Chapter 69: Karma in the Desert

Fan backlash?

Yang Yuan was utterly dumbfounded.

“Well, many fans believe that even in defeat, Xu Hao deserves to lose with dignity rather than resort to gimmicks with other historic buildings. I just spoke with someone from Ning An Cultural Tourism, and they said ticket sales among tourists have begun to steadily rise.”

Liu Qing clenched his fists.

This twist was both sudden and delightful. I thought Xu Hao would pull another one of his tricks, but instead, he ended up hurting himself—truly karma at work.

Watching Xu Hao’s live stream account continually lose followers gave a satisfying sense of revenge.

“Excellent! Excellent!”

Upon hearing the full story, the gloom on Yang Yuan’s face vanished. Had he known the outcome, he wouldn’t have worried so much or hastily called in Zhao Fei this afternoon.

“Boss Yang… Boss Yang, over here with Xu Hao.”

Beside him, Zhao Fei’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

He wasn’t concerned about fan numbers—he only cared about the next move from the client.

“It doesn’t matter! Whatever Xu Hao is building now is secondary! Zhao, I’m really sorry to have called you on such short notice.”

Feeling upbeat, Yang Yuan waved him off immediately.

“What about that historic building courtyard in the desert?”

“Everything is proceeding as planned—the sooner, the better! By the way, I apologize for summoning you on such short notice. How about we grab a few drinks later?”

Yang Yuan stood up and extended the invitation.

Though it seemed like he was just hosting Zhao Fei, it was more like Yang Yuan was toasting their unexpected victory.

“Sounds good!”

As the day unfolded from dawn to dusk, by 10 AM, Xu Hao was still directing his crew at the construction site. Since breaking ground after 2 PM yesterday, apart from meals and a scant four to five hours of sleep, he hadn’t left the foundation.

“Even though Brother Hao didn’t build the historic building courtyard, this structure seems pretty impressive!”

Inside the Desert Pavilion,

dozens of tourists exchanged glances as they watched the bustling activity around the foundation and the first floor taking shape.

The stream chat was lively, though most viewers remained level-headed.

Whether or not Xu Hao builds the historic courtyard, merely being inside the Desert Pavilion to catch a glimpse of the desert’s sunset or sunrise—and even snag a few grass lattices to plant your own tree—makes a trip to Mingsha County totally worthwhile.

“I agree! The area is already vast as it takes shape, and with Brother Hao driving up the foundation columns, it’s likely he’s aiming to build a loft or wooden pagoda.”

“A loft or a wooden pagoda?”

“Yes!”

“If it’s a loft or wooden pagoda, I can understand Brother Hao’s decision; loft-style historic buildings seem to suit this sandy depression better.”

“I definitely feel that way!”

“But it might not necessarily be either a loft or a wooden pagoda.”

“Why?”

“Typically, lofts and wooden pagodas have two or three basement levels for stability, but there’s been no sign of any work on the foundation side.”

“That’s true!”

“Anyway, we’ve booked five days at Oasis 2, so we’re sure to see Brother Hao’s historic structure finished by then.”

“Come on, enough talk. Help me take a photo inside the Desert Pavilion first.”

“Okay!”

“One, two, three—historic building!”

Though these tourists had picked up on some clues, they had no idea that in the days when the stream was off, Xu Hao had already completed the underground section.

As a doctoral candidate in historic architecture, it was clear that lofts require basement levels. Plus, once Xu Hao finished, he covered it with a specialized construction net, hiding the foundation’s inner structure completely.

Minute by minute, time passed until evening. The result of dozens of laborers working non-stop for hours was evident.

The wooden structure of Tengwang Pavilion’s first floor was fully erected, and construction on the second level had begun.

According to the blueprints,

the main structure of Tengwang Pavilion stands nearly sixty meters tall, with two basement levels and a main pavilion designed in a ‘3 visible, 7 hidden’ format. Externally, it appears as a three-storey building with corridors, but internally it boasts seven levels. In just one day, even without the corridors, it reached about seven meters in height—nearly two stories—and its imposing form was already emerging.

Yan City Ancient Architecture Research Institute

Contrary to the viewers’ confusion online, Li Jue and Liu Shan were so thrilled they were at a loss for words.

“It’s Tengwang Pavilion! It really is Tengwang Pavilion!”

Liu Shan kept rubbing his hands together excitedly.

If it wasn’t clear yesterday afternoon, it was now a certainty—anyone well-versed in historic architecture knows that the proportions of a loft, particularly the ground floor, are crucial.

Those proportions directly determine the final height of the structure.

“Old Li, call Xiao Xu immediately and tell him not to lose or mar the blueprints.”

Snapping back to reality, Liu Shan quickly looked at Li Jue.

“I just called—no answer! Xiao Xu probably left his phone while working!”

Li Jue wasn’t in much better shape than Liu Shan.

“Then what do we do? The site is chaotic—what if the foremen inadvertently damage the blueprints?”

Liu Shan grew even more anxious upon hearing that the call didn’t go through.

“Hold on, let me think. I’ll call an old friend from Su Province—if that doesn’t work, I’ll have him go to Mingsha County himself.”

Li Jue got up, paced for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead and dialed a number.

Beep, beep, beep… Soon the call connected. “Old Feng, is now a good time to talk?”

Li Jue’s call was to his old friend, Feng Wancheng.

“Old Li, don’t mention it. I’m already on my way to Mingsha County—should be there by 10 PM tonight, and Xiao Xu will be there first thing in the morning.”

Before Li Jue could say another word, Feng Wancheng answered directly.

“Did you catch Xiao Xu’s live stream too?”

Li Jue was instantly stunned.

“How come you didn’t see it? I have to admit, Xiao Xu really knows how to stir things up. If you’d said earlier he was planning a fully wooden Tengwang Pavilion, I wouldn’t have left—but now look at all the hassle!”

Though Feng Wancheng’s tone sounded like a complaint, his voice still brimmed with excitement.

As Li Jue’s old friend and a senior official in Su Province’s Cultural Relics Bureau, Feng Wancheng’s insight was as sharp as Liu Shan’s. He too had suspected it once Xu Hao’s live stream began, and the completion of the ground floor confirmed everything.

“That’s great. Go, tell Xiao Xu to safeguard the blueprints at all costs.”

Li Jue let out a small sigh of relief.

Feng Wancheng proved once again how reliable he was.

“Got it!”

“By the way, are you going alone this time? Did Old Dong come along?”

After a brief pause, Li Jue asked again.

“Old Dong had some matters to attend to, so he didn’t come. But aside from a few colleagues, I’ve also invited officials from the Su Province Tourism Bureau—after all, what Xiao Xu is doing isn’t just about a replica historic building anymore.”

Feng Wancheng’s voice came through once more.