Chapter 100 Proving Strength

Since someone has put their face right in front of us, we should slap them hard enough to make it look good!

She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and walked out from behind Lu Zhanming.

Lu Zhanming immediately turned to the side, still maintaining a guard's posture, and watched the group of people warily.

Gu Baobao's gaze swept over the disheveled investigator on the ground, over the crowd of onlookers outside the courtyard, and finally landed on Commander Feng and Zhang Yunxiang's faces.

Seeing the undisguised trust and protectiveness in their eyes, she felt reassured.

Then, she turned to the square-faced man, her voice clear yet carrying an undeniable coldness:

"You're calling me an enemy spy? Saying I'm unqualified due to my low education level? Saying my medicine is fake?"

She paused, then suddenly gave a very faint, yet highly ironic, smile:

"Fine. Since you, and those researchers and revolutionary masses who wrote joint letters behind my back questioning me, are so unconvinced, so eager to know whether I am qualified, and whether my medicine is genuine..."

Her gaze suddenly sharpened, like a sword drawn from its sheath:

"Then call them all here. Every single person who signed this petition, without exception. From the provincial capital, from the islands, those who are dissatisfied, those who have doubts, gather them all together."

She raised her hand and pointed towards the military region's auditorium, speaking each word with unwavering resolve:

"Today, right here in the military region's auditorium, I, Gu Baobao, stand here. Bring on all your questions, all your grievances, all your doubts."

"I will answer your questions one by one in a way that you can understand and comprehend. I will use facts, reason, and what I know."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the courtyard and even outside:

"But if I prove my innocence, that my medicine is real, and that my skills are genuine..."

Her gaze swept over the investigators again, cold as ice:

"Then, those who broke into the military family's residence today, attempted to harm me, slandered me, and instigated and spread rumors behind the scenes, must give me a clear explanation!"

"I want them all to be convinced, both in heart and in words!"

After speaking, she stopped looking at those people and turned to give Commander Feng and Zhang Yunxiang a slight nod:

"Commander Feng, Chief of Staff Zhang, I'm sorry to have troubled you. But I request that I have this opportunity. Some things can't be avoided, so it's better to be upfront and make things clear."

Commander Feng looked at the young girl in front of him, who was clearly very young but showed amazing courage and composure at this moment, and felt both admiration and heartache.

He nodded emphatically:

"Okay! Comrade Bao Bao, we'll do it your way! I'll have someone arrange it immediately! Yunxiang, spread the word to all the units and individuals involved in the joint report."

Those who are willing to come, assemble at the military region's auditorium at 2 PM today! I want to see who's stirring up trouble!

Zhang Yunxiang responded loudly, "Yes!"

He immediately turned to make arrangements, and as he passed the stunned investigators, he gave a cold snort:

"Did you hear that? Aren't you going back to inform your people? We'll see who's the real deal at the auditorium at 2 PM! If you dare not come..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his eyes said it all.

The investigators, as if granted a pardon, scrambled away, their earlier arrogance completely gone.

The news spread like wildfire, reaching the entire island military region in an instant, and even reaching the ears of some people in the provincial capital at an even faster pace.

"She wants a face-to-face confrontation? She wants to summon all the signatories?"

When Chen Yongkang heard the news in his office, he was first taken aback, then sneered.

"She's really a young girl who's not afraid of tigers. Well, good for her. In front of so many experts and leaders, let's see what kind of nonsense she, a mere elementary school student, can come up with. If she loses face later, she can't blame others."

He thought for a moment, then made a phone call:

"Tell Liu Jianguo and Zhao Dezhu to send their people to consult with this expert, Gu!"

Ask the questions more pointedly and professionally. Also, have those people we've been secretly contacting prepare..."

He put down the phone, leaned back in his chair, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Gu Baobao, do you think this is an opportunity to prove yourself?

No, this is the perfect stage to nail you to the pillar of shame as a liar and a suspicious person!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, if you show any weakness or can't answer those professional questions... well...

1:30 p.m., Auditorium of the Island Military Region.

The auditorium, which can accommodate nearly a thousand people, was packed to capacity.

In the first few rows sat experts and key doctors from the island military hospital, led by Dr. Qian, with Dean Zhou Mingren sitting beside them; none of them looked too good.

The middle rows were occupied by personnel from health departments and research units who had come from the provincial capital. Liu Jianguo was prominently featured among them, and several other researchers with similarly serious expressions and wearing glasses sat next to him.

Further back were some military region officials and representatives of military families who had come after hearing the news. Zhao Jinfeng and several family members who had previously expressed some dissatisfaction with Gu Baobao's excessive popularity sat together and whispered among themselves.

A row of seats was specially set up at the front side of the auditorium, where Commander Feng, Political Commissar Liu Bangzhen, Zhang Yunxiang, and several other key members of the capital working group who had just arrived on the island and were weary from their journey sat.

The head of the working group was a middle-aged man with a refined and composed demeanor, wearing gold-rimmed glasses; his name was Huo Zheng.

He was currently flipping through the brief information about Gu Baobao and the photocopies of the several complaint letters, his brows slightly furrowed, revealing neither his joy nor anger.

Lu Zhanming and Gu Dongguo did not sit in the front row.

Lu Zhanming stood in the shadows near the side of the stage, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena like that of a hawk, his body slightly tense, in a state of alert where he could erupt at any moment.

Gu Dongguo's wheelchair was parked by the aisle. He gripped the armrests tightly with both hands, his eyes fixed on the empty podium, more nervous than if he were going to the battlefield.

The atmosphere was heavy and subtle, with a sense of impending doom permeating the air.

Whispers filled the auditorium like a tide.

"I heard she's just a young girl who's not even twenty?"

"Elementary school graduate? What could they possibly know?"

"Even Professor Qian approved of it, so it must be quite capable, right?"

"That's hard to say. What if Elder Qian was also misled?"

"Let's see how she gets out of this mess..."