Ch 58: The World’s Number One Resort

“Jiyan, let me borrow your phone for a moment…” After half a minute, the group gave up on finding a boat. A rugged-looking middle-aged man took a sip of mineral water and spoke to the girl beside him. The man’s name was Song Taiji, and the girl, Song Jiyan, was his younger sister. The two were from South Korea and were avid travel enthusiasts.

Song Jiyan wore a slim-fit outdoor outfit, her long hair tied up high. She was the goddess of the group. At that moment, she was playing with her phone while glancing at the end of the line. At the back was a Chinese man wearing a light-colored jacket and carrying a large travel bag. His face was fully covered with glasses and a mask, making him appear quite mysterious.

The group was formed online, and as a precaution, everyone had submitted identification to the group leader before setting out. While everyone had normal identities, they didn’t know each other’s real names, so they communicated using nicknames. Even though most members had shown their faces, this Chinese man, who went by the nickname “Gao Da,” had kept his mask on the entire time…

Song Jiyan, being 18 and full of curiosity, found herself frequently glancing at the masked man due to his good aura.

There were two Chinese people in the group: the young man named “Gao Da” and a middle-aged man nicknamed “Tutu.”

“What are you doing?” Song Taiji noticed his sister staring too intently and frowned. His phone was out of battery… The group initially planned to drive to Sora Island, but because the island was not well-known, none of the Mexican locals at the port had heard of it.

“Nothing…” Song Jiyan snapped out of her thoughts and handed over the phone. She had saved Sora Island’s contact number on it.

Song Jiyan was a Chinese exchange student in her third year of college. During her free time, she liked using trendy apps. The moment she saw @GreatTangResort on Douyin, she decided she had to visit. For this trip, she had even taken a two-week leave from school… Given that she was a top student, two weeks wouldn’t affect her much.

“Beep, beep—”

“Are you all looking to go to Sora Island?”

…

Just as Song Taiji was dialing the number, a slightly lazy-sounding male voice called out. He looked up to see a man with a typical Mongolian appearance, wearing a casual outfit that seemed a bit thin for the weather.

Next to the Mongolian man was a small, thin Spaniard who gestured toward Song Taiji’s group while chattering away.

“Yes, we’re heading to Sora Island,” Song Taiji put the phone down.

“The Great Tang No. 1—runs exclusively on the Sora Island-Mexico route. The fare is one hundred dollars a day, including accommodation and fuel; other costs are billed separately,” the Mongolian man explained expertly before Song Taiji could respond.

The group was momentarily stunned.

“Going or not?” The Mongolian man, who was none other than Alang, showed a hint of impatience.

Lately, Alang had been navigating the Great Tang No. 1 across the Pacific Ocean daily. With the extended hours spent at sea, fuel consumption had become a significant expense. Today, he had come to the Guerrero Port to refuel and happened to overhear some dockworkers discussing people looking for Sora Island.

Alang wasn’t about to turn down a money-making opportunity. After confirming that these people were tourists, he approached them.

He pointed toward a ship outside the port after speaking. The Great Tang No. 1, now fully refueled, looked quite imposing with its silver-gray exterior.

“It seems like it’s the official ferry to Sora Island…” After understanding Alang’s intention, the group quickly pulled out their phones, comparing photos of the Great Tang No. 1.

Tang Huai had previously posted photos of the Great Tang No. 1 on Weibo.

“There are ten of us.” Ten minutes later, everyone boarded the ship. The ferry could be found on official websites, so they confirmed that it was a legitimate vessel. Additionally, with the Great Tang Resort’s official Weibo endorsement, the group saw no reason to hesitate further.

Alang conducted a brief registration for the tourists. Although the profit from this trip wouldn’t be huge, he was glad to finally have passengers.

…

“Wow, the sea!”

“Take a picture of me; I want to stand by the mast…”

Half an hour later, the cruise ship set sail. After a brief introduction, the tourists began to chat eagerly with one another, excited about the ocean and the prospect of visiting Sora Island.

“Is Great Tang Resort really as fun as it looks online?”

On the deck, Song Taiji had just bought a bottle of beer. After drinking half of it, he asked Alang, who was standing beside him, with curiosity. They had come all the way to the Pacific in search of something beautiful.

“It’s not bad,” Alang replied while playing on his phone, his expression shifting slightly at the question.

Although Alang had rebelled against the island’s rules, he saw no need to badmouth Sora Island.

Song Taiji looked at Alang expectantly. According to the typical routines of the tourism industry, Alang should start introducing the customs and charm of Sora Island…

“I’m going to steer the ship.” Alang struggled to find words before finally squeezing out four of them. While he wouldn’t undermine Sora Island, his low loyalty to the place prevented him from lavishing praise on it.

Song Taiji was left confused. Feeling a bit disappointed, he grabbed his phone and resumed taking pictures of his sister.

“Sora Island…”

On the other side of the deck, Li Yuan gazed at the vast, endless sea, muttering to himself.

Five days ago, after watching the promotional video for Great Tang Resort, Li Yuan felt a sudden urge to leave China. At that time, his management company was in renewed talks with the producers of Heartbeat Speed. According to company orders, Li Yuan attended a dinner. Producer Wang was in a good mood and hinted that as long as Li Yuan cooperated, he would naturally remain the number one guest on Heartbeat Speed.

Li Yuan wasn’t an unknown newcomer; he had already gained some fame in China. However, he knew that in the face of capital and power, he had no choice but to bow his head.

After the dinner, his manager handed him a room card, its implications clear. Li Yuan took the card and went to the designated hotel. However, just as he entered the elevator, he hesitated. With a rush of determination, he grabbed his passport and fled to Mexico.

He wanted a change of environment to think things over.

“Ring, ring—” Just as Li Yuan was lost in thought, his phone rang. He glanced at it—the caller was his manager.

“I’m fine, just out for a break.” Li Yuan hung up and replied curtly. Over the past three days, his manager had called more than fifty times. He answered the first two calls, but after hearing his manager’s enraged threats, he lost all interest in responding.

Heartbeat Speed was one of China’s most popular shows, and by standing up Producer Wang, he would likely face a period of being blacklisted.

Right now, Li Yuan couldn’t care less.

He removed the SIM card from his phone and casually put it into his pocket.

He just wanted to relax for a few days.

The December sea wasn’t exactly calm, but with the protection of Sora Island’s navigation enchantment, the Great Tang No. 1 sailed steadily.

Five days later, the Great Tang No. 1 entered the waters surrounding Sora Island. Just as Alang had explained at the start, aside from the daily fare, the food on board was fairly priced. The overall average cost per person was around six hundred dollars, within everyone’s budget.

“Is this the Sora Town from the video? It’s really colorful, just like a fairytale village.”

“This windmill is so tall! I want to take a picture with it…”

…

Ten minutes later, the group disembarked, standing in a line on the sandy shores of Sora Island.

The town was more than three hundred meters from the port, but because of the open beach and the height of the town’s buildings, they could faintly make out its overall structure.

At that moment, Sora Town resembled a colorful fairytale castle standing tall. The vibrant Dutch windmill turned slowly, exuding a sense of peace and serenity.

The real-life Sora Town matched the promotional videos, confirming that it wasn’t just a marketing ploy.

“Let’s go.” After taking in the sight, the group began moving forward with their luggage. Over the five-day journey, the ten-person travel group had naturally divided into three categories: the first consisted of those like Song Taiji and Song Jiyan, who already knew each other; the second was grouped by region, such as the Europeans who often stuck together; and the third comprised loners like Li Yuan.

The pathway from the port to the entrance of the town had been renovated, making the walk smooth for everyone.

“You’re also from China? Maybe we can travel together,” said a bald middle-aged man who approached Li Yuan from behind. Li Yuan didn’t have much luggage, just a single suitcase.

The bald man was named Chen Liang, a former pharmaceutical businessman with a solid financial background. Now that his business was managed by professionals, he spent his days traveling around the world in different ways.

Chen Liang, dressed in ordinary clothes, looked like any other middle-aged man. In the whole group, only he and Li Yuan were from China. He had wanted to say hello from the beginning, but Li Yuan had secluded himself in the cabin from day one, even having his meals delivered by the staff. Chen Liang didn’t want to disturb him.

“No need.” Though Chen Liang was friendly, Li Yuan was a public figure and preoccupied with his own thoughts, so he wasn’t interested in traveling with others.

“If you need anything, just let me know.” Chen Liang touched his bald head, thinking it was fine; after all, being cautious while traveling was a good thing.

“Welcome to Sora Island! Here is the itinerary. You can purchase a [Sora Pass] at the ticket office,” a staff member greeted warmly as the group arrived at the main entrance of Sora Town.

The entrance featured a 20-meter passage, more grandiose than typical ones found in China. A staff member in a blue uniform, appearing to be in their thirties, enthusiastically introduced the process to the visitors in English, clearly trained for the job.

Following the staff’s instructions, the group approached a large announcement board. The board was about three meters wide and five meters high, looking quite sturdy.

The board’s instructions were clear: buy the [Sora Pass], top it up with any amount, and use it for expenses on the island. In essence, the [Sora Pass] functioned similarly to a campus card, but for the entire Sora Town. This was a built-in feature of the newly constructed [Sora Town] and could be used across all areas of the island.

After reviewing the instructions, they headed to the ticket office beside the [Sora Passage]. There were five service windows on each side, but only one was open due to the small number of tourists.

“Welcome,” greeted the ticketing AI with a flawless smile.

To obtain the [Sora Pass], visitors needed to provide their passport or an ID card. Payment could be made in cash or by card. The process was relatively simple, and with the efficient operation of the AI staff, everyone received their pass in no time.

Each person topped up their card with around 1,000 USD. The town and other scenic areas had designated recharge centers, and tourists could also get a refund when they left the island.

Each [Sora Pass] came with a rubber ring so it could be worn on the wrist. If the card was lost, visitors could report it by phone or at the nearest recharge center. This convenience greatly enhanced the overall experience.

Given the level of the island’s advanced technology, unless someone deliberately tried to lose it, the pass would not be misplaced or stolen.

“Let’s go in,” someone urged after everyone had completed the process. They looked at the town before them, eager to explore.

From the moment they boarded the ship until now, their impression of Sora Island had been steadily improving. Whether the island would ultimately prove delightful or disappointing depended on the rest of their journey.

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