Chapter 376

Chapter 376

That was the scene when Michael knocked and walked in.

Lancelot opened the door and welcomed their mentor inside. Seeing that Lorant was still dazed over the list, Lancelot poured Michael a glass of water and asked him to sit down.

"You're working hard, huh, Lorant?" Michael said with a smile as he looked at Lorant's absent-minded expression. "Are you ready to take over a pass in Lopulo?"

"That won't be an easy task."

Lorant came to his senses and looked up at Michael, giving him a calm smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Michael. I've been preparing for it for a long time. However, since this is my first time dealing with such a matter, no amount of preparation is useful. Everything still needs to be learned through practice."

Michael nodded. Of course, he was aware of Lorant's situation, and seeing that Lorant had a clear plan put his mind at ease.

If Lorant had been too confident and ready to take on the task head-on, Michael would have been concerned and thought about how to make him reconsider.

"Since that's the case, I feel relieved. If you have any needs, don't hesitate to tell me. If there are any issues, feel free to contact the military department. Pokhara has been very stable recently, so we have some extra time and can help you out." Michael said with satisfaction, his eyes full of appreciation as he looked at Lorant. "The military department is ready to assist you with whatever you need."

"What are your plans next? Are you going to inspect the Black Forest outpost? Or perhaps visit other fortresses? Or do you have other plans? If you need my help, feel free to ask."

An idea flashed through Lorant's mind. His eyes suddenly lit up, giving Michael a look that made him regret his offer immediately. Lorant and Lancelot exchanged glances and, with great coordination, sat on either side of Michael, keeping him from getting up.

The thought of getting rid of Michael had been on Lorant's mind ever since they arrived at the Watcher's Castle. He had initially thought about involving Jacqueline again, but since Michael was being so courteous, he decided to make the most of the situation!

A cold wind swept across Michael's face.

It was now winter, and the Watcher's Castle was located by the sea. The sea breeze was strong, and after leaving the thermoregulation array of the castle, the cold wind howled, making everyone shiver.

......

"So, the thing you're talking about is that you want to go into the sea in this horrible season?" Michael, who had been coaxed to the seaside by his apprentice and the young shopkeeper, looked dazed. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. "And not only that, but you also want to dive to the bottom of the sea to find transparent coral?"

His eyes on Lorant were like those looking at a madman. The combination of these conditions sounded like a tall tale.

Lorant nodded innocently beside him. What he wanted Michael to help with was to find 'transparent coral at the bottom of the westernmost sea.'

From the moment he entered the Watcher's Castle and saw the ocean at the foot of the castle's mountain, Lorant had a rough idea of his location.

By the westernmost ocean of the continent!

This was where the last material needed for the breeding of his S-rank beast pet, the "Demon-Eating Fairy," was located.

Although he had only recently returned from the Lopulo Mountains and was still in a recovery phase both physically and mentally, the thought of collecting this material had not crossed his mind before the meeting.

No matter how much he anticipated the birth of a new beast pet, Lorant felt he needed some time to recover before mustering the energy to gather new materials.

But now, things were different.

After realizing that he was now by the western ocean and having rested for over a month in the Watcher's Castle, Lorant reignited his desire to breed a new beast pet.

Thus, after the meeting, he and Lancelot 'escorted' Michael to the edge of the westernmost sea.

Unlike the rugged cliffs of the Watcher's Castle, the ocean here was gentle and serene, like a vibrant young girl. Under the blue sky, it shimmered with a bright and cheerful glow.

The beach had a vast expanse of golden sand. Walking barefoot on it during noon, one could feel the coolness of the bottom sea water and the thin warmth brought by the sunlight.

Lorant found it extremely pleasant to walk on. In his previous life, such beautiful beaches were either crowded with people or monopolized by high-end hotels costing thousands per night. He never would have imagined being able to walk here as if it were his own private garden!

He was able to walk so easily and leisurely on the beach mainly thanks to Fa Meng. With this responsible little bodyguard by his side, Lorant became much bolder. In most places, he no longer had any worries. Even if Michael wouldn't make a move, he didn't think he would encounter any danger here.

These were the feelings Lorant had when he was inside the Lopulo mountain pass. With Fa Meng by his side, all dangers seemed to vanish.

"So, you want to go into the sea from here and reach the ocean floor?" Michael turned his head to look at Lorant, who was enjoying the sea breeze with his eyes half-closed. For a moment, he felt that agreeing to come here was the biggest mistake ever.

He even felt that Lorant's mind was veering into madness.

He's starting to act like those insane research mages.

After all, what kind of sane person comes up with such a crazy idea?

Lorant nodded: "This beach is at the westernmost part of the continent. So we should enter the sea from here and search for a transparent coral on the seabed."

Michael helplessly facepalmed: "Not to mention why you think there would be transparent coral in the sea, something unheard of. What I want to know is how you plan to go into the sea and survive in the water long enough to reach the seabed?"

At this, Lorant looked at Michael, even more surprised: "Mr. Michael, that's exactly why I invited you to help!"

He looked at Michael with a righteous expression, his eyes even carrying some blame and disbelief, as if saying, 'You can't even do this? Seriously? And you claim to be the strongest in the world?'

Michael smirked. He was indeed one of the strongest people in the world, but that didn't mean he could do something like that, right?

The ocean was a forbidden zone for all intelligent races.

It represented the unknown and danger. There was enough evidence that the ocean connected to the other side of the Lopulo mountain range. That meant the beasts in the ocean were identical to those outside the Lopulo mountain range.

If someone could swim long enough without being attacked by the beasts, they could theoretically reach the other side of the Lopulo mountain range.

This dangerous situation, along with the strength and peculiarity of aquatic beasts, meant that no settlements existed within hundreds of kilometers of the ocean.

This was a true no-man's land.

"I have to apologize if I'm disappointing you," Michael said directly, "but I don't have the ability to dive underwater."

"To be honest, I can't even swim!"

"The strength of any practitioner is greatly diminished in the water. With those terrifyingly numerous aquatic beasts, I can't guarantee any success." Michael said regretfully, "It's not a matter of numbers. Even if you brought more legendary-level practitioners, I doubt there'd be a better way."

Lorant knew Michael spoke the truth. The ocean was definitely the hardest challenge to overcome.

On the other side of the Lopulo mountain range, Lorant could evade the beasts by flying through the sky. Since there were far fewer beasts in the sky than on land, the probability of encountering powerful beasts was relatively low. He also didn't have to worry about being surrounded by a terrifying number of beasts or being trapped by formidable beasts.

But the ocean was different. Even Fa Meng didn't have a great way to deal with the ocean.

Unless Fa Meng could turn a large part of the sea into her own domain, otherwise, diving to the seabed would inevitably mean facing a terrifying number of aquatic beasts constantly harassing them in the water.

No one could even imagine the strength aquatic beasts possessed.

A seventh-level beast could pose a fatal threat to a ninth-level practitioner.

And even excluding the interference of the beasts, the problem of how to dive to the seabed was still a major issue for Lorant.

Even though a practitioner's body was far stronger than an ordinary person's and could withstand the terrifying water pressure, the issue of breathing remained unsolvable.

Especially when diving to such deep depths, neither magic nor any mechanical device could accomplish this feat.

Not to mention that most formidable warriors were landlubbers who couldn't even swim!

Seeing Lorant's troubled expression as he stared at the water, Lancelot suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"Master, I wonder if there's any possibility of seeking help from the Merfolk? That race, which can live underwater, should be the most likely to reach the depths of the sea, right?"

Michael's eyes lit up. "That's right! The Merpeople! You're absolutely right, Lancelot. This could really work. Coincidentally, I know the leader of the Merfolk. I'll take you there, but after that, it's up to you."

He was almost eager to resolve this matter, or at the very least, get out of it. Michael almost wished he could travel back to a day earlier and stop himself before entering Lorant and Lancelot's room!

Now that Lancelot had come up with a solid idea, Michael was already quite satisfied.

Merfolk, or Merpeople—they can be called either. This race has two names, and no one knows which one is wrong anymore.

This race, capable of living underwater and breathing through gills, is one of the most mysterious races on the continent.

Where they lived, or even whether they existed, was a mystery to the vast majority of ordinary people.

At least, up until now, Lorant had never seen a single Merfolk in the outside world.

For a long time, Lorant had doubted whether the Merfolk were real or just legends from bard tales.

So, when Michael said he could take them to the Merfolk's territory, Lorant was as excited as if he'd found rare transparent coral.

"What do the Merfolk look like?"

"Do they really have fish tails?"

"Can they survive on land?"

"Why do the Merfolk never leave their territory?"

"Are they really able to breathe underwater?"

Lorant blurted out all his questions at once.

Michael wished he could teleport to the Merfolk's territory in an instant to escape the barrage of questions.

But there was no way for him to do that.

The Merfolk were a very closed-off race, with almost no contact with the outside world.

Therefore, there wasn't even a public teleporter in the Merfolk's territory.

The three of them had to teleport from the nearest small town and then walk the rest of the way to the Merfolk's territory.

Fortunately, they had Fa Meng's boat, so Lorant didn't have to climb mountains or cross rivers. With Michael's help to speed things up, the journey became quite fast and smooth.

By the time the sun was about to set, the group had finally crossed the towering mountains and finally saw the legendary Merfolk sanctuary.

Through the gap between the mountains, a glittering water surface abruptly imprinted itself on Lorant's eyes.

If the view between the mountains was magnificent and grand, the scene beyond the peak instantly changed the perspective.

Even the seemingly common plants in this valley plain filled with water appeared so gentle.

Countless vines entwined themselves on the mountain walls, forming green rope bridges.

A sapphire-blue water body occupied the largest area of the valley, and around the water, tent-like dwellings looked somewhat simple at first glance but had a quaint charm upon closer inspection.

Around the blue water, there were also smaller bodies of water of different colors, some as green as gemstones and others with a dreamy pink hue, each one captivating Lorant's gaze.

There were countless silhouettes freely wandering within these bodies of water.

As Fa Meng's boat appeared above the valley, countless gazes immediately settled on them.

However, not all of these were friendly gazes.

Before the boat had traveled far above the territory of the Merpeople, countless arrows and transparent water arrows were shot towards them.

Startled, Lorant immediately pulled back his upper body from the bow.

None of these attacks could reach the height of the boat, other than giving Lorant a scare.

This led the increasingly knowledgeable Lorant to realize that the overall strength of the Merpeople was actually not very high. They might not be as strong as a small to medium-sized human town.

However, it was clear that the Merpeople were not entirely devoid of strong warriors.

Soon, a strong warrior of the Merpeople leaped out from the water surface. He swung his fishtail in the air, swimming upwards as if he were still in water, directly toward the boat.

"Halt, intruders!" The Merpeople warrior, holding a tall trident, bravely blocked the way in front of the boat.

As he came close enough to the boat, this tenth-level warrior sensed the terrifying aura emanating from it. He realized just how dire his situation was.

Within the floating boat, there was at least one true formidable warrior whom he could never hope to defeat.

With a single thought, he could be obliterated without a trace.

He could not simply retreat, for behind him was his homeland, the Merpeople's secret realm. He would not allow any intruders while he was alive!

Even if it meant sacrificing his life, he could not retreat!

This was the survival strategy of the Merpeople, a weaker race!

Michael stepped into the air, pressed his hands down, and said, "Don't be alarmed, we mean no harm, guardian of the Merpeople. I am Shenuska's friend and an ally of the Merpeople." After he finished speaking, he spread his hands to show he had no ill intentions.

At the same time, with a single thought, he pulled out a small blue shell from his spatial ring.

"Take a look at this."

The blue shell floated out of Michael's hand and slowly drifted toward the Merpeople warrior. The tense warrior carefully reached out to catch the token while keeping his eyes tightly locked on Michael.

The seemingly ordinary object emitted a soft glow in the hands of the Merpeople warrior, as though it were resonating with him.

This appeared to be a very effective anti-counterfeit mark.

At least, upon seeing this glow, the Merpeople warrior clearly relaxed, sighing in relief.

"Honored guests, please forgive my rudeness. I was unaware that you were honored guests of the Merpeople. I did not receive any prior notice to welcome you," the Merpeople, who introduced himself as Kalinska, bowed deeply and spoke to Michael with great respect, clearly placing a great deal of trust in Michael and his party due to the token.

"Please follow me. Lord Shenuska is temporarily not in the territory. I will send someone to inform him of your arrival as soon as possible," Kalinska said as he handed the token back to Michael.

After finishing his words, he turned around and continued to elegantly 'swim' downward in his unique flying posture.

"Follow him," Michael returned to the boat and spoke to Lorant. "Stay close. This is the Merpeople's secret realm. There are many defensive arrays. Only by following their guardians can we descend safely."

Fa Meng snorted in disbelief, seemingly not considering the Merpeople's secret realm to be of any significance.

However, perhaps because Michael was a figure that even this proud Little Qing respected, Fa Meng ultimately followed obediently.

Though, while piloting her boat, she deliberately veered slightly off course as if to test the boundaries.

An invisible ripple rippled through the air, and Fa Meng widened her eyes in surprise, sensing some kind of energy in the darkness. Without a word, she silently urged the boat to closely follow behind Kalinska under Michael's knowing smile.

Lorant, on the other hand, didn’t notice Fa Meng's little maneuver. He was excitedly leaning over the edge of the boat, wide-eyed, taking in the scenery around him.

The Merpeople's secret realm was filled with water, and the air had a pleasant moistness that was refreshing to the soul. The environment was so beautiful that it made anyone feel carefree and relaxed.

It was, no doubt, the perfect vacation spot.

As the boat descended, several strong warriors of the Merpeople swam slowly up from below to meet the group.

The Merpeople's method of flying was the most interesting Lorant had ever seen among all the races.

Their flight was graceful, without any large motions. They relied solely on the streamlined swaying of their bodies, exuding a unique charm.

Male and female Merpeople both had an undeniable beauty.

Especially when their beautiful, colorful tails swayed in the air, it was hard to look away, and the scales occasionally caught the light, briefly dazzling onlookers.

Under Kalinska's lead, the boat landed smoothly on the largest body of water, like a feather falling on water without a ripple.

Lorant saw several Merpeople curiously looking over in this direction not far away, their eyes filled with curiosity.

It must be said that this race perfectly matched Lorant's sense of beauty. Before coming here, he had worried that the Merpeople might be half-human, half-fish, but there were no such cases. Nor did he see any cases of fish above and human below.

These Merpeople beauties each had long, graceful, huge fish tails trailing behind them, with human-like upper bodies, giving off a unique sense of beauty.

This image excited Lorant quite a bit, making him feel like he had entered a fairy tale story from his childhood.

He carefully looked around at the curious onlookers nearby and was slightly disappointed that he didn't see a little mermaid with big, red, wavy hair.

However, the Merpeople gave Lorant a different kind of inspiration. Maybe fairy tales could also be a good educational tool?

Making a mental note of this, Lorant retracted his gaze and saw Kalinska swim over.

"Please get off the boat," Kalinska said, immediately directing his clansmen to push over several huge floating lotus leaves from the water.

These leaves were a fresh green color, much like the fleshy aquatic leaves Lorant remembered from emperor lotuses.

However, the roots of these plants seemed to be of the type that, like duckweed, did not need to be embedded in soil.

Through the clean, transparent water that resembled glass, Lorant could see the roots gently floating below the surface as the Merpeople moved.

He wondered how such large bodies could be sustained by just a few roots that didn't penetrate the soil.

"This is our unique plant," Kalinska said, floating on the water with half his body exposed. "We call it the 'Water Platform.' It's a plant we use a lot in our daily lives."

"Don't worry about its safety. These big things are quite reliable and sturdy!"

"Even if two heavily armored shield knights stood on them together, there would be no problem."

Curious and cautious, Lorant extended his foot to the giant leaf.

The feeling underfoot was a bit soft, but it didn’t feel like he was stepping on a leaf at all.

It was more like stepping on a thick, soft carpet—solid and stable.

Lorant even dared to stomp a little harder, finding that the leaf didn’t move a bit on the water's surface, even with his added force.

It was, as Kalinska said, quite capable of bearing weight. Lancelot soon followed and stood on the 'Water Platform' where Lorant was. The two stood together without causing the leaf to sink or feel crowded.

Michael casually stepped onto another leaf. It seemed he was quite familiar with this unique aquatic plant for traveling on water.

Fa Meng then put away her small boat and gently touched the edge of the leaf with her claws. In the next moment, she transformed her tome into a 'water platform' and, imitating him, stood on it.

Meanwhile, Baby quietly cut a small piece of the 'water platform' along the leaf veins while no one was looking.

Curiously, the little one fiddled with the thin leaf for a while, rolling it up to wrap itself in, turning into a green spring roll and nestling into Lorant's pocket.

The Merpeople in the water, once Lorant was steady, began to push the leaves towards the wooden houses near the water's edge with a smile. Other curious Merpeople surrounded them, their beautiful green eyes filled with curiosity as they observed the unexpected visitors.

Perhaps due to their limited contact with the outside world, Lorant found these Merpeople exuded a sense of purity through their eyes.

Only those with simple hearts could have such innocent and clear gazes.

Sitting cross-legged on the leaf, Lorant looked around, taking in the dreamlike scenery. The transparent water surface and the bright sunshine created a breathtaking beauty, lifting the spirits of those who were immersed in it.

The Merpeople were a reclusive race, but this was not because they were exclusionary.

On the contrary, this race, with their beautiful fish tails, was quite curious about the three of them and did not show any signs of fear or apprehension.

Soon, Lorant and his group arrived at the wooden buildings by the water, which was the Merpeople village and their place of daily life.

Although the Merpeople had beautiful tails and could live underwater for long periods, they still needed to live above the water's surface as well.

Even with their remarkable gills, these Merpeople could not live completely without air; otherwise, they would be fully aquatic creatures, not Merpeople.

In other words, these Merpeople also had their own structures on land.

However, the buildings here had a very distinct Merpeople style. The one Lorant and his group entered was the largest water tent of the entire Merpeople race.

A massive translucent fish skin, treated in some way, was held high by several branches, soaring over five meters high and forming an irregular hexagon at the top. Lorant found himself staring at the intertwined branches.

The seemingly random shapes made Lorant feel as though these structures were not sturdy, as if they might collapse at any moment, defying the laws of architecture.

Fortunately, Lorant's concern was unfounded, and judging from the style of the other surrounding buildings, his worry was indeed unnecessary.

From the air, it hadn't been obvious, but as they descended, Lorant realized that the wooden buildings here were quite large. One fish skin tent connected to another, and in between, there were floating wooden bridges crafted from a special type of wood.

The Merpeople village was quite large, with intricate water routes, and if you walked deep into the village, you could hardly see the water beneath you.

Unlike most races, the social structure of the Merpeople appeared more compact. The distance between neighbors wasn't large, and each small tent was quite close to the next.

Upon entering the tent, Lorant noticed even more the uniqueness of these Merpeople buildings.

These tents built on the water's surface were divided into two levels. The upper level was made of a wooden frame floating on the water and some special skin of aquatic beasts. In the center of the floor, there was a hole large enough for two or three people to pass through. From Lorant's perspective, he could clearly see the underwater scene below.

Under the transparent water, there were many specially made pieces of furniture that could sink underwater. From their arrangement, it was clear they were in use.

Moreover, all the arrangements in the room showed the unique style of the Merpeople. Various shells and fish bones had been crafted into exquisite decorations and utensils by the skillful Merpeople.

There wasn't a single object in the room that could get wet. Even the clothes of the Merpeople were made only from leather.

Kalinska had been following them, but she had remained in the water, giving Lorant the impression that the Merpeople could not come ashore.

However, shortly after they parted ways outside the tent, Kalinska emerged from the circular hole in the center of the room. The sturdy fishman leaped up from the water, splashing a lot of water. The droplets fell onto the slightly angled floor and quickly slid back down through the central water hole.

Kalinska hopped up holding a large tray of fruits and tea.

A thin, pale blue membrane covered the food and cups.

Kalinska handed the items to the three of them. Michael, obviously familiar with this, deftly picked up a small, sea urchin-shaped plant beast with a long, sharp spike from the tray.

He used the small spike to gently prick the membrane in front of him.

And just before the plant beast could open its mouth to bite, he threw it aside.

The moment the membrane came into contact with the sea urchin, it was immediately absorbed.

The blue sea urchin turned into a remarkable orange-red color.

Lorant and Lancelot, like two country cousins visiting the city for the first time, mimicked Michael’s actions to unseal their items.

As the membrane disappeared, a fresh fragrance wafted over them.

The unique scent of wisteria emanated from the fruits, making Lorant curiously picked up a bunch of what appeared to be purple-red grapes.

These grape-like fruits, grown in the sea, were plump and juicy. Their unique, refreshing taste captivated Lorant’s senses from the moment he tasted them.

"This fruit is delicious!" Lorant said, his eyes almost sparkling with excitement as he looked at the fruit in his hand.

Seeing Lorant's expression, Kalinska felt a surge of pride. It’s always pleasant when something of yours is appreciated by others.

He proudly explained, "This is sea grape, a fruit that can only be found in the Merpeople's secret realm. If Store Manager likes it, I can have someone prepare some more for you." Kalinska had quickly figured out the identity of these visitors.

Michael’s identity was easily confirmed because of the token from Shenuska.

The Merpeople's tokens were never given out lightly.

Those who received these tokens were trusted friends of the Merpeople, eligible for their assistance whenever needed.

Outsiders may not realize, but anyone possessing such a token would receive the highest courtesy in the Merpeople's territory. To exaggerate a bit, the Merpeople would even give their life for this token!

So far, there have been less than twenty outsiders who possessed the Merpeople’s token. Combined with Michael’s immense power, his identity was not hard to guess.

As for Lorant’s identity, Kalinska recognized it the moment he saw him.

It was because the cute and shape-shifting little green dragon next to Lorant was well-known.

The news had circulated among all practitioners.

Almost all practitioners were curious about what abilities this obvious beast-pet little guy had and just how powerful it could be.

After all, it was constantly accompanied by the Beast Pet Shop’s store manager, its uniqueness beyond doubt!

This earned Fa Meng a bit of fame without Lorant even knowing.

And without his knowledge, it had also become a symbol of the Beast Pet Shop’s store manager.

The Beast Pet Shop, even among the relatively closed-off Merpeople, had become quite renowned.

After jumping into the room, Kalinska used his powerful tail to support his body and stood up.

Lorant then realized why these water-surface tents were built so tall.

When seen in the water, the Merpeople appeared to have a relatively normal height, but once they came ashore and used their tails to support themselves, they immediately transformed into small giants.

Standing before him, Lorant felt a considerable sense of pressure.

This Merperson guard was muscular, and in terms of musculature, he seemed even more formidable than the sturdy shield knights of Mauplan.

However, his body proportions were quite superior, with long muscles that made him appear lean, allowing people to appreciate both his strength and a certain delicate beauty.

His hair, like seaweed, flowed behind him, and combined with his handsome face, he exuded the beauty of an ancient warrior.

Lorant guessed that the merman’s long fishtail was about three to four meters long. However, since part of it was raised off the ground, it didn’t look too exaggerated during combat.

Lorant struggled to avoid staring at the man’s tail, as he wasn’t sure if the Merpeople would find such a gaze unwelcome. If it were a sensitive area, he didn’t want to be impolite during their first meeting.

"Thank you, sir," Lorant said, smiling and nodding. "This is my first time visiting the Merpeople. I truly didn’t expect a place this beautiful to exist."

"Beautiful scenery, delicious food, and you, a mysterious race like characters from a fairy tale."

"I’m not just saying this to be polite," Lorant said with a grin. "It’s genuinely beautiful here."

"I’ve been to the elves' territory as well. Many consider the elves' land a dreamlike sanctuary, but compared to here, the elves' scenery pales in comparison," Lorant said admirably as he looked around.

Kalinska dragged over a chair, positioning himself so that the tip of his tail just touched the water and flicked about freely.

"The scenery here may indeed be beautiful, but after seeing it for so long, it loses its charm," the merman said, his tone slightly melancholic. "The outside world’s scenery may not be as good, but it’s always something we long for."

Lorant, curious, tilted his head. "If that’s the case, why doesn’t the Merpeople venture out to explore it?"

At this, Kalinska looked helpless. "The Merpeople can’t stay away from water sources for long. It’s not as simple as it sounds."

"In all the waters outside the Merpeople's secret realm, there are cursed aquatic beasts. We can’t live in those places for long. Away from water, we’re unable to survive. The outside environment is something we find intolerable," Kalinska said, shaking his head.

Lorant understood and finally realized why he had felt a strange sense of oddity here.

Everything beneath these crystal-clear waters was visible, yet there were no beasts, making it unusually clean.

"So, there are no beasts in the Merpeople's secret realm?" Lorant asked, surprised as he looked around.

"No, and that’s one of the main reasons we can live here," Kalinska said. Though he had been quite hostile not long before, trying to block the trio, his attitude changed completely after seeing the token. He was now more than willing to share everything he knew.