Ch 67: The World’s Number One Resort

“Manager Tang,” Han Tao greeted as Tang Huai stepped out of the island master’s courtyard at 7 a.m. on the fourth day. Han Tao had been waiting outside, leaning against the gate. Spotting Tang Huai, he quickly approached with an ingratiating smile.

“Assistant Han?” Tang Huai looked him up and down. Han Tao wore a linen gray suit and gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a polite demeanor. It was hard to reconcile this composed appearance with that of someone who had previously sent those rude messages… Indeed, people can be deceiving.

“Manager Tang, I’m the representative of Pizza King. The message on WeChat last time was sent by another employee, and I’ve already dealt with it seriously…” Han Tao immediately shifted the blame as he had rehearsed. However, he spoke too quickly, and his voice grew weaker as he went on. Even Han Tao himself wasn’t convinced by his own excuse.

“What’s the matter?” Tang Huai cut straight to the point, not bothering to dwell on the previous incident.

“We at Pizza King sincerely wish to cooperate with your resort. I wonder if you’ve had a chance to review our proposal and what your thoughts might be?” Han Tao explained his purpose. Finishing his sentence, he looked at Tang Huai expectantly. Based on his observations, Tang Huai seemed more even-tempered than he had initially thought.

“Apologies, but Great Tang Overseas Resort has already partnered with Big Burger and will not consider collaborating with other fast-food brands,” Tang Huai replied, immediately dashing his hopes.

“Competition drives improvement. Pizza King was established in 1887 and has over a hundred years of history…” Han Tao began listing Pizza King’s strengths, reciting information he had crammed the previous night.

Tang Huai listened quietly without responding or interrupting.

“Manager Tang, I’m sorry for what happened last time… What would it take for Great Tang Overseas Resort to agree to a partnership?” After two minutes, Han Tao could no longer continue his prepared script. Looking at Tang Huai, he finally gritted his teeth and asked. They were both seasoned, so there was no need to keep pretending.

“A partnership, huh…” Tang Huai glanced at Han Tao and smiled.

Great Tang Overseas Resort wouldn’t solely rely on Big Burger for growth. For long-term development, healthy competition among brands is essential. Given the unpleasant past experience, Tang Huai was indifferent about partnering with Pizza King. However, since Han Tao initiated the discussion, Tang Huai naturally wanted to maximize the resort’s interests.

The two walked toward the Sora office building.

Half an hour later, Han Tao staggered out of the building, holding an A4 sheet detailing the partnership agreement.

The agreement with Pizza King was similar to those with other brands, but with two additional conditions exclusive to Pizza King:

1. Pizza King would receive a 10% discount on the base price of all ingredients for their products.
2. Great Tang Overseas Resort and Pizza King would hold a travel raffle event. The specifics of the event would be up to Pizza King. The lucky winner would enjoy a seven-day, seven-night stay on Sora Island, with all expenses covered by Pizza King.

“For Pizza King, this is an excellent opportunity to boost its influence,” Tang Huai concluded, making it sound as if Pizza King was gaining a significant advantage from Great Tang Resort.

These were non-negotiable terms set by Great Tang Resort.

After returning to Blue Sea Forest, Han Tao stayed inside, pondering the feasibility of this partnership—more precisely, whether Han Shuguo would approve it.

“President Han, Great Tang Overseas Resort is very popular right now. We could organize some online and offline raffle events…” At 10 p.m., after smoking two cigarettes, Han Tao finally called Han Shuguo.

Han Tao relayed Tang Huai’s terms, albeit with a bit of spin. Great Tang Overseas Resort would provide the venue and subsequent advertising. The first condition, the 10% discount, was acceptable. But Han Tao was mainly concerned about the raffle event.

Pizza King had been in the Chinese market for many years and had never held such a large-scale event, apart from occasionally issuing discount cards. As a major brand, if they were to run a lucky draw, the prizes couldn’t be too modest.

While Han Tao was often unreliable, when he was serious, he could be quite persuasive. He had been Han Shuguo’s nephew for many years and understood some of his preferences and thoughts. After more than half an hour of discussing future prospects and current market analyses, Han Tao actually managed to convince Han Shuguo.

Han Shuguo agreed to Han Tao’s terms, and the following day, the two parties signed the contract.

Tang Huai was slightly surprised when he saw the signed contract. He hadn’t expected Pizza King to actually agree to his conditions.

In fact, before negotiating with Pizza King, Tang Huai had mentioned this to Big Burger…

The lucky draw event may sound simple, but it involves brand promotion, event requirements, target audience analysis, and more—it covers a wide range of aspects. While the event can significantly boost Great Tang Overseas Resort’s reputation and has no downsides for the resort, it could have a considerable impact on the fast-food brand if not executed properly.

After holding a video conference, Big Burger regretfully decided to withdraw. Other high-end brands found little meaning in hosting the lucky draw due to their limited target audience. After all the back-and-forth, only Pizza King agreed in the end.

Han Tao didn’t really want to agree either, but he had no choice. If he didn’t collaborate with Great Tang Overseas Resort, his position at Pizza King would be on the line. In the end, this was all due to his arrogance in the beginning.

Ahhh!

“Looking forward to our cooperation.” With everything settled, Han Tao put the contract into his briefcase and extended his hand to Tang Huai. After this whole ordeal, he had lost all his earlier arrogance.

Well, this was an important lesson in life.

“Looking forward to our cooperation.” Tang Huai shook his hand.

The two exchanged WeChat contacts. Right after adding Tang Huai, Han Tao immediately sent a 【Begging for Mercy】 emoji.

Tang Huai replied with a 【Smile】.

Han Tao was so scared that he almost dropped his phone. He thought Tang Huai was still angry.

Tang Huai chuckled inwardly.

Business is business, and Pizza King is a valuable partner. Since Pizza King had made concessions with the two additional conditions, there was no need to dwell on past issues. While this was Tang Huai’s thought, he didn’t let it show on his face.

Han Tao looked at Tang Huai’s expression, unable to discern what he was thinking. He felt that he might suffer some “aftereffects” from his time on Sora Island for a while…

Over the next three days, Great Tang Overseas Resort signed contracts with the other brands one by one. Including Pizza King, Tang Huai secured a total of nine A-level contracts.

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the primary task: securing A-level brand contracts. You are now awarded the 【Thrilling Racing】 scenic card, the 【Sora Airport】 building card, and two chances at the Lucky Wheel.”

As Tang Huai signed the contract with the last advertising partner, the system notification sounded. Tang Huai breathed a sigh of relief—the task was successfully completed, a month and a half ahead of schedule.

With so many visitors currently on the island, Tang Huai decided not to check the new cards for now.

“Thank you for Great Tang Overseas Resort’s hospitality. Now that the contracts are signed, it’s time for us to head back…” Tang Huai had just closed the task interface when Lu Zhen, biting into a Sora grape, said with some regret. The other brand representatives shared similar expressions.

They had been here for nearly ten days.

“Why not stay a few more days?” Tang Huai suggested tentatively.

“We still have work to do… It might not be appropriate,” Lu Zhen hesitated.

“Great Tang Overseas Resort is vast. You all could take a few more days to explore, which will help us with future collaborations,” Tang Huai said understandingly, extending a warm invitation.

“Thank you, then we’ll take two more days to look around,” Lu Zhen sighed in relief, thinking the resort manager was quite considerate.

“Thank you, Manager Tang.”

“Manager Tang, if you ever have time, you’re welcome to visit PEA’s headquarters…”

The others heard this and expressed their thanks to Tang Huai. Like Lu Zhen, they had grown accustomed to life at Great Tang Overseas Resort and were a bit reluctant to leave.

The resort’s beautiful environment, diverse recreational activities, and the delicious fruits and dishes had left them all impressed.

After staying on the island for nearly ten days, they felt more refreshed and healthier than before—perhaps due to the relaxed atmosphere. Lu Zhen, who had been experiencing sleep problems recently and had a noticeably balding forehead, realized during his time here that new hair had started to grow.

It was an unexpected surprise.

Tang Huai smiled. The completion of his task as the island owner was largely thanks to these people. Without their mediation, he wouldn’t have been able to sign the contracts so smoothly.

After some conversation, Tang Huai had the service AI bring out some afternoon tea, primarily featuring fruits from Sora Island. The Fruit Kingdom had 225 types of fruits, and even if the guests tried ten each day, they still wouldn’t be able to taste them all…

Everyone enjoyed the treat immensely.

At 7 p.m., after finishing dinner at the Delicious Restaurant, the group headed to the Sora Cinema.

The cinema now had two films. Besides My Boyfriend is a Dragon, there was also Future Armor. Unlike My Boyfriend is a Dragon, Future Armor featured 3D characters. While the immersion was somewhat stronger, it still couldn’t compare to a live-action experience.

Lately, the group’s favorite pastime after leaving the Delicious Restaurant was to watch a movie at the Sora Cinema. They had already seen My Boyfriend is a Dragon and Future Armor three or four times each. Even though they knew the plot by heart, the 10D immersive experience offered something new every time.

“Manager Tang, if only this was a live-action movie,” Lu Zhen said with some regret after leaving the cinema at 10 p.m. The others, like Song Taiji, shared his sentiment.

The scenes in Future Armor were incredibly realistic. If it were filmed with real actors, it would be like a true, immersive crossover experience.

“FillTech Company is working on overcoming this technical challenge,” Tang Huai replied after a moment’s thought.

The system’s marketplace did offer live-action filming technology and equipment. However, the 10D technology was extremely advanced, and making a movie involved complex steps from casting to shooting. Although a globally popular movie could attract considerable fame, it would require extensive modifications to the cinema and other elements, making it overly complicated.

For now, Tang Huai focused on steady development of Sora Island. Otherwise, trying to take on too much at once could backfire.

“Hopefully, it won’t be in our lifetime…”

“Indeed.”

Lu Zhen started daydreaming, while the others had similar expressions. Tang Huai rubbed his nose; if Sora Island’s strength allowed, it might not be a “lifetime away.”

…

Strolling under the moonlight on Sora Island for a while, the group then took Bus No. 7 to the Snow Village. They had been staying in snow cabins these past few days. Though chilly on the outside, the cabins were fully equipped with down blankets, charging outlets, and desks, making their stay very comfortable.

Over the next two days, the group focused on exploring the Ice Castle and Bianjing Ancient City—two of the most entertaining spots on Sora Island.

“Choo-choo, choo—” On the third morning, the horn of the Great Tang No. 1 sounded. The group stood at the Sora Port with their luggage in tow. They had extended their stay on the island for two extra days, but if they didn’t leave now, their respective headquarters would not be happy.

“See you next time.” Led by Lu Zhen, the group gave Tang Huai a big hug. They weren’t just saying it as a courtesy. Now that Sora Island and various brands had signed contracts, as signing representatives, they would undoubtedly return.

However, when they came back… they would have to go through the regular tourist procedures.

Great Tang Overseas Resort was a business. It wouldn’t make sense for them to visit and feast here all the time. Even if Tang Huai welcomed them, they would feel guilty about it. As representatives of top-tier brands, they certainly weren’t short on money.

“See you next time,” Tang Huai responded, embracing each of them. Great Tang Overseas Resort had grown step by step from nothing, and these people were part of its initial resources.

After a bit more chatting, the boarding ladder of the Great Tang No. 1 was lowered, and everyone boarded with their luggage.

“Goodbye.” As the ladder was raised, the group waved vigorously to Tang Huai.

Tang Huai waved back.

“Rumble, rumble—” The Great Tang No. 1 began to set sail. Ten minutes later, it had completely vanished from Tang Huai’s sight.

Tang Huai turned around, watching the vibrant colors of the windmill’s blades spinning just as before.

He felt a bit sentimental. Great Tang Overseas Resort was like a rest stop at a crossroads, welcoming and bidding farewell to wave after wave of visitors.

After a brief stroll around Sora Town, Tang Huai rode his electric scooter back to the island owner’s courtyard. Now that the visitors had left, it was time for him to check the rewards from his recent task.

Tang Huai opened his personal interface.

Host Name: Tang Huai
Current Task: Collaborate with five A-list brands, 51/90 days, completed.
Task Rewards: [Thrilling Racing] Scenery Card, [Sora Airport] Building Card, two spins of the Lucky Wheel.
Island Points: 0
Reputation Points: 3,080,000+

Tang Huai hadn’t been keeping track of his reputation points lately, so he was surprised to see them steadily increase to over 3 million. While the growth wasn’t as rapid as in the beginning, at least it was progressing.

He quickly scanned through the task interface and then focused on the task rewards. This time, the rewards were quite substantial: besides the scenery card and building card, he also had two spins on the Lucky Wheel.

[Thrilling Racing]: A mid-level scenery card. Every visitor has a wild beast living inside them. Now, follow Thrilling Racing into the world of this beastly madness!

The [Thrilling Racing] card was a palm-sized, jet-black card featuring three high-end vehicles in gold, silver, and yellow. The vehicles had sleek, futuristic designs, reminiscent of those from sci-fi blockbusters.

Tang Huai turned the card around in his hands before placing it back into the item box. Judging by its appearance and colors, [Thrilling Racing] certainly lived up to its wild name.

After putting away [Thrilling Racing], he then took out the [Sora Airport] card.

[Sora Airport] was an entry-level building card. Tang Huai opened up the map of Sora Town. Based on its name and attributes, the most suitable location for the Sora Airport was within the town itself.

He scanned the map and circled a plot of land on the southern side of Sora Town with a red pen. This area had been reserved during the town’s construction. It was close to the Pacific Ocean, expansive, and free of nearby canyons—a natural choice for an airport.

Tang Huai clicked “Use Immediately,” and as he did so, he rented a batch of disguised laborers.

There was no discount for the laborers this time, but since it was just an airport, the cost was only 500,000 island points.

Sora Town is the gateway to Sora Island and has been welcoming quite a number of visitors lately. If an airport were to suddenly appear in Sora Town out of nowhere, it would raise a lot of questions. Thus, purchasing disguised laborers was necessary.

After making the purchase, Tang Huai’s reputation points dropped to just over 2 million.

In front of Tang Huai, a hundred disguised laborers materialized, looking identical to the batch that had built Sora Town before.

Tang Huai glanced at the design blueprint for the airport. Since it was a basic-level airport, the entire Sora Airport would cover just 30,000 square meters, accommodating up to five standard aircraft.

The airport included a complete terminal building, an apron, and a parking lot in front of the terminal. Though small, it was fully equipped with everything needed for a proper airport.

The construction of the airport was expected to be completed in a month.

Once the disguised laborers were on track with their work, Tang Huai didn’t linger. It was now midnight, and perhaps because of his stroll around the Sora Airport site, he didn’t feel tired at all.

Returning to the island owner’s courtyard, he washed up and then opened the Lucky Wheel page.

Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, Tang Huai decided to go through all the task rewards tonight and figure out where to set up [Thrilling Racing] the next day.

The Lucky Wheel looked just like before, consisting of fifty small triangular segments, with a red pointer at the center. There was a refresh button next to the wheel.

After taking a moment to look at the wheel, Tang Huai took a deep breath, clicked the refresh button three times, and then confidently hit the “Start” option.

The red pointer spun rapidly.

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for acquiring the building item [Windmill], basic level,” the system’s pleasant voice chimed in after thirty seconds as the pointer came to a halt.

Tang Huai: ……

He picked up the [Windmill] in front of him.

[Windmill]: A building card, basic-level item.

The description page for the [Windmill] was very simple. Tang Huai flipped it over a few times, feeling somewhat speechless.

The [Windmill] was exactly like the one outside the [Sora Passage]. Tang Huai had inspected the top of the previous windmill, and found that, aside from being decorative, it had no other function…

He didn’t have anything against the [Windmill], but having just acquired another one when he already had one… what was the point?

Has the luck of the “lucky emperor” run out?

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️