Xunlong Jue (Seeking Votes, Seeking Collections)

Raindrops pattered against the ground, splashing up in bursts. Beneath the dim sky, towering skyscrapers stood tall amid flickering neon lights.

Xiao Hen emerged from a pitch-black alley, patted the rain-soaked clothes on his body, walked to the roadside, looked around, then fixed on a direction and strode off.

"Shuttle, I need to know what world this is!"

Xiao Hen wiped the rain from his face and asked in his mind.

"This is the world of Ghost Blows Out the Light: The Musical Journey. Mission generating, please wait... Mission generated."

"Main Quest: Obtain the Crystal of Illusion (Flower of the Other Shore)."

"Side Quest: Join the Spirit Cultivation Society, enter the Goddess Tomb, and protect Ying Caihong from death until the Flower of the Other Shore is acquired."

Xiao Hen fell silent, his mind rapidly sifting through the film's plot, recalling the general outline of the story.

This was a domestic film with excellent acting and special effects. Xiao Hen had watched it a year ago, but now, a year later, his memory of the plot was hazy.

"To get the Flower of the Other Shore, I have to enter the Goddess Tomb. Alone, even with my current physical condition, there's a high chance of death. Besides, this kind of thing calls for professionals." Xiao Hen ducked under the awning of a clothing store by the roadside to avoid the rain, his thoughts churning.

"The main quest is to obtain the Crystal of Illusion, which is the Flower of the Other Shore. As for why the Shuttle calls it the Crystal of Illusion, referring to the film's final explanation, this Flower of the Other Shore is a Skyfall Meteorite containing boundless illusory power. The Shuttle calling it the Crystal of Illusion isn't wrong."

"Thinking back to the last story world: The Great Wall, that green crystal the Shuttle called the Pearl of Greed. So it seems this Flower of the Other Shore's extraordinary, reality-defying ability plays a big role in repairing the Shuttle. Maybe this time, the repair rate could reach fifteen percent!" Xiao Hen smiled.

Last time, in the Great Wall world, that crystal restored the Shuttle's damage from seventy-three percent to fifty-eight percent. Xiao Hen guessed this Flower of the Other Shore might achieve similar results. At worst, eight percent, right?

As long as it could be repaired to fifty percent, I could prepare in advance for future worlds, greatly improving safety. And the benefits of advance preparation go further—like gaining greater advantages in the next world, and so on.

"The side quest is to join the Spirit Cultivation Society?"

Xiao Hen stroked his chin. The Spirit Cultivation Society was a cult organization founded by the story's character Ying Caihong. Most of its members were wealthy young masters. Of course, from the plot, Ying Caihong had no supernatural abilities at all—she relied entirely on bluffing to make those rich kids risk their lives for her.

Ying Caihong was born in Sichuan Province, Huaxia, with one black eye and one yellow eye naturally. Legend said she could see through the realms of yin and yang, but from childhood, the villagers saw her as an ill omen. Eventually, she was adopted by a wealthy Japanese merchant—in truth, kept as a mistress. After the merchant died, Ying Caihong inherited his fortune and founded the Global Mining Group.

The story begins after Ying Caihong's Global Mining Group signs a tomb-raiding contract with Hu Bayi's partner, Wang Kaixuan.

"The Goddess Tomb... the side quest..."

Xiao Hen muttered to himself, then began figuring out where this place was. To enter the Goddess Tomb, he first had to join the Spirit Cultivation Society and follow Ying Caihong into the ancient tomb. Only she could take him in, because in the plot, Hu Bayi refused to enter the tomb from start to finish, only going in at the end to save Wang Kaixuan out of necessity.

From the side quest's perspective, the Shuttle's assignment was reasonable, almost like going with the flow, choosing the most logical path for Xiao Hen.

"But it wants me to protect Ying Caihong until I get the Flower of the Other Shore. That means once I have it, even if I kill her myself, it's fine, right?"

From the side quest, it was clear the Shuttle's primary goal was always the Flower of the Other Shore. The main quest pointed directly at it, and even the side quest was set up to assist in obtaining it.

"I need to know the current time period, determine when the plot starts, and the Spirit Cultivation Society's headquarters is in Hong Kong..."

Xiao Hen walked along the street, came to a newsstand, picked up a stack of newspapers, and flipped through them, finding the current date. Good, there was still some time before the plot began. So now, what he needed to do was join the Spirit Cultivation Society.

This was Jinling. To get to Hong Kong, he'd have to figure something out. At this moment, Xiao Hen was a non-existent person in this world.

He got a phone number from a street-side fake ID ad, called it, and followed the instructions to a secluded alley where someone was waiting. Through the alley, he entered a low building that looked like a reception area. Seeing Xiao Hen come in, a middle-aged man approached to receive him.

By the time Xiao Hen walked out of that place, several burly men were lying on the floor inside. These fake ID dens often harbored extortionists. But extorting others was one thing—extorting Xiao Hen? Hah, wishful thinking.

Glancing at the ID in his hand, Xiao Hen smiled faintly. Going to Hong Kong shouldn't be a problem now.

Stepping off the plane, Xiao Hen exited the airport, took a taxi, and headed for the city center. The Spirit Cultivation Society was located in a high-rise in downtown Hong Kong.

"By now, Ying Caihong should have a brain tumor and be desperately seeking a way to survive, right?" Xiao Hen smirked coldly, got out of the taxi, and looked up at the skyscraper before him. Clear lettering on the building read: Global Mining Group.

Xiao Hen walked in. Just as he reached the front desk, he was stopped.

"Who are you? Unauthorized personnel aren't allowed in here." A young woman at the front desk said warily.

"I have an appointment with your chairwoman, Ying Caihong." Xiao Hen lied without batting an eye.

"Really?" The front desk woman was skeptical.

"Yes. If you don't believe me, call and confirm. Just say two words: Goddess Tomb!" Xiao Hen said with a smile.

The woman hesitantly dialed the chairman's office. Ying Caihong answered. The young woman asked directly, "Chairwoman, do you have an appointment today? Someone downstairs wants to see you, says he has an appointment with you."

A voice came through the phone: "I don't have any appointments today!"

The young woman looked at Xiao Hen doubtfully, but Xiao Hen just smiled and gestured for her to continue: "Chairwoman, this person said if I tell you two words, you'll know. Those words are: Goddess Tomb!"

"..." The line went dead. The young woman hurriedly called out, "Hello? Hello?"

"Send him up!" After a long pause, Ying Caihong's voice finally came through.

"Yes, Chairwoman." The young woman was startled, then relaxed. It seemed this person really did have an appointment with the chairwoman.

"You can go up. The chairwoman is in Room 1003 on the tenth floor."

Xiao Hen pressed the elevator button and rode up.

Anyone guess?