In Yuheng City, it has been raining for nearly half a month, and the air is filled with a damp and musty smell.
The 955 Building stands tall in the most prosperous commercial district in the city. On the surface, it is an information technology company, but in reality it is the headquarters of a special department of 955.
The 955 Special Department is responsible for observing and exploring various special existences that cannot be explained by scientific basis. For example, the "paradise game" that is only popular among a small number of people is one of the key objects of observation.
Xiao Zhou was holding a stack of information, ready to submit it to the director, when he met Xiao Tang from the monitoring department at the office door.
She raised her hand to say hello, but Xiao Tang looked hurried and didn't notice her, and walked straight into the director's office.
"Director, we detected that abnormal energy point again last night." Tang Qi's voice was filled with anxiety and excitement. "Based on the experience of the previous two times, I paid special attention to the data in the past few days. It really appeared again. Preliminary inference is that this energy point is very close to us, probably in some area of Kaiyang City or Yaoguang City."
When Xiao Zhou heard this, he couldn't help but look down at the information in his hand. What a coincidence, he raised his hand and knocked on the door, then walked in, "Director Lin, I have a special document that I need your review."
Director Lin's real name is Lin Yan. She is about 30 years old, capable and silent.
About two years ago, she was parachuted into the 955 Special Department, mainly responsible for all matters related to the "Paradise Game" observation team.
Rumor has it that she was a special police officer before transferring to the special department.
Lin Yan was looking down at the documents and ignored Tang Qi and Xiao Zhou.
About five minutes later, after confirming that everything was OK and signing her name at the end of the document, she looked up and said, "Xiao Tang, let me know when you have determined the exact location of the energy point. Xiao Zhou, what's going on?"
Tang Qi was very excited just now, but the director's calm attitude calmed him down.
This abnormal energy point first appeared about three or four months ago, and including last night, it has appeared three times in total.
Each time, the energy would suddenly surge in a short period of time and then disappear quickly, and the exact location could never be determined.
Last night was just another surveillance, and it really seemed like there was nothing to be excited about.
Xiao Zhou stepped forward, handed the information to Lin Yan, and explained: "Recently, someone paid a batch of taxes through a special channel. Because it was an unconventional way to pay taxes, the information was sent to us."
After reading the information, Lin Yan's eyes, which were always as calm as water, showed a hint of interest. "Yaoguang City, a suspected game manager of the park used unconventional means to pay 1.2 million in taxes. It's quite interesting. Xiao Tang, go pack up the monitoring equipment and follow me on a business trip to Yaoguang City."
Tang Qi was about to go back to the monitoring room when he finally responded, "Director, do you suspect this taxpayer is related to the abnormal energy point?"
Lin Yan didn't nod, and looked at Xiao Zhou: "Have there been similar cases in all these years?"
Xiao Zhou shook his head: "The monitoring team can monitor several fantasy ring transactions every week, but no trader has ever paid taxes, let alone using such an obviously unconventional method."
Lin Yan smiled and stood up: "Let's go and meet this interesting taxpayer."
Xiao Zhou chased after him, "Director, I want to apply for a business trip."
Lin Yan looked back.
Xiao Zhou: "I want to see such an arrogant taxpayer."
Lin Yan lowered her head slightly, suppressed her smile, and said, "Let's go."
-
Yaoguang City, abandoned shopping street.
Lu Yao opened a blind box store.
Because it is a new store, it can only accommodate two blind box machines and a special machine for exchanging tokens.
This store is quite large. The blind box machines and token exchange machines are placed side by side against the wall, and a large area is left empty, making the store look very empty.
Lu Yao was not in a hurry. The shop was newly opened, so she had to take things step by step. She had some experience.
The most important thing at the moment is to determine the content of the blind box. As for the currently popular blind box for drawing dolls, Lu Yao has no plans to purchase any of it for the time being.
Collectible blind boxes rely on the popularity of IP culture. If they are suddenly moved to a new place and expected to sell well, it is very likely that they will not be able to adapt to the local environment. She has to see the situation first.
According to the hint, the world this store faces may have unstable factors, not necessarily bad factors. It may be a fast-paced life with rapid changes, or it may be a highly developed technology with many opportunities and challenges.
The rule for opening a store in the Dream Fulfilling System is that before opening the star door, you must first decide the main content of the business based on the clues.
After thinking about it, Lu Yao felt that since New World might itself be a blind box, he might as well open a blind box store.
Leave yourself as much retreat as possible and enjoy the joy of matching goods at the same time.
After all, everything can be a blind box, so there is no need to stick to categories.
The store is too empty, so Lu Yao designated an area in the middle. He will go to Emerald Town to buy a few sets of tables and chairs and put them there. This will be a leisure area for opening blind boxes on site.
The nail salon actually made a lot of gold coins, but unfortunately, none of them could be brought to this world, so they could only be spent there.
The store was almost cleaned up and Lu Yao pushed open the door.
It was pitch black outside the door, without any light, and the world seemed to have fallen into eternal night.
She raised her hand to rub her eyes and went back into the store. The sky outside the window was still bright and sunny, so it seemed that there was nothing wrong with her eyes.
Lu Yao took out his cell phone, turned on the flashlight, and walked out of the store again.
Yaoguang City has entered summer, the sun is scorching and the weather is hot.
Lu Yao was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and black wide-leg pants today. When he walked outside, the cold wind blew in his face, giving him goose bumps.
She crossed her arms and rubbed them, taking a deep breath to suppress her anxiety.
This world is a little cold and empty.
The sky was pitch black, without any light.
All around, the night was as dark as ink.
The new store seems to be located in a spacious area.
The ground was covered with spotted tiles in a grid pattern, and the surrounding buildings looked like shopping malls, except they were run-down and desolate, as if no one had used them for a long time.
The lighting on the phone was not very good, so Lu Yao took a quick look, didn’t dare to walk too far, and went back into the store.
Lu Yao typed into the system: [Light up the sign, and there will be a street lamp on each side of the door. ]
System: [One hundred thousand popularity points can be exchanged for a signboard LED module light, and five thousand popularity points for a street light, for a total of one hundred and ten thousand popularity points. Does the store owner confirm the exchange? ]
Lu Yao: “Yes.”
When the nail salon's ultimate mission was completed, one million popularity points were awarded, plus the original balance, there were more than 1.7 million points.
It cost a total of 200,000 yuan to decorate the blind box store and customize the blind box machine, and 110,000 yuan to install a lamp, leaving more than 1.3 million yuan.
Once the blind box store opens, the popularity points used up can be earned back quickly.
"Click—" the sign outside the door lit up, and on both sides, five or six meters apart, there was a flower-shaped street lamp.
The lamps are pure white and very bright.
From a distance, Lu Yao’s blind box store looks like a glowing fish in the deep sea, which is particularly eye-catching.
Lu Yao walked out, looked around, and nodded with satisfaction, "Well, not bad."
She looked around the store again. This place was actually a bit like her commercial street, shabby and deserted.
The overall architecture was similar to that of her world, with an out-of-service elevator in the distance and all the surrounding shops smashed to pieces.
There were broken glass all over the floor, but the surroundings felt exceptionally clean, with almost no other garbage.
Very empty. Very empty.
All places seemed to have been searched repeatedly.
This should be a world with modern civilization.
In other words, there once was modern civilization.
Lu Yao returned to the store, packed up his things and closed the store door.
System: [Where are you going? ]
Lu Yao: “Prepare the stock.”
After coming out of the blind box shop, she first went to a nail salon, and then went to the carpenter at the end of the street to order four sets of tables and chairs.
The aesthetics of the Alexandria continent are somewhat different from here, but the advantage is that they are cheap.
Lu Yao suddenly thought of stocking up the blind box store, which might be very expensive.
The assets in the other world cannot be converted into cash, so they can only be circulated by goods from several worlds.
After leaving the carpenter's shop, she bought a lot of food on the street and went to the snack bar.
Lu Yao was busy with the ultimate task at the nail salon some time ago, so the dinner at the snack bar had been postponed.
She went to the market yesterday to have detailed discussions with the suppliers and place additional orders. Ye Shi is now truly ready to open.
Chi was carrying ingredients into the store, and when he saw her he greeted her happily, "Owner."
Xiaoqie’s deputy store manager experience card expired a few days ago, and it was Chi’s turn.
The delivery guy was a little surprised to see Lu Yao.
He had always doubted whether this store really had any customers, but the order volume was stable and different store clerks came out to collect the goods every once in a while.
But every time he looked into the store tentatively, he felt uneasy and his back went cold.
However, this store had a lot of orders and the checkout was quick, so he could make extra money by making one more delivery every day, and nothing had ever gone wrong.
The delivery guy was just curious but didn't ask any further questions.
Lu Yao stopped at the door and waited for the delivery boy to unload the goods, while Chi stacked two boxes and carried them into the store.
As soon as the deliveryman left, Chi Shan carried three or five boxes of food weighing dozens of kilograms in one hand and walked towards the store, looking extremely relaxed.
The snack bar staff were very excited when they knew that the night snack shop was about to open.
Lu Yao unloaded the ingredients he bought from Alexandria Continent into the kitchen on the first floor, and the clerk was busy sorting them out.
She found Qi Chen, who was wiping cups and preparing for business on the second floor, and handed him a list.
Qi Chen now works as a clerk here, fully realizing his dream of opening a coffee shop during his lifetime.
I research and make desserts and drinks every day and live a very peaceful life.
He picked up the list and took a look at it, a little confused, "What is this?"
Lu Yao leaned against the bar and said with interest: "I opened a new store. These are the products I plan to try to sell. Please make some for me and bring them over later."
Qi Chen's eyes widened, feeling that he had completely underestimated Lu Yao.
Only a few months have passed and a new store has been opened.
Are all the current graduates so awesome
“The new store is a milk tea shop?”
Lu Yao shook his head.
"What is that?"
Lu Yao: “Blind box store.”
Qi Chen: "Blind box... Blind box draws food, is this store really okay?"
Lu Yao propped his chin with his hand and smiled: "Everything can be a blind box. Don't underestimate human curiosity and gambling psychology. In the future, it will definitely not just be food. This is a pre-release product. Let's try it first."
The raw materials are all available in the kitchen, and what Lu Yao wants is not difficult, only ten portions of each are needed.
Call another clerk up and these things will be made quickly.
Lu Yao sat beside him and pinched the packaging box. The energy of the worlds between the star gates was interconnected, and the packaging box pinched by illusion could be used in all the other worlds with star gates.
It disappears automatically after use and no garbage is left.
Lu Yao always used this kind of lunch box when he carried his lunch from the snack bar to the nail salon.
However, illusions can only be used in the Land of Dreams and cannot be used in other worlds.
Xiao Qie was called up to help. Seeing Lu Yao pinching the packaging box, he sat down.
Qi Chen finished making the tea and turned around to see, "I asked you to come up to help me, not to help her."
Xiao Qie retorted: "You can make this in just a few minutes, why are you so squeamish? The owner is very busy every day, sit down and take a rest, I will make these boxes."
Qi Chen: “…”
Double standard eggplant.
The first batch of products in the blind box store were hot drinks. Lu Yao prepared four different drinks and put them directly into the box and sealed them.
As long as it is not opened, it will not get cold or spoil.
Qi Chen finished the last one, looked up and asked, "Which one of these four are you going to use as a concealed object?"
Lu Yao was stunned for a moment. She had indeed forgotten about this matter.
Hidden has unparalleled appeal for players who like to draw blind boxes.
Because it is rare, it is special.
However, all four models are made in ten copies, the same number, so none of them is suitable for hiding.
Lu Yao thought for a moment and said, "Please make another copy for me. This one is hidden. I only need one copy."
Qi Chen thought that this might be too casual, but he couldn't persuade her and just did one.
Forty-one drinks were packaged in the same way, and even Lu Yao couldn't tell what was inside.
She threw another list to Qi Chen, this time it was a full set of blind box hot drinks, a total of ten types, eight regular types, one small hidden, and one large hidden.
"Twenty of each of the regular varieties, four of the small hidden varieties, and two of the large hidden varieties. I'll come pick them up this afternoon."
Lu Yao left these words, returned to the blind box shop with forty-one boxes of hot drinks, and chose a blind box machine near the door to stock up.
The blind box machine is a special machine made by the system according to Lu Yao's requirements, using her popularity points.
One machine has a capacity of 200 pieces. As long as the goods are packaged in illusion form, no matter how big or heavy they are, they can be directly loaded.
There is a coin slot next to the blind box machine. Customers must first exchange tokens with circulating items in this world, and then come to the blind box machine to insert coins to experience drawing a box.
In Fairy Tale Square, a three-person team hid in a corner of the street, staring at the brightly lit blind box shop in the distance.
Fourteen-year-old Wei Dong looked at the shop sign that looked like a glowing object and said in amazement, "It's so bright, did they burn some crystal cores?"
Tang Ling is one year older than Wei Dong. He crouched behind him and asked curiously, "Lu Yao's blind box store, what is a blind box? I've never heard of it."
Yu Li, the team leader, was in his thirties. He stared at the lights on the store sign and the street lights on both sides for a while, and a complex emotion flashed across his face. "This store doesn't use crystal cores, it seems to be electricity."
Wei Dong turned to look at him: "Electricity, doesn't it also use crystal cores?"
Yu Li shook his head: "This is not electricity generated by crystal cores. Twenty years ago, crystal cores had not yet appeared in the world. There was a clear distinction between day and night, and there were shops like that everywhere at night."
Wei Dong is a member of the new generation born after the Day of Impermanence. He has never seen the scene that Yu Li described, nor can he imagine it. There is only confusion in his eyes.
Tang Ling suddenly whispered: "Someone came out."
A tall and thin girl walked out of the store and put a sign at the door.
The words on the sign are also customized incandescent light tubes, shining brightly, and the content is clear: New tasting, hot drink blind box, fifteen yuan a draw.
Hot drink
Wei Dong couldn't help swallowing his saliva when he saw these two words. He turned around and looked at Yu Li, "Captain, that store has hot drinks."
Tang Ling licked her lips. "Hot drink, hot water with sugar?"
If true, this is too luxurious.
Tang Ling recalled the warm sugar water she had drunk once. She could still feel the sweetness on the tip of her tongue and couldn't help but start drooling.
Yu Li’s eyes were fixed on the blind box store, and hesitant.
This shop that suddenly appeared was so much like a trap that it made him feel as if he had returned to a dream twenty years ago.
But there is nothing worth calculating about them.
They couldn't find anything to eat this time, and they would all starve to death before the eternal night was over.
Yu Li's face was serious, and he said decisively: "You wait here, I'll go take a look. If there is no danger, I'll call you back."