Ch 63: The World’s Number One Resort

Sora Cinema spans three levels, covering a total area of 70,000 square meters. The first floor features a professional theater for stage performances, while the second and third floors house the movie screening halls. With a total of fifty screening rooms, Sora Cinema can accommodate up to 8,000 viewers simultaneously, making it an impressively large cinema.

The group walked in, somewhat confused. In the lobby on the first floor, they noticed a giant poster, three meters wide. The poster depicted an anime girl in a modern school uniform with short, chestnut hair, carrying a backpack on her shoulder while riding a black-scaled, red-mustached dragon flying through the air. The background showed a modern cityscape, suggesting that these were the main characters of “My Boyfriend is a Dragon.”

“Manager Tang, is this a new release?” Song Taiji circled around the large poster, puzzled. The poster only displayed the film’s title without any further description, giving it an air of mystery and strangeness.

“This was produced by the FillTech animation group. Due to it being a 10D animation, it’s only being screened here on Sora Island,” Tang Huai explained with a serious tone. FillTech was his go-to scapegoat for anything mysterious or advanced; whenever there was a question, he could simply attribute it to FillTech.

“10D? Is it similar to a VR game?”

Song Taiji and the others nodded, focusing on the “10D movie” aspect. Currently, the mainstream in the film market was “3D.” Ordinary VR games could push the imaging effect up to 6D or 7D. Still, nothing had ever surpassed 7D. While 3D movies and 7D VR effects were already very realistic, this cinema was claiming “10D”…

The “D” level seemed too high for them to imagine.

“Probably similar,” Tang Huai replied modestly. The 10D effect was the official description of Sora Cinema, but he hadn’t personally experienced it yet.

“Is it just a gimmick?” an American guy wondered as he walked around the poster, looking skeptical. He was a tech enthusiast with many high-tech gadgets at home and often kept up with developments in the film industry, but he had never heard of 10D.

“You can experience it firsthand,” Tang Huai shrugged. He was quite confident in the system’s advanced technology.

Tang Huai’s confidence was so evident that the group hesitated for a moment before heading toward the ticket counter.

Inside the ticket counter, an AI service staff was diligently at work.

“My Boyfriend is a Dragon” was a light-hearted romance movie with a runtime of 120 minutes and a ticket price of 50 dollars.

Five minutes later, the group came out with their tickets.

Currently, the global average ticket price for movies was between five to ten dollars, but Sora Cinema had unreservedly marked up the price tenfold.

“Not cheap…” they muttered while examining the tickets. Although they winced at the cost, they were more interested in experiencing the legendary 10D movie.

The screening for “My Boyfriend is a Dragon” was in Hall No. 10 on the second floor. Song Taiji and the others took the escalator up, and Hall No. 10 was to the left of the entrance. It was a small theater with about 200 seats. The group found their designated seats and sat down.

“High-tech, huh?” The seats in Sora Cinema looked similar to those in regular cinemas, except that each one had two black seatbelts and a black helmet on the armrest. The helmet seemed to be made of latex, with a layer of resin lenses covering the eye area. Judging by the design, it probably served a function similar to 3D glasses.

It was now 7:50, and “My Boyfriend is a Dragon” would start at 8:00, so they had ten minutes before the screening.

After a brief hesitation, the group put on the helmets. The view in front of them was crystal clear, noticeably sharper than regular 3D glasses.

“Doesn’t seem different…” they murmured in confusion. The helmet’s design was quite simple. They had expected some high-tech features, but the resin lenses seemed no different from ordinary flat glasses.

The group exchanged glances before settling into their seats. With no other choice, they decided to sit back and watch attentively.

“Welcome to Sora Cinema. Please wear your glasses and fasten your seat belts. The movie will start in five minutes…” As curiosity filled the room, the lights suddenly dimmed, and the screen lit up. A pleasant female voice resonated from the screen.

“Why the seatbelt? It’s not like we’re driving,” Song Taiji muttered. He couldn’t fathom the purpose of the seatbelt straps.

While the other viewers fastened their seatbelts, Song Taiji remained still, looking unfazed.

“Guest in seat D6, please fasten your seatbelt. The movie will start in three minutes…” Two minutes later, the pleasant voice echoed once more.

Song Taiji: … Seriously? A public reminder for not wearing the seatbelt? That’s a bit much.

“Brother,” Song Zhiyan whispered, nudging him. Everyone turned to look in his direction, and with a slightly embarrassed expression, Song Taiji reluctantly buckled up.

“Welcome to Sora Island. Sora Island is an innovative tourist destination invested in by the FillTech Company…” As soon as Song Taiji fastened the seatbelt, the screen flickered, transitioning from displaying “Sora Cinema” to a promotional video for Sora Island.

Sora Town, Blue Sea Lake, Snow Village… The island’s beautiful scenery unfolded like a meticulously painted picture.

The video was produced by Tang Huai.

Sora Cinema was one of the few entertainment venues in Sora Town, so as a budding businessman, Tang Huai naturally aimed to maximize the island’s influence.

“The scenery in real life matches the promotional video remarkably well…” the group murmured to each other.

Having spent a week on Sora Island, they were well-acquainted with its real appearance. In many ways, the island was even more captivating than in the promotional video.

The group watched the island’s stunning scenery on the screen, gradually feeling more relaxed.

…

“Ahhh, I’m going to be late!” At exactly 8:00, instead of a typical introduction, the scene suddenly changed. A round-faced, large-eyed anime girl appeared on screen.

“Is this a blend of 2D and 3D?” the group thought in unison, stunned by the scene before them. The girl was an animated character but not just a flat, 2D figure; she was fully three-dimensional.

Her movements and details were finely crafted, free from the exaggerations common in Japanese manga. The audience looked around and realized they were now in a pink-themed girl’s room, filled with books, sketches, and all sorts of details.

Song Taiji glanced around before focusing on the desk.

There was a cartoonish cup on the desk. Song Taiji fixed his gaze on the cup. “If only I could take a closer look…” he thought.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, his body naturally moved toward the desk. And then… he was right in front of it.

Song Taiji felt disoriented. He couldn’t see his own body or hands, but he had a distinct sense of stepping firmly on the ground. It was as though he had become an invisible character in an animated world. The entire anime setting felt like a real world.

Was this a dream world?

As he pondered, the animated girl finished tidying up and dashed downstairs, calling out, “There’s only ten minutes left! Let’s go!” Song Taiji was involuntarily pulled along, confined to a fifty-meter radius around the girl.

“A fiancé?” The girl was about to leave for school when a seventy-year-old man with a stern expression called out to her. Thus, the storyline began to unfold.

The girl’s name was Nangong Ying. Her grandfather used to be a temple priest, her father was a financial analyst, and her mother was a homemaker. Nangong Ying had always thought of her life as ordinary until her grandfather revealed that she had a fiancé. It turned out that years ago, during her mother’s difficult childbirth, the fiancé’s mother had stepped in to help, leading to an arranged betrothal.

Nangong Ying was attending the top university in the capital city, and her fiancé, Gong Huaiyu, was from the countryside. This year, he had been accepted into the University of Kyoto, enrolling in the same major as Nangong Ying. Today was the first day of the school term.

“Always remember, you are engaged,” her grandfather said sternly, tapping his cane after giving her a brief rundown.

Nangong Ying was left in a daze.

At this point, not only was Nangong Ying confused, but Song Taiji and the others were also at a loss. What kind of clichéd plot was this? Normally, they wouldn’t bother watching something with such a storyline. However, in the 10D mode, they felt as if they were actually inside the anime world. The interactions between Nangong Ying and her grandfather seemed natural, and all the vivid anime settings around them were striking. It was an experience entirely different from reading manga or watching regular movies.

Following Nangong Ying’s perspective, the viewers felt completely immersed in the animated world.

It was as if they had truly broken through the “dimensional wall.”

Seated in H12 of Sora Cinema’s Theater 10, Tang Huai was also taken aback by My Boyfriend is a Dragon. However, what surprised him wasn’t the plot but rather the names “Nangong Ying” and “Gong Huaiyu.”

Tang Huai felt the urge to comment, recalling the romance novels from his female classmates’ desks ten years ago. Names like Nangong, Dongfang, and Kongshi were straight out of a time-travel genre.

“FD730, who came up with the name My Boyfriend is a Dragon? It’s so ridiculous.”

“My Boyfriend is a Dragon was released in the 3051st year of the Fillstar calendar, produced by YS Films as a fantasy romance film inspired by bestselling ancient Earth novels…” FD730 replied earnestly, much to Tang Huai’s surprise.

“Does time flow differently on Fillstar compared to Earth?” Tang Huai suddenly realized the significance of what was being said.

“There is a significant difference. Strictly speaking, time on Fillstar runs several billion years faster than on ancient Earth. If you compare the Solar System to a ping pong ball, Fillstar is like another Earth. The differences in size and gravity cause the time to flow differently.

From Fillstar’s perspective, Earth is merely a low-level plane at the farthest end. If it weren’t for a passing space voyage, the island system would never have stopped here…” FD730 explained patiently, with a hint of superiority in its tone.

Tang Huai was speechless.

They had signed an integrity agreement from a higher plane, so Tang Huai knew FD730 was telling the truth. Still, all this talk of “low-level planes” was rubbing him the wrong way.

“Aren’t you currently relying on a host from this so-called low-level plane to complete your tasks?” Tang Huai shot back.

FD730 wisely chose not to continue the conversation.

Tang Huai shifted his focus back to My Boyfriend is a Dragon. Much like an old-school romance novel, Gong Huaiyu was cold, powerful, and domineering. The couple experienced a series of coincidental events on campus, gradually warming up to each other. The male protagonist’s true form was revealed, leading to the female protagonist’s inner conflict and concern…

After a series of challenges, they overcame many obstacles to finally be together.

The film ended with Nangong Ying riding on Gong Huaiyu’s true form, soaring through the skies above the capital. That day, the city was left with a legend of a dragon…

Because of the immersive experience, the viewers felt as if they were riding on Gong Huaiyu’s dragon body. Their consciousness was carried by the dragon, with no apparent safety measures around. The sensation was even more intense than the roller coasters at Bianjing Ancient City.

The viewers were not the story’s protagonists, and while the heroine soared freely on the dragon, they, following her perspective, felt a sense of unease and thrill.

“Oh my God, ahhh…” From the moment they boarded the dragon, all they could utter were gasps of “ahhh” and “Oh my God.” It was a heart-pounding adventure.

The movie lasted for two hours. When My Boyfriend is a Dragon ended, they removed their helmets and, upon confirming their surroundings, let out a sigh of relief.

They had finally traveled back from the two-dimensional world.

Everyone unbuckled their seat belts. The previous scenes had been so lifelike that, without the seat belt keeping them in place, the consequences could have been unimaginable.

“Manager Tang, is this really 10D technology? It’s like the holographic imagery from sci-fi movies… Is there a live-action version?” The tourists walked out of Screening Room 10, and Song Taiji looked at Tang Huai with excitement.

Perhaps because he had just emerged from My Boyfriend is a Dragon, his legs felt as if they were stepping on cotton, but he didn’t mind. The movie experience was just incredible! My Boyfriend is a Dragon was an animated film; if it were a live-action movie… Song Taiji had a feeling that it would be a fully immersive experience.

After speaking, Song Taiji looked eagerly at Tang Huai.

“A live-action 10D movie would require a huge investment, so we don’t have plans to show one for now,” Tang Huai replied, waving his hand.

The system’s marketplace had plenty of live-action 10D films, such as Escape from Willstar and Mashed Potato Crush. These were true 10D films. However, the actors in these movies were Fillstar natives. While it was fine for animated films, if these movies were screened on Earth… it would raise questions: Who were these actors, where are they now, and where was the filming location?

Live-action films involve many complexities, and Tang Huai wasn’t ready to dive into that.

“Yeah, I get it…” Song Taiji sighed again. Filming a live-action movie is indeed much harder than producing a two-dimensional animation. After feeling a bit regretful, Song Taiji became excited once more. The viewing experience was just too amazing. Despite its clichéd storyline, My Boyfriend is a Dragon had a smooth narrative and structure.

It was a melodramatic feast.

“Can we watch it again?” The fifty-dollar ticket price seemed well worth it. After some discussion, Song Taiji and the others were eager to watch it again.

“Sorry, only one screening per day,” Tang Huai apologized.

Besides purchasing the film, each screening at Sora Cinema cost five hundred island points. To save costs, Tang Huai didn’t plan to add more screenings during the early stages. Also, it wouldn’t make sense to start a special screening just for one or two people.

“Alright.” Song Taiji and the others shrugged, understanding Sora Island’s situation. They chatted for a bit before heading towards First Avenue.

It was past ten at night, so they should still be able to catch the last sightseeing bus.

As the group left, Tang Huai took a quick look around Sora Cinema and then headed to the ticket booth. The service AI was dutifully on duty.

Seeing that everything was in order, Tang Huai was about to leave.

“Congratulations, Host, on achieving the ‘Business Ace’ milestone. You are now awarded one lucky draw spin.”

Tang Huai had just reached the cinema entrance when he heard the system prompt.

Tang Huai: ???

Selling movie tickets gets me a reward?

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️