The familiar song echoed once again in Kadi's ears, his face a mixture of incredulity and an unspoken thrill.

The thrill was purely born from his admiration for Igor, who had once again proven his brilliance. To Kadi, Igor was even more extraordinary than the Spirit Book. The Spirit Book was always boasting about Lord Soron's omnipotence, yet when it was needed the most, it knew nothing. Only through Igor's guidance was he finally able to piece together the truth about the Forward-Time People and Reverse-Time People.

Now, Igor had discovered a trap in the Moonflow Stream. Although it was admittedly a bit annoying that the trap was set on his own body, the potential of finally crossing the Moonflow Stream to find the monster leader eased his discontent.

Regardless, what he cared about the most was what would happen next.

Kadi waited silently. Watching the focused Igor, he didn't dare to utter a word, afraid that any movement might disturb Igor's train of thought.

Igor was still pondering a question. It seemed irrelevant, but without figuring it out, they couldn't proceed.

Igor always felt that every trap had a clear purpose. The traps they encountered now seemed designed to drive them away, yet, in essence, they also seemed to be irresistibly beckoning them forward.

It was a contradictory feeling, much like the song of the Moonflow Stream: the first part was temptation, luring you in; the latter part was a warning, cautioning you to stay away...

Igor shook his head. My thoughts strayed too far. I'm always making this mistake, thinking about tomorrow or the day after before the task at hand is even dealt with. This is a terrible habit. It might turn me into an overly ambitious, impractical fatty. Knowing how much I love to eat, I'd definitely be eating what's in my bowl while eyeing what's in the pot—I might just eat myself into obesity...

Kadi was unaware that Igor's thoughts had drifted far beyond Guru Mountain. He still believed that Igor was racking his brain to figure out how to break the Moonflow Stream's trap.

The afternoon sun was bright and warm, bathing their bodies in its gentle heat. After a while, Kadi felt a wave of drowsiness.

"AAAH—" Kadi stretched, suddenly feeling as if he hadn't properly rested in a long time. But to achieve my dream, any hardship is worth it, he reflected.

"You said the creature in my ear woke up because of that sound, but there's still something I don't quite understand," Kadi couldn't hold back his question any longer; after all, he'd been mulling it over for a while.

"Hmm?" Igor slowly lifted his head. His earlier mental wandering had left his thoughts a bit scattered. He had even imagined himself sneaking into the Grand Cafeteria in Distant Travel to steal a bite of Dean Hoffman's crispy rice...

"When you pour water on stones, it makes the sound of flowing water, right? Look around, isn't this place full of water flowing over stones? I hear these sounds all the time, so why can't they wake up that thing in my ear?"

This was indeed a peculiar question. Igor had considered it too, but convincing Kadi wouldn't be simple, so he needed a moment to gather his thoughts and choose his words carefully.

Kadi's expectant look was truly potent. No normal person could refuse such an expression, Igor thought. His face is like that of a child who's just beginning to understand the world, filled with anticipation for everything outside.

"Your question is indeed very special," Igor began. To make a child fully understand something new, one must first praise them thoroughly and highlight the importance of their question, he mused.

"Really? So, what's the actual reason then?" A sense of pride welled up in Kadi upon receiving Igor's affirmation. It's truly an honor to get his approval!

"You should be familiar with the concept of a first impression, right?" Igor started gradually, his thoughts now fully collected.

"Yeah, of course. A first impression is just the initial feeling, right?"

"First impressions are very important. When you approach the Moonflow Stream, you definitely hear the sound of its flowing water, correct?"

"That's correct." Kadi followed Igor's line of reasoning.

"The sound arrives first, which means your first impression of the Moonflow Stream is also based on that sound."

"It seems so," Kadi murmured, becoming completely engrossed as Igor's words guided him deeper down the path of reasoning.

"The person who set this trap on you—the one who hid something in your ear—knows you very well. They tampered slightly with your first impression of the Moonflow Stream," Igor continued to lead the way. This is probably the best way I can explain it, he thought.

Kadi listened with rapt attention; Igor's insights into how the trap was formed were fascinating. Understanding how this trap on me was set is a huge gain! he thought. I have to take this very seriously. Besides, if I figure it out this time, I won't fall for it again next time, he resolved.

"The trigger for this trap is simple. It's just that the person who set it added a few conditions to the trigger, which is why yours is unique."

"Oh?" Kadi replied, still only half-understanding. His eager anticipation made Igor a little nervous.

"The condition is your first impression forming as you approach the Moonflow Stream. As soon as that first impression enters your mind, the creatures in your ears start singing..."

"Hmm..." Kadi tried to process Igor's words in his mind. He carefully recalled his first impression of the Moonflow Stream—SWOOSH, SWOOSH, the sound of water rushing over stones...—but the creatures in his ears didn't start singing...

"It's not working," Kadi told Igor. "All I thought about just now was that first impression, the sound of the flowing water."

"How about now?" Kadi asked, again pouring water from his waterskin onto the piled-up stones. A soft splashing sound echoed.

"Ah! It's working!" Kadi exclaimed in surprise. "What on earth is going on?"

"That's the second trigger condition for this trap. The sound makes you recall your first impression of the Moonflow Stream, rather than you actively trying to recall it yourself," Igor patiently explained.

This condition was a bit convoluted; even Igor had almost gotten himself tangled up in it when he first thought it through.

"But... but why is it that the sound *you* make pouring water on the stones triggers my first impression, while all these natural sounds of the stream can't awaken them...?" Kadi trailed off, not quite knowing what else to ask. He just desperately wanted to understand why the ambient sounds of flowing water didn't affect the creatures in his ears.

"Sometimes, if you're surrounded by a flock of timid sheep for too long, you might forget you're actually a wolf. However, a kind reminder from a tiger can make you realize you were a ferocious animal all along," Igor offered an analogy. It was quite obscure, and Kadi probably won't understand it, he thought.

"I get it!" Kadi suddenly exclaimed with excitement.