Chapter 370 - 344: Universal Studios, Little Red Car Lands in the United States

Wu Yun sighed with admiration. If movies could create scenes that bordered on virtual reality like this, they would already be considered a success.

But Wu Yun also knew that while it was possible to create something like this for a single theater by spending a fortune, widespread mass production was probably still twenty years away. At least, before his rebirth, he’d never heard of such 3D technology becoming mainstream.

For the next attraction, the Jurassic Park river adventure, Wu Yun and his group took Qiao Xia’s advice and didn’t sit in the front row.

The ride combined scenes from the movie *Jurassic Park* with a river adventure, where you could see dinosaurs in their jungle habitats.

One part was especially thrilling: being chased by a 15-meter-tall T-rex, immediately followed by a heart-pounding 25-meter plunge!

In their entire group, only Wei Wu and Poison Thorn were as steady as ever, not making a sound.

By the time they exited the ride, Wu Yun’s hands were still trembling slightly from the adrenaline rush, which made him think, ’My mental fortitude still needs some work.’

But when he saw Wang Hao’s state, Wu Yun couldn’t help but laugh. His face was pale, and it was hard to tell whether he was scared by the sudden appearance of the T-rex or the thrilling 25-meter drop.

Wu Yun clapped Wang Hao on the shoulder. "You alright? I hear the next one is even scarier! You want to sit this one out?"

’It would be a real joke if he ended up claiming worker’s comp for this!’

Wang Hao took a couple of deep breaths. "I’m fine, President Wu! I’m just a little afraid of heights!"

Hearing this, Qiao Xia covered her mouth and snickered. "Don’t worry! The next roller coaster isn’t as sudden as the river adventure."

Just as Qiao Xia had said, the subsequent Revenge of the Mummy 3D virtual roller coaster wasn’t as startling as the previous ride. However, with the pitch-black scenery and atmospheric music, Wu Yun felt the mood was set perfectly.

"Whoa! Holy shit!"

"Oh my god!"

Over the terrifying music, Wu Yun could occasionally hear Wang Hao’s startled yelps, along with the screams of other visitors behind them.

Wang Hao didn’t finally recover until they were on their way to the Upper Park.

Following Qiao Xia’s lead, the group went on to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and take the Studio Tour.

Walking into Hogwarts Castle, they saw figures moving in the portraits, candles floating in mid-air, Headmaster Dumbledore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom, the Gryffindor common room, and even the Room of Requirement... It was all exactly like the magical world from the movies.

They boarded a tram for the 60-minute tour of the studio backlot. First, they passed large soundstages and workshops before entering simulated city streets, like those of New York, complete with a City Hall. Then, they entered a soundstage for a King Kong and dinosaur fight scene, where it felt as if dinosaurs were darting past the sides and over the roof of the tram, which shook as if it were about to plummet...

After that came disaster scenes: a flash flood, a subway earthquake, and a massive car pile-up. It was all so realistic it felt completely immersive.

Finally, their tram entered the sets for *Jaws* and *Desperate Housewives*, and even the site of a Boeing 747 plane crash. Everything was so authentic, so immersive; the experiences came one after another, leaving them no time to catch their breath.

As he was tossed about on the roller coasters, Wu Yun lamented internally, ’This must be one of the gaps between Huaxia Film and Hollywood. They have all this technology and hardcore production... but Huaxia Film?’

’Alright.’ Wu Yun couldn’t think of any area where they could currently catch up, even in commercial films. The gap in special effects was just too wide. ’At least, that’s how it is in 2015. As for the future... that will depend on me.’

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Wu Yun. ’It’s not impossible to create a theme park with Huaxia characteristics in the future! But that would require some epic Xianxia masterpieces to be made first, to lay the groundwork.’

Wu Yun immediately made a mental note of it.

After a themed lunch and finishing the other attractions in the Upper Park, Wu Yun’s group said their goodbyes to Qiao Xia.

Before leaving, Wu Yun had Wang Hao slip Qiao Xia a five hundred US Dollar tip, which was an unexpected and pleasant surprise for her.

「At three in the afternoon, Wu Yun arrived right on time at the Cabana Cafe.」

A medium-built Huaxia man was watching the entrance. Upon seeing Wu Yun, he immediately stood up with a smile and came forward to greet him.

"President Wu! Good afternoon! I’m Lin Wei, the head of Little Red Car’s operations in the United States."

Wu Yun nodded and gestured for Lin Wei to sit down so they could talk.

"How are things over here?" Wu Yun was, of course, asking about the progress of Little Red Car’s expansion into the United States.

Lin Wei smiled and said, "President Wu! After a month of hard work, the Little Red Car US branch has been successfully established. Little Red Car should be able to launch in Los Angeles by the middle of this month."

Bringing Little Red Car overseas was a decision made after discussions between Wu Yun, Li Qiuliang, and Tencent. They didn’t need to do a large-scale rollout like they did in Huaxia.

The initial phase would involve using major cities in the United States as pilot locations to build Little Red Car’s reputation. This, in turn, would raise the company’s valuation once again.

Based on the results of these initial operations, they would decide whether to proceed with a broader expansion.

The announcement of the plan to register a US branch of Little Red Car had caused a stir among the company’s employees. Paired with a revised international assignment policy, the salaries at the US branch were far higher than those for regular employees back home.

This prompted a large number of single men and women to eagerly apply. The prospect of moving across the ocean was a small price to pay for such high salaries.

However, the selection process was strict. First, candidates needed at least a passable level of spoken English. Second, priority was given to those who were single.

These two conditions eliminated a large number of applicants, to the point that Little Red Car had to hold a special campus recruitment fair. Of course, this was only done after the US branch was successfully registered, all in an effort to get a step ahead of other bike-sharing companies.

The headquarters of Little Red Car’s US branch was set up in Los Angeles. Though called a "headquarters," it was more like a small city office compared to the branches back home, with only about twenty-odd employees.

"President Lin, what are the differences between operating here and back home?" Wu Yun asked.

Lin Wei gave a wry smile. "It’s certainly a lot more complicated than back home. The laws and tax codes differ from state to state in the United States. While they all technically follow the federal constitution, navigating the minor details can be tricky."

"We spent several days researching which state to register the company in, and ultimately decided on California."

"Although Washington State has some tax exemptions, California is one of the most populous states in America. It also has the largest population of Huaxia People in the entire country."

"Plus, California is a very diverse state, so establishing ourselves here will help boost our company’s international image."

Just then, the coffee Wu Yun had ordered arrived.

Wu Yun used the tongs to drop two sugar cubes into his cup before speaking. "Right. The company’s growth in the United States doesn’t need to be too rapid. I’m more concerned with our influence. What are your plans for promotion?"

Lin Wei opened his laptop and turned the screen toward Wu Yun. "President Wu, before the bikes even arrived in the United States, our main focus was on television and radio advertising. This promotional plan is already underway and has been quite effective. Our support staff has already received many calls asking when the bikes will be available."

"For the second phase, I’ve adapted our domestic promotional plan with a few changes."

"I’m planning a promotional day event. Our employees, along with some part-timers we’ll hire, will hold a promotional bike ride in the form of a parade. I’ve already submitted the event proposal to the Los Angeles authorities for approval. They’re reviewing it now, and I expect an answer in about two business days."

"The third phase, on launch day itself, will involve hiring part-time students to join our employees for on-the-ground promotion, getting people to download our app."

Wu Yun reviewed the plan while listening to Lin Wei’s explanation. After Lin Wei finished, Wu Yun said, "You need to be mindful of safety during these promotions. The United States isn’t like Huaxia; guns are rampant here. You never know, you might run into some hot-headed black guy looking to rob you!"

"Losing a few bikes is no big deal; employee safety must come first! Make sure you buy all the necessary insurance! Also, I think regular shooting practice is necessary. I’ll talk to President Li about this."

"Oh, right! I think you can apply for a California firearm license with a work visa. I also think it’s necessary for everyone to buy a gun for self-defense. The company can provide a subsidy up to a certain amount, and employees will cover any cost beyond that."

Lin Wei quickly jotted down Wu Yun’s words, readily agreeing to everything.