Chapter 117: Crystal Balls

Qin Qing inquired about the rules of the show from the production team.

Each guest had a fixed budget to buy stones. The final evaluation wasn’t based on the value of the stones but on two interesting criteria: whether the stones were natural and how many different provinces the stones were sourced from.

She had a rough idea.

Though it was supposed to be a team competition among amateurs, Qin Qing could see that the participants weren’t solely focused on winning. They were more concerned about getting screen time and exposure.

She didn’t involve herself too much.

She only nodded or shook her head when someone asked her opinion about a stone.

Each person carried a basket, each with their own finds.

However, Qin Qing still hadn’t found the Crystal Ball she was looking for.

Either the crystal was too large and unpolished, or it was too small to meet her requirements.

As the sun rose higher, Qin Qing paused.

He Xu pointed to the left. “Don’t worry, Teacher Qin. We haven’t explored that area yet. We’ll definitely find it.”

While completing his own tasks, He Xu had been helping Qin Qing keep an eye out.

Qin Qing shook her head.

She pretended to calculate something with her fingers.

In reality, she had set up a search tag.

Quickly locating her target, she followed the map and arrived at a stall specializing in crystals five minutes later.

They had Crystal Balls of all sizes.

Everyone followed her, surprised by Qin Qing’s determined direction, which startled Feng Xiyu and Jiang Yuan.

Qin Qing bought all the large-sized Crystal Balls at the stall, a total of six.

She wanted ones with the same fluffy inclusions as the one in her studio; those with too high a purity weren’t cost-effective.

Naturally, the others were curious about her purpose for buying the Crystal Balls.

Qin Qing didn’t say much in front of the cameras, only explaining during lunch in the private room when the cameras were off.

She even “refined” one on the spot.

Feng Xiyu exclaimed, “I know this! It’s been trending recently. I was thinking of going to Shanyu to experience it. Could it be this?”

He Xu answered for Qin Qing. Watching the “refinement” live, he was quite excited.

“That’s right. The studio you’re talking about is run by Teacher Qin.”

Feng Xiyu was eager. “Can I touch it?” She clasped her hands and bowed to Qin Qing, “Pretty please?”

Qin Qing showed a screenshot of Wuyong’s payment code. “99 per touch.”

The three of them paid almost simultaneously.

He Xu and Feng Xiyu’s balls showed a milky white with a hint of purple, which Qin Qing explained indicated career advancement opportunities. Both were delighted.

When it was Jiang Yuan’s turn, the Crystal Ball emitted a vibrant green, more intense than any green Qin Qing had ever seen.

He was momentarily blinded by the green light.

“Does this mean I’m very healthy and full of vitality?”

Feng Xiyu said, “I read a guide. Health is indicated by milky white. Green should mean…”

She didn’t finish, so Qin Qing added, “Green represents fertility and family expansion.”

Feng Xiyu hesitated because Jiang Yuan was publicly known to be unmarried.

But even a casual viewer like Qin Qing knew of his reputation for being a playboy.

Technically, she shouldn’t disclose client information, but since the Crystal Ball color guide was all over the internet, there wasn’t much point in keeping it secret.

Jiang Yuan was stunned, clearly surprised.

Seeing this, no one pressed further. Instead, they chatted about the restaurant’s cuisine.

The restaurant was chosen by Qin Qing, and the experience was impeccable.

While they were eating, Wuyong called.

She had unexpectedly received three payments of ninety-nine.

Qin Qing said, “Yeah, it’s me. I’ve prepared the items you wanted, six in total. I just tested them with some people here. The balls are too heavy, and it’s not practical to ship them. I’ll send them back via logistics later…”

Wuyong interrupted her, “Stop, be more careful. If they get lost in transit, who will compensate me? Give me your hotel address. I’ll arrange for someone to come and carry them back personally.”

Qin Qing opened her mouth, thinking it was a bit excessive.

Wuyong didn’t need her opinion and decisively made the call.

After lunch, the group continued filming, parting ways with Qin Qing, but they all left with the studio’s contact information to book services.

Qin Qing was pleased. This trip not only expanded her studio’s clientele, but if these people could attract other friends in the entertainment industry, it could open up a whole new Blue Ocean Market.

In the evening, Qin Qing awaited her studio employees at the hotel.

Yes, several of them came.

To be precise, six people.

Each dragged a suitcase filled with protective padding.

The sight made Qin Qing anxiously scratch her head.

“Are you taking them all back?”

“We were worried that if only one person came, there might be issues with shipping. So, we brought several people, each carrying one ball as carry-on.”

Qin Qing asked, “Are you leaving right now?”

“No, boss. We’re flying tomorrow morning. We’re staying in Beifu for the night.”

Qin Qing: “…”

She silently turned around and waved her hand. “Alright, suit yourselves.”

After returning to her room, she vented to Shi Jiang, “The round-trip tickets for six people plus a night’s accommodation… Why did I even bother saving money on buying those crystals?”

Shi Jiang replied, “…No one asked you to save.”

Qin Qing painfully sent off her traveling employees.

But the matter wasn’t over.

The strict security at the Capital International Airport was well-known.

The six employees’ identical suspicious suitcases were opened for inspection.

Staff: “What’s this?”

Employee: “Just ordinary stones.”

The ground staff had seen a lot, but never passengers with just a single stone in their carry-on.

Each weighing dozens of pounds, nearly exceeding the carry-on weight limit.

And there were six of them in a row.

It was bizarre.

Yet, no issues were found upon inspection.

“Are you guys on a stone-themed team-building trip?”

Employee: “Heh, it’s for home decoration, as ornaments.”

The staff gave them a skeptical look and asked them to wait.

They reported the situation, “Requesting a police dog check at security checkpoint 07.”

The staff even removed their gloves, intending to feel the stones for any cracks or hidden compartments.

As they were about to touch, the employee called out, “Hey…”

The staff grew more suspicious.

The moment their fingers touched the Crystal Ball, a milky white mist rose from its base, startling them into pulling back. The mist slowly dissipated.

Other staff at the security checkpoint witnessed this and each came to touch the ball, triggering different effects.

Staff: “You call this an ordinary stone?”

The employees wiped their sweat, genuinely fearing they might lose these precious artifacts here.

“…To be specific, they’re magic props. I don’t know if you believe that.”

Staff: “…”

The security check was a bit of a hassle, but it passed without incident.

Finally, after the police dog inspection confirmed no hidden items, they were allowed to board.

However, no one anticipated that these balls would become famous before even reaching the studio.

That evening, at the Beifu Blue Helmet Police Dog Base.

A trainer was doing a final check before lights out in the kennel.

He patted his partner, Lightning, who whimpered softly under his touch, seeking affection.

He understood what the dog wanted but sternly refused its request.

“Lightning, you can’t have more yogurt. You already had one at dinner.”

Lightning covered its ears and lay down, pretending not to hear.

Trainer: “I know you understand. Don’t play deaf. Sleep quietly and don’t howl with the others at night. I’ll give you a box in the morning.”

Lightning got up, walked to its bed in the kennel, and lay down. Its eyes still watched the trainer.

Trainer: “Close your eyes and sleep.”

Lightning covered its eyes with its paws.

“Good boy.” The trainer was charmed by its cuteness and couldn’t help but chuckle, bidding his partner goodnight, “Goodnight, Lightning.”

Lightning responded with a couple of soft whimpers.

After lights out, the trainer planned to return to his dorm but was called by a colleague.

“The boss wants to see you.”

The trainer wondered what could be so urgent at this hour and quickly jogged to the office building.

The boss asked, “Was Lightning on duty at the airport today?”

“Yes, sir.”

The trainer felt anxious, wondering if something had gone wrong with the task.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

Lightning could be mischievous at times, but its skills were top-notch, and it had never made a mistake on duty.

Boss: “Did it interact with a crystal stone during the task today?”

“Yes.”

After confirming the situation, the boss didn’t keep him in suspense.

He directly showed the trainer the computer screen.

On the screen was a trending topic on a popular social platform.

Topic: #SaveMyDog’sLife#

The topic’s image was a photo of Lightning, seemingly taken during today’s duty.

Lightning’s nose was close to a Crystal Ball, with gray mist swirling around the ball.

The topic was being updated in real-time, with new comments popping up.

The gist was urging the dog’s handler to take it for a check-up and treatment, just in case.

What was all this about?

Seeing the trainer awkwardly bent over to read the information, the boss stood up and offered his seat.

The trainer scrolled through the topic, tracing it back to understand the situation.

It turned out that during the joint inspection of those stones, no one noticed a bystander had filmed the scene and posted it online.

The netizen was merely curious.

The video was tagged with a #IdentifyOnlineOddities# topic.

The netizen had some followers, and among them was a fan of Shanyu City’s internet-famous attraction, the Starry Sky Room’s Crystal Ball.

The airport ground staff’s multiple touches triggered various effects on the Crystal Ball, leading the fan to suspect it was the same as the Starry Sky Room’s.

She shared it in a fan discussion group.

This caused quite a stir, as the people next to the Crystal Ball were recognized as studio members.

It was confirmed that those balls came from the studio.

They had gone to the Starry Sky Room to touch the balls, which was a rare opportunity, but here were so many gathered. Could it be the studio was expanding its market with other balls?

Suddenly, it became a hot topic.

The video spread widely and went viral.

【Why are the balls in the capital? Is there some evil to suppress?】

【Come on, the capital is the dragon’s vein, impervious to evil.】

【Could it simply be the establishment of a capital branch for the balls?】

【Ahhh… Are there going to be branches in other cities? Please bring the balls to Demon Sea; our population flow will surely satisfy you.】

【Ahhh… please, look at our Nanyue. Our foundation of faith is stronger than other places. If there’s going to be a branch, they must consider us first. We can even discuss adding more funds.】

【We really need a branch. We might not even be able to go to Shanyu, and even if we do, there’s no guarantee we’ll get in line. Please, let every province have a branch.】

The comments section was filled with discussions and prayers for a new branch.

Until some other remarks caught attention.

【Uh… am I the only one who noticed that the police dog on duty triggered the gray mist?】

The official accounts of the Capital Airport and the police dog base were flooded with mentions from countless netizens, with many rushing to leave comments on the latest posts.

Thus, the hashtag #SaveMyDog’sLife# started trending.

Worried that the officials wouldn’t believe them, concerned dog lovers shared numerous posts explaining the effects of the Starry Sky Room Crystal Ball to prove its efficacy.

The official account had never experienced such high traffic, causing their homepage to lag.

The trainer, after reading everything, pressed his lips together in silence.

He didn’t believe in these things, but after reading, he couldn’t help but worry about Lightning.

The leadership probably had a similar thought process.

Whether they believed it or not was one thing, but their care for their canine companions was undeniable.

The leader said, “Lightning will take a day off tomorrow. I’ve already contacted the medical office for a full body check-up, so everyone can rest assured.”