Chapter 15: Purchasing Land - Eight Hundred Acres of Mountainous Terrain
Upon surveying the area, it became evident that the surroundings consisted of mountains. Not only was it impossible to construct a school, but transportation was also inconvenient.
Local residents had to spend several hours on a bus for a single round trip, making it unsuitable for a school.
"It's truly unsuitable for building a school," Qin Mu acknowledged. After conducting a field survey, he had a better understanding of the challenges involved in constructing a school.
However, the system's task required him to establish Shanhe University at the junction of the four provinces. Changing the school's location was not an option, and the school's address had to remain unchanged.
"Shanhe University comprises 27 colleges. Perhaps I can treat each mountain as a college, connect more than 20 mountains, and place the university's entrance among them," Qin Mu contemplated.
The region was situated at the tail end of the Taihang Mountains, and the mountains were not particularly high.
Each hill covered an area of about 30 acres, with mountains located approximately two kilometers apart. They could be connected in series.
"That said, creating a construction design will be challenging, and a feasible architectural blueprint must be produced," Qin Mu acknowledged. He took a deep breath and examined the system mall.
Soon, he discovered a skill book titled "[Grandmaster Architect Skills]" and opted to exchange it for 500 challenge points.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully exchanging [Grandmaster Architect Skills]," the system announced.
In a matter of moments, a wealth of architectural expertise, experience, and skills were transferred into Qin Mu's mind.
Ten minutes later, Qin Mu had absorbed this extensive knowledge. "It's definitely achievable!" he exclaimed.
With the addition of this professional knowledge, he realized that his idea was highly feasible. The prestigious Shanhe University should be built amidst the splendid mountains and rivers of the motherland.
That night, in Lincheng, outside a hotel, Li Qi and other police officers were stationed in a black van. They took turns surveilling the hotel ahead, and their faces displayed exhaustion.
"Ju Li, this kid led us on a mountainous route all day, and I feel like I'm about to throw up," one young police officer complained, looking at Li Qi.
They had been tailing Qin Mu the entire way. During the afternoon, Qin Mu had traversed numerous mountains, and they had followed suit.
The mountain roads were treacherous and unbelievably steep, causing many to experience nausea and diarrhea.
"This kid is truly cunning," Li Qi remarked, clenching his fists.
Qin Mu was now comfortably resting in the hotel, while they had to remain vigilant at all times, continuously monitoring him. Nevertheless, they persisted in order to apprehend the mastermind behind Qin Mu.
"Ju Li, I took the opportunity to watch the afternoon's live broadcast. It seems that Qin Mu is searching for a location to establish Shanhe University," another police officer cautiously suggested. "This is indeed the junction of the four provinces. Could it be that he's waiting to meet someone here?"
"Impossible," Li Qi replied with a sneer, his tone resolute. "To build a school in this mountainous area, what kind of school would that be? Normal people wouldn't even consider it."
"However, Qin Mu spent the entire afternoon searching here. He seems to be establishing a school, but in reality, he might be planning to rendezvous with the criminal gang backing him," the police officer persisted.
Li Qi's eyes glittered with intelligence. "Keep watching; he'll slip up sooner or later."
Qin Mu's actions were indeed absurd. His survey of school sites in the mountains appeared to be a cover. The more peculiar his behavior, the more suspicious Li Qi became of Qin Mu's true intentions.
The following day, at 8 o'clock in the morning, Qin Mu left the hotel and visited Lincheng's local land resources management department.
He quickly explained his purpose for coming, and the officials were initially taken aback, believing he was crazy.
"You want to build a university here?" they asked incredulously.
Qin Mu nodded earnestly. "After surveying the local environment, I've chosen this area for the university's location. I intend to purchase 800 acres of land here."
Upon hearing this, the officials became concerned. "You want to build a university for the Four Provinces of Shanhe here.
While our locality is very supportive, it's surrounded by mountains. Are you sure you can build a university here?"
The head of the land resources management department advised him cautiously. Lincheng was remote and underdeveloped, with inconvenient transportation. It was the first time someone had come to their region to invest in constructing a school.
However, upon seeing that Qin Mu was determined, they decided not to dissuade him any further. Instead, they convened an emergency meeting to discuss the matter.
Ultimately, they agreed to offer Qin Mu a discount of 450 yuan per square meter and sell the land ownership for a duration of 50 years, totaling 230 million yuan. Qin Mu promptly transferred the funds.
"By the way, could you assist me in finding a construction team? I need to begin building the school as soon as possible," Qin Mu requested from the head of the land resources management department.
The official was delighted and readily agreed. "No problem at all; I'll find you the most reliable construction team!"
Qin Mu's arrival had brought them significant progress, and the entire Lincheng was ready to support his educational initiative to develop local resources.
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NOTE:
985 University - In 1998, China launched Project 985 to improve higher education. Top-tier universities were established through funding, renowned faculty, and international participation. The announcement was made at Peking University's 100th anniversary.
211 University - China's Project 211 aimed to improve research standards and foster socio-economic growth by developing strategies for 100 universities.