manynovel Chapter 159 New York Above the Clouds
Chapter 159 New York Above the Clouds
Chapter 162: New York Above the Clouds
The four walked to the bottom of the Empire State Building and looked up. The 102-story skyscraper resembled a sharp sword piercing the clouds, its light gray exterior shimmering with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. The entrance was bustling with people, tourists in all sorts of clothing, their faces filled with anticipation.
"Let's go." Lin Yan led his friends toward the ticket window. The ticket price was clearly marked above the window: $5 for adults. He didn't let his friends pay; he simply handed them a $20 bill and bought four tickets. Li Wenbin clicked his tongue in amazement: "$5 each? That's enough to see ten movies in Hong Kong!" Zheng Jiaming calmly took the tickets, his gaze never leaving the magnificent facade of the building.
After buying their tickets and entering the hall, they were immediately struck by the Art Deco style of the interior. The high ceiling was adorned with gilded reliefs depicting constellations, the walls were inlaid with dark marble, and a huge chandelier illuminated the entire space with a golden glow. Tourists walked on the gleaming floor, their voices humming as they chatted.
While queuing at the elevator, a middle-aged white man in a plaid suit with slicked-back hair glanced at them and deliberately raised his voice to his female companion, saying, "Look at all the yellow-skinned people around now. Is this elevator going to be overloaded?"
Upon hearing this, Li Wenbin immediately frowned, wanting to refute, but Lin Yan gently pressed his arm, signaling him to calm down.
The elevator doors opened, and a uniformed operator greeted the passengers with a smile. Lin Yan and his group followed the flow of people into the elevator, and the rude white man also squeezed in. Just as the elevator doors were about to close and the operator was preparing to start the elevator, a piercing overload alarm suddenly rang out!
The operator looked around the cabin with some confusion and said politely, "Excuse me, everyone, it seems we are overweight. The last gentleman to enter will need to get off first."
All eyes fell on the slick-haired white man who was the last to enter. His face flushed red with embarrassment, and he muttered "Damn it" as he reluctantly stepped out of the elevator. As soon as he was out, the heavy-duty alarm stopped.
The operator prepared to close the door again, but the white man, unwilling to give up, quickly squeezed in again, shouting, "It must have been a machine malfunction!"
However, the moment he stepped into the elevator, the piercing alarm bell rang again, sharper and more persistent than before!
Now, everyone in the elevator looked at him with a hint of displeasure and scrutiny. The operator's expression also turned serious, and his tone became less polite: "Sir, please cooperate and leave the elevator immediately. Don't delay the other passengers."
Under the silent gaze of the crowd and the continuous blaring of the elevator bell, the white man, his face flushed and utterly disheveled, was "invited" out of the elevator. The elevator doors slowly closed in front of him, and through the crack, one could still see his furious yet helpless expression.
Although Li Wenbin didn't understand why the ringtone was so "intelligent," he couldn't help but chuckle at the guy's embarrassed expression, feeling greatly pleased. Lin Yan, on the other hand, remained calm, as if everything was irrelevant to him. Only Lin Gang, standing to his side and behind, had a knowing smile flash across his lips, concealing his accomplishment.
This is an old-fashioned elevator with brass trim and a dark red carpet inside. As the operator pulls the control lever, the elevator begins to ascend smoothly.
Around the 30th to 40th floors, the view outside the window begins to change. The previously clear street details gradually blur, and the familiar urban grid layout begins to appear.
"Look! Those cars look like little beetles!" Li Wenbin exclaimed, pressing his face against the glass.
When we made a brief stop around the 60th floor, the surrounding buildings appeared low, the cars on the street looked like tiny moving dots, and the outline of the Hudson River was faintly visible in the distance.
The elevator finally stopped on the 80th floor, where they needed to transfer to a private elevator leading to the top floor. This floor was a transitional area with an exhibition about the history of the Empire State Building. Old photographs from the building's construction hung on the walls, showing the perilous scenes of workers walking on the steel beams and the grandeur of its completion in 1931. Lin Yan and his companions paused briefly to browse these images that documented the city's ambition and power.
After changing to another elevator, they finally arrived at the famous 86th-floor outdoor observation deck. The moment they stepped out of the elevator, a strong wind whipped at their clothes, and a 360-degree panoramic view took in the entire city of New York!
"This is incredible!" Li Wenbin excitedly ran to the railing and pointed to the buildings and streets below that looked like toy models.
Zheng Jiaming was also stunned by the sight before him, and took a deep breath: "Is this the center of the world?"
From this vantage point, looking north, Central Park resembles a giant emerald, nestled amidst Manhattan's skyscrapers, lush and clearly defined.
Looking east, the East River meanders, and the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and Williamsburg Bridge connect Manhattan and Brooklyn like ribbons, with the vast expanse of Queens stretching further into the distance.
Looking south, the dense cluster of financial district buildings in downtown New York City creates a distinctive skyline, where the power and profit of Wall Street seem to converge. The Statue of Liberty, small yet resolute in the embrace of New York Harbor, symbolizes hope and freedom.
Looking westward, the Hudson River rushes into the sea, while New Jersey on the opposite bank is shrouded in a hazy mist.
"Would you like to go to the highest point?" Lin Yan asked, pointing to the sign leading to the 102nd-floor observation deck.
"Of course!" Li Wenbin replied without hesitation.
Lin Yan went directly to buy tickets, and the group went through the designated passage to the enclosed observation deck on the 102nd floor.
Higher than the 86th floor, the space is smaller and more private. Through the enormous glass windows surrounding it, the view becomes even more boundless and magnificent. The architectural details that were still faintly discernible on the 86th floor are now completely integrated into a grand urban panorama. Rivers, streets, parks, bridges, and countless buildings together form an epic picture of human civilization intertwined with natural geography. Even the excited Li Wenbin fell silent at this moment, overwhelmed by this ultimate, breathtaking grandeur, as if standing at the pinnacle of the world.
Lin Yan stood by the window, his gaze calmly sweeping across the familiar city. In his eyes, New York in 1959 was at the peak of its industry and capitalism, radiating brilliance. However, his transmigrated soul could foresee the hidden trajectory beneath its prosperity: industries were about to relocate overseas, manufacturing was declining, and social contradictions were gradually intensifying... He gently stroked Xiao Qi's fur, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Let's go," Lin Yan said to his friends who were still in shock a moment later, "the wind is getting strong, we should go down."
Li Wenbin took one last, lingering look at the city below, which resembled a miniature model, before following Lin Yan toward the elevator. This ascent not only gave them a panoramic view of New York, but also, without them realizing it, allowed them to witness the city's grandeur and complexity.