Chapter 45: Sunset Schemes in the Desert

The sunset was breathtaking, but the night was approaching.

Dusk settled in.

The once desolate Tengli Desert erupted with activity for the first time. A long caravan of camels lined up neatly along Shaji, their silhouettes imbued with a poetic charm under the dying sun.

“Everyone, be careful – especially with the motors and gray tiles. Don’t break anything!”

At the edge of Shaji, Luo Peng was directing dozens of villagers unloading supplies, while inside the log cabins and small courtyards, Xu Hao and Zhu Qiang huddled over a checklist, deep in discussion.

“Hao, setting up projects in the desert does burn cash,”

Zhu Qiang admitted with a wry smile.

They had been prepared for high expenses, but once work started, they truly realized how deep this bottomless pit was—it had already cost nearly three million in the two days since yesterday.

Thirty-eight camels, 760,000! Various motors, power generators, and essential desert living supplies ran up a bill of 250,000. To speed up the groundwork, an excavator and a bulldozer were added, costing 1.5 million.

Then there were the wooden materials for pavilions and guesthouses which ran up another 300,000, plus a further 150,000 for basic garden-style restrooms. And that’s before labor—the total easily passed three million.

They knew that the spending over the next couple of days would be just as hefty.

“As expected!”

Xu Hao glanced up at the bustling crowd on Shaji.

“Hao, should we start laying the grass lattice tomorrow? I heard from Zhu Peng that he’s already arranged for plenty of wheat straw in the village since the harvest is coming soon.”

“Let’s hold off on the outer lattice for now! Instead, we’ll build the guesthouse by the small lake over the next two days.”

After pondering briefly, Xu Hao said.

During today’s livestream, many viewers expressed interest in visiting here, but the conditions weren’t ready—only by completing the guesthouse could the company start generating cash flow.

Once funds began streaming in, further investments could follow.

“The guesthouse will be done in just two days?”

Zhu Qiang was taken aback.

In his mind, building a guesthouse on the shores of the small lake should take at least one or two months—it was nearly impossible in just two days.

“Yes, if we plan efficiently, two days is plenty!”

Xu Hao nodded casually.

On Earth, they were no strangers to construction prodigies—a building could be erected in seven days if the funds were in order. For them, a two-day guesthouse was no big deal.

“But, uh… how can two days be enough?”

Zhu Qiang still couldn’t quite believe it.

“We’ll see. The wood hasn’t even been fully delivered yet, right?”

Xu Hao mused before asking,

“Yes, the camel caravan has limited carrying capacity, and a bulk of the lumber is still at the entrance of Hongsha Gang Village.”

“Alright! Tonight, I’ll hand over some blueprints. Tomorrow, you need to find a few carpenters out there to process the wood according to these plans. Every part number must be exact and the order must be correct! Once assembled, just ship the components over here and recruit another twenty helpers.”

Saying this, Xu Hao pinched his fingers together.

The ancient methods of constructing two-story wooden pavilions were deeply ingrained in his mind. Picking one at random and using it would suffice. One person wouldn’t cut it, but with all the prefabricated components in hand and twenty extra helpers, it was sure to work.

“Components processed offsite? So, Hao, you mean…”

Zhu Qiang’s eyes widened further.

He thought of something but dared not voice it, fearing he might be wrong.

It was just too crazy—if it actually worked, it would absolutely shock the online viewers in two days.

“Yes, we’ll stick with the mortise-and-tenon structure. Although we’re not using nails or wood glue this time, we will need some gray bricks and gray tiles.”

Xu Hao cast a sidelong glance toward the small lake.

At the small lake, half of the area still sported poplar groves and reed beds. This time, he planned to build a two-story wooden pavilion in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, arranged in a crescent shape around the lake, while preserving the natural poplar and reed landscape.

This design meant that guests in the pavilion would be able to enjoy views of the poplars and reeds with just a push of a window. Overhauling everything into guesthouses would rob the place of its unique charm.

It should total around thirty rooms.

“Hao, gray bricks and tiles aren’t a problem. There’s plenty available. How many do you need?”

At this point, even Zhu Qiang, who wasn’t much involved in the planning, couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation.

“We won’t need too many—only around 50,000 units. Besides, the paths alongside the guesthouses must also be paved with them to evoke an ancient ambience.”

“Got it!”

Zhu Qiang quickly jotted down the numbers.

“Additionally, tonight we’ll start work immediately. Let the excavator and bulldozer clear the lakebed and lay down the necessary foundation.

After a quick calculation, Xu Hao added,

Ancient building foundations don’t require the same precision as modern structures. Two machines running overnight should finish the job in one night.

“Yes, the excavator and bulldozer will arrive any minute now.”

Zhu Qiang nodded.

Though other vehicles struggled in the desert, these two machines had no issues at all.

“Also, send over some extra wheat straw and living poplars. All the dead poplars around the small lake must be replaced. Once the foundation is set, we can start laying the grass lattice around Shadou area.”

“I’ve already arranged for some help at the county office, and we’ve purchased a few ornamental trees too.”

“By the way, has the company hired more staff?”

“They’ve recruited ten people—a HR, a procurement supervisor, and a few whom we can call on at any time.”

“Great, if we have enough manpower, we’ll get a head start. Every minute counts.”

“Understood, Hao!”

Zhu Qiang nodded as he turned to leave, but after a few steps he paused, then turned back and said,

“Hao, this morning Tianchen Culture announced a new wilderness challenge in Ning’an. Should we join?”

“I heard about it on the livestream. They can do what they want; it doesn’t affect us.”

Xu Hao waved dismissively, signaling that they should ignore it.

After all, they already had their own fan base and were charting a different course. There was no contest for followers or visitors.

“Alright!”

With the sunset casting its final glow, the Great Northwest of the Long Kingdom slipped into darkness, yet Hongsha Gang Village at 256 was illuminated with lively activity.

Around the small lake, machinery worked non-stop while Xu Hao sketched various wooden structural blueprints in his log cabin.

By 10 PM,

Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng headed to Hongsha Gang Village with the blueprints in hand.

At 11 PM, Xu Hao arrived at the lake to supervise the excavator’s work on the foundation, including the underground conduit systems.

By 1 AM—then 3 AM—they worked tirelessly until at 5:30 AM, when the first hints of dawn appeared, and Xu Hao finally collapsed into bed.

At 10, the garden-style restroom components were delivered to Shadou area and began assembly and testing.

By 11, essential guesthouse equipment like TVs and bathroom fixtures had been transported to Shadou.

Near midnight, Xu Hao grabbed a quick bite and resumed work.

By 2 PM, after a large log was driven into the lakeside by the excavator, the entire pavilion’s foundation was neatly completed.

Meanwhile, the temporary workers had filled the perimeter of Shadou area with the grass lattice, and all the dead poplars had been replaced.

Looking around,

the entire atmosphere of Shadou area had been transformed completely.