Tomb Raiding: The Bloodline of Dragons and Snakes, Starting from the Kunlun Divine Palace

And distribute them to everyone at Wu Yutian's table as required.

"Come on, everyone, let's start eating. We can talk business better when we're full." Wu Yutian took the lead in eating, reassuring everyone that the food and drinks here were safe and healthy.

Ten minutes later, everyone had eaten and drunk some food.

"The Climbers: The Mighty Kunlun Mountains?" Jiang Tiansheng read aloud in confusion. "Why has our movie been renamed? It seems the plot is different too."

Everyone has seen the script for the movie "The Climbers" before, and it clearly doesn't match the outline we're discussing today.

“Fox Eight-One, Sheryl, Fatty Wang, Uncle Tianming, Yu Xiang, Dongzai, Su Na... Why do these names in the outline sound so much like us?” Sheryl Yang was also surprised.

"They wouldn't have used our stories as script material, would they?" Fatty Wang muttered to Hu Bayi. "Shouldn't we charge them some royalties?"

"Don't talk nonsense. This plot is about mountaineering and exploration on the Kunlun Mountains glacier. Even if our past is involved, the events here haven't happened yet. Who can guarantee what will happen later?" Hu Bayi also noticed that the characters in this outline were very similar to his Iron Triangle team and Uncle Ming's crew.

However, the story depicts a glacier mountaineering expedition where a treasure is encountered along the way.

Furthermore, the process of encountering treasure during an adventure is a common theme in many adventure movies.

"The plot of encountering monsters and treasures during an adventure has appeared as early as the 1933 black-and-white film 'King Kong.' It's just that the environment has been changed to the Kunlun Glacier, and the characters are based on our homophones to make the audience feel more immersed. Don't overthink it."

“That’s right.” Wu Yutian nodded approvingly. “Brother Hu Bayi understands. This script is based on successful classic Hollywood movies, but the environment and characters have been localized for our TV series.”

"What Lei Shao of the East Star Society said today was very enlightening for me."

"We don't need to fight tooth and nail for the lead roles in theatrical films. In fact, television dramas will definitely flourish in the future. Didn't TVB's 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' become a huge hit across the country last year?"

“But that’s in Hong Kong. Is there a market for TV dramas in mainland China?” Jiang Tiansheng still had some doubts. He felt that Wu Yutian wanted to divert his Fang Ting to other projects. “You have a movie called Shaolin Temple in mainland China, which produced a big star, Jet Li, so we came to co-invest.”

"As far as I know, Jet Li probably won't be in this TV series, right? Are there any other male stars in mainland China who can be compared to Jet Li?"

"There are indeed no more movie stars. However, we in mainland China have our own popular TV dramas," Wu Yutian said confidently, referring to the 1983 series, this year's *Journey to the West* and *Dream of the Red Chamber*.

"Liu Shaoling, who played Sun Wukong in 'Journey to the West,' is a kung fu actor similar to Jet Li, and he was popular in every city across the country. Li Lulin, who played Jia Baoyu in 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' also won the hearts of audiences of all ages."

"Since I can get Jet Li to act in movies, I can naturally get Liu Shao Ling Tong to act in TV series. I'm sure I'll get strong support from major TV stations."

“Alright, since you put it that way, Mr. Wu, I will fully support you!” Jiang Tiansheng raised his glass. “If our Fang Ting doesn’t get the lead role in a movie, we won’t force her. But we’ll arrange a good role for her in a TV series. I believe Mr. Wu has the ability to do that!”

“It’s great that Mr. Jiang thinks that way. Leave this to me. I can take half of your money. I can’t guarantee that the investment will be profitable, but I’m willing to give Mr. Jiang a return of no less than 90% based on all my personal assets and reputation.” Wu Yutian meant that even if the investment was lost to zero, he would still give back 90% of the principal.

Based on Wu Yutian's understanding of the industry's characteristics, if the source of the incoming funds is unclear, and after box office and copyright operations, 90% of the principal is returned, which can be understood as a 10% laundering fee, is acceptable from his business perspective.

Chapter 28: Yang Qian'er Takes on the Lead Role in an Adventure TV Series

"For Mr. Song and Mr. Ding, we still prefer Yang Qian'er to play the second female lead in the movie 'The Climbers' and also the female lead in the TV series. Xiao Fangting can choose to play the third female lead. However, Mr. Song's side requires a total investment of 800 million, while Mr. Ding's side can only require an investment of 400 or 500 million. Is this acceptable to everyone?"

After Wu Yutian said that, even if Ding Xiaoxie wanted to compete for the second female lead role in the movie, he wouldn't have enough cash.

"Is the female lead in the TV series this character, Sheryl?" Yang Qian'er carefully read the outline of the TV series script and felt that the female lead role was quite challenging.

“That’s right. I know your goal used to be to become a movie star, but now there are many people in the film industry with good natural talent, such as Lin Qingxia and Maggie Cheung; there are also many people with strong backgrounds, such as Anita Mui and Bai Anni. It’s very difficult to surpass them in movies.”

Wu Yutian mentioned that Lin Qingxia is already a Golden Horse Award-winning actress, and Zhang Manyu also has films that have won international awards.

Mei Yanfang's boyfriends and suitors included many triad bosses, and she herself was a big sister figure.

Bai Anni's uncle is a senior inspector, and her maternal grandfather is a former governor.

"Furthermore, since you've already secured film investment opportunities and the chance to act alongside Jet Li, I won't be making any guarantees of 90% of the initial investment this time. Besides, even if I wanted to, I don't have that much wealth."

"That's not a problem. I'm here to invest, not to launder money. Investment always carries risk, and I can accept that." Song Shiren took out a check and prepared to fill in the amount. "The main thing is whether Michelle approves of the female lead in this TV series?"

“I understand that. I’m willing to try more things and hope to make a breakthrough in this new field.” Yang Qian’er looked at Song Shiren and said, “This role is both a challenge and an opportunity for me.”

“Alright! Since you like it, Michel, eight million is no problem. Mr. Wu, you should know that I have no shortage of money, and it’s clean money. Although our family has no underworld background and is not related to the governor or anything like that, we have always attached great importance to developing relations with the mainland.”

"That's good." Wu Yufeng nodded. "Then we'll see if Mr. Ding and Xiao Fangting are satisfied with the current third female lead in the movie. And for now, there's no matching female lead in the TV series, but we can have a special lead role to increase the attention. Of course, the investment only needs to be 400 million."

Wu Yufeng designed it this way because Xiao Fangting didn't have much popularity or experience at the time, and her acting skills were yet to be proven. Reducing the expected number of roles she would play could lower the risk.

Of course, more importantly, now that he has enough capital to raise, he also wants to provide better development opportunities for the single female artists he favors.

"Okay, to be honest, I'm not very confident either. Let's wait until the movie is released and see what the audience thinks. Then we can see what kind of roles we can compete for." Xiao Fangting didn't want to put Ding Xiaoxie in a difficult position, so she took the initiative to give him a way out.

"Then I'm sorry to trouble you." Ding Xiaoxie also grasped Xiao Fangting's hand and nodded gratefully. He did bring out this money partly to save face, as his company and gang also needed an injection of funds.

Firstly, if Five Crabs Group were to compete with the leader of East Star in the stock market, it would inevitably need to inject more funds.

Secondly, we've already offended the East Star heir and Crow, so we need to guard against them encroaching on our territory, and we also need to give the brothers more money and equipment and keep an eye on the area.

After signing the investment agreement with Hung Hing's Chiang Tin-sang, Five Crabs Group's Ting Hau-hai, and Cheung Kong Group's Sung Sai-yan, the representatives of the three parties left the venue one after another.

Wu Yutian instructed the artists he brought to continue staying at the hotel, where the film crew would stay for three days of climbing and camping training before setting off together for location shooting near the Kunlun Mountains.

Although the plot of the movie "The Climbers" is set in the Himalayas, it is obviously unrealistic to have the star team film on the summit of Mount Everest at an altitude of 8848 meters in winter.

In fact, even forty years later, film and television crews have not been able to reach the 5,000-meter peak of the Kunlun Mountains for filming.

With the current personnel and equipment, the ability to film on-site at snow-capped mountains and glaciers at an altitude of around 4,000 meters is already at its limit.

Even so, participants must undergo rigorous medical examinations and training, and only those who pass are allowed to participate.

"Ji Wen, you should take Ruan Mei and the four new members of the production team back first. I still have some things to discuss with Uncle Ming and Shirley Yang's team from the equipment group." Wu Yufeng knew that Li Xiangqin and the others had come to gather intelligence, so of course he had to send them away.

"Okay, Xiangqin, come with me and let's get a few more rooms." Long Jiwen looked at A Xing and the others, and judging from their travel-worn appearance, they probably hadn't stayed at this hotel before.

"Stay here?" Li Xiangqin looked disgusted. "That's too extravagant. We can just find a hotel, a five-yuan one will do."

The Southern General actually reimbursed her for travel expenses of 20 yuan per person per day for accommodation, but she wanted to save the country some money so that there would be more ammunition to deal with hostile elements.

“That’s how it is for big-budget film crews. If our main creators don’t stay here, how can the investors have confidence that we can earn tens of millions in box office revenue for them?” Long Jiwen said with a smile. “Let’s go. Besides, once we go to Kunlun in the west, the terrain there is treacherous, and the economy is not developed. We won’t have the opportunity to stay in high-end hotels.”

"Yes, yes, if there's a place to stay, why not stay somewhere better?" Ah Xing was quite happy to accept the bombardment of sweet words.

******

Li Xiangqin and A Xing, along with their three companions, were assigned to two guest rooms on the fourth floor.

Li Xiangqin, as the female manager, had a separate luxury suite, while Ah Xing, Da Wenxi, and Tie Tui Shui Shang Piao shared a suite.

The four of them gathered in the reception room of Li Xiangqin's suite to plot their scheme.

"Ah Xing, you must remember, our main purpose in participating in film production is to win glory for our country!" Li Xiangqin scolded Ah Xing as she walked, "Don't let yourself be corrupted by these bourgeois sugar-coated bullets!"

"I know!" Ah Xing replied nonchalantly. "Don't you know what kind of person I, Ling Lingqi, am? I'd give my life for the country at any time! But before we die for our country, if we spend a little more money on these criminals who are trying to steal our national treasures, isn't that just earning a little more for the country?"

“What you said makes some sense,” Li Xiangqin thought for a moment and realized it was true. “Even if we stay in a five-yuan hotel, that’s still spending our country’s money. Eating more of their food is ill-gotten gains and should be confiscated.”

Chapter 29: Safe House, Uncle Ming's Tomb Raiding Meeting

Gong Li said she needed to go back to evening self-study to prepare for the next college entrance examination written test, so Wu Yutian asked Da Jinya to call a car for her.

They also gave her a thousand yuan advance payment so she could focus on her studies.

Gong Li made a cameo appearance as a hotel manager in the city, a character similar to the heiress of the Crescent Hotel, so there was no need to film in the Kunlun Mountains, and it wouldn't interfere with her studies.

"Alright, now it's just the few of us left. Let's talk about our production work." Wu Yutian glanced at everyone. Apart from Haitang, the others were actually there to raid tombs.

"Brother Tian, ​​is it inconvenient for you to talk while I'm here?" Haitang also started calling Wu Yutian "Brother Tian" to better bridge the psychological distance.

"No. We're just speaking freely, aren't we? Big Gold Tooth, bring the blackboard over here, I'll draw a route map for our new car for everyone."

Big Gold Tooth moved the blackboard over, and Wu Yufeng wrote a few big characters on it with chalk.

"There's a listening device!"

Haitang immediately understood Wu Yutian's intention.

Knowing that someone had left a bugging device in the house, they did not change rooms, their purpose being to turn the tables and let the other party eavesdrop on the film crew's production work.

If you deliberately avoid holding meetings in this room, it might arouse suspicion from others.

******

On the other side, in Li Xiangqin's room.

"So, Ah Xing, did you hear where they hid the artifacts?"

"No, they were only talking about film and television production plans. I didn't hear anything about cultural relics or treasures."

"That shouldn't be the case. Uncle Ming is from a family that moves corpses, Big Gold Tooth sells antiques in Panjiayuan, and Boss Wu also runs an antique shop. If they get together, what else could they be doing besides reselling cultural relics?"

"Could he be a legitimate businessman?" Ah Xing thought Wu Yutian's meeting remarks sounded quite serious.

"Let's report today's surveillance footage to the general first, then listen to the leader's instructions before making a decision." Li Xiangqin didn't believe that they had just come up empty-handed, but she couldn't really waste her time on irrelevant people.

"Okay, it's all recorded on the tape." Ah Xing took off his headphones and handed them to Li Xiangqin. "If you don't believe me, come and listen to it. I'm going to take a shower."

"Yes, Major Da, get the communication equipment ready. I'll report to the General via satellite video phone in a bit." Video phones existed in this era, but the picture quality was relatively low, and it wasn't a digital signal.

Instead, it uses analog signals, just like television stations, with a snowy screen as the display terminal.

Signals are transmitted via satellite, and the transmitters are also very large, so they can only be used at base stations.

Of course, the Iron Leg Water Float was used to move these devices.

At this time, Da Vinci was a major in the intelligence section of the Southern Command, while Ah Xing and Li Xiangqin were only captains.

Iron Legs, on the other hand, are not on the payroll and are considered external laborers.

******

"Alright, that concludes tonight's work meeting. Let's go back and rest."

As Wu Yutian spoke, he wrote several large characters on the blackboard: “Go to Uncle Ming’s safe house.”

It turns out that one of Uncle Ming's three hideouts was located on the fifth floor of the Crescent Hotel.