Chapter 215: The Miracle of Seven Weeks
"Moderate difficulty? No problem." Chen Ge agreed readily, planning to arrange for the staff of Tian Teng Hospital to visit Mu Yang High School. If they could clear it smoothly, he would then invite them into the Third Ward.
"Thanks a lot." Hanging up the phone, the head of Tian Teng Hospital still held Chen Ge in high regard, thinking he was a genuinely good and reliable friend.
Chen Ge was actually quite pleased that the Tian Teng Hospital staff wanted to visit. Since the Third Ward was completed, no tourists had managed to enter it, leaving Chen Ge with a frustrating sense of being unable to share something great with others.
Now, with the Tian Teng Hospital people coming, things were looking up. Having spent years in haunted houses playing ghosts, they were surely braver than the average tourist. They might actually clear Mu Yang High School and make it into the Third Ward.
"The doll stuffing should have solidified by now. I'll go pick them up tonight and set them up in the Third Ward, and while I'm at it, design a few more scares."
Chen Ge decided to apply what he'd learned from Tian Teng Hospital to the Third Ward, then let the Tian Teng Hospital staff test the results.
At lunchtime, Chen Ge took his design proposal to the office building.
"Director Luo, I have a plan I'd like you to look at."
In the office, Director Luo was frowning at his laptop. His expression softened slightly when he saw Chen Ge enter. "If you need anything, go to Old Xu. I've told him to fully support you."
"This is something he can't decide on." Chen Ge placed the document he'd written overnight on Director Luo's desk. "I want to build a multi-functional lounge next to the haunted house. In the long run, this lounge will need a large footprint."
Director Luo flipped through Chen Ge's proposal, reading it carefully twice before setting the papers down. "The park is tight on funds right now. Keeping all the facilities running is already a stretch. Investing more could break the cash flow."
"Director Luo, I'm confident this multi-functional building will bring us significant returns in the future. The dining area will provide a better resting environment for visitors, and the limited-edition haunted house souvenirs will serve as proof of conquering each scene, fueling their desire to tackle new ones."
"I know you're confident you can make it work, and I trust your ability, but some things need to be considered from a broader perspective." Director Luo turned his laptop screen toward Chen Ge. "This is an internal video from the East Suburb Virtual Future Park. Watch it, then share your thoughts."
Director Luo clicked the mouse, and on the screen, a giant whale leaped from the sea, water splashing everywhere.
As the whale dove, it entered a bizarre underwater world, surrounded by all kinds of fish and sea monsters, even a ghost ship sailing through the depths.
The video shifted to a first-person perspective, as if the viewer were standing on the ghost ship, deep in the ocean, near a vast trench, passing between erupting submarine volcanoes, taking in the spectacle.
"This is one of the entertainment projects at the Virtual Future Park, called '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.' What you're seeing is their upcoming promotional trailer." Director Luo seemed to have his own channels to get the video early. "Tell me what you think."
Chen Ge now understood why Director Luo had been so downcast earlier. Just watching the video was stunning, let alone experiencing it from the viewer's perspective.
"The competition is strong, but we're not without a chance." Chen Ge gripped the sofa armrest, refusing to give up until the very last moment.
"Keep watching." Hearing Chen Ge's response, Director Luo didn't get angry; instead, his expression softened.
The second half of the video showed a futuristic city, with towering skyscrapers, flying cars zipping by, and various robots maintaining the city's operations. Visitors sat in a capsule-like experience car, traversing the city.
"This is another flagship project of the virtual park—Virtual City. Visitors wear 3D glasses throughout and experience various activities in a completely virtual city." Director Luo turned off the video and looked at Chen Ge. "Impressive, isn't it? I knew years ago that this day would come. The third-generation parks, centered on physical entertainment equipment, would eventually be replaced by larger, more futuristic fourth-generation parks."
"Director Luo, what we saw is just a trailer. Current technology probably can't fully recreate those scenes." Chen Ge raised an objection. "Many games release flashy trailers, but when you actually play them, the content is far from the ads."
"They don't need 100% accuracy. If they can achieve even 30%, countless people will flock to experience it." Director Luo stood up and walked to the window. "New Century Park was built at the turn of the century, over a decade ago. It had its glory days, but now it's time for the curtain to fall. Starting next week, I expect ads for the Virtual Future Park to pop up all over Hanjiang, even the province. Our situation will get much tougher."
"Director Luo, how long until the East Suburb park opens?"
"Less than two months—seven weeks, to be precise."
"Time is tight, but we still have a chance. If we hold on, something unexpected might happen." Chen Ge stood up to leave. The impending promotional blitz from the Virtual Future Park put immense pressure on him.
"Don't rush off. I have something to tell you, and I want you to be mentally prepared." Director Luo returned to his desk and opened a report on his computer.
"What is it?" Chen Ge paused, surprised.
"I had Old Xu do an analysis. In the past week, 35% of the visitors to the park came specifically for your haunted house, and that number is still growing." Director Luo didn't hide anything from Chen Ge. "Your haunted house has become the park's flagship attraction now. It reminds me of when your parents first came to New Century Park."
"It's mostly everyone supporting me."
"No need to be modest. It's your skill." Director Luo looked at the data analysis on his screen. "Your haunted house is now the key to drawing visitors. Many people buy park tickets just to visit your haunted house. I'm sure there are even more who want to come, but the 260-yuan park ticket price might deter their impulse, since they're only interested in the haunted house, not the other rides."
Chen Ge listened quietly, sensing that Director Luo was about to say something important.
"Compared to the Virtual Future Park, we have no competitive edge. The only way to attract people is to lower ticket prices. We originally planned to implement this in two months, but given your haunted house's current situation, we've decided to start early." Director Luo was decisive. "As park ticket prices drop, your haunted house ticket prices can go up. The exact pricing is still under discussion. I'm just giving you a heads-up today."