Chapter 190: Turbulent Times in Tourism

At this moment, President Qi is really on the edge!

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Mingsha Tourism announced the simultaneous launch of two IP-themed attractions, leaving everyone sleepless. After a hard-fought call with Ran Xiangfei, I was reassured that the final outcome would be decided on the seventh day.

But what happened? By the fourth day, Mingsha Tourism unexpectedly trended because of some bizarre riding creatures, instantly turning the attraction into an online sensation.

Just look at the netizens’ comments—almost everyone is eager to visit the Mingsha guesthouses for a fun getaway.

Meanwhile, Ning An Cultural Tourism…

On the first day, they also announced that New Moon Tower and New Moon Hall would officially welcome visitors, even going so far as to post on drama and entertainment forums—but the response was lukewarm.

On the third night, half the rooms in the scenic hotel and guesthouses remained empty! Completely incomparable to the explosive success of Mingsha Tourism.

It turns out that northwest attractions during the Spring Festival remain unpopular, with the exception of Mingsha guesthouses.

“Without strong box office numbers, we’re doomed!”

Snap out of it, President Qi gritted his teeth.

Currently, both movies are seeing steadily rising box office figures. Yesterday, New Moon Legend was ahead by two million, totalling 730 million, while today Longmen Inn led with 890 million.

But today’s trending topic has essentially given ‘Longmen Inn’ free publicity. Without solid box office sales, we’ll be left behind before the seventh!

After a long pause,

President Qi took a deep breath and dialed Ran Xiangfei’s number, “Chairman Ran, I want to buy box office!”

“President Qi, did you catch today’s trending topic?”

After a brief pause, Ran Xiangfei’s voice came through.

“It’s exactly because I saw the trending topic that I want to play it safe!”

“President Qi, I think that with the current situation, ordering ten million in box office just won’t cut it.”

“What? Ten million isn’t enough?”

A sudden, unpleasant feeling washed over President Qi.

“I believe we need to start at least at thirty million!”

“Thirty million…”

While netizens were busy debating Mingsha Tourism’s trending topic, the first batch of visitors had already arrived at Langya Pavilion.

Set against the hillside, Langya Pavilion stands majestically.

Built into the mountainside as the only man-made scenic mountain in the area, first-time visitors couldn’t help but chatter and marvel before eventually gathering at Langya Pavilion.

Much like the visitor control at Tingchao Pavilion, Langya Pavilion requires no admission fee but does require ID scanning. Once the visitor count exceeds the limit, entry is shut down.

“Hey! What is this?”

After passing through the main gate of Langya Pavilion, some visitors—impacted by TV dramas—rushed straight to the basement, while others opted to explore floor by floor.

Unlike Tengwang Pavilion with its relic displays, Vermilion Bird Building used for exclusive banquets, or the scenic-only Tingchao Pavilion, the ground floor of Langya Pavilion resembles a massive library.

However, the books on display aren’t your usual library volumes.

A glance around the first floor reveals wooden lattices filled with so-called ‘Martial Arts Manuals’—from Tai Chi to Xingyi and Hung Kuen, you name it.

Up on the second floor, the exhibits remain a collection of books.

Here, most are ancient medical texts, like the Huangdi Neijing and Shanghan Lun.

Reaching the third floor,

the displays shift to Taoist literature—works such as the Dao De Jing and the Yi Jing.

Overall, after exploring the first three floors, it truly feels as though every martial arts manual in existence is housed there—some visitors even speculated that the TV drama’s Langya Pavilion might contain similar treasures.

Just when many thought the fourth floor would feature more books, upon ascending they found 36 wooden compartments, each showcasing a portrait of a figure in traditional attire.

While the first three floors made sense, the fourth left visitors scratching their heads.

Fortunately, a sword guard in traditional costume is stationed on every floor of Langya Pavilion to answer any questions.

“Hello, may I ask what this is?”

“Greetings, young hero. This is the famed Langya List. On this floor, there are 36 Langya Talents. If you manage to locate any of these talents within the scenic area, you can claim corresponding rewards at Langya Pavilion,” the sword guard explained.

“Langya Talents? Does that mean Mei Changsu is among them?”

The visitor instinctively glanced at the portraits.

“The portrait of Mei Changsu, the top of the Langya List, is on the top floor. If you can find him and bring him upstairs, you’ll receive a very generous reward,” the sword guard added.

“What kind of rewards are we talking about?”

At that, the visitors’ interest was instantly piqued.

Isn’t this just a modern game of hide-and-seek? Only Mingsha Tourism has taken it to a whole new level.

“If you manage to locate any one of these 36 talents, you’ll earn a free night’s stay at a guesthouse on Qing Brick Avenue, along with a complimentary Mingsha specialty meal. And the rewards increase with each floor,” the sword guard continued.

“That sounds amazing! But what if someone finds Jiangzuo Meilang?”

One visitor couldn’t help but clench his fists in anticipation.

“If you find Jiangzuo Meilang, Mingsha Tourism will offer you a guesthouse in Wudi City—free for five days, plus five sets of specialty meals. But a friendly reminder: the Langya List only updates every three days. Once all the talents are found, you’ll have to wait three more days for a new task.”

The sword guard nodded slightly.

“So how do you claim your task?”

At this revelation, some visitors were eager to try it out—not only for a free five-day stay and meal sets to save money, but also because it seemed like a fun challenge.

“Simply press the corresponding handprint before the sword guard on each floor. And kindly remember: every Langya Talent is dressed in traditional attire, so please refrain from disturbing other visitors while searching.”

“No problem, get me a handprint right away!”

“Everyone, please follow me!”

An hour later, the visitors emerging from Langya Pavilion looked noticeably different from when they entered—they weren’t just sightseers anymore; there was a hopeful, lottery-like gleam in their eyes.

Over at Longmen Inn, the experience wasn’t limited to sightseeing. Staff had hung a plaque in front that read: “Challenge: Anyone daring to stay one night at Longmen Inn will receive a free day’s stay at a Mingsha guesthouse plus a specialty meal.”

Unlike the eager anticipation at Langya Pavilion, visitors at Longmen Inn burst into laughter at the sign, yet no one dared to take on the challenge.

Simply because the movie scenes are deeply etched in people’s minds. And with Mingsha Tourism’s many gimmicks—though they won’t literally turn guests into dumplings like in the films—there will undoubtedly be plenty of ‘surprises.’

That feeling is even more nerve-wracking than a haunted house experience.

“This is fun. Really, it’s fun! Now this is what a proper scenic spot should be! Just looking at filming locations doesn’t quite capture the essence.”

Snap back to reality.

One visitor couldn’t help but exclaim, sharing a photo of the sign in front of Longmen Inn on social media.

Sure enough, this round of unique attractions by Mingsha Tourism is set to become a viral hit, ensuring that their popularity won’t be a worry for a long time.

Meanwhile…

Just as visitors were having the time of their lives at the scenic area, at the leadership office in the Mingsha County Government Building,

Qin Xuan had just seen off a middle-aged man! After a moment’s thought, he reluctantly picked up the landline phone. Before long, a young man appeared in the office, “Leader, you called for me?”

“Leader, is there an issue with the newly opened Oasis 3? Why are so many cadres volunteering today to be stationed at Mingsha, when before they all refused—citing long distances, inconvenient shopping, and all kinds of excuses?” Qin Xuan frowned.

“Last year’s data is in—Mingsha Tourism not only boosted local employment and tourism spending but also contributed over 200 million in taxes to Mingsha County!”

And that’s even after benefiting from numerous investment incentives.

Overall, Mingsha County’s GDP last year just barely surpassed Wei City’s Daliang District, making it the top county—and it’s all thanks to Mingsha Tourism.

Without Mingsha Tourism drawing people to Mingsha County and spurring business, such a high GDP would have been impossible!

Therefore, this year, to better serve Mingsha County, the local government has decided to set up additional branch offices for more efficient processing!

And as soon as the announcement went out, during the fourth day shift, quite a few people approached Qin Xuan, hoping to lead a team there—highly unusual!

“Leader, here’s the situation. Today, both Oasis 3 and Longmen Inn have opened at Mingsha Oasis. Besides the Langya Pavilion for tourists, Oasis 3 also features a large commercial street themed around ancient architecture.”

The young man quickly added, “I’m aware of that!”

Qin Xuan furrowed his brow.

Although the county’s policy towards Mingsha is one of strong support with minimal interference, some details are still known.

“Leader, the main point is the investment in that large ancient architectural commercial street! I heard that today several major supermarkets, cinemas, beef noodle shops, and chain restaurants have opened there, forming a complex comparable to those in three or four first-tier cities. Especially, the supermarkets are large, well-known chains!”

The young man explained eagerly.

“Large lifestyle supermarkets? And cinemas too? Is this even a scenic spot? It feels more advanced than the county town’s residential areas—so convenient! No wonder so many are eager to be stationed there!”

Qin Xuan suddenly understood.

He had assumed that the commercial developments in Mingsha would be akin to those in Qixia Town or Wudi City—primarily catering to tourists—but instead, they’ve taken a sharp turn, installing modern, large-scale supermarkets.

“Leader, I predict local residents will soon flock there for shopping and spending! Our county doesn’t even have a cinema, but they do,” the young man murmured.

He added softly, “Honestly, even I felt a tinge of excitement when I heard the news. After all, these are features you’d only find in a first-tier city—few exist in Wei City or even Lanshi.”