"Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhang has arranged for you to stay at the West Lake Four Seasons Hotel in Hang City. Do you want to change it?"
At this moment, seeing Zhou Wang finally put down his phone, Xiao Biao, who had been quietly driving, asked.
"West Lake Four Seasons Hotel?"
Zhou Wang was slightly surprised.
"Amidst numerous luxury hotels in Hang City, it’s the only one that made it to the Forbes five-star list."
Jiang Qingkui, who had already familiarized herself with the details, softly explained at this time.
"I’ve heard a bit about it."
Zhou Wang smiled and said.
Forbes is not just about the rich list; its reviews are authoritative in many aspects, such as the star-rated hotels on the ’Forbes Travel Guide’.
By 2023, there were 128 hotels on the Forbes list throughout Huaxia, and if the three special zones were excluded, there were less than 20 Forbes five-star hotels on the mainland.
The West Lake Four Seasons Hotel, built over a decade ago, is the only hotel in Hang City to receive this honor.
(West Lake refers specifically to "Xihu," which is called "West Lake" to differentiate it from 35 other lakes in the country with the same name, so people also call it "West Lake.")
This high-end hotel, part of the Four Seasons Group, is located at the prime spot in the inner lake of West Lake, and its impressive location shows its excellence.
Unlike Ming City, tucked away in the southwest, Hang City, as a truly developed city, has too many high-end hotels, and the first time Zhou Wang was staying in a five-star hotel in Hang City, he chose one right next to West Lake, naturally the best option for him.
Why wouldn’t it be, as this was his first visit to Hang City...
A country bumpkin entering the city, of course, should see the world to the fullest.
"No need to change, I’m very satisfied with this arrangement. Let’s go to the West Lake Four Seasons."
Zhou Wang said with a smile.
Xiao Biao responded, slightly accelerating the car as the Mercedes-Benz S500L moved steadily along the airport city avenue, weaving into the bustling downtown of Hang City.
Approaching the Xixing Bridge, Zhou Wang leaned forward to look at the distant Qiantang River, somewhat amazed.
The Qiantang River, which seemed unremarkable on the map, appeared so vast to the naked eye!
"Mr. Zhou, this bridge is scheduled for demolition and reconstruction this year. You might not see it the next time you visit."
Jiang Qingkui smiled and explained to Zhou Wang.
Hearing this, Zhou Wang nodded, just about to respond when the stirring emotion he had since entering the city suddenly peaked.
"Stop the car!"
Feeling a sudden dizziness, Zhou Wang quickly spoke.
Though puzzled, Xiao Biao turned on the hazard lights and pulled the Mercedes-Benz S500L to the side.
"Mr. Zhou, what’s wrong?"
As the vehicle came to a halt, Zhou Wang wasted no time explaining to Jiang Qingkui and Xu Wenqian. He swiftly opened the car door, quickly stepping onto the roadside flower bed.
Buzz!
A loud rumbling noise filled his ears, accompanied by countless laughter and murmurings. Simultaneously, a system notification sounded in Zhou Wang’s mind.
Ding!
[Detected: Host’s first entry into an economically developed city with GDP exceeding a trillion, triggering a hidden reward.]
[Host has received the "Random Chessboard" reward.]
["Mythical Chessboard·Wolong Realm" loaded, updating Hangzhou map...]
Ding!
[Hangzhou map has been dungeonized.]
[Wolong Realm·Hangzhou: While the host is in Hangzhou, you will receive an intangible fortune boost, allowing events and characters to manifest visibly, with at least three hidden rounds on the map.]
Ding!
[Mysterious Store updated, "Chessboard·Map" mechanism activated.]
[Hosts can purchase different levels of chessboards in the Mysterious Store. The presence of a chessboard will provide various conveniences for the host’s actions in the corresponding city, with the extent of support varying by level.]
[Note: Each chessboard can only be bound to one city.]
[If life is a chess game, then each key location affecting your life is a chessboard. Strive to become the best chess player.]
...
As the system notifications concluded, all the strange sensations dissipated.
Yet, the look of astonishment on Zhou Wang’s face increased rather than lessened. He pushed away Xu Wenqian and Jiang Qingkui, who had come to support him, looked around, and then, amidst the two women’s confused gazes, suddenly dashed towards an observation deck by the river.
"Boss..."
"Mr. Zhou?"
Xu Wenqian and Jiang Qingkui couldn’t keep up, watching helplessly as Zhou Wang sprinted dozens of meters with extreme speed and then ascended the observation deck.
Standing at a higher vantage point, overlooking the Qiantang River, Zhou Wang’s vision filled with dazzling colors, fixed firmly on the observation deck, utterly stunned.
Cars rushed by, skyscrapers loomed...
A cityscape that seemed no different to others appeared radically transformed in Zhou Wang’s view at this moment.
On the horizon, a golden dragon illusion slowly rose. Its body twisted along the city’s edge, raising its head in silent roar, plunging the city into darkness.
Simultaneously, the towering buildings and streets all lit up with colorful illusory glows, and various symbols and illusions constantly flickered above the city.
What on earth is this?
Did those symbols and illusions represent triggerable events and characters?
Combining with the system’s previous explanation, Zhou Wang had started to understand...
So, the map being chessboard-ized meant this.
Being in Hang City was like entering a game, where he could actively trigger various events or tasks in this city to earn rewards.