Chapter 95: Unfolding the Truth in Mingsha County

“Secretary, some viewers are asking about that road. Could you elaborate?”

Zhang Xue nodded and asked again.

“By now, the truth has already come to light, but as a professional journalist, I must ask all the necessary questions.”

“Really, if a company wants to invest in Mingsha County yet we can’t even provide water, electricity, or a proper road, then what need is there for units like ours? Do they believe that any investment in our poor county is just reckless spending—a mere show of face?”

Wang Xun looked into the camera.

“Since the establishment of Mingsha Tourism, our county has gained no less than three hundred jobs and seen a significant boost in GDP. Such irresponsible allegations by the media only harm companies that truly work on real projects. With these accusations, how can they confidently develop?”

“Secretary, do you have anything else to add?”

Zhang Xue continued speaking.

“Additional comments? Of course, I do.”

The live interview took an unexpected turn, as the atmosphere in the broadcast room completely shifted.

“No wonder Mingsha County dared to hold that media briefing earlier!”

“That leader is really tough.”

“Damn self-media—fabricating anything for clicks. I’m never trusting them again!”

“Hehe, now you see it was all fake. I told you from the start that it wasn’t as you assumed, but you stubbornly refused to believe!”

A fan of Xu Hao also commented.

“At the time, I even thought someone was deliberately trying to cover things up! They really hyped the atmosphere to an extreme.”

“Just because the mood’s heated doesn’t mean you can fabricate at will!”

“This time it’s my fault! I’ll spread the word in my circle, visit Mingsha County again, and contribute to its GDP as an apology.”

“Is that an apology? Clearly, you think it’s a great place and just want to experience it.”

“That’s not a contradiction!”

“Enough bickering. Now that the truth is out, the leaders of Mingsha County made it clear at the press conference they won’t let these rumor-mongers go unpunished. The key now is to see how they handle the self-media.”

“True enough!”

Night fell.

At Oasis 1, Xu Hao, fresh from a meeting with colleagues and leaders at the Ancient Architecture Research Institute, returned to his room. He had arrived in the county just after 5 PM, while the cast of “My Own Martial World” had already been stationed in Qixia Town.

“Brother Hao!”

Having just washed his face and barely had time to dry off, he heard Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng calling from outside.

“The door’s unlocked, you can sit down.”

Xu Hao said casually.

This journey to Yan City spanned over twenty days. Although he usually discussed the desert projects with Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng over the phone, he planned to provide them a detailed report upon his return.

After freshening up and brewing tea for the two, they finally got down to business.

“Brother Hao, now that water and electricity have reached Qixia Town, work here has become so much easier. The lighting projects for Qixia Town, Tengwang Pavilion, Desert Pavilion, the guesthouse by the small lake, and even the wooden walkway and corridor at Oasis 2 have all been installed. Once adjusted, the lights will be switched on.”

“On the infrastructure side, the fire brigade project in Mingsha County is already underway. Their progress is slower though—the earliest completion is expected by the end of the year.”

Zhu Qiang explained.

Once the lights illuminate the Tengger Desert at night, it will showcase yet another vibrant gem, promising tourists an even more delightful experience.

“Mm-hmm!”

Xu Hao nodded in agreement.

He was well aware that while water and electricity were a given, the lighting project—only set up in passing—was now nearly finished.

“What about the grass lattice? Has the northwest side of Qixia Town been completed?”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao asked again.

Although most of Qixia Town and Oasis 1 have been developed, the northwestern area remains nothing but barren dunes. Without proper wind-blocking and sand-fixing measures, the town’s long-term prospects are uncertain.

“Brother Hao, it’s done. In fact, we even tackled three dunes consecutively!”

At the mention of sand stabilization, Luo Peng quickly responded.

“All wind-blocking and sand-fixing efforts have been entrusted to the labor company. They currently manage two camel caravans, employ thirty contracted workers, and nearly fifty housekeeping staff across Tengwang Pavilion, Qixia Town, and the guesthouse. We’re well-equipped, to say the least.”

“That settles it. Next, we’ll experiment with turf greening at Oasis 1. If successful, we might not need the grass lattice for sand control in the future. But until that works, the grass lattice will remain in use.”

Xu Hao nodded before adding.

Although several patented technologies have been acquired, no one is exactly sure how effective they are.

“Turf greening?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Xu Hao then mentioned his plan to invite Han Xiaoqing for a meal in Yan City.

“So that’s the plan, Brother Hao. I’ll try making some turf pulp spray tomorrow?”

Hearing this, Luo Peng became so excited he nearly jumped up to try it immediately.

Just imagine if Oasis 1 and the outskirts of Qixia Town were blanketed in lush, green grass—it would be stunning!

“That works too!”

Xu Hao nodded; for greening projects, the sooner they start, the better.

“What’s the current situation in Qixia Town?”

Turning his gaze to Zhu Qiang, Xu Hao asked.

“Apart from our own five shops along the main street, every other space has been leased out. The guesthouse is fully booked too, especially after this afternoon’s interview with Dragon Kingdom News Channel. The booking hotline was swamped, and orders for courtyard houses are already scheduled up to a month ahead.”

Zhu Qiang remarked.

“Today’s interview was truly impactful—it proved the old saying that fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. We can worry about the hot search later; for now, how is the overall income in Qixia Town, and is our company’s cash flow still robust?”

After a brief pause, Xu Hao continued, “Brother Hao, Qixia Town has a total of one hundred courtyard houses. We’ve reserved twenty for ourselves, and all the others are fully booked. Each room rents for 800, and an entire courtyard goes for 3,200. Daily room revenue alone exceeds 250,000. With additional spending on food and other services by tourists, the total income is about 270,000 to 280,000.”

“Our company’s cash flow is very healthy—it currently stands at 2.3 million.”

Zhu Qiang relayed the financial figures and passed a detailed report from his briefcase to Xu Hao.

The report itemized income from the grass lattice, entrance fees for Tengwang Pavilion, revenues from Oasis 1 and Oasis 2 guesthouses, and shop rental fees. On the expenditure side, it detailed costs such as underground pipeline repairs, lighting projects, the grass lattice, and employee wages for both companies.

“So much money?”

Xu Hao examined the financial report.

Frankly, he hadn’t expected Mingsha Tourism to have a reserve of over two million. He thought the funds would be entirely depleted, yet without the underground pipeline project, the balance might have been even more impressive.

“But Brother Hao, even though our financial report looks promising, some tourists have raised concerns—especially regarding Oasis 2.”

While Xu Hao reviewed the report, Zhu Qiang hesitated for a moment before speaking.