Chapter 419: Chapter 419 Athlete’s Foot Cream
"Oh, what’s the matter, sister-in-law? Please, go ahead and tell me."
"Here’s the thing, that day, the two of us had met at the temple fair, and then, as we walked to the entrance of the City God Temple, we saw a street vendor with a sign that said, ’Treats Foot Odor.’
’Treats foot odor?’ What do you mean?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Zheng merely furrowed his brows slightly. Treating foot odor? That seemed like a very normal thing. Besides, nowadays, because people wear shoes or walk a lot every day, foot odor is a common condition.
"Wait a minute, are you talking about treating foot odor? Are you saying that my mother’s foot odor, is it because of that time you took her for treatment?"
"Exactly, the old lady has had foot odor for many years, but it often flares up, and no matter what medicine she uses, it doesn’t seem to last long. So, I thought it would be a good opportunity to see if we could change the situation."
"So, on that day at the temple fair, the only vendor you came in contact with was that one? And you had them treat the foot odor? Tell me, what method did they use to treat it?"
"Actually, it was very simple, just an ointment. Moreover, he told me that he made the ointment himself and that it was absolutely effective. After applying it, the old lady said it was indeed very comfortable. And as you know, later on, we took the ointment home, and after that, the old lady’s body began to change like this, but as for the foot odor, there indeed hasn’t been any more change."
"So what you’re saying is, this ointment indeed targeted the condition and also actually relieved the old lady of her years of trouble with foot odor, right?"
"Yes, that’s right, that’s what I mean. Besides that, I can’t think of anything else. Afterwards, my mother and I just casually strolled around, I bought some necessary daily items, didn’t do anything else, and then went straight home."
"Sister-in-law, think back to that moment, the one who offered you the foot odor treatment, did they approach you first, or did you go up to them on your own?"
"They approached me. I hadn’t even noticed them; they were tucked away in a very secluded corner, then suddenly stepped in front of me and asked if I had foot odor or was troubled by it? They claimed it was a family secret remedy guaranteed to work, and I was attracted to it right away."
"The ointment, do you still have it?"
"Yes, I haven’t thrown it away since the last time I used it. I was worried that if I had a flare-up of foot odor again, then this ointment would be useful, so I kept it. To be honest, it wasn’t expensive—just 15 yuan. Wait a moment, I’ll bring it to you."
After saying that, she turned and went back into her room while Liu Zheng frowned slightly.
So far, he hadn’t found any valuable clues, but it seemed like this thing might provide some kind of convenience.
"Are you suspecting that my mother’s poisoning this time has something to do with this foot odor ointment? But that shouldn’t be the case; it’s not taken internally, it’s just applied to the skin."
"Any ointment applied to the skin will seep into the body’s internal tissues. Blood circulation speeds up, which in turn often accelerates the release effect of the ointment. That’s why anything in it will be carried into the body, understand?"
"Then that really is troubling. If that’s the case, did they do this?"
"Here it is, here it is. Look, this has been sitting for a while now; you can see the mouth of it already starting to dry out a bit. Have a look, Doctor Liu, see if you can make any use of it."
As she spoke, the mayor’s wife brought the ointment from the room and placed it in Liu Zheng’s hand.
Liu Zheng took it and examined it carefully. To be honest, it was just an ordinary ointment, and it didn’t even have any labels on the outside, as if it were a product without any branding.
However, that was also consistent with what had been said before. After all, it was made by the seller, so of course, it wouldn’t have labels or anything like that.
He then unscrewed the lid and sniffed it vigorously under his nose, which indeed made him feel a little lightheaded.
"Right now, what I’m smelling is a mix of very common herbs, and these ingredients do have some benefits for fungal damage to the skin. So, it seems that the ointment should not have any problems. However, I’m worried that there might be some other substance hidden inside, and that substance could have been successfully transferred into the old lady’s body."
"So, are you saying they used this method to poison her? But who is that person? And do you remember what the man selling the ointment looked like?"
"How could I remember? It’s been so long, and there were so many people coming and going at the fair; how could I remember one person’s face? So, I don’t have much of an impression, but I don’t think I had seen this person before. At the time, I felt they were strangers, not like they lived locally. I guess, they came here just to do business and sell their stuff."
"Alright, I understand. You go and do your things; I’ll go discuss the next steps with Doctor Liu."
The mayor waved his hand impatiently as he felt that his wife had provided quite good clues. To be honest, pressing her further may not yield anything else. So for now, they would just have to let it be.
"Doctor Liu, so do you think the problem might be right here?"
"Yes, it should be in this area. So, don’t use this ointment for now. I’ll take it and analyze it when I find some time to see what’s really in there. Also, remember not to go around spreading word about this, and don’t let the news out too soon, understand?"
"But we have been wronged, and moreover, there’s a malefactor at work. Shouldn’t I bring them to justice? Should I let them continue wreaking havoc here?"
