eyes shifted to He Li, who was in the midst of an examination.

“Almost done,”

He Li replied without looking up.

“Take your time.”

Xiao Yu nodded and turned his attention back to the bodies.

The scene was truly tragic.

Had the report been made any later, these corpses might have already been reduced to ashes.

In less than half an hour, He Li removed her latex gloves and mask, tossing them into the trash.

“Did you find anything?”

Xiao Yu examined the female corpse He Li had just inspected—

It was the very first ‘abnormal’ corpse that He Li had shown him.

It appeared to have undergone preservative treatment!

“Frozen,”

He Li explained, “Before incineration, this body was frozen. That’s why it didn’t shatter into pieces when exposed to the flames.”

A corpse explosion refers to a body disintegrating violently.

The concept is quite straightforward.

When a body is frozen solid, it takes longer for the heat to penetrate its core.

By the time the interior thaws, the exterior is nearly consumed—how could it possibly explode?

“Time of death?” Xiao Yu asked coldly.

The fact that the body was frozen indicated it had been dead for quite some time.

It was simply preserved through freezing.

“Approximately three to seven days,”

He Li estimated a rather imprecise timeframe.

After all, a forensic examiner isn’t a miracle worker.

Determining time of death becomes exceptionally challenging when a frozen body is incinerated.

Freezing slows the post-mortem changes in a body.

Thus, the actual time of death is likely longer.

Conversely, heat accelerates decay, making the time appear shorter.

The coexistence of freezing and burning presents a unique challenge only true experts can crack.

This isn’t the natural post-mortem process at all.

Her estimate of three to seven days is solely based on years of autopsy experience.

Ordinary forensic examiners, well…

“Three to seven days?”

Xiao Yu sneered, “So suspect Yao Zhengqi must know exactly how she died, right?”

According to Yao Zhengqi’s account,

he maintained that he had remained in the laboratory at all times, only leaving the day before the incident.

Out of nine researchers in the lab, one perished.

Could Yao Zhengqi have possibly been unaware?

Alright then, if you don’t know how she died.

Imagine, suddenly there’s one less person—don’t you realize that?

“How long does it take to identify the eight corpses?”

3.9

Xiao Yu pressed on, “Approximately three days.”

He Li considered for a moment, “Extracting DNA and comparing it with family samples—three days is really the fastest we can manage.”

“Then what about that powder inside the conduit?”

Xiao Yu posed his final question.

The result…

“After testing, it turned out to be an anti-cancer drug.”

He Li’s expression suddenly shifted to one of unease, “Most likely… it’s a finished product!”

Xiao Yu’s heart skipped a beat; he almost thought he misheard. “What did you say?”

“I’m not an expert in this area—I had it sent to my senior’s large laboratory for further tests.”

He Li’s look grew even stranger, “My senior ran two experiments and was shocked. He told me it could actually be a finished drug!”

Xiao Yu was utterly stunned.

The anti-cancer drug had been successfully developed!