Volume 1 Chapter 18 Stepping Forward

The banquet hall suddenly fell silent.

Shen Yuwei’s untimely outburst had, ironically, eased the tension in the room, but Captain Fu’s patience was wearing thin. The enforcement officers from the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Bureau were equally impatient. Taking advantage of the distraction caused by Shen Yuwei, Captain Fu simply bypassed Ye Tian’s demand to examine the poisoned patients and circled back to his original ultimatum.

"Enough. Do not waste any more time. Please make your decision quickly," Captain Fu said, his tone brook no argument. "Are you going to hand over the formula, or will Ye Tian come with us to assist in the investigation? If you refuse to choose, I will have no option but to call in the police to enforce our mandate."

Li Qingcheng refused to yield. "I have already stated that we require an examination of the poisoned patients first."

Captain Fu’s eyes shifted. "Then let Ye Tian come back to the Bureau with us! If he wants to examine the patients, he can do so while he is with us. After all, investigating and verifying matters regarding poisoning is precisely the jurisdiction of our department. With your alchemist’s cooperation, our inspection and investigation will be much more convenient."

The logic seemed sound, but Li Qingcheng would never agree. She flatly refused, "No! I will not let you take Ye Tian!"

Heaven knows what Ye Tian would face once inside the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Bureau. It was akin to throwing a lamb into a den of wolves. The malicious figures behind this scheme would undoubtedly use underhanded tactics to extract the formula for the Beauty-Preserving Pill from him—perhaps even resorting to torture. How could she allow Ye Tian to be placed in such a position?

Captain Fu’s patience snapped. "Refusing this and rejecting that—is the Li Group planning to resist the law by force? Your family truly considers itself above the law, showing no respect for our enforcement agency! If you persist in this resistance, I will have to call the police to execute a forced compliance."

The atmosphere in the hall grew heavy once more. Captain Fu’s tone was quiet, yet every word carried immense pressure. No matter how powerful the Li Group’s connections were, they could not openly defy the law—especially not in front of a crowd. The hall was filled with the city’s elite; the Li Group could not afford to be seen in the wrong, lest they provide their enemies with leverage. They had to concede today. They had to choose between turning over the person or the formula.

Captain Fu had chosen to strike during the press conference specifically to ensure this public, "legitimate" scrutiny. Had it been any other time or place, his position might not have been enough to suppress the Li family.

The guests began to whisper among themselves, waiting to see what the Li family would do. They all knew the Li family could not resist—at least, not while under the public gaze.

Li Qingcheng was at a loss, and Li Dinguo was struck by a splitting headache. He turned his gaze toward Ye Tian. The Beauty-Preserving Pill belonged to Ye Tian, and only he could make this decision.

"Give it to them," Ye Tian finally said. A faint, mocking smile played on his lips.

The hall erupted in an uproar. The guests could not believe their ears. "What did he say? He’s going to hand over the formula?" "A formula worth hundreds of millions! He’s just giving it away like that?" "Does he think handing it to the Regulatory Bureau will prevent a leak?" "It’s over. The Li family is finished. The losses are incalculable..."

Li Dinguo was stunned, and Li Qingcheng frowned in confusion. They could not understand why Ye Tian would agree so easily. Why not buy some time, make excuses, or try to pull strings?

Facing the insistent gazes of the Li family, Ye Tian remained unmoved. "Let them take it for analysis. I would like to see what they manage to find, and how exactly they intend to pin this poisoning incident on the Beauty-Preserving Pill..."

The sarcasm in his voice was palpable. It did not sound like he was acting out of spite. He seemed genuinely confident that the formula was safe. Was he handing it over just to prove his innocence and humiliate them? To force the Bureau to admit their mistake later? Was it worth it? That was a formula worth hundreds of millions!

Li Qingcheng’s beautiful face clouded with doubt. Her finely groomed brows were tightly knit, as if burdened by an unsolvable sorrow. In her eyes, Ye Tian’s decision was pushing the Li family to the edge of the abyss, potentially placing them in an irredeemable position. She hurried to his side, clutching his sleeve, and asked urgently, "Why?"

Ye Tian did not answer. The cold, indifferent smirk remained on his lips.

"No, we cannot give them the formula," Li Dinguo said, panicked. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably. "Wait a moment, let me call someone..." He scrambled for his phone.

The Li Group had grown to its current scale with help from many sources. Naturally, they had official support and their own network of connections. Li Dinguo needed to call upon those allies now. He dialed frantically, but to his shock, none of his calls would go through. The powerful figures who usually called him "brother" were not answering.

Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, rolling down his cheeks and soaking his collar. His previous anger was replaced by panic and despair—a complex emotion born of helplessness against reality and fear of the unknown. He seemed to wither in an instant, looking suddenly much older.

"This is impossible... why won't they answer..." Li Dinguo’s lips trembled.

Watching him, the guests sighed to themselves. The reason was clear to anyone with a discerning eye: the Li family had been abandoned. Or perhaps, the forces behind this move were simply too powerful. Their network could not protect them. This was the tragedy of the merchant; no matter how high your status, if you lack official backing, any minor official can crush you with ease.

The air in the banquet hall was stifling. Li Dinguo was out of options. Li Qingcheng took a deep breath and suddenly stepped forward.

"The formula will not be handed over to you!" she declared. "If you want to investigate, let me be the one to cooperate! I am the legal representative of the Li Group; all safety responsibilities and consequences should be borne by me. This has nothing to do with Ye Tian. If you must take someone, take me!"