Day and Night
Provincial capital.
“You said this thing would never appear again, didn’t you?”
In front of them were three test tubes, emitting a faint blue light in the darkness.
The person sitting across from them looked at the test tubes, their pupils suddenly contracting, and they reached out to wrap the tubes with a piece of tissue and picked them up.
“No… it’s impossible… they should have been destroyed long ago…”
“This is what the Jiangcheng City Bureau presented. Can it be fake?”
Upon hearing this name, the person across from them shuddered, their eyes filled with turmoil. After a long pause, they placed the test tubes back down.
“Now that things have come to this, what do you plan to do?”
The man who was asked got up and walked to the window, bathed in darkness, while outside the window, the city lights were just beginning to shine, casting a brilliant and colorful display.
Darkness and light intertwined and struggled within him, and eventually, the man took a step back.
“Check, provide them with the test results, but the samples must be retained.”
* * *
“Lin Jie, a fax has arrived,” the office assistant said. Lin walked over and pulled the paper from the fax machine.
Two thin sheets of paper in hand, she grabbed a cup of coffee and walked while reading. Song Yuhang was talking to someone and heading in her direction.
No one noticed each other.
When Lin snapped out of it, she nearly spilled coffee all over herself. Song Yuhang quickly reached out, simultaneously steadying her waist.
“Be careful, watch your step.”
Lin Yan steadied herself with a hand on her shoulder, quickly stepping back two paces. Seeing that no one was watching, she straightened her clothes, snatching the coffee cup back from her with an air of annoyance.
“That should be something I tell you.”
Song Yuhang smiled and passed by her.
After a couple of steps, Lin Yan turned back and tapped her on the shoulder, saying, “Wait, there’s a new discovery.”
“Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid?” This unfamiliar name startled Song Yuhang.
Lin Yan repeated, “Yes, that’s right, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, a natural substance found in the central nervous system and can also be artificially purified. It’s present in foods like wine, citrus, and fruits, and in small amounts in almost all animals.”
“In medicine, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid has been used as a sedative to treat conditions like insomnia, depression, and narcolepsy.”
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This was her area of expertise, so Lin Yan spoke confidently. However, she couldn’t tell Song Yuhang that the medication she had been taking for a long time also contained this substance.
With a somewhat somber expression, Lin Yan continued, “An overdose of this medication can easily be fatal, and…”
She paused, and Song Yuhang asked, “And what?”
“Long-term use can lead to drug dependency, and discontinuing the medication can result in withdrawal symptoms similar to those experienced during drug detox.”
The alarm bells were ringing in Lin Yan’s mind as she held that thin piece of paper, overwhelmed by a sense of hatred that left her momentarily speechless.
The methods used by the culprits were ruthless, exerting control over both the mind and body, and it was a wonder that they hadn’t gone insane or ended their lives.
“So, that means once we trace the source of the medication, we’ll be one step closer to the truth.”
Feeling like Lin Yan had once again peeled back another layer of the mysterious veil surrounding the “White Whale,” Song Yuhang was filled with a slight excitement and a thirst for more. She took a couple of steps, but seeing that Lin Yan’s expression wasn’t quite right, she turned back. She held her hand, squeezing it tightly, then let go.
“Thank you.”
Lin Yan’s clouded heart seemed to have a corner of it cleared away by her smile and childlike actions.
The warmth still lingered in her palm as Lin Yan picked up a folder and playfully swatted at her, saying, “Get lost, stop teasing me!”
* * *
“Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, also known as GHB, isn’t too complicated to purify. A few beakers and distilled water are all that’s needed, but you must have its synthetic substance, gamma-butyrolactone.”
All these chemical names and technical terms left the non-experts in a state of confusion as they exchanged bewildered glances.
Lin Yan sighed and said, “Okay, let me simplify it. Gamma-butyrolactone is a flavoring, a common food additive on the market.”
Song Yuhang, sitting in her chair, brought that sheet of paper closer and simultaneously asked a colleague for a map. “So, that means we just need to search all the food factories, chemical plants, and small workshops in Jiangcheng City, right?”
Lin Yan nodded, saying, “That’s right.”
Song Yuhang stood up, folded the map and tucked it into the pocket of her tactical vest, loaded her gun with bullets, and placed it in the holster at her waist.
“Field Team One, come with me. Our target is all the major food factories, chemical plants, and small workshops within Jiangcheng City.”
“Field Team Two, continue to gather information and screen potential suspects.”
“Cybersecurity, surveillance, and data analysis teams, keep reviewing video footage and monitoring, especially any online posts related to suicide. We’d rather bring them in for questioning first than let anyone with suspicion of involvement slip through.”
“Yes!”
With the command issued, each team prepared for action.
Lin Yan grabbed her arm and said, “I’d like to go with Field Team Two.”
Song Yuhang furrowed her brows and said, “No—”
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“Fang Xin is there. Why can’t I go?”
Remembering her reckless behavior from the previous night, Song Yuhang felt a sense of unease, fearing she might act recklessly again if she didn’t allow her to go.
Without being at the bureau, there was no one to restrain her. Instead of letting her act alone, it was better to have her with the rest of the team.
“Three rules of engagement.”
Lin Yan readily agreed, “Three rules of engagement.”
As she began to gather her things to join the field team, Song Yuhang, who had already taken a few steps, turned back, checked for any onlookers, and whispered in her ear, “Remember to use the hashtag key.”
Lin Yan’s ear felt the warmth of the breath brushing gently against it, and she pursed her lips before responding by throwing a document in her face. “Get lost!”
Duan Cheng peeked through the crack in the computer and looked up at them, saying, “It’s starting, it’s starting.”
A few people whispered to each other.
“Let me tell you, let me tell you, that night, Dr. Lin and Captain Song were in the car…”
“In the car, what about the car? What happened in the car, tell us!”
A few people leaned their chairs together, pulling at Duan Cheng’s clothes from behind.
Duan Cheng twisted the cap off a cola bottle, took a few sips, and was about to embark on some grand storytelling when a shadow fell over him, and his words came to an abrupt halt.
Song Yuhang stood in the adjacent workstation, rubbing her now slightly reddened cheek from the previous hit. “Don’t blame me for not warning you.”
Just as she left, a metal clipboard came flying through the air and landed squarely on her head.
“Ouch!”
Lin Yan coldly huffed, saying, “If you don’t want a swollen pig’s head, you’d better stop.”
She said that, but a faint blush appeared on her typically fair face.
* * *
As a woman returned home with groceries and reached her doorstep, she coincidentally found the police visiting the house next door.
“If necessary, please cooperate with our work.”
“Yes, of course.”
The neighbor shook hands with the leading officer.
The woman didn’t dare to look any further, placing the vegetables she had bought on the ground. She then took her keys out of her bag to open the door but struggled to fit them in after a few attempts.
The sound of metal clashing suddenly caught Lin Yan’s attention.
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“What’s that?”
“Oh, that’s one of our long-time residents in the housing complex, not a doctor. Her husband passed away, and the hospital felt sorry for her, especially since she has to take care of her child. So, they let her continue living in the house.”
The woman had a hunched back, and she was no longer young. Her hair, even at the temples, had turned somewhat gray in the setting sun. Even her hands, as she held groceries and keys, trembled slightly.
Lin Yan averted her gaze and gave a small nod in parting.
After entering her home, the woman heard the commotion outside gradually fade, as if she had released a sigh of relief. She then placed the groceries in the entryway and changed her shoes before washing her hands in the bathroom.
Once her hands were clean, she opened the door to the inner room, and a mixture of a lingering odor and the scent of disinfectant hit her.
She opened the window in the room but only slightly, reluctant to open it any wider.
After completing these tasks, she turned back to her son, who was lying on the bed, and carefully changed his diaper and cleaned him. Once everything was tidied up, she gently touched the child’s face, her face betraying deep sorrow. She placed his pale, delicate hand under the blanket, tucked him in, and then stood up to prepare a meal.
As soon as she heated the pot, there was a knock at the door. She glanced through the peephole and saw the policewoman she had encountered in the hallway just moments ago.
The woman opened the door, and Lin Yan produced her credentials from her pocket. “I’m a police officer, and I have some questions for you.”