The summer of 1996 was an important one.
All the tourist attractions in Kusan were completed and were set to begin a week of trial operations.
During the trial period, admission was free.
Free?
Tourists who were planning to go rafting or watch plays at the market looked at the flyers in their hands and immediately headed for the free attraction.
A group of developing young guides intercepted tourists at the wooden gate at the foot of the back mountain.
They explained the various recreational activities on the mountain to the tourists, with a single ultimate goal.
That goal was to inform tourists that the end of the tourist route was a hot spring valley.
There were shops, guesthouses, and restaurants there. The goods in the shops and the services in the guesthouses and restaurants were charged.
However, free tents were provided, along with several safe tent locations that offered the best views for watching the sunrise.
Therefore, one day was not enough to see everything unless one just skimmed through it.
After a week, charges would apply. Did the tourists want to go home and prepare?
For example, bring family, bring bed sheets, bring change of clothes, and prepare some food?
Food on the mountain was relatively expensive, but not outrageously so, as transporting supplies up was difficult.
Although there were cable cars in the steeper sections, the parts without cable cars relied entirely on manual labor to carry goods up.
What? You want to see everything in one day? That's possible, as long as you don't stop walking.
But the beautiful scenery along the way would inevitably make you stop, and you might not even reach the top in a day.
Are you going to come back halfway? Wouldn't that be a waste of this free experience?
If you really want to go up and see if it's worth spending two or three days playing here?
Fine! You can go up. You'll regret it if you don't come down.
Some people took the advice and went home to bring their families, prepare clothes and sheets, and the whole family experienced this long-advertised tourist attraction.
Those who didn't listen, the young guides didn't stop them, letting them go up on their own.
Some people also asked if the young guides would accompany them.
The young guides nodded: "It's charged, five yuan per hour."
The tourists thought about it and found five yuan per hour acceptable: "Let's go, accompany us!"
Some tourists went directly up the mountain, as was expected. The entire scenic area operated in an orderly manner.
The young guides began their explanations:
On the way to the final destination, the Hot Spring Valley, there were a total of twelve scenic spots and eighteen round-trip cable cars.
In the sections without cable cars, which were also uphill, those who couldn't walk could take sedan chairs.
The price for a sedan chair was ten yuan per section.
The first scenic spot was a vast green grassland, where visitors could try grass sliding.
What is grass sliding? Do you know skiing? It's similar to skiing.
Don't understand? You'll understand when you see it there.
However, I suggest guests try it on the way back. This is just my personal suggestion. If you want to play, go ahead, five yuan per person.
Free admission refers to the scenic area entrance fee. Cable cars and tickets for other attractions are not free, nor are the recreational activities.
The second scenic spot was the roller coaster.
The roller coaster was similar to grass sliding, but it offered a thrilling experience with continuous S-bends, stimulating the brain and inducing tension.
Elderly people with poor health could not participate, but children could ride one roller coaster with their parents.
It also cost five yuan, and I still suggest you try it on the way back.
These are truly considerate suggestions, considering my hourly fee.
The third to the ninth scenic spots were simple: a seven-colored sea of flowers.
It sounded simple, but the sea of flowers was the most captivating.
Guests could choose to dismiss me. I will help you briefly describe the remaining three spots.
The tenth spot was a viewing platform, with two viewing platforms set up on the cliffs.
One was made of wood, and the other was made of glass. Those with courage could choose the glass one.
The eleventh spot was the longest, a vast geological park corridor stretching twenty kilometers.
This section was quite steep but offered beautiful scenery.
Here, you could take a sedan chair or a cable car to soar overhead.
Taking the cable car here was a bit complicated because the cable cars were not very long and were divided into six sections.
The twelfth spot was the Sky Bridge.
The name itself suggests how terrifying it was. Of course, those with courage could walk across, and those with less courage could take the cable car.
The most classic view at the Sky Bridge was the scenery of the bridge itself.
This was a hanging ruyi-like narrow passage. The margins on both sides of the bridge were not wide. What was daunting were the small peaks below, resembling arrows, making it feel like walking on a sharp knife.
However, on both sides of the mountain, there were naturally formed animal shapes. It was worth walking through, and a pity not to.
After crossing the bridge, taking another cable car would lead to the final destination, the Hot Spring Valley.
There were a few small attractions within the Hot Spring Valley, and there were also guides. You could choose another guide to accompany you.
The tourists felt the young guide's sincerity and insisted that the guide not leave, accompanying them all the way.
By the time the sun was about to set, and they were still lingering in the sea of flowers, the tourists regretted it.
They wanted to return, to bring their wives and children to play.
From the second day onwards, the Kusan Hot Spring Valley Scenic Area began to be flooded with people.
From the third day, the scenic area was packed with crowds.
And they couldn't limit the number of visitors. If they limited visitors during the free period, the tourists would definitely protest.
Fortunately, the tourists who enjoyed playing might have all been sent up the mountain. On the fourth day, the number of visitors decreased.
However, calls from the mountain rushed for supplies, as many items were out of stock.
Vice Village Chief Ou quickly organized people to purchase supplies.
While the villagers were busy and overwhelmed, the four village chiefs from the front came together.
They blamed Kusan for offering free admission, which caused them to have four days of zero business.
The old village chief was just there for show. Half of the villagers from Wang Er Village were earning money at the Kusan scenic area.
The dividends from rafting were pocket money in the eyes of these strong young villagers.
Li Zhengguo had no time to waste with them:
"I'm very busy. I can't even handle the villagers from Wang Er Village who are helping. How could I possibly manage yours?"
"But I'd rather be too busy than use villagers from your three villages. Do you know why?"
"If you don't know, I don't have time to explain. I gave you an idea to make money, but I'm not responsible for your profits and losses."
"If I don't offer free admission, how can I publicize it? Go wherever it's cool."
"Old Village Chief, hurry and lend me your assistant."
The old village chief refused: "He's my assistant. I plan for him to take over as village chief in a couple of years."
Li Zhengguo scratched his head, "Just for a few days. Once the free period is over, it won't be this busy. I don't intend to poach him."
The old village chief turned and left: "I'll go back and call him for you."
Li Zhengguo added a follow-up: "Have the village security team drive you back and pick up the assistant on the way."
"Alright!" the old village chief's response came back.
Li Zhengguo waved them away: "Hurry back and think of other ways, and don't disturb me."
The three village chiefs left with sighs, only to wait until the free period ended to see if they still had any business.
In the evening, someone came down and used the village committee's phone to call back, notifying relatives and friends to come and play quickly.
It was too thrilling, too beautiful, too spectacular.
What? Drive back to pick them up?
Whether you come or not, I still want to play on the roller coaster and grass sliding.
On the fifth day, another group of adventurous young and middle-aged people crowded into Kusan.
Visitors generally complained about the inconvenient transportation.
Li Zhengguo pursed his lips, saying nothing.
Whether Kusan could become famous or not would depend on the period after charging admission.
If, after charging admission, it was even half as lively as this week, he would apply to the county for a bus route.
If the county didn't approve, Kusan would buy its own buses.