HLM – Chapter 146 The Town Promotion Plan

By using his foresight, Wang Bo made a small profit. Although it wasn’t much overall, it was definitely enough for a meal.

A couple of days after he obtained the Heart of the Spring, the domineering CEO’s luxurious helicopter landed in the castle’s outer courtyard, and the father and son returned to the small town.

Seeing the Bartier father and son, Wang Bo sighed inwardly—he really shouldn’t have been wondering why they hadn’t visited since the call. Not long ago, he’d been puzzled that they hadn’t shown up yet, and here they were now, arriving out of the blue.

The domineering CEO was a seasoned guest. As he hugged Wang Bo, he smiled and said, “Mayor, I brought you a gift. I think you’ll be very interested in it.”

Wang Bo responded jokingly, “Well, thank you very much! Since I came to New Zealand, I haven’t received many gifts at all.”

Bartier’s “gift” was actually an order—he had connected the ranch with a major client who could purchase over a thousand head of cattle and sheep. Even better, it was a stable, ongoing deal.

Of course, the condition for this deal was that the ranch’s beef and mutton had to be of high quality.

The client’s name was Sharp Carlington, a well-known distributor of premium livestock products in New Zealand. He specialized exclusively in high-end meat products.

According to Bartier, Sharp controlled over half of New Zealand’s high-end supply and demand chains. For instance, he had exclusive control over the country’s supply of Japan’s famed wagyu beef.

Additionally, he held distribution channels for other premium ingredients like Alaskan king crab, Philippine bluefin tuna, Russian caviar, and Tibetan yak meat from China.

Bartier was a decent man. When he left the castle previously, not only did he order a batch of cattle and sheep to be delivered to his ranch in Wellington, but he also took some meat back for his son, Little Bartier.

During their last stay at the castle, Little Bartier—though still having some aversion to food—had started eating a little, and Bartier believed the high-quality meat played a part. So, he brought some back with him.

Later, he hosted a banquet, and the beef and mutton served were from Wang Bo’s ranch.

Sharp attended that banquet. As a hardcore gourmet, he immediately noticed something special about the meat and kept pestering Bartier to introduce him to the supplier.

“I didn’t tell Sharp about you right away. I strung him along. This way, when you eventually collaborate, the initiative will be in your hands. Now, I’m giving you his contact info. Go reach out to him—the ball is in your court,” Bartier explained.

Wang Bo thanked him again. Bartier wasn’t just lending a hand—he was wholeheartedly helping, and Wang Bo was truly grateful.

Now with Sharp’s contact details, Wang Bo humbly asked Bartier for advice on pricing. “Mr. CEO, do you think my prices are reasonable? If this turns into a large-scale collaboration, should I consider adjusting them?”

“Of course. Raise the price by another 50%, then hold firm at that level. Trust me—Sharp will still work with you, and he’ll still make a profit,” Bartier said breezily.

Wang Bo was secretly stunned. Charlie’s prices were already on the high side, and yet Bartier was suggesting something even bolder.

Were there really that many rich people in New Zealand? Wang Bo found it hard to wrap his head around the spending habits of the upper class.

But they say listening to others fills your belly, and Wang Bo definitely wanted to eat well. So, he decided to raise his prices again.

It had only been half a month since the Bartiers last left the castle, but Little Bartier had once again fallen ill. His issues were mental in nature—his eyes dull, his steps weak. If Wang Bo didn’t know better, he’d think the boy had exhausted himself with some wild night.

But seeing Zhuang Ding and Commander again lifted the boy’s spirits. As soon as they arrived at the castle, he gave Zhuang Ding a deep kiss.

Zhuang Ding was fed up. He couldn’t wait to shove this stranger away with his big paws, but Wang Bo kept signaling him to behave. So, the clever dog compromised and endured for Wang Bo’s sake.

Leaving the father and son at the castle, Wang Bo drove to the town for work.

The feeling of driving was exhilarating—especially when he was behind the wheel of the Land Beast “Marauder.” Sitting in that spacious seat, he felt like he wasn’t holding a steering wheel, but wielding a mighty weapon.

In truth, there wasn’t much work for him to do. It was more about appearances.

The biggest problem facing the town now was the lack of residents. Fundamentally, the town lacked recognition and appeal—hardly anyone was moving in.

So, after discussing it with Hani, the two of them decided to launch an advertising campaign for Sunset Town.

Neither of them were experts in marketing, but Wang Bo thought of his fellow Chinese, Monica, who might be helpful. So, he called the long-legged TV hostess to see if she had time to meet over a meal.

Monica typically stayed in one of two places—either Dunedin or Christchurch, the two biggest cities on the South Island where most major media outlets and corporations were located.

Sunset Town was roughly equidistant from both cities. When Wang Bo called, Monica happened to be in Dunedin and happily accepted the invitation.

Wang Bo originally intended to drive his pickup truck there, but when Bartier learned he was going to meet a beautiful female host, he smiled, snapped his fingers, and said, “Take my helicopter—I’ll lend it to you.”

Wang Bo quickly clarified, “No, no, buddy. I’m going there for business. No need to show off with a luxury helicopter.”

Bartier replied coolly, “Precisely because it’s business, you should put on a good show. Trust me—when you demonstrate strength that commands respect, negotiations become much easier.”

Charlie and the others nodded in agreement. So, Wang Bo dropped the modesty and boarded the nearly ten-million-dollar helicopter en route to Dunedin.

In a straight line, the distance between the two places was less than 350 kilometers. Bartier’s AW139 helicopter could fly at up to 300 km/h, so the trip would take just over an hour.

Dunedin was a beautiful coastal city with a strong Scottish influence. In fact, its name derived from the Gaelic name for Edinburgh, and the Otago region was often referred to as the “Edinburgh of the South.”

The city was known for its picturesque landscapes, dotted with rolling hills. The downtown area featured many Victorian-style buildings, while the suburbs and coastline were lined with luxurious homes.

Unlike most cities, in Dunedin, the wealthy lived in the suburbs while the poor stayed in the city center. That’s because the suburbs were along the coast—scenic, fresh-air-filled, and full of attractive people.

The meeting place Wang Bo and Monica agreed on was the city’s central TV tower building, where Monica worked.