Things had settled down, and William White didn't plan to head straight home. After leaving his team, he needed to inspect Lanai Island.
If there were no major surprises, he would spend more time here in the future. As long as communication technology kept up, being there would be the same as anywhere else.
Since it was a place for extended stays, he naturally wouldn't shortchange himself. The island's greenery was plenty, but the colors were a bit monotonous. William White wasn't satisfied with this. Fortunately, planting trees here was very easy; you just had to stick them in the ground and they would thrive -- it was truly bewildering.
"The dock is nice. How long until the airport is ready?"
"Almost there, young master. It should definitely be operational next year."
"Alright, take me to see that hot spring first."
"Okay, young master. It's right in the center, with valleys on both sides. It's a great spot."
Hawaii, being a volcanic island, naturally had hot springs, but this one was particularly well-positioned.
Before long, a caravan of SUVs reached the destination. Although the road was simple, it was still quite accessible.
"Young master, this is the valley."
"Eh, there's also a pool of water here. Is this a hot spring too?"
"Yes, young master. The scenery here is nice as well."
"Yeah, good. I'm very satisfied. Tell the designer to come over. Cover the whole valley. Tsk, it seems a bit big, doesn't it?"
Tanner was at a loss for words -- this wasn't just a bit big; it dwarfed the footprint of the planned five-star hotel on the island.
"Young master, you planning to become a king or what?" Tanner mumbled.
"Stop with the nonsense. Being a king isn't as comfy. Even if you gave me a title, I wouldn't take it."
"True. No need to mind others."
"Hurry and have Fulton get people over here. I want pavilions and terraces, not fortresses."
Fulton expressed no pressure over William White's extravagant plans. Tanner might not know how wealthy the young master was, but he certainly did. To him, the house was a breeze; the real question was when William would finally get married.
"Tanner, besides the airport and the dock, is there any other way to land on the island?"
"It's difficult. If you don't know the water conditions, it's easy to hit a reef. Small speedboats could work, but their range isn't enough."
"Fool, can't they just add another engine and a few barrels of gasoline? How else do so many Cuban cigars end up in the States? They get brought over by these guys."
"Got it. I'll set up a few secret reefs."
"Yes, anyhow, apart from the airport and dock, other places should be inaccessible."
"Got it, young master. Also, about those wild boars, should we take care of them too?"
"Tsk, designate a certain area for them. Killing them all would be boring. As for the deer, they're no big deal."
To William White, a single command mobilized his entire team, but the wild boars were tough, requiring metal fences to be effective.
William White had no choice. If they bit a guest, it would be trouble. Due to the lack of predators, the wild boar population on Lanai was enormous, and if the soldiers didn't sporadically hunt a few, they'd have become a disaster long ago.
...
Everyone else was busy, so William White started wandering around. In some ways, this place was essentially like his home.
"So pretty. What flowers are these? Why haven't I seen them before?" Nowadays, Lanai resembled a large botanical garden. In truth, exotic tree species were sparse.
"Hehe, you know, Suzuki, this place is full of vibrant trees and flowers. We basically have all of Hawaii's tree species here."
"Wow, it's so beautiful. Just stunning."
"Hehe, right now it's nothing. Ten years from now, it'll be like paradise."
"I wish I could stay here forever."
"Sure, just take care of me and don't mind me." Pinching the assistant's nose, William White laughed heartily and walked away.
The designers who rushed over overnight were baffled when they looked at the canyon. No matter how imaginative they were, they hadn't anticipated needing such a large layout.
Since there were no institutional constraints, they could design freely. As for the cost? Well, that seemed irrelevant too, seeing as the island belonged to William.
William White should count himself lucky. The timing of building this mansion was just right. In another ten or twenty years, it would have been too expensive even for him.
...
"Pfft, cough! What did you say? A mansion costing over a billion?" Bush Sr. spewed coffee out and quickly tried to clean up.
"Yeah. What is this guy thinking? Does he have too much money?"
"Haha, young folks these days. But, son, he does seem to have nowhere to spend his money."
Bush Jr. was flustered. He figured that one-million-dollar trading card might actually be a bargain. Whether others could visit that mansion, he wasn't sure; he, however, had free access.
The so-called mansion, whose blueprints weren't yet complete, was already being crowned the most luxurious in the world. Some even compared it to Buckingham Palace.
Needless to say, William White had upset quite a few people. Those who made such comparisons just wanted to see him fall.
Frankly, people could say what they wanted; he wasn't bothered. He was certain of one thing -- those still living in palaces today wouldn't care.
Are you kidding? Royal families are merely symbolic with no significant meaning. What could a tycoon possibly do?
Alright, it was both annoying and enviable. Why did he have so much money?
In today's lackluster economy, such antics wouldn't even make a blip in the news of the future.
"William, is it really that extravagant?"
"George, money's just for nothing if you don't use it. Sigh, I don't even need that many houses. There'll be some commercial use in the future."
"Haha, figured as much. You're just loaded. Coming back soon?"
"Yeah, in a couple of days. We'll chat then."
*****
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