HLM -Chapter 778 Spring Is the Harvest Season

Sunset Town’s first Protest had come to an end. Wang Bo waved his hand lightly, and the event dissipated as smoothly as a breeze through clouds.

But he wasn’t wrong—many people really treated it like a party. By evening, groups had gathered to drink and barbecue, claiming it was to commemorate the town’s first organized Protest.

Atulu had been invited. Some people even apologized to him for hurting his pride earlier. Domestic tourists couldn’t quite understand the situation, but that didn’t stop them from tagging along to enjoy the food and drinks.

Since he had promised to set up a bus route for the town, Wang Bo had to follow through. It affected his credibility as mayor. New Zealanders valued promises highly; stories of keeping one’s word at all costs were common in this country.

The next morning, Wang Bo disconnected from the internet and went to the meeting room. All the town’s management personnel began discussing how to set up this transportation network.

Hani suggested, “Boss, why not just do a symbolic route? Why bother putting in so much effort? The traffic bureau wasn’t wrong—public transportation is a money-losing business!”

Wang Bo snorted. “That’s not my principle. If I promise the voters something, I will see it through.”

“Don’t say that, boss. There are no voters here, so take off the mask and speak your mind,” Kidd said.

Wang Bo wanted to throw his notebook at him.

He truly intended to create a public transportation network linking O’City, Cromwell, Lindis Valley, and Cardrona. Sunset Town’s tourism industry was booming. Foreign tourists made up half of all consumption—these included not only Chinese tourists but also visitors from Europe, America, and Asia.

He thought aloud, “I’ve seen the statistics. The reason New Zealand’s public transport consistently loses money is because locals rely on cars. Every household has a car.”

“So, this route network we’re establishing isn’t for town residents—it’s for tourists. This way, we can build the network without losing money. Two birds with one stone.”

Hani shook his head. “That’s unrealistic, boss. Town residents are smarter than you think.”

Wang Bo looked at him. “They won’t argue because all the buses on these routes will be luxury coaches offering coffee, juice, and beer—turning the trip into a sightseeing experience.”

“Luxury buses? That’s a huge investment.”

Wang Bo smiled. “Do you know what I’m best at?”

Charlie paused, then realized: “Oh my god, you’re going to pull off another free ride?”

Wang Bo said, “It’s not that simple this time, but the principle is the same. I heard that Holden Motors wants to transition into the large vehicle market. They urgently need promotional opportunities, and Sunset Town is a perfect partner, isn’t it?”

Holden was a car manufacturer, a subsidiary of the American General Motors, and one of New Zealanders’ favorite brands, as it was developed by Australians. The brand was almost unknown in Asia, but well-known in Australia and New Zealand.

Holden had over a century of history, initially making horse-drawn equipment. In 1914, it started customizing cars for clients, marking its first step into the automotive industry. Over the next decade, it expanded and, in 1931, partnered with General Motors to create Holden-GM.

By 1948, Holden began producing its own car models successfully, becoming a symbol of the Australian automotive industry. It maintained a lineup of over 20 models, including sedans, SUVs, pickups, multi-purpose vehicles, and sports cars, as well as some OEM models for GM.

For example, one of the current police vehicles in Sunset Town is a stealth vehicle produced by Holden.

However, due to globalization, Australia’s Holden factories faced pressure. At the end of 2013, Holden announced it would reduce vehicle and engine production in Australia, eventually ceasing production entirely in 2017.

Of course, the Holden brand did not disappear—it shifted to selling large vehicles like RVs, coaches, and trucks.

When Wang Bo researched this yesterday, he felt as if heaven was helping him. With the right approach, he could build a comfortable transportation network in Sunset Town without spending money.

But it wouldn’t be easy. Holden wasn’t a charity. Getting them to provide luxury coaches for free wouldn’t be simple.

Building a network would require at least twenty luxury coaches. Even at cost price, that would be over a million New Zealand dollars.

After explaining his plan, Charlie patted the table and said thoughtfully, “It sounds like a fairy tale, but it’s not impossible. Let’s see how we can make it work.”

Wang Bo looked at Deputy Mayor Bowen, who nodded. “This proposal is solid and doable.”

“OK, then include it in the town development plan. Let’s start immediately!”

Wang Bo asked Elizabeth to take minutes, then began assigning roles. “I will be the commander of this operation. Charlie, Bowen, Hani, you are deputy commanders. Everyone else, you are team members. OK?”

“YES, SIR!” Atulu shouted the loudest, almost standing at attention. Yesterday, Wang Bo had stood up for him, deeply moving the Maori man. He swore that, aside from his wife, Wang Bo was the person he respected most in his life.

Building a public transportation network wouldn’t happen overnight. This mission wasn’t about directly asking Holden for sponsorship—it would be a miracle if that worked!

One must be strong to gain favor. To win Holden’s attention, they needed to demonstrate capability.

Sunset Town was entering a new phase of development, which required funds. Wang Bo didn’t have much money left; most of it had been invested in the villa district and orchards.

Fortunately, spring was harvest season. The pastures produced beef, lamb, chicken, and duck, and tourism was booming. As the town’s largest capitalist, Wang Bo made a lot.

He contacted Sharp and Grant. A batch of cattle and sheep was ready for market. In addition, the deer population had grown over the past year and a half to over 500, allowing for large-scale production.

500 beef cattle, 1,500 lambs, 150 reindeer and elk combined brought in 14 million NZD.

Hades also shipped a batch of 100,000 broiler chickens, earning another 5 million NZD. Combined, the harvest brought nearly 20 million NZD.

Suddenly, Wang Bo had over 40 million NZD on hand.

And this wasn’t even his largest source of income—he still had a big asset that hadn’t been liquidated.