Akivili thought back carefully.
Why had his best friend asked him to act on his behalf?
Could it be... that he wanted him to take over the identity of "Xianyu"?
A theory formed in Akivili's mind, and he asked his best friend to confirm it:
"You want me to assume your identity and carry out this plan for you?"
Xianyu nodded.
"Yes."
Akivili did not ask why.
He considered it briefly, soon agreed, then asked:
"Why choose the Thanksgiving Festival?"
"They chose it." Xianyu's gaze wandered over the assortment of refreshments as he answered casually, "Maybe they thought that day would be more interesting?"
Akivili narrowed his eyes, picked up his knife and fork, and cut the sausage on his plate over and over. Only when the pieces were too small for his fork to hold did he stop.
Deliberately choosing the Thanksgiving Festival...
What sinister intentions.
Xianyu settled on the shrimp dumplings.
He placed one in his bowl and another in Jingliu's, then asked earnestly:
"Akivili, do you like this scenario where you save the Luofu?"
Akivili was confused.
Wasn't he supposed to draw their hatred in his best friend's place? Why did he have to save the Luofu, too?
"A protagonist returning from rebirth needs a suitably grand entrance." Xianyu smiled. "You, the Cloud-Roaming Aeon, will turn the tide in Scalegorge Waterscape and save the Luofu from a Lord Ravager."
Jingliu silently picked up her shrimp dumpling and took a bite.
Using the Xianzhou to build an Aeon's reputation? Letting foreign enemies into Scalegorge Waterscape?
This was getting more absurd by the second.
Xianyu would never put the people of the Xianzhou in danger.
The original plan had clearly been for Xianyu and the Lord of Eternal Joy's many clones to lure the enemies into a cavern abode,