The door opened quickly, and a burly man in a costly silk robe entered with firm steps. His round face reflected concern, but his gaze relaxed upon seeing Ethan awake.
"Son, how are you feeling?"
Ethan, still adjusting, felt a slight nervousness but kept his expression calm. He didn't want to raise suspicion, as he had not yet fully adapted to his new memories.
"Just a little dizzy, f-father... It's nothing serious."
Li Jiang crossed his arms, observing him attentively but without pressing too much.
"Good. Make sure to rest. I'll tell the servants to be on alert in case you need anything."
He nodded with a slight sigh, as if finally allowing himself to relax. His tone shifted to a more practical one.
"When you feel better, we will talk. For now, just recover."
With one last glance, he turned and left the room, leaving behind a momentary sense of stability.
Ethan let out an internal sigh. He had not yet adapted to his new identity and didn't want to raise suspicion. Now he had to focus on understanding this world and his new situation.
"AION, organize the memories. Create a file folder named 'Li Wei' and classify the information."
He wanted to structure his thoughts. His mind was in chaos—sometimes he felt like Ethan, sometimes like Li Wei.
[Confirmed. Creating directory: 'Li Wei.'][Data classification in progress...][Priority set: Personal relationships and current environment.][Identified relatives: Li Jiang: father, Wei Lan: mother, Zhao Ren: servant and personal assistant.][Current environment: Location: Rong City, under the jurisdiction of the Yun Dynasty.][Irrelevant information archived. Memory integration status: 32%. Rest is recommended to avoid neurological overload.]
Ethan closed his eyes for a moment. At least now he had a starting point. The first step was to recover… then, to understand how to survive in this world.
"Young master, are you alright?" Zhao Ren asked with concern.
"I'm fine. Could you bring me something to eat?" Ethan wanted to relax for a moment and let AION continue organizing the memories.
"Wait a moment, young master. I'll bring it right away."
Zhao Ren quickly left the room and headed to the kitchen to give the orders.
Meanwhile, Ethan reflected on his next steps. Based on the memories analyzed by AION so far, he knew that this world was filled with dangers. People like him, without strength or skills, could die at any moment.
He felt confused... but also excited. According to the knowledge stored in his mind, this world defied all the laws of physics he knew. It was like opening the door to a universe of new possibilities and theories.
[Analysis completed. Data organization at 100%.][Main categories: Personal relationships, Environment, Personal history, Irrelevant information]
With the analysis completed, Ethan reviewed the information to familiarize himself better with his current identity.
After going over the data, he stood up and began exploring the room he was in. It was a spacious area, decorated with luxury fitting his status. The large carved wooden bed was covered with fine fabrics, and the walls displayed antique-style decorations. A large bronze mirror stood in one corner.
Ethan approached the mirror and looked at his reflection.
"Fortunately… I look the same, just a bit younger," he murmured to himself.
In front of him, a young man in his twenties stared back. His long, black hair was neatly tied, and he wore a high-quality silk robe. His face was handsome, with eyebrows sharp as swords and a serene gaze, too calm for someone of his age.
While Ethan was lost in his thoughts, a knock on the door was heard.
"Young master, your food is ready."
"Come in." Ethan replied in a calm tone. After everything that had happened, he was mentally exhausted and just wanted to eat something to relax.
Zhao Ren entered quickly and served a bowl of porridge. Ethan didn't pay attention to the dish; he simply took the spoon and began to eat.
While eating, his mind continued working. He now had a clear idea of his identity and current environment. He could simply go on living as the son of a prosperous merchant, enjoying a comfortable life. But his nature wouldn't allow him to do that.
The experiment with Erebo-X… why did it react that way? What exactly caused it? What other hidden uses could it have?And beyond that, this world itself was an enigma.
After eating, night fell. Ethan leaned against the window frame, contemplating the view. Outside, there was only a courtyard with a pond, where fish jumped beneath the faint light of the stars. His gaze remained fixed on the night sky, lost in his thoughts.
"I wonder where I am… the same universe? Or, based on the multiverse theory, I could have been transferred to a parallel reality, where the fundamental constants differ enough to allow for the existence of cultivators..."
Ethan squinted. If this world followed different principles, his understanding of science needed to expand beyond the conventional.
----
One night later, Ethan woke up. He was exhausted and had slept in late. As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard a knock on the door.
"Young master, are you awake? The Master is expecting you in his office."
Ethan rubbed his face, still somewhat sleepy.
"Yes, I'll be right there."
He slowly sat up and looked at the silk robes hanging on the rack. Although his body still felt a bit heavy, he decided to dress himself. It took him a few moments to properly adjust the layers and belt, but in the end, he managed without too much trouble.
He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. There were many questions in his head, but for now, the most important thing was to face the meeting with his "father."
Following Zhao Ren to his father's study, Ethan observed the surroundings. The building looked like an old-style villa, with servants busy with their daily tasks. According to his memories, his family was not large.
Their wealth came from the wine and liquor business. The family's history dated back to his grandfather, who had developed a special wine recipe. With patience and determination, that first business grew into a distribution network that supplied nobles and government officials. Over the years, his father, Li Jiang, expanded production and established contacts with the elite, consolidating their position in the market.
As he was thinking, they arrived at the door of the study. Ethan stepped forward and took a deep breath to calm himself, trying to appear as natural as possible. He had reviewed all of his memories with AION's help, so he felt more confident than the day before.
"Come in." Li Jiang's voice resonated from inside the study.
Ethan slid the door open and entered. The study had an old-style design, with a carved desk and shelves filled with books. The air was infused with the scent of incense and paper.
"Father." He greeted respectfully.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Father, thank you. Yesterday I was a bit sore, but I'm feeling better now."
"I'm glad to hear that. Have you thought about what we discussed?"
While reviewing his memories the night before, Ethan had learned that, before his accident, his father had wanted him to start getting involved in the family business to train him as his successor.
Now, Li Jiang planned to expand the business even further and had already set aside a considerable sum for new investments. Ethan, with AION's help, saw this as an opportunity.
"Father... if you'll allow me, I have an idea that could help with the business expansion."
Li Jiang raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What is it?"
Ethan took a deep breath. He knew his father wouldn't accept an idea without solid reasoning. As a businessman, Li Jiang understood that any investment carried risks, and without tangible results, he wouldn't part with his money easily.
"If I talk to him about microbiology or chemical processes, he won't understand anything. I need to explain it in terms he can clearly visualize."
"Father, I've been thinking about ways to improve the quality of our wine. Our current process is good, but there are details that could be optimized."
Li Jiang narrowed his eyes. "Optimized?"
"Yes. If we better control the fermentation, we could produce a purer wine with a more refined taste. For example, the type of vessels we use affects the aroma and preservation time. I've also considered trying a different blend, adding certain fruits and honey at key moments to enhance the flavor without affecting the wine's stability."
Li Jiang placed a hand on his desk. His expression was serious. "Improving the wine sounds good... but any change in production could lead to losses. If something goes wrong, we could end up with whole vats ruined."
"I know, Father. That's why I propose running a small-scale test. Not changing the entire process at once, but preparing a few vats using this technique and comparing them with the current ones. If it doesn't work, the losses will be minimal. But if it does, we could sell a superior quality wine at a much higher price."
Li Jiang remained silent, evaluating it. Finally, he nodded. "If you truly believe it's worth trying, I'll provide the resources for a test. But if the result is unsatisfactory, we won't insist on it."
Ethan gave a slight smile. "That's all I need." Although he was confident in his idea, he knew he couldn't appear too sure. With AION's database, improving the quality of wine in this era would be a straightforward process, but he couldn't reveal the true origin of his knowledge.
With his father's approval and the initial capital, he could start building his own wealth and move forward with his future plans and research.
"I'll give you 300 taels of silver and 50 of gold for the test. You can take samples from the cellar."
Ethan managed to maintain composure, but internally, he was surprised. He hadn't expected his father to entrust him with such a considerable sum right from the start. This showed that Li Jiang genuinely wanted him to grow in the business and was giving him the freedom to make important decisions.
After saying this, Li Jiang took a bag from his desk and handed it to Ethan.
"Thank you, Father. I'll get to work immediately."
Ethan gave a slight bow of respect and left the study. Zhao Ren followed him in silence.