Chapter 5 - Business Is Hot
Chapter 5: Business Is Hot
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Looks like you have to come again next time.”
Lu Ming smiled. “You can leave your contact number. I will go according to your highest record of ninety-nine seconds today. If you come out on top, you can come and collect ten thousand yuan next week.”
“I… ”
The middle-aged man wanted to write down his contact details but he felt a little embarrassed.
Persist for one hundred seconds if you are a man, but you could not even persist for one hundred seconds?
Yet, you had the shame to write your name down? Collect the prize?
There was simply no way he could do that!
“That… I don’t want the reward. Can you let me experience it again?”
The middle-aged man said indignantly, “I almost… Really. Just once will do. I will pay you back another time. Really. I will be able to pass if I try it one more time.
I don’t have any issue. But… ”
Lu Ming spread out his hands and pointed at the people surrounding them outside. “You have to ask them.”
The middle-aged man turned around.
It was only then that he discovered that the entrance of the shop was full of people. He was not sure when that had happened. At this moment, they were glaring at him with hostility, just short of beating him up.
“Sir, you have experienced it for a long time.”
A burly man was looking ferociously at him.
“Exactly.”
One youngster shriveled his lips. “If you can’t, you can’t. Why are you pretending?”
“I can do it.”
The middle-aged man’s face was flushed. “Wait for me. I’m going home to get money.”
Upon finishing his words…
The middle-aged man hurried and left.
“Who’s the next one?”
Lu Ming was overjoyed.
“Me! Me!”
Everyone was eager to participate.
“It’s finally my turn now after queuing.”
Someone rushed in.
“Sure.”
Lu Ming arranged the illusion for him.
After the experience with that middle-aged man, everyone knew that this was a very shabby illusion. Nevertheless, it seemed to be helpful in improving reaction speed.
Hence, they were more patient.
They experienced the various fruits that flew towards them…
Once!
Twice!
Thrice!
…
“Again!”
“Again!”
“Again!”
More people experienced it and rushed home like the middle-aged man.
Ninety-six seconds!
Ninety-seven seconds!
Ninety-eight seconds!
Ninety-nine seconds!
…
Most of the people were stuck at this point.
The reason was very simple.
Lu Ming had set up an outburst with a high difficulty level at that point. The speed of the fruits was unchanged but the quantity increased. That was what many people hated.
Of course.
The difficulty level that he set up was not really that difficult. It gave the players the feeling that they could definitely pass it as long as they tried a little harder! It was just a slip up earlier! If they had been slightly quicker, it would not be a problem! If they could finish up a little faster the second before, they would not have any problems for the next second!
Most people adopted such mindsets.
So…
Lu Ming smiled and looked on. After they swiped their cards to the limit, they left indignantly.
Besides being a programmer who worked like a dog in his previous life, he was also a master of games. He had the nicknames of ‘Avid Gamer’, ‘Nioh’, ‘The Affectionate Yharnam Visitor’ and many more. It was simply too easy to develop Fruit Ninja into a difficult game.
“Boss, can I buy this?”
Someone suggested.
In normal circumstances, a place that allowed you to experience the card also sold the card itself.
“Not available temporarily.”
Lu Ming shook his head. “You have seen it for yourself. The cards that I have created are limited. Once I sell them, I’m afraid all of them will be purchased by one person. What will everyone else think?”
Whoosh!
A row of sinister eyes looked in their direction.
The person who wanted to buy the card earlier ran away immediately.
“Hehe.”
Lu Ming smiled but said nothing.
The reason that he was not selling the card was very simple. It was not encrypted!
Encryption was a skill in the card creating industry. With encryption, it was not so easy for others to replicate your card. Unfortunately, he had not picked up the skill.
If he were to sell the cards now…
In less than one hour’s time, all the shops nearby would have this kind of card!
What was good about selling the cards?
Many people were coming here for the experience.
Lu Ming smirked.
He was certain that today’s sales would be extremely wonderful.
In the afternoon.
Some people came on their friends’ recommendations.
However, not everyone was a fool. Many people realized the problem. This kind of method… Why did they have the feeling that they were falling into a pit?!
One person had just spent one thousand yuan!
“Does it really help?” Someone said doubtingly.
“Come.”
Lu Ming asked with a smile, “Let me ask you. How long did you persist the first time?”
“Twenty seconds.” That person replied.
“What about now?”
“Erm… ninety-eight seconds,” That person said.
“Oh, that’s brilliant,” Lu Ming praised. He then said, “See, haven’t you increase your duration? Why do you think you escaped from so many fruits?”
“Uh——”
Looking at Lu Ming’s approving and adoring glance, he blurted out, “Because… because my reaction speed is now faster?”
“Correct answer!”
Lu Ming was very satisfied. “You should all think about it. If a person’s reaction speed is especially fast, will they be able to dodge these fruits more easily?”
The audience surrounding them nodded instinctively.
Yes.
If one’s reaction speed was fast enough, of course one could easily destroy all the fruits? Why didn’t they pass that level? Obviously, their speed was not fast enough!
“Remember! You need to have a faster reaction time in in order to persist longer.”
Lu Ming said in a grave and serious tone, “Of course, if you feel that your improvement is not significant enough, we can put it in another way. If… If you are fighting with your enemy outside… You will not be dodging fruits but hidden weapons.”
Everyone gasped a breath of cold air.
Wasn’t that so?
If they were not fruits but hidden weapons…
They felt a wave of fear just thinking about it.
“Think carefully. Are you able to shoot down more hidden weapons? Even if you’re not a warrior and don’t shoot them down, does it mean that you can dodge them? The longer you persist, the more powerful you will become!”
Lu Ming concluded and everyone was deeply convinced.
It seemed very logical.
The youngster who had doubts in the beginning was also convinced.
“Then… let’s continue.”
Lu Ming smiled and looked at them. “Who’s next?”
“Me!”
“Let me go first!”
A group of people were eager to try.
Lu Ming smiled very happily.
…
Right then…
Naturally, the shops located a few streets away noticed this scene.
They were well aware of Lu Ming’s business and had not seen anyone in the shop for a whole month. They were even betting on when it would close down.
Counting the days… It should be almost time.
So…
When they saw a huge crowd in the morning, they had thought that Lu Ming had begun to clear his warehouse goods. However, that was not the case according to sources.
That Lu Ming seemed to have created an Illusion Card and was experimenting with it.
Initially, it was not worth bothering about this kind of matter. After all, Lu Ming was just a small Card Creator and he was a rookie. What threat could he pose?
Using a one-star Energy Card to threaten him?
Hence, they did not care at all. However, this situation had persisted for an entire morning. The flow of human traffic there had not ceased yet!
That was slightly problematic.
“Can you go and take a look at the situation?”
Some of the shop owners sent their subordinates to check it out.
However, after two hours, they came back and said that they could not manage to get into the queue?!
Yes.
Could not get into the queue!
This was a weird response.
The only thing that they brought back was the shocking content of the poster and the audience’s response.
“Cultivation Card… ”
“Improve your reaction speed… ”
“Fruits… ”
“Ninety-nine seconds?”
“Can these be real?”
Some people did not care but some had a grave expression on their faces.
Later on, some shop owners and Card Creators decided to personally make a trip to check out Lu Min’s shop… what kind of tricks was he up to?
…
“One hundred yuan per try! Based on preliminary estimates, the number of experiences today has exceeded a thousand times… ”
This time, the surrounding shops had become really restless.
Initially, they were not bothered and just watching the fun. After all, such new Illusion Cards relied on one’s imagination. Occasionally, there were a few good ones that earned a lot of money but they did not expect the profits to be so frightening!
More than a thousand times. Wasn’t that a hundred thousand yuan?!
“What exactly is Lu Ming up to?!”
They felt a little fearful.
A hundred thousand yuan a day. What kind of concept earned that much?
It was too shocking!
“Hurry! We have to know what is happening.”
Qian Shengcai, the owner of the Ye Zi Chain Store, had a solemn expression on his face. “Get the people from the shop to make a trip there. No matter what reasons they use, they have to find out what is happening.
His store was the largest Card Shop in Qing Ming City!
They could not lose out to others.
“Boss… We can’t not get into the queue!” the shop assistant said, feeling wronged.
“??” The boss was a little speechless. “Are you an idiot? Do you have to try it personally? Why don’t you look for those who have experienced it before? Pay a high price to buy their information! I think they will be very willing to make this trade.”
At this very moment… At another Card Shop.
“Interesting. The boss took action so quickly.”
Zhang Chun, the owner of Chun Pin Card Shop, was a little surprised.
The flagship shop of Ye Zi Chain Store in this area was a strong competitor. They outperformed Chun Pin Card Shop, which was originally the market leader in this area!
They were very powerful and had abundant resources!
Normally, such a large flagship store would not bother about a small shop. Judging from this, the situation was more interesting he had imagined.
“Lu Ming… ”
Zhang Chun knocked on the table.
“Follow the person from Ye Zi. Do whatever they are going to do.”
“In addition, investigate whether Lu Ming has come into contact with any Illusionist these past two days… ”
“Yes.”
…
To no one’s knowledge, when the popularity of Lu Ming’s shop increased, there was an undercurrent of tension in the entire street. Countless pairs of eyes were staring at the shop.
The more famous Fruit Ninja was, the scarier the sales and the more they wanted to know!
There was no other reason.
The profits created by this card were too shocking!
What kind of concept was worth one hundred thousand yuan of profit?
One top-notch three-star Card could only do so much.
Now, Lu Ming actually succeeded with a small one-star Illusion Card. He was a huge sensation in this downtown area.
What did this mean?
Taking over of this card would mean taking over the profits!
This was especially true for Qian Shengcai from Ye Zi Chain Store.
“Zhang Chun… that idiot’s foresight is only restricted to Qing Ming City.
“Since this card can cause a sensation here, naturally, it can also cause a sensation elsewhere. If I find out what makes this card special and hand it over to headquarters, they can then share it with all the branches… ”
Just the thought of it made Qian Shengcai excited.
He was determined to get a hold of this card!