Starting with the flesh-based stimulant

The peddler seemed unconcerned about Zhou He's turbulent inner turmoil.

He still stared at Zhou He with resentful eyes and said:

"He still owes me two bundles of sanitary incense; you'll have to settle that debt."

Zhou and most of his body were hidden in the shadows, their shadows flickering with the firelight.

After a long pause, he suddenly burst out laughing!

The sound carried a sense of exhilaration I hadn't felt since waking up.

The peddler realized he had eaten the old hunchback!

And you should have known that as soon as you entered the temple.

But he didn't say it outright. Instead, he repeatedly demonstrated those strange and bizarre techniques in front of me.

Now they even specifically mention that the old hunchback owes him two handfuls of sanitary incense.

In Zhou He's view, all of this showed that the peddler considered him useful.

If something is useful, then it has value in being alive!

As for how the peddler would "take advantage" of him, Zhou He didn't care.

It's simply a matter of responding to each move as it comes.

All fears stem from information asymmetry.

But now, Zhou He has at least obtained one crucial piece of information:

As a businessman, the peddler believed that cooperating with Zhou He was the best option at the moment.

Laughter echoed through the dilapidated temple. The peddler seemed somewhat surprised by Zhou He's behavior, and after thinking for a moment, he spoke again:

"Young Master Zhou is indeed extraordinary."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou He immediately realized:

The other party probably already knew who I was.

As we entered the dilapidated temple, when the peddler tossed us some candy, he said, somewhat deliberately, "I suppose you've had some before."

He knew his true identity at that time.

But Zhou He did not hide the smile on his face.

He slowly removed the knife from his hand, held it upside down, and slowly walked out of the shadows.

He could barely suppress the smile on his lips, and said in a gentle voice:

"The peddler knows quite a lot."

He was very happy, genuinely happy.

The more a peddler talks, the more he can prove that the other party needs him.

Zhou He didn't care how the other person knew he had eaten the old hunchback.

He didn't care how the other person recognized him as Young Master Zhou.

Just like that piece of candy.

If you don't understand, just remember this: never accept anything from a peddler again.

What he was now certain of was that the peddler's revelation of these secrets had actually exposed his true intentions.

Lower the price.

In Zhou He's eyes, the peddler opposite him was no longer just a dangerous figure with bizarre skills, but had acquired another identity:

A businessman who needs something from me.

Most importantly, Zhou He was certain of one thing: in the peddler's eyes, he was indeed Young Master Zhou, the real Young Master Zhou.

Just as the old hunchback remembered, no one in this world believes that flesh can really open its eyes!

Thinking of this, Zhou He relaxed even more.

The peddler frowned, his previous leisurely demeanor vanished, and he scrutinized Zhou He repeatedly.

Compared to how he used to grip the knife, Zhou He now appears more aggressive.

After a while, he grinned again, revealing his missing tooth.

"Having traveled the streets and alleys, heard and seen so much, it seems Young Master Zhou has some secrets?"

Zhou He smiled, walked to the brazier, neither squatting down nor speaking, but simply leaning forward slightly to warm himself by the fire, and said:

"Let's talk about your capital. What can I get in return?"

The peddler didn't hesitate; he turned around and, completely naked, reached into his cart.

After searching for a while, he pulled out a small round box and casually tossed it to Zhou He.

Zhou did not answer.

The box bumped against his tattered clothes, fell to the ground, bounced a few times, and got some mud on it.

"Young Master Zhou is being far too cautious."

The peddler seemed somewhat annoyed. He approached Zhou He, picked up the round box, wiped it with his hand, squatted down to continue warming himself by the fire, and said:

"I sold your travel permit. Logically, it should be the 'Qiu Shen' path. I heard you never eat meat, so I thought you wanted to follow the 'Luohan' path. I didn't expect that Young Master Zhou would be eyeing the old hunchback."

Zhou He neither agreed nor disagreed, nor did he engage with the peddler's conversation.

Although he didn't know what the so-called Qiu God and Arhats represented, he couldn't show his weakness at this moment.

Seeing Zhou He's expression, the peddler became somewhat uncomfortable.

"Business is all about negotiation, right? Young Master Zhou, is there something you're hesitant to say?"

Zhou squinted, still avoiding a direct answer.

At this moment, the initiative on the field had unknowingly shifted to Zhou He.

He changed the subject, saying:

"I said earlier that I didn't recognize you, but you didn't answer me. If I had to be secretive about this business, I wouldn't dare do it."

Upon hearing this, the peddler frowned imperceptibly, then chuckled self-deprecatingly and said:

"Young Master Zhou has high standards, but I'm afraid my humble name might offend your ears."

After catching his breath, the peddler continued:

"My surname is Chen, and my given name is Erlv, Chen Erlv."

"It certainly doesn't sound very appealing, Mr. Chen. So, your so-called big business deal is just carrying a load of wild meat for Old Master Li's family?"

Zhou and his forces pressed on relentlessly.

He knew he was dancing on the edge of a knife.

However, having worked as a psychiatrist for so many years, I have considerable experience dealing with dangerous individuals.

In such situations, using language to press the other person step by step and make them feel pressured can actually create a safer environment for yourself.

It's counterintuitive, but Zhou He is good at using this approach.

As for Zhou's initial assessment of the peddler's name, it was purely a reflection of his personal feelings.

Upon hearing this, the peddler narrowed his eyes, then immediately forced a smile.

He seemed unconcerned by the barb in Zhou He's words, and instead of responding to Zhou He's question, he pointed to the round box in his hand and said:

"Young Master Zhou, you can try to guess what's inside."

"If you don't like guessing, Mr. Chen, just tell me directly."

The peddler opened the box, which contained fine, grayish-white incense ash.

"When you're out in the world, there are times when you don't want others to know your ways. Young Master Zhou, you're a son of a wealthy family. It would be rather undignified if people could smell the stench of a 'meat merchant' on you."

As he spoke, Chen Erlu picked up a pinch of incense ash, closed the box, and brought it close to Zhou He, continuing:

"This incense ash can mask the greasy smell on the meat customers. Old hunchback, you don't need it. You're a good customer."

Zhou He still had that smiling expression, but he started to think things through.

Now it seems that Chen Erlv didn't just happen to come to the dilapidated temple to take shelter from the rain.

From the very beginning, he came for me, or rather, for Young Master Zhou.

If that's the case, then the other party must find the incense ash useful to them, and therefore it must be useful.

He didn't think for long before continuing, recalling the route of the back meat he remembered seeing:

"Carrying wild game meat would take half a month round trip. I do need your skills, but I need something else."

The peddler's already long face stretched even longer:

"Young Master Zhou, it's a small business; I barely break even!"

"What did Boss Li use to buy you meat?"

Zhou asked directly.

The peddler shook his head, indicating that he did not want to talk. Zhou He did not press him for details. He simply took the round box from the peddler's hand, examined it in the firelight, and smiled.

The firelight flickered, and before we knew it, the dilapidated temple had become somewhat warm.

Finally, the peddler couldn't hold back any longer and slowly spoke, saying:

"Young Master Zhou has studied abroad and is quite knowledgeable. I can't go into details about things in the countryside. So, is there anything you want? I'll look around."

"I don't need your things, but there's something I'd like to hear. There's something called 'open-eye meat,' has Mr. Chen ever heard of it?"

Zhou He's smile remained unchanged as he pondered how Young Master Zhou should behave, his eyes fixed on the peddler as he asked.