Ch 158: The World’s Number One Resort

“Counselor Liu,” Liu Qian was admiring Great Tang’s rapid development when a voice with a Huning accent called out from the front. Liu Qian looked up to see Tang Huai, dressed impeccably, standing at the reception area. Beside him was an outstandingly handsome man and several Great Tang bodyguards.

“Manager Tang, long time no see. No, wait, I should call you Boss Tang now!” Liu Qian shook hands with Tang Huai as reporters took several official photos.

Now that Great Tang’s real background had been revealed, Manager Tang had officially risen to become Boss Tang.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Counselor Liu,” Tang Huai said with a smile, teasing him.

Liu Qian laughed heartily. He had been promoted this March and was now the cultural counselor at the Mexican Embassy. His dream was to be a competent diplomat, and he was quite satisfied with his current position.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before walking out of the airport.

Outside, dozens of dark-colored cars were waiting. These vehicles had been purchased from the system’s mall, boasting an appearance and performance on par with top-notch racing cars. Tang Huai had prepared them specifically for this reception and the upcoming global conference.

“Great Tang has developed so quickly; it’s dizzying,” Liu Qian remarked, looking at the scenery outside as the convoy headed straight for the Sky Forest. The rapid development and the beautiful, serene landscape made Great Tang feel like a quiet town, different from bustling cities.

“Does Boss Tang have any plans to change nationality?” Liu Qian suddenly asked, turning to look at Tang Huai as the car passed by the snow village scenery.

Tang Huai and Liu Qian were riding in an extended business car.

“No, I don’t,” Tang Huai replied, slightly taken aback.

Since Great Tang’s background had been exposed, many visitors had speculated about Tang Huai’s nationality.

Great Tang was a private island, self-sustaining. Now that business was booming, all revenue belonged to Great Tang. The island did not have to pay taxes to any country, at least as far as its internal operations were concerned. However, as the owner of Great Tang, Tang Huai was subject to personal income tax in China, according to Chinese law.

In fact, Tang Huai had been returning to China to declare his personal income tax throughout the year. Due to his international operations, the process was complicated, involving various tax policies. After calculating expenses and AI wages, Tang Huai ended up paying approximately 8% of his personal net income.

Eight percent might not sound like much, but given Great Tang’s incredible profitability, it was still a significant amount.

Now that Great Tang’s fame was growing, some speculated that Tang Huai might change his nationality to avoid taxes. Even some of his most loyal supporters suspected it.

After hearing Tang Huai’s response, Liu Qian looked at him thoughtfully. He had seen Tang Huai’s tax records; Tang Huai had started paying taxes back in July of the previous year, just after inheriting Sola Island. The amount was far more considerable than the public imagined.

“If I consider myself a floating duckweed, then China is the pond. Falling leaves return to their roots; no matter if I’m on Sola Island or in Mexico, China is my harbor.” As the convoy passed through Bianjing Ancient City, Tang Huai spoke up.

His use of “duckweed” and “harbor” might have sounded a bit sentimental, but it reflected his true feelings. Great Tang might now have money and capital, but that wasn’t a reason to forget his roots. All the education and growth he had experienced were in China. Now that he had the capability, his perspective had broadened.

Tang Huai didn’t consider himself noble, but he did have a sense of integrity.

Hearing the certainty in Tang Huai’s voice, Liu Qian was momentarily stunned.

“Thank you…” he said after a pause, feeling a mix of emotions. Before coming, he had considered various possibilities. Great Tang now had international prestige, and if Tang Huai decided to change his nationality, countless countries would welcome him with open arms.

China couldn’t prevent it, nor did they intend to.

“This is a financial report. The use of your taxes has been separately listed, primarily supporting left-behind children and rural infrastructure development.”

Liu Qian took a financial report from the secretary in the front seat. Tang Huai’s taxes were all paid to the Huning area. Initially, the amount was small and manageable, but as Great Tang officially launched, the monthly payments grew increasingly sizable. By June, the amount had reached an astounding figure.

The Huning tax bureau was overwhelmed.

Great Tang wasn’t a domestic enterprise; if it had been, they could have issued a certificate of outstanding business contribution. However, Great Tang was abroad, and more importantly, Tang Huai was paying personal income tax…

Which was more substantial than the taxes paid by leading local enterprises.

With Great Tang’s growing fame and background becoming public knowledge, the national tax bureau eventually decided to continue collecting the appropriate taxes. In recognition of Tang Huai’s contribution, they set up a specific fund allocation to honor his outstanding payments.

“That’s quite considerate,” Tang Huai said seriously as he flipped through the report. He had never really concerned himself with the use of his taxes, but now that it had been so carefully laid out, he felt a deep sense of social responsibility and accomplishment.

“We’ve arrived.”

Tang Huai and Liu Qian exchanged a few brief remarks before the convoy came to a stop. Led by the bodyguards, everyone exited the vehicles.

With the current influx of visitors to Sora, Great Tang had designated a secure zone. As Tang Huai and Liu Qian stepped out of the car, bystanders began taking photos with their phones.

“Wow, I know him! The Mexican diplomat!”

A few girls nearby were snapping photos, and after a moment of uncertainty, one of them exclaimed in surprise. While Liu Qian’s job might be relatively niche, his good looks had made him recognizable; he had appeared on Chinese news broadcasts a few times. With his appearance and demeanor, he was certainly the epitome of a charming diplomatic uncle!

“Hello, everyone,” Liu Qian greeted them warmly before stepping gracefully into the elevator.

“Oh my…” His composed demeanor lasted less than a second as he stepped onto the transparent glass floor of the elevator, startling him. From below, many Chinese visitors were watching. Liu Qian, trying to maintain his composure, slowly ascended into the sky.

The sensation of being 2,000 meters in the air… it was quite exhilarating.

Liu Qian was then accommodated in the Sky Castle.

Over the next three days, diplomats from the United States, France, Japan, and other countries arrived one after another. Their collective focus was the FillTech Corporation. After a brief period of settling in, everyone awaited FillTech’s arrival.

…

“This is a city of wonders…” On the night of December 9th, in the guest room of the Sky Castle, a man in his fifties gazed out the window, expressing his awe.

The man was Choi Young-seok, an official from South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. South Korea had sent a delegation of 20 diplomats to Great Tang. Unlike other countries that could fly directly to the island, the South Korean team had to take an official plane… because there was no direct flight from Seoul to Great Tang!

Not only “Seoul to Great Tang,” but even flights from Busan, Incheon, and other South Korean cities were not available. South Korean tourists wishing to visit Great Tang had to transfer via China or Japan…

Recently, many South Korean tourists had lodged complaints with their government about Great Tang’s flight restrictions.

Choi Young-seok had a mission.

Before departure, he had assumed that Great Tang simply overlooked South Korea. However, upon seeing that Singapore had direct flights, he realized that the situation was more complicated. South Korea’s land area was many times that of Singapore, so there was no reason for Singapore to have direct flights while South Korea didn’t.

“Why doesn’t Great Tang have flights to South Korea…” Choi Young-seok muttered to himself, then turned to ask.

“Ambassador Park…” Several secretary-like men were making coffee. Hearing the question, they hesitated, as if knowing the inside story.

“Speak,” Choi Young-seok commanded. It had just been a casual question, but the secretaries’ reaction clearly indicated that they were aware of the underlying issue.

“This might have something to do with ‘Sookhyun midnight show’…”

The secretary gathered his thoughts. Half an hour later, Choi Young-seok understood the situation. In short, Kim Sook-hyun had slandered Great Tang on her show, which incited public support. This escalated into the current state of affairs.

“Great Tang fruits, VR glasses, and Great Tang Airlines have all restricted?”

“Yes.” The secretary thought for a moment. Judging by the current trend, not only these three items but more restrictions might follow in the future.

“I see.” Choi Young-seok felt a headache coming on. He had taken over the Great Tang project on short notice, but the situation was far more challenging than he had anticipated.

…

“Is this the Sky Queen? Her presence is simply captivating.”

“The cosplays at Great Tang are amazing, fulfilling the princess dreams of many visitors.”

“Once our work is done, we should definitely spend a few days here…”

While Choi Young-seok was lost in his mixed thoughts, the atmosphere in other rooms of the Sky Kingdom was different. After several days of flights, the diplomats from various countries had all settled into Sky Island. Some ambassadors who arrived earlier had already toured Great Tang Resort.

The resort was a place of intricate beauty, a captivating island paradise that left visitors enchanted.

As they explored, a thought crossed everyone’s minds:

Could Great Tang’s technology be implemented in their own countries? If so, it would be a leap into a new era!

Everyone eagerly awaited the next day, knowing it would be a sleepless night full of anticipation.

…

“What’s going on? Why are there so many bodyguards?”

“The security detail at Great Tang is twice as large as usual. This is a big event!”

“Haven’t you read the official notice on the website? The FillTech delegation is visiting Great Tang today.”

“FillTech? Who’s that?”

“The provider of Great Tang’s technology—FillTech Corporation.”

On December 10th, the streets of Sora Town were exceptionally tidy. Hundreds of guards stood watch outside the airport, while Tang Huai and diplomats from various countries waited in the airport lobby. Many curious tourists observed the scene and began whispering to each other.

According to the Sora Pass announcement, December 5th to 15th was Great Tang’s official event period. Visitors could still explore the resort as usual, though some areas might have restricted access. To compensate, Great Tang waived entrance fees for these ten days.

Though some areas had limited access, this was only during specific time slots. In short, free entry was a huge bonus!

Tourists were thrilled. After snapping a few photos of the solemn setup for the event, they went off to continue enjoying their activities.

“It’s already ten o’clock; they should be here soon, right?”

“Should be.”

At Great Tang Airport, diplomats from various countries glanced toward the interior of the airport, engaging in hushed conversations. As distinguished envoys visiting Great Tang, they wouldn’t typically gather so neatly. However, FillTech’s reputation was immense, compelling them to act with the utmost formality.

“Rumble—”

“They’re here.” Amidst the quiet chatter, a loud rumbling sound filled the airport. Shortly after, three jet-black airplanes circled above the airport.

After circling for ten seconds, the planes descended into the designated landing zone at Great Tang.

With the aircraft parked, the passengers began disembarking one by one. The FillTech employees looked like regular people, appearing much like ordinary white-collar workers from Wall Street.

Once the employees had deplaned, the final aircraft opened its doors.

From it emerged a man in his forties, with a calm and stern expression. He was impeccably dressed, and judging by his demeanor and the respect shown by those around him, he was the central figure of this visit.

“Hello, I am from the Philippines…”

“Hello…”

As the man stepped forward, diplomats from various nations adjusted their attire and approached to greet him warmly. Tang Huai stood at the back, his expression somewhat peculiar.

[FillTech BOSS]: Chris Jack, Advanced AI, highly intelligent, serious, and meticulous.

As soon as the man appeared, a pleasant system prompt echoed in Tang Huai’s ears.

So, this was an automatically generated high-level character AI?

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️