Ch 161: The World’s Number One Resort

Patrolling the island, handling affairs, dealing with the media… In the following week, Tang Huai’s life was both routine and monotonous. With the rise in popularity of Great Tang, the mission for Great Tang also saw groundbreaking progress.

Under the starry night sky, Tang Huai opened the mission panel.

Host Name: Tang Huai

Open Areas: Blue Sea Lake, Sky Forest, Sora Underground City.

Current Mission: [Jubilant Celebration], Total Tourist Count: 50 million, Tourist Satisfaction: 80%

Mission Progress: 9%

Island Points: 80 million+

Reputation Points: 360 million+

Item Inventory: [Windmill] x3, [Encyclopedia of Species]

The mission has been ongoing for a month now, with a completion rate of 9%. Although it’s progressing a bit slowly, with the momentum from the global conference, the overall outlook seems promising.

Tang Huai glanced through the panel briefly and then focused on the item inventory. With Great Tang thriving, it was time to clear some inventory…

Tang Huai clicked to use [Windmill]. This is a basic item, primarily for decoration.

Tang Huai initiated a disguised construction. In addition to the three windmills, he purchased four more. The windmills are a well-known photo spot on Sora Island. Since they are a unique feature, Tang Huai decided to place one in each region.

Thus, the windmills became a landmark of Sora Island.

The [Windmill] was just an appetizer. After using it, Tang Huai shifted his attention to the [Encyclopedia of Species].

[Encyclopedia of Species]: Contains 16,000 species, usable across regions. Note: The species are ferocious, so please use them with caution.

The description of the Encyclopedia of Species was clear. It was a reward from the last upgrade of Sora Island. Due to the “ferocious species” remark, Tang Huai had left it unopened for more than half a year.

“FD730, will the creatures in the book pose any threat to tourists?” Tang Huai pondered. This was an intermediate reward, and it felt like a waste to leave it unused for so long.

“Rest assured, Host. The creatures from the book will not cause actual harm to tourists. However, animals like Bengal tigers and African lions behave just like their real counterparts and need to be properly managed and cared for. The creatures in the book are also edible,” FD730 responded patiently. Though, Tang Huai couldn’t help but find that last part a bit odd.

Edible? Is this meant to cater to the appetite for exotic cuisine?

The creatures from the [Encyclopedia of Species] can be deployed across all regions and have natural reproduction capabilities, making this a large-scale project. Tang Huai carefully reviewed the usage rules of the [Encyclopedia of Species]. Early the next morning, he hired ten animal caretakers.

Tang Huai first decided to select a region as a pilot area for the species.

After some browsing, he chose Region 8. This is a small area, and since the mission system upgrade, Tang Huai could freely purchase basic-level or lower scenic cards.

He bought a [Wildlife Park] card, which is a natural hunting ground and, being a basic-level card, cost only 50 million island points.

A year ago, Tang Huai would have considered 50 million a large sum. Now… he felt like he was getting a bit extravagant.

In addition to the [Wildlife Park], he also purchased [Baby Kingdom]. This is another basic-level region, but unlike others, [Baby Kingdom] is only for visitors under ten years old. It’s a massive children’s playground.

Tang Huai placed the [Baby Kingdom] in Region 17. Both regions were basic-level. After selecting their locations, Tang Huai utilized disguised laborers.

The disguised laborers are highly efficient now, and according to the construction timeline, these two regions will be completed around the same time as the [Underwater Ancient City].

Since the exposure of FillTech Corporation’s environmental technology, Great Tang has been trending. FillTech is sophisticated and technologically advanced, but it primarily serves a supportive role, unable to bypass Great Tang to cooperate directly with other countries.

FillTech’s goal is to serve Great Tang. It’s akin to a dedicated tech factory for the resort. However, this tech factory isn’t free, costing 30 million in monthly maintenance…

Great Tang has high revenue, but the related expenses are also considerable.

Tang Huai put aside FillTech Corporation matters to focus on the affairs of Great Tang. During this period, he had video-called Alang twice, and now Alang had been upgraded to an intermediate AI. Since Great Tang had opened its air routes, Alang had taken a fleet to the Somali region.

Alang had a strong and unrestrained personality. Since there was no trouble caused by him, Tang Huai didn’t pay much attention. He had heard bits and pieces suggesting that Alang seemed to be doing quite well.

Tang Huai planned to take a trip to South Africa after the global conference, which would also give him a chance to visit the FillTech factory.

“Awoo—”

During the video chat, while Tang Huai was lost in his thoughts, an excited howl suddenly came from the screen.

“Do you want to come back?” Tang Huai looked up. Alang, wearing a floral shirt and sunglasses, was leisurely lying on the deck of the ship. Beside him stood a mighty-looking dog wearing a waterproof vest – it was Da Huang.

Alang had left for Somalia in a carefree manner, and Da Huang, unable to stay idle, had jumped aboard Great Tang No. 1 as Alang departed. Now, it had been three months since the man and dog left.

“I can ask Aunt Miley to make you braised pork ribs,” Tang Huai said, trying to entice Da Huang back. Da Huang had accompanied him for a year, and after three months apart, he found himself missing the dog.

“Woof—” While Tang Huai was feeling sentimental, Da Huang let out a soft howl, wagging its tail and turning in circles, looking pitiful.

Tang Huai: … He understood what Da Huang meant – it had gotten used to roaming freely outside and didn’t want to come back.

“Unlimited yogurt,” Tang Huai added, not giving up. Da Huang hesitated for a moment but remained unmoved.

Tang Huai: … That stung.

It felt like raising a kid only for them to be lured away by the attractions of the outside world.

“Stay safe,” Tang Huai said with a sigh, eventually giving in. If the pup wanted to explore, so be it. Da Huang was smart and quick to react, and with Alang looking after it, Tang Huai wasn’t worried about its safety.

After a few more words of caution, he ended the video call.

After a brief stretch, Tang Huai went back to handling the work of Great Tang.

While Tang Huai was diligently working, Great Tang No. 1 was sailing slowly across the Red Sea near South Africa. Half an hour later, it reached a small island with a complex terrain.

“We’re here.”

Great Tang No. 1 docked, and Alang stood up. Da Huang circled his legs, wagging its tail excitedly. Alang patted Da Huang’s head and stepped onto the island, followed by two crew members, while the rest cautiously scanned the surroundings.

Alang led the way with Da Huang closely behind.

Alang’s gaze was firm. His journey from the Pacific to South Africa was not merely to admire the sea. His eyes reflected a fierce and unquenchable ambition.

…

“Boss Tang, I am Reno, the production manager of Magic Workshop…” While Alang and Da Huang were carrying out their little schemes in the South African region, Tang Huai received an unexpected call at Great Tang Resort.

Magic Workshop is based in Los Angeles. It is a film company specializing in shooting, production, and distribution, consistently ranking in the top 10 of American film industry influencers. Its iconic productions include Three Heroes, Super Power Squad, and King of Giants, widely acclaimed superhero films with significant influence in animation and merchandise.

“Is Magic Workshop planning to shoot a VR movie?” After Reno introduced himself, Tang Huai asked directly.

Two months ago, Dai Dongwang proposed The Six-Eared Macaque, intending to use Great Tang’s 10D technology for the film. Great Tang’s 10D technology is perfectly suited for filmmaking. With the global rise of information technology, many movie production companies have taken an interest in Great Tang Resort.

In recent times, Great Tang had received several calls for collaboration.

Hollywood, Universal Pictures, Walk of Fame… All of these potential partners had big names. However, similar to The Six-Eared Macaque, Tang Huai had declined them all, citing technical reasons.

Now, with a call from Magic Workshop, Tang Huai naturally assumed it was another movie collaboration.

“Not a VR movie. We were wondering if Great Tang would be interested in collaborating on a VR mobile theater?” Reno replied earnestly from the other end.

“VR mobile theater?” Tang Huai’s interest was piqued.

Half an hour later, Tang Huai grasped the concept proposed by Magic Workshop.

Currently, the mainstream ways to watch movies include cinemas, computers, smartphones, and projectors. Aside from 3D cinemas, most formats are presented in a 2D plane. Magic Workshop’s idea was simple: similar to the Horror Town, they wanted to use VR glasses as a medium to convert previous films into an immersive 10D experience.

10D viewing is entirely different from flat-screen viewing. Magic Workshop has an extensive film library, and if the technology could be realized, it would generate enormous profits. While an average movie ticket priced at $20 might be expensive, watching films in a VR theater for $0.5 or $0.8 each could attract many viewers willing to pay.

“Boss Tang, using the Horror Town VR technology, the mobile theater is entirely feasible.” By the end, Reno sounded excited.

Great Tang would earn a significant share, and Magic Workshop would promote its paid content library. It was a substantial business opportunity!

“Boss Tang, what do you think?” Reno asked expectantly after his extensive explanation.

“Mr. Reno, the idea of a VR theater is quite intriguing. However, the defining characteristic of 10D movies is the 360° realism. Current films, due to their shooting conditions, are only suitable for flat-screen viewing,” Tang Huai pointed out, unfazed by Reno’s enthusiasm.

It was similar to the movie Three Heroes, a classic film from twenty years ago. The scene of the main characters whispering sweet nothings in bed might look romantic, but during the actual filming, the bed would likely be surrounded by cameras. Converting such classic films into 10D wasn’t possible.

“What about achieving a realistic stereoscopic experience?” Reno shifted the conversation.

Tang Huai realized that Magic Workshop was aware of the technical limitations. Their true goal was to pursue the sense of realism and depth in a flat format, akin to watching a stage performance. With FillTech now in the picture, creating such effects would be a simple task.

However…

“Why would Great Tang need to cooperate with Magic Workshop?” Tang Huai asked directly. With such a significant technological advantage, Great Tang could easily collaborate with other film studios like Star Studios or Universal Pictures instead of sticking to Magic Workshop.

After Tang Huai spoke, there was a brief silence.

“Magic Workshop will not participate in the investment or R&D of the VR theater. Our film library is also willing to cooperate with Great Tang for free using a 50-50 profit split. Additionally, Magic Workshop is willing to assist in promoting the VR mobile theater,” Reno said, taking a deep breath before revealing the conditions they had prepared. “Magic Workshop has only one requirement: for the first three months of the VR theater’s launch, Magic Workshop must have exclusivity.”

Tang Huai was surprised, focusing on the “no copyright” aspect.

Magic Workshop is one of the world’s top ten film industries, having been established for sixty-seven years and producing over 9,000 films in that period. This is an enormous resource library. In other words, if Great Tang could produce a VR mobile theater, it could gain 50% of Magic Workshop’s profits without any investment in copyrights.

Great Tang would bear all the costs, and the investment risk was high. However, if the VR mobile theater successfully entered the market, the potential return would also be immense. After all, Magic Workshop would just be one of the many theaters involved in the collaboration.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️