Ch 74: The World’s Number One Resort

“Boss Wu, these are mangosteens, bananas, and pineapples… The fruits have already been sorted and packed. When they arrive at Tianjin Port, there will be professionals to handle them.”

While Pizza King was preparing its lucky draw campaign, at Sora’s port, Tang Huai, dressed in a simple linen outfit, was walking along the beach with Wu Kun. After more than half a month of traveling across the ocean, the ship from the overseas trading company finally arrived at Sora Island.

This was the first collaboration between the two sides, with Wu Kun personally leading the team.

“Manager Tang, the Great Tang Resort is going all out with the fruit this time. But… isn’t it a bit much? I suggest starting with a two-ton shipment to test the market first…” Wu Kun took a deep breath of the Sora Island air and hesitated after hearing Tang Huai’s words.

This was Sora Fruit’s first foray into the Chinese market. Despite being a high-end product, fruit sales involve multiple factors, including quality, storage, and consumer acceptance.

Currently, the Great Tang Resort is a popular online vacation spot in China. Wu Kun estimated that Sora Fruit would employ a strategy of online promotion combined with high-priced scarcity marketing. Simply put, it would leverage the resort’s influence to attract some die-hard fans.

This kind of business works well for one-off sales but may not attract many repeat customers.

Wu Kun expected Tang Huai to test the market with a two to three-ton shipment. However, to his surprise, the initial shipment was fifteen tons…

Storage fees for Sora Fruit aren’t cheap. If any issues arise during transit, the investment could go to waste.

Wu Kun had a good impression of Tang Huai and didn’t mind offering some advice.

“It’s fine; Sora Fruit has excellent preservation measures,” Tang Huai smiled. Sora Fruit was backed by advanced technology. Both its freshness and taste surpassed other varieties globally. Tang Huai had consulted with FD730, learning that Sora Fruit could last up to six months without any protective measures, while maintaining its flavor and nutritional value.

The Great Tang Fruit Store was just a small 100-square-meter shop, not enough to handle such a large volume. While planning the import, Tang Huai had already contacted a local fruit supplier in Shengze City.

The partner, Xin Xin Fruit Wholesale, occupied half of the fruit market in Shengze. After discussions over the phone, Xin Xin Fruit Wholesale agreed to sell Sora Fruit and would earn a 20% profit from the sales.

Fifteen tons of fruit sounded like a lot, but if sold at regular prices, it would be equivalent to the supply for just one district in Shengze. With the Lunar New Year only three days away, Tang Huai planned to finish his work on Sora Island and then head to China. By that time, the Sora Fruit should have arrived in Tianjin.

“That’s good.” While Tang Huai was deep in thought about various details, Wu Kun saw that he had a plan in mind and decided not to say more.

“Want to visit Blue Sea Lake and Snow village?” Tang Huai changed the subject, inviting Wu Kun. Wu Kun had arrived at Sora’s port at seven in the morning but had been busy with packing the Sora Fruit, only taking a brief stroll around the town. As the host, Tang Huai naturally extended the invitation.

“There’s another batch of cosmetics to pack in Hawaii, so maybe next time.”

Wu Kun was quite disappointed. He had just taken a quick walk around Sora Town and immediately liked its clean streets and fresh environment. However, he needed to reach Hawaii by tomorrow night, so his schedule was too tight to stay longer.

“Well, how about trying some of Sora Island’s specialty dishes?” Tang Huai showed a look of regret and shifted the topic. Blue Sea Lake and Snow village might be out of the question, but the Delicious Restaurant was in Sora Town, so they could at least enjoy a meal together.

Wu Kun nodded.

Half an hour later, the two of them arrived at the Delicious Restaurant. Aunt Miley cheerfully brought out the dishes. Over time, thanks to praise from tourists and streams on lazy fish Live, Aunt Miley’s experience points had already surpassed a thousand. Whether it was an illusion or not, Tang Huai felt that as her experience grew, her cooking seemed to taste even better.

Since this was a private gathering, Aunt Miley served seven dishes and a soup.

“Is this Blue Sea fish? It’s exactly like in the videos, and it tastes amazing!” Wu Kun exclaimed, picking up a piece of Blue Sea fish with his chopsticks and savoring it.

Wu Kun had seen Lazyfish Yaoyao’s live stream highlights before. Her stream was refreshing and natural, not only promoting the scenery of Blue Sea Lake but also featuring plenty of shots of Blue Sea fish. In her description, the fish had tender and succulent meat, an irresistible delicacy.

Being in the international trade business, Wu Kun had tasted various cuisines worldwide. To him, fish was just fish—how good could it be? The live streams seemed exaggerated.

Wu Kun had been busy with his overseas trading business for nearly half a month without checking Douyin. However, after tasting the Blue Sea fish, he felt as if his entire being had been revitalized.

He realized he had been too narrow-minded; Lazyfish Yaoyao’s videos were anything but exaggerated!

The taste was better than anything he had experienced in any country!

“Is this scrambled eggs with tomatoes? It tastes like a Michelin-starred dish.”

“What kind of green vegetable is this? It’s so refreshing…”

After finishing the Blue Sea fish, Wu Kun picked up other dishes. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, chicken stewed with mushrooms, spicy tofu cubes, onion-fried steak… The restaurant’s dishes were a fusion of Chinese and Western cuisine, with every flavor providing an ultimate sensory delight.

Wu Kun ate with great enjoyment. Half an hour later, when he reached for the last dish, he found that the table was already empty.

Wu Kun looked up and noticed that Tang Huai’s plate still had the same piece of Blue Sea fish from the beginning. So… had he eaten everything himself?

“Ah, why is time so tight…” Wu Kun put down his chopsticks, feeling deeply satisfied. Yet, after the satisfaction, a sense of regret washed over him. The experience at the Delicious Restaurant had been exceptional, and he was now curious about other beautiful sights on the island. But the rush in Hawaii meant he couldn’t stay any longer.

The more Wu Kun thought about it, the more frustrated he felt.

“There will be more opportunities,” Tang Huai said with a smile, understanding Wu Kun’s feelings. If the Sora fruit market succeeded, their cooperation would only grow more frequent in the future.

“Sora fruit…”

The two chatted for a while longer, and Aunt Miley brought out a fruit platter. Wu Kun casually picked up a slice of watermelon, and upon taking his first bite, he had the same reaction as when he ate the Blue Sea fish. It was winter in China, and watermelons were considered off-season fruits. The ones in supermarkets were not only expensive but also lacked flavor despite their appearance.

The moment he tasted the Sora watermelon, Wu Kun felt like he had returned to the summers of his childhood.

Sora fruit exceeded his expectations in every way.

Oh no, now he really didn’t want to leave!

“Manager Tang, see you in half a month.”

After three rounds of drinks, Wu Kun and Tang Huai returned to Sora Port. Wu Kun looked back to see Sora Town standing colorfully as it had when he arrived, with the windmill slowly turning.

Wu Kun felt a sense of calm wash over him. It was time to leave.

“See you in half a month,” Tang Huai said, giving Wu Kun a hug. By now, the AI had already loaded the Sora fruit into the containers.

Wu Kun boarded the ship, and the vessel sounded its horn. Ten minutes later, the cargo ship of the overseas trade sailed out of Sora Island’s view.

Sora fruit was on its way to a broader market.

…

“Manager Tang, the Spring Festival couplets and lanterns are ready,” said Xie Yunshu as he approached after Tang Huai had finished seeing Wu Kun off.

Sora Island might be far overseas, but to keep up with the festive spirit, Tang Huai had still prepared Spring Festival couplets and lanterns.

The lanterns were brought over, while the Spring Festival couplets were made with regular red paper. Xie Yunshu, whose calligraphy skills were maxed out, found the store-bought couplets too mass-produced, so he decided to write them himself.

After three days of grinding ink and putting brush to paper, the Spring Festival couplets were finally complete.

Tang Huai glanced at Xie Yunshu’s calligraphy; his handwriting was on par with that of a master calligrapher.

“Thank you.” Tang Huai sincerely expressed his gratitude to Xie Yunshu. Xie Yunshu was meticulous and efficient in his work. Since coming to the island, he had significantly lightened Tang Huai’s workload. He was indeed a capable assistant.

Xie Yunshu smiled.

The two of them walked toward Sora Town. Currently, both the Sora Airport and [Stroke of the Brush] were under construction, with about half of the work completed. They were expected to be finished around the fifteenth of the lunar month.

Tang Huai eagerly looked forward to their completion.

Over the next two days, Sora Resort underwent a comprehensive cleanup. Sora Island already had fresh air and a clean environment, and with the system’s automatic decomposition ability, there wasn’t much to clean on the island. The cleanup, like the lanterns and Spring Festival couplets, was more about setting a festive atmosphere.

After tidying up Sora Town, the AI assistants hung up the lanterns and couplets. Standing on the main street of Sora Town, Tang Huai saw the rows of lanterns symmetrically hanging from the plane trees, adding a festive touch.

With the lanterns and couplets in place, the island was filled with the warmth of the New Year.

At nine o’clock on New Year’s Eve, Tang Huai had finished dinner and returned to the island master’s courtyard.

“As the New Year’s bell is about to ring, as the firecrackers of the New Year…”

“It’s New Year’s Eve again this year. Wishing all friends…”

“I’m afraid that with so many blessings tonight, you might miss my greeting…”

Tang Huai opened WeChat, and a series of message notifications popped up. He glanced through them, noting that most were group blessings from friends. With the convenience of smartphones, New Year’s greetings had become simpler and more straightforward than in the past, though they now lacked a bit of personal warmth.

After browsing through, he tapped on his starred contacts.

Tang Huai: Happy New Year.

It had been three months since Tang Huai and Yu You had last met. Despite their busy schedules, they had developed a habit of communicating through WeChat every night, always saying goodnight to each other before bed. It was a natural part of their relationship.

Tang Huai had initially planned to visit the Ring City villa before the New Year, but with the opening of Sora Island, he had to postpone it until after the holiday.

Thirty seconds later, Yu You’s reply came through.

Yu You: Happy New Year! How’s the town’s decoration coming along? [Spinning around]

Tang Huai smiled. Yu You had become more lively than before.

Tang Huai: Everything is set up. We’re planning to light fireworks and officially open at midnight.

Tang Huai walked to the balcony and opened the window. The entire Sora Town was brightly lit, with the AI assistants dressed in festive uniforms, wandering around the town.

There were still three hours left until midnight.

Yu You: Can I watch with you?

After chatting for a bit longer, Yu You suddenly asked. At that moment, he was also lying on his windowsill in Ring City, looking out. Unlike Sora Island, there was no New Year celebration in Mexico City; the surroundings of the Ring City villa remained cold and quiet, without a trace of festive spirit.

Yu You gazed in the direction of Sora Island.

His legs could already support him for eight hours… At this rate, he might be able to walk out of the villa normally by summer.

Yu You felt both nervous and hopeful.

His question was tentative, and Tang Huai replied without hesitation: Of course.

If possible, Tang Huai wished even more that Yu You could be there in Sora Town in person.

Time passed by slowly. Tang Huai changed into a new set of clothes and went out at eleven o’clock.

“Manager Tang, the ladder is ready,” half an hour later, Tang Huai arrived at the front gate of Sora Town. A row of bright red lanterns hung along the entire passage of Sora. These lanterns were larger and brighter than the ones in the town.

Reflecting against the lanterns and the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the whole of Sora Island gleamed with a soft, warm red, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

In addition to the red lanterns, six hundred fireworks were placed on the beach at Sora’s harbor. These fireworks were system-produced, costing fifty island points each—not too expensive, simply adding to the festive cheer.

Two Sora AIs had already set up the long ladder. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for midnight.

Tang Huai looked around. At that moment, all of Sora Resort’s 167 AIs were present, including Alang and the AI sailors who had rarely left the ship.

Sora Island was unique with only AIs present; there were no tourists.

Originally, Tang Huai had planned to invite some domestic celebrities, singers, and performers to the grand opening of Sora Resort. However, upon consideration, he decided to cancel the plan.

The New Year was a meaningful occasion for the Chinese people. Instead of hosting celebrities for mere show, Tang Huai preferred to spend it simply with the AIs.

Over the past six months, they had shared many pleasant moments together.

Tang Huai placed his phone on a stand attached to the windmill’s blade. The windmill’s location was perfect, offering a full view of Sora’s entrance and the fireworks area.

He paused the windmill’s rotation.

“Three more minutes.” After setting everything up, Tang Huai waved vigorously toward the phone.

“Happy New Year!” On the other end of the phone, Yu You looked at Tang Huai and couldn’t help but smile.

The distance was too great for Yu You to hear what Tang Huai was saying, but it was obvious that he was in high spirits.

After waving, Tang Huai jogged back to the entrance of Sora.

There was now one minute left until midnight.

Tang Huai opened his personal panel and took out the [Sora Signboard]. He had bought the [Sora Signboard] three months ago for a total of 10 million island points.

The [Sora Signboard] was nearly ten meters long, covered with a red silk cloth. Two AIs used poles to lift it, slowly raising it to the highest point of the Sora passage.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven…” Tang Huai kept an eye on the time and began to count down with ten seconds left to midnight. The other AIs, equally excited, joined him in the countdown.

“Three, two, one!” As he shouted “one,” Tang Huai pulled the red silk’s release cord. The cloth fell from the tens-of-meters-high signboard with a thud.

The five large characters for “Sora Resort” appeared in front of everyone, radiating brilliance.

As the red silk fell, all six hundred fireworks were ignited simultaneously. Being system-produced, they were truly extraordinary. The Sora fireworks bloomed like stunning peonies, dazzling the sky.

The fireworks’ blossoms were full and vibrant, featuring not just common shapes but also auspicious phrases like “Year after year of surplus” and “Great fortune and prosperity.”

Despite the abundance of blessing phrases, they didn’t clutter the sky. Instead, they added a grand and magnificent feel.

Tang Huai glanced at the fireworks and then at the [Sora Signboard]. The signboard could further enhance the island’s natural air quality by 20%. Sora Town’s air was already naturally fresh, but with the additional buff from the [Sora Signboard], Tang Huai could distinctly feel the change in the surrounding air.

His mood lifted.

Tang Huai watched the fireworks earnestly.

While he was engrossed in watching the fireworks, Yu You, on the other side of the phone attached to the windmill, was gazing at Tang Huai without blinking.

The sea, the fireworks, the red lanterns… In the video, Tang Huai appeared both handsome and a bit ethereal.

Yu You reached out and subconsciously touched the phone screen.

His desire to visit Sora Island grew even stronger.

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