Ch 61: The World’s Number One Resort

“Hello, Tang…”

“Beep… beep… The number you dialed is currently not in the service area.”

A day later, at the Pizza King China Branch in Shenzhen, Han Tao stared blankly at his phone. Not only had Tang Huai deleted him from WeChat, but his phone number was also blocked.

Han Tao glanced over at his 11-inch laptop in front of him. It was a pear-branded, latest model this year. However, Han Tao’s focus wasn’t on the brand logo but on the email he had just opened.

The email had been sent three days ago. Han Tao, knowing it was a cooperation proposal from a franchisee, hadn’t paid much attention to it at the time.

The email was indeed a cooperation proposal from a franchisee, but it came from a well-known name…

Han Tao opened Douyin. Now, @GreatTangOverseasResort had over 8 million followers, making it a certified Douyin influencer. Han Tao might have a tendency to cut corners, but he wasn’t brainless. He clearly understood the benefits that would come from Pizza King cooperating with Great Tang Resort. And all of this was messed up due to his own arrogance.

“Damn it! Why didn’t the operations team specify which franchisee it was?” Han Tao muttered as he finished reading the materials and irritably closed his laptop.

Han Tao felt a pang of regret. From Han Shuguo’s phone call, it was clear that this deal was something he had to secure no matter what. Han Tao tossed his phone aside and picked up the office landline. Just as he was about to dial, his hand froze midway. If Great Tang Resort hung up on the landline call, it would make it even harder for Pizza King to salvage the situation…

After some thought, Han Tao deleted Tang Huai’s number and instead dialed the airline’s customer service.

He planned to visit Sora Island in person.

…

“This is a magical island; the Ice Castle is simply breathtaking.”

“I’ve never seen such a tall giant statue—over thirty meters… I’m really curious about the capabilities of the FillTech Company.”

While Han Tao was packing his luggage for the trip to Sora Island, Song Taiji and his group were already deeply captivated by the scenery of Great Tang Resort.

The fairytale-like Blue Sea Treehouse, the Ice Castle perched on the snow-capped mountain, the over 30-meter-tall giant of Bianjing… These stunning sights could each be a beautiful wonder on their own, but here they all converged on Sora Island.

It was a paradise for backpackers.

“I’m feeling really confident about the upcoming photography exhibition…” said Johann, the German tourist and amateur photographer, standing next to the Swing with the Wind. Johann was brimming with ambition as he admired the snowy landscape. He was preparing to participate in the next Phoenix Photography Exhibition.

The Phoenix Photography Exhibition is a prestigious photography competition in the European Union, open to enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds. Participants can upload their works to the Phoenix Photography website, where they will be judged by visitor votes and a panel of experts. The ultimate winner receives a massive prize of one million euros.

Held annually, the Phoenix Photography Exhibition’s preliminary round was two months away. Johann had been entering the competition for five years, with his best finish being 2,056th place—a consolation prize toy. Undeterred, Johann remained passionate despite his previous failures.

Part of Johann’s reason for traveling was to find new photography material. Now, looking at Sora Island’s stunning scenery, he felt he had found what he was looking for.

“The castle of Princess Ola,” Johann muttered, taking a few close-up shots of the Ice Castle. Princess Ola is a character from The Adeline Fairy Tales, known for her kindness, beauty, and innocence. In the story, Princess Ola was driven out of town by her evil sister, only to stumble upon an Ice Castle in the forest.

After photographing the Ice Castle, Johann cautiously made his way down the nearly transparent Ice Path, a challenge for those afraid of heights despite the breathtaking views.

…

“Today, we’re making steamed fish head with chopped chili peppers. This is a traditional dish from Hunan Province in China…”

At 1:00 p.m., while Song Taiji, Johann, and others were exploring the scenic spots, Li Yuan arrived punctually at the Delicious Restaurant with a small backpack.

Aunt Miley was diligently doing her live stream. After three days of dedicated streaming, @GreatTangAuntMiley had gained 76 followers, and the number of viewers online was around 100.

Although the follower count and live viewership weren’t high, Aunt Miley remained earnest. Starting is always the hardest part; even if there was only one fan left, she would continue cooking with the same seriousness.

“You’re here,” Aunt Miley called out to Li Yuan as he walked in after she had just finished cleaning the fish head.

To foster Aunt Miley’s independence, neither Tang Huai nor Xie Yunshu accompanied her. For the past two days, she had been streaming alone.

She had gradually become more confident, moving past her initial nervousness.

Li Yuan was a regular customer, watching Aunt Miley’s streams and then buying the dishes at half price.

Hearing her greeting, Li Yuan nodded, placed his backpack on the table, and sat down opposite Aunt Miley.

From the ingredients on the table, it was clear today’s dish was steamed fish head with chopped chili peppers.

Tomato scrambled eggs, banana balls, stir-fried greens… Aunt Miley’s dishes were simple, yet each one left a lasting impression.

Watching her cook, Li Yuan grew expectant.

Salt, green onions, marination – Aunt Miley’s movements were precise and skillful.

She used a phone stand for the live stream, positioning it on the adjacent table, capturing her every move clearly.

With the recent revision of the Xianyu live streaming platform, aside from the usual text interactions, Xianyu members could now use a paid feature to speak on the stream using a “mic.” Each mic session cost six yuan and lasted a maximum of fifteen seconds, allowing everyone in the stream to hear.

“What a drag. It’s just a fish head; what’s there to watch?”

“Nothing better to do? If you want steamed fish head with chopped peppers, just search for the recipe online. No need for this hassle.”

“All show. These food streamers make things look good, but the taste is probably not great. Real chefs don’t have time to stream for you.”

…

As Aunt Miley was midway through her cooking, a disgruntled male voice suddenly broadcasted on the stream, using the mic feature three times in a row.

“I want more people to see my food,” Aunt Miley’s hands paused as she looked toward the camera, forcing a nervous smile. It was her first time receiving negative feedback, leaving her at a loss.

“More like nobody wants to eat your food, so you’re just streaming to make money,” the mocking voice retorted just after she spoke.

Aunt Miley fell silent. As a timid AI, she was flustered by the visitor’s harsh words. Her eyes reddened instantly, and she hesitated to close the stream. However, just as she reached out to shut it off, she stopped.

Forget it; I’ll finish the stream.

“Ha,” the visitor scoffed again through the mic. Aunt Miley glanced at the screen. After that interruption, only 83 viewers remained in the stream.

How foolish of her – she couldn’t even handle something as simple as live streaming.

Oil in, fish down. Aunt Miley continued to cook meticulously, though her smile grew increasingly awkward and strained.

From behind the streaming phone, Li Yuan observed her expression, frowning slightly.

The viewer was clearly just a brainless troll. Having been in the spotlight for so many years, Li Yuan knew all too well the feeling of being randomly targeted and insulted…

“We’ll take out the fish head, drain it, and pour the scallion oil… and voilà, a delicious fish head is ready.” Ten minutes later, Aunt Miley plated the fish head and forced a mechanical smile.

Finally… it’s done.

“Dear viewers, we will see you tomorrow…”

“Aunt Miley.”

Aunt Miley was eager to end the stream when Li Yuan suddenly stood up.

“Yes?” Aunt Miley blinked, unsure why Li Yuan had spoken.

“Can I do a review on the stream?” Li Yuan suggested.

“Alright.” Aunt Miley looked hesitant. This wasn’t what she had planned, but she found it hard to refuse. After some thought, she nodded in agreement.

Aunt Miley stepped aside as Li Yuan pulled up a chair and sat where she had been. The steamed fish head with chopped chili peppers was ready. Li Yuan arranged the bowl and chopsticks, looking both serious and expectant.

“Switching up the content today?”

“A review on the stream? Let’s keep watching for a bit.”

The viewers were initially just there to pass the time, but seeing Li Yuan’s actions piqued their curiosity. Was there more to the live stream? Interested, they decided to stay.

Aunt Miley’s steamed fish head looked appetizing in color, fragrance, and presentation. The viewers wanted to see how Li Yuan would review it.

“Ha, it’s just a setup.” Most viewers were discussing through text, but a discordant voice emerged among the harmony.

The same viewer who had bought five speakers earlier was back and bought another.

“Cooking your own dish and reviewing it yourself? Isn’t this just blatant self-praise?”

The negative commenter’s ID was @WhirlwindLittleOverlord. After leaving his comment, he added another line.

The other viewers fell silent. What @WhirlwindLittleOverlord said… seemed to make sense.

@WhirlwindLittleOverlord was a professional critic. He had no personal grudge against Aunt Miley. He was simply in a bad mood today and had randomly entered her stream. Unfortunately for Aunt Miley, she just happened to be in his line of fire.

After making his comment, @WhirlwindLittleOverlord felt quite pleased. He believed his critique was logical and well-founded, not just baseless criticism.

“Should we keep watching?”

“Probably a setup… Who wears a mask in a restaurant while eating?”

After @WhirlwindLittleOverlord’s comment, viewers began to discuss among themselves. With this interruption, the number of viewers in the stream dropped to 70.

The dish was already cooked; there didn’t seem to be much left to see.

Aunt Miley felt like crying. Li Yuan gave her a reassuring look before stepping up to the phone, scanning through the comments. He directly enabled the mute mode.

In mute mode, viewers couldn’t use the speaker function to leave voice messages.

Li Yuan returned to his seat, looked directly into the camera, and slowly took off his mask and glasses.

“Now, let’s begin the review.” Li Yuan gave a polite smile, picked up the chopsticks, and began to taste the dish.

“This steamed fish head uses Blue Sea fish from Sora Island. The meat is tender and firm, fresh but not fishy.”

“The flesh near the fins is particularly soft and flavorful, with a perfect balance of spice.”

“The chopped chili is well-marinated, crispy, and refreshing…”

Li Yuan meticulously reviewed the dish, and as he continued, the portion of the steamed fish head with chopped chili in front of him rapidly dwindled.

Fifteen minutes later, only the fish bones were left.

“I’ve been on Sora Island for three days now, and it has given me many surprises. This steamed fish head is the most perfect dish I’ve had in my twenty-five years,” Li Yuan said, patting his stomach.

He turned off the mute mode, so viewers could no longer use the voice feature. However, judging by the rapidly increasing view count and comments, the viewers were far from calm.

It was Li Yuan! Aunt Miley’s customer was actually Li Yuan?

They had seen celebrities before, but Li Yuan’s appearance was completely unexpected. The viewers wanted to buy speakers and shout, but with the mute mode on, they could only express themselves through text with “Ahhhh!”

In that short time, the number of online viewers in Aunt Miley’s stream had soared from 70 to 20,000, and the count was still climbing.

“Aunt Miley?” Li Yuan called after finishing his meal.

“Huh?… Dear viewers, see you at the same time tomorrow,” Aunt Miley responded, initially stunned. She then took over the stream and completed the closing words she hadn’t finished earlier.

After speaking, Aunt Miley immediately ended the live stream. She was afraid of seeing more negative comments, but despite that, she was actually in high spirits.

“Thank you so much… This is a 90% discount card for Delicious Restaurant. It’s for you. I really appreciate it!” Aunt Miley said, fumbling nervously as she pulled a gold-embossed card from her pocket.

Li Yuan’s review was the greatest recognition for her. Aunt Miley didn’t have the authority to waive the bill, but she did have discount cards provided by the system. A 90% discount card was the highest level, and she only had three of them, intended for the customers she most appreciated.

Of course, the card had usage limitations, such as a maximum of one use per day.

“This is too much,” Li Yuan said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He had helped Aunt Miley only to save the situation, not to receive a gift in return…

…

“Seems like we’re not needed anymore.” Outside Delicious Restaurant, Tang Huai and Xie Yunshu looked at the scene inside the hall and let out a sigh of relief.

Just moments before, they had been in the island courtyard discussing Sora Island’s A-list cooperation plans. Although Tang Huai had decided to let Aunt Miley gain experience independently, he didn’t dare let go entirely. While they discussed, they had also been watching Aunt Miley’s live stream.

Seeing @WhirlwindLittleOverlord’s comments made Tang Huai nervous. Aunt Miley’s stream was about food, a genre he thought would be immune to such criticism.

Tang Huai knew Aunt Miley’s personality. He and Xie Yunshu had rushed over on balance bikes and arrived just in time to witness Li Yuan’s live review.

“It turned out well,” Xie Yunshu said thoughtfully as he observed Aunt Miley. Tang Huai lifted his head; Aunt Miley still seemed cautious, but now there was a glimmer of determination in her eyes.

It was a sign of self-recognition.

Tang Huai checked Aunt Miley’s personal profile.

[Despairing Aunt Miley]: Enjoys cooking. Compliments from guests make her ecstatic, while criticism leaves her anxious.

Level: Intermediate.

Unlocking: [Strong Aunt Miley] 501/100,000

Compared to before, Aunt Miley’s status now showed an “unlocking” state.

Alang was currently at the primary level, and perhaps because of that, his “advanced” status wasn’t displayed; his intermediate status remained as [Boatman Alang].

Alang advanced through maritime island points, while Aunt Miley progressed through her self-confidence…

Tang Huai thought for a moment and quietly opened Xie Yunshu’s profile.

[Sora Butler]: Xie Yunshu, intelligent AI with excellent management skills.

Level: Intermediate.

Unlocking: [???]

Tang Huai: ???

Perhaps because the unlocking state wasn’t yet activated, Xie Yunshu’s status simply showed a circle of “???.”

Tang Huai regretfully closed the personal profile and looked back at the hall.

This time, he didn’t focus on Aunt Miley but instead turned his attention to Li Yuan.

He had only felt that Li Yuan’s figure and chin were familiar before. Now, he was finally certain: Wasn’t this Li Yuan, the popular young star in China?

No bodyguards, no agent, no news coverage, plus the fully disguised appearance…

This situation… seemed a bit odd?

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️