The screen went black, followed by a crane's cry.
The darkness slowly faded, revealing billowing white clouds and a clear blue sky. The viewpoint, however, was high in the heavens.
Then, a black-and-white figure swept past, wings spread wide, red crown and long legs flashing as it darted through the clouds, light and graceful, utterly at ease.
The camera followed the white crane, drawing closer.
The white crane let out a long cry, beat its wings, pierced through the clouds, and dove down.
The next moment, the camera closed in. The clouds grew thinner and thinner before slowly dispersing, revealing a panoramic view of the modern river city below.
Towering buildings, endless traffic, crowds flowing back and forth, bustling with noise.
The white crane vanished from the shot as the camera swept across the city scenery. The Yangtze River Bridge, Jianghan Customs House, Turtle Mountain TV Tower, Qintai Grand Theater, River City University, and more flashed past in succession.
As the camera passed these landmark buildings, time accelerated. Sunlight shifted, clouds scattered and drifted by, and the sky gradually darkened. Lights slowly came on throughout the city, until night had fully fallen and the lights blazed in full. The camera arrived at River City's most famous structure.
Yellow Crane Tower.
Yellow Crane Tower was enveloped in golden light, its radiance concentrated around it like a pearl in the night.
The camera circled Yellow Crane Tower once, then arrived beneath the main building, aimed at the entrance. The shot was filled with tourists lining up to enter and explore the tower.
Then the camera slowly pulled back to the plaza below, and the back of a woman in a fitted khaki trench coat appeared in the frame.
"Miss Tao Ying has finally appeared!"
"Damn, what's going on? I was wondering why