Chapter 314: Schemes and Screens in Mingsha City

Brother Hao, I get it!

After a brief moment of thought, Zhu Qiang’s eyes lit up.

Our leader is absolutely right—if we add one more inexplicable spot in Mingsha City, those people will be too intimidated to approach, because that’s exactly what terrifies them.

On the flip side, tourists adore the lively charm of Mingsha City.

“Alright! I’m heading out to survey the terrain near the Qingming Scroll. If anything comes up, call me right away.”

Xu Hao glanced at the time as he added,

“Got it, Brother Hao.”

Before long, it was 3 PM.

Zhu Qiang arrived at the office of Mingsha Labor’s President.

“President Luo, how’s the amusement park coming along?”

He stepped into the room.

Without any formalities, Zhu Qiang poured himself a cup of tea and casually asked.

Even though they were still colleagues, they were more like brothers now, so small details didn’t matter.

“It’s moving forward. I just discussed the Lanruo Temple matter with Daoist Master!”

Looking up,

Luo Peng set down his marker and fixed a glance on Zhu Qiang.

“Oh? What a coincidence! Just a moment ago, Brother Hao mentioned Lanruo Temple. He wants you to crank up the action there—the bigger the buzz, the better!”

Zhu Qiang immediately replied,

“Really? Did Brother Hao really say that?”

Luo Peng was momentarily taken aback.

“Yes!”

“General Zhu, the stir at Mingsha Fudi is already huge. If we push it further, it might spark even more chatter.”

Coming back to his senses,

Luo Peng hurriedly added,

Earlier today when I spoke with You Gong, I kept things low-key—afraid that too much commotion might inadvertently send Mingsha City trending for all the wrong reasons.

Then come the endless denials from various departments and experts scrambling to explain.

“No choice—we have to tone down the excitement at Mingsha Fudi.”

Taking a sip of tea, Zhu Qiang then detailed everything happening at Mingsha Fudi, even mentioning that top tycoons and retired officials had called in hopes of retiring there.

“Oh? People want to retire at our Mingsha Fudi?”

“Good places always attract envy! They already called me, and sure enough, it won’t be long before they call Brother Hao. What could he possibly say no to?”

Zhu Qiang nodded in agreement.

“I thought something was up—but it really is like that!”

Luo Peng couldn’t help but smirk, his face lighting up with amusement.

“What? Aren’t you worried? Even though Brother Hao is now operating at a high level, those people—”

Zhu Qiang was puzzled,

unable to understand why Luo Peng remained so unfazed by the news.

After that call, he even ended up sleepless all night.

“Worried? No way! Just look at my amusement park blueprint!”

Luo Peng chuckled again,

and handed the blueprint over to Zhu Qiang.

“What’s with this blueprint?”

Zhu Qiang accepted the document in confusion. Just as he was about to ask for more details, his expression shifted from curiosity to shock.

“Wait a minute—you’re planning to build on the north side of Mingsha Ge?”

“Yes! That area is a key component of the Grand Amusement Project. Once that ride is up and running, do you think those people will still want to retire at Mingsha Fudi? They won’t even have time to run! Construction on the underground section has already begun, and the surface part should start by the end of June.”

Luo Peng grinned widely.

“Exactly!”

Moments later, a now alert Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but give Luo Peng a thumbs-up, admiration clear on his face.

Honestly, in all of Mingsha City, the first person he admired was Xu Hao, and the second was Luo Peng. His creative ideas and unconventional thinking were just out of this world.

“Still worried?”

Retrieving the blueprint, Luo Peng stood up and poured himself a cup of green tea.

“With this plan, we have nothing to worry about. By the way, did you see this coming?”

Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but ask.

“Not at all! I don’t have that kind of big-picture vision— I just thought of it because the terrain behind Mingsha Fudi, with its unique sand ridge and sandy valley, inspired me.”

Luo Peng waved his hand dismissively.

The idea behind the Grand Amusement Project was to encircle the existing developments. Once Mingsha City is fully built, the amusement zone will act as a link, ensuring that no visitor ever feels too far from the fun.

“You really think this through.”

“So, should we still ramp up the buzz around Lanruo Temple?”

After taking another sip, Luo Peng steered the conversation back to business.

“Absolutely! First, Brother Hao has insisted on it, and second, we need to create some extra noise just in case.”

After a moment’s thought,

Zhu Qiang added,

“Understood! I’ll go find Daoist Master You Gong soon.”

“Alright!”

Time ebbed away,

and before they knew it, it was the early hours of May 15.

Perhaps because Mingsha City had become a golden attraction or because Mingsha Fudi’s impact was undeniable—even though Haofang Culture hadn’t pushed any further promotions—the film’s hype was as strong as any blockbuster with a hefty marketing budget.

In fact, many production companies, upon hearing Haofang Culture’s project was about to launch, either rescheduled their own releases or avoided clashing with A Chinese Ghost Story, leading to pre-sale ticket revenues for A Chinese Ghost Story reaching 300 million by early May 15.

A record-breaking achievement.

“Who cares about the plot? I just want to see the scenery!”

Settling into their seats,

numerous viewers fixed their eyes on the giant screen at the cinema, determined not to miss a single detail.

“Exactly my thought,” one viewer murmured.

Within minutes, as time ticked by, the movie began.

Haofang Culture’s film was touted as Earth’s first version of A Chinese Ghost Story!

Once the film started,

the first scene to mesmerize the audience was a pitch-black night as the protagonist, Ning Caichen, made his entrance.

The scene then shifted to a lake,

where scholar Ning Caichen headed to the county to collect debts. With his ledgers soaked by rain and surrounded by desolate mountains, he had no choice but to seek refuge at the legendary Lanruo Temple.

“So Lanruo Temple is the backdrop for the Xianxia Zone in Mingsha City!”

“It seems Lanruo Temple plays a similar role to the Demon-Locking Tower.”

As the movie reached this point, most viewers instinctively leaned back in their seats.

Simply put, the film’s eerie, terrifying atmosphere at Lanruo Temple was unforgettable, and those familiar with Mingsha City knew it reflected reality.

Furthermore, the film’s title made the theme unmistakable.

Originally, many planned to experience Mingsha City after the movie, but now a sense of apprehension crept in.

They continued watching,

until suddenly, at midnight, the sound of a guqin emanated from Lanruo Temple, making many viewers’ hearts skip a beat as they became deeply immersed in the plot.

Meanwhile,

in the Xianxia Zone of Mingsha City,

as the film played, tourists in Nanzhao Ancient City began packing up—not for any other reason,

but because an earlier announcement had stated that when the film launched, the scenes in Mingsha City would be open to the public. They wanted to be among the first to sample the experience.

“Where’s the entrance?”

Upon leaving, many tourists discovered crowds had gathered at the north gate of Nanzhao Ancient City.

“According to the sign, it’s on the southwest side of Blood Lake.”

One tourist pointed at a sign.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go check it out! I’m dying to see what A Chinese Ghost Story really looks like.”

Nearby, an excited tourist exclaimed.

The assembled crowd wasn’t there to catch up on the movie’s plot—they had deduced the theme just from its title.

“Right! I hope the scenery is a bit thrilling. Too plain is no fun at all.”

After hearing that,

another confident female tourist remarked.