In response, some netizens started to argue with them.

[You make it sound so noble, but you're just cowards. You're about to lose your lives and you don't even know to take a chance. Is that all the awareness you have?]

[Regardless of what you say, all I know is that the more people become stronger, the greater humanity's chances of victory will be. I've already applied for an artificial womb; I hope that before my child is born, we can defeat the Zerg and give them a stable and worry-free environment.]

[Me too. At worst, I'll risk my life. Even if I die, my children will continue the fight. I refuse to believe we can't defeat the Zerg.]

[I don't care, I won't change. I'm a pure human, and no one can change me.]

[Me too. I hope we can win, but I really can't accept being turned into a beast.]

[...]

Most people online are willing to adopt animalistic behavior, while some simply cannot accept it, and others are still observing.

Some people who were undecided even went to Leng Erya's social media platforms to leave messages asking for her opinion.

Considering that humans become exceptionally stable in their beast form, Leng Erya posted a status update directly for the benefit of the Li family.

[Leng Erya: I personally cannot accept beastification. You can do as you please.]

Leng Erya, as the shop owner, wielded immense influence. At this sensitive moment, she took the lead in siding with the authorities, causing many to abandon their beast transformations.

[Even the shop owner said that, so I can't accept it either.]

[Seeing the magical fruits and vegetables, I thought the shop owner would actively respond to the Empire's call. It seems there's more to it than meets the eye. Maybe there's some shady business behind the beast transformation that we don't know about but the shop owner does. In any case, I've completely given up on beast transformation.]

[Shopkeeper, could you tell us what happened? I was actually thinking of transforming into a beast, but what you said has scared me.]

[Luckily, I was quick-witted and saw the shop owner's post at the last minute before the package was sent. I've already deleted the package information. I'm so grateful to the shop owner; I'll stand with them through thick and thin.]

[I knew beastification wasn't a good thing, shopkeeper, I'll follow you.]

[...]

Because of this post, more and more people have given up on becoming beastmen, and even those who had already filled in their recipient information are now feeling regretful.

The impact is clearly extremely negative.

The imperial authorities had no choice but to issue a clarification.

[We hereby solemnly declare that the shop owner is working against the clock to provide us with the miraculous fruits and vegetables and has no time to go online. As for the many netizens saying that they have given up on the beast transformation because of the shop owner, we must clarify that the shop owner is not Ms. Leng Erya (@冷尔雅). Leng Erya is just an ordinary woman. As for her resemblance to the shop owner, it is entirely due to technology and ruthless work. Please do not be swayed by malicious individuals and think rationally.]

This statement caused an uproar across the internet.

[No, how could this be? I've been calling her "shop owner" for so long, and now you're suddenly telling me I called the wrong person?]

[How could someone as beautiful as Leng Erya be fake? You must be framing her because you think she didn't listen to you.]

[Impossible, absolutely impossible. What do you mean by saying that appearance depends entirely on technology and ruthless work?]

[It's just plastic surgery! But I didn't expect women to get plastic surgery too, it shouldn't be like this, is it just to steal the spotlight from the shop owner?]

[Yeah, why get plastic surgery? Isn't it better to just use your own face?]

[Speaking of which, it seems his two children are quite ugly, um... how should I put it, they just don't look like human children.]

[Is it real? Have you seen it?]

[I bumped into them once. Although they were well-protected, I was so shocked that I couldn't help but take a picture. That's this one.] Image · JpG

This picture of a novice child attracted a lot of attention. Everyone was curious about what kind of child it was that didn't look like a human.

Leng Erya was seen sitting in a flying vehicle with two children, one older and one younger. The younger child mischievously opened the window, and Leng Erya looked at the child in horror, while the older child looked out the window curiously.

It is clear that the photographer took this photo from inside another aircraft.

[Although it's very impolite, these two children look completely different from their parents, like Beauty and the Beast. Is it a genetic mutation?]

[Holy crap, that scared me! Pay up!]

[Is this really their child? Why does it look a bit like a mutant gorilla to me?]

[Why are you speaking such blunt truths?]

[That's enough, they're just kids, they didn't do anything wrong, there's no need to say such harsh things, they only saw it yesterday.]

[I also think some people's words are really hurtful. How heartbroken those two children would be if they saw that.]

[...]

Discussions about Leng Erya intensified and quickly became a trending topic, with more people seeing the photo.

[However, if you can deduce the parents' appearances from the child's, just how ugly must Leng Erya herself be?]

[How could my goddess give birth to such an ugly child? It can't be her child. No, I have to go ask her.]

[Oh my god! My eyes! Someone tell me if they're synthetic.]

[...]

More and more people flooded into Leng Erya's social media platform to leave messages asking if it was true or not, which made Leng Erya, who was already overwhelmed, even more overwhelmed.

Who on earth dares to oppose the Li family? Didn't they say no one would dare to expose their own lies?

Looking at those two ugly children in the photo, it has always been a pain in Leng Erya's heart, and also a pain in the Li family's heart.

Now, seeing the overwhelming online criticism, Leng Erya, who had been proud for so long, has once again broken down. Each word on the screen seems to mock her, piercing through Leng Erya's already wounded heart.

Looking at the two innocent children beside her, she thought of her own childhood. How innocent they must have been! No, her children can't be this ugly. She has to take them to get plastic surgery.

Just as Leng Erya was about to leave with the two children, Li Kaiyan opened the door and looked at her suspiciously, "Where are you going?"

Leng Erya, unusually, did not maintain her gentle demeanor, but instead spoke as if she were insane, "Plastic surgery, I want to take my child to get plastic surgery. My child cannot be so ugly. As long as my child is not ugly, they will still believe that I am that shop owner, they will still like me, and our Li family can still win."

"Are you crazy?"

Li Kaiyan looked at the woman in front of him in disbelief, closed the door, and said, "They are so young, and you still want to take her to get plastic surgery? I don't agree!"

Although he was still quite bothered by his child's appearance, given the scarcity of natural children, he didn't want his child to suffer like that, and...

"Don't worry about what happens online, I'll make my own judgment."

Li Kaiyan left after saying this, and told the servants outside the door, "Guard her well."

Li Kaiyan then went to Li Hongyao's study.

He knocked on the door and went in. "Dad! I have something to talk to you about."

Li Hongyao looked sharply at Li Kaiyan, who was closing the door, and said, "I also have something to tell you."

Li Kaiyan had just stood in front of the desk when a book hit him squarely on the head. "You unfilial son, do you really think I'm old and blind and don't know anything?"