The video had only been live for a short while, yet the like count had already surged past one hundred thousand, with the numbers climbing higher every time the page refreshed. The comment section was a chaotic blur of scrolling text, moving so fast it was almost impossible to read.
"Holy crap, how did they film this? How did they get that giant hand into the frame so seamlessly?"
"Has short-video special effects technology really reached this level of realism already?"
"The image of that bus being pushed through an ancient village by a gargantuan hand is just pure comedy gold. The best part is the actors; they deserve an Oscar for looking so genuinely terrified, like they've never seen a set of wheels in their lives."
"The acting is top-tier, the effects are top-tier, but can we talk about how ugly that bus is? It looks like a cheap plastic toy, not a real vehicle."
"The hand is definitely real, and the bus is a toy. The little people must be the CGI part, but man, the integration is flawless."
"I can still tell it's CGI, hmph. My eyes are too sharp for your tricks."
"What kind of reverse-thinking sorcery is this?"
"This CGI is explosive! My god, absolutely explosive."
As the likes continued to skyrocket, the small airplanes, ships, and high-speed trains in the linked shop remained stubbornly unsold. However, the exact model of the toy bus featured in the video was a different story. In a matter of minutes, over ten thousand orders had been placed. At 49.9 yuan per unit, ten thousand orders represented over half a million yuan in sales. Li Dao Xuan took a 25% commission, and after paying TikTok their 5% fee, he had essentially pocketed a cool 100,000 yuan in the blink of an eye.
His WeChat started pinging incessantly. It was a message from "A Bucket of Pudding":
"Boss! Big Boss! Our orders just exploded! The sales department is pulling emergency overtime just to pack and ship these toys. My god, I am truly in awe of your video. That level of special effects... you've opened our eyes to what's possible."
Li Dao Xuan replied casually, "See? The planes and ships won't sell because they aren't in the video. The bus is only moving because it's part of the narrative. If you can source some ancient-style miniature toys, I can work them into the next video. That's where the real money is. Remember: little houses, tiny castles, miniature carriages—those will sell like crazy."
"I get it!" Pudding replied instantly. "I'll go talk to the product development team. We'll do our best to create toys that fit your video's theme within our technical capabilities."
"Looking forward to it," Li Dao Xuan typed back. "A win-win for everyone!"
Closing WeChat, Li Dao Xuan felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He turned to look out the window; night had firmly settled over Chongqing. Below his apartment, the local drunkards were already shouting their rowdy drinking games, their voices echoing off the concrete. Two young men on motorcycles roared down the street, intentionally revving their engines until the sound was a deafening, window-rattling thunder.
Li Dao Xuan sighed and slid the window shut. The double-layered soundproof glass cut off the racket of the local "ghost-fire" youths, returning his room to a peaceful silence. After a quick shower, he returned to the bedroom and flicked off the lights, ready for sleep.
The room wasn't entirely dark, however. A faint, warm glow emanated from the craft box. Along the walls of the Gao Village Family, a ring of tiny oil lamps flickered, casting long shadows as two sentries dutifully walked their beats. After surviving two separate battles, the villagers had finally realized the true gravity of their situation; their patrols were now conducted with a newfound, razor-sharp focus.
A small smile played on Li Dao Xuan's lips. He was about to whisper a "goodnight" to the box and collapse into bed when he noticed a tiny figure standing on the third-floor balcony of the tallest watchtower.
"Huh?"
Li Dao Xuan adjusted his gaze. It was Gao Yiye.
Under the cover of night, the girl wasn't wearing her formal attire. Gone was the heavy, pristine white robe of the Saintess. Instead, she was dressed in her old, coarse linen clothes—the ones covered in patches and frayed at the edges. It was likely her "pajamas"; she clearly couldn't bring herself to sleep in the "holy" garments for fear of wrinkling them.
She seemed to have something weighing heavily on her mind.
Standing on the high balcony, she gazed up at the sprawling tapestry of stars. Her mouth moved several times as if she were about to speak, but she kept hesitating. Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer and whispered a soft question to the vast, empty sky.
"Why me?"
The question drifted into Li Dao Xuan's ears, causing him to freeze for a moment. He understood exactly what the girl was asking. Why was she chosen? Why was she the one to bridge the gap between a god and a village?
Honestly, Li Dao Xuan didn't have a clear answer for that himself.
"Tianzun," Gao Yiye whispered, her voice barely a breath. "You must be busy handling celestial matters in the Immortal Realm right now. I only dare to say this because I know you aren't watching... but... this little girl is... I'm bored out of my mind!"
Li Dao Xuan nearly choked. "Pfft!"
"Everyone forbids me from doing anything," she continued, her tone bordering on a whine. "I just have to stand there and look dignified. They won't even let me move too much, saying it insults your majesty. But... but I've never been that kind of girl! I like to run, I like to jump, I like to be wild! I like chasing Gao Chuwu and hitting him, and I like watching little Gao Sanwa wobble after me. I miss catching frogs in the fields and hunting for river clams in the water... Before the Great Drought, I was the most mischievous girl in the whole village!"
Li Dao Xuan found himself grinning in the dark.
"A few days ago, I 'stole' a little bit of cotton to weave some cloth," she muttered, her shoulders slouching. "But when I handed the cloth over, everyone looked at me with those huge, judgmental eyes. Just now, San Shier pulled me aside and lectured me for ages, telling me I must maintain my image for the sake of the faith."
Li Dao Xuan bit back a laugh, but as he watched her, a twinge of sadness mixed with his amusement.
"But I really can't hold it in anymore! I have to do something, or I'm going to shrivel up and die!"
He could tell the girl was genuinely distressed.
She tilted her face up to the heavens, her expression one of dead seriousness. The moonlight bathed her in a silver, ethereal filter, making her look quite lovely.
"Tianzun, I'm still going to sneak some cotton to spin. No matter what San Shier says, I can't stop myself from weaving. Please, please don't be angry with me for weakening your prestige."
With a sudden movement, Li Dao Xuan reached out and slid back the cover of the craft box, moving his face over the opening. When the lid was on, Gao Yiye couldn't see him and his voice wouldn't penetrate the barrier, but with it off, his face would appear among the clouds and his voice would thunder through the air.
Seeing the "Face of the Heavens" suddenly materialize in the night sky, Gao Yiye nearly jumped out of her skin. She stumbled back several steps, her legs giving out as she fell into a frantic kowtow.
"Tianzun! You... you were there? Forgive me! This little girl... I... I won't steal any more cotton!"
Li Dao Xuan let a warm, gentle smile spread across his face, keeping his voice as soft as possible so as not to shatter her eardrums.
"Go ahead and take the cotton. It's perfectly fine. I'm not angry with you."
Gao Yiye snapped her head up, her eyes wide with sudden, radiant joy.
"Live the life you want to live," Li Dao Xuan said with heartfelt sincerity. "Don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise. Above all else, you should be happy. Everything else is secondary."
"But..." she stammered, "if I act in an 'undignified' way, won't I cause you to lose face?"
Li Dao Xuan chuckled softly.
"Only a fake existence needs to rely on stiff postures and empty intimidation to scare people into respect. Do I look like I need those tricks to build my image? I can prove my power whenever I wish. I don't need you to sacrifice your self-identity just to maintain my dignity."