Chapter 335: Turbulent Revelations in Mingsha City

It might sound like an exaggeration, but the fact that nearly every visitor who rode the Mingsha City roller coaster ended up visiting Biyou Palace speaks volumes.

By noon, news of the Mingsha City roller coaster had exploded online, especially with firsthand accounts from those who experienced it, sparking heated discussion.

“A trip to the Underworld? That thrilling?”

“More than thrilling! It feels so real—as if that’s exactly what happens after death. At one point, I even wondered if what I saw was just a miniature version of the Underworld.”

“Real? Isn’t that a bit over the top? I admit, based on your descriptions the second entertainment project in Mingsha City is far more exciting than Dino Park’s Seven Dwarfs roller coaster, but calling it real—I can’t agree!”

“I feel the same! At best, Mingsha City’s light and scene effects in ‘Long Life Journey’ are superb and outshine the Seven Dwarfs coaster, but to say it’s realistic is a stretch.”

“Heh, the girl who wet her pants at noon was as stubborn as you at first—but later, while burning incense and kowtowing at Biyou Palace, she ran faster than anyone.”

“Did a beauty just lose control of her bladder on the spot?”

“Plenty did!”

“Intriguing. I’ve got to check it out for myself.”

“By all means—but if you truly plan to experience it from the inside, I’d suggest you bring some jade or a talisman or something.”

“Jade?”

“Yeah! Trust me—since Second Entertainment City sits right by Mingsha Fudi, and you all know the commotion over there (despite their flimsy explanation), it might very well be the same. Better safe than sorry!”

“Uh…”

“Also, a quick reminder: if you plan to go there, book in advance. Don’t wait until you’re on site.”

“Book in advance? Weren’t you all booking on the spot today?”

“Today was an exception! As expected, countless visitors eager for the second project will swarm in, but with only one hundred people admitted every twenty minutes, even a 24-hour operation can’t handle the influx!”

Moreover, Mingsha City announced that Second Entertainment City opens at 8 a.m. and closes promptly at 6 p.m. every day.

A knowledgeable netizen added.

“In that case, I’ll log into the Mingsha City app to check it out.”

Before long, evening arrived. With the sun setting, at Wuzhuang Temple in Mingsha City, Cangshan Daoist’s eyes widened as he relayed Canghai’s description: “What? Biyou Palace is packed with incense burners today—people are even queuing just to pay their respects?”

He then stole a glance toward the front hall of Wuzhuang Temple.

In recent days, as the hype over the ‘Meteorite Incident’ ebbed, visitor numbers at Wuzhuang Temple had dwindled; most came merely to snap photos or inquire about when the Ginseng Fruit Tree would open—actual incense burners had become few and far between.

Now hearing that incense burners at Biyou Palace had surged, Cangshan couldn’t stay put.

“Hmm!”

“Why?”

“This morning, wasn’t the second amusement park in Mingsha City opened to the public? Right after the ride, everyone rushed straight to Biyou Palace.”

Canghai nodded emphatically.

If not for the items Luo Peng bought that still hadn’t arrived, he’d have stirred up some serious commotion today.

“Second Entertainment City? Is You Gong sneaking in extra attractions?”

“The project launched by Second YouLe City is ‘Long Life Journey’—it features Underworld and Eighteen Levels of Hell scenes. The City Master had You Gong lend a hand, so it makes sense; otherwise, how else could it scare off so many visitors?”

“That rascal…”

Cangshan’s brow furrowed.

“Senior, what about us?”

Canghai hesitated for a moment.

To be honest, this time they really had no choice but to let You Gong handle things, since he acted with Xu Hao’s full authorization and everything was above board.

“When will our pear tree, Kunlun Mountain Jade, and those two types of animals arrive?”

After a brief thought, Cangshan replied,

“I heard from President Luo that the pear tree should arrive soon, but for the two types of animals, we still need to get approval from the relevant departments. Even at best, it’ll take over a month.”

“Over a month? That’s way too long!”

At that, Cangshan immediately shook his head.

“Senior, what exactly are you suggesting?”

A flicker of resolve crossed Canghai’s face.

“Then I’ll speak with the City Master tomorrow.”

“Speak with the City Master?”

“Yeah! I heard that the third entertainment project is set up along one side of Qing Brick Avenue—on the route from Qixia Town to the Xianxia Zone. Since You Gong is ‘helping out,’ we surely can too! I believe the City Master will agree.”

Cangshan stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Senior, I understand!”

Canghai paused, then his face brightened.

“Hmm!”

“But before that, I need to swing by Mingsha Fudi. I can’t shake the feeling that You Gong hasn’t been acting quite right these past few days.”

“Alright!”

Soon enough, it was 8 p.m. Online, discussions about Mingsha City’s second entertainment project grew louder—with detailed descriptions and short video clips circulating. ‘Mingsha City’s second project outclasses Dino Park’ quickly became the buzzword of the moment!

Sure enough, trending topics were on their way. Once they hit, Mingsha City would see another peak in visitor numbers.

Yet, the city’s top brass didn’t share the same level of excitement.

At Wudi City’s Ancient Building Courtyard—

Xu Hao stroked his chin, his brow furrowed.

After a moment, he looked up at Zhu Qiang and asked, “Were there many complaints from visitors today?”

“Absolutely flooded!”

Zhu Qiang nodded heavily.

With the second entertainment project revealed, waves of would-be thrill-seekers arrived. But given its limited capacity—many queued all day without getting in—complaints soon began pouring in.

Not only did calls reach Mingsha City’s Visitor Service Center, they went all the way to Mingsha County and even Su Province’s cultural and tourism departments.

“Were most of those complaining visitors staying at guesthouses?”

Xu Hao inquired.

“Yes. Their biggest gripe is that they traveled hundreds of miles to enjoy Mingsha City’s attractions, only to be unable to secure a ticket for the new projects. To them, it just isn’t fair.”

On the sidelines, Luo Peng chimed in agreement.

“Unfair? What do you think about it all?”

Xu Hao pondered quietly, then turned his gaze to Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng.

“Brother Hao, I do feel that guests staying in Mingsha City are at a disadvantage. Ever since the ‘Dreaming of the Past’ project opened, complaints have been relentless.”

Luo Peng exchanged a glance with Zhu Qiang before continuing, “Each time a new project is unveiled, visitors from Wei City and Lanshi swarm in, enjoy it quickly, and then leave. Worst of all, scalpers have emerged amid the rush.”

“These scalpers have even managed to secure loads of tickets using their own or relatives’ IDs, leaving fewer chances for our guesthouse visitors.”

“Brother Hao, these ‘scalpers’ are infuriating! We offer free entry to the public, yet they’re making a killing behind the scenes.”

Zhu Qiang added quietly, unable to mention names.

“Frankly, someone is exploiting Mingsha City’s goodwill and milking it dry. It’s even starting to hurt the city’s reputation.

If this continues—

Who in the future would choose to stay in Mingsha City’s hotels or Wall Guesthouses?

“I got it! In that case, let’s start charging admission. That way, we can limit the scalpers and offer a better experience for our genuine guesthouse visitors. Mingsha City must prioritize them.”

Xu Hao stood, poured himself a cup of clear tea, and calmly stated,

“After everything, a ticketing system is the only solution.”

“Once we start charging, scalpers will have to bear the cost—and they won’t be as brazen as they are now.”

It goes without saying that Mingsha City was forced into this decision!

Otherwise, it would have been a long time before the idea of charging admission even surfaced.

“Charging admission?”

Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng exchanged a glance and smiled.

They had been wanting to suggest this to Xu Hao for a while but hadn’t known how, especially since leaders in Mingsha County had already proposed it several times.

“Alright! But before we start charging, all preparatory measures must be in place. First, workers in Mingsha City, students at Mingsha College, and soon-to-be relocated villagers from Hongsha Gang Village must not be affected.”

After pausing, Xu Hao added,

“Brother Hao, rest assured—a facial recognition access control system will solve this for us! Once everyone is registered in our system, entering or leaving the city gate won’t be an issue.”

Zhu Qiang nodded in agreement.

“Fine! As for the ticket price, the two of you handle the calculations and then report it to the relevant departments. One thing is certain—the price must not exceed that of Dino Park in Haishi.”

Xu Hao didn’t elaborate further.

He knew that once he nodded his approval, Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng would take care of everything perfectly.

“Understood, Brother Hao!”

“Also, since we’re introducing ticket charges, our wall construction must speed up! Otherwise, locals might sneak visitors in to bypass the ticket—circumventing our city walls.

If they can slip through, that’s one thing; if not, our surroundings, which are mostly desert, could prove deadly.”

Xu Hao then turned to look at the sand table.

In the Long Kingdom, such incidents were commonplace.

“Brother Hao! I’ll speak with President Zhuang tomorrow about speeding up wall construction—hopefully, we can have the entire wall finished by early next year!”

Luo Peng immediately interjected.

“Hmm!”

“Any other issues with today’s entertainment projects?”

“None!”

“Then that’s good.”

Night deepened as the stars blanketed the sky. Meanwhile, just as Xu Hao made a major decision, in Yan City on the Second Ring, a middle-aged man from a certain department urgently knocked on an office door that still had its lights on, exclaiming,

“Leader, Leader, something’s wrong!”

He stood outside, his face filled with anxiety.