Chapter 311: New Beginnings in Mingsha City

“Don’t overwork yourself!”

After hearing this, Han Xiaoqing looked at Xu Hao with a hint of concern.

Earlier on Lanstarr, people from other nations called Long Kingdom a construction maniac, but now many say that Mingsha’s pace is truly unmatched. Yet few realize that behind that swift progress is a tireless team, especially led by this helmsman.

“It’s fine.”

As Xu Hao spoke, he picked up a marker and circled a spot on the blueprint.

Currently, the buildings on the plan cover nearly one-fifth of the plot, particularly north of the East Gate. Once they construct another building north of the Qingming Scroll, merely another six to seven kilometers will separate them from the North City Wall.

“By the way, Xiaoqing, this afternoon when we reach Mingsha City, I’ll take you to Mingsha Academy so you can coordinate work with Dean Shi Changjun of Su Province Traditional Chinese Medicine College.”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao continued.

Since Mingsha Academy merged with the Su Province Traditional Chinese Medicine College, the institution’s staffing and structure have undergone major adjustments.

Xu Hao remains the head of the academy, with Cao Jun as the administrative vice dean, while the former dean, Shi Changjun, is now the vice dean in charge of teaching at Mingsha Academy.

Han Xiaoqing, a graduate of the top university Yan City University in Long Kingdom, is now primarily overseeing the Environmental Studies Institute.

This visit marks the beginning of a gradual transition of responsibilities.

By the time the college entrance exams conclude in June, admissions and talent cultivation processes will kick off normally.

“Understood!”

Han Xiaoqing nodded.

Though most of the Mingsha plot is now covered with grass lattices, and the built-up area boasts lush trees and vibrant life, the students nurtured by the Environmental Studies Institute at Mingsha Academy are not just preparing for the Mingsha depot—they are paving the way to transform the entire Tengli Desert. With improvements in the surroundings, Mingsha City is poised for a quantum leap.

“Ladies and gentlemen, passengers…”

Just as Xu Hao was about to add more, an announcement chimed from the lounge signaling boarding.

“Gather your things and head to boarding!”

“Okay.”

At dusk, as the sun set in a blaze of gold, the southeast of Mingsha City shone brightly. While no development has yet marred this area, the built-up zones present a contrasting scene; except for a deliberately preserved desert zone in the A Chinese Odyssey area, the rest is lush and green.

Wudi City, Ancient Building Courtyard

Xu Hao was already seated at the tea table. Zhu Qiang, Luo Peng, Fang Hou, and several area managers were there, while Han Xiaoqing had headed off to Mingsha Academy.

“How’s the compensation from H Country coming along?”

Taking a sip from his tea cup, Xu Hao looked over at Zhu Qiang.

Even though he wasn’t in Mingsha City these days, he kept a close eye on matters here.

“Brother Hao, we should finalize the compensation in about half a month. Zhang Lu mentioned that negotiations have settled on a range between 90 million M gold and 150 million M gold,” Zhu Qiang hurriedly explained.

Upon hearing this,

Zhu Qiang quickly added.

“That’s enough for you! By the way, Manager Tian, how is the operation at Mingsha Fudi today? Any urgent issues to address?”

After a slight nod, Xu Hao turned his gaze to Tian Dong, the person in charge of Mingsha Fudi.

“Boss, we’re facing quite a few problems right now!”

Taking a deep breath, Tian Dong spoke frankly.

At present, whether it’s foot traffic or other aspects, nothing seems to be working flawlessly. Every day brings a slew of challenges. Mingsha Fudi has become the toughest area to manage in Mingsha City.

“Give me the details—all of them, no matter how small.”

Xu Hao urged Tian Dong to lay everything out openly, without sugarcoating any issues.

“Boss, aside from an overwhelming number of visitors these days, we’re dealing with many other issues. For instance, some tourists, ignoring our advice, keep pouring water into the lake, burning incense tablets by the shore, and even breaking off tree branches. Especially on the island in the lake, valuable trees and flowers are being plucked away in secret.”

Tian Dong opened his notebook and began reporting item by item.

“Breaking tree branches?”

Xu Hao furrowed his brow.

“Yes! There’s a rumor that the trees at Mingsha Fudi possess spiritual energy—snapping a branch brings fortune and wards off disasters for one’s family.”

At that, Tian Dong’s face showed his helplessness.

Even with increased security at Mingsha Fudi, the sheer number of tourists makes effective deterrence nearly impossible. Moreover, Mingsha City isn’t an enforcement agency and lacks the authority to impose stricter penalties.

Even if violations are detected, it usually ends with a warning or a slight fine. For many tourists, a fine of a few dozen bucks is nothing—some even find it worthwhile if breaking a branch nets them a small fee compared to the perceived luck they gain.

Xu Hao rubbed his temples.

“Ward off disasters?”

He really hadn’t expected that the visitors to Mingsha Fudi would get this carried away. If nothing is done, they’ll soon strip the place bare. Today it’s branches; tomorrow it could be stones.

“Brother Hao, this morning Manager Tian took me to Mingsha Fudi. The tourists staying at the guesthouses, especially those in the Sunset Tour Group, are all over the place—breaking branches, moving stones, even trying to corral animals like cranes and deer, and some are even trying to scoop fish with small nets.

They refuse all advice and sometimes even complain about our security, accusing Mingsha City of poor service.”

Nearby, Zhu Qiang, looking a bit exasperated, chimed in.

He had only seen the antics of the Sunset Tour Group on the news, but experiencing it firsthand today was eye-opening.

“Is that really the case?”

Xu Hao frowned.

Honestly, he could understand if some tourists casually practiced the Zhu You Technique by the lake—one could turn a blind eye. But breaking branches, hoisting large containers for water, and catching fish in the lake were completely unacceptable.

“Even though some groups are well-behaved, nearly every tour has a few restless individuals. Once one sets a precedent, others follow suit.”

Tian Dong quickly replied.

“If nothing else works, we could put up signs at all major entrances to Mingsha Fudi. Anyone caught in this behavior would be blacklisted by Mingsha City and denied future entry.”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao looked at Zhu Qiang.

At this point, it seemed like the only solution.

“Brother Hao, Manager Tian and I did consider that. But Mingsha City is vast—once we expel these tourists, keeping them out will be a challenge. If they really want in, we simply can’t stop them.”

Zhu Qiang immediately responded.

“Can’t stop them? Then let’s set up a ticket checkpoint at the City Gate. I bet we can block those unruly visitors for sure!”

Xu Hao glanced at the sand table in the distance.

“Setting up a checkpoint right at the gate? Brother Hao, I’m worried it might cause congestion, especially for the vehicles trying to enter.”

From across the table, Luo Peng hesitated for a moment.

“Then let’s relocate the parking lot. We can discuss it with the county; build two large parking areas and RV camps on the north and south sides outside the City Gate. All external vehicles will then park outside Mingsha City.”

Rising from his seat,

Xu Hao moved over to the sand table.

There is a five-kilometer green buffer zone between Mingsha City and Hongsha Gang Village. Establishing parking lots on both sides of the City Gate would be more than sufficient without disrupting the existing layout.

Most importantly, once the Mingsha City High-Speed Rail Station is connected to the metro, there will be no need for tourists’ vehicles to enter the city at all.

“Relocating the parking lot?”

Zhu Qiang, Luo Peng, and the others all turned their eyes to the sand table.

“We can convert the old parking lot into a designated area for tourists to wait for carriages, sedan chairs, or even camel rides.”

Xu Hao added,

The eastern city wall of Mingsha City is already built, with the north and south sides extending westward significantly. It’s nearly impossible for tourists to bypass the wall and enter from behind.

“Brother Hao, I’ll start preparing the arrangements tonight,”

Zhu Qiang said after glancing at Tian Dong.

That should effectively block these visitors out.

“Understood! Also, we must beef up security and staffing at the City Gate to prevent tourist congestion,”

Xu Hao agreed.

“Alright!”

After wrapping up the discussion on Mingsha Fudi, and touching on a few other matters, the area managers left the Ancient Building Courtyard, leaving only Xu Hao, Zhu Qiang, Luo Peng, and Fang Hou behind.

“Monkey, how’s your progress over there?”

Xu Hao sipped his tea.

“In a few days, filming for Celebrating the Remaining Years will begin. With Second Sister’s help, all roles have been finalized. The male lead is an actor Second Sister poached from Mingsha County Troupe—the same one who starred in Snowy Series! The supporting cast is filled with veteran performers found by Second Sister.

As for our movie, it’s already registered! The leads, a man and a woman from Gang City, have been personally selected by Second Sister.

The audition went extremely well.”

Fang Hou nodded, signaling for Xu Hao to relax.

“So, we just need the filming locations now?”

Setting his tea cup down, Xu Hao continued,

“The sets for Celebrating the Remaining Years are nearly complete. Only Lanruo Temple, the most critical shooting location for the movie, is left. Once Lanruo Temple is built, filming should progress even faster than for Celebrating the Remaining Years.”

Fang Hou added,

“The movie’s production pace is already fast. With Xu Hao’s ‘director’s script’, there shouldn’t be any real difficulties.”

“Lanruo Temple?”

Xu Hao’s expression shifted as he looked at Luo Peng.

“Brother Hao, if Lanruo Temple can break ground in the next few days, I’m thinking of linking it with Mingsha Amusement Park. Building just the temple would be quick, but connecting the two would be even better.”

Luo Peng immediately replied,

“Right. The focus should be on Mingsha Amusement Park and the movie project; we can put the Tech Expo on hold for now. If necessary, rush to get Lanruo Temple up.”

Xu Hao nodded.

Don’t be fooled by the end of the magic contest—Mingsha City will not forget the previous chaos at Dino Park.

“Understood,”

Luo Peng agreed.

Time slipped by quickly. It was already 8 PM; as evening lights came on, in a private room of a top-tier hotel, Bai Fu Technology’s Chairman Li Yan was intently looking at a blond, blue-eyed man across from him.

“Mr. Peter, are you sure you want to participate in Long Kingdom’s Tech Expo?”

After a brief pause, Li Yan asked.

“Yes! So, could you possibly help with an introduction to the relevant departments?”

The man nodded firmly.

His name is Peter, and he is the Vice President of Sk Corp.

Their company has recently launched an AI drone tailored for various civilian applications. Showcasing it at the expo could quickly penetrate the Long Kingdom market.

And since Li Yan is the President of the Long Kingdom Tech Chamber, his endorsement would make a world of difference.

After all, Sk Corp is the largest tech company in the star system, and domestic regulators are typically averse to foreign companies participating in tech expos.

“This… this might be a bit challenging!”

After confirming Peter’s intent, Li Yan immediately responded.