Chapter 351: Mingsha City’s Race Against Time

Then it’s settled! There’s no time to waste! Should we contact the Science Association? The sooner we act, the better for us.

Ma Wenchun said immediately.

“Alright!”

Sunset, moonrise! Even though it’s already 10 PM, Mingsha City remains bustling. In fact, it’s gradually transforming into a true city that never sleeps—not just for show.

For this reason,

Mingsha City has revised its work policies. Not only will decorative lights remain on all night, but the old street’s food market will also stay open until dawn.

Of course,

there are still restrictions on attractions and entertainment. Currently, only Lanruo Temple is open at night; all the others have fixed schedules.

Wudi City, Ancient Building Courtyard

Xu Hao had just arrived, freshened up, and chatted with Han Xiaoqing about Mingsha Academy when he received a call from Li Jue.

“So those tech companies want to set up their booths early?”

On hearing this,

Xu Hao furrowed his brow.

“Yeah! An official mentioned that since a foreign tech company is also participating, the local tech companies are under extra pressure and want to set up early in Mingsha City! Besides, the higher-ups assumed the venue was an existing building, so they agreed!”

Over the phone, Li Jue’s voice carried a hint of resignation.

While no one else knew Mingsha City’s plans in detail, Li Jue did—and he fully supported Xu Hao’s decision, believing that giving it our all was the only option.

After all, all that time spent preparing for the Technology Expo would be wasted if we backed down now.

But with deadlines repeatedly pushed up, even a well-equipped Mingsha City might buckle. This time, they might have to fall back on a second plan: using the ancient architecture complex on Lutai as the expo venue.

“When exactly?”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao took a deep breath.

If the higher-ups are convinced that Mingsha City is using pre-existing buildings, then this decision isn’t problematic.

“In three days, the tech companies will start arriving in Mingsha City. The foreign exhibitors might come a bit later.”

Li Jue added.

“Three days then. Alright! I’ll check on our progress. If we make it, great; if not, we’ll switch to our backup plan.”

After a moment of calculation, Xu Hao replied,

“Alright!”

After discussing a few more details, Xu Hao hung up the phone.

“Xiaoqing, get some rest tonight! I’m heading back to the construction site,” he called out.

He took a sip of tea, grabbed his coat from the rack, and shouted toward the inner room.

“Going out again tonight? I thought that side was nearly finished!”

On hearing this,

Han Xiaoqing, dressed in pajamas, stepped out with a surprised look.

“There’s no choice. Those tech companies start setting up in three days—time’s too tight. I figured we’d first secure the booth area, and then finish the rest while they’re busy setting up!”

Xu Hao nodded.

“Does that work?”

“Absolutely! Let them set up theirs; we wrap up ours. They won’t clash—as long as everything is ready before the Expo starts.”

Xu Hao shook his head.

“Then, can you bring some extra fruits?”

Han Xiaoqing looked at him with a touch of tenderness before heading to the living room to grab some fruits and begin washing them.

These fruits weren’t bought from the Mingsha City market; they were sent by You Gong and Daoist Master Cangshan.

They even mentioned that in the future, fruits from the pear trees in Mingsha Fudi and Wuzhuang Temple would be delivered to Wudi City first.

“Alright then!”

Little did anyone know, shortly after Xu Hao left, two figures appeared on Qing Brick Avenue at the outskirts of Mingsha Fudi, their eyes fixed on a small island at the far edge.

“Senior Brother, what do you think You Gong is up to skulking around? It looks like it’s more than just a minor job!”

After watching for a long moment,

one of them spoke up.

The two figures were none other than Daoist Master Cangshan and Canghai from Wuzhuang Temple.

“It sure is! Look at those workers setting up a boardwalk. As expected, You Gong must be planning to connect the two small islands,”

Cangshan nodded.

At that moment, the island in the center of the lake had changed significantly since their last visit—especially the one on the far left.

Usually, at night, that island was lit only by a few decorative green lights, but now several building lights were visible, particularly at the summit, which resembled a sizable pavilion.

“Connect them? Why would they link a perfectly fine island with a boardwalk?”

Canghai paused.

“It’s simple! You Gong must have set up something on the island. To make it easier for visitors headed to Biyou Palace for incense burning, he built a wooden boardwalk.”

Cangshan glanced over at Biyou Palace hidden within the dense forest.

“I wonder what scheme You Gong has cooked up this time.”

Canghai hesitated to continue.

During this period, thanks to their ‘design,’ Wuzhuang Temple’s incense offerings soared—even reaching full capacity. Coupled with the efforts of ‘Little Sapling,’ its status in Mingsha City had become increasingly solid.

But he knew well that the current flood of pilgrims was due to the upcoming college entrance exams.

In Long Kingdom, people are notorious for last-minute cramming. Once the exams are over, the number of visitors coming to Wuzhuang Temple for incense burning will sharply decrease.

Thus, to maintain Wuzhuang Temple’s popularity, further strategies must be explored.

“You Gong isn’t up to any small tricks this time! After all these years, I know him well—if he unleashes this project, it’s bound to attract plenty of pilgrims.”

Cangshan turned his gaze toward Wudi City.

“Then,”

Canghai paused.

“Once this Technology Expo is over, we’ll get in touch with President Luo again to push the animal project forward!”

Turning around, Cangshan’s eyes shone with determination.

“Huh? Contact President Luo again? Senior, didn’t City Master say we shouldn’t reach out to him anymore?”

Canghai’s face betrayed a moment of hesitation.

“City Master said so, but we need to be resourceful! We can make President Luo come to us—then it won’t be our problem. Besides, isn’t that exactly what You Gong did? When City Master forbade You Gong from contacting President Luo, he promptly connected with Mr. Fang from Haofang Culture,”

he continued, “even claiming he was supporting Haofang Culture’s project!”

“I don’t trust a word he says!”

Cangshan glared at his junior, his eyes filled with disappointed exasperation.

“Senior, you make a strong point.”

Being chided,

Canghai scratched his head—not angry at all, but as if a sudden epiphany had opened a new chapter in his mind.

“Absolutely necessary!”

“Senior, so what do we do now? Should we check out You Gong’s island?”

“No, forget it! Even if we went, You Gong wouldn’t give a straight answer. We need to wait until the project unfolds and then adjust our strategy. Rest assured, our preparations are already in place.”

Cangshan waved his hand dismissively.

“Alright!”

“By the way, there’s something else we need to keep an eye on.”

After a brief pause, Cangshan suddenly remembered something and continued,

“What is it?”

“Yesterday, while I was out shopping, I noticed two furtive old Taoists near the city gate. They looked familiar, though I can’t quite place them. But one thing’s for sure—they aren’t ordinary. I worry they might be planning to set up a Daoist training ground here in Mingsha City again.”

“Eh? Other sects?”

Canghai was instantly stunned.

Long Kingdom’s Daoist lineage spans thousands of years. He knew better than anyone that in the vast lands of the Long Kingdom, it wasn’t just You Gong and his ilk.

“Yeah! As expected, they’ve surely noticed the activity at Biyou Palace and Wuzhuang Temple. They must be eager to claim a share of Mingsha City’s fortunes.”

Cangshan stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“This…”

Canghai hesitated to add more.

With Biyou Palace and Wuzhuang Temple already fiercely competing, if another sect appears, Mingsha City could descend into chaos.

“Of course, I’m only speculating! They might just be passing through, but knowing City Master’s temperament—it’s no secret he’s a devout admirer of Long Kingdom’s traditional culture. If we secure a spot, he wouldn’t refuse entry to other sects either.”

After another pause, Cangshan continued,

“Alright then! Let’s hope their arrival is delayed. Once Wuzhuang Temple’s popularity stabilizes, even if they do show up, it won’t impact us too much.”

“Yeah!”

“Senior, I’ll send a message to President Luo in the next couple of days.”

At that moment,

Canghai’s tone grew noticeably more urgent.

In Yan City, neon lights flickered. In a five-story, old-style building within the Third Ring, lights still shone in an office.

Two men in their fifties sat at a tea table, deep in discussion, showing no sign of stopping.

“President, if we rate Dino Park and Fengdu Scenic Area as 5A this time, won’t Mingsha City protest? Not long ago, an official from Su Province called, and his tone was far from pleasant.”

After setting down his tea, one of the men looked at the other—a man marked by a black mole near his brow.

The mole-marked man, Qin Yuwen, is the President of the Long Kingdom Scenic Quality Evaluation Committee, and his companion, Gao Shang, is the Vice President.

“A bitter tone? We’re not targeting Mingsha City on purpose. The fact is, Mingsha City doesn’t meet current standards. Besides, I heard they even have a manager there who only finished high school and never attended college!”

At this,

Qin Yuwen raised his eyebrows.

“The manager issue isn’t a major problem. I merely mentioned that the cap for newly built attractions is 4A. In a sense, Dino Park and Fengdu Scenic Area are both new attractions.”

Gao Shang hesitated.

“Are they comparable? Dino Park is a flagship foreign investment project! Fengdu Scenic Area is a well-established tourist spot and should follow the previous standards. So these two can’t be judged by conventional criteria.”

At this,

Qin Yuwen immediately waved his hand.

“That may be so.”

“Alright then, don’t worry. When the announcement comes out, things will fall into place! We can’t let public opinion dictate our moves. The key is that Mingsha City has set its sights too high—they even refused to provide extra documentation when asked! Tell me, can such a destination really earn a 5A rating?

How can they better serve tourists with such an attitude?”