Chapter 17: The Rebirth of the Master Writer, Part 9

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While her manga was still being serialized, numerous animation studios had approached her, hoping to adapt her work. She had declined every request until the series concluded. Once it was finished, recalling her original plan, Mu Yin chose the IT company where her brother, Li Xing, worked to help produce the animation.

However, Li Xing did not work in the animation department. Since she did not want her manga to be altered, she reached out to him before contacting his company. "Brother, I have two manga series ready to be adapted into animations, and I’ve chosen your company. Could you keep an eye on things for me?"

"Your manga?" Li Xing was aware that his sister drew manga, but his impression was still fixed on her early shojo works. Although some manga authors did proactively seek out animation studios, those studios didn't just accept any project that came their way.

"That's right. Oh, wait, you don't even know what my manga is about, do you? Here, take a look." She pulled out the collected volumes. Her manga had been published in book form after reaching a certain length, and the sales were quite good.

"Asking Heaven, Guardian? This is your manga?" Li Xing glanced at the cover and was startled. "When did you take these on? Did you draw these all by yourself? And so quickly?" Asking Heaven was a long-form series that she had completed in less than five months, and Guardian was even shorter. The complex backgrounds within them were not simple at all; it was hard to believe.

"Of course I drew them myself, but I have this, which makes drawing very simple." Mu Yin showed him her manga software and demonstrated how to use it.

"Did you make this software?" Li Xing, who had studied computer science himself, immediately grasped the intricacies and felt astonished. After all, the software looked far more advanced than anything currently available on the internet.

"Yes." Mu Yin nodded, then pointed to another animation program. "I made this too, but it has too many bugs." She shrugged.

"When did you learn to do this?" Li Xing found it a bit strange.

"I learned a bit in the past. Later, I felt that drawing was too tedious, so I wanted to create something to help. I read a lot of books and finally got it working, though the animation one isn't quite finished yet," Mu Yin said, offering a casual excuse.

"It’s a real shame you didn't study the same major as me back then," Li Xing remarked, taking her at her word without further suspicion.

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"Is my manga not good enough? Anyway, Brother, you have to keep an eye on the animation process for me. Don't let them change the plot." Mu Yin had not forgotten her goal.

"Isn't that something the author should be worrying about?" The animation rights were a derivative copyright, which had nothing to do with her as a manga artist—it wasn't as if she were the original creator of the adaptation itself.

"I am the author of the original work, too, so you really have to be extra careful," Mu Yin said. Since she had already revealed one secret, she didn't mind revealing another.

"You also write novels? Fine, but I'm not in charge of this department. What use is it telling me?" Li Xing initially felt a sense of wonder, but then he reasoned that there was no real difference between drawing manga and writing novels; one told stories with images, the other with words—it was all storytelling in the end.

However, he was troubled by the fact that he wasn't responsible for the animation production team at his company, so his sister seeking him out seemed futile.

"Oh, you’re so dense! Do you think my manga is lacking for animation studios interested in it? I came to you because I want you to use your status as my brother to help me bargain more effectively. For instance, I don't want the plot changed, and that depends on you." Mu Yin patted Li Xing on the shoulder, giving him a look that suggested he was being slow-witted.

Li Xing finally understood. Right, his sister's two manga series were currently massive hits. If his company knew, they would be thrilled. While an animation was just an adaptation, the studio typically took 70% of the revenue—that was the standard distribution in this world—and if they negotiated well, they could get even more.

With Asking Heaven and Guardian currently at the peak of their popularity, countless animation studios had extended olive branches, and many top-tier authors had even reached out to her for collaboration. It would be a stroke of luck for his company to be chosen.

"Alright, I will make sure everything is handled for you," Li Xing said, nodding to guarantee he would complete his sister's task.

"Good, then I'll leave it to you. My only requirement is that, aside from the absolutely necessary adjustments, the plot must not be altered in any way," Mu Yin reiterated.

"Understood." Li Xing nodded, and the next day at work, he went to find Zhang Li, the head of the animation department, to discuss the matter.

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"Well, look at you, kid! I never expected the author of Asking Heaven to be your sister. I’ll report this to the higher-ups; it should be no problem." Zhang Li was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't that they hadn't considered trying to acquire the animation rights for Asking Heaven, but so many companies had expressed interest recently—even top-tier animation firms had reached out—that they had assumed they had no chance.

To think the author's brother actually worked at their company; they had really stumbled upon a stroke of luck. However, the author's requests would still need approval from above. He had read the manga himself and felt that a direct adaptation would work perfectly; it didn't need any major changes.

The company's upper management naturally agreed with delight. After the contracts were signed, Mu Yin announced the news online, which left many readers confused. After all, the company she chose, while having produced one or two animated works, had no particular strengths other than smooth animation quality.

But once they realized that the plot and art style were already set, and that good fluidity would lead to a more refined animation, they quickly warmed up to the idea and began urging Mu Yin to write more stories and draw more manga. To this, Mu Yin responded that starting a new project was impossible—at least not for several years.

After graduating, she applied to participate in the "Explorer" qualification exam. Explorers faced high risks; between mutated animals and insects, the dangers were immense. If not for the fact that most human cities were now encased within energy shields, they likely wouldn't have been able to live so peacefully.

Therefore, becoming an Explorer required formidable combat skills. Over the past six months, Mu Yin had been diligently practicing body techniques, and with proper nutrition, she had successfully reached the second level. She only needed more energy accumulation to reach the third. Her mental power was already strong, and once she reached the wilderness, the restrictions on her supernatural abilities would be reduced, ensuring her safety.

Thus, she participated in the Explorer exam with great confidence. It was worth mentioning that although this world seemed peaceful and prosperous on the surface, many people saw the crises hidden beneath that facade, and there were quite a few who chose to become Explorers.

When Mu Yin arrived at the Explorer Guild, a dozen or so people were already waiting for the test. Explorers were evaluated on three criteria: physical fitness, combat experience, and mental power. Physical fitness was tested through a long-distance run.