Chapter 162

Li Zhuiyuan indeed did not know.

Although he did have an opening he could share, this opening involved his confrontation with the river, which was a taboo subject. And as his struggle with the river deepened, the taboo nature of this topic would also intensify.

Even when Tan Wenbin recounted the experiences of each "wave" to Grandma Liu, he would intentionally skip this part, re-narrating the story according to the normal process of traversing the river.

Excluding this part, Li Zhuiyuan truly had nothing left to say.

If he were to force it, he would have to frame his deliberate act of digging ditches to channel river water as him being drawn by the river's clue, starting with the lion dance, coming into contact with the "Bochi form and spirit" (dream demon), then uncovering the existence of the hand behind the scenes, and finally leading the entire team to the amusement park.

Then, everything abruptly stopped.

He had a dream, took a nap, and when he woke up, the malevolent entities and the mastermind behind them had all lined up in front of him and committed suicide.

From the teenager's perspective, he could only recount such a fragmented and inexplicable story. This story was not what Liu Yumei wanted to hear, and it certainly didn't merit the high-profile tea party she had specially prepared for it.

Liu Yumei paused, then half-raised her hand, a slight frown on her face. She wasn't angry. The old lady was not someone who was unaware of the gravity of things. She asked with concern:

“Xiaoyuan, has something happened to you?”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, “Grandma, I don't remember most of what happened during this trip.”

Liu Yumei stood up, walked over to the teenager, and gently placed her palm on his forehead. “Xiaoyuan, have you checked yourself to see if your memories were sealed?”

“I've checked, and it doesn't seem to be sealed, nor is it a result of brain trauma. Most likely, it was erased, or I simply forgot it myself.”

“The bandits in this story used very unusual methods?” Liu Yumei withdrew her hand, specifically pointing to her own forehead.

“Yes,” Li Zhuiyuan nodded, “and the bandits in this story have a very deep background.”

“Tell me more.”

“I was dazed, like I had just woken up from a sleep, and then I saw that both the bandits in the stronghold and their patrons were dead.”

“Did they just die within the stronghold?”

“I've only seen what happened inside the stronghold so far.”

Liu Yumei suddenly realized a possibility: that she might know more about this matter than the teenager in front of her.

“Wait a moment.”

Liu Yumei opened the cupboard, took out a stack of letters, and placed them in front of the teenager. On top was a thick envelope filled with photos.

Li Zhuiyuan began looking at the photos one by one. The more he looked, the graver his expression became. The photos depicted scenes of horrific family exterminations.

The teenager's mind was sharp. Since Liu Yumei showed him these, it meant she believed they were related to his current "wave." So, in all likelihood, this was the family of the hidden mastermind. The dozen or so tragically dead gray-robed figures he had seen at the amusement park were not the full extent of this incident.

In his original plan, he intended to draw in the river water and identify the dream demon as the Bochi form and spirit, thereby triggering a chain reaction. Severing this "hand" would have signified the successful completion of the plan. But now, upon seeing these photos, he, who considered himself a radical, suddenly realized he was actually a conservative. Because this wasn't just severing a hand; it was entirely annihilating people.

Each photo was marked with a time and address, from all corners of the land, and they had occurred almost simultaneously. This wasn't merely erasing household registrations; it was clearly wiping out entire family lineages!

Li Zhuiyuan's breathing became somewhat rapid. Although there were no clear clues, he now vaguely felt that he might not be the sole protagonist of this event. While the style was very similar to his own, he was incapable of such a grand gesture.

In the lost memory, he was still himself, and his behavioral logic hadn't changed. Limited by his strength and other factors, given his usual habits, he would have chosen to stop when he was ahead, ensuring only a "hand" was severed. Greater achievements often required greater risks, and he would not take on additional risks, unless... in that lost memory, he had gained a more significant reliance. This reliance was so powerful that it allowed him to disregard risk assessments and actively pursue the maximization of results.

Was it Emperor Fengdu? It couldn't be him. He could claim some connection to him, but ultimately, their relationship was... not close. At the very least, he would never stake the probability of an adventure on Emperor Fengdu's decisions and favoritism. Furthermore, the Emperor seemed to have quite strong opinions about him now.

So who could it be who provided him with such immense support, someone he could truly trust? One must remember that he was inherently someone who found it difficult to trust others.

Seeing that Li Zhuiyuan had finished looking through the photos, Liu Yumei reminded him, “First, read the letter from the Yu family in Luoyang.”

“Alright.”

Li Zhuiyuan opened the letter and read its contents, which stated that the source of the incident was Fengdu. He wasn't surprised by this; he had a feeling that it was indeed the case. The teenager said, “Then this family must be the bandits' powerful backer.”

Liu Yumei: “Don't worry. We seized the opportunity while they were vulnerable. Several families have already joined forces, and our family also lent a hand, making sure to root out every last loose end.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I think... there shouldn't be any loose ends left.”

Since Emperor Fengdu had indeed intervened, if there were any loose ends, wouldn't that be a slap in the Emperor's face?

Liu Yumei smiled, “There are always collateral relatives or disciples, who aren't blood relatives but are still involved.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, “I understand.”

The old lady wanted to eradicate their lineage. The teenager understood this well. After all, they had started it, and now it was simply being returned in kind. As for sending Qin Li and Liu Ting to dig up ancestral graves, Liu Yumei didn't elaborate. As an elder, mentioning such a detail in front of a child would make her seem childish.

However, she also knew that tonight's tea party was destined to be cut short.

Liu Yumei picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said:

“Given your situation, there are only two possibilities for your lost memory. One, it was forcibly erased by someone. Two, that memory is too involved to be brought out, and thus, must be forgotten. Actually, one and two are interconnected. Someone capable of forcibly erasing your memory should also be capable of eliminating you entirely. But they didn't, so they must have done it for your own good. Therefore, only the second possibility remains. That is, in your current state, you are unable to bear the burden of that memory.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, recalling Emperor Fengdu's “return home to worship ancestors.” It was clear that the Emperor knew about these matters. Yet, even with the Emperor's stature, he still had to "trick" him into going to Fengdu, which clearly showed the sensitivity of this matter. Given that such high-level beings were involved, even if it was just a dream, it was no surprise that he was forced to forget that dream memory.

Liu Yumei picked up a walnut shortbread and took a delicate bite:

“But knowing your personality, you will certainly be persistent in trying to retrieve that lost memory. Grandma doesn't oppose you doing so, as memory is like a segment of one's life—it can be wasted, but it shouldn't be forcibly ripped away. Grandma just wants to remind you not to rush or be impatient when trying to recover this memory. Take it steady, and slowly.”

“I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Grandma.”

“Alright, you've just returned and you're tired. Once you recover that memory, you can organize it and see if it's suitable to share with Grandma. Go down and keep A-Li company now.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, preparing to leave.

Liu Yumei spoke again, “Xiaoyuan, thank you.”

Li Zhuiyuan paused, then said, “We're family, no need to be so formal.”

Liu Yumei leaned back, smiling, “Even birth parents, upon seeing their child grow into an adult and become the family's pillar, would say thank thank you and acknowledge how difficult it was. For me to say this is not being formal at all.”

“I haven't grown up yet. This family still needs you to carry it, Grandma.”

Liu Yumei shook her head, “I'm not afraid you'll laugh, but I truly don't like managing the household. Even now, I still reminisce about my carefree and uninhibited younger days. Today, I've re-experienced that feeling.”

Seeing Liu Yumei say this, Li Zhuiyuan humored her, offering comfort:

“Grandma, you're fortunate; you were born with the life of a young lady, something others can only envy.”

“Hmph, glib tongue,” Liu Yumei said, pointing to the tea snacks on the table. “Take some downstairs. It can serve as a makeshift meal, or if you get hungry at night, come up and get more yourself.”

“Okay, Grandma.”

Li Zhuiyuan went downstairs to A-Li's study.

A-Li had put on a pair of iridescent green embroidered shoes and a red lotus-pod-shaped jacket over her white pajamas. The girl was drawing and designing clothes.

Li Zhuiyuan leaned against the doorframe and asked, “A-Li, are you hungry?”

Although he had eaten some snacks at Grandma Liu's, after feeling tired, he craved the comfort of something warm and soupy. The girl nodded.

“Then let's go cook something to eat.”

The girl shook her head.

“What's wrong?” Li Zhuiyuan asked, puzzled, turning towards the kitchen. He didn't usually cook, but making noodles or wontons was no problem for him. Reaching the kitchen door, Li Zhuiyuan saw it was covered in seals. He placed his hand on the door, and without even needing to concentrate, a deeply uncomfortable wave of nausea washed over him.

What exactly had Aunt Liu left in the kitchen?

Upon careful thought, Li Zhuiyuan began to understand. Grandma Liu and the others had clearly sensed that he had encountered the hidden mastermind this time, and they were also preparing for any contingencies for his sake. Whether it was for support or revenge, in short, they had decided to go all out. This feeling of being protected and having a safety net was indeed quite good.

A-Li also followed him out, standing beside the teenager and watching him.

Li Zhuiyuan was capable of tearing open these seals, but after doing so, he would still have to deal with the contents of the kitchen, and then use the pots and pans inside to cook. By the time he finished, it would probably be dawn.

“A-Li, should we eat out?”

The girl nodded.

Li Zhuiyuan led A-Li into her room, opened the wardrobe, picked out an outfit, and placed it on the bed. Then, he went up to the third floor to pay respects to the ancestors of both the Qin and Liu families. His original intention was to find something to pass the time while A-Li changed clothes and he discreetly waited, but to his surprise, the door to the room where the ancestral tablets were kept was also covered with seals. And the strength of these seals far surpassed those in the first-floor kitchen.

Li Zhuiyuan once again placed his hand on the door. Because of his action, several consciousnesses within the room seemed to awaken, responding with warnings towards him. Even in his current state, facing such pressure, he still felt somewhat breathless. It was important to note that the entities inside the room were already within seals, yet they could still project their aura and gaze through their own seals, then through the room's seals, clearly reaching his consciousness. These were undoubtedly a group of extremely terrifying malevolent beings.

Logically, these malevolent beings should not have been here. If even one escaped, it could cause enormous trouble. They had clearly been temporarily relocated. And the only places capable of moving so many terrifying malevolent beings at once were the ancestral homes of the Qin or Liu families. Generation after generation of Dragon Kings traveled the lands, suppressing malevolent entities. It was certain that many such beings would be captured and brought back to the ancestral home for eternal suppression. The old lady had truly brought out her family's entire reserves this time. With few family members, they had to make do with malevolent entities. If this group of malevolent entities were truly brought to an enemy family's home, and their seals were broken or the transaction was completed in advance, it would undoubtedly cause immense upheaval, even disaster, for that enemy family. And the old lady herself would incur immense karma for this, for releasing malevolent entities to cause harm in the name of the Dragon King family. Not only would this enrage the Heavenly Dao, but it would also destroy the Dragon King family's good name.

Only now did Li Zhuiyuan truly understand how profound the "thank you" the old lady had offered earlier was.

As if sensing that the teenager, who was touching the door's seals, had momentarily let his guard down, the malevolent beings inside collectively stirred, trying to use this opportunity to break the teenager's spirit. Li Zhuiyuan noticed, his gaze hardening as he stared straight ahead. In his current state, he was no match for the formidable entities inside, but for some reason, as his aura rose, a profound confidence naturally surged within him. It was as if a figure stood behind him. The auras of both sides somehow reached a balance at this moment, and the teenager was not suppressed.

Gradually, the malevolent beings inside quieted down. They were too tightly sealed; even with numerous methods, they couldn't employ them. Since intimidation through aura proved useless, they ceased to bother. This could be seen as their acknowledgment. Ever since they were transported here, everyone who entered or left the house had been tested by them. Even A-Li had been disturbed by them to the point where she couldn't peacefully play her zither.

Li Zhuiyuan withdrew his hand, turned his head, and looked at the empty space behind him. He had clearly perceived that sensation just now: who had stood behind him? He had only lost two days of memory. Who could possibly make him feel like he had a powerful backing in such a short span of two days?

Downstairs, A-Li had already changed. Li Zhuiyuan had her sit at the vanity and took a comb to brush her hair. No need for an elaborate bun, just a simple brush would do. Then, the teenager took the girl's hand and walked out of the house.

It was late at night. Not only were the campus cafeterias long closed, but shops outside the campus had also shut down. Even if a few were still open, they would be street food stalls, which were not suitable places to take A-Li. Fortunately, he still had a small place on campus. The campus was quiet at this hour, with few people on the roads. But even if there were, with the teenager holding her hand by her side, the girl wouldn't feel afraid.

When they reached the discount store, its door was still open. Inside, they saw Lu Yi cooking a large pot of something, steam rising from it.

“Brother Prodigy, perfect timing! I'm just cooking for them. Want to join us?”

“What are you cooking?”

“Stewed sauerkraut with pork bones. Go ahead and dig in; I guarantee you'll be speechless after one bite.”

Li Zhuiyuan leaned in to look. The sour aroma of the sauerkraut was appetizing, and the large bones tumbled in the boiling soup, truly whetting one's appetite. Besides that, there were also many dried ingredients cooking in the pot.

“Lots of good stuff.”

Lu Yi replied, “Yes, it's all sent from my family.”

“Won't that be too expensive?”

“Nah, it's nothing. Good food tastes better when shared with everyone. Back when my parents worked at that small meat processing plant, business wasn't good, and they barely got paid, so they had to take goods instead. Two months ago, my dad signed an agreement with the town, sort of semi-contracting the meat processing plant. Who knew orders would suddenly pour in? The first month, they stopped the losses, and the second month, they turned a profit. Although they still owed everyone quite a bit in wages, at least there was hope. I don't know how my dad, who'd been an honest man his whole life, dared to do this. My mom, who was always so cautious, actually agreed and even accompanied my dad to borrow the contracting deposit from relatives everywhere. They didn't tell me beforehand; I only just found out.”

“Congratulations.”

In those days, many people indeed got rich from enterprise reforms, but those were the ones who got the "meat"; more often, people failed and lost money.

Lu Yi: “Just a little bit of money, a little bit. There's still a lot of deficit on the books; we'll have to pay it back slowly.”

“But at least you can go home for New Year's this year.”

Lu Yi hadn't gone back home during the summer break, busy instead with tutoring to earn money.

“That's true.”

Lu Yi placed the large ladle on the side of the pot and noticed A-Li. He was about to say that he had seen this unusually pretty little girl before, who had once come to the store to buy a can of Jianlibao. But then he saw the girl and Brother Prodigy holding hands, and his enthusiasm for greeting them immediately died down. He simply offered A-Li a brief smile. Then, he started slicing blood sausage into the pot.

A-Li had also seen Lu Yi before. Back then, Lu Yi had appeared to her as segments of a long red snake. He wasn't that now, of course, but his action of slicing the blood sausage still amused A-Li slightly, and she unconsciously hooked her fingers lightly into the teenager's hand. No matter how clever Li Zhuiyuan was, he couldn't possibly guess that A-Li was currently imagining a red sausage-snake slicing itself and dropping into the pot. The teenager merely assumed A-Li was also hungry and chuckled, “We'll eat in a bit. Let's go see them first.”

Lu Yi quickly said, “The doctor has already been called and is downstairs. Brother Prodigy, the blood sausage will be ready in a moment. I'll serve yours first, then take the rest down to them.”

“No rush, Brother Lu Yi, you go ahead and finish up. I'll head down to check on them.”

“Alright! A little more simmering will make it even more flavorful.”

Li Zhuiyuan took A-Li's hand and headed towards the basement.

Fan Shulin, who had already treated the three men's injuries, was sitting by Tan Wenbin's bedside, smoking with him.

“Mengmeng is from Shancheng, right?”

“Mengmeng?” Tan Wenbin exhaled a smoke ring. “Did she tell you to call her that?”

“I just think it sounds more endearing.”

Tan Wenbin looked Fan Shulin up and down, then advised, “Brother Fan, take my advice. You're a brilliant surgeon; your profession isn't a match for hers.”

“Brother, what do you mean? Do I not have even a sliver of a chance? Does she have a partner?”

“Not yet.”

“Then what's the problem?” Fan Shulin patted his white lab coat. “Even though my salary is a bit lower, my work is a bit busier, and my career prospects are a bit narrower...” As he spoke, Fan Shulin's voice trailed off, and he could only stubbornly add, “At least I'm not old yet.”

“Brother Fan, if you're looking for a partner, I can help you keep an eye out, but some women just aren't suitable.”

“Sigh, I know. She's too beautiful; I wouldn't be able to keep her.”

Yin Meng is beautiful? Tan Wenbin had never really noticed that. Perhaps they were too familiar with each other to pay attention to appearances. Besides, not everyone could be like A-Li, who seemed extraordinary at first glance.

“Brother Fan, don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for you. There aren't many girls in our department.”

“Then what are you talking about?”

“But there are plenty of guys! Don't be so rigid about gender.”

“Hahaha!”

They both burst out laughing. It was already a somewhat awkward topic, and ending it this way was quite fitting. However, after the laughter, while Fan Shulin had indeed abandoned his thoughts of Yin Meng, he also sank into a certain melancholy, feeling the sadness of a relationship that had slipped away before it even began.

Tan Wenbin turned his head and flicked the ash from his cigarette. He knew that men who had never been in a relationship often liked to conjure up a dramatic, world-shattering romance in their minds, even when they'd had little to no interaction with a girl, or when the girl herself felt nothing.

“I'll go check on them two.” Fan Shulin put out his cigarette and left the room.

No sooner had he left than Yin Meng pushed the door open and entered. Tan Wenbin observed Yin Meng carefully.

Yin Meng: “What's wrong?”

Tan Wenbin: “Well, I've got to say, ever since Aunt Liu helped you with skin whitening last time, you really are quite beautiful now.”

“Oh, really?” Yin Meng spread her hands and deliberately spun around once. “Thank you for the compliment.”

“No wonder Dr. Fan came scurrying over as soon as you called him. Being good-looking certainly has its advantages.”

“So that's why I had no business when I ran my shop before? Was I not pretty enough then?”

Tan Wenbin rolled his eyes and laughed, scolding her, “Even if you were as beautiful as a fairy back then, what good would it do? Who the hell buys a coffin from your shop just because you're good-looking?”

Yin Meng glared at Tan Wenbin.

The door was pushed open, and Li Zhuiyuan stood at the entrance, holding A-Li's hand. Tan Wenbin and Yin Meng immediately sobered their expressions, wiping away their smiles.

“Brother Xiaoyuan.”“Brother Xiaoyuan.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Sorry, did I dampen the mood?”

Yin Meng lowered her head, stifling a laugh.

Tan Wenbin: “Not at all. One can be lively even in serious moments.”

Li Zhuiyuan asked, “How's your tailbone?”

“I need to rest for a while. I won't go back to the dorm during this time. I'll recuperate here, and Mengmeng will take care of us.” As he spoke, Tan Wenbin handed Li Zhuiyuan the dorm room key.

Yin Meng shrugged, clearly acquiescing.

Li Zhuiyuan said to her, “Then you'll have your work cut out for you. Make them plenty of good food to help them recover.”

Yin Meng: “Alrighty.”

Tan Wenbin wailed, “Oh no!”

Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li left. Earlier, he had already visited the unconscious Runsheng and the sleeping Lin Shuyou.

Yin Meng closed the room door, then patted her chest and said:

“Brother Xiaoyuan's cold joke was so chilling it almost scared me.”

Tan Wenbin reached up and rubbed the corner of his mouth; he had overexaggerated his wail, pulling a muscle.

“That's normal. When A-Li is around Brother Xiaoyuan, he becomes more personable, and we should consciously cooperate with that.”

“I'm still more used to Brother Xiaoyuan's old way.”

“The kind where he puts a whip around your neck and makes you do whatever he says? That's what makes you comfortable?”

“What kind of ridiculous analogy is that?”

“Rough words, but sound reasoning.”

“That's true.”

“Heh, I see you've spent too much time with Runsheng; you're learning from him and losing your mind too.”

“Nonsense, Runsheng is very clever.”

Tan Wenbin deliberately spoke in a high-pitched voice: “Oh, our Runsheng Hou is so clever and smart, a true genius masquerading as a fool.”

After Lu Yi delivered food downstairs, he returned upstairs and ate with Li Zhuiyuan and A-Li, though he sat at the counter.

“Brother Lu Yi, you can sit closer.”

“No need, Brother Prodigy. I can just eat and do the accounts at the same time.”

“You work so hard. It's good that you can go back and inherit the family business later.”

Lu Yi shook his head, “The nature of the enterprise hasn't changed; it's not my family's business.”

“My apologies, I spoke out of turn.”

“Haha, no, I was just being serious, Brother Prodigy. Actually, I was thinking of making a name for myself. I really enjoy this way of doing business and interacting with people.”

“Then when the owner of this 'stronghold' returns, you can talk to him more. He has a lot of ideas and quite a bit of capital.”

The "stronghold owner" referred to the name on the store's business license. Xue Liangliang was someone who had risen above petty interests. Despite having a knack for making money, his desire for it was very low. He now only had two things on his mind: one was to build up the motherland, and the other was to return to Nantong.

Lu Yi didn't mince words or stand on ceremony; he directly said, “Alright, when the 'stronghold master' returns, I'll pick his brain.”

Next was a relatively quiet mealtime. Lu Yi wasn't actually sitting alone at the counter to do accounts; he was someone who finished the day's work on the day itself, so it was impossible for his accounts to still be unfinished late at night. But how to put it? People have an aura, and he felt uncomfortable eating together with Brother Prodigy and that girl. However, watching them eat from a distance was quite enjoyable, better than even the TV series 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. Eating while watching them, even the large bone in his hand seemed to take on a delicate and elegant flavor. The reason was that actors in TV series were ultimately performing, but for A-Li, this was her life. It was a shame Aunt Liu didn't usually come to the store to buy things, otherwise, she and Lu Yi might have found some common ground.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan walked A-Li home. Unless he was exhausted to the point of collapse or utter exhaustion, he felt awkward sleeping in A-Li's room, even though he really liked the texture of the carpet in her bedroom.

“A-Li, I'll tell you the story of this trip in a few days, once I've remembered it.”

After saying goodbye to A-Li, and with the dorm room key Tan Wenbin had given him, Li Zhuiyuan opened the dorm door and returned to his room. After washing up, he prepared to go to bed.

Li Zhuiyuan repositioned the bronze mirror and activated the dorm's isolation array. With just this simple action, Li Zhuiyuan froze. He looked around the array he had personally set up with some confusion, and deep down, he suddenly felt that the arrangement was utterly useless. After a brief thought, a new arrangement immediately formed in his mind: he could integrate feng shui principles into the array. When activated, it would not only isolate the dorm room but also block external noise interference.

The secret art of the black leather book had made significant progress, and his mastery of arrays and feng shui had also undergone a qualitative leap.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his palm and activated 'Walking Yin'. In his palm, a ball of black karmic fire appeared. With a gentle flick of his finger, the karmic fire began to spin and dance. With a bit more focused control, the black karmic fire successively transformed into the shapes of small cats, puppies, elephants, and other animals. Honestly, this kind of transformation was utterly useless in actual combat. However, his former self could not achieve such precise control over spells.

So, in that lost memory, was I diligently studying?

To some extent, the ability to skip or fast-forward the arduous process of diligent study directly to the point of mastery would make all students drool with envy. However, Li Zhuiyuan was thinking of more than just this.

He walked to Tan Wenbin's desk, pulled out a book, then lay back on his own bed and switched on his bedside lamp. He actually didn't have a habit of reading before bed; after leaving his desk and getting into bed, he would usually go straight to sleep. But today, he made an exception. In the teenager's hand was 'Records of Jianghu Legends and Wonders', Volume Five. As he turned the pages, he could detect a faint scent of Buddhist sandalwood. Of course, the content itself was now utterly basic for him. However, as he read through each description of the 'dead' types, and then saw the line below, 'Exterminated by Zhengdao,' his inner suspicion began to grow stronger.

Just as Liu Yumei hadn't immediately connected the news of that family's extermination to her Xiaoyuan, Li Zhuiyuan was similar. This was no longer a blind spot right under the lamp; this was a sunspot. Li Zhuiyuan could no longer avoid it. When several clues emerged, the most improbable answer became, in a sense, the only one. There were likely many people in this world who could teach him about arrays, spells, and feng shui, but very few had the skill level to enable him to achieve such a qualitative leap in a short period. Most importantly, this person also had to know how to teach him the secret art from the black leather book. This skill wasn't something just anyone could learn. The only other person known to possess this secret art in the world was currently self-suppressing under a peach tree grove. He would also have to trust this person immediately upon meeting them. And this person had to be willing to help him. Even going so far as to help him scheme