Chen Jianhai stared at the chat group in disbelief, feeling utterly dumbfounded. What just happened? He had thought joining the island's chat group would help him connect with the islanders. But after saying just a few words, he was immediately bombarded with insults and kicked out of the group. The resentment towards the previous person must run deep among the islanders!
Feeling frustrated, Chen Jianhai sat up from the watermelon waterbed. Even a saint would feel upset after being scolded like that. However, frustration aside, the issue needed to be resolved. If the islanders maintained this attitude, not only would he fail to gain their approval, but he might also end up being chased off the island with fish spears. Forget about opening his hotel.
He had to find a solution! Chen Jianhai picked up the cucumber slices next to him and popped them into his mouth. Despite his frustration, he thought to himself: if his own beautiful hometown island had been turned into a wasteland, he wouldn't just be cursing—he'd be out there with a stick.
"Wait a minute, didn't someone mention the pier?" Chen Jianhai's mind suddenly lit up. He scrolled through the chat history and indeed found the message about the pier.
"Today, Lao Da mentioned that the island only has one pier. Once the hotel is built, we'll need the pier for transporting guests, vegetables, and other supplies. Instead of fighting with the islanders later, why not build a new pier now?"
With this in mind, Chen Jianhai summoned the system in his mind. System interface, store, island hotel, other facilities, select.
Various supporting structures for the island hotel appeared. Chen Jianhai clicked on "pier," and a massive selection screen popped up.
"So many!" Chen Jianhai was stunned. He had no idea there were so many types of piers. Knowing that detailed explanations might confuse him, the system used simple names and descriptions for each pier, much like a kindergarten textbook.
Square Fish Pond Pier, Soft Embedded Piglet Pier, Mushroom Umbrella Dock… The variety of piers made Chen Jianhai's head spin.
"Square Fish Pond Pier? What kind of pier is this?" he wondered, clicking on it.
"Square Fish Pond Pier: A modular pier composed of several rectangles, resembling a fish pond. Advantages: Minimal terrain impact, highly common, accommodating 60-100 berths with spacious public paths, offering a comfortable and unique experience."
From above, the pier looked like someone had used a white paintbrush on the blue sea, creating geometric patterns of dots, lines, and shapes in an orderly layout. The pier's neat lines adhered to strict symmetry and order, achieving perfection in vertical and horizontal alignments. The scene was simple yet aesthetically pleasing.
"Whoa! If Bai Cheng saw this, he'd never leave the island," Chen Jianhai marveled. This pier was a dream for anyone with OCD. However, given the limited size of Xiaoma Island, building such a large pier seemed impractical for the hotel's needs. With some regret, Chen Jianhai marked the pier with an "×" and moved on to the Soft Embedded Piglet Pier.
"Soft Embedded Piglet Pier: A powerful deep-water port, U-shaped with a soft design resembling a piglet standing. Advantages: Spacious water areas, flexible layout, accommodating up to 700 berths, ideal for yacht shows and attracting enthusiasts."
"This one won't do either," he decided, rejecting it due to the deep-sea and 700-berth requirements. While tempted by the idea of a yacht pier, Xiaoma Island's environment wasn't suitable for such a setup.
Chen Jianhai continued examining various piers: Mushroom Umbrella Dock, Long Narrow Sailboat Pier, and more. After viewing so many, he grew tired and frustrated.
"What's this Lightbulb Pier?" he wondered, clicking on it.
"Lightbulb Pier: A premium superyacht pier, shaped like a chemical glass vessel, fitting any island indentation. The main area is a regular circle, with short parallel piers converging at the center, maximizing berth numbers in a limited space."
"This pier fits perfectly with the 'neck' of Xiaoma Island!" Chen Jianhai's eyes lit up. Comparing the pier's shape with the island's map, he found a close match. This pier, suitable for yachts, would support future business expansions involving yacht or sailboat events.
"This is it!" he decided.
"Ding~ Would you like to spend 5000 points to redeem the Lightbulb Pier?" the system asked.
"Yes!" Chen Jianhai confirmed.
"Ding~ Construction will begin at 2 AM. Duration: 10 days. The Ocean Star Construction Team will ensure safety."
Chen Jianhai checked the date. "Pier in 10 days, clearing the ruins in 15 days—timing is about right. I'll visit the island after 15 days."
"I wonder if the islanders will cause trouble when they find out about the clearing tonight…" But with the system's help, construction would proceed smoothly. Chen Jianhai chuckled at the thought. He had experienced the system's hand chop countless times and knew its power.
"If the 'Loving Family' group doesn't cause trouble, fine. But if they do… I'll let them have it!" he thought, imagining the islanders being knocked out by the system's hand chop.
"Feels great!"
---
1:30 AM. Xiaoma Island.
"The dog boss said they'll start at 2 AM! We've blocked the pier with fishing boats—they won't be able to land!"
"We must protect our island!"
On the island's streets, over a hundred self-organized island defenders gathered, determined to guard the pier.
1:40 AM. "Strange, it's almost 2 AM. Why isn't anyone here?"
"Yeah, there's no activity on the sea. Could the dog boss be lying?"
Islanders craned their necks, puzzled.
1:50 AM. Islanders began yawning uncontrollably.
"So tired…"
"We've been out to sea for days—so exhausted. I can't stay awake any longer. If the dog boss shows up, call me."
1:55 AM. "Yawning…"
"My eyes are closing. I'm going home."
As more people left under the system's powerful hypnotic influence, the pier gradually emptied.
1:57 AM. "The pier is blocked completely. They can't get in unless they sprout wings…"
"I'm leaving too…"
1:58 AM. As the last islander left, ghostly ships appeared silently on the dark sea, swiftly approaching the island.
2:00 AM. The Ocean Star Construction Team landed. The island clearing operation began!