Ch 56: The World’s Number One Resort

“Is this Chinese hot pot?” Yu You didn’t seem to notice Tang Huai’s surprise. Instead, he walked straight down, his face full of curiosity.

Tang Huai had already sorted out the vegetables and was slicing the winter melon.

In the blink of an eye, Yu You came up to Tang Huai’s side. The two stood very close, and Yu You’s long eyelashes curved, his eyes sparkling.

“Ahem, everything’s ready. You can wait in the living room; it’ll be done in about five minutes.” Tang Huai’s gaze had been focused on Yu You’s eyelashes. He cleared his throat and spoke calmly.

“Do you need any help?” Yu You hesitated.

“No need.” Tang Huai waved his hand; making hot pot was easy.

Yu You walked back to the dining room, taking hesitant steps. As he waited for the meal, Tang Huai finished slicing the winter melon and glanced at Yu You out of the corner of his eye… Yu You was walking steadily, his legs straight, looking just like a normal person.

This development was too sudden, and Tang Huai felt a bit doubtful… Was he seeing things last time when he was feverish?

After some suspicion, Tang Huai refocused on preparing the hot pot. Regardless of whether Yu You had legs or a fish tail, their relationship wouldn’t change.

In the dining room, as Yu You sensed that Tang Huai was no longer watching, he let out a sigh of relief.

It was good that he hadn’t been found out.

Yu You touched his “legs”… They stung a little.

Five minutes later, the ingredients were ready, and the preparations were complete.

“This is the clear soup pot, and this side is the spicy beef broth. You can cook whatever you want in the pot,” Tang Huai explained enthusiastically as he handed Yu You a pair of chopsticks.

As someone from Huning, Tang Huai hadn’t had hot pot in almost half a year.

“Thank you.” Yu You took the chopsticks and carefully examined the hot pot in front of him. It looked just like the ones he’d seen in the short videos, bubbling with vibrant colors.

Yu You placed a piece of lettuce into the clear soup pot.

Tang Huai had already prepared a dipping sauce for him—a simple sesame paste with green onions.

When the lettuce was cooked, Yu You dipped it into the sauce, following what he’d seen in the videos.

“This is delicious.” Yu You took a bite, his eyes lighting up. The lettuce was warm and a bit scalding… It was a completely different experience from eating sandwiches or toast.

“Auntie Miley is the chef on the island; her cooking skills are top-notch. Next time, we can have her make a meal…” Tang Huai said, happily eating two slices of lamb.

The lamb and vegetables were fresh, and he was thoroughly enjoying them.

“Sounds good.” Yu You smiled. He had heard about Auntie Miley from Tang Huai. In his imagination, she was a lively and capable middle-aged woman with a spatula in hand. If there was a chance… He’d really like to meet her.

“I’m returning to Sora Island tomorrow. Want to come along?” Tang Huai interrupted Yu You’s daydreaming. He had invited Yu You before, but Yu You’s health wasn’t good at that time, so he didn’t push. Now that Yu You seemed back to normal, they could take a trip together. Staying cooped up for a whole year wasn’t ideal.

“Maybe next time.” Yu You didn’t decline directly this time; instead, he thought for a moment before replying.

“It takes about five days to get from Sora Island to Mexico. Just let me know in advance when you want to go, and I’ll come to pick you up…” Tang Huai smoothly made arrangements in line with Yu You’s words.

“Okay.” Yu You nodded while placing some lotus root slices into his pot. The lotus root was crunchy and had a nice texture.

Tang Huai chuckled. The fact that Yu You now had a slight inclination to go out was progress. As for the future… they’d take it one step at a time.

Tang Huai let the topic drop and began to chat about various subjects, from the north to the south.

The two of them ate from seven until ten, each consuming three servings of sesame sauce. The five servings of food that Tang Huai had bought were mostly finished.

By ten o’clock, the hot pot session had ended.

Tang Huai returned to his room, patting his stomach… The spicy beef broth had been quite satisfying.

After washing up, Tang Huai had a wonderful night’s sleep.

At six o’clock the next morning, Tang Huai got up early, packed his luggage, and quietly slipped out the door.

He had already said goodbye to Yu You yesterday. In the upcoming period, he planned to focus on his system tasks.

Tang Huai placed his luggage in the trunk and drove away.

As the blue Ford gradually faded into the distance, Yu You stood silently by the third-floor window of the villa, watching Tang Huai’s departing figure. Once he left today, it would be at least another half year before they could meet again.

“Why don’t you come to Sora Island with me tomorrow?”

Suddenly, Yu You recalled Tang Huai’s suggestion from the previous day.

Sora Island, huh?

Yu You sneered at himself before walking over to the full-length mirror in the flower room, taking off his cloak.

He raised his eyes and scrutinized his reflection. A lean upper body, arms that had turned into jelly-like, rubbery appendages, and legs resembling soft octopus tentacles… It was a grotesque sight.

Yu You pulled at his right leg.

The right leg was formed by three large tentacles twisted into one. When he tugged at it, the tentacles initially separated uncontrollably before intertwining again. After several attempts, the three tentacles eventually split apart and then miraculously merged into the previous black fishtail.

The fishtail bore dozens of scars, just like before.

Yu You had discovered his body’s changes a week ago. At first, he was ecstatic, but he soon realized that these “legs” could only be hidden under long pants. Moreover, he could only maintain this form for an hour a day. If he exceeded the time limit, he had to endure the pain of the tentacles expanding outward.

He had a strong tolerance for pain, but yesterday’s three hours had been his limit.

“A monster…” Yu You examined his reflection repeatedly before murmuring softly.

He couldn’t even control himself, so how could he dare to appear on Sora Island? His body was still constantly changing. If the day ever came when he lost complete control, he would leave.

He would never cause any potential trouble for Tang Huai.

…

“These are original Maotai from Maotai Town. I brought you two bottles.” A day later, on the Great Tang No. 1, Tang Huai, dressed in a sports jacket, walked toward Alang, who was standing on the deck.

It was now mid-December, and the weather was a bit chilly, so Tang Huai had switched from short sleeves to long pants and a jacket.

At that moment, Alang was lying on the deck, scrolling through his phone while sipping beer from the treasure trove of the Mo Wine Cellar.

Tang Huai sat down on the nearby lounge chair and placed the liquor beside him.

Since their fallout last time, Tang Huai and Alang had been in a complete cold war.

Tang Huai had tried to explain again to Alang why slot machines were not allowed, but Alang was stubborn. Since slot machines were in line with the system’s rules and various international laws, while he had outwardly conceded, he still felt resentful. In Alang’s eyes, Tang Huai had cut off his path to a fortune.

Tang Huai was helpless, but just as Alang was stubborn, Tang Huai insisted that regardless of legality, slot machines would not be permitted on the Great Tang No. 1.

“This is fifty-year-old liquor,” Tang Huai added when Alang didn’t respond. No matter what, since the two of them would be working together for a long time, Tang Huai still hoped to mend their strained relationship.

“Oh, thanks.” Alang kept his eyes glued to his phone, not even sparing a glance at the liquor beside him.

His talent was a “love of alcohol,” but now his cold war with Tang Huai had surpassed even this natural inclination.

Tang Huai: … It looked like the cold war between them would continue for a while.

Tang Huai tried to make awkward small talk with Alang for a bit longer, but seeing that Alang’s attitude remained unchanged, he could only leave in resignation. Alang’s loyalty was currently at 46—not increasing, but also not decreasing.

Tang Huai estimated that even when he completed the Grand Island Master task, it might still not be maxed out…

Five minutes after Tang Huai left, Alang glanced at the bottle of liquor. The bottle was white with blue characters, exuding a distinct Chinese style. Alang sniffed the bottle’s opening; the liquor smelled rich and mellow, clearly of high quality.

“Hmph.” Alang put down his phone and carried the bottle of liquor to the edge of the ship’s railing.

The Great Tang No. 1 was more than ten meters high. Alang looked down along the side of the ship. The sea surface was very calm at that moment. If he were to throw the bottle down with a “bang,” it would probably create a splash for about two seconds before the sea returned to its peaceful state.

Alang’s expression showed a hint of frustration.

Tang Huai’s goal was to develop Sora Island, while his own goal was to use the tourists to level up. There was no conflict between the two. From Alang’s point of view, placing three slot machines on the ship was a harmless matter. How could something so trivial… be rejected by Tang Huai?

Alang did indeed have plans to open a casino before, but they were shut down before they could even start.

Only a fool would turn down money. In his view, achieving great things required ruthlessness, and Tang Huai’s personality was clearly not up to the task.

The system had given Alang the ability to think independently, and he couldn’t agree with Tang Huai’s values.

“The system sure made a poor choice in picking this host,” Alang muttered coldly as he stood on the deck for three minutes.

He didn’t know what the system truly was, but in his programming, the system symbolized “power,” “mystery,” and “strength.” And for such a powerful system to choose a weakling like Tang Huai as its host… it was laughable.

A salty sea breeze blew in as Alang put on his black sunglasses and walked back to the cabin without looking back.

He had drunk quite a bit of beer before, so he walked unsteadily. But no matter how wobbly his steps, he still held on to the two bottles of Maotai liquor that Tang Huai had just left behind.

The liquor was of good quality, and Alang wasn’t about to waste it; he didn’t have the heart to throw it away.

…

In the next four days, Tang Huai and Alang coexisted peacefully. The Great Tang No. 1 sped forward like a giant silver-gray blade.

Four days later, Tang Huai returned to Sora Island.

“Awoo—!” As soon as Tang Huai got off the ship, a yellow figure darted toward him.

“You really need to lose some weight…” Tang Huai was knocked to the ground by Da Huang and sighed helplessly. Da Huang now weighed over a hundred pounds. If it weren’t so large, it would look like a big, round ball.

Da Huang was a product of the system. Tang Huai had been feeding it basic pet food, yet it somehow managed to grow this much…

“Awoo.” Da Huang seemed to feel embarrassed by Tang Huai’s comment, and it stuck out its tongue, licking Tang Huai’s cheeks wildly.

A minute later, Da Huang finally finished licking with satisfaction. Tang Huai stood up and wiped his face, now soaking wet… feeling rather hopeless.

After cleaning up Da Huang’s drool, Tang Huai headed toward Sora Town.

At this point, the entire town had taken shape. The colorful walls looked both cute and exquisite. Combined with the warm-colored buildings, it resembled a vibrant fairytale castle from afar.

Tang Huai stepped forward and approached.

“Lord Island Owner.” Two security AI at the [Sora Passage] were diligently standing guard. Upon seeing Tang Huai, they bowed respectfully.

“From now on, just call me Manager Tang… and there’s no need to bow.”

Upon hearing the security personnel’s greeting, Tang Huai corrected them. Including Zhang Long, Zhao Hu, and the others, there were now over 130 AI on Sora Island. These AIs were equipped with the system’s programming, so no trouble was likely to arise. However, Tang Huai, being responsible, thought it best to hold an AI meeting in the next couple of days.

At the very least… they should stop insisting on bowing to visitors. Treating everyone equally would suffice.

As he mulled over this, Tang Huai walked into Sora Town.

“Lord Host.”

“Host…”

The sanitation workers and security AI of Sora Town were busily working. When they saw Tang Huai, they greeted him warmly, just like the security AI.

Tang Huai: …We’ll have the meeting tonight.

Tang Huai wandered around the town. It was naturally vibrant and colorful. Perhaps because it was developed by the system, the town’s air quality was on par with that of Blue Sea Lake.

Half an hour later, Tang Huai arrived at Street No. 3 in Sora Town.

The layout of Sora Town’s streets was arranged in a grid, with ten horizontal and ten vertical lines. Being terrible at naming, Tang Huai simply followed a north-south “street” and east-west “road” naming convention, designating the town’s thoroughfares as Street No. 1 to 10 and Road No. 1 to 10…

The street and road signs had already been ordered. When Tang Huai returned this time, he brought along three large shipping containers that had been unloaded at Sora Port. Aside from the street signs, he had also purchased many bicycles, tricycles for cargo, balance bikes, hygiene products, drinks, and food.

In short, Sora Town was now a fully functioning town, lacking only tourists and commercial tenants!

“Beep—Lord Host.” As Tang Huai was lost in thought, he heard a “beep” sound from behind.

Turning around, he saw a yellow and pink tour bus, topped with a large neon sign displaying the number “6.” Tang Huai had previously bought twenty tour buses. Of these, three were dedicated to inner-town routes, with two buses each covering the routes Town-Blue Sea, Blue Sea-Snow Village, and Snow Village-Ancient City. The remaining buses were held in reserve.

The driver AIs operated on a shift system—after all, when there would be many tourists in the future, having the drivers work twenty hours a day wouldn’t be feasible.

Bus No. 6 operated on the Town-Blue Sea route. Once it came to a stop, Tang Huai boarded the bus.

The direct distance from the town to Blue Sea Lake was about six kilometers. Now that the Town-Blue Sea highway was open, the bus ride to the destination took less than ten minutes. As he watched the scenery retreating on both sides, Tang Huai felt a little dazed. At last, he no longer had to climb mountains and cross ridges.

In the evening, Tang Huai held an AI general meeting near Blue Sea Lake. The meeting mainly covered issues regarding addressing tourists, daily work arrangements, and work processes.

Looking at the upright postures of the AIs, Tang Huai felt like he was instructing a group of well-trained soldiers. Regardless, though the AIs were not intelligent in the human sense, they communicated outwardly just like normal people, thanks to the system’s established programming.

The only difference between non-intelligent AIs and intelligent AIs lay in their thinking processes.

“Let’s work together to build a beautiful Sora Island!”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

The meeting lasted an hour, and Tang Huai ended it with a resonant conclusion. The venue erupted into enthusiastic applause.

The first general meeting of the island ended successfully.

After the AIs had dispersed, Tang Huai twisted open a bottle of mineral water. Since the Blue Sea Treehouse was now a tourist attraction, and with Sora Island’s growing fame, he needed to find a new place for his office and residence. With this thought in mind, he opened his personal dashboard.

Host Name: Tang Huai

Task Requirement: Cooperate with five A-list brands, 12/90 days

Task Rewards: [Thrilling Speed] Scenery Card, [Sora Airport] Building Card, Two Lucky Wheel Spins

Island Points: 90,000

Reputation Points: 13.05 million

After the recent developments, Sora Island’s reputation growth had slowed, but it had still managed to cross the ten-million mark.

After some consideration, Tang Huai bought a [Sora Office Building] and an [Island Owner’s Courtyard].

• [Sora Office Building – Basic]: Five stories, totaling 2,500 square meters, increases Sora’s authority by 20%, costs 5 million Island Points.
• [Island Owner’s Courtyard]: Two stories, totaling 700 square meters, increases security defense by 20%, costs 2 million Island Points.

These were essential purchases, and Tang Huai planned to find an empty spot to use them the next day.

After taking care of these matters, Tang Huai opened the Lucky Egg feature. This was a new system gameplay that had been added after his last upgrade.

The Lucky Egg operated similarly to the Lucky Wheel and was divided into three categories: 200,000, 500,000, and 1 million Island Points. Each category could only be played once per month.

For 200,000 Island Points, he could crack open an egg containing 0 to 500,000 worth of lucky items.

50W can crack open an egg containing 30–80W worth of lucky items.

100W can crack open an egg containing 50W–200W worth of lucky items, with a certain chance of obtaining a rare card.

The lucky items are random and might include building cards, scenery cards, character cards, special cards, and so on… Anything is possible.

Tang Huai looked at the three prize tiers for a while before making a decisive move and purchasing one of each egg. If it weren’t for the “each item can only be played once a month” rule, he might have hesitated longer. However, with this restriction in place, he had the feeling that not buying them would be a loss.

After making the purchases, Tang Huai rubbed his nose. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was falling into a system trap.

The moment he completed his purchase, the three eggs appeared in the inventory. The eggs were similar to the golden eggs used in real estate sales offices; all Tang Huai had to do was hit them with the system’s 3D hammer.

Tang Huai first took out the 20W egg, which was the lightest in color compared to the other two.

He inspected the egg thoroughly before striking it without hesitation.

“Congratulations, host, you have obtained a scenery card: [Windmill].”

The system’s notification sounded as soon as Tang Huai struck the egg.

Tang Huai: … He had previously seen the [Windmill] card in the system mall. It was a nearly 30-meter-tall colorful windmill that looked beautiful when it spun in the wind. However, the listed price for the [Windmill] in the mall was 10W Island Points.

Compared to the 20W cost, it felt like a bit of a loss.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Huai turned his attention to the second egg. This was an intermediate egg, and he hoped it would yield something good.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️