HLM -Chapter 1313 The Salvation Army

As a result, hot springs across all of New Zealand were slated for a major overhaul.

Of course, this was perfectly normal. Amoebae can survive quite happily in warm water at temperatures of 40–45°C, so one should never assume that hot spring water can kill all microorganisms. It certainly cannot eliminate protozoa.

Because of the influence of the Heart of the Lakeshore, most of the hot springs in Sunset Town maintained temperatures between 37°C and 42°C. Unfortunately, this range happened to be the optimal temperature for the survival and development of amoebic cysts.

The police, working jointly with the health authorities, launched a large-scale investigation. Lincoln University’s medical school also provided assistance, conducting comprehensive inspections of the hot springs and carrying out anti-parasitic treatment.

According to regulations, all the hot springs in Sunset Town had to be closed for at least a week. The pesticides used were highly toxic, but protozoa have extremely simple life structures and strong viability—ordinary toxins are ineffective against them.

Once such pesticides were applied, at least a week of drainage was required to flush the chemicals completely out of the water.

Wang Bo led his officers to shut down all the hot springs. Rubbing his neck, he muttered, “Damn it, I soaked in the hot springs just the day before yesterday. Do you think I could’ve been infected by an amoeba too?”

Atulu asked, “You didn’t do any underwater swimming in the hot spring, did you?”

Wang Bo rolled his eyes. “What kind of nonsense is that? Do I look stupid enough to go diving in a hot spring?”

“Then there’s no problem,” Atulu said. “Amoebae invade the brain through the nasal mucosa. As long as your head wasn’t submerged in the water for a long time, there’s no way it could get into your brain.”

Beside them, Sweet Boy sighed. “Atulu, I really envy you in this regard. You don’t have a brain, so it’s impossible for amoebae to parasitize you.”

The Māori big man glared at him angrily. “Fuck, what did you say?”

Wang Bo added calmly, “A zombie cracks open Atulu’s skull, takes one look, then leaves in disappointment. Meanwhile, the dung beetle next to him lights up with excitement.”

Atulu snapped, “Boss, why are you all mocking me?”

Wang Bo rolled his eyes again. “Because you’re talking nonsense. Who told you that only diving can lead to amoeba infection? As long as water comes into contact with your nose—and that water contains amoebae—there’s a risk of infection.”

Atulu protested, “Then I wasn’t wrong!”

“Who can soak in a hot spring without letting their nose touch the water?”

Atulu replied proudly, “Me. Every time I soak, I make sure everything above my neck stays out of the water. Otherwise, drying my hair afterward would be too much trouble.”

Wang Bo and Sweet Boy: “……”

Amoebae are indeed terrifyingly lethal in this respect. Once they reach the brain, survival is almost impossible.

However, such protozoa are extremely rare. Joint inspections over the following days confirmed this—apart from a single hot spring in a remote wilderness area near Dunedin, no other hot springs were found to contain amoebae.

Those unlucky victims had all been infected after bathing in that isolated wild hot spring.

After reading the report, Wang Bo could only sigh in amazement. This was a real-life version of Final Destination. The victims were truly unfortunate—there were thousands of hot springs across New Zealand, and the amoeba appeared in just one of them… and they happened to run into it.

By November, the weather gradually became warmer, and most of the buildings that had been invested in behind Sunset Town were basically ready for use.

More than a dozen floating houses now drifted on Lake Hāwea, luxuriously decorated and extremely popular with tourists.

Thanks to their novelty, the floating houses quickly became a sensation in the tourism industry. For a time, they even overshadowed the Starry Sky Wormhole and became the signature attraction of Sunset Town.

In addition to the floating houses, the hillside cabins were also quite popular, though not to the same extent.

The lighting in hillside cabins simply couldn’t compare with that of conventional houses. Many people suffered from claustrophobia and couldn’t live in such an environment. Even if the interior lighting was decent, fear often stemmed from perception.

From a cognitive standpoint, tourists perceived the hillside cabins as enclosed spaces. They were happy to take photos, pose for pictures, and tour them—but not to actually stay inside.

Flights between Queenstown and Sunset Town were opened up. With the arrival of peak tourist season, flight frequency increased significantly—one flight per day, with an extra one added on weekends.

As a result, Sunset Town Airport became busy. Coupled with occasional flights transporting livestock and feed to the Middle East, several planes could be seen flying over the town every day.

With the arrival of the warm season, the activity of the freshwater coral reached its peak. Wang Bo contacted Professor Sandra to discuss relocating it, but she shook her head and refused. Since the coral reef had already been moved to the shallow lakeshore, it might as well stay there.

Wang Bo was more than happy to leave it by the lake. With the water being shallow and clear, the freshwater coral was even easier to observe.

The coral area of Lake Hāwea was fenced off. Swimming and fishing were prohibited, while boating was allowed. Even then, only specific types of vessels were permitted—small flat-bottom boats or inflatable rafts.

As the number of visitors to Sunset Town continued to grow, various organizations also began to arrive. Earlier, the New Zealand Tourism Association (TAANZ) had proactively invited Sunset Town to join. This time, the visitors were from the Salvation Army.

New Zealand has many charitable organizations, but the largest among them is the New Zealand Salvation Army. In fact, within the global charity community, the Salvation Army is a truly prestigious name.

“We have branches in 180 countries worldwide. One of our main missions is to enable affluent populations to help those still living in poverty through material support. Sunset Town, as a newly emerging hub for the wealthy, has tremendous potential in this regard…”

One morning in early November, several men and women came to visit Wang Bo. They were key members of the New Zealand Salvation Army.

Their goal was to establish a second-hand store in Sunset Town. The Salvation Army operates many such stores across major cities and small towns throughout New Zealand, and now they were expanding into Sunset Town.

Wang Bo had a very favorable impression of the Salvation Army. This wasn’t the Red Cross—it was a highly transparent charitable organization, and its New Zealand branch was especially well known worldwide.

The group brought along a detailed PPT presentation, introducing the Salvation Army’s principles, policies, and achievements over the years. Then the president, Clare Fuller, said, “We hope to receive Sunset Town’s support, Mayor Wang. But even if you choose to decline, we still wish to thank you—for your generosity.”

Wang Bo looked at the materials and asked, “Thank me for my generosity? What do you mean by that?”

Clare smiled. “About two months ago, you purchased a batch of books, didn’t you? Part of that batch belonged to our Salvation Army. Your payment provided tremendous support to our organization.”

Wang Bo suddenly realized—so that was what it was about.

After reviewing the materials, he said, “I deeply admire the work of the Salvation Army, and I hold the dedication of everyone here in the highest respect. Since the Salvation Army wishes to establish a store in Sunset Town, I believe I should support your efforts.”