The committee meeting room.
"See this? This is the composition report from my tests. There were no other substances in the food residue. If you refuse to withdraw the charges against the Head Chef, perhaps the next case I accept will be a defamation suit against the committee.
"And based on my analysis of the available evidence, the Head Chef has a ninety-nine percent chance of winning. Given our current time constraints, this case is a meaningless waste of time."
When the Warden laid the report down in black and white before the assembled committee members, the turtlefolk Head Chef raised his head once more.
"If you agree to withdraw the charges, I need the signatures of all ten committee members. Where are the other four?"
In the kitchen workers' dormitory, of course.
That was what several committee members were thinking.
While Tang and the others were in action, the dormitory could hardly be left empty. Since evening had arrived, they had sent four committee members to the workers' dormitory to burrow under the blankets. That way, the head count would still match during a spot check.
"Your report may be genuine, but our stomach troubles are just as real. The others are resting and shouldn't be disturbed. How about this? We'll give you an answer tomorrow."
They could only stall for as long as possible. Their status as dignitaries from various regions gave them that right.
The Head Chef had no objections. All he wanted was to reclaim his good name.
Taking a strictly businesslike approach, the Warden nodded as well. "Then I have other duties to attend to."
With that, he returned to his office and stood before the soundly sleeping Wangwang once more.
This was a war dog he had adopted. Its owner had died in an