Ch 50: The World’s Number One Resort

“Mr. Tang, is this the Blue Sea Forest? It’s absolutely stunning. Are these plants naturally grown?” Half an hour later, the group arrived at the outskirts of the Blue Sea Forest. Gao Yun’s eyes lit up the moment she saw the Blue Sea hedgerows.

Zhou Zilin had chosen the travel destination, and Gao Yun was simply accompanying her daughter on vacation. She had read plenty of information about Sora Island before coming. In the tourism industry, there’s usually a gap between promotional photos and the actual scenery. After watching the Great Tang Resort’s Douyin videos, Gao Yun was prepared for a letdown.

Her expectations for the Blue Sea Forest were not high, but to her surprise, the forest before her was lush and vibrant. The scenery was breathtaking, far more impressive than what was shown on Douyin. It was truly an awe-inspiring sight.

“Linlin, why don’t you change into your dress? Mom will take some pictures of you,” Gao Yun said indulgently to Zhou Zilin while snapping a couple of photos with her phone.

Zhou Zilin bit her lip and stayed silent.

“Be good, Linlin. Mom will buy you a new one when we get back,” Gao Yun added, feeling her daughter’s distress, and gently smoothing her twin ponytails.

“No need.”

Zhou Zilin continued to sulk. She had brought several fancy dresses this time, but her favorite was the blue Lolita bridal dress. The dress had been custom-made abroad through a friend, costing 22,000 dollars. She usually took great care of it, and now it had a tear. She wasn’t even sure if it could be restored… The thought of it made Zhou Zilin want to scream.

“Don’t be angry,” Gao Yun sighed.

Linlin was the apple of the Zhou family’s eye, spoiled and pampered. She was simple-minded, not malicious, but had quite the temper. Gao Yun hadn’t seen her this upset in over a year. Who knew how long it would take for her to calm down…

After sighing, Gao Yun continued walking forward with the assistants.

“I’m really sorry, Tang,” Hank approached Tang Huai, apologizing. If he and George hadn’t been collecting shells, the incident wouldn’t have happened… Compensating for the dress was one thing, but affecting the Great Tang Resort’s business was another matter entirely.

Hank glanced at Zhou Zilin’s back. It seemed the damage had already been done.

“It’s okay,” Tang Huai patted Hank’s shoulder, indicating he shouldn’t worry.

“I’m Tang Huai, Hank’s good friend,” Tang Huai introduced himself to George after they chatted for a bit. George, an eighty-three-year-old man in a checkered shirt, was a small, skinny old man.

“George.”

George gave Tang Huai a hug. As his grandson’s friend, George showed him respect. After the hug, George glanced at Gao Yun’s group. Although he didn’t understand Chinese, he sensed the tension among them… While George didn’t show it outwardly, he still felt uneasy about the incident with the blue dress.

“The Blue Sea Treehouse, 200 dollars. Blue Sea Fish, 200 dollars. Diving tour, 50 dollars… Mr. Tang, is this the price list for the Blue Sea Forest?” Twenty minutes later, the group arrived at Blue Sea Lake. The lake was light and clear, with Blue Sea Fish swimming about. Looking down, it almost seemed as if you could see the bottom of the lake.

Gao Yun felt at peace, but the price list on the KT board near the lake was less than pleasant.

The prices were not cheap.

“These are the standard rates for the Great Tang Resort. Ahead is the treehouse market; it has imported wine, bread, and sausages. The prices are relatively affordable, and you can also rent tents,” Tang Huai explained with a smile, pointing to a treehouse up ahead. Since the arrival of Li Qianshan’s group, Tang Huai had standardized the resort’s pricing, with KT boards displaying prices near each attraction.

Gao Yun nodded and then booked three treehouses. She had asked casually earlier, but since the Blue Sea Forest’s specialty was the treehouses, staying in one was a must.

The assistants carried the luggage into the treehouses. Gao Yun and Zhou Zilin strolled around before heading back to the treehouses. After the drama with the bridal dress, Zhou Zilin had lost the desire to take pictures for the time being.

“We’ll share a treehouse.”

After Gao Yun and the others left, Hank also spoke up. Since the system upgrade, Tang Huai had gained a certain degree of exemption privileges. He originally planned to give Hank a free pass. However, Hank had a strong sense of paying his way and politely refused Tang Huai’s offer, insisting on paying the full price. Tang Huai felt a bit helpless and decided that since he couldn’t waive the charges for Hank, he would ask Aunt Miley to prepare some extra delicious food as a gesture of hospitality.

In the evening, Tang Huai and Hank sat by the lakeside, enjoying the moon. Gao Yun and Zhou Zilin stayed inside the treehouse.

“Linlin, there are so many beautiful dresses here. This pink one is gorgeous,” said Gao Yun inside the treehouse, opening the large suitcase and taking out a few dresses.

These were part of Zhou Zilin’s collection. While they might not be as valuable as the blue bridal dress, they were still exquisite.

“Mom, I don’t want to take pictures today. I just want to sleep,” Zhou Zilin glanced over and replied in a muffled voice. She had been sulking all afternoon, and now her anger had mostly subsided. But when she thought about her dress… she still felt heartbroken.

Zhou Zilin knew that the dress’s damage wasn’t entirely George’s fault. She had seen George collecting shells at the time, but because that path was the direct route from the port to the town, and she was in too much of a hurry, she hadn’t bothered to take a detour, which led to the collision.

Thinking about it now, a trace of regret flashed across Zhou Zilin’s face. She should have waited until she reached the Blue Sea Treehouse to change her clothes.

She looked out the window; the Blue Sea Forest was incredibly serene in the quiet night. The Blue Sea Lake, the angel oak trees, the moonlight… it was just as she had imagined. When she first saw the Blue Sea Forest, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

If it weren’t for the blue dress incident, she would be outside, happily taking pictures.

Zhou Zilin sighed and then glanced at the tree bed. Since the blue dress was ruined, she could only make do with her other dresses.

Seeing Zhou Zilin’s expression, Gao Yun let out a long breath. Linlin was finally calming down.

Under the frosty moonlight, Zhou Zilin scrolled through her phone for a while and updated her Moments with a few pictures of the Blue Sea Forest at night before going to sleep.

The night passed without further incident.

…

The next morning, everyone woke up early. After some preparation, they gathered near Blue Sea Lake. They were lightly packed, planning to head to Bianjing Ancient City.

The three assistants each carried a large travel bag, which contained ten sets of Zhou Zilin’s Lolita dresses.

“Since Sora Town hasn’t fully developed its roads yet, the sightseeing buses can’t get in. We’ll have to take hoverboards. The journey will take around two and a half hours,” Tang Huai said, clapping his hands once everyone was ready.

No one had any objections. And so, the group set off in the direction of Bianjing Ancient City.

On the Blue Sea–Bianjing road, eight hoverboards formed a line, creating a grand sight. It was already mid-November, and the weather was cooling down. However, due to the island’s low latitude, the temperature was still quite pleasant, almost similar to summer.

Beside the hoverboard convoy trotted a large yellow dog. Da Huang, bored of staying in the town, had eagerly followed when he learned that Tang Huai was heading out. Smart and lively, Da Huang was always a welcome companion for Tang Huai’s excursions.

And so, the eight people and one dog headed towards Bianjing Ancient City.

“My God, this is a miracle.”

“Is this a fantasy movie? It has to be a movie…”

…

Two hours later, they arrived within the vicinity of Bianjing Ancient City. The moment they laid eyes on the magnificent city gates, Hank, Zhou Zilin, and the others were left utterly speechless.

The ancient city of Bianjing stood nearly three hundred meters tall, its bricks and tiles a deep gray color. From a distance, the entire city looked like it was shrouded in clouds, exuding an aura of grandeur and solemnity.

“Manager Tang, how was this built?” Gao Yun composed herself and asked. The scene before her was beyond the realm of natural science.

“This was an investment by the FillTech Company, using advanced high-tech equipment. It took five years to complete. The FillTech Company is a new technology enterprise that has invested in multiple projects. Other projects are classified as business secrets and are currently under construction,” Tang Huai explained simply. Without the FillTech Company’s explanation, the scene in front of them would indeed be difficult to justify.

“The company building Sora Town?” Gao Yun had pinpointed the key issue.

Tang Huai nodded.

Gao Yun pondered for a moment. This was the first time she had heard of the FillTech Company. A company capable of such a massive construction project surely wouldn’t be obscure. Since the Zhou family was involved in international trade, it might be worth investigating—there could be business dealings in the future.

Five minutes later, the group continued forward. The closer they got to Bianjing Ancient City, the more they felt their own insignificance.

[Bianjing Ancient City – All-Day Pass: 200 USD]

As they approached the ancient city gates, they found them surrounded by a modern fence. Beside the fence was a signboard designed in an antique style. Two Black service personnel in brown security uniforms stood nearby, collecting the entrance fees—these were the scenic AI that Tang Huai had purchased, responsible for ticket sales at Bianjing Ancient City.

Tang Huai had bought five scenic AIs, assigning two to Bianjing Ancient City, one to Blue Sea Lake, one to the Snow Village, and the last one to Sora Town. The allocation for the standard bodyguards was similar.

Tang Huai had reviewed the schematic of Sora Town. Once completed, there would be a professional [Access Point] at the entrance from the port to the town, similar to the entrances of large theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. Visitors would enter with their ID cards.

Additionally, there would be professional security checks at the entrance.

The [Access Point] would separate the port from the town, making it so that visitors could only enter Sora Island through this point in the future.

Once Sora Town was fully built, tourists could use their ID cards to recharge and make purchases, significantly improving their experience and convenience.

Although there were many reefs around the island, theoretically allowing visitors to climb up and avoid the entrance fees, the system’s advanced technology had this covered. Unless Tang Huai enabled access, no one could climb over the reefs, making the [Access Point] in Sora Town the island’s only entrance, ensuring the island’s security.

Sora Town’s access control was a built-in feature, much like the Snow Village’s Crystal Bridge or the Bianjing Amusement Park, and Tang Huai was extremely satisfied with it.

He planned to buy a few high-level bodyguards and Sora traps after Sora Town was completed. He had budgeted it out and concluded that as long as no Somali terrorists appeared, the island’s safety would far exceed domestic standards. Even if terrorists did show up, the Sora Shield could protect the island.

When the island points were sufficient in the future, he would build a world-class security team, ensuring that Sora Island would have nothing to fear in terms of safety.

While Tang Huai was lost in his thoughts, Gao Yun, Hank, and the others had already paid for their tickets.

After getting ready, the group rode their hoverboards into the depths of Bianjing Ancient City.

“It really is a giant statue…” Thirty seconds later, upon seeing the interior of the ancient city, not only Gao Yun and Hank, but even Zhou Zilin couldn’t help but murmur. At this moment, she had completely forgotten about her dress, utterly overwhelmed by the scene before her.

The giant statue stood over thirty meters tall, its features imposing and intricately carved. The sight was even more breathtaking than what she had seen in the Douyin video.

“Welcome to Bianjing Ancient City. Below is the Bianjing Subway. This is a map of Bianjing’s urban area, and each bronze statue has a corresponding roller coaster track. The green button starts it, the red one pauses…” As everyone stood in awe, Tang Huai slowly began his introduction.

As he spoke, he handed over a Bianjing map, a miniature version of the one at the city gate. Tang Huai had purchased a copier, and these maps were made on the spot.

“This is just like a fantasy novel.”

An assistant looked around and couldn’t help but exclaim. The scene really did resemble those in fantasy novels, except that the statues in those novels were a hundred or even a thousand times larger. It was thrilling when he read about them, but now… just seeing a statue twenty times human size was already so monumental. It was hard to imagine how magnificent those thousand-times-larger statues would be.

The assistant felt his imagination was being stretched to its limits.

“Everyone, feel free to explore. We’ll meet at the city gate in two hours.” After a short break, Tang Huai clapped his hands. Bianjing Ancient City could be eerie and frightening at night. There was an inn called Wan Shi Lou next to the city gate, where they could return to rest together in the evening.

Tang Huai had planned to guide Gao Yun and the others around, but Zhou Zilin, still harboring resentment, directly refused his offer. After all, they had already arrived at Bianjing Ancient City and had maps in hand, so they could explore freely on their own.

Tang Huai felt a bit helpless, but the safety of the Bianjing Ancient City subway roller coaster was top-notch. Since everyone was an adult, he didn’t need to babysit them.

After securing their maps, they set off for their desired areas.

Due to the previous incident with the blue dress, a rift had formed between Gao Yun’s and Hank’s groups. To make the trip more enjoyable, both parties instinctively avoided each other. As a result, Gao Yun’s group of five headed toward the East Market of Bianjing, while Hank and George wandered off toward the Curved Bridge.

Da Huang seemed to be feeling unwell, looking lethargic, so Tang Huai stayed behind to take care of him.

The Bianjing “subway” was very convenient. Since there were few visitors at the moment, tourists could control the subway themselves. When Sora Island became busier, Tang Huai planned to purchase a batch of “subway” operators. The transportation method would be similar to city buses, making the subway operations more standardized.

…

Half an hour later, in the East Market of Bianjing Ancient City.

“My daughter is so beautiful!” Zhou Zilin had gone into a nearby rouge shop and changed into an orange Lolita dress. She had bought this dress last month. As soon as she came out, Gao Yun praised her extravagantly.

“Hmph.” Zhou Zilin huffed softly, looking a bit bashful. Gao Yun doted on her, always seeing Zhou Zilin as the most adorable daughter in the world. Zhou Zilin, who had quite a temper and prided herself on having thick skin, occasionally felt embarrassed by her mother’s compliments.

Her mom was just too trendy.

“This place is perfect for Hanfu, but I don’t wear it. If only my cousin were here…” Zhou Zilin said as she pulled out a selfie stick and took a beautiful photo. Her cousin, who was in her fourth year of university, was a Hanfu enthusiast.

Bianjing Ancient City resembled the Bianjing City of China, with its intricate carvings and classic architecture, making it an ideal backdrop for Hanfu.

After taking the picture, Zhou Zilin looked at the photo.

In front of the giant, antique rouge shop, she stood in her orange Lolita dress. With the surrounding environment, the photo unexpectedly conveyed a sense of time travel…

It was a blend of Eastern and Western elements, something completely unplanned. Zhou Zilin, satisfied, saved the photo.

“Linlin, there’s a roller coaster here. Shall we give it a try?” Gao Yun asked curiously as she approached the nearest giant statue and activated the roller coaster button. The statue depicted a burly man holding a sack of rice, towering at about forty meters. Compared to the other statues around, it stood out quite prominently.

The roller coaster track spiraled around the giant’s body. Gao Yun observed that the roller coaster had ten seats and was covered by a tempered glass dome that could be secured, looking very safe and high-tech.

Zhou Zilin nodded, and she, along with her three assistants, boarded the ride.

The roller coaster slowly ascended.

“Oh my God!”

Half a minute later, the roller coaster reached the statue’s waist, more than twenty meters above the ground. As Zhou Zilin looked down, she felt a sense of vertigo. The glass in front of the roller coaster was so clear that it revealed the scene around the rouge shop. The giant statue was vividly sculpted, and Zhou Zilin even spotted a little girl holding a candied hawthorn.

Seeing the world “shrunk” twentyfold like this was a magical experience. After getting used to the roller coaster’s height, Zhou Zilin was having a blast. Meanwhile, Hank’s group was experiencing a similar thrill.

The speed of the roller coaster could be adjusted, and each giant statue presented a different scene, making everyone feel like they had entered a massive roller coaster amusement park.

…

“Hang in there for one more night. We’ll head back tomorrow.” While everyone was having a blast, Tang Huai stroked Da Huang in front of him, feeling a bit exasperated. He had thoroughly checked Da Huang and finally understood why it seemed so lethargic—it was hungry.

Da Huang had refused to ride the hoverboard, bounding over the mountains with great excitement. After running all the way and expending a lot of energy, it had fully digested the food it ate in the morning.

Tang Huai had brought enough food for a day, but Da Huang had eaten it all and was still unsatisfied. Its appetite had noticeably increased lately.

“Awoo—” Da Huang whimpered, feeling wronged. Being hungry was truly an unpleasant experience.

Tang Huai hugged Da Huang, and its hunger gave him an idea. Since the Blue Sea Forest had a treehouse market, Bianjing Ancient City could have a Bianjing market, and the Snow Village could have a snow house market. This would make it convenient for tourists to shop.

As Tang Huai mulled over this, time flew by.

Two hours later, Hank and George returned. George’s face was flushed, having had a great time during the past two hours. Hank looked the same. After coming back, they sat down on the ground to rest.

Tang Huai checked the time. It was now 4:10 p.m., and Gao Yun’s group had not yet returned.

Tang Huai decided to wait a little longer.

At 4:30 p.m., there was still no sign of Gao Yun’s group. Tang Huai called Gao Yun’s phone, but it was busy.

He frowned.

Just as he was about to open the island’s sand table, the nearby Bianjing subway showed some movement. Moments later, Zhou Zilin and the three assistants returned.

Zhou Zilin’s Lolita dress was wrinkled, and her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. The expressions of the three assistants were also not good.

“Have you seen my mom?” Zhou Zilin looked around and then turned to Tang Huai, her voice trembling slightly.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️