Facing Director Gu’s eager, curiosity-filled expression, Yan Qing explained: “Streptomycin is an antibiotic — an effective treatment for tuberculosis.”

“A treatment for tuberculosis?” Director Gu was stunned. “Tuberculosis can actually be cured? Isn’t that considered incurable?”

Even during his studies abroad in a country with more advanced medicine, he had never heard of streptomycin, much less learned that tuberculosis could be cured.

Yan Qing nodded: “Streptomycin is extracted from Streptomyces bacteria. To obtain streptomycin, one must first cultivate the Streptomyces strain. Given our current equipment limitations, the probability of successful cultivation and extraction is very small — perhaps even impossible.”

“I have plenty of vessels for culturing fungal organisms, and this microscope we just imported from abroad is an absolute marvel for this kind of work.” Director Gu rubbed his hands together in excitement. “Sister-in-law, can you let me join you on this project?”

“Of course — I was just about to look for an assistant. If you’re free, let’s work on it together.”

Director Gu pumped his fist with delight. “Sister-in-law, what we’re doing here is a great undertaking for the benefit of all humanity! If we truly manage to extract streptomycin, tuberculosis could be cured — think of how many lives could be saved, how many families spared from tragedy!”

Yan Qing hadn’t been thinking quite so broadly. Her whole heart was set on curing Yan’s father, and besides, this wasn’t truly her area of expertise. What she could recall were only those intricate molecular formulas and chemical tables; the practical difficulty of actually carrying it out was something she hardly dared to imagine.

Yet seeing Director Gu’s exhilarated expression — as though he were about to save the world — even Yan Qing’s not-particularly-strong confidence seemed somehow stirred. With Director Gu’s help, perhaps everything would develop in a better direction.

While Yan Qing and Director Gu were busy with their experiments, Shun Cheng was quietly being swept up in a wave of turbulence.

Early that morning, Qiao Yiran took a newspaper to the chief editor of the press office, and without the slightest regard for his position, slammed it down on his desk. “Chief Editor, what is the meaning of this? Liu Ren wrote this article, and you actually planned to run it — and even mass-print it? This article has no basis in fact. It is nothing but nonsense.”

The chief editor pushed up his round glasses, his expression showing displeasure, though he did his best to keep his voice measured — after all, Qiao Yiran was the paper’s lead reporter.

“Yiran, in what way is Liu Ren’s article unfounded?”

“Yan Qing would never commit murder.” Qiao Yiran’s voice trembled with indignation. “Yan Qing is the forensic consultant for the Military Police Division, a specially appointed lecturer at the medical college. Her achievements in forensic medicine are unmatched by anyone. Someone this outstanding — how could she kill anyone? How could she knowingly break the law?”

“Yiran, calm down first. Liu Ren’s piece is actually well-supported — there are both witnesses and evidence. She has no way of clearing her name.” The chief editor lowered his voice. “Lately the economy has been in poor shape and our paper’s circulation has been plummeting. We’re on the verge of losing our standing as the top paper. With explosive news like this, I guarantee our paper will have a bright future. Yiran, you write about the Military Police Division every day — just think: the wife of the Military Police Division Commander knowingly breaking the law, committing intentional murder. News this sensational — our papers will sell like wildfire.”

“I’ll say it again: Yan Qing did not commit murder.” Qiao Yiran said, fuming. “Before the facts are established, this article cannot be published.”

“Qiao Yiran.” The chief editor’s temper flared as well. He slapped the desk and said: “Don’t think that just because you’re our paper’s top talent, I won’t dare do anything to you. This is a matter of life and death for our paper — nothing you say will change that.”

“Chief Editor, have you considered who Yan Qing is? She is Shi Ting’s wife. And who is Shi Ting? He may very well become the commander of all of Bei Di. If one day he takes that position — and today you recklessly smear his wife over a case that hasn’t even been decided — the moment he sits in that seat, that will be the day our paper folds.”

The chief editor paused, but quickly rallied: “Shun Cheng is a society governed by law. If he dislikes what I’ve published, can he really just burn the paper down?”

“He doesn’t need to burn your paper. He has many ways to make you and this paper disappear without a trace.” Qiao Yiran narrowed her eyes. “You can go ask the publisher. Take these words to him and ask whether this article should still be printed.”

With that, Qiao Yiran turned her back on the sputtering chief editor and walked out with long strides.

Shortly after Qiao Yiran left, a figure slipped out from behind the door. It was Liu Ren — the very author of the article.

Liu Ren saw that the chief editor was on the phone with the publisher, and his brow furrowed.

“Yes, yes, Publisher, I understand.” the chief editor said into the phone. “Publisher, rest assured — this article will not be published.”

“Yes, yes. I will be more careful next time.”

The chief editor hung up the phone and involuntarily wiped the fine sweat from his brow. It seemed Qiao Yiran was right — they might not need to fear Yan Qing herself, but the person standing behind her could easily crush them.

Liu Ren, having overheard the chief editor’s side of the call, pressed his brow into a resentful furrow. The flames in his eyes condensed into a smoldering cluster.

When he returned to his own desk, he happened to cross paths with Qiao Yiran, who had changed into her going-out clothes and was clearly about to leave.

“Qiao Yiran.” Liu Ren called after her. “You really are far too fond of meddling in other people’s affairs.”

Qiao Yiran narrowed her eyes. “Liu Ren, I’m warning you — don’t write things you shouldn’t write, don’t get involved in things you shouldn’t touch. The complexity behind this kind of affair is beyond what a small-time reporter like you can imagine.”

“Don’t lecture me like you’ve seen it all. I know what I’m doing.” Liu Ren said, and turned to walk away.

Qiao Yiran watched his retreating figure and let out a quiet sigh.

But she had no time to deal with him now. She needed to get to the Military Police Division and see Yan Qing. She believed Yan Qing could not have killed anyone — there must be some misunderstanding in all of this. The real murderer was surely still at large.

What Qiao Yiran didn’t anticipate, however, was that Liu Ren took his article to a rival paper. This paper was practically on the verge of closing down, and upon receiving Liu Ren’s piece, they embraced it with a desperate, all-or-nothing spirit — and printed it. They worked through the night printing copies.

The next day, newspapers fluttered throughout every street and alley. The headline was: The Wife of the Military Police Division Commander Brutally Murders the Mistress of the Household.

The article was written with vivid flair, even going so far as to describe in detail the scene of the incident.

In this piece, Yan Qing was depicted as a cruel, greedy, law-breaking monster beyond all redemption.

“This is absolutely outrageous.” The paper had also been delivered to the Military Police Division. Bai Jin, who had been eating a bread roll, had only read halfway through before he flung the paper to the floor. “Does that paper want to shut down? Spreading lies like this in broad daylight? Xiao Liu, go bring in the publisher of this paper.”

“Squad Leader Bai.” Xiao Liu said with an awkward expression. “Our Military Police Division only handles criminal cases. We have no jurisdiction over what a newspaper publishes.”

“Too much, too much — do they know who they’re writing about? If Seventh Brother sees this, he’ll dismantle their entire paper.” Bai Jin scratched his head in frustration. “Ugh, when is Seventh Brother coming back? He and Officer Zheng have been gone for over half a month. If he doesn’t return soon, people are just going to do whatever they please.”

“Squad Leader Bai, with the Commander unable to return and no way to reach him, the most urgent thing is to solve this case quickly.”

“I know, I know.” Bai Jin waved his hand irritably. “Let’s go — another trip to the scene.”

After Bai Jin left, E’Yuan quietly slipped into the interrogation room. The interrogation room was now filled with all manner of equipment and vessel containers for culturing organisms.

When E’Yuan entered, he saw Yan Qing and Director Gu both dressed in white lab coats, wearing face masks, speaking in low voices over a row of glass jars.

This room, formerly used to question suspects, had transformed into a laboratory. Yan Qing’s status as a suspect had inadvertently provided her with an ideal environment for her streptomycin research — after all, it was fully equipped, and she was left undisturbed.

“Master.” E’Yuan didn’t dare approach, for fear of affecting their work. “Master, I just bought a newspaper. Someone wrote an article in it — it’s completely absurd.”

Yan Qing looked up from her instruments. “Does it mention the Military Police Division?”

E’Yuan nodded.

Yan Qing frowned: “The person behind this has a clear objective. Framing me is secondary — their main target is the Military Police Division. They want to use this incident to destroy the trust and standing the Division has built among the people. Trust is not easy to build, but it is very easy to destroy — often a single event is enough.”

“Master, what do we do now? If public opinion is allowed to ferment unchecked, it will be bad for both you and the Military Police Division.”

“I don’t mind much for myself — it’s the Military Police Division that has been dragged into this alongside me.”

“Sister-in-law, what do you mean? You are a member of our Military Police Division — we share the same honor and disgrace.” Director Gu said quickly. “No matter what, I will stand firmly by your side.”

“That’s right, Master. What storm hasn’t our Military Police Division weathered before? When Seventh Brother went up against Director Han back then, the Grand Commander nearly disbanded us entirely. A little flurry of public opinion like this won’t break us.”

Yan Qing smiled warmly: “I know you’re all on my side. The question now is how to minimize the impact of the public narrative.”

She thought for a moment and said: “E’Yuan, go find Qiao Yiran personally and ask her to find a way to persuade her paper’s publisher to stand firmly behind the Military Police Division. If public opinion becomes polarized, the public won’t be able to sort out right from wrong for the time being — before the case is solved, this can at least serve as a delaying tactic.”

“Don’t worry, Master. I know what to do.”

E’Yuan turned to leave, but Yan Qing called him back: “You may give Yiran a few details — but not the key clues. We can’t have the killer learn of them and start taking precautions.”