Chapter 303: Magic Mishaps and Costly Accusations
by xennovel“Mr. Jin, check the Magic Wand and the backdrop again!”
Snap out of it!
Cui Xiaozhong looked over at Jin Shanfú.
“Yes!”
Ding-a-ling. Just as Jin Shanfú stepped forward to pick up the Magic Wand, Cui Xiaozhong’s phone rang.
He picked it up and frowned before answering immediately.
“Hello, are you Mr. Cui, the team leader for the H Country contestant?”
The next moment, a clear, solid voice came through the phone.
“Hello, I am! May I ask who is calling?”
“I’m in charge of this International Magic Competition. I’m calling because we just received a complaint from Mingsha City. They say your contestant has damaged one of their attractions without permission and that you must compensate them at full cost!”
The voice continued.
“We damaged public property?”
Cui Xiaozhong’s voice suddenly boomed.
“Yes! The person in charge of Mingsha City mentioned that the Demon-Locking Tower – which is entirely cast in high-grade steel – now sports an irreparable mark on its first level, and you’re responsible for it.”
“Boss, this is totally unfair! Our magic act was never meant to be like this.”
Hearing the resolute tone on the other end, Cui Xiaozhong grew anxious.
“Unfair? Although your contestant’s performance today was a huge hit, Mingsha City’s complaint isn’t without merit. Didn’t you at least give the organizers a heads-up when designing the act? The official from Mingsha City explained that this unrecoverable damage could cost them billions in M Gold.”
The voice on the phone sounded up again.
“What? Billions in M Gold in losses!”
At these words…
Cui Xiaozhong felt like he was about to puke blood.
Based on today’s audience reaction, the popularity of the Demon-Locking Tower will only soar from here – how could there possibly be a loss!
Bringing in billions in revenue for Mingsha City would make more sense. This is a case of getting the best of both worlds!
“Yes! Come over to Mingsha Pavilion later and discuss this with the responsible party. If this isn’t resolved properly, it won’t just affect your contestant – it’ll tarnish H Country’s reputation as well.”
“I…”
Cui Xiaozhong gritted his molars and glanced over at Park Dong-hee.
At the same time, just as Cui Xiaozhong was about to unleash a string of curses, in Yan City at the Ancient Architecture Institute…
Li Jue was also on a call.
“Dean, you need to report this to the higher authorities. You’re well aware of the casting difficulty of the Demon-Locking Tower—it simply can’t be rebuilt on the spot. The H Country contestant went too far!”
A very distressed voice of Xu Hao came through the phone.
“Uh, but isn’t this really none of your business?”
Hearing this, Li Jue’s face was filled with astonishment.
Frankly, when he saw today’s news highlights, his first thought was that Mingsha City pulled off a perfect show. Ever since the Cultural Expo debacle, H Country and Long Kingdom have been at odds, so their contestant could never have devised a magic act that flaunts Long Kingdom’s traditional culture.
There’s only one explanation: Mingsha City must have pre-arranged some public relations for that contestant.
“Dean, Mingsha City really has nothing to do with this. We know nothing about it!”
Xu Hao’s voice continued, full of grievance.
“So now, then…”
Snapping back to reality, Li Jue couldn’t help but press on.
“Dean, our principle is simple: damage to public property must be compensated at its full value! Even children know that. General Zhu from Mingsha Tourism is in talks with the Competition Organizers, though I expect they’ll try to stiff us, which is why I called you. Please report this to the higher-ups!”
“Uh…”
At that, Li Jue was momentarily at a loss for words.
Nothing more.
Because Xu Hao’s point actually made a certain amount of sense.
“Dean, then what do you suggest?”
“Alright, I’ll call the higher-ups later to have them coordinate with the Competition Organizers and hammer out a compensation plan as soon as possible.”
Snapping back to reality,
Li Jue nodded.
“Thank you, Dean!”
“No need for thanks – we’re all in this together! By the way, Xiao Xu, after the Magic Competition, come to Yan City to discuss the Mingsha Academy’s admission plans for June with Old Cao.”
After a brief pause, Li Jue suddenly remembered something and added,
“Admissions?”
Xu Hao’s voice held a note of surprise.
Back in February, he and Cao Jun had already submitted this year’s enrollment plan: three secondary colleges, a total of 500 undergraduate spots – with the Ancient Architecture Department taking up to 300!
“Yes! A few days ago, your Su Province Traditional Chinese Medicine College submitted an application to the authorities, hoping to partner with Taiyi Hospital of Mingsha City so that traditional medicine students could receive guidance from the nation’s top doctors.
But the higher-ups didn’t agree.
Subsequently, the leadership of Su Province Traditional Chinese Medicine College settled for a backup plan: to have Mingsha Academy absorb them.
Li Jue continued,
“Huh? Mingsha Academy absorbing Su Province Traditional Chinese Medicine College? That college is a local institution; Mingsha Academy is under the Ancient Architecture Institute – they’re not the same.”
Xu Hao was instantly dumbfounded.
Although this move would bode well for the Ancient Architecture Institute, would Su Province agree? Actually, such mergers aren’t uncommon in Long Kingdom. Sometimes local and state-affiliated colleges merge, after all – they’re both government-run. Besides, Su Province has agreed to the merger, and soon Mingsha Academy will become a joint state-college.
If Mingsha Academy turns into a renowned institution in Long Kingdom, it would greatly benefit Su Province! I recall that, aside from Lanshi University, Su Province didn’t have many standout schools.
Li Jue added,
To be honest, hearing about this proposal made him quite happy. The larger and stronger Mingsha Academy becomes, the higher Xu Hao’s rank will be in the future.
It will make handling affairs much easier.
After all, with Mingsha City expanding rapidly, only the Ancient Architecture Institute can truly hold its own against all the envy and rivalry.
“Alright then!”
Xu Hao remained silent after that.
After all, the dormitories and classrooms at Mingsha Academy were built to accommodate tens of thousands of students. Absorbing a Su Province Traditional Chinese Medicine College is no big deal.
According to Li Jue’s earlier remarks, Mingsha Academy essentially gains a new medical department.
The only coordination required is that some doctors from Taiyi Hospital might need to take up teaching responsibilities at Mingsha Academy.
“Alright, then we will be in touch.”
“Okay!”
After hanging up, Li Jue slowly leaned back in his chair,
Thoughtfully murmuring to himself,
“That magic act really had nothing to do with Mingsha City? Could an H Country contestant be so foolish?”
Night deepened.
In Haishi at the Dino Park Headquarters, in the CEO’s office, a well-dressed foreign man glared angrily at the staff member sitting across the desk.
“It can’t be erased? Why not!”
The man’s full name was Pablo Diego Hoether Sandiego Francisco de Paula Juan Nebomoceno Crispeniano de Ros Remidios Ciporianno de La Sandisima Trinidad Maria Paricio Cristo Riz Brasco Cole.
Within the Dino Park Group, his peers simply called him Cole. He was a vice president of the Ross Consortium and the top executive of Dino Park in Haishi.
After reading today’s news, he was nearly beside himself with anger! How are we supposed to run Dino Park from now on?
“Boss, we’ve already contacted the official from Mingsha City. They said the Demon-Locking Tower was monolithically cast – once damaged, it can never be fixed! They’re now negotiating compensation with the H Country team leader.”
The staff member replied in a low voice.
“Compensation? Isn’t this something Mingsha City cooked up themselves? How can they even ask for compensation?”
BAM! Hearing that, Cole’s fury peaked as he slammed his fist onto the desk.
The H Country contestant sabotaging Mingsha City’s act was clearly orchestrated by them. So when Cui Xiaozhong called today to explain, they’d already decided that Mingsha City had bribed that H Country contestant.
Nothing more,
Because this wasn’t the first time; they were all too familiar with this kind of scheme!