Chapter 994: 再加一重debuff

He Lingchuan said modestly, "You praise me too much, senior. This place was built in a hurry, and there are still many shortcomings."

Unfortunately, the island was bustling tonight with people busy unloading cargo, reinforcing defenses against the wind, transporting supplies, and checking guests in. It was far from tranquil or leisurely.

Two large sections of the lawn had been worn bare.

Wang Xingyi nodded. "Yes, this place definitely needs proper planning."

What was his discernment? In his eyes, every inch of Suoding Island needed "planning."

He Lingchuan knew this all too well, but he was simply too busy, unable to be in multiple places at once, and lacked the necessary talent among his staff.

For now, the expansion of Suoding Island focused only on full functionality and basic usability. Whether the zoning was reasonable, the architecture beautiful, or the service meticulous—those were concerns for the next steps, or even further down the line.

One had to eat a meal one bite at a time; these things could wait.

"Why not ask Songyuan for help? He's an expert."

Fang Canran also smiled. "I'm waiting for a batch of goods to turn over, so I can stay here for about seven or eight days."

He Lingchuan was overjoyed. "Excellent, excellent! My islands are saved!"

Fang Canran oversaw all industries for the Golden Horn family in Lingxu City, personally managing several large gardens that were picturesque. For him, helping to perfect the planning on Suoding Island would be a piece of cake.

In He Lingchuan's vision, only two or three islands, including Suoding Island, which were adjacent to the shipping lanes, would be open to the public, offering a full range of services including docking, leisure, business, dining, and entertainment, with a strong focus on improving their public image.

As for the remaining thirty-odd islands, while they sounded numerous, most were actually unsuitable for habitation. Apart from Island Fourteen, which was currently under development, seven or eight more islands could be utilized later, primarily for agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and, most importantly, military purposes.

Outsiders would not be permitted in these areas.

He Lingchuan's gaze often shifted. Seeing this, Fang Canran whispered, "Did we come at a bad time?"

"Nonsense!" He Lingchuan laughed, patting his shoulder. "You came at the perfect time, ha ha, perfectly timed!"

Only he knew that it was a bitter laugh.

What a night it was! With Mou Nation, Beijia, the Bailong people, and He Lingchuan himself, four factions could gather for a game of mahjong.

Just then, a large spider emerged from the shadows of the trees and ambled along the main street, completely unconcerned by its surroundings.

Wang Xingyi was well-traveled and knowledgeable, but it was his first time seeing such a robust, giant spider demon. He paused, looking at it for a moment before asking, "Is that a Cave Spider Queen?"

Although the creature had a terrifying appearance, making nearby travelers retreat several steps, and the timid prepare to flee, the merchants along Suoding Island's streets remained remarkably calm. They continued their business as usual, greeting customers without the slightest alarm.

It was clear this large creature was a regular local.

"Indeed," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "It usually lives on Pansil Island, but occasionally comes to Suoding Island to buy things."

Sure enough, everyone watched as the large spider approached a street stall, ordered a jar of aged wine, broke the mud seal, and began to slurp it down.

In less than a minute, it had emptied the jar, drinking with more gusto than He Lingchuan used to guzzle soda from a glass bottle.

The stall owner, unfazed, brought over another jar.

Someone passing by greeted it, "Second Mother, you're here again?"

The Spider Queen ignored him.

When He Lingchuan, Wang Xingyi, and the others walked away, it was still drinking.

Fang Canran then asked He Lingchuan, "Is this Cave Spider Queen...?"

With many people around, he didn't finish his question:

"...is she the companion who caused havoc with you in the Heavenly Palace?"

But He Lingchuan immediately understood his meaning and nodded. "Yes."

At that moment, Qiu Hu rushed over and whispered a few words to him.

The message was simple: there were over a hundred Bailong people at the dock, twice the number that had been arranged. However, with more large ships arriving, guests needing guidance, and cargo requiring loading and unloading, everyone was so busy that even with more personnel, it still seemed insufficient.

If He Lingchuan hadn't given prior instructions, no one would have noticed this anomaly.

On the night of the hurricane, Suoding Island had only one theme:

Immediately afterward, Granny Zhu's telepathic message reached He Lingchuan's ear:

"The Emperor's Dew is coming soon. I can feel it!"

As an ancient demon, her perception of celestial phenomena surpassed that of ordinary humans. If she said the Emperor's Dew was coming, it was very likely to be true.

He Lingchuan looked up and sighed silently.

Of all the coincidences, was the Emperor's Dew really going to descend tonight?

Heaven certainly knew how to cause him trouble.

While the Emperor's Dew was indeed a coveted blessing for all living beings, its arrival tonight would only compound the chaos on Suoding Island.

Hurricane and Emperor's Dew—a double whammy.

Granny Zhu asked him, "What do you plan to do?"

"Solve problems one by one, don't let them pile up," He Lingchuan said decisively. "Accelerate the plan, prepare to act! Don't wait for the hurricane to truly arrive!"

Since the Bailong people and Yu Zecheng had chosen their time of action, He Lingchuan's key countermeasure was to disrupt their rhythm!

The progress and tempo of this battle must be firmly in his hands!

"Oh."

At that moment, Dong Rui's voice intruded. "Oh, so you're not going to be the bait anymore? What a shame, I really wanted to see how you'd lose your head!"

Granny Zhu No. 2 asked curiously, "How do you know he'd lose his head if he acted as bait?"

"I heard that Wanqiu Song particularly enjoys beheading people in battle and displaying their heads as trophies afterward."

In times of chaos, this was not an uncommon hobby.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his embrace also joined the chatter. "Oh? Were you really planning to let Wanqiu Song chop off your head? He's quite practiced at it; do you think you could trick him?"

Without waiting for its master to reply, it continued on its own, "It seems possible... Let me think, yes, it seems possible."

He Lingchuan couldn't be bothered to pay attention to their chattering. The situation was becoming increasingly chaotic and delicate; one wrong move could lead to complete disaster, and he was under immense pressure.

His gaze swept over the esteemed guests for the evening, and he suddenly said to Wang Xingyi and Fang Canran, "Please excuse the noise. The dock is crowded and noisy tonight. How about I escort the Imperial Advisor to the Hot Spring Villa? The small private villas there were only completed a few days ago, offering a quiet environment, no disturbances, and private hot spring pools for relaxation after dinner."

"Oh?" Wang Xingyi's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Good, good, very interesting."

Fang Canran smiled. "My martial uncle loves hot springs the most; he goes three or four times a month in Mudu."

The bustling activity at Suoding Island's dock was indeed too loud and jarring for guests of their stature. Aside from wars and celebrations, Wang Xingyi hadn't heard such clamor in a long time.

Immediately, He Lingchuan calmly led his esteemed guests through the main street and towards Qingyun Road.

With over a hundred elite soldiers marching proudly and He Lingchuan accompanying them, this group was like stars surrounded by the moon wherever they went, attracting the gaze of onlookers.

Many old captains and familiar customers greeted He Lingchuan.