Chapter 108: The Virtual Machine Goes Global

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In the Longhua Industrial Park of Pengcheng, southern China, lies the Foxconn factory—a massive electronics contract manufacturing facility that once employed 300,000 workers at its peak. As the morning sun rises, the entire plant gradually comes alive with activity. Young workers from every corner of China, clad in uniform factory attire and still carrying traces of sleepiness, file into the endless assembly lines.

The vast production lines hum to life, countless components transported swiftly along the conveyor belts. Each worker’s task is singular and straightforward, yet it involves endless repetition—tedious and monotonous. Apart from the roar of machinery, the factory is engulfed in silence, for every hand is constantly busy, leaving no time for idle chatter.

In earlier days, this country’s largest contract factory mainly assembled smartphones for major brands. Components would arrive piece by piece, and in the end, a brand-new phone would emerge swiftly from the line.

But now, what’s being assembled on these lines is the globally renowned Virtual Machine. At the end of the production line, fully assembled units are rapidly packaged—box after box—and immediately loaded onto waiting transport trucks.

These trucks head directly to the nearest airport, where the Virtual Machines are airlifted to eight overseas agents of Fuyun Technology Group. These agents then distribute the machines across various markets worldwide.

In London, in the heart of the financial district, a large store has just completed an intensive renovation that lasted over ten days. The barriers outside are now removed, revealing its gleaming new facade. The three large Chinese characters for “Virtual Machine” shine brightly, accompanied by the prominent logo of Fuyun Technology Group.

The store’s interior exudes a sleek, modern, and technological vibe, featuring multiple Virtual Machine experience zones. Everything is meticulously arranged, from the store manager to the staff, all preparing anxiously for the imminent global launch of the Virtual Machine.

Passersby on the street occasionally stop, curious to discover what the store offers. Although the Chinese characters may not be immediately clear to everyone, a line of English under “Virtual Machine” swiftly clarifies the product for the international crowd.

“Oh my God! Is the Virtual Machine finally launching? I’ve been waiting impatiently for so long.”

Some customers enter the store without hesitation, their eagerness palpable. The Virtual Machine needs no advertising from Fuyun Technology Group; worldwide media has extensively covered it, effectively promoting it for free.

“I want to buy a Virtual Machine, the wristwatch model, right now—immediately!”

David pulls out a bank card and speaks before the clerk can respond.

“I’m sorry, sir, but we’re not officially open yet. Our grand opening is on December 15th—that’s tomorrow,” the young female clerk replies politely, offering an apologetic smile.

“Tomorrow? I’ve been wanting one for almost two weeks!” David’s expression immediately sours.

“Yes, sir, we apologize,” she continues. “However, if you pay today as a pre-order, you can collect your beloved Virtual Machine as soon as the stock arrives tomorrow. Otherwise, if you come tomorrow, you might face a queue and uncertain availability.”

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The clerk smiles, offering another suggestion as per the store owner’s instructions. Opening a store in a prestigious financial street comes with a hefty cost and huge upfront investment. The owner is confident that the Virtual Machine will be a massive hit to justify such an expense.

At present, the Virtual Machine’s supply is extremely limited, with only a small quantity available worldwide. Mass production won’t begin until after January. Though tomorrow marks the official global launch, the initial shipment will be less than five million units.

Once distributed worldwide, markets such as the UK will receive fewer than 200,000 units. London, being a priority market, has an exclusive tier-three agency store with less than 40,000 units allocated—an extremely tight supply.

Specialists have surveyed global demand for the Virtual Machine. Despite its high price, worldwide demand is estimated at around 500 million units. In developed countries with high per capita income and long-term wealth accumulation, nearly everyone expresses a willingness to purchase one.

Thus, fewer than 40,000 units in London are but a drop in the bucket compared to the enormous market. The store owner fully understands this, which is why they are offering pre-orders.

“All right, then. I’ll buy one. How much?” David, though frowning slightly, prepares to secure a unit early. He’s aware of the hype and the limited initial supply from online research, so locking one down ahead of time seems prudent.

“Only 20,000 British pounds,” the clerk replies softly.

Converted to dollars, that’s roughly $27,000—a staggering price. The factory cost for each Virtual Machine is about $10,000, so this is nearly triple.

“20,000 pounds? Why not just rob a bank?” David snaps, nearly jumping in surprise. He knew the factory price was about $10,000 (around 7,000 pounds), expecting a retail price at most slightly above that—not double.

The clerk remains unfazed, smiling warmly as if saying, “Buy it or not, it’s up to you.” Meanwhile, other customers overhear the price, and without hesitation, some already begin swiping their cards.

“Sir, would you like to reserve one? Stock is very limited. If you miss tomorrow’s launch, we can’t guarantee when the next batch will arrive,” she gently reminds David, who’s still stunned.

“All right, I’ll take one,” David decides after a moment’s thought, gritting his teeth. Though expensive, the Virtual Machine has long been his dream gadget.

“Very well, sir. Here is your pickup slip. Just bring this to the store tomorrow to collect your device. Thank you for your patronage,” the clerk says as she swiftly completes the card transaction and hands him a small receipt.

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David clutches the small slip, feeling as though he’s lost something. Twenty thousand pounds has instantly been reduced to this tiny piece of paper. He shakes his head and prepares to leave, only to look up and see the store packed with people. A long queue has formed behind him; everyone is busy calling or messaging friends and family, evidently preparing to rush for the Virtual Machine. Their anxious expressions suddenly uplift David’s spirits.

From London, Paris, Berlin in Europe; New York, Washington, Los Angeles in North America; Seoul, Hong Kong, Tokyo in Asia; to Moscow, Dubai, and beyond—nearly every major global city boasts Virtual Machine experience stores, all racing against time to welcome the worldwide launch on December 15th.

In China, however, the Virtual Machine is sold through a real-name registration system online, with no physical stores or agents. Though less extravagant, consumers benefit from a much lower price—only 10,000 yuan. Already, tens of millions of orders flood the Fuyun Technology Group’s official website.

As night gradually falls over London, the manager of the Virtual Machine store, William, cheerfully reviews the day’s sales data while occasionally calling higher-level agents to urge faster delivery.

“Today alone, over 30,000 units have been pre-sold in just under three hours since opening. More than 600 million pounds are already in the bank—it’s more profitable than robbing a bank,” William says, his mood a mix of joy and concern. Joy that the Virtual Machine is truly a sensation; worry that, even at midnight, no stock has yet arrived at the store. He fears how they will handle the flood of customers tomorrow.

With over 30,000 units pre-sold today and less than 10,000 units remaining from the initial allocation, the store’s supply will surely not meet tomorrow’s demand. Word has likely spread, and the store may have to close within an hour of opening.

“Mary, call again to check the shipment status. If it doesn’t arrive soon, we won’t have enough time to prepare,” William instructs an employee.

“I already checked. It should be here any moment—the shipment landed an hour ago,” Mary replies confidently, though before she finishes, someone rushes in.

“The shipment’s here!”

“Hurry to unload it! Everyone, get ready! We’ll need to work overtime tonight—I’m sorry, but I’ll make sure everyone’s pay reflects this,” William shouts, energized by the arrival of the Virtual Machines at last.

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