May the ancestors bless us and grant a few valuable pieces of intelligence.
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Small Inn, Nearing Dawn
Having finished his shower, Yan Li changed into a clean set of clothes, then took out three incense sticks he had snagged from the film crew. Lighting them, he bowed toward his ancestral home, offering incense prayers, and then placed them into a box of rice he had bought that evening, murmuring quietly.
“Ancestors, please bless me with some valuable intelligence.”
Monthly intelligence reports were generally far more precious and richer in content than the daily ones, but that didn’t mean every piece was incredibly useful or powerful for Yan Li.
He had encountered a couple of underwhelming monthly reports before, which led him to place some faith in metaphysics.
However, this belief was limited to the monthly intelligence—and possibly the yearly ones he speculated about. As for daily intelligence, which arrived every day, he simply didn’t have the energy or patience to invest in that.
When half of the incense had burned down, the clock struck past midnight. Yan Li took a deep breath.
“System.”
A sci-fi-like holographic screen unfolded before him, displaying eight pieces of intelligence, some long, some short.
Though it wasn’t the full ten reports, it was still acceptable. Previously, he had only gotten four monthly reports once—just one above the guaranteed minimum of three—and the mood that day was indescribably bittersweet.
With a thought, Yan Li unfolded each monthly intelligence report one by one.
[Monthly Intelligence ①: In a 2005 drama broadcast by CCTV, “Bright Sword” shone brightly, securing the championship with an average viewership rating of 10.3%... Actress Tong Lei, who played Tian Yu in the drama, was hailed as the “Bright Sword Goddess” and beloved by audiences.]
2005 news?
Yan Li’s eyes lit up. Among monthly intelligence, the most valuable to him were these “suspected future information” reports.
He called them “suspected” because he hadn’t yet gathered enough evidence to prove they were indeed “future information.”
But judging by the few he had verified and confirmed, the risk was minimal. Adding the qualifier “suspected” was simply cautious.
Among the future information he had received, a significant portion came in the form of news reports, which seemed more authentic and authoritative.
Seeing Tong Lei’s name, Yan Li immediately understood how the intelligence was triggered. Yet, compared to that, he was more curious about the drama “Bright Sword” itself.
According to the report, this drama had been CCTV’s top-rated show in 2005.
Tsk, that was no ordinary hit.
Last year, CCTV Channel One and Channel Eight’s annual top shows were “Grand Mansion Gate” and “Romance in the Rain,” respectively. Other top contenders included “Kangxi Dynasty,” “Swordsman,” and “Snow Without Trace.”
Those dramas had launched countless stars. If “Bright Sword” achieved such ratings, its star-making power had to be impressive.
Yan Li placed this piece of intelligence into the [Important Intelligence] category, planning to inquire about the “Bright Sword” crew later and see if he could grab a share of the pie.
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[Monthly Intelligence ②: In the 2004 UEFA European Championship final, the Greek squad emerged victorious...]
Greece won the 2004 European Championship?
Yan Li was a bit stunned. Although he wasn’t an avid football fan, he knew the usual strong European teams didn’t include Greece. Was this a major upset?
His mind filled with uncertainty, but he placed this piece of intelligence into the [Money Tree] category.
If the intelligence proved true, and barring any mishaps, this could mean a huge windfall.
Looks like he’d have to watch more football from now on—there was gold on the pitch!
[Monthly Intelligence ③: ...The tentative list of new leadership members is as follows:...]
Yan Li: “...”
I was just chatting casually with some actors over lunch yesterday—did you really have to drop such big news on me?
[Monthly Intelligence ④: Century-old secret recipe for braised pork... The finished dish has vibrant color, rich flavor, fragrant aroma, tender yet firm meat, and a fat content that is not greasy.]
Yan Li scratched his head. How was this intelligence triggered?
Could it be because he had complained about a plate of braised dishes when dining with Qin Lan before?
Or was it that his father, who ran the hometown restaurant, had been experimenting with recipes and mentioned him?
The latter seemed more likely, as Yan Li had experience with this. He even had a recipe called [Ten Simple and Delicious Side Dishes] obtained from the system.
Judging from his recent phone call with his parents back home, it was probably related to discussions about dishes involving him.
Still, getting a braised pork recipe wasn’t bad at all.
Growing up in a family restaurant, Yan Li had been nurtured in culinary arts. With this recipe, he could either satisfy his cravings or bring it home to help his parents improve their business.
Or perhaps even open a small restaurant himself in the capital someday.
Having been immersed in the restaurant world since childhood, Yan Li did have some affection for the food industry.
Besides, he had also considered that if his career in film and television didn’t go well, and he couldn’t get roles for a while, he wouldn’t want to live off his savings alone—he needed a fallback plan.
But this wasn’t a decision he could make on a whim; he planned to see how things panned out after returning to the capital.
Still, this braised pork recipe intrigued him. Unfortunately, conditions in Hengdian were limited, or else he would have tried cooking a pot for a taste.
[Monthly Intelligence ⑤: Actress Tong Lei from “Sui and Tang Heroes,” born January 13, 1980, Capricorn, native of Ning City, Zhejiang Province. Enrolled in the 1999 acting department at the Magic City Drama Academy. Height 1.65 meters, weight 98 jin, blood type A, measurements... Family address: Ning City, Zhejiang Province XXX; current residence: Magic City XXX; phone number 135XXXX...]
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Ah, personal intelligence!
Yan Li hadn’t expected that after the system had given him detailed information on Xie Junhao, it would now collect data on Tong Lei.
Though both were personal intelligence, the content wasn’t identical—each had different focuses and varied levels of detail.
Perhaps because these were monthly reports, the information on Tong Lei was far more comprehensive than previous personal intelligence he had received—roughly estimated at over ten thousand words.
It even listed how many bankbooks she held, their balances, and didn’t spare the passwords.
If Yan Li wanted to pursue Tong Lei, with this intelligence and the goodwill he had built up over recent days, it would be effortless.
However, Yan Li wasn’t particularly interested in Tong Lei; right now, he only wanted to focus on his career.
Even if loneliness gnawed at him, he prioritized those who matched his aesthetic better—Qin Lan and his ex-girlfriend.
So, this intelligence was as useful to him as a chicken rib—better to give him another recipe or a medicinal formula.
The next two pieces of intelligence were of little use and were skipped, until the last report caught his attention.
[Daily Intelligence ⑧: Producer and director Cheng Lidong founded Zhejiang Yongle Film and Television Company in 2004. The company developed rapidly, producing numerous films and dramas, including “The Investiture of the Gods: Phoenix Sings at Mount Qi”...]
Cheng Lidong?
Wasn’t this the director who ate with him the day before yesterday alongside that Zhou Yi producer?
Wow, that guy hadn’t said much at the time, and Wang Decai hadn’t heard of him either. Yan Li had thought he was just tagging along for the meal—turns out he was a hidden talent.
Yan Li recalled his attitude at the time—yes, he had treated him quite well.
After all, even if they weren’t close, he was still a director and a guest’s friend; it wouldn’t do to treat him coldly.
“Right, I think he gave me a business card.”
Yan Li rifled through his pockets and pulled out a few cards, one of which belonged to Cheng Lidong.
Having a phone number made things easier. Tomorrow he would check with Old Wang, see if he could trigger some related intelligence, and try to establish a connection. It might prove a valuable channel in the future.
In the film and television industry, it was all about relationships. For most people, the fear wasn’t in praying to too many gods, but in failing to find the true temple—wasting effort in vain.
Cheng Lidong’s reputation in the circle wasn’t prominent yet; he was likely still rising. Lighting incense at a cold temple to heat it up often brought good results...
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