Chapter 68 — Demand Awakens
The next morning, the weather was clear, sunlight stretching across the city like a golden veil.
But before the streets even fully stirred, XB Corporation was already buzzing.
The receptionist, Xiao Mei, was practically overwhelmed as phone after phone rang — no pause, no breathing space, just call after call.
> "Yes, we have received your request, but production is currently limited— please wait for further notice."
"Sir, I understand, but pre-orders cannot exceed the company's quota at the moment."
"Madam, your company is also on the waiting list; we will contact you once allocation is confirmed."
Her voice was polite, but her eyes showed disbelief — she had never seen anything like this before.
Within one night, news had spread:
The Modern Age Video Camera and Modern Age Camera could record movement clearer, faster, and more vividly than anything on the market.
Stores wanted supply. Media stations wanted contracts. Private collectors wanted exclusives. Even film studios sent representatives asking for bulk orders.
By 9:00 AM, the lobby was crowded.
Investors in suits. Shop owners clutching briefcases. Journalists adjusting microphones. Even a few celebrities' agents arrived discreetly at the back entrance.
Whispers filled the room:
> "Did you see the demonstration the other day?"
"That clarity… even Hollywood can't achieve that."
"This Bai Xia… just how many secrets does she hide?"
"We must get at least one unit — no, two!"
On the upper floor, Bai Xia stood at the glass railing, watching the lobby below.
Her expression remained calm — almost detached — even as the world clamored at her feet.
Beside her, Liu Cheng, the tech department head, stood wide-eyed.
> "Bai Xia… these numbers…" he said, holding a printout with trembling fingers.
"The pre-order volume already exceeds 9,000 units for the Modern Age Camera…
and over 12,000 for the Modern Age Video Camera."
He swallowed.
> "This is unprecedented. If we accept all orders, we'll become the market leader overnight."
But Bai Xia did not flinch.
Her gaze sharpened.
> "And that," she said slowly, "is exactly why we shouldn't."
Liu Cheng blinked.
Bai Xia stepped away from the railing, walking toward her office with unhurried steps.
> "Liu Cheng. Issue an internal announcement."
He straightened immediately.
> "Yes — what should I write?"
She paused only long enough to pick up a pen, twirling it lightly between her fingers.
> "We will release only 200 pieces in a month of the Modern Age Camera, and 200 pieces of the Modern Age Video Camera."
Liu Cheng froze.
> "Two… hundred?"
"But the demand— the profits— the market influence—"
Bai Xia looked at him, eyes clear as still water yet sharp like a blade.
> "Scarcity creates value.
If we release thousands now, they will treat it as just another product."
Her voice was soft, but it echoed with absolute certainty.
> "But if there are only 200, the world will fight for them.
Our brand will become untouchable."
She smiled — not gentle, but calculating.
> "People don't treasure what is easy to get.
They treasure what they fear losing."
Liu Cheng exhaled slowly, realization dawning.
> "Understood. I will issue the announcement immediately."
Within the hour, the announcement was posted publicly.
Limited Global Release:
200 Modern Age Cameras
200 Modern Age Video Cameras
First come, first served
Priority to professional studios and certified partners
No second batch planned (for now)
The moment the news hit the market…
Chaos erupted.
Some customers tried to bribe staff.
Others began bidding wars in the lobby.
Reporters swarmed the entrance.
And online — though the world was only stepping into the early internet age — message boards exploded.
> "I'll pay double!"
"No — triple — I want one for my film studio!"
"My cousin works at XB, tell me the internal price!"
"Please! I don't care the cost!"
Everywhere — Bai Xia's name rose again.
Not as a girl from a countryside family…
But as a revolutionary.
A quiet genius.
A rising storm.
Upstairs, Bai Xia sat with a cup of tea.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Unshaken.
> "Let them scramble," she whispered, eyes half-closed.
"The world is only beginning to chase the future."
That afternoon, Bai Xia gathered her team in the tech department.
> "Take the digital signage prototype to the marketplace," she instructed, her tone steady and precise.
"Mount it on the blank wall we identified. Make sure every panel is aligned, every cable secure. We leave it overnight. Tomorrow morning, we run the first advertisement."
The engineers immediately moved into action.
Panels were carefully loaded onto the transport vehicle, wiring checked, control units packed with care. Stella and Liu Cheng moved alongside them, ensuring nothing was forgotten.
Bai Xia followed quietly, clipboard in hand, observing every step. She didn't need to speak often — every engineer had learned to adjust the moment she merely paused beside them.
By evening, the digital signage was already mounted on a busy marketplace wall — a location where thousands passed daily.
The rectangular screen gleamed even while idle, its dark surface reflecting lanternlight and the movement of vendors closing their stalls.
> "Good. Leave it running at low power to stabilize," Bai Xia said.
"We return at dawn."
The team nodded and withdrew, taking only their tool kits.
The marketplace settled into nighttime calm — unaware of the change silently waiting on its wall.
---
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to pale, Bai Xia and her team returned.
The signage was still running — stable, smooth, untouched.
> "Check connection integrity," she said.
The engineers tested panel alignment, voltage, refresh rate synchronization, and the control interface. Everything held strong.
Bai Xia signaled.
> "Play the advertisement."
The prepared clip appeared — a quiet, simple demonstration:
The Modern Age Camera capturing a still image.
The Modern Age Video Camera recording motion.
A hand waving.
A paper fluttering.
A fan spinning.
Every frame sharp.
Every movement fluid.
The marketplace began to wake.
Vendors stopped mid-step.
Children ran closer.
Shoppers froze, staring.
> "Is… that moving?"
"How is it so clear? There's no flicker!"
"No delay… no film used…?"
"Where do we buy one?!"
People gathered so quickly that foot traffic stalled.
Voices overlapped — shock, curiosity, amazement.
Bai Xia stood quietly among them, hands behind her back, listening — not speaking.
Her engineers monitored every reaction.
Every gasp.
Every wide-eyed stare.
Every whispered "I've never seen anything like this…"
After an hour of observation, Bai Xia gave a simple nod.
> "We move it again tomorrow evening," she said to her team.
"Different district. Different crowds. Record reactions. No announcements. No interviews. Let the public spread the rumor for us."
The team nodded, already writing down the day's data.
---
The following day, XB Corporation was overflowing again — reporters gathering, businessmen waiting, crowds pressing for invitations.
Inside the demonstration hall, the digital signage now stood mounted against a pristine white wall.
Its surface reflected the room like black glass, smooth and modern — a sight no one in 1995 was prepared for.
Bai Xia stepped forward, composed and self-assured.
> "This," she said, gesturing to the display, "is digital signage. A large screen designed for public display of video and image content. It works directly with the Modern Age Camera and Modern Age Video Camera."
A reporter raised a hand.
> "Is it just a large television?"
Bai Xia shook her head.
> "A television displays broadcasts.
This displays reality — directly, immediately, without conversion or degradation."
She lifted a slim remote and pressed a button.
The screen lit up — perfect clarity, perfect color, motion as smooth as water.
The reporters leaned forward without meaning to.
Some forgot to write.
Some forgot to blink.
When the demonstration ended, Bai Xia spoke again.
> "Tonight, we place this in a public square. No banners. No announcements. The public will discover it on their own.
Let them experience the future without being told they are looking at it."
Stella nodded immediately.
> "We'll secure the site and have it running by dawn."
Bai Xia looked at the glowing screen one last time.
Her expression was calm, but her eyes gleamed with quiet, unstoppable certainty.
> "The world has only begun to realize," she murmured, "that the future does not arrive with fanfare…
it appears quietly — and refuses to be ignored."