At 4 a.m., the city was cloaked in silence, save for the bright lights of the police headquarters. Inside the operations room, the air was thick with the scent of coffee and printer ink. Su Wanqing stood at a workstation, her eyes bloodshot, fixed intently on the screen. A few minutes earlier, the hospital had delivered a blood sample analysis. The report confirmed a disturbing truth: a slow-acting neurotoxin had been found in the bodies of three citizens hospitalized for abdominal pain.
"This toxin isn't immediately lethal," Su Wanqing murmured. "But within seventy-two hours, it will gradually destroy the central nervous system and lead to multiple organ failure."
Lu Chenzhou stood behind her, holding the latest intelligence report. His expression was grim. "Someone contaminated the city's water supply."
The water system was the city's lifeline. Any tampering could affect every household, restaurant, and hospital. The police quickly sealed off the news to avoid public panic—but both of them knew time was slipping away fast.
"This isn't just a scare tactic," Su Wanqing said as she sifted through her files. "This toxin requires a high-level lab and precise formulation. They planned this well in advance."
"We've identified a few pharmaceutical sites with suspicious pasts." Lu Chenzhou spread a map on the table. "This abandoned pharmaceutical plant was shut down five years ago, but residents nearby reported strange lights and vehicle activity in recent nights."
"It could be our lead," Su Wanqing nodded.
As dawn broke, the two drove to the outskirts of the city. The air was thick with the scent of rust and mold. The plant stood in a decaying industrial zone, its exterior covered in ivy and flaking paint. Yet as they approached, Su Wanqing noticed unusual details—fresh locks on the rusted gates, tire tracks in the mud, and cigarette butts still smoldering.
"We found the right place," she said quietly.
They crept inside the facility, weaving through dark hallways and long-abandoned labs. In the lower levels, inside a cold-storage room that somehow still had power, they discovered a functioning reactor and a partially shredded formula for the antidote. The formula, combining various detox agents, was the only known countermeasure to the neurotoxin.
Su Wanqing snapped photos and stored the formula in a waterproof pouch. But before she could analyze it further, Lu Chenzhou pulled her down abruptly.
"Get down!"
A bullet whizzed past, shattering a glass container behind them. Armed operatives in black had surrounded the lab.
"They've been tracking us," Su Wanqing said under her breath.
"This must be one of their temporary labs," Lu Chenzhou muttered. "We have to get the formula out, no matter what."
"Can you hold them off for a few minutes?" Su Wanqing asked, rapidly transmitting the photos to the police tech team and hiding the formula under her coat.
"I'll buy you time." Lu Chenzhou leapt out from cover, gun raised, returning fire with deadly precision.
They fought their way down the corridors of the crumbling plant, every step a battle. The attackers were trained professionals, but they underestimated the synergy between Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing—an unspoken rhythm forged through years of trust.
Near the rear of the factory, Su Wanqing suddenly halted. "Wait—this exit's blocked too."
"They predicted we'd come this way," Lu Chenzhou growled. "They're trying to trap us here and burn everything down."
Time was running out. Back in the city, the toxin had already started to spread. The formula in their hands was the last hope.
"We'll force a breakout." Lu Chenzhou reloaded. "On my count: three, two, one—"
"Hold on," Su Wanqing grabbed his arm, pointing. "That ventilation shaft!"
Hidden behind a stack of dusty equipment, the old duct was barely wide enough for one person. They crawled through the narrow space, the damp, suffocating air closing in around them. But escape was the only option.
The duct led to a parking lot behind the building. There, by sheer luck or divine intervention, sat an old van—unattended, engine cold. They climbed in, started the engine, and made contact with headquarters. Within minutes, the formula and evidence were on their way to the city's emergency biochem unit.
The city launched its highest-level biohazard response. Authorities shut down the main water grid, and scientists worked round-the-clock to synthesize the antidote using the formula Su Wanqing had salvaged.
By sunset, the first batch of antidote was ready. Hospitals across the city began treatment just in time. Thanks to their intervention, over 90% of affected citizens were saved.
That night, Lu Chenzhou and Su Wanqing stood in the corridor of a hospital, watching as life slowly returned to normal. The city's lights flickered back on, warm and steady.
"They're getting more aggressive," Su Wanqing said softly.
"It means we're getting closer to their core," Lu replied, eyes sharp.
She looked at him and nodded. "Next time, it might be the final showdown."