Protagonist Ming, born in a bleak outpost of Sichuan province, finds an unexpected glimpse of the world beyond when she meets a talking monkey, the immortal Monkey King, with whom Ming’s destiny is intertwined, Ming makes her way to New York, determined to become a successful writer; however, to make ends meet, she works for a crime ring until she must escape and returns to China, taking along her American friend, Zoe. Together, they travel to the village of Ming’s birth where the clouds writhe like phantoms and the rain never stops. This is where the two women join forces with an immortal who has an ambitious plan to save the world from capitalism, creating a tech company that surreptitiously brainwashes a nation of tycoons and financiers to share their wealth while pursuing a contemplative life. But in life, every action provokes an equal and opposite reaction.