Understandably so. We have only met once and not face to face. You certainly cannot verify my intentions from that single encounter nor I yours. Your caution speaks well of you.

[ Everything else is certainly a reason to be cautious. It is all so much. Too much really that Zhongli doesn't even know where to begin - both in his search and in his explanation. ]

I can only speculate on events to come---

But that voice we heard before being sent here, that was Aetos. He certainly must have brought us here for a reason, even if it was a self-serving one. And I cannot imagine our task is to just waste away in this burning sun until we are no more.

[ Certainly there were more efficient ways to get rid of a group of rowdy Shard-Bearers than to dump them off wherever here is and leave them to die. And Aetos had said they were about to hit a point of no return - which means there were something that could be done to save the Trees. ]

I do not believe the Tree is dead yet. Not completely.