Chapter 357: Turbulent Decisions and a Mega Project

Leader, this is good news, right?

Seeing Cole’s reaction, Adam looked utterly stunned.

Isn’t Dino Park’s firm hold over Mingsha City exactly what everyone there has been eagerly awaiting?

“Good news? Bullshit! Mingsha City didn’t get a 5A rating while we did. Aren’t we gonna get trashed by netizens? I really don’t know what the Evaluation Committee was thinking!”

After the announcement flashed on the screen, Cole was utterly speechless.

At first glance, this move seemed to dampen Mingsha City’s buzz, but in reality it has put Dino Park on a sizzling hot pedestal.

Everyone can see exactly what level Mingsha City is at now!

He had arranged for Dino Park to get a 5A rating all along—he just didn’t want to fall too far behind Mingsha City. That was all.

“This…”

Adam’s smile slowly faded away.

“Hurry up and mobilize the online trolls—keep an eye on all the forums because I bet public outrage is about to explode! Also, contact Headquarters immediately to check if they have any new projects in the pipeline. If they do, we need to claim them at once.”

“Knowing Mingsha City, they’re bound to make a move soon.”

Snapping back to reality, Cole took a deep breath and said,

“Yes, Leader!”

Adam, now fully aware, didn’t dare utter a dissenting word.

Little did they know that while everyone was puzzled over this decision, the forums had already exploded. Predictably, the next trending headline would be about Mingsha City.

“What? Mingsha City was rejected while Dino Park and Fengdu Scenic Area got 5A ratings? How is that possible?”

“It’s true!”

“Wow! This is one of the biggest farces in recent years.”

“I bet someone is deliberately targeting Mingsha City!”

“It’s blatantly obvious. Take Fengdu Scenic Area—their buildings look like ancient ruins. As if some mythical hell under Mount Tai had anything to do with them getting shut out!”

“And what about Dino Park? It’s just an investment-driven entertainment city. Mingsha City already has two projects that completely outclass theirs, not to mention Taiyi Hospital, Mo Mechanism City, the Protectorate, and the Qingming Scroll. Does Dino Park have any of that?”

“I won’t stand for this! I’m really fed up!”

“And the official reasons are laughable! Sure, Mingsha City’s transportation isn’t perfect, but our high-speed rail station is already under construction, and we’re the only 5A destination with a subway inside. What do other 5As have?”

“And the credentials of their management are absurd. With Mingsha City’s current strength, who can’t attract top talent? More importantly, our service is flawless—far superior to those spots run by postgrad managers.”

“Enough already. Our Taiyi Hospital boasts so many national medical masters that I’m even reluctant to mention them, while other 5A sites barely have a handful of doctors on standby.”

“And what about that claim of no significant cultural heritage in the area? I mean, where else do you get the Yeguang Cup? Does the Protectorate really not compare to Dino Park’s Magic Castle?”

“What a load of crap from those so-called review experts!”

“Anyway, I’m backing Mingsha City. If the relevant organizations don’t reverse this decision, what’s the point of 5A ratings at all?”

“Agreed! The Evaluation Committee must explain themselves.”

Inside Mingsha City, chatter was everywhere—in the corners by the Qingming Scroll, on the streets of Nanking Capital, and even beneath the trees near the Demon‐Locking Tower, where staff members huddled in heated discussion.

“We need a historic district that truly reflects history and iconic check-in spots, yet we can’t even compete with a single Fengdu Scenic Area?”

“It’s inexplicably tragic!”

“No exaggeration—considering Mingsha City’s environmental contribution by planting countless trees, a 5A rating is more than deserved.”

“Planting trees? What about the Cultural Expo and the International Magic Competition? If Mingsha City hadn’t stepped up, Long Kingdom’s reputation would be in tatters.”

“This won’t do! Mingsha City must get an explanation this time.”

“Exactly.”

Perhaps it’s because Mingsha City is already deeply ingrained in people’s minds, or maybe its fame is simply too great.

In an instant,

netizens erupted in passion, rallying to defend Mingsha City. Some even reached out directly to the Long Kingdom Scenic Rating Committee with their messages.

They vowed not to rest until the committee reversed the decision.

Meanwhile,

Mingsha City’s top brass remained unruffled; Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng were busy with their own matters.

Wudi City, Ancient Building Courtyard.

Xu Hao glanced at the news briefly and dismissed it, turning instead to discussing their upcoming ‘mega project’ with Fang Hou.

“Haozi, isn’t this a bit too—”

Looking at the densely drawn blueprints spread across the table, even the seasoned Fang Hou couldn’t help but swallow hard.

He had expected Xu Hao to stick to building a few landmark structures in the core area—as long as they overshadowed the aura of Mingsha Fudi and Wuzhuang Temple. That was all.

But he never expected Xu Hao to go all out! The scale of this single core building was utterly jaw-dropping, not to mention the others.

And what about the aura?

If built to these plans, not even Mingsha Fudi and Biyou Palace—or even a few extra winter sanctuaries—could outshine this structure.

“If we’re building it, let’s get it right the first time!”

Hearing this,

Xu Hao nodded confidently.

In his eyes, the core must have a core’s presence—if it’s set, no building in Mingsha City would dare to surpass it for decades, even a century.

“Okay, okay. But will our funds even support this? I reckon that if we build according to this plan, even 200–300 billion might not be enough!”

Fang Hou couldn’t help but glance at Xu Hao.

In the face of this building, Mingsha City’s subway, a 250-kilometer wall, and even the Lutai Zhaixing Pavilion all seem like child’s play!

Even the contract fees with Yan City TV would be nothing more than chump change.

At that moment, he even felt a tinge of regret.

Had he known Xu Hao was this crazy, he should never have brought this idea back from Yan City—maybe focusing on a different theme would have been wiser.

“We can figure out the money later. Let’s have a meeting tomorrow morning to see how much funding we can mobilize.”

Xu Hao glanced toward the distant sand table.

“Haozi, even if our funds come through, sourcing the necessary materials will be a major issue.”

Fang Hou murmured quietly,

“Materials aren’t the big problem.”

“Also, if we launch the construction officially, how are we going to handle the enclosures? Mingsha City has always kept its construction sites hidden from the public, but this project…”

“Enclosures? That’s even less of a problem!”

“But what about time? Even if we work around the clock, your plan will still take ages.”

“Monkey, I know what you’re worried about, but I’m set on this project.”

And time?

If we’re really pressed for time, we can start by building the iconic peripheral check-in spots—get some footage first!

Xu Hao slowly straightened up.

“I…”

Fang Hou was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to dissuade Xu Hao.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this. It won’t affect Mingsha City’s overall direction or plunge us into a financial crisis.”

“Alright then!”

At this point, Fang Hou had nothing more to add but to nod in agreement.

“Engineer Li will be here soon; we can discuss it further then.”

“Alright!”

After a brief pause, Fang Hou suddenly remembered something and added, “By the way, Haozi, should we respond about the 5A rating issue? This has really exploded—netizens are even tagging Haofang Agency’s artists, hoping they’ll use their influence to speak up for Mingsha City.”

“What? We don’t need to worry about that! I already messaged General Zhu and President Luo—they’ll handle it.”

“Alright then!”

Meanwhile, in the corridor outside a conference room at a business hotel in Haishi’s Second Ring, Han Lijun was passionately talking with a man in his fifties. “Leader, our goal this time is cultural export. Aren’t they being too selfish with their current approach?”

One day earlier,

Han Lijun had come to Haishi to attend a seminar on cultural export projects.

Originally, he thought the meeting would focus on the specifics of cultural export.

But during the session, he discovered that other TV stations involved in cultural export had united to boycott Yan City TV; some even claimed that if Yan City TV and Haofang Culture teamed up, it would seriously derail their own projects.

How could he stand for that? “Sigh, calm down first,”

the man patted Han Lijun’s shoulder with a resigned look.

“Calm down? Explain yourself—what’s the rationale?”

The more Han Lijun thought about it, the angrier he became.

“I get your point, but those TV stations are in a tough spot too! Several cultural companies backed out as soon as they heard your station chose Haofang Culture; the remaining ones are now hesitant, worried it might jeopardize the overall outcome.”

At that, the man instinctively glanced toward the conference room in the distance.

It was clear he was dissatisfied, though mostly resigned.

This time, Long Kingdom had selected ten TV stations in two batches—a lavish investment, to say the least.

According to the original plan,

each of these ten stations was to produce a major drama infused with Long Kingdom’s cultural flair and broadcast it across Lanstarr’s nations—helping promote Long Kingdom’s culture while nurturing its own iconic image.

After all, children in Long Kingdom know about Snow White, Superman, Spider-Man, and the like, yet abroad no one seems to know that Long Kingdom also boasts the legendary Sun Wukong.

“Aren’t they worried that Haofang Culture’s production might create a splash overseas while their own projects barely make a ripple, leaving domestic audiences to criticize them? Their pride and cultural export mission mean everything.”

Han Lijun’s anger remained unabated.

“All that aside, have you considered what happens if Haofang Culture’s project fails to capture international attention?”

After a brief silence, the man looked at Han Lijun.

“By then, it won’t be just Yan City TV that suffers the backlash—it’ll be Haofang Culture too.”

“This…”

Han Lijun hesitated, then after a moment finally spoke,

“Our station has even signed a contract with Haofang Culture. They’ve probably already invested a lot. What am I supposed to do now?”

“Don’t worry! If needed, I’ll figure out a way to secure a special subsidy for your station—matching the standards of the top four channels. Then, either produce in-house or partner with another cultural company on a fresh project.”

“And as for the project with Haofang Culture, if it doesn’t partake in the cultural export initiative and only airs domestically, there’s no issue.”

None of the other TV stations will object!

Hearing this,

the man immediately said,

“Oh man!”

Han Lijun wanted to say more, but in the end, all that escaped was a resigned sigh.

Before long, it was deep into the night.

In Yan City, the office building of the Scenic Rating Committee in the Third Ring was still lit; President Qin Yuwen kept rubbing his temples.

After a long while, he finally looked over at Gao Shang.

“Why is the public reaction so intense? We clearly listed every reason why Mingsha City didn’t meet the standards,”

At that moment,

Qin Yuwen felt a tinge of regret.

Had we known the outcry would be this strong, we shouldn’t have blocked Mingsha City.

“President, perhaps it’s because Mingsha City just launched Mo Mechanism City and the buzz hasn’t died down yet!”

Gao Shang just looked speechless.

They had thought that once the announcement went out, online chatter would die down—after all, the conditions were laid out clearly for everyone to see.

But as it turned out, public opinion had begun questioning the committee’s fairness.

If mishandled, our credibility could take a major hit.

Phew! “President, the entertainment industry is now pressuring us to reconsider this rating. What do you think?”

After a pause, Gao Shang whispered,

“Reassess the results?”

Qin Yuwen raised his eyebrows.

“Hmm!”

“No. If we reassess, it’ll only prove that our committee lacks principles.”

“Then…”

Gao Shang hesitated and said nothing more.

Qin Yuwen had a point, but if we don’t reassess, how do we address the public outcry?

After a few minutes of silence, Qin Yuwen finally asked, “By the way, with all this uproar, what is Mingsha City’s response?”

“President, Mingsha City issued an announcement at 8 PM thanking netizens for their support and vowing to work even harder to reach 5A status as soon as possible.”

Mentioning Mingsha City, a hint of relief passed over Gao Shang’s face.

Ever since the outcry began, he had been keeping a close eye on Mingsha City’s official website.

Their announcement remained neutral; otherwise, the backlash might have been even worse.

“Work harder? Forget it! Call Su Province soon and have them organize for Mingsha City to reapply—we’ll approve it outright. We can’t leave them empty-handed, can we?”

After some thought, Qin Yuwen took a deep breath.

Conceding a bit is fine, but the committee must still save face by following proper procedures.

Otherwise,

this will turn into a colossal farce.

“Reapply?”

Gao Shang’s eyes lit up.

“Exactly! We claimed we weren’t aware Mingsha City was building Mo Mechanism City, hence it wasn’t factored in. With it added, a 5A rating is guaranteed.”

Qin Yuwen waved his hand dismissively.

“Alright, I’ll get in touch right away.”

“Finally, things have calmed down. Starting tomorrow, we’ll flood updates to make up for it.”