Chapter Eighteen: Construction Challenges, a Habitat for National Treasures!

Relying on He Yu’s practically perfect planning proposal and his staggering wealth, they had secured the development rights to this land from the government with remarkable speed.

Everything had gone unbelievably smoothly.

According to the plan, the first phase of construction was to begin in the deepest part of the valley, in the flattest and most open central area. That was to be the site of the future core teaching buildings and library of Longhai University.

"Excavator units three, five, and seven, mind your safety distances and proceed according to the predetermined coordinates!"

Wang Jianguo’s voice was transmitted clearly to every operator through the walkie-talkies.

However, just as the lead excavators had cleared a patch of shrubbery and were preparing to advance into a field of native wildflowers deeper in the valley, a voice filled with wonder and hesitation suddenly crackled over the radio.

"Boss Wang... Boss Wang... you really need to come and see this."

"What’s going on? Did you hit solid rock?" Wang Jianguo frowned.

"No... it’s not that." The voice on the other end sounded strange. "There are... there are so many butterflies here. They’re too beautiful... I’ve never seen butterflies this beautiful in my entire life."

Butterflies?

Wang Jianguo paused for a moment, then retorted impatiently, "What’s the problem with a few butterflies? Can a couple of butterflies stop the project? Keep working!"

"It’s not just a couple, Boss Wang!" The operator’s tone became urgent. "It’s not just a few... it’s an entire sea of them! The whole field... they’re everywhere!"

Wang Jianguo’s annoyance was replaced by a flicker of curiosity. He jumped off the command platform, hopped into a patrol pickup truck, and sped toward the depths of the valley.

As his tires kicked up dust, he arrived at the scene, and the sight before him left him momentarily stunned.

The massive steel arms of the excavators had stopped at the edge of a brilliant field of flowers, caught in a dilemma.

The field was a riot of color, swaying gently in the valley breeze. Above thousands of blooming wildflowers, countless golden specks of light were dancing.

The base of their wings was a pure, radiant gold, refracting fluid halos under the sunlight. Across the wings, distinct black veins were as clearly defined as the strokes of a master painter, lending the brilliance a sense of poise and nobility.

They flew with an incredible grace, neither hurried nor slow; every beat of their wings carried an indescribable rhythm, like tiny phoenixes patrolling their own territory.

The entire scene was magnificent, silent, and possessed a sense of the sacred, forming a stark, almost jarring contrast with the roaring machinery and upturned earth nearby.

Even a veteran engineer like Wang Jianguo, who had spent his whole life dealing with steel and concrete, was dumbfounded.

He finally understood why the operator had stopped the work.

Faced with such a sight, any crude intrusion felt like a sacrilege.

"Stop! All units, halt everything!"

Wang Jianguo snatched the radio and issued the order in a tone that brooked no argument.

In the valley, the deafening roar of the machines died down one by one.

The sudden silence left everyone feeling a bit unsettled.

Wang Jianguo did not dare to delay; he immediately reported the scene—including photos, videos, and a detailed explanation—to He Yu’s team and the relevant local government departments.

News traveled faster than anyone could have imagined.

Less than three hours later, several official vehicles bearing the emblem of the Provincial Environmental Protection Agency sped into the valley with their sirens wailing.

The doors opened, and a team of silver-haired experts stepped out. They looked grave, and the moment they arrived, they set up perimeter tape to cordon off the entire flower field.

They walked into the field with extreme caution, using professional capture nets and observation equipment to begin their on-site identification.

Time ticked by, second by second.

All the construction workers were kept on the periphery, whispering to one another, their faces filled with confusion and unease. The valley was deathly silent, save for the occasional hushed exchange between the experts and the rustling of the wind through the flowers.

Finally, an elderly expert with white hair and thick glasses emerged from the field, his hands trembling. His face was pale, his eyes a mixture of extreme excitement and deep anxiety.

He walked up to the government officials in charge and Wang Jianguo, his lips moving a few times before he could force out a dry, shaking voice.

"This is... this is the Chinese Phoenix Butterfly, a first-class protected species!"

The Chinese Phoenix Butterfly!

The name hit them like a bombshell, echoing in everyone’s mind.

"This species was first recorded over a hundred years ago by foreign explorers, but in the decades that followed, due to war and environmental changes, it was once thought to be completely extinct within China," the old expert said, his voice heavy with historical gravity.

"It wasn't until recent years that sporadic sightings were recorded in a very small number of areas where the ecology remained perfectly intact. Its requirements for an ecosystem are... almost pathologically demanding! Any minor pollution or change in vegetation could lead to the extinction of their entire population!"

He took a deep breath, pointed his finger toward the quiet, magnificent field of flowers, and said, enunciating every word:

"And here... based on our preliminary assessment, is the only known, large-scale, core habitat for them in the entire country!"

The only habitat!

These words were a bolt from the blue, jolting everyone out of their shock and plunging them into an even deeper abyss.

Wang Jianguo felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head; the cigarette he had been holding in his mouth fell to the ground with a soft thud.

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency, his face ashen, announced a decision that made everyone’s heart sink.

"Stop all construction immediately!"

His voice was stern and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.

"This core habitat must not be destroyed in any way! Until an absolutely foolproof protection plan is produced, the entire 'Valley of Hope' project is frozen indefinitely!"

"Sir, this..." Wang Jianguo began, anxious.

"There is no 'this' or 'that'!" the official interrupted, his tone even more severe. "Any ecological assessment and potential relocation plan for this species must be submitted to the highest national environmental authority, and we must organize the nation’s top experts to conduct repeated reviews and simulations.

"This process will take at least a year, by the most optimistic estimate!"

A year!

This unit of time hung over them like an invisible mountain, instantly crushing the hope that had just been ignited.

For such a massive, high-profile project, a one-year stall was enough to destroy investor confidence, drain public enthusiasm, and turn everything they had just built into nothing more than a pipe dream.

The opportunity had slipped through their fingers.

The Valley of Hope, which had been bustling with activity just moments ago, was now completely shrouded in a dark cloud of despair.

On its very first day, the construction plan for Longhai University was once again facing a massive crisis of being shelved.