Chapter 397: A Frenzy at Mingsha City

As the sun set and the moon rose, one and a half days had flown by. Unsurprisingly, the hashtag “Visit Mingsha City for the Peach Banquet” had shot straight to the top of trending searches, driven by netizens.

This surge transformed Mingsha City into the most talked-about attraction in the Long Kingdom during National Day, outshining even classic sites like Yan City’s Forbidden City and a renowned southeast lake.

October 1, 7:50 AM. Gazing at the endless queues of tourists, Li Jue and Liu Shan experienced true crowding for the first time.

They had reached Lanshi in Su Province yesterday afternoon, and after meeting with Dong Liping and Feng Wancheng, they boarded a special car for Mingsha City at 5 AM this morning.

They thought their pace was unbeatable – they should have been among the first to arrive. Yet, the road from Hongsha Gang Village to Mingsha City was already choked with people.

Even the massive parking lots around were nearly jam-packed.

Only when nearing the city gate did they notice that twenty ticket checkpoints had already formed lines stretching for hundreds of meters.

“When will it officially open?”

Taking a deep breath, Liu Shan couldn’t help but glance at Li Jue.

In the past, visits to Mingsha City were handled entirely by Xu Hao’s top management, so the pressure was never felt until now. “It says 8 AM!”

Li Jue raised his hand to check the time.

Although they were normally exempt from tickets, in this case they had no choice but to queue with the other tourists.

“8 AM. Just five minutes left! I wonder how different things will be inside?”

Liu Shan exhaled deeply.

In fact, the more bustling the scene appeared, the more his worry grew.

As they pushed forward, they overheard nearby tourists discussing the “Peach Banquet”. Surely, when the gates started ticketing, these visitors would rush straight for it.

“The next hour or so is crucial! If no negative reviews surface during that time, Mingsha City will be deemed a success. But if any criticism emerges…”

Li Jue looked up toward the city gate.

During their wait, the crowds had gradually surged forward and the ticketing process had officially begun.

“I really hope the tourists will approve!”

“Alright, let’s move.”

Mingsha City’s ticketing efficiency far surpassed that of other Long Kingdom attractions. With dozens of scanners operating simultaneously, large groups of tourists soon streamed into the city.

Wow! Once inside, the tourists spread out like a slowly dissipating firework display, all heading toward the Mingsha City Tourist Service Center.

No further explanation was needed.

Although the tourists had booked tickets for the Peach Banquet online, details remained vague—even the exact venue was unknown.

Perhaps Mingsha City had prepared in advance. As soon as people reached the service center, numerous staff members began directing them: “Attention, everyone! Those with Peach Banquet tickets please take the subway or other available transport to the Xianxia Zone. Upon arrival, follow our instructions to change clothes. For tourists heading to the Cultural Relics Exhibition, board a boat at the south end of the Qingming Scroll or follow the route signs along the wall.”

“Huh? Changing clothes for the Peach Banquet? That’s interesting!”

In the next moment, following the staff’s guidance, the most eager tourists bolted toward the subway entrance.

In contrast, hardly anyone moved toward the Qingming Scroll.

“Old Li, let’s hit the Cultural Relics Exhibition and wait for further updates!”

Liu Shan had considered a trip to Wudi City but, upon seeing the sparsely attended route to the Cultural Relics Exhibition, couldn’t resist.

“Agreed! Someone has to be there at the exhibition, otherwise…”

Li Jue nodded in agreement.

Both he and Liu Shan realized that their visit to the exhibition wasn’t driven by genuine interest—it was merely to boost visitor numbers.

“Right!”

Even though Mingsha City had been closed for renovations for over a month, the Qingming Scroll area had changed little, aside from some basic infrastructure updates.

After boarding a boat, it wasn’t long before Li Jue and Liu Shan, following the signage, arrived at the entrance to the Cultural Relics Exhibition.

“Huh? So the exhibition is set up in the old government office within the Qingming Scroll!”

Taking in the scene, Li Jue couldn’t help but exclaim.

It turned out that, at some point, a large sign had been installed in front of the government office, boldly advertising the Mingsha City National Day Cultural Relics Exhibition.

Moreover, several security checkpoints had been arranged, with a guard stationed every thirty to fifty steps. Looking through the large gate, they saw even more security inside.

“So many security personnel? What exactly are they exhibiting this time?”

Coming back to the moment,

the two exchanged puzzled glances.

Like the Peach Banquet, nothing about Mingsha City’s Cultural Relics Exhibition was known beyond its name.

Most notably, if memory served correctly, when the Protectorate of West Liang first showcased the Yeguang Cup, Mingsha City hadn’t marshaled such extensive security.

“Let’s go in and take a look. We’ll know more once we’re inside!”

Regaining their composure,

Li Jue and Liu Shan exchanged a look before pulling out their IDs to scan their tickets.

The old government office within the Qingming Scroll wasn’t large, and after enduring several layers of security checks, they officially entered the exhibition area.

The exhibition was arranged as a one-way route.

Following the signposted path from the entrance to the exit meant traversing the entire display.

“Hmm? There’s quite a bit on show inside.”

Peering down the corridor, each relic was encased in high-strength glass cases, rivaling even the top museums of the Long Kingdom.

“Seems like Xiao Xu spared no expense collecting artifacts for this exhibition.”

Liu Shan nodded

and began studying each item with great care.

Most tourists heading for the Peach Banquet were likely still en route, making it the perfect opportunity to observe the relics while waiting for reactions.

“Ming dynasty ingots, Qing dynasty silver notes—these relics fit right in with today’s Mingsha City, where shops and banks still exchange silver coins.”

Yet, not long into the tour,

Li Jue and Liu Shan reached the next artifact and were left utterly stunned, their faces filled with disbelief—especially Liu Shan, who rubbed his eyes.

“Wh-what is this? Isn’t this the complete Silk Road Scenic Map? I thought it was snapped up by a foreign company. How is it here in Mingsha City?”

In the next moment, Liu Shan exclaimed in astonishment.

He was well aware of the Silk Road Scenic Map—it had stirred quite a buzz during the Christie’s auction.

“Exactly!”

Beside him, Li Jue nodded in agreement.

Just moments ago, he had confirmed that this Silk Road Scenic Map was indeed the one from the auction.

“Could it be that Xiao Xu bought it? But that shouldn’t be—the foreign company that paid top dollar wouldn’t easily sell it to a Long Kingdom resident.”

Doubtful, Liu Shan glanced deeper into the exhibition, but his expression turned pale and his voice began to tremble.

“Old Li, did my eyes deceive me? What does that sign at the corner say?”

“What’s wrong?”

Following Liu Shan’s pointing finger, Li Jue looked over. In the very next moment, both men were struck speechless; even their lips began to tremble. “Ah? My goodness. What is that? Is Xiao Xu courting disaster? We really can’t handle this shock.”

After a brief pause,

snapping back to reality, the two disregarded any concerns about appearances and sprinted toward the corner. Not stopping, Li Jue even grabbed his phone while running.

“Hello, Lao Feng? I’ve got news! You’d better prep some Fast-Acting Heart Rescue Pills.”

Remember, those watching you aren’t just friends and family—they include competitors, even more eager than your closest allies.

Dino Park Headquarters

Seated in front of his computer, Cole kept refreshing the forum.

With such a stir at Mingsha City, how could he not pay attention? Naturally!

He wasn’t so interested in the sheer volume of National Day tourists as he was in whether Mingsha City could handle this flood of visitors.

“Mingsha City could never match that ethereal Peach Banquet from a Long Kingdom drama. Even the most capable city couldn’t renovate anything like that in just a month.”

After a long while,

refreshing the page again and still finding no firsthand news from Mingsha City, Cole leaned back and muttered to himself.