Prologue: The Goddess Saw Me Off on My Journey
“This plot of land is one we are determined to win!” Facing a throng of journalists, Hong Lei, the owner of Oriental Land Company, spoke confidently on the steps of the Hong Kong Land Exchange.
“May I ask—” The reporters hurried to question him, but he waved them off and entered the exchange with his assistants.
Hong Lei found a seat in the exchange hall and looked around; all familiar faces, old rivals—members of the Li family, the Guo family, the Wu family, the Chen family… He hadn’t expected that he would one day have the chance to compete for land alongside these legendary real estate magnates.
After exchanging a few words with acquaintances, he sat down, closed his eyes, and waited in silence for the imminent and fierce land auction.
…
Hong Lei’s English name was Richman—a playful claim of his, for the obvious implication. He was a “sea turtle,” a doctorate in architecture, son of a father who had started as a humble laborer and contractor. His father had many friends who brought him countless business—demolition, construction—so money was never scarce, but people mocked him for his lack of education and taste. In a fit of pique, he sent his snot-nosed boy, Hong Lei, off to a British public school.
Back then, when he sent his son abroad, he wasn’t yet among the wealthiest; merely a second-tier tycoon. By the time Hong Lei returned, his father’s business had soared, and he’d become extravagantly rich. Somewhat regretful, he’d say, “Had I known this was coming, I wouldn’t have sent you, you little rascal, overseas!”
Nowadays, his company was staffed with PhDs and Masters; even he, with his humble origins, had secured a master’s degree in engineering from a questionable university—those diplomas were easy enough to obtain. Who would dare mock his lack of culture now? Not that he had any idea what advanced calculus was.
His regret stemmed from this: “When he squatted, savoring local country wine, Hong Lei would swirl a glass of claret between his fingers. Their habits no longer aligned at all.”
He’d call his son a fake Westerner; his son, in turn, would call him a country bumpkin.
But these were just words; their father-son bond was strong. Upon his return, Hong Lei plunged into real estate—the kind of business where the money flowed so fast your hands would shake.
Under his father’s guidance, Hong Lei met many people. He was shrewd and diligent, and soon his company soared like the nation’s Shenzhou spacecraft.
“Oh, to have a great house for all the poor in the world, that all under heaven might be glad!” Building after building rose from the ground, each one designed, constructed, and sold by Hong Lei. The joy on buyers’ faces filled him with pride.
About a week ago, Hong Lei was sitting in his office at Dapeng Bay, reviewing documents on a leather sofa, when his secretary quietly entered, offering a hot coffee. “Consultant Wang is here,” she whispered.
Hong Lei sat up, eyes bright. “Please invite him in at once!”
Consultant Wang, over fifty, with a boyish face and neatly combed white hair, entered in a traditional Chinese tunic, led by the secretary. Hong Lei greeted him personally, more warmly even than he would his own father.
Everyone has their value, and Consultant Wang was Hong Lei’s lucky star—he could not afford to offend him.
Many wondered why Hong Lei valued him so highly, but if everyone brought the company as much profit as Consultant Wang, Hong Lei would treat them all with the same respect.
Consultant Wang had graduated in Chinese literature and was highly versed in the Book of Changes. Hong Lei thought he had the makings of a “mystic,” for his words were always cryptic yet unfailingly accurate.
The word “Yi” in the Book of Changes is composed of the ancient characters for sun and moon—yang and yin—hinting at its profound wisdom.
The Book of Changes is a vast and profound classic. Consultant Wang’s research in it was at the level of a master. He combined its principles to study economics, society, culture, and life, yielding abundant results.
He had once focused solely on academic research, but after being specially hired by Hong Lei, he turned to the field of economics, earning every cent of his multimillion-dollar consultant fee.
For example, he once said the city’s southeast was auspicious. Hong Lei bought up land there, and soon after, as if by prophecy, fifty Fortune 500 companies announced plans to build factories in that very area. The profits from his land speculation could have filled a swimming pool.
When Hong Lei wanted to go further, Consultant Wang warned that many developers’ financial chains would soon break, and that this year was not the Year of the Ox—so beware of bulls running wild in the streets.
Hong Lei trusted him completely. After hearing this, he broke into a cold sweat and promptly divested from real estate, investing heavily in the then-languishing stock market. The property market was booming at the time, and industry insiders laughed that Hong Lei didn’t know how to seize easy profits.
But who was the fool? Soon, the government tightened property rules—higher down payments, increased interest rates, endless new regulations—and many developers found their cash flow severed. Meanwhile, the stock index soared to record highs. When Hong Lei weighed his profits by the ton, word spread that several developers had leapt into the Pearl River to cool off.
Next, Consultant Wang said Hong Kong—the Pearl of the Orient—was the place to be. Taking his advice, Hong Lei mustered his forces and stormed into the city.
The results were spectacular. Amid fierce competition, he established a firm foothold and became a renowned developer, hailed by Hong Kongers as “the dragon crossing the river.”
People speculated about his background, never guessing that Hong Lei was simply a shrewd businessman with an exceptional advisor.
Every word from Consultant Wang proved true—how could anyone afford to offend such a man?
Now, sitting across from Hong Lei, Consultant Wang studied him gravely, his face clouded with worry.
Hong Lei felt uneasy, and when Consultant Wang finally looked away, he ventured, “Advisor, do you have something to tell me?”
With a sigh, Consultant Wang replied, “Last night I checked your fortune, and seeing you today has confirmed my thoughts.”
Hong Lei grew tense. “If there’s something to say, please speak plainly—don’t keep it to yourself.”
Consultant Wang sighed again. “Man’s plans cannot match heaven’s. The best plan is to prepare early.”
He took a folder from his bag and handed it to Hong Lei. “Here, take a look.”
Hong Lei opened it. The first item was a plainly bound book titled “The True History of the Great Tang”; the second, a cheaply printed volume titled “The Secret Tibetan Mudra of the Esoteric School.”
Good grief!
(Author’s note: When Hong Lei idly looked these up, he found that the first was a vanity publication by a failed university professor, with a print run of 2,000; the second was an anonymous, unofficial work of dubious value.)
Consultant Wang fixed him with a penetrating gaze. “I happened to pass a second-hand bookshop, felt a sudden impulse, and sensed these books were meant for you, so I bought them.”
Seeing Hong Lei’s skeptical expression, he solemnly pressed the books into his hands. “Memorize them in the next few days—they’ll bring you immense good fortune.”
Businessmen live by luck. Hearing this, Hong Lei accepted them as obediently as a child and promised, “Okay!”
Consultant Wang rummaged in his bag again and produced a jade amulet. “Take this for protection. It will also bring you good luck.”
“Thank you!” Hong Lei replied.
As he took his leave, Consultant Wang gave Hong Lei a deep look. “I hope you survive this trial. If you do, the world will be yours.”
Hong Lei felt a chill, unsure what was about to happen.
…
A week passed without incident. Hong Lei increased security, kept to himself, and took every precaution. Were it not for the importance of this Hong Kong Lands Department auction, he would have escaped to the Great Barrier Reef for a holiday.
The auctioneer’s voice rang out, and Hong Lei opened his eyes, ready for battle.
…
“The land now up for auction is Lot D-16, with a total area of 20,000 square meters, valued at 460 million. Each bid increment is one million!”
“Four hundred sixty-one million!”
“Four hundred sixty-two million!”
“Four hundred sixty-three million!”
…
The contest for Lot D-16 was not fierce; only a few small and medium developers participated. The major players all abstained.
They found the lot too small—and they knew Hong Lei had already set his sights on it.
Though small, D-16’s importance was that it lay between two of his developed properties, just like a “missing tile” in mahjong. For Hong Lei, it was crucial: with it, he could consolidate and develop the entire area for maximum profit.
For anyone else, it was a poor investment—not worth going to war with Hong Lei unless they wished to spite him.
But someone did want to spite him—a woman, no less!
A foreign girl, unfamiliar, with striking features and a head of golden hair—a beauty by anyone’s standards.
To Hong Lei, she was a she-devil, for she matched him bid for bid, refusing to give an inch.
The price climbed to 574 million, and still she followed—irrational bidding that would guarantee her a loss if she developed the land, and would force Hong Lei to rely on adjacent lots for profit, cutting deeply into his margins.
His assistant, in a flurry, gathered information. Soon, her details appeared on his iPad: Pandora, female, twenty years old, British, arrived in Hong Kong three days ago…
Not much information, incomplete. Her photo showed a lovely, radiant smile, but for some reason, Hong Lei felt an urge to withdraw from the contest.
What was special about D-16?
He recalled it was an old residential area with some vacated buildings and an abandoned chapel—nothing out of the ordinary.
In the end, he won D-16 at the steep price of 666 million, defeating her.
…
Late that night, Hong Lei returned to his apartment, opened the door, and switched on the lights—only to be stunned.
Sitting on his sofa was the very woman he’d just outbid—Pandora.
How did she get in? Security here was tight, monitored around the clock. Before he could make sense of it, she stood up and produced a check.
“I want to make you an offer,” she said.
“What kind of offer?”
“Here’s six hundred million. All I want is a promise from you.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Don’t develop Lot D-16,” Pandora stated.
“Why?” he asked, astonished.
“You don’t need to know. Just take the money and leave D-16 alone,” Pandora replied impatiently.
“I refuse!” Annoyed by her arrogance, Hong Lei blurted out his answer without thinking.
He would soon pay for that answer, and later, he would regret not agreeing to her terms.
No sooner had he spoken than something strange occurred.
The girl defied all logic—floating half a meter above the ground!
Magic? Sorcery? Psychic powers?
Her eyes glowed red, her body was clad in tight black armor, and the necklace at her throat suddenly enlarged into a string of tiny skulls.
Her anger blazed, hair flying, sparks crackling around her. The apartment behind her was gone, replaced by endless, unfathomable darkness.
What was this—some kind of trick? No, it was clear—she had supernatural abilities. He could only bow down and beg to become her disciple.
Hong Lei’s mouth hung open in shock.
Oh no—this was the end!
Hey, this is out of bounds, foreign devils! This is Daoist territory, or at least Buddhist. May the Three Pure Ones above, Amitabha, drive her away!
“Please, Bodhisattva, protect me!” In a panic, Hong Lei tried to pray, but he hadn’t cultivated much of a relationship with the gods—they ignored him.
The girl's almond eyes blazed with murderous intent as she stared at him.
Her crimson lips parted, and her voice thundered in his head, sending pain lancing through his nerves.
“Lowly human, you dare refuse me? Unforgivable!”
“Let me make it clear: D-16’s old chapel is the contact point for my divine race on Earth. If you develop it, you’ll destroy our sacred site!” Pandora revealed at last.
A divine race? Sacred ground? Why didn’t you say so earlier?
“I agree, I agree!” Hong Lei stammered.
“Too late! I am Pandora, goddess—I will not allow you to defile divine glory!”
“But as a goddess, I cannot simply slay a mortal. I’ll send you elsewhere—where you end up depends on your luck.” She smiled wickedly.
And so, Hong Lei received the punishment of the goddess’s righteous fist.
Boom!
A heavy blow landed on his forehead.
The jade amulet he wore shattered to dust.
Stars exploded before Hong Lei’s eyes as he felt himself hurled, at breakneck speed, into a pitch-black tunnel, with only occasional points of light on either side.
…
The tunnel seemed to reach its end—a bright exit beckoned in the distance. Hong Lei was pulled inexorably forward, accelerating toward the light.
Ah!…