Chapter 358: Unforeseen Missteps and Sudden Decisions

Time flew by; in the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed.

Gao Shang arrived at the President’s Office once again.

“What did they say over there?”

Seeing Gao Shang, Qin Yuwen—still seated at his computer—straightened up.

“The President’s call didn’t get through!”

Gao Shang shook his head helplessly.

For some reason, an ominous feeling kept creeping over him.

“Didn’t get through? Do you mean they didn’t answer or…”

“They didn’t answer!”

“Didn’t answer? Was it hung up on, or simply not connected?”

Qin Yuwen glared fiercely.

Not long ago, their Evaluation Committee was the toast among Tourism heads in the provinces of the Long Kingdom, with everyone showing utmost deference—after all, who wouldn’t want more 4A and 5A attractions in their province?

It was the first time a call like this had been outright hung up.

“It was hung up directly!”

“What do they mean by that? We left them an out, and they still balked?”

Qin Yuwen’s frown deepened.

“Maybe they’re miffed, thinking that while Dino Park and Fengdu Scenic Area got 5A ratings, Mingsha City didn’t. And with the media frenzy nowadays, perhaps they want to up the pressure on us.”

After a brief silence, Gao Shang shared his analysis.

Earlier, Su Province had warned him—if you can, don’t give special treatment! Yet Dino Park and Fengdu Scenic Area had clearly received it.

This left them with a touch of guilt.

“Miffed? They’re miffed? I’ve got my own fire to bear! Is this the time for sulking? They have no sense of the bigger picture! Does Su Province even want to secure more 5A sites in the future?”

Smack! Qin Yuwen banged his hand on the desk, letting his anger burst forth.

“President, the media is completely against us right now.”

Gao Shang hesitated; he wanted to reason with him but couldn’t find the right words.

“Hmph! Fine—if they can’t play ball, why should we give them any face? If they ever come knocking again, let them fend for themselves.”

The more Qin Yuwen thought about it, the angrier he became.

Not only was the head of Mingsha City silent toward the Evaluation Committee, now even Su Province was on the same page. How was he expected to stay calm?

“Now.”

“Enough! If need be, over the next couple of days all on-duty staff will have their phones switched off. We won’t accept any media interviews! Let’s cool this down—I doubt the heat will last forever.”

“But what if the higher-ups ask?”

At these words,

a trace of worry flickered across Gao Shang’s face.

“If the higher-ups ask, let them ask. We did nothing wrong! The reasons for our refusal aren’t fabricated—the conditions and rules are there for all to see! Besides, we can remind them: how can Mingsha City be so conceited, thinking that hosting the Cultural Expo, International Magic Competition, and Technology Expo makes them untouchable?”

Furthermore!

This forced change of plans for the Technology Expo is largely due to Mingsha City as well.

Qin Yuwen snorted in disbelief.

“But…”

Gao Shang paused.

Qin Yuwen’s remark, while partly reasonable, turned unexpectedly personal.

The forced change in the Technology Expo plan wasn’t really Mingsha City’s fault; the shallow tech companies were to blame! In fact, their actions have catapulted Long Kingdom’s ancient technology into trending topics—even abroad. In that sense,

Mingsha City is hardly at fault.

“Alright, do it my way! One day, they’ll regret it and come begging us.”

“Alright.”

Little did they know that as Qin Yuwen fumed,

in Su Province, Lanshi, in a certain building, Dong Liping and Feng Wancheng were seated at a tea table discussing, “Old Dong, will hanging up on the Evaluation Committee’s call have repercussions? What if they call back and…”

Feng Wancheng took a sip of tea, his sentence trailing off.

“Remember how they swore when refusing Mingsha City—no special treatment! And yet, when Mingsha City missed out on 5A, I conceded! Why should Dino Park get it? It’s just an entertainment city!

Of course, if you want to call it that, it’s because it’s steeped in Western culture.”

Mentioning the Evaluation Committee’s call, Dong Liping looked equally incensed.

In his view,

the recent uproar over Dino Park and Mingsha City was overblown; even if the Evaluation Committee didn’t assist Mingsha City, playing favorites like this was unjust.

It would have been fine if both were rejected.

“Old Dong, have you contacted Xiao Xu? What’s his take on this?”

Feng Wancheng fell silent.

In truth, upon hearing the news, he was furious too. The value of the Xiliang Protectorate, hosted by Mingsha City, was as significant as genuine relics—if not more so—and yet the Evaluation Committee dismissed it as merely a fabricated attraction. It was infuriating.

“Xiao Xu didn’t say much, but I’m sure he has his opinions. If Long Kingdom holds another major traditional event, Mingsha City definitely won’t be in the running.”

Dong Liping sighed deeply.

“No doubt about it! Some events, only Mingsha City can pull them off.”

Feng Wancheng poured tea for both and added, “But it’s a pity Mingsha City didn’t earn 5A this time. With Xiao Xu’s stubborn nature, he probably won’t apply again; without 5A, Mingsha City loses a crucial endorsement internationally.”

“That doesn’t matter! This afternoon, a higher-up called saying that they’re applying for Mingsha City to be designated as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site!”

At that, Dong Liping waved his hand dismissively.

In fact, that was partly why he felt confident hanging up on the Evaluation Committee’s call.

“World Cultural and Natural Heritage?”

Feng Wancheng was taken aback.

“Yes!”

“If Mingsha City makes it onto that list, its value will far surpass that of a 5A rating.”

“Absolutely! But the higher-ups also mentioned that the criteria are extremely strict. Mingsha City might only qualify in one category, though they’ll try hard to expand. And if Xiao Xu puts in a bit more effort, it would be perfect!”

Dong Liping sipped his tea thoughtfully.

“Extra effort from Xiao Xu? I don’t foresee any issues. With the Technology Expo no longer completely tied to Mingsha City, there’s plenty of time. Xiao Xu is restless as ever!”

Feng Wancheng’s expression shifted as he spoke confidently.

Night had fallen.

Without the dust storms, the desert night sky was exceptionally clear, a tapestry of stars like a dream. Many visitors in Mingsha City even chose to lie under the desert sky rather than stay in guesthouses.

At that moment,

on the Qing Brick Avenue at the western edge of Mingsha Fudi, You Gong stared at Fang Hou in disbelief.

“Mr. Fang, are you saying all the workers here will be reassigned?”

“Yes!”

“Why? The project is nearly complete! Besides, Biyou Palace is funding the entire endeavor—even covering the workers’ wages.”

You Gong instinctively glanced toward the small island in the lake.

If given two more weeks, Island No. 1 would be finished. If work suddenly stops now, where will he find replacement workers?

After a pause,

You Gong, unable to hide his unease, whispered, “Did the City Master hear something? Is it forbidden?”

“Not at all.”

Fang Hou immediately shook his head.

“Then what’s the reason?”

You Gong exhaled in relief.

“Because the higher-ups need to focus on a project in the core area! This project is so massive that even if all workers from Mingsha Labor were sent over, it might not suffice.”

At the mention of the project, Fang Hou sighed deeply.

Even now, he still felt a tinge of fear. “A project that massive?”

You Gong paused.

It was the first time he had seen such a look on Fang Hou’s face. Even during the construction of Mo Mechanism City, he had never seen him so shaken.

“Could it be that what we have is truly…”

“Daoist, I really have no choice here. How about this: Let Biyou Palace recruit some disciples to take on the work gradually. After all, there isn’t much left to do.”

After a moment’s thought, Fang Hou felt a pang of guilt and offered a suggestion.

“Recruit disciples? But even if you do that, what about the materials? Mingsha City can only purchase materials through Mingsha Tourism right now.”

You Gong rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

That was meant to prevent district managers from over-reporting repairs, leading to constant, disorderly excavation and maintenance that would disrupt the visitor experience.

“Daoist, don’t worry! This afternoon’s meeting made it clear: after pulling all the workers for the core area, the remaining projects will be managed independently by each manager or channel director, as long as they don’t affect the tourist experience.”

Fang Hou waved his hand dismissively.

“Hmm? They can manage it on their own?”

You Gong beamed with delight.

“Yes! This time, the higher-ups have given the channel directors a lot of leeway. Everyone can handle their own projects. If not, many projects would come to a halt with all the labor shifted to the core area.

Moreover, you have more freedom here!

While other regions still need financial approval from Mingsha Finance, Biyou Palace isn’t involved.

“If that’s the case, then it works.”

You Gong’s concerns largely melted away. Still, after a moment, he whispered, “Mr. Fang, could you reveal what project the City Master is undertaking in the core area?”

“What project?”

Scanning the area nervously, Fang Hou leaned in and whispered to You Gong.

The more he listened, the wider You Gong’s eyes grew, his face etched with deep worry.

Wuzhuang Temple, dotted with fireflies and framed by ancient, towering pines, looked more ethereal than ever.

At that moment, in the backyard, Canghai hurriedly arrived at the main house.

“Senior!”

“What’s wrong? You seem to be in a rush! Did President Luo sort things out?”

Seeing the look on the Daoist Canghai’s face, Daoist Master Cangshan—who had been meditating—slowly opened his eyes.

“Senior, I have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news!”

Canghai poured himself a cup of tea before turning his gaze to Daoist Master Cangshan.