The digital realm went into complete meltdown at precisely 20:01.
By 20:05, all major news channels, financial news outlets, and entertainment streams across the country had dropped their scheduled programming to report on a single event: the lightning-fast sellout of the Meridian Gallery Autumn Gala tickets.
On 'Veyra Financial Network (VFN)', anchor Sarah Jenkins adjusted her earpiece, her face displaying a mixture of shock and sheer awe as live metrics flashed across the screen behind her.
"If you are just tuning in, the public gateway for the Meridian Gallery Autumn Gala open pass allocation closed less than forty seconds after opening," Sarah announced, leaning into the camera. "Server logs indicate over 14 million concurrent connection requests hit the central portal at 20:00 sharp. Tier-3 Common Room access passes—priced at a staggering 20,000 Veyra Marks (VM)—were completely wiped out within fifty-eight seconds."
