A week later, Shu Lanzhou learned from Mu Side that the Luo Corporation had publicly issued a statement severing all ties with Luo Jialin's company.
In the announcement, they clarified that the company operated solely under Luo Jialin's name and had no affiliation with the Luo Corporation. There were no financial transactions or business dealings between them whatsoever.
All subsidiaries under the Luo Group were officially declared to have no subordinate or legal connection with the said company—meaning it did not belong to the Luo family enterprise at all.
Furthermore, no one in the Luo Corporation had any connection with Zhang Chengyou, nor had there been any collaboration with the research center. They claimed to know nothing about Zhang Chengyou's actions.
On the very day the statement was released, the Luo family voluntarily reported to the police, requesting an investigation into Zhang Chengyou's possible ties with their corporation—eager to prove their innocence.
Rumor had it, though, that the police hadn't officially filed the case.
"The police say that Luo Jialin has already given a full account of how his company was run, and it's been confirmed that he had nothing to do with the formula swap," Mu Side said as he pulled Shu Lanzhou down to sit beside him.
"I also heard that before Luo Jialin spoke up, Father Luo visited him at the station. From what it sounds like, they've decided to wash their hands of him. Regardless of how this case unfolds, the Luo family won't be getting involved anymore."
Shu Lanzhou raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. "He was once their chosen heir, and now they're just abandoning him like that? The Luo family sure knows how to be ruthless."
Mu Side twirled her fingers in his hand and replied calmly,
"The Luo Corporation has many shareholders. This whole fiasco has cost them dearly. Even if the Luo family wanted to save him, their hands are tied. And anyway, plenty of people in that family have their eyes on the successor's seat. They won't miss him."
"Given the scale of this incident and the number of victims, the social fallout is immense. Even if the legal limits are clear, Luo Jialin's punishment is inevitable. The only question is…"
Seeing the serious look on his face, with brows slightly furrowed, Shu Lanzhou asked, "What's wrong? Are you worried something unexpected might happen?"
Mu Side shook his head. "Not exactly. It's just… from what I heard, all the documents were signed by Luo Jialin alone. Han Weicheng and Xiao Anning were just following orders."
"It won't be easy to drag them into this."
Shu Lanzhou didn't seem concerned. "Luo Jialin got played so badly—do you really think he'll let those two off the hook? If he has even a shred of sense, he'll hold onto them like a drowning man clutching a rope."
"Those two were key members of the research center. Where did the problematic formula come from? All it takes is one thorough investigation. No matter how much they try to dodge responsibility, that fact won't change."
"That's true, but the standards are also legally binding," Mu Side said, still uneasy.
He had thought Han Weicheng would surely be exposed by this scandal. What he hadn't expected was how cunning the old fox turned out to be—managing to pin everything squarely on Luo Jialin.
Shu Lanzhou reached out to smooth the crease between his brows. "Enough. The storm at Mu Corporation has passed. Your cosmeceuticals are gaining recognition. What's there to worry about?"
"Han Weicheng brought this on himself. Even if Luo Jialin can't take him down, we don't need to fret. As long as the police investigate the research center, he won't be able to escape."
Mu Side narrowed his eyes. "Are you hiding something from me? Just how much do you know about Han Weicheng's secret experiments?"
Shu Lanzhou looked up and smiled faintly. "And you? How much do you know?"
"I only know that Han Weicheng funneled all of Luo Jialin's money into the experiments. The entire thing was shrouded in secrecy. The lab was in the research center's basement, and no one was allowed in."
"From what I heard, Han Weicheng was the only person with full knowledge of the research. He's been working on it secretly for over a decade, but couldn't get approval early on."
"Before Xiao Anning left the National Hospital, he begged Xiang Hua to help secure authorization. That's apparently what convinced Zhang Chengyou to collaborate with him."
"I just can't wrap my head around it—what kind of experiment would demand this level of secrecy?" Mu Side frowned deeply.
Shu Lanzhou offered a knowing smile. "Whatever it is, he won't succeed. That much I can promise. If the police start searching the research center, you can report this to them…"
She leaned in and whispered something into his ear.
Mu Side's eyes widened in disbelief. "Has he lost his mind? He's trying to develop an immortality serum? That's pure fantasy!"
Shu Lanzhou pressed her lips together.
"Actually, quite a few respected professors have experimented in similar areas—just under different names and with different objectives. Cellular regeneration can indeed help people with severe injuries."
"But maintaining full-body cellular regeneration? That's impossible. Han Weicheng's arrogance is his downfall. He thinks he can defy science. He's doomed to fail."
Mu Side gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Leave this to me. I'll start preparing the report right away."
He had no doubt about her words. Still, he asked softly,
"When did you first find out he was conducting that kind of experiment? Was your decision to leave his team because of it?"
Shu Lanzhou bit her lip. "It's been quite a while… I honestly don't remember the exact moment. But leaving his team wasn't entirely because of the experiment."
Mu Side stood up. "Whatever the reason, you made the right call."
…
Shu Lanzhou exhaled quietly, relieved that he didn't press further.
She had no intention of telling anyone the truth—that she had lived a life before this one. She didn't want to end up in some lab, treated like a freak for study.
With Luo Jialin abandoned by the Luo family and Zhang Chengyou behind bars, the research center quickly collapsed. The staff either resigned or scattered.
Eventually, the police turned their attention to the research center.
By the time they arrived, Xiao Anning was in the middle of moving out the last batch of equipment.
With Zhang Chengyou detained and Luo Jialin's factories and companies sealed, the center had lost all funding.
After cooperating with the police and being released, Xiao Anning liquidated everything—selling off every piece of research equipment.
Just before the police showed up, he had planned to sell the final batch and make a run for it. But once they came knocking, he abandoned the machines and fled the city overnight.
A once-promising young doctor at the National Hospital, and Xiang Hua's most prized student, quickly became a wanted fugitive.
The police scoured the entire research center, but Han Weicheng was nowhere to be found. Eventually, they reached the underground lab.
The door was locked from the inside and encrypted. No one could open it from the outside.
After calling in a team of professional locksmiths, they finally managed to get it open—only to see Han Weicheng tipping a vial of green liquid into his mouth.
The officers rushed to stop him, but it was too late.
—
When Shu Lanzhou received the call from Officer Cai, she had just finished consulting with her last patient of the day.
She only worked a half-day and had planned to head into the lab that afternoon.
"Dr. Shu, Han Weicheng has slipped into a deep coma. Can you come to the National Hospital right away?" Officer Cai's voice was tight with urgency.
Without asking for more details, Shu Lanzhou immediately hailed a cab and headed to the hospital.
When she arrived at the emergency surgical wing, a lineup of top medical experts were gathered outside.
It seemed like every renowned specialist at the hospital was there.
All for Han Weicheng. What had he done to deserve this?
Clenching her fists, Shu Lanzhou stepped forward. "Officer Cai?"
"You're just in time, Dr. Shu. Please, go in and take a look. Han Weicheng's condition is complicated, and none of the doctors know what to do. Deputy Director Long said—maybe you can help."
Officer Cai waved his hand, and the crowd parted. Shu Lanzhou stepped into the OR corridor, as a nurse handed her a set of sterile surgical scrubs.