Inside the house, every control was gathered into a single remote. A ruby had been set into it to increase its value. Every button bore instructions in both Chinese and English, making it truly custom-made. Thomas would not repeat his previous mistake: throughout the demonstration, he faced Luo Qian, who stood with his hands behind his back without saying a word.
Not a single appliance was visible in the enormous living room. Thomas pressed a button on the remote in his hand, and an aluminum-alloy panel rose, revealing a large-screen LCD television that slid out from within. Another press connected the television to a video phone. Thomas explained, "See the top two buttons on the remote? The red one controls the main power. Press it when you leave, and the entire house loses power—apart from essentials such as the refrigerator and security system, of course. This green button is something special. It's the greatest highlight of our system." Thomas smiled mysteriously. "Let me show you."
He pressed the green button, set down the remote, and said casually, "Sports channel." The picture flickered, switching to Sky Sports, which happened to be airing a Premier League match. "Entertainment channel." The screen flashed again, showing the famous British reality show Britain's Got Talent. "Adult channel." Moans that set the blood racing poured from the surround-sound speakers...
Luo Qian was genuinely surprised. He had heard of voice control before, but he had not expected it to become so sophisticated in the few years since he had left the Lower Realm. He could not help nodding. Thomas smiled. This time, the deal was done.
Luo Qian beckoned Chen Baozi over and whispered a few words to him. Chen Baozi nodded, then told Thomas, "We'll contact you again tomorrow." Thomas left the mansion—one of the fifty