Jersson Pharmaceutical Company.

Little Black stepped out of the car, gazing at the towering, grand office building, and remarked, "Wow, I didn't expect a pharmaceutical company's building to be this impressive."

Luke said, "The pharmaceutical industry is a highly profitable one, where the production costs of drugs are often quite low, yet their market prices are extremely high. A drug costing only a few bucks can sell for tens or even hundreds of US Dollars.

Do you think they would lack money?"

The two entered the lobby, where a young white woman in business attire sat at the reception, with exquisite makeup and her eyes fixed on the computer in front of her.

Little Black knocked on the desk, "Hey, beauty, is your company's president here?"

The white woman looked up, sizing up Luke and Little Black, "What do you want?"

"We'd like to see your company's president."

"Sir, do you have an appointment?"

"No, but we have this." Little Black flashed his badge.

The white woman smiled, "Sorry, I can't help you with that.

To see our president, you need to make an appointment in advance."

"Can I make an appointment now?"

"Sorry, this is the reception, we don't handle appointments."

Little Black looked around the empty first-floor lobby, "Then who should we contact to make an appointment?"

The white woman didn't answer, continuing to look down at the computer.

Little Black glanced at Luke beside him, "She's ignoring us."

Luke replied, "Jersson Pharmaceutical Company is a big taxpayer, they can afford to ignore us."

Little Black shrugged, "So, what do we do now?"

Luke pondered, "I don't know, maybe we should wait until their company's drug tester's mysterious death makes it to the news.

It might be more appropriate to come back with a search warrant then."

"Such explosive news would definitely make it to the Los Angeles, no, the national headlines."

Luke said, "You're underestimating Jersson Pharmaceutical Company's influence; their drugs are sold worldwide, it could very well become global news headlines."

"Congratulations to your company in advance, I'm sure your boss will give you a promotion and a raise, also congratulations in advance." Little Black said to the white receptionist with a smile and made a gesture to leave.

The white woman seemed unsettled, "Wait a minute, what do you mean by that?"

Luke said, "Your company's drug tester has died."

The white woman asked, "I haven't heard any news like that, can you tell me the details?"

Luke retorted, "Are you the company president?"

The white woman sighed, "Hold on, I'll contact someone."

The white woman picked up the phone beside her, made a call, and after saying a few words, turned to Luke and asked, "What are your names?"

"Captain of the Robbery and Murder Department, Luke Lee."

Ten minutes later, a middle-aged white man with thinning hair, dressed in a suit, walked over, proactively shook Luke's hand and said with a smile, "I'm Royce Woodman, Vice President of Jersson Company.

Captain Lee, it's an honor to meet you, though a bit daunting."

"Apologies, Vice President Royce Woodman, we came a bit suddenly."

"Please, follow me, let's talk in a quieter place." Royce Woodman gestured for them to follow, leading them to a meeting room on the third floor, where a female assistant served them coffee and then left, closing the door behind her.

Royce Woodman took the initiative to ask, "Captain Lee, I heard from the receptionist that you suspect our company's drug tester was murdered?"

Luke cautiously probed, "Is there any such situation?"

"Not to my knowledge."

Luke produced the details of the deceased, Rochelle Horn, "This is the information of the drug tester."

Royce Woodman called in an assistant, "Check if this person was a drug tester with our company."

After the assistant left, Royce Woodman asked, "Captain Lee, how do you know he was our company's drug tester?"

Luke showed a copy of part of the forensic examination results, "According to the police laboratory tests, five drug components were found in the deceased's body, four of which match the components of Jersson Company's Nebivolol, a hypertension drug."

Royce Woodman looked over the report carefully and said, "Nebivolol has already been marketed, there is no need for testing, you must be mistaken.

Moreover, the drug components are only similar, not identical, it could very likely be another company developing a similar hypertension drug, unrelated to us."

Luke probed, "Is your company developing a similar drug?"

Royce Woodman chuckled confidently, "There's absolutely no need, Nebivolol is the best hypertension drug."

A while later, the female assistant returned to the meeting room and said, "President Woodman, the person in the materials is not our company's drug tester."

Royce Woodman shrugged, "Captain Lee, you heard it."

Luke pursued, "Then which company do you think is developing a similar hypertension drug?"

Royce Woodman smirked, "Wow, that's a sensitive question, I'd rather not answer.

I can tell you accurately that this person is unrelated to our company."

Luke stood up, "President Woodman, thank you for your cooperation, I believe you.

However, I must remind you.

Be careful of those pervasive reporters. We could trace Rochelle Horn's work as a drug tester, and so can they.

I believe you, but those reporters might not, and they might not be as easygoing as I am.

If they write recklessly, it could cause some negative impact on Jersson Company.

A well-intentioned reminder."

"Wait a minute." Royce Woodman also stood up, "Are you saying those reporters might also believe the deceased was a drug tester for our company?"

"I don't know, perhaps... that's exactly what some people want to see, just like we're investigating here.

I think you should understand the pharmaceutical industry better than I do."

Royce Woodman rubbed his cheeks and said to his assistant beside him, "You go out first."

The assistant closed the door, and Royce Woodman continued, "Listen, I don't know who's playing tricks, but the deceased is definitely not a drug tester from our company and has nothing to do with us."

Luke said, "Then which company's drug tester do you think he is?

Come on, tell me."

"I don't know." Royce Woodman licked his lips and whispered, "However, I've heard that Kerman Pharmaceutical Company is also developing a new type of blood pressure medication, possibly with ingredients similar to Nebivolol."

Luke had an impression of Kerman Company, also a pharmaceutical company in Los Angeles, "Thank you for providing the clue, we will get to the bottom of this as soon as possible."

"I'm glad to help you." Royce Woodman smiled and then changed the subject, "If the media reports recklessly and involves our company, I hope the police can clarify it in time."

"I will."

"Thank you." Royce Woodman shook hands with Luke, seeing the two out of the meeting room.

Black glanced at the assistant standing not far away and sighed, "I don't like dealing with these people."

Luke said, "Suspects won't commit crimes according to your preferences."

"You're right, at least we got what we wanted."

...

Half an hour later, Luke led the team to Kerman Pharmaceutical Company.

The car was stopped by security as soon as it reached the entrance of Kerman Pharmaceutical Company, and Black showed his badge before the police car was allowed to pass.

Once inside the yard, Luke smelled something unusual.

Luke got out of the car, the ground was wet, and he looked up at the building ahead. The entire building was ten stories high, the first four floors intact, while the upper floors seemed to have caught fire, burned black. From the outside, it appeared the fire might have started on the sixth floor.

Black also looked at the office building, "Looks like a company with stories."

Then, the two entered the lobby on the first floor. Luke went straight to the reception desk and showed his badge, "I need to speak with the person in charge here."

"Please wait a moment." The female receptionist picked up the landline and made a call.

A few minutes later, a white man wearing glasses walked over, "I'm Fred Kramer, the head of R&D at Kerman Company. Which officer is looking for me?"

"It's me.

I'm Luke Lee, captain of the Robbery and Murder Department."

"Hello, Captain Lee, are you here about the arson case?"

"No, I'm here because of Rochelle Horn."

"Sorry, I'm not familiar with that name."

Luke said, "He was a drug tester."

Fred Kramer slightly frowned, "A drug tester?"

"Yes."

"For what drug?"

"A blood pressure medication similar to Nebivolol."

"Can I see Rochelle Horn's information?"

Luke handed Rochelle Horn's photo and information to him.

After looking through it, Fred Kramer returned it to Luke, "His information looks somewhat familiar, but I can't be sure."

Black urged, "Then check your company's list of drug testers."

"I would like to, but..." Fred Kramer spread his hands, his tone increasingly angry, "As you can see, our company's building caught fire, the laboratory developing the new blood pressure medication and all our data were burned.

The drug tester's information was also in there.

Years of our hard work were all erased."

"So, your company was indeed developing a new blood pressure medication?"

"Yes, there are over a billion patients with hypertension worldwide. Our company hopes to improve their condition, even cure the disease, through developing new medication.

But a single fire destroyed everything, we lost a lot of data, and we need to start over again."

Black said, "Doesn't your company have online data backups?"

"No, online data is the least secure. I wouldn't want our research results to be stolen without us knowing. All our research data is stored on hard drives, that's the safest.

But unfortunately, someone doesn't want this drug, which could benefit the world, to be released."

"Do you think someone set the fire on purpose?"

"You should have seen how badly the building burned.

This building is made of fireproof materials, under normal circumstances, even if it caught fire, it couldn't have burned so severely."

"Who do you think set the fire?"

Fred Kramer, with conviction in his voice, "Obviously, it's those who don't want the new blood pressure medication to succeed."

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Seems like you already have some suspects in mind?"