Ch 112: The World’s Number One Resort

“We will start the tasting now.” Three minutes later, each judge had a disposable plate in front of them. Kim Sook-hyun picked up a piece of the fruit with a fork and said sweetly.

Outwardly, she maintained a calm expression, but inside, she found it amusing. This was a Korean show, and now they were having her taste the fruit—wasn’t this a flaw in logic? Those Chinese students were really naive.

With a casual attitude, she took a bite. However, the moment she bit into it, her expression froze. With global trade being so developed and South Korea being a coastal nation, she had tasted various imported fruits. Australian cherries, American avocados, Japanese grapes—these were all common on her dining table.

Fruits in South Korea were relatively expensive, but Kim Sook-hyun could afford them easily. Judging by the packaging and appearance, she assumed that Great Tang fruit wouldn’t be bad. And now…

It was juicy, tender, and exceptionally sweet.

After eating fruits for so many years, it was the first time she had tasted something this sweet.

Crunching the fruit unconsciously, she took another two bites. In just three seconds, she had finished the small piece of orange.

The room fell silent, everyone awaiting Kim Sook-hyun’s feedback.

“It’s just an ordinary fruit, nothing special,” she said, her face betraying no emotion. As a seasoned host used to handling various situations, this response was part of the planned script. The outcome had been predetermined by the entire production team.

As she had previously thought, this was “Sook-hyun Midnight Show’s” stage.

“It’s quite good. By international standards, it could be classified as a five-star fruit.”

“The flavor of the orange is really outstanding.”

…

After Kim spoke, the other two guests shared their assessments. Although they knew Kim’s evaluation wasn’t accurate, they also understood that taste was subjective. Therefore, they didn’t argue.

“We know that China is a developing country…” Kim continued smoothly after the two had finished their reviews.

The aim of their program was certainly not to praise China.

“What? That’s it?”

In front of the TV, Zhao Jiang watched Kim’s live broadcast, practically fuming. They had a simple plan: let Kim and the others genuinely taste the flavor of Great Tang fruits, understand the Chinese netizens’ humor, and apologize for their previous inappropriate remarks.

Now, the fruit had been eaten, but… nothing more followed.

Zhao Jiang looked over at Professor Park’s position. From the start of the program, Park Yoo-chang had maintained his silence, living up to the saying that “silence is golden.” Zhao Jiang felt a pang of disappointment. The fruit they had crowdfunded seemed wasted.

“The analysis test results are now ready. Let’s take a look…” As Zhao Jiang was lost in thought, the device on the table beeped twice.

The analysis device was borrowed from a Korean research institute. While not perfectly precise, it could provide a general breakdown of the fruit’s composition.

Zhao Jiang sat up straight.

“Now, let’s have Professor Park explain the results. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the big screen. This is a post from the Chinese Academy of Sciences on February 10th…” The camera zoomed in on the analysis device. As Professor Park carefully examined the results, Kim spoke at an appropriate moment.

As she continued, the large LCD screen in the studio lit up. It displayed the post from the Chinese Academy of Sciences endorsing Great Tang fruits, now in a bilingual Chinese-Korean version.

Kim’s tone was subtle, but Zhao Jiang and the Korean viewers could understand her implication: she was mocking the rigor of Chinese research.

Zhao Jiang’s hands tightened into fists, cracking audibly. He had been studying abroad for three years and had faced discrimination, but he had never felt this stifled before.

“Alright, let’s hear Professor Park’s explanation now.” After ten minutes, the camera turned to Professor Park.

Zhao Jiang lifted his head, and the other Korean viewers watched attentively.

“Based on the numerical analysis, the cellulose content of the Great Tang orange is 2.3, and the carotene is 0.9… In simple terms, the composition of the Great Tang orange is twenty-eight times that of a regular fruit,” Park Yoo-chang said, frowning slightly as he looked at the data in his hand.

He participated in the midnight show mainly for the data analysis of Great Tang fruit. Although he was prepared, twenty-eight times… This figure was a bit beyond the normal range.

“Could it harm the human body?” Kim Sook-hyun was taken aback. Although she was not an expert, she knew that having more beneficial elements in food was not always better.

“No, it won’t. From the analysis of the various data combinations, the beneficial elements of Great Tang fruit are perfectly recombined,” Park Yoo-chang stated decisively.

“The ingredient analysis device is not entirely accurate.” Kim Sook-hyun gave Park Yoo-chang a glance. This was a live broadcast, so they couldn’t let anything go wrong.

“Biological Research just published its latest monthly issue three hours ago…” Park Yoo-chang paused before continuing.

“Biological Research? Is it about livestock farming? Haha, South Korea has made significant breakthroughs in biological research. I visited the horse racing base in Busan last week; the purebred horses there are stunning…” Kim Sook-hyun was confused. She thought that the ‘Biological Research’ Park referred to was related to agriculture or livestock.

Park Yoo-chang forced a smile. “Biological Research” was one of the world’s most authoritative biology journals. Every issue attracted the attention of researchers in the biological field. He had just received the news that the “Great Tang Fruit Study” by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a 3,000-word report, had been featured on the cover of the journal. This was a prestigious honor in biological research.

The latest issue of “Biological Research” had just been published. If the midnight show continued its mocking attitude, it would be a big deal.

Park had intended to mention this to the production team before the broadcast, but they were having a meeting at that time…

With no other choice, Park shifted the topic to the horse racing base.

He hoped that the rest of the show wouldn’t become too embarrassing.

So, in the latter half of the program, the entire discussion revolved around the Busan horse racing base. As for the previous “Blood Petition” and Great Tang fruit, it was as if they had never happened.

In front of his TV, Zhao Jiang watched from midnight to 12:55. The show’s atmosphere was cheerful and harmonious. Looking at the fruit box on the table, he felt that he had been too naive.

He understood Park’s position. As a Korean, Park Yoo-chang had already been quite objective in stating the facts. But still… it was a bit frustrating.

“That’s it for today’s Sook-hyun Midnight Show. See you the day after tomorrow at the same time. Whew, please pack up the remaining fruits for me.”

“This orange tastes really good. Help me contact Great Tang; I want to order fifty more pounds.”

“They say on the Chinese forums that these fruits have beauty benefits. I wonder if it’s true…”

“Beep, beep—”

At exactly one o’clock, the program officially ended. Disappointed, Zhao Jiang turned off the TV. But just as he was about to shut it down, the TV screen flickered twice. Then, Kim Sook-hyun was shown casually cutting an orange, taking a bite while instructing the staff beside her.

Kim’s expression was relaxed, clearly very satisfied with the taste of the orange.

Zhao Jiang was stunned. Was this a mistaken ad cut? The behind-the-scenes footage lasted only seven seconds, but judging from Kim’s expression and actions, the Great Tang fruit seemed far more outstanding than what she had portrayed on the show.

Zhao Jiang felt angry enough to curse.

…

After the latest episode of “Sook-hyun Midnight Show” aired, the comments from Korean locals did not indicate any change in opinion. Zhao Jiang and his peers could only remain silent, ready to swallow this bitter pill.

“Biological Research: According to studies by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, jointly evaluated by the American TK Biological Institute and Germany’s REG, Great Tang oranges are rich in cellulose and vitamin A, with balanced nutritional content and no side effects. This is a miracle in biology.”

“Laboratory tests have determined that Great Tang fruits have incredible weight loss and beauty effects. The beauty benefits of one Great Tang apple are equivalent to ten premium face masks, and its digestive aid effect is equivalent to 10 grams of probiotics…”

Just when everyone thought the incident had come to an end, the latest issue of “Biological Research” was released.

“Biological Research is a publication distributed to universities and research institutions worldwide. This is issue 609, but this ordinary monthly report immediately sparked reactions on global academic forums.”

“This is a commercial fruit? How can I buy it?”

“Rich in fiber, vitamins… are you sure this is a fruit and not a medicine?”

“Great Tang fruit was sold online in China last month. I envy China’s good fortune. I hope it becomes available for international purchase!”

…

The news about “Great Tang Fruit” from the “Biological Research” article was first shared by biology students across various university forums.

Beauty, weight loss, longevity… Great Tang Fruit had too many tags associated with it. In today’s science-focused world, if “Great Tang Fruit” had been published in any other magazine, people would have rationally dismissed it with a laugh. But now, it was featured in “Biological Research” and verified by both the TK and REG institutes.

Thus, the situation became completely different.

TK and REG are two globally renowned research institutions, holding patents for thousands of refined medicines. Their authority in the field of biology is undeniable. While the introduction of Great Tang Fruit might sound like an exaggerated health advertisement, people knew it was verified by professional institutions.

“Blood petition, begging Great Tang to open international shipping.”

“Is this a commercial fruit? I want to buy it!”

“Oh my god, Great Tang has a Twitter account; I’ve found the address!”

…

The biology students shared the information casually, but it quickly set university forums on fire. With global connectivity, people followed the keywords “Great Tang Fruit” to Chinese websites.

Treating constipation, acne, and detoxifying… Great Tang Fruit had nearly a thousand genuine reviews. Alongside written testimonials, there were before-and-after comparison videos. People felt that Great Tang Fruit was beyond their usual understanding.

Some were curious, others skeptical. However, curiosity or skepticism alike could be resolved through actual tasting. As discussions grew, people overseas began emulating the “Blood petition” trend popularized in China.

The petitions came in English, German, French… in various languages. Most were sent via personal Twitter accounts, often accompanied by the authoritative “Biological Research” report.

After sending their petitions, many shared their guesses and expectations about Great Tang Fruit. At this point, it became like an irresistible temptation, stirring everyone’s curiosity.

This was initially just a buzz among university students, but Twitter’s broad reach attracted casual visitors. Learning the background of the story, they, especially women, joined the conversation. After all, losing weight, hydrating, and achieving beauty without taking medicine is a universal pursuit for women around the world.

This pursuit knows no borders.

…

“Biological Research has a vast influence. Should we open international fruit sales?” With the reposting of the “Biological Research” article, Great Tang Resort’s Twitter gained some popularity. In the wake of this recognition, the resort’s Twitter saw an increase of seven million visits, with most messages inquiring about international purchases.

The students were brimming with curiosity about Great Tang Fruit.

Xie Yunshu finished reading through the messages on Great Tang’s account and asked Tang Huai curiously. Strictly speaking, the reason Great Tang Fruit could make its mark internationally was all due to the two tomatoes that Li Qianshan had taken, which led to agricultural research on Sora Island.

A small seed planted a year ago had now borne fruit.

Xie Yunshu was somewhat sentimental, but his concern was not about “Biological Research” itself, but rather the impact this event would have on Great Tang Resort.

Tang Huai understood what Xie Yunshu meant. He had originally considered Great Tang Fruit as just a side business in China. After all, establishing a fruit company in every country worldwide seemed unrealistic. However, he hadn’t expected Great Tang Fruit to be featured in “Biological Research.” This exposure was more effective than a two-billion-dollar global advertising campaign. Knowledge and authority are respected in all countries.

Tang Huai was a businessman at heart. With the “Biological Research” publicity as a great opportunity, it would be a waste not to take advantage of it.

“Set up an international web store for China and enable international shipping,” Tang Huai said to Xie Yunshu after some thought. He planned to revamp the packaging of Great Tang Fruit.

For example, Great Tang grapes come in a “Snow Village” bag, pineapples in an “Ancient City” bag, and mangosteen in a “Thrilling Racing” bag… This approach could also provide substantial promotional value for Great Tang Resort.

“Worldwide shipping?” Xie Yunshu nodded. With the system’s advanced technology, creating an international website would only take half a day. Setting up the site was easy; the remaining task was to sort out the shipping addresses.

“Worldwide shipping… except for South Korea.” Tang Huai nodded, flashing a smile that revealed his eight white teeth. He had just watched the latest episode of “Sookhyun’s Midnight Show.”

“Great Tang fruit tastes average?”

Well, such an “average” fruit won’t be available in South Korea.

Tang Huai’s selective treatment didn’t follow the basic principles of business competition, but… he was the owner of Great Tang Resort, and the boss does as he pleases.

After saying this, Tang Huai found it amusing. The international website wasn’t even fully set up yet, and he was already acting a bit cocky.

The representatives of the Phoenix Photography Exhibition would arrive on the island tomorrow afternoon, so with nothing else to do, Tang Huai and Xie Yunshu began designing the page for the international fruit website.

Tang Huai simply outlined the page’s design style, while the rest, including servers and the ordering and payment systems, were all purchased through the system’s one-stop service.

For the island owner system, building an international fruit website was a piece of cake. The whole setup cost 80,000 island credits, which was more economical than the Sora windmill…

By 7 p.m., Tang Huai posted an announcement on both Weibo and Twitter. From then on, Great Tang International Fruit was officially established.

Like the Great Tang Taobao store, Tang Huai adopted a monthly limited sale model, with sales capped by regions such as Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

The monthly international sales limit for Great Tang was 2,000 tons, which was the maximum supply capacity under the full operation of the Fruit Kingdom.

Two thousand tons is not a small quantity, and considering the high international shipping costs, Tang Huai estimated that Great Tang fruit would be able to satisfy the needs of international customers.

After all this, the time ticked to 10 p.m. Tang Huai checked the time and returned to the island master’s courtyard.

Great Tang International Fruit employed a multilingual AI for customer service and allowed for autonomous ordering, greatly facilitating customer selection and purchases.

Tang Huai slept soundly, while students who had been following “Biological Research” were momentarily stunned when they saw the latest tweet from Great Tang Resort.

Great Tang Fruit is now available for purchase?

After the initial shock, they felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. On one hand, they doubted the information about Great Tang Fruit; on the other, they trusted “Biological Research.” Caught in this internal conflict, they opened the brand-new Great Tang International website.

…

“So, this is the Great Tang Fruit introduced in ‘Biological Research’? The website looks decent.”

In the dormitory building of Yonsei University in South Korea, Kim Jungbin looked at the computer screen, mumbling to himself. He was a graduate student in biology at Yonsei and had already submitted a job application to REG. If all went well, he would officially join REG after his graduation later this year.

Kim Jungbin was quite satisfied with his future prospects. In his spare time, he often followed REG’s updates. He didn’t expect to see the three keywords – “Biological Research,” “Chinese Academy of Sciences,” and “Great Tang Fruit” – linked together in this month’s biology journal.

REG is an authoritative figure in the field of biology. For the sake of his future research, he decided to study Great Tang Fruit. As he weighed his options, Kim Jungbin opened the fruit shop and was momentarily stunned by the prices.

Thirty dollars, seventy dollars, a hundred dollars…

The prices weren’t exactly low, and the unit was ‘g,’ not ‘kg’… He was a bit confused. Fruits in South Korea are pricey, but not to this extent.

After a bit of mental preparation and grumbling about rip-offs, he selected a few cheaper fruits to add to his cart. After making his selections, the total cost came to over $800. Gritting his teeth, he entered the address for Yonsei University and clicked “purchase.”

“Sorry, the selected area is not within the delivery range.”

As soon as he clicked to buy, a message in English popped up. Kim Jungbin frowned. This was a global trade era; he had just received oatmeal from an Australian friend last month. Why wasn’t this within the delivery range?

After thinking for a moment, he entered an address in Cheongdam-dong.

“Sorry, the selected area is not within the delivery range.”

The same message popped up again.

Kim Jungbin: …frustrated.

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