Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Framing Her for Using a Banned Drug

Lu Tingyan barely broke a sweat subduing the reckless father-son duo and reclaiming his authority as the Federation Leader.

「Meanwhile.」

At the mountaintop restaurant.

Bai Xue had excitedly brought police officers and people from the Food Safety Bureau with Mrs. Bai to shut down Bai Su’s restaurant.

She had even deliberately chosen the busiest lunch hour.

Mrs. Bai led the group in, her face cold. "This is the place. Search it!"

Bai Xiaolang, seeing their hostile intentions, instantly scowled and blocked the entrance. "It’s you again, you wicked witch! What are you trying to pull today?"

Bai Xue looked at the little brat, rolled her eyes, and went to shove him. "Get out of the way, you little bastard. Don’t get in our way!"

The shove failed. Bai Xiaolang used her momentum to pull her forward, then spun and kicked Bai Xue, sending her stumbling into the restaurant.

In front of all the lively customers, Bai Xue fell flat on her face, drawing a roar of laughter from the crowd.

Humiliated and furious, Bai Xue scrambled to her feet. "Stop laughing!"

She turned and glared at Bai Xiaolang. "You! How dare you lay a hand on me! I’ll beat you to death!"

A flash of mockery crossed Bai Xiaolang’s eyes. ’A useless female who can’t even truss a chicken. I could take on a dozen of them at once.’

Mrs. Bai grabbed her, frowning. "We have important business to attend to."

Only then did Bai Xue back down.

Mrs. Bai shot a look at a police officer beside her.

The man stepped forward. "I am the aide to Major General Lu Yanhua. I am under his orders to shut down this restaurant."

Hearing this, the crowd grew agitated. "Shut it down? Why?"

"This restaurant is great, why are you shutting it down? If you do, where will I go to eat such delicious food?"

"You need a good reason to shut down someone’s business, right? You can’t just suppress them because of some bullshit malicious competition."

"That’s right!"

The crowd protested, glaring at Bai Xue. Their meaning was self-evident.

Hearing the commotion, Bai Su came out of the kitchen. The moment she saw Mrs. Bai and Bai Xue, she knew they were up to no good.

The smile on her face faded slightly. "Mrs. Bai, what brings you here today? Surely you haven’t come to trash my restaurant just because I refused to go back to the Bai family with you?"

Mrs. Bai couldn’t be bothered to reply, merely standing loftily at the threshold of the courtyard.

The police officer stared gravely at Bai Su. "We’ve received a report that the food in your establishment contains internationally banned private drugs. We are shutting you down."

Bai Xue smirked at the crowd from the side as if looking at a bunch of idiots. "You all still don’t get it, do you? The food you’ve been eating was spiked with a banned substance."

"This substance can improve your constitution in the short term, but it cuts down your lifespan. You think you’re getting healthier, but you’re actually losing decades of your life without even knowing it!"

"She doesn’t have any superpower at all. She’s just been tricking you!"

Her words caused an uproar.

"No way... A banned substance?"

"But I haven’t noticed anything wrong with my body. I’ve been feeling healthier the more I eat here."

"Yeah, I just had a check-up at the hospital yesterday, and there was nothing wrong at all."

Bai Xue rolled her eyes. "I already told you it’s a banned drug. You think it’d be that easy to detect?"

Bai Su immediately activated her smart-brain to call Lu Tingyan.

She looked at them calmly, stalling for time. "You say my food contains a banned substance? Where’s the proof? You haven’t even searched the place, yet you walk in and declare me guilty. I am a law-abiding female citizen of the Federation. Are you persecuting a female in broad daylight? Has the Federation’s law and order really fallen this far?"

The lead officer looked at her coldly. "You want proof, is that it?"

He turned to the officers outside. "All of you, get in here and search!"

"Yes, sir!"

The entire courtyard was cordoned off.

The influencers who had come to check in and those who were live-streaming their mukbangs were all stunned.

They never expected something like this to happen.

The cameras turned toward the main players of the drama, and the number of viewers in the live streams shot up.

The soldiers pushed past Bai Su to go inside.

Bai Xiaolang quickly shielded Bai Su, patting her hand reassuringly like a little adult. "Don’t be afraid, Mom. I’ll protect you."

Bai Su couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. "Okay, Mom’s not afraid."

The viewers in the live stream felt their hearts melt at the sight.

[OMG, the little wolf cub is so adorable!]

[Sob sob sob, I hope this is all a mistake. The Little Wolf and the owner are such a sweet mother-son pair. I can’t bear to see them suffer.]

[But to be honest, using a banned drug is not okay, right? Isn’t this taking our money and our lives?]

[Exactly! Females are already protected by the Federation. They won’t starve even if they do nothing. Is it right for her to open a restaurant, take our money, and pull this kind of stunt?]

[And I thought this little female was a good person, always smiling at everyone. Turns out she’s a wicked female with a Buddha’s mouth and a serpent’s heart!]

[I’ve eaten at her place so many times. Dammit, can I ask for a refund?]

[I’m gonna die, I think my body’s already been affected. No wonder I’ve been losing so much hair lately. It’s because I’m aging prematurely!]

[Me too! I’ve suddenly been waking up earlier and sleeping less. Isn’t that a trait of elderly Beastmen?]

Soon, an officer came out with a small bag of powder and presented it to the crowd. "The evidence is conclusive."

A flash of excitement crossed Bai Xue’s eyes. She looked at Bai Su with feigned disappointment. "I never thought you were this kind of person! Sis, this is the last time I’ll ever call you that!"

"Are you that desperate for money? Our Federation provides such good welfare for female Beastmen. You wouldn’t have starved. Did you really have to harm others just to make a profit?"

’What wasn’t there to understand?’ Bai Su thought. ’These people went in to "search," but the "evidence" was already in their pockets.’

’Framing her was as easy as flipping a hand.’

Bai Su looked at the triumphant Bai Xue and the haughty Mrs. Bai. "You’re doing this on purpose! I won’t accept this! You just went in there to search yourselves. Who’s to say you didn’t have the drugs on you already, just to frame me?"

The officer’s face was a mask of arrogance and displeasure. "Are you implying that I, the esteemed aide to Major General Lu Yanhua, would come to this remote suburb just to frame the owner of a small shop?"

Bai Su crossed her arms. "You never know. Who knows if you’re even in your right mind?"

The officer narrowed his eyes. "Are you looking to die?"

Bai Xue fanned the flames from the side. "Sis, you don’t actually think Major General Lu will protect you like he used to, do you? Where is the Major General, anyway? How come he isn’t here today?"

She couldn’t wait for Major General Lu to show up!

Just as Bai Su was about to speak, a deep, commanding voice suddenly boomed from the entrance: "Do you all think I’m dead?"

Everyone turned at the sound of the voice and saw Lu Tingyan at the door.

He wore a military uniform with the cape of the Federation Leader draped over his shoulders, and a military cap on his head.

Beneath the brim of his cap, his long, sharp eyes were hidden in shadow, exuding an unprovoked chill.

The overwhelming, powerful pressure emanating from him made everyone present lower their heads in unison, feeling restless and uneasy.

The influencer Beastman who was live-streaming was so intimidated by his powerful aura and oppressive presence that he quickly shut off his stream.

When the officer saw the cape he wore, his pupils contracted sharply. "How can this be..."

’Wasn’t today’s operation supposed to be a guaranteed victory for his superior, Major General Lu Yanhua, and his faction?’

Lu Tingyan shot him a cold glance.

The officer immediately dropped to his knees with a THUD. "Greetings, Leader."

Seeing this, the other officers hastily knelt as well.

With the mood set, the rest of the onlookers panicked and followed suit, kneeling and not daring to look up.

A flutter of excitement crossed Bai Xue’s eyes. She stepped forward coquettishly, her voice delicate. "Major General Lu, what brings you here?"

Lu Tingyan walked straight to Bai Su’s side without a sideways glance. "I am here, naturally, to support my female."

At his words, the entire crowd of onlookers couldn’t help but feel a surge of envy.

Some were also baffled. How did Major General Lu, whom everyone had written off, suddenly reclaim his position as Leader?

Seeing her chance, Bai Xue rushed forward. "Major General, you mustn’t be deceived by her! Just last night, she was in a cave mating with four Bear Beastmen! Her private life is a total mess!"

This was the moment she had been waiting for!

’I knew Major General Lu would definitely come to help this bitch.’

’The only question is whether the Federation Leader would still want a female who’s been branded as promiscuous—with concrete evidence, no less.’

A flash of triumph crossed Bai Xue’s eyes.

Lu Tingyan stared at her darkly. The scene was dead silent; no one dared to make a peep.

’If what Bai Xue said was true, then this female, Bai Su, was far too audacious, openly treating the Federation Leader like a backup option?!’

Lu Tingyan stared at Bai Xue, his lips curling into an unreadable smirk. "So it was you. That saves me the trouble of investigating."