Chapter 5: Flying

When Xuan Shi and Xuan Kong came out of the discount snack store with their bags, they saw Zhu Sheng leap into the air. His toes touched Chen Huai’s shoulder lightly, and he shot upward like a hawk. He caught the little girl high above, then spun around and landed without a scratch.

Aside from pushing off Chen Huai’s shoulder, Zhu Sheng had also used the smooth outer wall to gain leverage as he climbed. Without his spiritual power, he couldn’t truly fly.

But he was so fast, and his movements so light and fluid, that he seemed to sail through the air without a single hitch. To the crowd below, he’d flown up more than a dozen stories.

It was like watching a blockbuster movie.

Except the actors in movies were suspended from wires, which restricted their movements. None of them could match Immortal Lord Wuyang’s natural, graceful elegance.

The snacks nearly spilled from Xuan Shi’s hands. He stared, dumbfounded.

“Senior Brother, with skills like that, shouldn’t the devotee be the one who trained at Shaolin Temple?”

Xuan Kong’s mouth fell open, too. He stared blankly at Zhu Sheng, who was surrounded by the crowd.

Zhu Sheng didn’t like being watched. He caught sight of Xuan Shi and Xuan Kong out of the corner of his eye, pushed through the crowd, and walked toward them.

The onlookers fired question after question at him. Zhu Sheng didn’t answer a single one. He hadn’t even opened his mouth.

His face remained calm, almost cold enough to keep everyone at arm’s length.

The little girl he’d just saved didn’t even get another glance from him after he set her down.

She barely came up to an adult’s waist, and the fright had left her dazed. She stared blankly at Zhu Sheng as he walked away.

Everyone watched him approach the two monks. Somewhere in the crowd, someone said, “No wonder he can fly. He’s a lay disciple of Shaolin!”

A person clutching their phone video curled a fist in triumph. They’d known it—Shaolin masters could fly over rooftops and leap across walls. Case closed.

Zhu Sheng stopped in front of the two monks, still stunned. “Did you finish shopping?”

Xuan Kong managed a calm nod. Xuan Shi swallowed hard, but calm was beyond him.

“How did you do that?”

Zhu Sheng: “?”

Xuan Shi gestured helplessly toward the building across from them. “Just now—you went ‘whoosh’ and shot up there, then ‘swish’ and came back down with her in your arms.”

Two whooshes, and the girl was safe. It was so cool!

Xuan Shi’s eyes glowed as he looked at Zhu Sheng.

Zhu Sheng, who’d apparently gone “whoosh” and “swish”: “…?”

Xuan Shi and Xuan Kong’s reactions made Zhu Sheng vaguely realize that something was wrong. Before he could say anything, several anxious voices called from farther away.

“Yinyin!”

Xuan Kong turned. The little girl’s family had finally arrived after hearing what had happened.

The street, stunned by Zhu Sheng’s whoosh and swish, grew noisy again. People talked over one another as they described the dangerous situation to Yinyin’s family. More than a few scolded them.

“How could you leave such a little girl home alone?”

“You have no idea—she was hanging off the railing! If we hadn’t spotted her in time, who knows what would have happened?”

“It was so dangerous. If that handsome guy over there hadn’t stepped in…”

“Huh? Where’d he go?”

Only then did everyone realize that Zhu Sheng had disappeared.

The two little monks were gone, too.

A young woman who’d been keeping an eye on Zhu Sheng pointed in the direction they’d gone. “I just saw them heading that way.”

After leaving the crowd, Zhu Sheng and the two monks headed for the bus stop, planning to return to Sangshan. They hadn’t gone far when a man with a computer bag and slicked-back hair blocked their path.

He wore a navy pinstriped suit and gave Zhu Sheng a smile that showed off his smoke-stained yellow teeth.

“Hey, handsome, are you—”

“…” At the sight of the man’s yellow teeth, Zhu Sheng knitted his brow almost imperceptibly and stepped aside.

“We’re not buying insurance,” Xuan Kong said first.

“…” The man’s mouth twitched. He hurriedly waved his hands. “You’ve got the wrong idea. I’m not selling insurance. I work for Far Dream Entertainment. Here’s my card…”

The man’s name was Wu Ziming. He looked like one of those insurance salesmen who went door to door, but he really was a talent scout.

He’d watched Zhu Sheng save the little girl with his own eyes. Then he’d gotten a good look at his face and realized he’d struck gold. So he’d made a point of catching up with him.

That build, that face, that whole vibe—he’d dominate the entertainment industry!

Zhu Sheng didn’t take the card Wu Ziming held out. “What do you want?”

Even a handsome man with an icy demeanor didn’t discourage Wu Ziming. He smiled and slipped the card into Xuan Kong’s hand, keeping his eyes on Zhu Sheng.

“Here’s the thing. You have an incredible look. Have you ever thought about going into entertainment?”

“Far Dream may not be one of the biggest companies, but we’ve discovered several stars who are famous right now. If you’re willing, I guarantee I can make you the next top star!”

Wu Ziming spoke fast, praising the company until it sounded like the best thing since sliced bread.

If Zhu Sheng signed with them today, he’d be a top star by tomorrow, with countless luxury-brand endorsements and money pouring in by the day.

Sign with Far Dream, and his future—and his fortune—would be limitless.

Zhu Sheng didn’t know what a “top star” or a “celebrity” did for a living, but judging from Wu Ziming’s impassioned pitch, it sounded like a very lucrative job.

And it didn’t seem to require anything beyond a good-looking face.

Zhu Sheng looked like a college student, so Wu Ziming laid it on thick, making the offer sound enormous, delicious, and easy to swallow.

Anyone more naive might’ve bitten down on one of his “contracts” right there, even if they had to prick a finger and sign in blood.

But Zhu Sheng wasn’t some sheltered college student, fresh out in the world and easy to fool.

He’d grown up in the imperial palace, the Crown Prince cherished by all and feared by all. That didn’t mean he knew nothing of the schemes and filth in the inner palace.

Zhu Sheng needed money, but he wasn’t so naive as to believe everything a stranger told him.

“I’m not interested.”

“Don’t rush to say no, handsome. At least hear me out. I’ve already put together a plan for you…”

Wu Ziming kept up his relentless pitch, following the three of them all the way to the bus stop.

With him tagging along, there was no chance to talk about Zhu Sheng’s whoosh and swish. Xuan Kong glanced at him and quietly warned Zhu Sheng, “Don’t believe him. He’s just making promises he can’t keep.”

Xuan Kong had looked up Far Dream. It was a real entertainment company, and its official website looked fairly convincing.

But he didn’t recognize a single one of the stars featured on the site.

He quietly explained the situation to Zhu Sheng and warned him that Far Dream might be a shady outfit.

Shady companies signed up as many newcomers as they could, then gave them no work or resources. Eventually, the rookies would get fed up and quit, and the company would make money off the termination fees.

Zhu Sheng didn’t understand much of what he’d said, but he nodded, taking the warning to heart.

Wu Ziming held up five fingers. “If you give me the word, I can negotiate with the company. I’ll even get you this much as a base salary!”

“Most people don’t get a base salary at all. I’m telling you, I really believe in you…”

Tired of Wu Ziming’s persistence, Zhu Sheng lowered his handsome eyes.

“If your apprentices are so successful and so well paid, why are you still struggling so much yourself?”

When Wu Ziming raised his hand, the shirt cuff under his brand-new suit showed—worn thin, with the fabric starting to fray. His leather shoes shone, but the heel on his left one was split.

Most people wouldn’t have noticed details like those. Zhu Sheng, however, had a sharp eye and noticed them at once.

There were too many holes in Wu Ziming’s pitch. His claims didn’t match what Zhu Sheng could see.

Even without Xuan Kong’s warning, he wouldn’t have signed the contract.

Wu Ziming: “Huh?”

What apprentices?

Zhu Sheng’s mind still lingered in the past. Wu Ziming had bragged about having trained several stars, so Zhu Sheng had naturally understood their relationship in the way he knew best: master and disciple.

If his disciples had become successful, then their master had no reason to be so down on his luck.

The bus arrived right on schedule. Zhu Sheng looked away. Xuan Kong scanned the codes for all three of them, while he waited behind.

Wu Ziming had finally found a once-in-a-lifetime face. He wasn’t about to give up so easily. Before he knew it, he was reaching out to catch Zhu Sheng by the arm.

“Hey, handsome, wait a second. Give me your contact—ah!”

Wu Ziming had his hand out and was just about to touch Zhu Sheng’s sleeve when a gust of wind blew sand into his eyes. He flinched, missed his step, and fell flat on his backside from the low bus platform.

He didn’t even get a finger on Zhu Sheng’s clothes. All he could do was watch the bus pull away.

Wu Ziming rubbed his sore behind, heartbroken at the missed opportunity.

“Strange. Where’d that wind come from?”

…

On the way back to Sangshan, a video began circulating on a short-video platform.

The person who posted it gave it a title designed to grab everyone’s attention:

He really can fly! The light-footed martial arts from novels are real! #NamelessManFliesUpMoreThanTenStoriesToSaveGirlFallingFromBuilding #HandsomeGuyShowcase

The pinned comment came from the poster:

This wasn’t a movie shoot. There were no wires, the video hasn’t been edited, and it’s not fake. Lots of people saw it with their own eyes. He just sprang up there in an instant. I’m not the only one who filmed it, either. He really flew!!!

The video showed Zhu Sheng saving the little girl.

A high-definition camera had caught his movements in perfect detail, including his face when he landed safely.

The poster didn’t have many followers, so the video didn’t get much attention at first. But it spread from person to person, and within hours, it had gone viral. The likes and comments shot up.

– Holy shit? Is this real?

– This video is so fake. It’s like he’s exempt from Earth’s gravity.

– I watched it several times at half speed. He must’ve used some kind of equipment, but it wasn’t caught on camera. Nobody can “fly” without outside help.

– Don’t let foreigners see this video, or we’ll never hear the end of “all Chinese people know kung fu.” [doge]

– They definitely used wires and removed them in post. I refuse to believe this wasn’t a movie shoot.

– What genius publicity stunt did some film crew come up with? If I hadn’t been in school for two years, I might’ve believed it.

– You can tell from his clothes that they’re shooting something. But the setting looks modern, so why is he dressed like he’s from ancient times?

– Okay, but am I the only one who noticed the nameless guy’s face?!

– I noticed him too, sis. He’s so handsome! If he really looks like that naturally, saying he outshines the whole entertainment industry wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

– …

There was plenty of traffic on the platform during the lunch break, and more and more people were drawn in. At first they debated whether the video was real. Before long, though, the comments were mostly about the face of the person in it.

After all, nobody believed people could really fly.

Whether the video showed a film shoot or a fake, the face under that high-definition camera was real.

– That waist, those legs, that face—I’m going to lick my screen!

– He only glanced at the camera, and my scalp started tingling. I’m about to grow a whole new love-addled brain!

– These netizens are useless. It’s been hours and nobody’s figured out who he is.

– I want every last detail about this handsome guy on my desk in three minutes. Don’t make me get on my knees and beg, everyone.

– His proportions are incredible. You can tell from the video that he knows martial arts.

– I admit it, I’m a total thirst monster. I just want his body, sob.

– He’s so handsome. I feel like I have a chance again!

– His skin is so white. I bet it’d leave a mark so easily, hehe… [drooling]

– Mom, let me explain! The screen was dirty and I had no tissues, so I had to lick it!

– …

The internet had no shame. What had started as a proper discussion soon turned into a comment section littered with tossed underwear. Anyone who wandered in after the commotion began tripped over the unmentionables and could only marvel at the spectacle.

But before long, the users flinging underwear everywhere and drooling over the handsome guy realized that their comments and replies were being deleted.

When they tried to comment again, they discovered they’d been muted across the entire platform and issued a warning.

The pop-up said their accounts would be unblocked in 999 years, 364 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes, and 4 seconds.

The hordes of banned users: “???”