He was a disabled military officer who doted on his research work in the Northwest.

I was helping out here, so why didn't anyone see me or praise me?

She had imagined the military wives praising her for being virtuous and sensible, but that didn't happen. Because, besides her, the other military wives also voluntarily came to help. Her contribution of serving tea and water was insignificant.

Liu Fang's fingernails dug into her palms. She put down the enamel mug. Since it was useless, she wouldn't do these chores anymore, because it was meaningless.

She glanced at Shen Tang in the distance—he had just arrived, so why was he being surrounded by nurses and family members thanking him!

Bai Wei is such a fool. Not only did she get herself involved, but Shen Tang didn't even show her face, yet she gained a lot of attention through this incident!

It was my own stupidity to bring such an idiot into the compound, ruining my reputation.

Never mind... none of that matters. What's truly terrifying is that if this woman is really that capable and can actually develop some kind of medicine, then after staying by Mu Qinghan's side for so long, what about Mu Qinghan's legs...?

If Mu Qinghan truly recovers completely, returns to flight, and is able to lead troops, then Chen Zhiyuan will forever remain only a deputy.

She will never have her day in the sun.

"Don't rush, let's wait and see, there'll always be a breakthrough." She thought to herself as she silently walked out of the emergency room.

……

Machinery factory. Accident scene.

The ruins are still smoking.

The steel bars were twisted, the bricks and stones were broken, and the ground was covered with black burn marks.

The engineers carefully dismantled the rubble—Chen Zhiyuan led the team, and every time they moved a concrete slab, they first used a support rod to fix it in place and confirmed that it was safe before continuing.

Mu Qinghan sat in a wheelchair at the temporary command post, just five meters from the edge of the ruins.

A factory site plan was laid out in front of them, marking the areas that had been searched and rescued and the areas that needed to be cleared.

The walkie-talkie crackled to life.

"Commander, the last trapped worker in the north workshop has been found," Chen Zhiyuan's voice came through. "His vital signs are weak; he's being transferred."

"Understood. Have the medical team follow up and get her to the hospital immediately."

"Yes."

Mu Qinghan put down the walkie-talkie and marked another red cross on the map.

All 52 wounded soldiers have been found.

Three people died.

Twelve people were seriously injured.

Thirty-seven people sustained minor injuries.

His gaze fell on the area marked "Workshop No. 3" on the map—the epicenter of the explosion.

The ruins there have been sealed off, awaiting investigation by the team.

Footsteps came from behind.

Lin Guodong walked over from the direction of the hospital with two assistants.

"Commander Mu." He nodded in greeting.

"Team Leader Lin," Mu Qinghan looked up, "How's the situation at the hospital?"

"The wounded are all stable. That batch of medicine is very effective." After saying this, Lin Guodong changed his tone, "The investigation results are in."

He pulled a report from his briefcase and handed it to Mu Qinghan:

"The direct cause of the explosion in Workshop No. 3: The breakage of the main shaft bearing of a large stamping press triggered a chain reaction. The cause of the bearing breakage was the use of substandard Grade B carbon steel parts instead of Grade A alloy steel parts."

Mu Qinghan turned two pages.

"The receiving slip says Grade A alloy steel, priced at 85 yuan per unit. The actual steel installed is Grade B carbon steel, priced at 40 yuan per unit." Lin Guodong's voice was cold. "The price difference is 45 yuan per unit, 50 units in a batch, totaling 2250 yuan. The person who signed the delivery slip—Zhao Jianhui."

Mu Qinghan's gaze lingered on that name.

Zhao Jianhui. The son of Factory Director Zhao.

"Where are they?" he asked.

Lin Guodong's expression darkened.

"They ran away."

Mu Qinghan raised her head.

"He fled the night of the explosion," Lin Guodong said. "Neighbors in the residential compound said that less than two hours after the explosion, they saw Zhao Jianhui running frantically towards the residential area, carrying a bag, and going into his girlfriend's house. He came out less than ten minutes later, alone, heading towards the back gate of the factory. No one has seen him since."

Mu Qinghan frowned.

His girlfriend—

"Shen Yao," Lin Guodong said, "a student at the machinery factory's affiliated high school. She's dating Zhao Jianhui."

Mu Qinghan's eyes flickered, but she didn't say anything.

"Zhao Jianhui isn't here, so let's interrogate his father first." Lin Guodong turned to his assistant, "Call Factory Director Zhao over."

……

"Director Zhao." Lin Guodong closed the inspection report in his hand, his voice not loud, but each word seemed to be nailed into the air. "The inventory slip shows Grade A alloy steel bearings, priced at 85 yuan each. The ones actually installed are Grade B carbon steel, priced at 40 yuan each. A batch of fifty parts, a price difference of 2,250 yuan."

He raised his head, his gaze piercing like a knife:

"The same person signed off on the purchase, warehousing, and delivery of these parts—your son, Zhao Jianhui."

Factory Director Zhao's face turned ashen.

"Impossible." His voice was hoarse. "Jianhui... he's always been timid... he wouldn't do something like this..."

Lin Guodong sneered, "Cowardly? Then let him explain himself. We won't wrong an innocent person, nor will we let a bad one go free."

"He...he..." Factory Director Zhao stammered. He hadn't seen Jianhui for several days. He had disappeared since the accident at the factory.

Lin Guodong turned to his subordinate and said, "The factory manager doesn't know? Then you tell him."

"Factory Director Zhao—Zhao Jianhui is not here. We've gone to the staff quarters, and we've also searched the factory, but he's missing."

The air went still for a moment.

Lin Guodong slowly turned his head and looked at Director Zhao.

Factory Director Zhao's lips moved twice, and sweat dripped down his face.

"He ran away the day the accident happened?" Lin Guodong's voice turned cold. "He ran away because he felt guilty. Director Zhao, you said your son was incompetent—why would someone who's incompetent run away?"

Factory Director Zhao opened his mouth.

speechless.

Sitting in a wheelchair at the temporary command post, Mu Qinghan's gaze darkened slightly upon hearing these words.

He didn't interrupt. This was a matter for the investigation team; he wasn't overstepping his authority, but he already had his own judgment.

Lin Guodong turned to his assistant: "Notify the police to issue a wanted notice for Zhao Jianhui. Also—" He glanced at Factory Director Zhao, "investigate his spending records, bank transactions, and social connections over the past three months. Especially his fiancée—what's her name again?"

"Shen Yao." The assistant opened her notebook.

"Go talk to her." Lin Guodong paused for a moment. "Zhao Jianhui went to her the night of the incident. The neighbors saw him. She's the most likely person to have clues."

He turned to another assistant: "Send men to keep watch around the Shen family's area. Observe her movements—any signs of her running away, any suspicious contact."

"Yes."

……

Let's rewind to three days ago.

The day of the explosion at the machinery factory.

Zhao Jianhui knew he was finished the moment the explosion rang out.

He was playing cards in the family compound when he heard the thud, and the cards in his hand fell to the table with a "thud".

People around him were still discussing "which workshop had the accident"—he had already stood up, his face ashen.

Workshop No. 3

Those parts were installed on the large stamping press in Workshop No. 3.

Without a word, he pushed his card-playing partner aside and rushed out of the room.

Instead of running towards the factory area, they ran in the opposite direction, towards where Shen Yao lived.

When he ran to the Shen family's door, he was trembling all over.

Shen Yao was startled when she opened the door—Zhao Jianhui's hair was disheveled and his face was completely drained of color.

"Jianhui-ge? What's wrong—"

"Yaoyao." He grabbed her wrist, his voice trembling. "Come with me. Now."