Chapter 166 The Money-Giving Hermit!

Mu Xin and Mark Woodbury discussed many things. Jean-Luc was also there, sitting with his legs crossed, holding a cup of coffee, with an expression on his face as if he were waiting to watch a good show.

He had been in the hotel industry for over twenty years and had seen countless clients negotiate terms with designers.

Those clients were either laymen directing experts, stingy with their budgets, or people who wanted the best designs while complaining that the design fees were too high.

But Mu Xin was not that kind of client. Mu Xin was the type of client who, when told what the budget was, would turn around and ask why you were spending so little.

Jean-Luc wanted to see how Mark Woodbury would react when facing this kind of client.

"Mark, let's get straight to business." Mu Xin picked up the sketchbook, turned to the page for "War Valley," and placed it on the table.

"Those things you mentioned in the park earlier—War Valley, landing craft, simulated artillery fire, ruined scenes—if these things were to turn from concepts into reality, how much would it cost? How long would it take?"

"War Valley is just one core project within the experience zone. If the entire experience zone is divided into five major themed scenes—Landing, Urban Warfare, Airstrike, Escape, and Peace—each scene requires independent architecture, machinery, special effects, lighting, and sound systems. The total investment..."

He paused and made a quick estimate. "For this experience zone, excluding preliminary design and approval, construction and equipment installation alone would require at least eight hundred million to one billion dollars, with a construction period of twenty-eight to thirty-two months."

"Too slow." Mu Xin shook his head, using the exact same tone he had used when rejecting Rick Joy and Marwan Al-Sayed earlier.

"Eight to one billion dollars is no problem, but the construction period is too long. My planning document has already stated that the experience zone must be open to the public within six months."

"Can what you described be done within six months?"

Mark's pencil paused. He put down the sketchbook and looked at Mu Xin, as if confirming whether this young man was joking.

"Six months, eight hundred million to one billion dollars in investment." Mark leaned back in his chair. "Mr. Mu, this is roughly the speed of post-war reconstruction for a small country, not the construction speed of a theme park."

"Then have those construction teams work three shifts, have material suppliers expedite their shipments, and have equipment manufacturers deliver early."

"Money is not the issue; time is. I have said this to everyone, and now I am saying it to you."

Mark was silent. Jean-Luc finally spoke up from the side. "Mark, I have known Mr. Mu for a while now, and I can tell you a statistic."

"His hotel went from approval to construction in just one month; his Water Plant renovation took less than thirty days from start to finish."

"In Oxford Town, everything you think is impossible will be forced to become possible between money and time. You'll get used to it."

"I didn't say it was impossible; I was just stating the reality."

"If you really want to open the first batch of experience zones within six months, then divide the experience zone into two phases."

"The first phase can use the equipment you already have for static exhibitions, off-road armored vehicle experiences, and helicopter aerial sightseeing."

"These things don't need to be rebuilt; they only need civil-use modifications and site layout. Six months, five hundred to six hundred million dollars—I guarantee it can be completed within the time limit." Mark thought for a moment and offered an alternative plan.

"And the second phase?" Mu Xin asked.

"The second phase begins in the third month after the first phase starts, constructing the remaining scenario-based projects: War Valley, urban warfare ruins, the airstrike simulation center, and the Peace Memorial Hall."

"These projects require design and construction to proceed simultaneously, a construction team of at least two thousand people working three shifts, and the mobilization of professional theme park equipment suppliers from across the United States and even Europe."

"Twenty-four to thirty-two months, 1.5 to 2 billion dollars."

Mu Xin leaned back in his chair and quickly did the math in his head.

The total investment for the two phases of the experience zone is two to 2.6 billion dollars, plus the exhibition area and education area, plus the water park and the night entertainment center, plus...

A five billion dollar budget is indeed not enough, and this doesn't even account for the Japanese Crimes Exhibition Hall he was planning to build.

"Mark, what is your current annual salary at Universal Creative?"

Mark was taken aback. He didn't expect Mu Xin to ask this suddenly. "Including project bonuses, it was about four hundred and seventy thousand after tax last year," he answered truthfully.

"I will give you an annual salary of 2.4 million dollars."

"Mr. Mu," Mark's voice sounded a bit hoarse. "Are you sure you know what an annual salary of 2.4 million dollars means? In the theme park design industry, this number—"

"It means you don't need to discuss the budget with anyone else anymore." Mu Xin interrupted him. "I am giving you this figure because I want you to do only one thing over the next three years: build the world's best anti-war theme park in Oxford Town."

Mark didn't speak; he was still thinking, but Mu Xin spoke up.

"In China, we often say that money can make the devil push the millstone. As long as you provide enough money, there is nothing that cannot be done."

"If it can't be done, it just means you didn't pay enough."

"You don't need to consider the money issue; I only need progress. So, what is your answer?"

Mark extended his hand. "Mr. Mu, it's a pleasure working with you."

Mu Xin smiled. The Money-Adding Layman is invincible!

"Pleasure working with you, Mark. However, I need you to give me a detailed team list by next week. Your old subordinates at Universal Creative, whoever you think is capable, list them all out."

"You want to poach all of them?" Mark was stunned.

"How can you say it like that?!" Mu Xin shook his head. "I am inviting them over."

He took a stack of printed documents from the drawer and pushed them in front of Mark.

That was the employee satisfaction survey report for Universal Creative from the last three years, which Jessica had obtained through headhunting channels.

The core data in the report was circled with a red marker. The turnover rate for mid-level designers had risen by forty percent over the past three years, primarily due to stagnant wages and professional burnout caused by management repeatedly rejecting projects.

"You don't need to poach people." Mu Xin pointed to the red circles. "You just need to make a phone call and tell them that there is a project in Ohio with no budget cap, no design freedom cap, and a salary three to five times what they make at Universal."

"They will make their own choices. Everyone is an adult, aren't they?"

Mark flipped through the report with a complex expression. "Mr. Mu, do you know how what you are doing will be viewed in the theme park industry?"

"How will it be viewed?" Mu Xin didn't care at all.

"It's equivalent to declaring war on Disney and Universal at the same time." Mark closed the report and looked at him with a serious expression.

"A multi-billion dollar initial investment, an annual salary of over two million dollars for a design director, and the best designers and engineers in the United States being concentrated on a single project."

"They will treat you as the biggest disruptor in this industry."

Mu Xin leaned back in his chair and shrugged indifferently. "Then let them think that!"