Chapter 4

My body had never been cremated.

The excavation workers, afraid of taking responsibility, secretly reported it to the police.

That unintentional act became my greatest stroke of luck.

When the forensic pathologist cut open my body, everyone gasped in shock—

Sealed in cement, my corpse had been preserved, delaying decomposition.

Though the skin had decayed, the muscles and bones remained intact.

But almost all my blood had been drained. My body was so emaciated it was barely human, and even the bone marrow bore repeated puncture marks…

"This isn't a deserter," the pathologist said, voice trembling. "This body endured inhuman abuse. This… this was a live experiment!"

The lead detective furrowed his brow, his expression grave.

"From the current evidence, it's reasonable to suspect the miracle drug research went wrong—this is no accidental death. Contact the research institute immediately and confirm the victim's identity."

But they had no idea—

Ever since I had been labeled a "traitor," the institute had destroyed all records of me overnight.

And Jen, that thief who rose atop my bones, had stolen not only my achievement in developing the miracle drug but even claimed my unpublished papers as her own.

In just two years, she greedily consumed everything I had accomplished in the medical field—everything that was mine had become hers.

The police combed the DNA database like looking for a needle in a haystack, finally piecing together my identity.

When the test results appeared, the entire conference room fell into a stunned silence so deep you could hear the pause in everyone's breathing.

The veteran commissioner slammed his hand on the table, shaking the teacups.

"Seal all records! Anyone who leaks a single word of this case is off this badge and going to jail!"

He swept his gaze over the room and said, "Start with the victim's identity. Investigate everyone involved, thoroughly!"

Under the commissioner's personal supervision, the investigation team moved with ruthless efficiency, summoning the core figures from the research institute—my mentor, Dr. Robert Thorne.

I hovered above the interrogation room, my chest heavy as if filled with lead, struggling to breathe.

Dr. Thorne had guided me from undergrad through my doctorate, sharing ten years of teaching. He had secretly slipped me chocolate when I stayed up late doing experiments, a kindly elder. He had been my fatherly guide in my academic journey…

He knew the truth—so why hadn't he spoken up for me?

Why had he allowed Jen to steal my research, twist the facts, and nail me to the pillar of shame?

Just then, an investigator burst in, urgency in his voice, "Dr. Thorne passed away two years ago from the virus. Regrettably, he poured his heart and soul into the miracle drug for nearly three years, only to fall a month before its release."

No wonder… Jen's plans had gone off without a hitch.

Even Dr. Thorne's death had been part of her scheme.

Now, the only living person who could prove my innocence was the murderer currently kissing my fiancé.

As despair nearly consumed me, the forensic pathologist suddenly shouted, "Wait! What… what is this?!"

Everyone's gaze locked onto his trembling hand—a tiny microchip glinting with cold light.

It was deeply embedded along the inside of a rib, deliberately hidden in the most secret spot.

"It's a storage chip!" one of the tech experts exclaimed, excitement cracking his voice. "Though it's been corroded by tissue preservative, it might still hold data!"

The team leader's eyes sharpened instantly.

"Seal the scene immediately! This is top secret!"

He turned to the technical specialists and said, "No matter the cost, no matter the time, even if we can recover only a single byte of data—retrieve it!"

Watching the blood-stained chip being carefully placed into an evidence bag, I thought I could hear the gears of fate begin to turn again.

Two years…

Over seven hundred days and nights of injustice and bitterness had finally caught a glimmer of hope.