The sight before them was like a mirage.
Above the grand, opulent golden Wishing Pool,
nearly a hundred 10-meter-tall, smooth marble columns carved into goddesses stood barefoot on the deities of the Wishing Pool, holding various musical instruments. Their gazes were resolute, their presence sacred and gentle as they towered mid-air.
And above these goddesses, another Wishing Pool floated like a mirage.
Gushing water poured from the vases held by maidens seated on golden lions, cascading like waterfalls in all directions before finally converging in the pool below.
Stone steps faintly emerged from the flowing water, with occasional figures ascending through the streams toward the goddesses' temple.
"Brother Cai,"
"this fountain must be at least 70 meters tall."
Xiang Dianqian looked up, his voice tinged with despair.
Initially, the two had planned to spend three days roughly sketching the Wishing Pool through photos and line drawings, then refine the details back at the company studio.
But now,
this 70-meter-tall fountain—let alone three days—
even if the entire team worked on it, it would take at least three months to complete!
Men Youcai's face was equally ashen as he forced a smile:
"Yeah... 70 meters tall, about the height of a 17-story building."
"But at least the Wishing Pool above the Roman columns looks the same as the one below."
"We just need to draw the lower Wishing Pool and... the hundred goddess-topped columns."
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Standing on either side of the Wishing Pool, they framed the scene with their hands, contemplating how to capture its entirety as quickly as possible.
Digital Dynamics' art team had many talents.
The reason these two were chosen for the Wishing Pool task
was their background in architectural design, giving them a strong advantage in depicting structures.
Many of the game's key scenes and pavilions were their creations,
including the Fengshen Altar, the most important location in *Fengshen Fatu*.
If even they found this task daunting,
the rest of the art team would be utterly lost.
"I've roughly observed,"
"this Wishing Pool has over a hundred deities just on the reefs and shells,"
"with 20 horizontal and 15 vertical Roman columns—at least 70 on the outer ring alone,"
"and every goddess statue on the columns has a completely unique expression and posture."
"The team lead gave us until next month's update to integrate this into the game."
"If we try to recreate it 1:1, it's impossible."
Men Youcai lowered his hands, staring at the floating Wishing Pool as his mind raced.
"Also, game visuals and loading capacity are limited."
"*Fengshen Fatu* is a mobile game—even the largest foldable screens are only 8 inches."
"Trying to display such a massive structure in detail on an 8-inch screen isn't realistic."
Xiang Dianqian nodded. "Brother Cai, you're absolutely right! So what should we do?"
Men Youcai continued:
"I remember Chairman Qin once said in a meeting:"
"'A game's dreamlike quality and realism require us to balance innovation with logic when designing scenes and architecture.'"
"'For virtual structures, the focus isn't replicating appearances—it's about the experience they evoke.'"
Xiang Dianqian listened intently. "Brother Cai, you're absolutely right! So what should we do?"
Ignoring him, Men Youcai analyzed further:
"Upon closer inspection,"
"this golden Wishing Pool, while majestic and intricate, belongs to a completely different cultural system than *Fengshen Fatu*."
"Our game is a cyberpunk take on ancient Chinese mythology,"
"but these deities are from foreign pantheons—even the goddesses on the columns have an Olympian vibe."
"If we copy this Wishing Pool into the game,"
"even before players complain,"
"the company would skin us alive."
Xiang Dianqian shuddered. "No wonder this Wishing Pool felt off!"
"So *that's* the biggest issue!"
He slapped his thigh.
"Brother Cai, you're absolutely right!! So what should we do?"
Men Youcai pondered.
"I think,"
"our goal isn't to replicate the Wishing Pool's appearance,"
"but to capture the piety of those who pray here and the game's theme of 'destiny.'"
"The best virtual architecture isn't about imitation,"
"but about immersing players in its unfolding story."
Xiang Dianqian looked at him with admiration.
"Brother Cai, you're absolutely right!! So what should we do?"
Men Youcai's eyes gleamed with resolve.
"Keep the prototype, modify appropriately!"
"We're here to design a gacha pool, not sketch landscapes."
"Everything must serve the game's interests and themes."
"The Wishing Pool's core elements are the six golden lions—those must stay."
"The deities beneath can be blurred..."
"For example, we have unused concept art for characters and bosses."
"These fit the game's theme and can replace the current deities."
"As for the 80+ goddess columns, we can obscure details with lighting,"
"only highlighting key game characters."
"This way, 80+ figures might only need 6."
"The six vase-holding maidens on the lions can be replaced with the game's most popular characters."
"Once this framework is set,"
"future updates can easily swap characters onto the lions,"
"saving tons of work for the modeling team."
Xiang Dianqian was in awe. "Brother Cai, you're absolutely right!!! Let's do it!"
Perfect, absolutely perfect!
Initially, Xiang Dianqian had been ready to quit at the sight of this Wishing Pool.
But Men Youcai's analysis made everything clear.
They weren't here as realist painters—
they were game artists designing a gacha pool!
Without Men Youcai's guidance, they'd have gone astray.
A game's art style and cultural direction are its lifeblood.
Straying means certain death—no amount of effort can save it.
And what is art?
Art is the reinterpretation of reality!
As long as they kept the six golden lions as the base, minor tweaks were acceptable!
Immediately,
they photographed and recorded the Wishing Pool, sending their plan to the team lead.
After approval,
they split the work, sketching efficiently on their iPads...
---
As noon approached,
guests emerged from the hotel, gathering at the Wishing Pool with phones in hand.
Though occupancy at Lion Castle Hotel was still low,
many players had noticed the golden Wishing Pool and come to try their luck.
"Are those two drawing?"
Pang Xuehen, carrying a sketchpad, eyed Men Youcai and Xiang Dianqian curiously.
Lately, he'd been living at Lion Castle, seeking inspiration.
Perhaps due to luck or his dark fairy-tale style aligning with the hotel's vibe,
his concept art for "Witch Vikam" had gained traction on Little Peter's fan site.
His follower count had surpassed 200,000—something he'd never dreamed of.
He'd planned to sketch the amusement park today,
but construction had blocked access.
With time to spare, he'd come to see the floating café atop the Wishing Pool.
And now,
he was spellbound by the ethereal beauty before him.
Such ingenuity!
Such craftsmanship!
This was *art*!
Pang Xuehen trembled with excitement.
The number of deities beneath the golden lions surpassed everyone he'd ever met.
To capture this entire Wishing Pool...
He shuddered at the audacity of the idea.
Taking a deep breath,
he envisioned the perfect angle—only to find the best spot already taken.
Shooting a resentful glance at the duo,
he settled nearby, unfolding a stool and sketchpad.
As he measured proportions with his pencil,
Men Youcai and Xiang Dianqian paused to observe him.
Their eyes met,
mutual respect flashing between them.
"Using just pencil and paper for this colossal structure? This guy's hardcore!"
"Using digital tools for this colossal structure? These guys are hardcore!"
Nodding politely,
they returned to their work.
"Skritch-skritch"
The sound of pencil on paper blended with the fountain's flow as time slipped through calloused fingers.
Onlookers marveled at the digital artists' progress:
"So beautiful! Amazing work!"
But those passing Pang Xuehen's sketch
would glance at the Wishing Pool,
then his paper,
and quietly retreat,
their eyes screaming: *Sorry, my mistake.*
---
The autumn air was crisp and dry.
Lion Castle Hotel cast a vast shadow under the sun,
while the sky blazed with crimson hues.
The city's pace was frenetic,
but the hotel's rhythm was languid, intoxicating.
Pang Xuehen lived in his own world,
unfazed by the hurried steps around him.
To him, the Wishing Pool was priceless.
Though the fading light wasn't ideal,
the interplay of shadows and water suited his style, pulling him deeper into his trance.
"That guy's really getting into it!"
Men Youcai and Xiang Dianqian watched Pang Xuehen curiously.
While they loved art, for them, it was a job—a means to survive.
Their current task wasn't a passion project, so they couldn't lose themselves like him.
Setting down his stylus, Men Youcai reviewed their progress.
Though just rough outlines,
the golden Wishing Pool's essence was captured.
Since they prioritized emotion over accuracy,
the sketch radiated a divine grandeur,
as if myths and epics were about to emerge from the columns' hall, inspiring reverence.
"Wonder what that guy's drawing."
Curious,
they approached Pang Xuehen with their iPads.