Ch 82: The World’s Number One Resort

【Stroke of the Brush】 is divided into two levels. The railing on the second floor is circular, and when looking up from the center of the first-floor hall, you can clearly see the roof of 【Stroke of the Brush】. The distance from the first floor to the roof is about twenty meters, making the overall height equal to that of the Sora Cinema. The ceiling is decorated with a starry sky wallpaper in shades of gray and blue.

“Is this an art exhibition?”

At this moment, Tang Huai stood in the hall on the first floor of 【Stroke of the Brush】, looking slightly surprised.

The entire central area of the first-floor hall was empty. On the surrounding walls hung variously sized picture frames, and in front of each frame was an oval table about two meters long. On each table was a VR headset, a thirty-centimeter-long black electronic pen, and a circular protective device nearby. This setup looked quite similar to the popular VR games on the market…

Tang Huai counted carefully and found there were fifty picture frames in the hall, the largest measuring 5×8 meters and the smallest 0.5×1 meter. The frames came in different colors, but all had empty borders without any artwork.

“Manager Tang, would you like to try it?” Xie Yunshu noticed Tang Huai’s curious expression and suggested with a smile.

“You’ve tried it?” Tang Huai’s interest was piqued.

“Twice,” Xie Yunshu nodded. Being an AI, he had come to 【Stroke of the Brush】 on the day it was completed.

Seeing Xie Yunshu acting mysteriously, Tang Huai thought for a moment before walking towards the nearest picture frame. It was a 5×8 meter frame, the largest in the entire hall.

Tang Huai stood in front of the oval table, and the surrounding protective device automatically locked into place, reducing his activity range to three square meters.

Tang Huai picked up the VR headset and the electronic pen, then put them on according to the instructions on the oval table.

“Dear visitor, welcome to 【Stroke of the Brush】. 【Stroke of the Brush】 is a fully immersive VR interactive game developed by FillTech Company over three years…” As soon as Tang Huai put on the headset, a pleasant female voice sounded. Tang Huai was taken aback—FillTech Company? The system really knows how to fill in the gaps.

“Now entering game time. Please pick up the pen in your hand and draw freely according to your imagination.”

Thirty seconds later, after the introduction, the female voice guided him. As she spoke, the scene in front of Tang Huai transformed, and he found himself standing on a white, ethereal platform.

Tang Huai steadied himself. Having experienced the black technology of the Sora Cinema before, he recognized this as the system’s VR tech.

“Please pick up the pen and draw freely according to your imagination…” The female voice prompted again when Tang Huai remained still.

Tang Huai raised his hands. Although the scene around him was mainly shrouded in white mist, the black electronic pen, much like a VR game controller, appeared in front of him.

Tang Huai was not skilled at drawing; he had always ranked last in art class.

After some thought, he gently moved his hand… Ten seconds later, a simple glass cup gradually took shape.

He had drawn it based on the glass on his bedside table. During the drawing process, the black electronic pen functioned like an ordinary pen. The air in front of him seemed like a giant drawing board. When Tang Huai finished the stroke, the outline of the “glass cup” flickered, and then a transparent cup slowly took form.

As the cup materialized, a large 3D interface appeared in the upper right corner.

Colors, proportions, details—everything a drawing tool could offer was present on the 3D interface. Tang Huai selected blue, and the transparent cup in front of him seemed to be filled, turning into a light blue cup.

Except for its larger size, the entire cup looked identical to one sold in supermarkets.

Tang Huai waved his hand, and the blue cup “floated” away into the distance. He found it fascinating; was this a type of telekinesis?

Tang Huai picked up the pen again and drew a car this time. His drawing style was akin to that of a kindergarten child. Just like before, at the final stroke, the four-wheeled vehicle suddenly turned into a solid model.

【Stroke of the Brush】 had an automatic adjustment function; the size of the car was similar to real-life vehicles, although its appearance was somewhat clunky.

Tang Huai waved his hand like before, and the car also floated into the distance.

Tang Huai clenched his right hand. He felt a sense of creation and finally understood the meaning of “the magic brush of Ma Liang.”

The Magic Brush of Ma Liang is a well-known Chinese fairy tale that tells the story of Ma Liang obtaining a divine brush and using it to outsmart local officials and the emperor. In reality, there is no such magic brush, but 【Stroke of the Brush】 comes quite close to replicating its effects, excluding the creation of actual living beings.

With this in mind, Tang Huai drew a mountain of gold following the plot of the legendary Ma Liang, then added a money tree… Both the gold mountain and the money tree materialized into tangible objects.

Satisfied, Tang Huai prepared to touch the mountain of gold…

“Please stay within the designated area,” a meticulous system prompt chimed in.

Tang Huai: …

While he was experiencing the world as a misty white stone platform, in reality, he was still in the hall of 【Stroke of the Brush】, restricted to a three-square-meter range. He couldn’t get close to the mountain of gold or touch it.

Tang Huai continued to wield the brush.

Bottled water, slippers, a sofa… In the time that followed, he became more engrossed, drawing various miscellaneous items, which then sprang forth one by one. In no time, a multitude of objects filled the air.

“Game time is over. Would you like to save?”

As Tang Huai was about to draw a computer, a pleasant female voice reminded him.

【Stroke of the Brush】 offers three gameplay durations: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes. Each duration will correspond to different pricing in future operations.

He had chosen the shortest 15-minute mode to test out 【Stroke of the Brush】, but found himself thoroughly engrossed. Tang Huai put down the brush and selected “Save.”

Xie Yunshu was still waiting outside, so he planned to return for leisure later.

“Would you like to enter the 【Stroke of the Brush】 Top 100 Exhibition?” Just as Tang Huai was about to exit the game, the system prompt continued.

The 【Stroke of the Brush】 Top 100 Exhibition?

Curious, Tang Huai selected “Agree” without hesitation. Five seconds later, the scene turned dark.

Tang Huai removed the VR headset.

Xie Yunshu stood nearby, struggling to contain his amusement.

“What’s so funny?” Tang Huai asked, puzzled. Was there something on his face?

Xie Yunshu pointed at the frame in front of them, signaling Tang Huai to see for himself.

Tang Huai looked up.

The gold mountain, money tree, slippers… The entire painting was now filled with various colorful objects, stacked chaotically without any sense of aesthetics.

At the top of the painting was a digital display showing the number “06,” indicating that the system had rated this “artwork” a mere 6 out of 100. He recalled the scoring rules of 【Stroke of the Brush】, which used a full score system, so… his 6 points fell far short of the passing mark.

Tang Huai: … He had gotten too carried away with drawing; it was a bit embarrassing.

“Very abstract,” Xie Yunshu offered as a compliment after some thought, noticing Tang Huai’s frustration.

Tang Huai: … Now he felt even more embarrassed.

“Where is the Top 100 Exhibition?” Tang Huai asked, stepping away from the oval table as he recalled the mention of the “Top 100 Exhibition” when he exited 【Stroke of the Brush】.

Xie Yunshu pointed toward the staircase leading to the second floor.

Tang Huai walked over.

At the stairway entrance, there was a large display screen, nearly ten meters high, designed in the same sleek, high-tech minimalist style as the surrounding decor.

The screen featured a ranking list from one to one hundred. Tang Huai’s work, titled “Dreamscape,” was ranked second with a “6” displayed next to it.

“Dreamscape” was a name Tang Huai had come up with casually. In hindsight, such an artistic name didn’t quite match the nature of his drawing… If he had known it would be advertised, he would have chosen a more low-key title.

Tang Huai felt a bit embarrassed, then looked upward. Ranked first was a painting titled 【Bamboo Grove】.

Green mountains, verdant bamboo, flowing rivers… The composition of 【Bamboo Grove】 was simple, yet it conveyed an exquisitely delicate charm.

The score for 【Bamboo Grove】 was 82 points, and there was a ‘Holographic Display’ tag beside it.

This painting was created by Xie Yunshu. What surprised Tang Huai was that despite its flawless precision, 【Bamboo Grove】 only scored 82 points. It seemed that the system’s grading was even more stringent than he had anticipated. In this light, his own six points didn’t seem so bad…

Currently, only Tang Huai and Xie Yunshu had participated in 【Stroke of the Brush】, so it was no surprise they took the top two spots.

“What does ‘Holographic Display’ mean?” After glancing through the leaderboard, Tang Huai pointed to the text next to 【Bamboo Grove】. There was no explanation about holographic displays on the oval table, nor did his own “Dreamscape” have it.

“Paintings that score above 60 points can opt for ‘Holographic Display.’ As for what it does…” Xie Yunshu gestured toward the second floor.

Tang Huai was slightly exasperated by Xie Yunshu’s mysteriousness, but his words successfully piqued his curiosity.

Tang Huai headed upstairs.

The second floor was a circular open space, about half the size of the first floor. It also featured fifty picture frames, all uniformly sized at 3×5 meters.

In front of each frame was a two-meter-long silver pod, fully enclosed, resembling the futuristic space capsules often seen in sci-fi movies.

This time, without any guidance from Xie Yunshu, Tang Huai directly lay down in the nearest one.

The pod was a one-person unit, soft and comfortable. As soon as he lay down, Tang Huai felt a sense of relaxation wash over him.

The pod door closed slowly, and his head and limbs were connected to an external device. It was somewhat reminiscent of a hospital ultrasound.

While Tang Huai was contemplating this, a black visor descended over his eyes, plunging his world into darkness.

“Welcome to the 【Stroke of the Brush】 holographic pod. This pod, developed by the Fair Company using human cognitive simulation technology, is harmless and free of side effects. Its unique cognitive simulation technique can even improve sleep…”

Three seconds later, Tang Huai found himself on the same misty white stone platform as before, while the familiar female voice explained. Tang Huai listened attentively. “Fair,” “harmless,” “improve sleep”… The system had neatly addressed all potential issues.

“Please select an open scene for holographic simulation and exploration.”

After the voice finished explaining the system’s rules, a human-sized 3D album appeared in front of Tang Huai. Like the display screen on the first floor, this 3D album was arranged by number, with ten images per page. It also offered various sorting options, including detailed search, score ranking, and visitor popularity.

Currently, 【Bamboo Grove】 occupied the top spot and was the only option in the album…

Tang Huai clicked on 【Bamboo Grove】.

In an instant, he found himself in a lush bamboo forest, with the gentle sound of running water nearby. He was stunned by the scene in front of him. It matched Xie Yunshu’s 【Bamboo Grove】 perfectly. Unlike on the first floor, he could freely move around the forest without any limitations.

Tang Huai was reminded of “My Boyfriend is a Dragon.” However, that was a 10D movie, where the sense of realism made sense. In contrast, 【Bamboo Grove】 was something Xie Yunshu had drawn out of thin air, like a paper-cut figure suddenly coming to life.

Was this an even more advanced form of virtual creation?

“The 【Stroke of the Brush】 holographic pod simulates virtual spaces based on high-scoring paintings using 12D technology, connected to the human subconscious,” the female voice echoed.

Tang Huai: … The Sora Cinema used 10D technology; he didn’t expect 【Stroke of the Brush】 to add two more dimensions.

Tang Huai looked around. Bamboo forests, rivers, mountains, pandas…

Pandas?

Not only did 【Stroke of the Brush】 perfectly render Xie Yunshu’s painting, but it also automatically filled in the surrounding scenery. Perhaps due to the taste simulation, Tang Huai felt the air around him was as fresh as after a rainfall.

【Stroke of the Brush】 has unique attributes. I wonder if painting a person would actually bring them to life, like in “The Painted Man”… While lost in thought, Tang Huai wandered around the bamboo grove. The scene felt so real that he could squat down and touch the water, which was as clear and cool as it would be in the real world.

Tang Huai enjoyed his time in the bamboo grove.

“Ding, please rate and review. Note: You may skip this step automatically.”

The fifteen-minute session flew by, and as it ended, an automatic review window popped up.

In addition to the rating system, there was also a tip interface.

【Bamboo Grove】: Anonymous Artist.

Rating: Five stars.

Tip: 10 USD.

Review: Keep up the good work!

Tang Huai unhesitatingly gave it a five-star rating.

When visitors enter the island, they bind their 【Sora Pass Card】, which contains some preloaded USD credits. The tipping mechanism is designed to encourage artists. Visitors can choose to tip or skip this step.

This is a win-win mechanism for both the artist and Great Tang Resort.

The revenue split between Great Tang Resort and the artist is 20-80, with the resort taking 20% and the artist 80%. Artists can bind their bank cards upon leaving the island, and Great Tang Resort will transfer their earnings at the end of the month. The total tipping amount is shown during the final review, which ensures transparency and prevents any deceit from Great Tang Resort. Everything is open and clear.

Tang Huai admired the business strategy behind 【Stroke of the Brush】. It not only stimulates visitors’ creativity but also brings in significant income.

Tang Huai wasn’t much of an artist; even with his random doodles, he managed to score a six. With more serious efforts, many people should be able to pass the threshold. Once Great Tang Resort gains more popularity, this could potentially become a lucrative place for professional artists…

Lost in these thoughts, Tang Huai exited the game and opened the wellness pod. He felt, perhaps just a bit, that his mind had become clearer the moment he stepped out.

“Let’s head to the Delicious Restaurant first.”

After exiting the wellness pod, Tang Huai chatted briefly with Xie Yunshu and waved his hand. Tang Huai had disembarked around 3 p.m., first tidying up the Island Lord’s courtyard, then visiting 【Stroke of the Brush】. After keeping busy for half a day, he still hadn’t greeted Aunt Miley.

Tang Huai missed this adorable aunt very much.

Tang Huai and Xie Yunshu went downstairs. As they were leaving the first-floor lobby, Tang Huai glanced at the digital screen again.

【Bamboo Grove】: 82 points, Holographic Display, Five stars, 10 USD, 1 visitor.

The last three tags had just been updated, reflecting the ranking template used in 【Stroke of the Brush】.

As the two left, 【Stroke of the Brush】 and Sora Cinema stood tall like two landmarks, marking them as iconic structures of Sora Island.

…

Tang Huai had dinner at the Delicious Restaurant and then held an AI mobilization meeting.

Now, with the new year in full swing and the fifteenth day past, Great Tang Resort was ready to forge ahead.

Over the next two days, Tang Huai activated 【Sora Ranch】. The ranch is open to the whole region, and after careful consideration, Tang Huai decided to place it on the eastern outskirts of 【Bianjing Ancient City】.

He originally planned to build 【Sora Ranch】 next to the Fruit Kingdom, but recalling the mishaps with the ram and Da Huang, he promptly chose a different location.

【Bianjing Ancient City】 is known for its giant statues and city towers. Its overall color scheme is grand and solemn, surrounded by barren, yellowish-brown land. However, 【Sora Ranch】 has special attributes; upon activation, it conjured a green pasture of about a hundred acres.

The grass in the pasture is lush, providing a 30% nutrient boost to the animals. Tang Huai set up three large sheep pens and chicken coops within the ranch. With the support of 【Sora Ranch】, the white sheep and clucking chickens immediately ran around in joy…

Now, Great Tang Resort and Great Tang Taobao are both on the right track. What remains is to wait for designers from various major brands to come over and decorate the Class A storefronts.

…

“Do you think we’ll make it back before school starts?”

“We’re already in our fourth year; it’s fine if we’re a few days late. Besides, we finally won a prize, and you’re willing to go back now?”

“No, I’m not…”

While Tang Huai was busy with infrastructure work, two young women in their twenties were having a quiet conversation inside Cabin 12 of Great Tang No.1. One of them had short hair and wore glasses, exuding a scholarly vibe, while the other had a sweet face with wavy hair.

These two were Sun Xiang and her studious friend, Old third.

At that moment, Sun Xiang was looking at the ticket in her hand, still in disbelief.

Sun Xiang and Old third were both students at Donghua University. They stayed in Donghua for an internship during the winter break and didn’t go home. At that time, the “Great Tang Koi Pizza” was a huge hit. As a devoted fan of Great Tang Resort, Sun Xiang naturally dragged Old third to Pizza King for a meal.

Pizza King was set to randomly select 300 lucky koi winners. It seemed like a lot, but the number of participants was so massive that the winning rate was about one in a million. Sun Xiang didn’t expect to win; she just wanted to join in on the fun, much like buying a lottery ticket.

But who would have thought that when Pizza King announced the winners, she would actually become a lucky koi?

Sun Xiang checked her entry multiple times; the phone number and name matched. It was indeed her, no doubt!

Sun Xiang was so excited that she wanted to jump for joy. At the time, Old third was working overtime at her internship. In her excitement, Sun Xiang also helped Old third check the results. To her surprise, Lao San won too!

Is this koi luck like giving away cabbages? Whoever checks wins?

Sun Xiang thought there might be an error in the list and counted the entries. There were indeed only 300 koi winners. After receiving the confirmation call from Pizza King, Sun Xiang and Old third were convinced that their luck was off the charts.

The lucky koi winners could choose one of three travel dates: the 2nd, 6th, or 10th. The prize would expire if not used, and it was non-transferable.

After discussing with Old third, they both asked for time off from their internship and opted for the 2nd.

Onboard Great Tang No.1, the two chatted for a while and gradually felt sleepy.

In their dreams, they seemed to arrive at a vast blue lake. In the next second, they found themselves on a racing track…

The racing was exhilarating!

Author’s Note:

Tang Huai: Second on the Top 100 Leaderboard~ Isn’t that amazing and handsome~ hands on hips ~O(∩_∩)O~

All the tourists: … Eggs are ready.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️