lcionline Chapter 1914 The source of the poison is here!
Chapter 1914 The source of the poison is here!
This is ephedra!?
Li Xiangnan shoveled the dried, twisted plant residue in his hand, the unique, slightly spicy scent of herbs lingering in his nostrils!
The Xu Sheng case!
The case that started with abducted children and led to the discovery of countless other children and girls was traced back to the source of the poison used to harm young girls and cause hallucinations in others, which was then easily controlled in Xu Sheng's basement!
At that time, Li Xiangnan and forensic doctor Wang asserted that the substance contained ecstasy!
That chemical demon that can drive you crazy, make you hallucinatory, and excite you to the point of collapse!
The police spent a lot of manpower and resources, but they still couldn't find the real source. The clues disappeared without a trace, like a kite with a broken string!
So that's where it all started!
Right here in this desolate mountain and dilapidated temple!
No wonder they searched the city from top to bottom and found nothing!
The mastermind behind this has such a deep and cunning mind that they placed their most primitive and easily exposed raw material processing in this remote, desolate mountain temple!
They used the temple's exterior as a disguise and took advantage of geographical isolation to carry out the dirtiest deeds!
Who could have imagined that beneath the facade of morning bells and evening drums lay such a source of evil, a den of demons where poisons were concocted?
This sudden realization sent a chill down Li Xiangnan's spine.
He found Xu Sheng and cut off a significant portion of his financial resources. This was no longer just a gangland feud or business rivalry; it was a heinous crime involving national law and causing immense suffering to the people!
The power and cruelty behind it far exceeded his imagination!
That little Buddha, within reach, is actually such a dark abyss!
No wonder that little monk smelled strange; people get pickled up by living in such an environment for a long time!
However, after the extreme shock came an even colder rationality and clear deduction, as if doused with ice water, which instantly calmed Li Xiangnan down.
He stood up abruptly, his eyes flashing like lightning as he scanned the simple, dirty workbench, the broken earthenware pots around him, the rough coal stove, the stained enamel basins and glass jars—the conditions were so primitive!
"Something's wrong..."
Li Xiangnan muttered to himself, his eyes sharp.
"Ephedra...this is just the most basic raw material! The extraction and purification of ephedrine, especially the later reaction with dangerous chemicals such as benzaldehyde and hydrobromic acid, to synthesize the final hallucinogenic amphetamine structure, requires precise temperature control, a sealed reaction environment, and most importantly, purification equipment! This dilapidated temple simply cannot do that!"
His mind raced as he used his medical knowledge and chemical common sense to analyze the current situation.
"At best, this is just the initial crushing, soaking, and separation of ephedra... and some rough primary extraction! The real factory, the final part of synthesis, is definitely not here!"
In the city!
They're definitely still in Yanjing!
Only with a dense population and well-developed logistics can they easily obtain controlled chemical reagents, better conceal sophisticated equipment, and quietly distribute the products they produce!
This desolate mountain temple is merely the outermost and most hidden pre-processing point for raw materials in this vast drug network!
That's just the smallest part of that massive iceberg that's visible above the water!
With his mind clear, Li Xiangnan's heartbeat calmed down, and a hunter's focused attention on his target replaced the initial shock.
Without further hesitation, he acted swiftly, taking out more evidence bags and carefully collecting the powder, plant stems, and chemical residues with precise and rapid movements.
He carefully packaged each sample and marked it with a pen.
This is the first sharp knife to pierce their drug network!
"Young Master Li?"
Zhang Long's voice came from the cave entrance, carrying a question.
He and Zhao Hu remained vigilantly guarding the cave entrance, while also keeping an eye on Li Xiangnan's movements.
"Wait a moment, I'll be right there!" Li Xiangnan knew that once they left, if they didn't secure this evidence first, someone would definitely come back and destroy it all.
He carefully collected the last sample, concealed it close to his body, then took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, and strode towards the cave entrance. "Let's go, this is deep in the mountains, they can't have gone far. Maybe we can capture them alive and find out where they are in the city!"
Zhang Long and Zhao Hu exchanged a glance, naturally having no objections.
He was the first to crawl into the dark hole, followed closely by Li Xiangnan, while Zhao Hu tacitly covered the rear.
The cave was dark and damp, filled with a strong earthy smell and the lingering odor of chemicals from before.
The road beneath our feet was rugged and uneven, with gravel and grass and tree roots blocking our way overhead.
None of the three had brought flashlights, and they slowly adjusted to the darkness inside the cave by relying on the faint light from the entrance. Li Xiangnan took out a lighter, lit it, and groped his way forward with difficulty.
After walking for a while, they discovered that there were candles every few dozen meters on the cave wall, so they lit them and moved forward quickly.
As a well-trained member of a noble family, Zhang Long took the lead, his steps light and steady, like a cat walking in the night, making almost no extra sound, only the occasional soft cracking sound of stepping on a dry branch.
As he moved quickly forward, he kept a vigilant eye on what lay ahead, relying on his excellent experience, with one hand always resting on the short blade at his waist.
Zhao Hu was covering the rear, his ears constantly twitching, picking up any suspicious sounds except for the footsteps of the three men, ensuring the retreat was safe, while also keeping an eye on the movements ahead.
Li Xiangnan, sandwiched in the middle, was equally focused.
Clutching the golden needle tightly, he discerned the lingering scent in the air and the faint sounds coming from ahead.
The hurried footsteps and suppressed breathing seemed to be just ahead, providing direction for the three of them.
"Hurry, it's just ahead!" Li Xiangnan whispered a reminder, sensing that the target was getting closer and closer.
However, just as they passed through a relatively spacious cave that appeared to be naturally formed, something unexpected happened.
Click!
A soft, mechanical sound came from beneath Zhang Long's feet.
"Watch out!" Almost the instant the sound rang out, Li Xiangnan shouted, his voice echoing through the cave.
Before the words were finished, a startling creaking sound came from above the three of them.
A huge black shadow, accompanied by a fierce wind, descended overhead.
It turned out to be a large net soaked in black oil, covered with thick, tough vines and sharpened hardwood, covering an area so vast that it almost completely enveloped the three of them.
The wooden splinters along the edge of the net shimmered with a dark, dazzling luster in the dim light, clearly indicating that they had also been poisoned!
"retreat!"
In a flash, Zhao Hu suddenly growled from behind and grabbed Li Xiangnan by the back of his collar, pulling him backward!
And at the same time.
Zhang Long is in the most dire situation!
The giant net, coming at an angle from the slant, was aimed directly at him.
Seeing that he couldn't completely avoid the descending black net, a glint flashed in his eyes. Instead of retreating, he advanced, and the short blade at his waist was instantly drawn, drawing a chilling arc in the darkness as he slashed upwards!
"Hey!"
He wasn't trying to fight it head-on; he wanted to carve out a gap for himself and fight for a chance to survive!