The cold January air bit sharply at Lucas's face as he crossed the silent plaza of Explorer's Landing. The park might have been closed, but the distant hum of machinery from the Jungle Zone gave it life. A thin layer of frost covered the benches and planters, crunching faintly under his boots.
Emma was already waiting near the gate to the construction site, bundled in a thick navy coat, gloves tucked into the sleeves. A small film crew — just two of the park's marketing interns with cameras — stood beside her.
"Morning," she greeted, her breath visible in the chill. "We're good to go. First official construction update of the year."
Lucas gave a small nod. "Let's make it count. Fans have been patient since the teaser."
They stepped through the gate into the Jungle Zone, boots sinking slightly into the frozen dirt. The Haunted House, Elysion Expedition – Cursed Ruins, stood in its winter silence, its jungle foliage shrouded in frost. But beyond it, the ground was a hive of activity: rebar grids, wooden formwork, and a maze of trenches where concrete footers had been poured. Some still bore the smooth, pale sheen of freshly cured cement.
Walter was there too, hands in his jacket pockets, watching as workers measured a foundation block. "They're almost done with this phase," he remarked. "Once the last ones cure, we're ready for supports in February."
Emma adjusted the microphone on her coat. "Okay, Lucas. We'll start with an intro near the Haunted House for atmosphere, then walk through the site. Keep it casual, like you're talking to guests on a tour."
The camera's red light blinked on.
Lucas faced it, snow crunching underfoot. "Hello everyone, and welcome to the first construction update of 2017 here at Elysion Park. We're standing in the Jungle Zone, where Serpent's Run, our brand-new family launch coaster from Intamin, is taking shape."
The camera panned behind him to show workers moving in the distance, a cement mixer turning slowly.
"Over the past month, we've been busy with the foundations — these massive concrete blocks you see here will hold the supports for the track. And speaking of track…"
Emma gestured for him to follow, leading the camera toward the far end of the site. There, stacked neatly on heavy-duty pallets, were long steel track segments — gleaming red under the pale winter sun. Frost clung to the flanges where bolts would one day secure them to the supports.
Lucas stopped beside the stack, resting a gloved hand on the cold metal. "Yes, the track is here. And yes… it's red for now. But that's not the final look. Before installation, it will be painted in its permanent colours — which we're keeping a surprise for now."
Emma cut in from off-camera. "We can't give everything away in January."
Lucas smiled. "Exactly. But we can tell you this: once supports start going up in February, the skyline here in the Jungle Zone will change fast. And in a few months, this area will be transformed into the home of Serpent's Run."
They wrapped up near the edge of the site, where the Secrets of the Silk Road walkway began. Behind Lucas, the camera caught the faint curve of the log flume's splash pool, now drained for winter maintenance.
"Thanks for watching," Lucas concluded. "We'll be back next month with more — and maybe a little something extra for you to guess about."
Emma signalled "cut," and the interns lowered their cameras. "That was perfect," she said, already tapping notes into her phone. "We'll edit it tonight and upload tomorrow morning. You'll want to be ready — the forums will be picking apart every frame."
Walter joined them as they walked back toward Explorer's Landing. "They'll notice the track's still red," he said. "Bet they'll start colour-predicting threads before the week's over."
Lucas smirked. "Good. Let them guess. The less they know, the bigger the reveal will be."
As they reached the plaza, Lucas glanced briefly toward the large, empty pad near the entrance — the future indoor attraction site. Snow lay undisturbed there, hiding the potential beneath. That project would have to wait. For now, all eyes — both inside and outside the park — were on the red steel in the Jungle Zone.
The office felt warmer than usual, the heater humming steadily against the frost creeping across the windows. Lucas sat at his desk, eyes fixed on the translucent interface hovering in his mind. The system's latest notification blinked softly.
> [System Update]
Serpent's Run – Theming package available.
Allocated budget: €600,000.
Proceed with selection?
Lucas confirmed the prompt, and the office around him faded, replaced by a fully rendered 3D world.
He stood in front of the station — a towering jungle temple facade, its stone walls cracked and wrapped in creeping vines. Golden serpent carvings lined the archway where the train would enter. Inside, flickering torchlight threw dancing shadows across the walls, hinting at movement in the darkness.
The Dark Ride Segment
The train rolled slowly from the station into a winding indoor tunnel. Stone corridors stretched ahead, murals depicting explorers clashing with massive serpents. A faint hiss echoed from somewhere deeper in the shadows.
The scene grew more intense: a projected serpent tail slithered across the walls, statues seemed to turn their heads, and the drums began to pound. The track led to a massive stone gate.
First Launch
Above the gate, a golden serpent symbol began to glow. A deep rumble shook the ground. With a burst of light and smoke, the gate "shattered" open, and the train shot forward — out into the sunlight and into the jungle.
Outdoor Layout – First Half
The view shifted to an aerial perspective. The track dove through sharp turns, weaving between rocky outcrops. It skimmed low over a pool near Jungle Splash Adventure, giving both riders and spectators a moment of excitement. A tall, sweeping curve brought the train back toward the heart of the zone, where it dived into a shadowy tunnel.
Second Launch – Rolling Start
Inside the tunnel, serpent glyphs lit up one by one, hissing sounds all around. Without stopping, the train surged forward, acceleration pressing riders into their seats. It climbed steadily — higher and higher — until the 22-meter peak rose above the treetops.
The Finale
From the crest, the train dropped smoothly, picking up speed through a series of low, sweeping S-curves. A smaller airtime hill followed, then a medium outerbank that tilted riders just enough to make their stomachs flip.
A tight turn along a crumbling temple wall brought the train into two quick bunnyhops, each kicking up a moment of weightlessness, before diving into the final indoor section.
Indoor Brakes & End Scene
The darkness closed in. An enormous serpent head lunged from the shadows, fangs bared — only to be "crushed" by falling stone blocks as the brakes hissed. Lights flickered, dust swirled, and the train rolled gently back into the station.
The 3D world faded, and Lucas found himself back in his office. The system displayed a breakdown:
> [Cost Summary]
Theming: €600,000 (approved)
Construction timeline: Theming installation begins April 2017.
Public reveal: Postponed until after track installation.
Lucas smiled faintly to himself. "Perfect. This is exactly what the Jungle Zone needs."
The notification chimed again.
> [System Confirmation]
Theming package locked. Production begins immediately.
Somewhere in the real world, outside the frozen Jungle Zone, a team was already preparing to bring the serpent's lair to life. The guests would see it in July. The readers already knew what awaited them.
The first week of February brought a different kind of sound to the Jungle Zone. Not the grinding of mixers or the thump of curing concrete, but the metallic clink of steel being unloaded.
From his vantage point on the closed midway, Lucas watched a flatbed truck ease into position. Long, freshly painted supports gleamed gold in the pale sunlight, each wrapped in protective padding. The crew worked quickly, directing the crane as the first pieces were set down onto timber blocks.
Near the service gate, another truck had arrived — this one carrying the track. The deep forest green coating was still spotless from the overspray shop, not a single scratch visible. In the cold air, the colour seemed almost black until the light caught it, revealing a rich sheen.
The system blinked in Lucas's mind.
> [System Notification]
New construction phase initiated: Vertical assembly.
Support installation begins 13 February 2017.
Estimated track completion: late March 2017.
He mentally opened the "technical overview" panel. A translucent chart appeared, filled with data only he would see.
---
Serpent's Run – Technical Specifications (internal)
Manufacturer: Intamin Amusement Rides
Type: Family Launch Coaster (custom layout)
Length: 695 m
Height: 22 m (highest point)
Trains: 2 × 8 cars, 2 riders per car (16 riders per train)
Capacity: ± 950 riders/hour
Inversions: 0
Launch 1: 0 → 62 km/h in 3.8 s (max horizontal accel: 0.9 G)
Launch 2: 38 km/h → 79 km/h in 4.1 s (max horizontal accel: 1.1 G)
Max positive G-force: +3.2 G (sustained for <2 s)
Max negative G-force: -0.6 G (short pops in bunnyhops/outerbank)
Ride duration: ± 1:40 (station to station)
Track colour: Deep forest green
Support colour: Gold
---
The numbers vanished as he closed the display, the faint hum of the system fading with them. Around him, workers were moving the first support pieces toward their marked footers.
One of the foremen glanced his way. "We'll have the skyline changing by the end of the month," he called over.
Lucas smiled, hiding the thought that he already knew exactly how it would look. The guests would get their first glimpse soon enough — but for now, the green steel stayed grounded, waiting for its climb toward the sky.