I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

Lu Ban's unconventional actions were met with considerable controversy.

In online discussions, opinions about him fall into two categories.

[Lu Ban is quite an interesting director; he doesn't follow the usual path. Indeed, I also think his film should have won Best Special Effects. There must have been some shady dealings in this selection process!]

[To be honest, if "The Crying" doesn't win Best Special Effects, why should other movies win? That movie about the college entrance exam—you couldn't see any special effects at all. Isn't that just random judging?]

My uncle had dinner with the selection committee, and he said that the committee felt it was inappropriate to award the special effects prize to this film because all the scenes were filmed practically.

Although I haven't seen this movie yet, I don't think a horror film can be that good. It's just meant to scare the faint of heart, so I'm not happy that it won Best Picture.

The main issue is that other films either depict the confusion and uncertainty of contemporary youth or focus on social issues, but his film is just a horror movie; it has absolutely no meaning!

I think those people praising this movie online are probably just paid trolls. How could there possibly be a horror movie that could scare people so much they wouldn't dare leave the theater? That's an exaggeration!

I've heard that some talent agencies promote popular celebrities this way: first, they generate buzz, then they get the star an award or something to gild their image, and then they're packaged up and sent to appear in other movies. It's outrageous!

[No way, no way, someone really peed their pants from a horror movie? You guys are such cowards!]

I heard that "The Crying" will be showing in theaters nationwide starting next month. I can go see just how scary this movie is!

Some felt that Lu Ban deserved more awards and spoke out in his defense, while others hoped that Lu Ban would quickly make a second film to prove himself. Still others felt that Lu Ban was undeserving of the awards and was too arrogant.

It will be divided into these two parts, the main difference being whether or not you have seen Lu Ban's movie.

The vast majority of those who have seen the movie support Lu Ban, while those who haven't seen it have various doubts.

It's actually quite normal. Even if someone raves about how amazing something is, if you haven't seen it with your own eyes, you'll definitely remain skeptical.

There are also some people who, the more others praise something, the more they feel there's something wrong with it.

Anyway, Lu Ban's movie will be released in theaters nationwide soon, and everyone will be able to go to the cinema to see it in person. This debate will definitely come to an end eventually.

After leaving Yan Nan, Lu Ban finally returned to his warm home.

He put the two trophies in the cabinet in the living room and turned on the TV.

The television was broadcasting news reports about the cruise ship "Stars" that had previously encountered a storm and fire. There were hundreds of Jiangcheng citizens on board the cruise ship, so local news outlets had been following the story closely.

Fortunately, most of the tourists were in hotels in the port when the fire broke out, and there were only a few crew members on the ship, so there were no major casualties.

However, with hundreds of people stranded on a small island in the Pacific Ocean, battered by a raging storm, and unable to receive any outside support, Pohnpei Island was filled with even greater anxiety.

As the news broadcast ended, Lu Ban saw that the text on the television screen had distorted and transformed into the shape of the system.

A series of characters emerged as if frozen in ice and snow, forming the system's cold text.

Making a movie: 1/1

Box office earnings: 10000000/10000000 yuan

[Awards received at any popular film festival: 1/1]

Congratulations on completing your career development task!

Settlement will now commence.

[Mission Exploration Progress: 83%]

[Task Completion Status: Amazing]

[Having already shown your talent, you struck while the iron was hot, creating a legendary success that was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Your name will surely be etched in the annals of history. Celebrate! This is a small step for you, but a giant leap for entertainment!]

[Gained Silence Points: 7900]

Settlement complete

Thrills and excitement are what people always crave. It's when humans, accustomed to comfort, are placed in perilous situations that their true nature is revealed. Discover these things; you should do so.

Please complete the task to receive the reward.

Chapter 173 [The Nameless City]

"7900 points. Sure enough, the movie's revenue is not enough now. Of course, this career development task is very safe and there will be no danger. Rounding up, I guess I got it for free."

Lu Ban muttered to himself.

Before looking at the options for the next mission, Lu Ban summarized his current direction.

First and foremost, extracting the essence of the "Last Words" is the top priority, mainly because he has already obtained two materials, and he feels uneasy if he doesn't finish them.

Therefore, Lu Ban will try his best to choose the [Wasteland] as his mission location in the future.

Based on the above point, and the information Lu Ban obtained through [the Madman's Knowledge], the wasteland is different from other alien realms. He will mainly be operating in the wilderness and will encounter monsters, so self-defense capabilities are very necessary, and a certain amount of firepower is required.

In addition, Lu Ban obtained one of Du Danping's melody fragments, and there are three more scattered in foreign lands. He needs to search for clues about Du Danping.

As for Momiji's ashes, Lu Ban felt that he should not prioritize Kazushima for the time being. After all, according to the information he knew, the chief priestess of Kazushima Taisha should be considered the pinnacle of combat power in that foreign land. Missions involving her would most likely involve encountering some indescribable powerful beings.

"So, it might be nice to go to the wasteland and hunt some monsters?"

He picked up the remote and saw static on the TV screen, followed by a burst of music and the picture changed.

Jazz music with a 20th-century modern vibe and rather poor sound quality started playing, while at the same time, a task description in Broadway-style system text appeared on the television screen.

[The Horrific Incident in the Ruined City]

Indulge in pleasure and revel in joy.

The theater in the ruined capital always welcomes guests, offering the most bizarre performances, the most moving dramas, the most exhilarating music, and the most enthusiastic audiences.

A theater troupe arrives at a theater in the ruined capital, but their arrival attracts the attention of certain beings.

You must uncover the truth and witness the final curtain call amidst this wild and grand spectacle.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the show is about to begin!"

"Another ruined city, and a theater at that."

Lu Ban doesn't have a good impression of places like opera houses and theaters, so it seems that this mission is more about suspense and mystery. Although Lu Ban is very good at it, he probably won't choose the mission in the ruined city this time.

Lu Ban pressed the remote control and changed the channel.

The television emitted a buzzing sound as the picture flickered.

A serene melody, seemingly from ancient times, emanated from the speakers, like the music of an ancient tribe, mixed with a wild quality.

The text, with its viscous texture, appeared on the television screen, outlining the description of the task.

Whispers of Twilight

I believe that there are definitely creatures in the Black Forest that we have yet to discover.

[The exact number of species in the Black Forest is a difficult question, but some mages of the Gray Tower are obsessed with it. They travel through the Black Forest, investigating the local customs and recording nature, writing book after book.]

You are accompanying a mage to the edge of the Black Forest, where some new species are said to have appeared. Documenting them is the sole purpose of this journey.

However, evolution means elimination, and whether the emergence of new species means the extinction of old species is unknown.

"When I saw it, I knew immediately that it was something new, undiscovered, and worth remembering!"

"The Kingdom of Night, and it seems to involve some strange creatures. Hmm, the Black Forest seems to be a very dangerous place. Wouldn't going there to investigate be suicide?"

Lu Ban felt that this mission might be more dangerous than the previous one.

However, this mission clearly promises to allow him to encounter a mage. Lu Ban has never actually seen a mage from the Night Kingdom or their magic. If he could spend some time with a mage, perhaps he could learn to conjure fireballs himself.

He kept it as an alternative.

Lu Ban pressed the remote control button and changed the channel again.

A flute-like melody began to play, evoking a desolate and bleak atmosphere. On the television screen, yellow sand filled the air, and the remaining sand became the description text for the mission.

The Nameless City

The wasteland is filled with countless ruins, but few have names.

For wilderness hunters, these ruins represent food, wealth, power, and danger.

You and your team venture deep into ruins. Wealth is alluring, power is maddening, hunger drives people mad, and danger is ever-present, a constant companion.

Every ruin in the wasteland represents the fall of a god. Who can know why the god of this wasteland perished?

"Think positively. At least you won't be eaten by vultures after you die, right?"

"wilderness."

When Lu Ban saw the mission description, he had almost already made his decision.

He definitely has to go to the wasteland. He can't afford to waste tens of thousands of Silence Points on buying materials for the essence of the [Last Words].

Moreover, Lu Ban has never been to the wasteland before, and his curiosity has prompted him to want to try a new exotic land.

"Exploring ruins, like Indiana Jones, you might actually find treasure."

Lu Ban thought to himself.

The mission description mentioned gods, and saints and gods are obviously closely related. Perhaps the remains of a saint are hidden in these ruins. The more Lu Ban thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

"Wilderness Hunter, like Bounty Hunter, I'm part of a team, but I might encounter other people, so I need to prepare my weapons."

Lu Ban wasn't worried about facing a single enemy. As long as he could find a way to shoot him, the enemy's mind would be filled with the image of an indescribable, great being, and he would lose his ability to fight.

However, against multiple enemies, Lu Ban's hand speed might not be fast enough, and the opponent might use firepower to suppress him, so other methods of fighting the enemy are still needed.

He opened the shop and searched through the weapons and items inside, looking for a weapon he could use.

However, upon closer inspection, he discovered that something was amiss with the store.

Some products that we had seen before have disappeared, while some products that we had never seen before have appeared.

"Does this store keep refreshing?"

"Or is it that some things are actually unique, and once I buy them here, they disappear from the store? Then what's in the store? Is it the legacy left behind by the chosen one after his death?"

He couldn't help but think.

After a careful inspection, Lu Ban discovered that the quality of the [Excellent] and [Superior] items remained unchanged. The [Physics Holy Sword] was still lying in the shop, costing 1,000 points each, and Lu Ban could easily buy more than a dozen.

However, the [Glazed Flame] was no longer available. He remembered seeing it before; perhaps this flame was limited in quantity and had just sold out recently.

To Lu Ban's surprise, the "Crane's Cry Manuscript" which cost 490,000 Silent Points was no longer available. No way, could someone really spend so many points to buy this thing?

Thinking of this, Lu Ban hurriedly went to find the [Saint's Remains]. Since other things could be bought, the [Saint's Remains] might also be sold.

He quickly searched and soon found the [Saint's Remains] lying quietly, priced at 160,000.