Chapter 127: Rumors

Seeing yet another person connected to the shady dealings of the “Seventh Day” bonsai lab made Qin Qing so disgusted she skipped dinner.

Unfortunately, the bonsai belonging to Huang Youchang hadn’t yet entered the cultivation stage. Without sliced samples for comparison, there was no solid evidence to charge him with anything.

She went online to check the latest news and discovered that Jiang Yuan’s studio, which had been silent for days, finally made a move just as public attention was beginning to fade.

Jiang Yuan announced his indefinite withdrawal from all entertainment industry activities.

Netizens had been speculating wildly, some even claiming he’d been imprisoned for a crime. But then someone spotted him at a hospital and posted photos online.

Since the studio hadn’t issued any statements, fans assumed it was just another online rumor blown out of proportion.

But then came the bombshell announcement of his retirement. Combined with the hospital sighting, it sparked a new wave of speculation.

Some guessed Jiang Yuan had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had no choice but to leave the spotlight.

This rumor didn’t last long. Jiang Yuan himself posted a lengthy statement on his personal account.

In it, he thanked his fans, his collaborators, and expressed gratitude for the years he’d spent pursuing his passion. He clarified that he was in good health and was stepping away purely for personal reasons.

He ended with a message to his fans: “Thank you for walking with me through the most dazzling chapter of my life. All things must come to an end. Take care, and be well. Don’t worry about me.”

The internet promptly erupted into sobs.

Not long after, someone dug up photos of Jiang Yuan attending the funeral of the chairman of Chengfeng Group, sparking rumors that he was part of the Jiang family.

One netizen sighed, “You all thought your idol retired to suffer in obscurity, but he might’ve just gone home to inherit a multibillion-dollar fortune.”

The rumor couldn’t be confirmed, but for fans, it was a comforting thought.

Especially when they looked at themselves—broke, with nothing but a phone—and felt like crying all over again.

After catching up on the gossip, Qin Qing made a point to call The Bureau to ask about the children’s situation.

She was told that Jiang Yuan had taken full custody of them and signed an agreement with the relevant authorities for regular follow-up visits.

Legally and emotionally, it was better for the children to stay with their blood relatives.

Still, the Jiang family was a murky pond. Who knew how much filth remained hidden beneath the surface?

The children’s safety would need special protection.

Qin Qing thought to herself, well, at least Jiang Yuan had taken responsibility.

Before ending the call, the Captain reminded her, “Yesterday, The Bureau System was attacked. Several files, including the special talents database, show signs of unauthorized access. Stay alert during your leave, and don’t go anywhere alone. We haven’t tracked the source yet, don’t know their motive, or how much data they’ve taken. Best to stay cautious.”

Qin Qing said, “Hasn’t this happened before…”

The Captain chuckled, “There’s not a single critical national system that doesn’t get attacked daily. The only difference is how deep the breach goes.”

Come to think of it, maybe it wasn’t worth worrying too much.

Qin Qing had no patience to stay up in the mountains watching Huang Youchang’s fake, well-mannered act.

She went down to visit some friends and relatives, then headed to her studio.

She hadn’t even reached the building when a middle-aged man with a beaming smile stopped her at the entrance to the business park.

“Hey, pretty lady, need a number? I’ve got slots for every time slot.”

Shi Jiang stepped in to block him, and Qin Qing ignored the man.

But after just a few steps, a woman stopped her next.

“Hey, pretty lady, want one? I’ve got the earliest slot—within the next half hour.”

Qin Qing was puzzled. This area was full of corporate offices. There weren’t any concert venues nearby.

Curious, she asked, “What kind of number?”

“I’ve got appointment slots for all seven themed rooms. Which one do you want?” the woman said. “The magic ball at ‘Zhaodao’ is amazing. I’ve seen it hit the mark so many times lately. Just goes to show our ancestors really knew their stuff. Now that someone’s brought it back, the results are incredible.”

Zhaodao? Wasn’t that her own studio?

Magic ball? Could she mean the Crystal Ball?

Ignoring the woman’s rambling, a guess formed in Qin Qing’s mind.

“Wait, are you talking about appointment numbers for that ‘magic ball’? So… you’re a scalper?”

The scalper nearly rolled her eyes.

“Girl, we’ve been talking all this time and you didn’t even know what I meant?”

She turned to leave.

Qin Qing called her back.

“I’ll buy one, I’ll buy one. Tell me more. Is it really that hard to get an appointment? I saw it recommended online.”

The scalper perked up immediately. “You must be from out of town, huh? Let me tell you, these slots are impossible to get! Every day at noon, they release the next day’s appointments—over a thousand slots gone in under a minute!” As she spoke, she pulled out a laminated schedule, packed with fifteen time slots, each marked with the number of remaining appointments.

“If it’s that hard to get, how do you manage to snag them?” Qin Qing narrowed her eyes.

“Heh, I’ve got connections on the inside. Special channels.” The scalper winked proudly.

Qin Qing gave a half-smile. “Is that so?”

The scalper chuckled again and flipped the schedule over to reveal a price list.

One glance and Qin Qing was stunned.

The prices varied depending on how soon the appointment was.

Within 30 minutes: 49 yuan. Within an hour: 399 yuan. Within three hours: 199 yuan. More than three hours: 99 yuan.

Qin Qing stared at the price list for a long moment before she was sure—her studio had gotten so popular that it was now supporting an entire scalper economy! But this was practically leeching off her business.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Qing asked calmly, “I thought the original price was only 99?”

She wasn’t angry, just baffled.

Shocked, really—and a little amused.

“Even if the official price was only 9 yuan, could you get one?” the scalper shot back confidently, leaving Qin Qing momentarily speechless.

“…”

She had to admit, the woman had a point.

In the end, Qin Qing paid 49 yuan for a slot within the next half hour. The scalper cheerfully held out a QR code. “Just scan it and you’re in!”

As Qin Qing was leaving, the scalper called out, “Want to exchange contact info? I can help you snag codes that haven’t been released yet. It’s 199 yuan if you want a specific time slot, only 99 if you don’t mind the time.”

Heh…

After witnessing all this, Qin Qing didn’t inform the studio in advance that she was coming. Instead, she used the scalper’s code and entered as a regular customer to personally experience the so-called “Magic Ball.”

From a distance, she could already see the massive logo lightbox perched atop the building where the studio was located. A prominent sign stood out front, and inside the elevator, each of the three floor buttons was marked with a “Zhaodao” logo sticker. Judging by the sheer space it now occupied, the studio had more than doubled in size since she left.

Following the directions on the elevator wallpaper, she pressed one of the floor buttons.

The entire floor had been transformed into a Crystal Ball Experience Zone, divided into seven themed rooms.

Even with the extra balls she had provided, the long queues hadn’t eased up.

To her surprise, Qin Qing even spotted quite a few elderly folks waiting in line.

She turned to Shi Jiang, half amused, half incredulous. “Has this influencer check-in culture spread from young people to the elderly now?”

A ponytailed girl ahead of them in line glanced back and kindly explained, “They’re here for health screenings.”

???

Something weird must have gotten mixed in.

“Health screenings?!” Qin Qing nearly choked on her own saliva. “Using magic props for medical exams?”

“Ninety-nine yuan for a full-body scan with zero blind spots. This is the only place in the country offering that. It’s accurate and fast. There’s a new trend in our city now, you know what it is?”

The ponytailed girl spoke with visible pride.

Qin Qing humbly asked, “What is it?”

“If you’re feeling unwell, the first stop is here to touch the ball. If the Crystal Ball shows any abnormalities, then you go to a hospital for further tests. If the hospital can treat it, great. If not, head up to Jinyun Mountain and consult the Daoist Masters at the Free Clinic.”

She drew two arcs in the air with her finger, forming a circle. “To put it in trendy terms, it’s a perfectly closed loop.”

She added, “I brought my parents here for a check-up. They used to think hospital exams were a waste of money. Even the cheapest packages cost several hundred. But here at ‘Zhaodao,’ we can get the whole family checked for less than half that.”

Qin Qing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “There’s… no scientific basis for this, right? And people are really trusting it like it’s actual medical equipment?”

The ponytailed girl leaned in, lowering her voice mysteriously. “That’s nothing. Everyone knows ‘Zhaodao’ has deep ties with Baiyun Temple. Rumor has it the person in charge here is the future Celestial Master of Baiyun Temple. This place is where the Young Heavenly Master trains in the mortal world before taking up the mantle. Those Crystal Balls may look like magic props, but they’re actually Daoist artifacts. Only those with faith can become the destined ones to benefit. If you don’t believe, then you’re simply not fated with the Daoist path!”

“Huh?”

The girl eyed her warily. “You don’t believe?”

Qin Qing weakly waved her hand. “Just reminded me of a saying: when someone’s speechless, they really do laugh. ‘Everyone knows,’ huh… How come I didn’t know?”

The girl didn’t respond, but her expression clearly said: Who do you think you are?

A guy behind Qin Qing chimed in, “It’s true. I’ve got a distant cousin who’s a disciple of the Baiyun Temple’s Yun generation. He told me the studio’s owner is no ordinary person. His cultivation isn’t high enough to reveal the full truth, but from the little he’s hinted, we suspect it’s an immortal lord undergoing tribulation in the mortal world…”

“Cough, cough, cough…” Qin Qing choked on her own spit, face turning red.

The guy, unfazed, added calmly, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. With things like this, it works if you believe. If you don’t, just keep your doubts to yourself. What you’re doing now…”

The implication being: Qin Qing had it coming.

The girl nodded in agreement. “Exactly. There are even online stats showing that health check-up centers, especially in Wuning District, have seen a drop in business.”

The guy followed up, “Bet none of those centers expected their biggest competitor would one day be a ball.”

Qin Qing clasped her hands together in mock humility, looking like a student grateful for the lesson.

Only then did the two enthusiastic “educators” leave her alone.

They were so passionate in their explanations that if not for the System Panel, Qin Qing might’ve suspected they were new hires she hadn’t met yet.

Still, it was clear the Crystal Ball Experience Room had built quite a solid following over the past few months.

What she considered obvious bugs, customers were more than happy to fill in with their own imagination.

Following the line forward, Qin Qing entered the inner chamber where the Crystal Ball was housed.

Pushing aside the blackout curtain, the first thing she saw was a bronze door carved with star track patterns. As she stepped through, a cool scent of cedar mixed with a ghostly blue mist swept over her.

The deep-space-blue ceiling was studded with drifting, diamond-like stars forming a flowing galaxy. Bronze bells hung at the positions of the twenty-eight lunar mansions, chiming softly in the breeze.

Faint music played in the background. Listening closely, it was a chant of some kind of scripture.

In the center of the room, the Crystal Ball slowly rotated atop a flowing water pedestal.

A guide in a pale moon-white robe stepped out from the shadows. “Please stand on the astrological platform.”

She was referring to the platform encircling the Crystal Ball’s base.

Qin Qing followed the instruction.

Seeing the Crystal Ball again in this setting felt oddly novel.

Was this really the same stone she’d picked up from a roadside stall?

Why did it suddenly feel a little out of her league?

“Click, click…”

Standing beside the Crystal Ball, Qin Qing turned sharply, her eyes locking onto a spot that had just made a noise and was now flashing a red light.

Over there, a camera was clearly set up, recording automatically.