But after studying the Dragon Snake for a few moments, Tu Xiao'an sensed something was amiss. It was coiled in the water tank, completely devoid of life.

Beside him, Li Qingzhao's excitement gave way to a slight frown. She asked curiously, "Brother Xiao'an, don't you think this Dragon Snake looks a bit listless?"

Li Qingzhao wasn't the only one with doubts. Many of the surrounding customers began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Look, everyone! The snake's eyes haven't opened once. If you didn't know better, you'd think it was a Dead Snake."

"How could it be a Dead Snake? It must be sleeping."

"No way. Snakes are extremely sensitive creatures. With so many of us crowded around, how could it possibly ignore us?"

The onlookers all started talking at once. One guest even brazenly walked up and rapped his knuckles on the tank. KNOCK KNOCK...

Despite the loud noise, the Dragon Snake in the tank didn't react at all. Its body didn't so much as twitch, and its eyes remained shut.

This only deepened the customers' suspicion. Many began to wonder if the snake was actually dead.

Many people had come specifically for the famous Dragon Snake. They all knew it was said to bring immense fortune and bolster one's personal luck, and they hoped some of it would rub off on them.

But if it was a Dead Snake, it would bring bad luck instead.

Many grew indignant. 'What's the meaning of this? Are they trying to fool us with a Dead Snake?'

"Server! Server!"

Instantly, many of the customers began to shout.

A hostess, sensing trouble, hurried over. "Distinguished guests, what seems to be the problem?"

A man in a sharp suit stepped forward and demanded, "Your restaurant has gone too far! Showing us a Dead Snake—do you take us for blind fools?"

"A Dead Snake?"

The hostess was taken aback and immediately denied it. "Impossible! Our boss paid a fortune for this Dragon Snake. How could it be a Dead Snake?"

"What do you mean, impossible? This snake hasn't moved an inch or opened its eyes the entire time. If it isn't a Dead Snake, what is it? If you don't believe me, see for yourself!"

"This..." The hostess stared at the tank. After nearly a minute, she confirmed the Dragon Snake inside hadn't moved. A cold sweat broke out on her brow.

'If this snake is really dead, this is terrible,' she thought. 'The boss once said this entire restaurant isn't worth as much as this snake.'

'Strange. The Dragon Snake was perfectly fine yesterday. How could it be a Dead Snake today?'

She instantly realized this was a matter she couldn't handle. In fact, no employee could. The boss had to come personally. He valued this Dragon Snake immensely; nothing could be allowed to happen to it.

"Please wait a moment, everyone."

The hostess turned and left in a panic, leaving the customers to chatter among themselves.

Some even wore smirks, secretly enjoying the drama.

People of status generally chose to dine at Wei Xian Pavilion, making it the envy of many in the restaurant industry.

'If this snake dies, let's see what they'll use to attract customers then,' they thought.

"Who said my Dragon Snake is dead?"

A moment later, a young man appeared, descending slowly from the staircase.

The young man wore a Versace suit and a calm smile. He walked forward with an air of steady confidence.

Beside him was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in black. His gait was steady and powerful, and he stuck to the young man like a shadow—clearly a personal bodyguard.

He stepped forward and introduced himself to the crowd. "Hello, everyone. I am Su Yu, the owner of Wei Xian Pavilion."

Su Yu?

The moment the young man stated his name, nearly everyone in the hall gasped.

'Su Yu? The second son of the renowned Su Family of Wencheng? He's known to have a real knack for business.'

'This Ancient Street has only been around for a few years, yet his Wei Xian Pavilion is already the most famous restaurant for miles around.'

'And this is just a side project he's dabbling in. The largest five-star hotel in Wencheng, the Borman, is one of his properties.'

'Compared to a five-star hotel, this restaurant is practically nothing.'

'Still, becoming the best restaurant on the Ancient Street proves how capable he is.'

But no one expected this young, wealthy owner of major enterprises to show up personally over a single snake.

It just showed how much he valued this snake.

"Boss Su," someone said, "we all heard your restaurant had a Dragon Snake, a prized treasure. We came in admiration to see it, only to find it's a Dead Snake. Isn't deceiving your customers like this a bit out of line?"

Su Yu had already been briefed on his way down. His eyes were fixed on the tank, and he frowned slightly.

'I'll have to take it out and examine it to know if it's really dead,' he thought. 'But even if it's alive, I can tell it's listless and sick.'

"Boss, the snake's still alive. It's not dead."

His bodyguard leaned in and whispered in Su Yu's ear.

Su Yu nodded. "Open the tank. Let's take the Dragon Snake out and check it."

He then addressed the crowd. "Please, everyone, be patient. I, Su Yu, have built my reputation in the business world on integrity. I would never try to fool you with a Dead Snake."

At his word, the bodyguard strode over. In one clean motion, he opened the tank, plunged his thick arm inside, and pulled out the motionless Dragon Snake.

"See? You still say it's not a Dead Snake? It's completely limp even when held like that, and its eyes are still closed."

Just as the words were spoken, the Dragon Snake's eyes slowly drifted open. It stared listlessly at the crowd, showing no other reaction.

"Boss, the snake appears to be sick," the bodyguard said calmly.

"How could it suddenly get sick?" Su Yu asked, frowning.

This Dragon Snake hadn't been easy to acquire. He had paid a full five million for it at a top-tier auction. It had barely been in the restaurant for any time at all, and now it was listless.

A Dragon Snake brings immense fortune. The Feng Shui Master he'd hired had told him that as long as this Dragon Snake was here, his restaurant's business would continue to flourish.

But if the Dragon Snake were to die in the restaurant, the feng shui of Wei Xian Pavilion would take a sharp turn for the worse, becoming extremely inauspicious.

It could even affect Su Yu's own personal fortune.

Everything has its pros and cons. With an animal tied to one's fortune like this, its death would be a case of mutual destruction; he would suffer a backlash.

The bodyguard hesitated. "Boss, I don't know much about animals like snakes."

"Then go get a veterinarian to take a look."

Su Yu frowned, his face etched with worry as he looked at the listless, limp Dragon Snake.

"That's a question I can answer for you."

A clear, cool voice suddenly rang out in the hall. Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a handsome young man speaking with a calm expression.

Seeing that the speaker was so young, Su Yu didn't dismiss him outright. He asked, "You know why my Dragon Snake is in this state?"