Rebirth 70: I am a Koi

Holding the freshly-made test report, I breathed a sigh of relief, and my tense nerves finally relaxed a little. This thin piece of paper proved that our strawberries were innocent and did not contain any banned pesticides. But even so, sales were still sluggish. Once consumer trust collapsed, it would be difficult to rebuild it. Boss Zhou's malicious dumping almost pushed us into a desperate situation.

"We can't just sit there and wait for death." I slammed the report on the table, my tone firm.

Bai Hanchuan nodded, his deep gaze falling on the gray sky outside the window, "I know he is playing dirty tricks, we have to find his flaws."

The office was silent, with only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window. The desk was full of documents, sales reports, market analysis, and public information about Boss Zhou's company... We looked through them countless times, but could not find any breakthrough. Boss Zhou's dumping strategy seemed simple and crude, but it hit our weak spots precisely, like an experienced hunter who laid an invisible trap, waiting for us to fall into it.

"Could it be..." I paused, a thought flashing through my mind, "Could it be that there is something wrong with his strawberries themselves?"

Bai Hanchuan raised his head suddenly, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, "You mean, the cost of his strawberries is ridiculously low, because..."

He didn't say anything more, but we both knew the truth. If Mr. Zhou's strawberries used banned hormones or other means to significantly reduce costs, then his dumping strategy would not only be vicious competition, but a serious violation of the law.

Bai Hanchuan fell into deep thought, tapping his fingers on the table. He recalled his previous encounters with Boss Zhou and always felt that something was wrong. On several occasions, he saw Boss Zhou meeting with some mysterious people in remote places, looking furtive and as if they were plotting something.

"I remember..." Bai Hanchuan said slowly, "I saw Boss Zhou meeting some strangers a few times before. Those people didn't look like fruit farmers or businessmen..."

"What kind of person is he?" I demanded.

"I can't really put my finger on it, but I feel like... they don't look like good people." Bai Hanchuan frowned, trying to recall the features of those people. "In short, they give me a bad feeling."

A chill rose from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. If Boss Zhou was really doing something shameful in secret, then what we were facing might be more dangerous than we thought.

"We have to find out his supply channels." I said firmly, with a determined light in my eyes.

Bai Hanchuan held my hand and gave me a firm look, "I support you."

I know that investigating Boss Zhou's supply channels in depth is like pulling teeth out of a tiger's mouth and may involve huge risks. But in order to protect our common dream and uncover the truth, we have no choice.

I picked up the phone and dialed a number... "Hello, is this Technician Li? I'd like to ask you for a favor..."

The steady voice of Technician Li came from the other end of the phone: "Manager Mu, what can I do for you?"

My eyes fell on the window. The sun was setting, the last ray of afterglow in the sky was gradually disappearing, and night was about to fall... "I need you..."

I took a deep breath and said to Technician Li on the other end of the phone, "I need you to secretly investigate Mr. Zhou's strawberry supply channels, especially his planting bases. I want to know the fertilizers and pesticides he uses, and all the planting details. The more detailed the better."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds, and Technician Li said with a hint of hesitation: "Manager Mu, isn't this too risky? Boss Zhou's background... is not simple."

I understand his concerns. Mr. Zhou's complicated network of relationships in the local area is indeed intimidating. "I know this is risky," I said firmly, "but we have no way out now. If we don't find his flaws, we will be at the mercy of others."

Technician Li sighed, "Okay, Manager Mu, I'll try my best. But I need some time."

"No problem, thank you for your hard work." I hung up the phone, but my heart was even heavier. This road is destined to be full of thorns, but I have to go on.

Bai Hanchuan walked up to me and gently put his arm around my shoulders, "Don't worry, we will face it together." His eyes were gentle yet firm, giving me great strength.

In the following days, we were like a taut string, always paying attention to the development of the situation. Sales still did not improve. Boss Zhou's dumping strategy was like a mountain, weighing us down. I kept in touch with Technician Li every day to ask about the progress of the investigation, but there was no substantial progress. Anxiety and uneasiness were like vines, tightly wrapped around my heart.

One evening, I was worrying about the pile of reports when the door of my office was suddenly pushed open. Technician Li stood at the door, panting, holding a document tightly in his hand, with an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Manager Mu! Manager Bai! I...I found out!" His voice trembled slightly with excitement.

I stood up suddenly, my heartbeat suddenly accelerated, "What did you find?"

Technician Li walked up to us quickly and handed me the document in his hand. "I... I tested Mr. Zhou's strawberry sample and found that it... contained a special growth hormone! Although this hormone can promote the growth of strawberries and increase yields in the short term, long-term consumption will be harmful to the human body! Moreover, the use of this hormone is expressly prohibited!"

My hands trembled slightly as I took the document and quickly glanced through the test results. Sure enough, in the ingredient analysis column, the name and content of the banned hormone were clearly written. My breathing became rapid, and a surge of excitement and excitement surged in my heart.

Bai Hanchuan also saw the test report, his deep eyes sparkled, "This is why his costs are low! He uses banned hormones to increase production and lower costs, and then maliciously dumps them to attack competitors!"

We looked at each other and saw the light of hope in each other's eyes. This may be the key to our counterattack!

I immediately told Technician Li: "This report must be kept confidential! Next, we need to..." Before I finished speaking, the phone in the office rang suddenly, and the shrill ringtone cut through the silent night sky... I reached out and picked up the phone, "Hello?"

A strange voice came from the other end of the phone, low and hoarse, "Ms. Mu, I would like to advise you that there are some things that you should not interfere with..."

The voice on the other end of the phone sent a chill down my spine. It was an outright threat. I held the receiver tightly, trying to control my emotions, and asked calmly, "Who are you?"

The other party just sneered and hung up the phone. I looked at the report handed over by Technician Li, and my heart was still beating fast. This call undoubtedly confirmed our guess, and also indicated that the road ahead would be more difficult.

"It seems that we have touched Boss Zhou's sore spot." Bai Hanchuan's tone also became serious.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "This shows that we are on the right track. This report is the key to our counterattack."

We took action immediately. First, I contacted reporter Zhao, an honest reporter who had reported on many food safety incidents. I told her that Boss Zhou's strawberries contained banned hormones and provided a copy of the test report. Reporter Zhao was shocked and said she would immediately investigate and make the matter public.

At the same time, Bai Hanchuan began to gain in-depth knowledge of the regulations and sources of this special growth hormone in the current market. He read a lot of information, consulted relevant experts, and finally found the key information: the production and sales of this hormone are strictly controlled. Only a few qualified companies can produce it, and sales records must be filed. If Boss Zhou used this hormone, it would inevitably leave traces in the sales records of these companies.

We decided to follow this clue, hoping to find evidence that Boss Zhou bought banned hormones. But it was not easy, Boss Zhou's power was complicated, and we had to be cautious every step of the way.

During the investigation, we did encounter obstacles. One afternoon, Bai Hanchuan and I were investigating outside a chemical plant when a black car suddenly stopped in front of us. Several burly men got out of the car and walked towards us aggressively. I recognized them as Boss Zhou's men at a glance.

"What do you want to do?" I asked calmly.

"Let me advise you that there are some things that you should stay out of your way." One of the leading men said viciously, his tone exactly the same as the person on the previous phone call.

I knew I couldn't fight head-on, so I immediately pulled Bai Hanchuan and turned away. Those people didn't chase us, but just watched us leave coldly. I knew they were warning us.

Although this investigation did not make any substantial progress, it has strengthened our determination to continue the investigation. I firmly believe that as long as we do not give up, we will definitely find evidence of Boss Zhou's crime.

A few days later, a mysterious person contacted us, claiming to be an insider and willing to provide evidence that Boss Zhou purchased banned hormones. We agreed to meet in a remote alley. As night fell, Bai Hanchuan and I arrived at the agreed location in advance. The dim street lights in the alley emitted a faint light, and the surroundings were quiet, with only the whistling wind and a few barking dogs in the distance. There was an uneasy atmosphere in the air, and sweat oozed from my palms. Bai Hanchuan held my hand tightly, his palm was warm and strong, giving me a little comfort.

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps coming from far away...