Chapter 367: Mingsha City’s Surprise Announcement

Mingsha City just issued an announcement? What does it say?

At that, everyone listened in.

Cole and Adam exchanged a quick look.

Just moments ago, they were remarking on how oddly quiet things were in Mingsha City, and now an announcement drops out of nowhere.

“Is it about the lawsuit with Fengdu Scenic Area or something financial?”

Before the staff could fully enter, Cole immediately stood up while Adam eagerly looked on at the newcomer.

Judging by the scene…

The female staff member jumped in surprise, then, recovering herself, whispered, “Leader, Mingsha City just posted an announcement stating that No.3 Entertainment City will officially open tomorrow. Tourists from all over are welcome to come experience it.”

“What? You’re saying No.3 Entertainment City opens tomorrow? Are you sure?”

However, as the staff’s words sank in, both Cole and Adam were momentarily stunned.

Their expressions of anticipation instantly froze, replaced by sheer disbelief.

Especially Adam! Just minutes ago, he had been adamant that all of Mingsha City’s funds were already tied up by that ‘Epang Palace’ in the core area and several subway lines. He insisted that both No.3 and No.4 Entertainment Cities would be postponed indefinitely.

And yet, Mingsha City basically hit him with a big surprise.

“Leader, anyway, that’s exactly what the official website said.”

The staff’s voice dropped even lower: “Besides, there’s already a storm of online chatter. But what exactly is the project for No.3 Entertainment City? Mingsha City still hasn’t disclosed the details.”

“Got it. You can go now.”

Coming back to himself,

Cole felt an inexplicable irritation. He waved his hand and opened his computer.

He was eager to see what kind of entertainment project Mingsha City could conjure up when money was tight.

Dino Park is set to launch its Underwater World in three days, yet Mingsha City is opening No.3 Entertainment City tomorrow—a timing that’s almost maliciously frustrating.

He just couldn’t believe the timing was this coincidental!

Dino Park’s staff weren’t wrong either.

Meanwhile,

On a forum for Long Kingdom’s travel, posts mentioning Mingsha City were flooding in, with threads about No.3 Entertainment City pinned at the top of the homepage.

“Unbelievable!”

“I know, right? Everyone’s saying that Mingsha City has drained its funds to build that core area ‘Epang Palace.’ I was convinced No.3 and No.4 Entertainment Cities would be shelved, but then—boom—a surprise announcement.”

“Looks like Mingsha City’s coffers are much healthier than we thought.”

“Exactly! We were worrying for nothing.”

“Of course, there’s also a chance they’re forcing the project forward.”

“That’s highly unlikely! That’s just not how Mingsha City operates. Have they forgotten Dino Park’s Mo Mechanism City at the Technology Expo?”

“Alright then.”

“By the way, where exactly is No.3 Entertainment City located? I missed Dreaming of the Past and The Long Road of Life last time. I must experience it early this go-around.”

“I heard No.3 Entertainment City is not far from the Xianxia Zone!”

“Not far from the Xianxia Zone? Or is it, like No.1 and No.2 Entertainment Cities, designed in the style of an Ancient City?”

“Probably not! Recently, quite a few visitors to Wuzhuang Temple have lit incense, and none of them mentioned any such structures.”

“Oh, so what’s the project then?”

“No one knows the specifics.”

“Regardless of the project, it’s quite an interesting development. It appears the rivalry between Mingsha City and Dino Park is far from over. Dino Park was heavily promoting their new project, set to open in just three days, and Mingsha City isn’t taking any chances.”

“Dino Park’s Underwater World? What if it’s just a coincidence? I remember they had been hyping up that project for a long time.”

“Coincidence? Ha! Only a fool would think so.”

“I feel the two projects aren’t really in direct competition. Dino Park is opening an Underwater World, while Mingsha City, being in the desert, is launching an entirely different kind of project.”

“True, there’s no direct rivalry, but it’s still fun to ruffle Dino Park’s feathers.”

“That’s for sure.”

As is often the case on forums, opinions flew fast and furious; discussions about No.3 Entertainment City soon morphed into heated debates over the projects of Dino Park and Mingsha City.

Perhaps it was due to Dino Park’s extensive advertising and pre-launch hype, or the fact that Mingsha City managed to roll out No.3 Entertainment City despite their so-called ‘financial shortfall.’

The result was skyrocketing interest in both Mingsha City and Dino Park.

By 10 PM, both had trended on social media.

The trending posts only fueled the crowd at Mingsha City, and Mingsha Tourism’s phone lines were completely jammed. Many even called the local tourism department in Mingsha County, urging them to address the accommodation issues.

Thus,

there was no need to look further; tomorrow, Mingsha City was set to experience an unprecedented surge in visitor numbers.

Mingsha County Government Building, Conference Room

Leaning back in his chair and massaging his brow, Qin Xuan watched as the other department heads showed similar signs of worry.

“Leader, if all else fails, can we deploy some RVs?”

After a long silence,

one department head finally spoke up.

“RVs? That won’t solve the core issues!”

Qin Xuan waved his hand dismissively.

To be frank, he was feeling a mix of pain and pleasure.

Moments earlier, he had just overseen the resolution of issues at Mingsha City Passenger Center.

Now fully operational, the center provided an additional route for tourists from other regions.

He thought he could finally catch a break, but who would have guessed that Mingsha City would pull off two big moves in quick succession.

One was the enrollment drive at Mingsha Academy, and the other was the sudden announcement of No.3 Entertainment City’s opening.

Especially the No.3 Entertainment City project,

which had stirred up far more commotion than the International Magic Competition or the Technology Expo.

In just one afternoon, ticket sales for the dedicated passenger vehicles at Mingsha City Passenger Center were completely booked for the next few days, and even the highway entrance at Mingsha County was already experiencing traffic jams.

One could only imagine the number of tourists heading to Mingsha City tomorrow.

“And I worry not just about accommodations, but also about internal traffic within Mingsha City!”

After a brief pause, Qin Xuan added,

“Internal traffic? You mean Mingsha City might end up with clogged camel lanes like that certain scenic spot in our province?”

At that, the department head fell silent before continuing,

“Clogged camel lanes? Don’t be silly. I reckon tomorrow Mingsha City won’t just have camels backed up—the mix of transport options here is just too complex.”

Qin Xuan rubbed his brow.

In his office hung an urban plan of Mingsha City, pinpointing every existing building and detailing the routes to the Xianxia Zone. He knew it better than anyone.

If Mingsha City only had camels clogging the roads, things would be simple.

“Leader, these issues really have to be handled internally by Mingsha City. Our worries might be for nothing!”

Before Qin Xuan could add more, another department head hesitated before saying,

“Internal solutions? Just look at what happened in that city in Eastern Province—after the barbecue craze, the local government scrambled to serve the tourists! We’ve got a Golden Phoenix, too, and if we don’t address its issues, all our talks are useless!”

At this, Qin Xuan’s face darkened.

“But…”

The admonished department head blushed deeply, too frightened to say another word or meet Qin Xuan’s gaze.

“So, tomorrow the county’s traffic department is to dispatch every available person to Mingsha City. Under no circumstances can the traffic become chaotic.”

After giving a sharp look to the man who had just spoken, Qin Xuan turned to another department head.

“Understood, Leader.”

“Also, everyone must wear traditional attire. If anyone lacks the proper costume, contact the manager at Mingsha Tourism immediately to borrow one. As for today’s calls from tourists, if needed, set up a temporary tent area on the outskirts of Hongsha Gang Village tomorrow.

Provide mobile restrooms, hot water, and other necessities there.”

“Understood, Leader. I’ll arrange everything overnight!”

Night fell,

and the core zone of Mingsha City continued to echo with the sound of roaring machinery.

In a workshop, Xu Hao finished reviewing a document. After quickly signing it, he passed it to Luo Peng, saying, “Any other issues that need addressing?”

After a pause, Xu Hao asked again.

“What exactly is the project for No.3 Entertainment City? Ordinary tourists might not know, but you’re fully aware of every detail. You even gave plenty of suggestions when submitting the design proposal.”

As for the launch time? It wasn’t that the posted time was deliberately aimed at sabotaging Dino Park’s new project—it was just a matter of timing.

And yet, the announcement stirred up such a fuss!

This afternoon alone, he received over a dozen calls asking about No.3 Entertainment City and Dino Park’s Underwater World.

“Brother Hao, everything’s fine except the transportation to the Xianxia Zone. I’m a bit worried about that,”

Luo Peng said hesitantly.

For the sake of saving time, he had been holed up at No.3 Entertainment City almost every day lately, and the same went for Daoist Master Cangshan and Canghai at Wuzhuang Temple.

There were even days when Wuzhuang Temple was left unmanned.

The reason was clear to Luo Peng: the Mingsha City of now was vastly different from the past! In the old days, launching a new project barely boosted revenue if the guesthouses were already fully booked.

But that’s no longer the case! Every additional visitor to Mingsha City now brings an extra 288 in ticket revenue.

Just yesterday, about 100,000 tourists visited, generating a net income of 28 million from ticket sales alone.

Henceforth, whenever a project is completed in Mingsha City, they’ll choose to open it immediately rather than waiting for a more opportune moment.

“The transportation to the Xianxia Zone—is it a capacity issue or—”

Xu Hao’s expression changed.

“It’s just that if we temporarily reallocate some mounts from other zones, capacity won’t be a problem. I’m just worried that too many tourists heading there will cause jams with camels, ostriches, and carriages.”

After saying that, Luo Peng pulled out a traffic map from his briefcase and handed it to Xu Hao.

Both the camel caravans and public carriages in Mingsha City are already at full capacity! Especially the number of public carriages is nearly at the limit Mingsha City can handle.

Furthermore, after over a month of adjustments, the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse from the Mo Mechanism City side have passed safety tests. Tomorrow, 500 of them will be sent to the Xianxia Zone to start operations.

Capacity-wise, they can definitely handle all the tourists.

“Brother Hao! The main concerns are these three areas!”

Luo Peng spread out the traffic map and pointed to the marked congestion points.

“The first choke point is north of Qixia Town. Currently, the only route to the Xianxia Zone is at the end of Qing Brick Avenue in the north of Qixia Town, and some tourists heading to Mingsha Fudi also use this route. Our Qing Brick Avenue isn’t very wide and public carriages along with sedan chairs take up much of the space.”

“The second choke point is at the junction of No.3 Entertainment City and Qing Brick Avenue. Similar reasons—some tourists are bound for Wuzhuang Temple, while others take a left turn!”

“The third is at the future connection between No.4 Entertainment City and Qing Brick Avenue.”

Luo Peng spent several minutes detailing the current traffic situation.

Although No.3 Entertainment City and the under-construction No.4 Entertainment City are both directed towards the Xianxia Zone, neither is directly adjacent to Qing Brick Avenue. No.3 is situated on the north side while No.4 is to the south.

Both require a few hundred meters on a dedicated section of Qing Brick Avenue to reach their destination.

“A Y-shaped junction and two T-intersections?”

Xu Hao fell into deep thought upon hearing this.

Luo Peng’s explanation was spot on. Even if he hadn’t mentioned it now, as Mingsha City’s scale expands, transportation issues would inevitably come to the forefront.

Be it the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse or human sedan chairs, any vehicle on Qing Brick Avenue takes up space.

“Hmm!”

“So, should we install traffic lights?”

After a long silence, Xu Hao looked at Luo Peng.

Frankly, it didn’t seem like there was a perfect solution—only by borrowing ideas from modern cities could they try to manage it.

“Traffic lights?”

Luo Peng’s eyes lit up, but his expression soon turned pensive.

“Brother Hao, traffic lights could work, but Mingsha City is steeped in ancient architecture. You wouldn’t see a single electric pole or transformer on Qing Brick Avenue. Suddenly adding them might feel totally out of place.

Besides, our range of mounts is so diverse that setting up traffic lights would be overly complicated.

Soon, not only tourists but even the staff might be baffled.”

There was no other choice. In modern cities, traffic lights differentiate between vehicles and pedestrians.

Yet in Mingsha City, aside from pedestrians, there are also the self-driving Wooden Ox and Flowing Horses, public carriages, sedan chairs, camel caravans, horses, ostriches, elephants, reindeer, donkeys, and cows.

Installing traffic lights would likely require a dozen no-passing signs.

And that’s not all.

To infuse more charm into the Xianxia Zone, he even discussed with Daoist Master Cangshan and Canghai about introducing a new batch of uniquely styled mounts.

In the end, only time would tell.