All ten thousand slots had been drawn.
The figures on the screen began to fall. The number of concurrent users plunged from 5.3 million.
Those who had missed out began leaving the page, but another figure was rising: customer service inquiries on Haoyue Si's official app.
Skyrocketing.
"People who weren't selected in the first batch are asking when the second batch opens." Li Li walked over with a tablet.
Cai Jingwen turned and headed out.
"Give them all the same response: the timing of subsequent batches has yet to be determined. Please watch for official announcements."
"Okay."
Cai Jingwen reached the end of the corridor and tapped her headset.
"Boss, it's over. The servers didn't crash."
Chen Hao's voice was calm on the other end. "Mm."
"The draw results will be announced at eight tonight."
"All right."
The call ended.
Cai Jingwen took off her headset and stood there for two seconds, holding it.
5.3 million people competing for ten thousand units.
That number alone was the best possible advertisement.
Eight that evening. The draw results were announced.
Ten thousand names.
From the instant they were announced, it was as though someone had pulled a safety pin out of the entire internet.
Nine of the top ten trending topics on Doule were related to Origin World.
#SelectedForOriginWorld# surpassed two hundred million views in fourteen minutes.
#DayOneOfMissingOutOnOriginWorld# followed close behind.
The first viral video was filmed by a third-year student at Magic City High Martial Arts. The camera pointed at his phone screen.
The page displayed the words "Congratulations, you have been selected." He said nothing in the video, just turned his phone around to show his roommate.
His roommate leaned down from the top bunk and took a look.
Then jumped off the top bunk.
The first comment read: That