Why do you think Lan Di flew away?

[JaySw34]

Im sure it's been discussed but id like to read the community's opinion on why Lan Di flew away after Ryo finished Dou Niu. Getting to Yuanda Zhu was very important to Lan Di and The Chiyoumen. And we all know he could of hopped down and wasted everyone on that roof. Do you think there's a reason for him to keep Ryo alive? Maybe he wants to eventually recruit him for Chiyoumen lol. What you guys think?

[Supa]

Maybe he desperately needed to get to Bailu Village for something/someone and deemed it a waste of time? I'm concerned why exactly he/they wanted Zhu in the first place, the reasoning must have exhausted itself at some point though, since he did leave Zhu there.

[NeoShredder]

He probably doesn't consider Ryo a threat....yet. Additionally, he only dirtied his hands in the first place to grab the mirror itself, he wouldnt do the dirty work unless it was for something consequential.

Although, did Shenmue Ii ever tell us what Lan Di was DOING in Hong Kong or why he was there?

[Sonoshee]

The ChiYouMen wanted Zhu dead. Lan Di could easily have snapped his neck by the time Ryo catches up to them on that roof top. It makes me think Lan Di had other plans for Zhu, maybe questions about his own father. Either that, or Zhu's knowledge of the mirrors would come in handy. The possibilities are great. It's going to be another long two years for sure.

[Miles Prower]

It does bug me that it's not really made clear just why Lan Di and the Chi You Men wanted Zhu in the first place, seeing as Ryo's search for him is basically the main plotline running through the game...because they thought he'd have knowledge of the mirrors, I guess?

[johnvivant]

It could have been that Zhu has information and or an ability that lan di needs in order to unlock Qin treasure, or free the Chiyou, or empower Tentei (or all of them), but after failing to capture zhu he goes to guilin because he knows of someone else who also has this information or ability (shenhua's father?).

[Henry Spencer]

I reckon Zhu is a former member of the Chi You Men. A traitor, if you will. And Lan Di was commanded by Tentei (the founder of the Chi You Men) to bring him in for questioning. Just a theory.

[Supa]

That would make sense, I never thought of that. ^

Remember, Yu did say he wasn't exactly trustworthy...


#long2years

[Henry Spencer]

Maybe they found out that Zhu sent Iwao the letter to warn him about the Chi You Men (him being an old friend of Iwao's and all), hence why Zhu then went into hiding.

[code l name]

That would make sense, I never thought of that. ^

Remember, Yu did say he wasn't exactly trustworthy...


#long2years

I've seen a few people make this same comment. What interview or discussion was this from? Can you provide a link?

[BlueMue]

There is a very simple explanation: He'd kill everyone and Shenmue would end right there.

As for Lan Di's actualy motivations and reasons in the story it's really tough to speculate. We don't know how long Zhu has been on the rooftop but it's unlikely that the black suits already got information out of him. Whatever Lan Di wanted from Zhu, he must've had another way to obtain it, that's for sure.

Or the whole thing could've been an incredibly well staged show to fool Ryo and us all, giving wrong information in order to help Lan Di. Maybe they need Ryo to contact Shenhua, it could be just about every crazy thing imaginable.
It doubt it but like other here, I still have that "not trustworthy" bit in the back of my head.

[Jibby]

He had to go to the bathroom.

[redline]

could be he was under orders not to attack ryo?

[johnvivant]

could be he was under orders not to attack ryo?

yeah, it could be as bluemue suggested, that they are leading Ryo on to take some action that will benefit their own objective in releasing the Chiyou, - or whatever it is they want. They may already know that Ryo is of key importance..more so than we do.

[Lan Di-sama]

This also really bothers me and I sure hope that this part of the story isn't brushed aside, but I guess that depends on if Zhu remains a key character. Ryo spent the entirety of the game thus far trying to find Zhu - why did he ask so few questions when he finally met him? Ryo barely learned anything from Zhu, why didn't he ask things like: How do YOU know that Lan Di is headed to Bailu Village? What did Lan Di want with you in the first place?

And how much information - if any - were the Chi You Men able to extract from Zhu before the rooftop trade off? If none at all, then how important was it to Lan Di to find Zhu in the first place? He easily could have hopped back down and taken Zhu - did he really respect Ryo for defeating Dou Niu so much as to just take off without Zhu? Does he view Ryo as a threat or as mostly insignificant? Does he know that Ryo would be able to follow him to Guilin after speaking to Zhu?

There are just too many unanswered questions concerning Yuanda Zhu!