For the challenger, time felt as if a century had passed.
But in reality, it was less than two minutes.
Lu You quickly walked out from the back storeroom.
He held a cardboard box wrapped in a thin layer of protective film.
He then gently placed the box on the counter.
The pattern on the box was the legendary spaceship that soared across the cosmos—the Millennium Falcon.
Seeing this, Zhou Qi immediately rushed to the counter, his face nearly pressing against the box.
He scanned every corner and every edge of the box.
"Eight corners... perfectly sharp eight corners! Oh my god, they really are perfectly sharp eight corners!"
"US version! Look at the location and content of this warning label—it's definitely the US first edition!"
"The seal... let me look at the seal..."
He cautiously leaned closer to the two strips of clear tape sealing the box opening.
Under the high-definition close-up of the live broadcast camera.
Everyone could see that beneath the tape, there was not a trace of dust, nor any air bubbles.
Furthermore, there were no signs of it having been sliced open by a blade.
That was a condition only achievable through factory machine sealing.
"It's factory sealed... it's the original, one-time seal! It's real! It's real!!"
Zhou Qi suddenly straightened up and let out an uncontrollable shriek.
His face flushed red with excitement, he pointed at the box and shouted incoherently to the entire audience:
"Do you know? This thing, I've been searching for this thing for ten years! I dream about finding it! I... I..."
As he spoke, the young man in his twenties, facing a national audience, suddenly got teary-eyed and nearly burst into tears.
Lu You looked at him and spoke calmly: "Cash or scan code?"
That single sentence instantly pulled Zhou Qi back to reality from his excited state.
Only then did he remember that this wasn't a dream; this was a challenge.
"How much is it?" he asked nervously.
"Fifty thousand."
Hearing the price, Zhou Qi froze.
The players in the live stream chat went absolutely wild.
[Fifty thousand?! Boss, did you forget a zero?! A 10179 in this condition starts at at least 150,000 at international auctions! Fifty thousand? That's practically giving it away!]
[The Boss lost money, the Boss is confused! This is a massive loss!]
[Stop talking! I'm booking a ticket to City right now! Boss, give me a whole box! I'll kowtow to you right here!]
Zhou Qi could barely believe his ears. He confirmed in a trembling voice, "Fifty... fifty thousand Dragon country currency?"
"Mhm." Lu You nodded.
"I want it! I want it! I'll pay immediately!" Zhou Qi seemed afraid that Lu You would change his mind.
He fumbled to take out his phone and tremblingly opened the payment QR code.
With a soft "ding," the transaction was complete.
Zhou Qi carefully held the huge box, cradling it in his arms.
He then bowed deeply to Lu You.
"Thank you, Boss! You fulfilled my ten-year dream!"
After speaking, he hugged his "Holy Grail" and walked off the stage under the bewildered gaze of the entire audience.
The first challenger succeeded!
The atmosphere in the live stream chat had completely spiraled out of control.
The bullet comments were so thick that the screen was barely visible.
[From now on, I am Boss Lu's loyal follower! Please accept my kowtow!]
[Absurd! My mom asked me why I was watching the live stream on my knees!]
[This isn't a Hardware Store anymore, it's a wishing well, it's Aladdin's Lamp! A script? What damned screenwriter would dare write this?! This is instant legend status!]
Following this, the pace of the challenge contest accelerated, and miracles unfolded one after another.
"Please welcome Challenger Number Two!"
The one who walked up was a middle-aged man with a refined demeanor, looking like a university professor.
His challenge was also highly specialized.
"Boss Lu, I am an astronomy enthusiast. I would like a slice of meteorite, specifically the famous Swedish 'Muonionalusta' iron meteorite."
"The weight must be greater than fifty grams, and it must come with a certificate issued by a domestic authoritative third-party mineral appraisal institution."
[Another serious contender! M Iron Meteorite! Famous worldwide for its unique 'Widmanstätten Pattern'; the texture of every piece is one-of-a-kind!]
[This stuff is much more expensive than gold, and it's hard to distinguish genuine from fake. Plus, needing an appraisal certificate makes the difficulty extremely high!]
Lu You still gave the same single word: "Have."
He entered the back storeroom again.
Soon, he brought out an exquisite velvet box.
Upon opening it, a slice covered in strange, intersecting patterns lay quietly inside.
Next to it was an appraisal certificate, complete with a steel stamp and QR code, issued by the "National Geological Experiment and Testing Center."
The middle-aged man put on the white gloves and magnifying glass he carried, carefully comparing the meteorite's texture with the photo on the certificate.
He then used his phone to scan the QR code on the certificate, which redirected him to the official website's verification page. All the information matched perfectly.
"Unbelievable... this Widmanstätten Pattern is too perfect..." the man muttered, finally paying the money, completely convinced.
"Please welcome Challenger Number Three!"
This time, the person who came up was a graceful lady.
The moment she spoke, her voice carried the gentle charm of Jiangnan's water towns.
"Boss Lu, this humble woman wishes to purchase a finished piece of Su Embroidery, and it must be in stock."
"The requirements aren't high: it must be silk fabric, the needlework must be 'Double-Sided, Completely Different Embroidery.' One side should depict 'A Group of Cats Playing with Butterflies,' and the other side 'Brocade Carp—Wealth and Abundance.'"
"It must be framed, and the budget is under 100,000 yuan."
[Pfft! Requirements aren't high?! Sis, you must be joking! Double-Sided, Completely Different Embroidery! That's an absolute masterpiece in Su Embroidery! Embroidering completely different patterns on both sides—that must be the work of a national-level craft master!]
[A cat on one side, a fish on the other, and the subject matter is so tricky! Plus, needing a finished product in stock for 100,000 yuan... Sis, are you here to make a wish?]
Lu You's reply remained calm: "Have."
When he brought out a circular embroidery frame mounted in precious redwood from the back storeroom, the entire venue fell silent.
The camera slowly zoomed in.
On one side of the frame, the fur of several tiny kittens was rendered in exquisite detail, their eyes lively.
They were leaping toward a dancing butterfly, looking adorable and lifelike.
Lu You gently flipped the embroidery frame over.
On the other side, nine colorful brocade carp were playing in the water.
Their scales shimmered under the light with the unique luster of silk, looking as if they might swim out of the embroidery at any moment.
The two patterns were completely different in artistic conception, color, and composition.
Yet, they coexisted perfectly on the same piece of silk backing, which was as thin as a cicada's wing, with not a single flaw to be found.
The lady in the Qipao stared in awe, gently covering her mouth with a handkerchief, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
"This... this is Teacher Shen's 'Random Stitch'! This needlework, this artistry... it must be a piece from her early years before she retired her needle! Oh my god!"
She paid without hesitation and, treating it like a priceless treasure, asked the staff to help her package it.
Immediately following, the fourth and fifth challengers...