Time ticked by, and around 9:30 PM, Lin Fang and the others saw more than ten large trucks approaching the storefront. Following behind the trucks was a minibus, from which emerged over a dozen technicians wearing matching work uniforms.
Lin Fang immediately led his staff out to meet them.
After they met, the lead technician asked, "Who is Manager Lin Fang?"
Lin Fang quickly replied, "I am."
"I'm Zhang Feng, the leader of the technical team. All internet cafe staff need to come over and sign a non-disclosure agreement."
Chaowei Technology's internet cafe offered high wages and good benefits, so no one objected to signing the NDA. Once the NDAs were signed, Lin Fang called the network administrators over to lend the workers a hand.
Looking into the cargo hold, they saw rows of rectangular crates, all over two meters long and securely wrapped.
Lin Fang and the others were immediately puzzled.
These boxes didn't look like they held computers.
Zhang Feng walked over then and cautioned, "Be extremely careful when handling these. The equipment inside is worth at least 50,000 yuan each."
Hearing the price, the admins' hearts skipped a beat, and everyone began helping the workers move the crates with extreme care.
Inside the internet cafe, as the workers removed the packaging, the equipment inside was finally revealed.
A strange reclining chair, a black rectangular box, and a black helmet resembling one for a motorcycle.
"Uh... why aren't they computers?"
At this, Lin Fang and the others were utterly dumbfounded.
Lin Fang looked at Zhang Feng and asked nervously, "Team Leader Zhang, did the factory send the wrong shipment?"
Zhang Feng chuckled, "No mistake. This is the virtual brain-computer interface Chaowei Technology is launching tomorrow. It's also the equipment the internet cafe will be using from now on."
Virtual brain-computer interface?!
Lin Fang and a few others who didn't frequently follow online news still looked utterly confused. The few younger, newly hired admins, however, gaped in astonishment.
One young admin, breathing rapidly, exclaimed, "Could this really be the virtual brain-computer interface that connects to the virtual world?!"
Zhang Feng, while directing the technicians installing the BCIs, nodded with a smile. "Of course, it is."
Concepts like virtual worlds and virtual games are high-tech elements often found in novels and science fiction movies. While these concepts are well-known and eagerly discussed, most people consider them things they might never see in their lifetime. The popularity of the movie Ready Player One fueled an intense yearning for virtual worlds among modern youth.
Now, to have a device capable of connecting to a virtual world placed right before their eyes – the impact on these young people was immense.
Lin Fang and the others weren't completely out of touch either; after grasping the basics, they were also profoundly shocked, even starting to question reality.
"Has technology really advanced this quickly?"
Seeing the young admins practically jumping with excitement, Zhang Feng said, "Alright, calm down. All of you, come over here and learn."
"Our technical team will be staying in Tianhai for a month to provide you with basic training."
Zhang Feng continued, "Going forward, you'll need to handle basic BCI troubleshooting and routine maintenance yourselves."
"If you encounter issues you can't resolve, contact the technical team, and we'll provide remote assistance. We'll only send personnel over for major problems or malfunctions."
In addition to training the local staff, Chaowei Technology will also periodically dispatch technical teams to inspect every internet cafe in each city.
While the admins were being trained, Zhang Feng pulled Lin Fang aside and took out one of the virtual BCI units. Lu Shaojun had personally programmed a management system specifically for the virtual BCIs deployed in the internet cafes. As the manager of this branch, Lin Fang needed to obtain administrator privileges first; otherwise, the virtual BCIs couldn't be activated.
This particular internet cafe managed by Lin Fang required the installation of 180 virtual BCI units.
By the time installation and setup were complete, it was already 6 AM the next morning.
The internet cafe admins had hoped to leverage their proximity to try the machines first, but they were informed the units were locked. The virtual BCIs could only be activated on the 13th, when the internet cafe officially opened.
Exhausted, the admins could only head home to rest.
Before leaving, Lin Fang reminded everyone very seriously, "Until the press conference is over, absolutely no information about the virtual BCI can be leaked."
Everyone nodded earnestly, promising to remain tight-lipped.
September 10th, 5:30 PM.
At the venue for Chaowei Technology's press conference, under the guidance of staff, media reporters and other invited guests began entering the main hall.
However, as people entered the main hall, they were momentarily taken aback. The hall was filled uniformly with high-end reclining chairs. Beside each chair, on a small table, sat a rectangular box and a helmet similar to those used for motorcycles.
No one there was a fool; seeing this setup, the realization dawned on them instantly.
Could it be?! Had Chaowei Technology actually done it?
Just then, a Chaowei Technology representative hurried over, announcing, "Esteemed guests, tonight's press conference is about to begin. Please find your seats quickly."
Attendants standing ready nearby quickly guided the guests to their assigned seats.
Wu Peng, a senior reporter for Science and Technology Daily, hadn't initially wanted to attend this press conference. He believed Chaowei Technology was merely grandstanding. However, his superiors had insisted, so Wu Peng had no choice but to comply.
After an attendant led him to his designated seat, Wu Peng pointed at the setup and asked quietly, "Excuse me, what is this equipment?"
The attendant smiled. "This is the virtual brain-computer interface developed by Chaowei Technology, the product being launched tonight."
Wu Peng's eyes widened slightly. "You've really created an entry point to the virtual world? Can I try it out now?"
The attendant maintained a smile. "Yes, sir. Please be patient. Tonight's press conference will actually take place inside the virtual world."
Hearing this, Wu Peng's curiosity and sense of anticipation didn't lessen; instead, they intensified. It wasn't just Wu Peng; every guest in the hall was now eyeing the virtual BCI setup next to them with keen anticipation.
After what felt like a long time, Wu Peng pulled out his phone to check the time.
5:46 PM. Why was time moving so slowly?
Finally, amidst the anxious wait, the attendant beside him spoke, "Sir, the press conference begins in ten minutes. Please put on the virtual helmet now, and I will activate the interface for you."
Instantly, guests throughout the hall moved as one, grabbing the virtual helmets and placing them on their heads.
The moment the virtual helmet settled onto his head, Wu Peng couldn't help but be impressed.
It felt remarkably comfortable.
The next moment, the panoramic curved screen inside the helmet lit up.
The screen first displayed Chaowei Technology's futuristic logo, followed by the large title: "Chaowei Technology – Virtual Brain-Computer Interface Launch Event."
Then, a synthesized female electronic voice began to speak.
"You will enter the virtual world in ten seconds. Please recline fully and prepare yourself. Countdown commencing: Ten... nine... eight..."
Wu Peng suddenly felt a surge of nervousness.