None of them realized they had been completely led by Jing Shu's rhythm. She stood before them, her voice steady and her presence commanding the small space as she spoke. What she suspected wasn't necessarily what they thought, but the way she put things made them sound so reasonable that they unknowingly fell right into her trap, stepping forward as the invisible snare tightened around their interests.
The second reason for their compliance was that the results were about to come out. Since the doctor stood there and seemed so confident, it couldn't be fake, right? Otherwise, he would just be slapping himself in the face. With Jing Shu testifying inside the lab, the others watching through the glass outside, and everyone knowing Dr. B's reputation, they were already seventy, eighty percent convinced.
"Guys, we should start talking about how much we're paying the doctor to split food and crops for us," one man whispered, his eyes darting toward the laboratory equipment.
"I heard this 'Water of Life' is really hard to produce, and there's not much of it. We had better move fast and secure our share." The low mumbles grew more urgent as they huddled closer.
The group of old-timers was already discussing future plans with calm enthusiasm, their hands gesturing as they mapped out their profits, while Dr. B and his team were still shaken. The lab assistants fumbled with their glass slides, their movements stiff. What kind of miracle did they expect him to pull off this time? He shot a glance at Jing Shu, his eyes meeting hers for a fraction of a second, wondering how she planned to cover this.
When the lab door finally closed and shut off all outside sound, the heavy latch clicking firmly into place, Dr. B put on a kindly smile and directed Jing Shu, who looked all "amazed," to work. His expression shifted as he leaned over the workstation. But under his breath, he whispered, "So what is your plan? We didn't prepare any video or data."
Jing Shu gestured toward the old men already dividing the imaginary cake through the window, her hand moving in a casual sweep. "Look, they're not even recording anymore. You have still got that footage of the salt separation, right? Just play that. It's close enough."
"Got it."
"As for the sugar trick, that's easy. Same old method. Expand the crystal size every twenty minutes. After two or three hours, it will look like it's grown naturally. Tis has everything set up, I will handle the timing, and you swap it in."
As an improvised plan, it was the best they could do. Thankfully, Jing Shu still had a spare bag of sugar tucked away. They would waste a little to make the illusion work, but it was worth it.
Without Jing Shu running interference, that small pile of sugar suddenly doubling in size would have been as obvious as lice on a bald head. But she leaned forward, her big mess of loose hair conveniently blocking the view several times as she worked. The dark strands swayed with her movements, and everyone's attention got muddled enough as they tried to peer around her to see the progress.
After each round of "cell division," Dr. B would call everyone over to watch this "miracle." The microscope showed countless new cells on the digital screen, but the farmers were standing ten meters away, so they couldn't really see much of the actual specimen. Still, with their preconceived belief and Jing Shu working hard in there, adjusting the dials and staring into the lens, they subconsciously followed the direction she led them.
Until finally, the last "division" succeeded. The 10 grams of sugar had turned crystal clear, each grain appearing twice the size on the weighing tray.
"Look, 21 grams," Dr. B announced, showing the data on the scale.
Jing Shu picked up one of the enlarged sugar crystals, her fingers brushing against the cold metal, and popped it into her mouth. She nodded as she tasted it. The farmers carefully took turns sampling the sugar too, feeling the granules crunch between their teeth.
"Oh my god, it tastes even purer! So much better than before! And after it's grown this much, it still kept its original flavor. This is truly zero loss!"
"Products from the Cube Space are always premium," Jing Shu muttered, rolling her eyes. That sugar had been filtered through diluted Spirit Spring water after all, giving it a sweetness that lingered on the tongue.
"Alright, I admit I lost the bet. From now on, I will send all my herbs to you. But seriously, I stared at that thing for two hours straight and watched it grow bit by bit. It was magical. I suggest everyone come see it for themselves."
Jing Shu the Lucky Shill was officially online.
Mrs. C took a step forward, her shoulders tensed and her knuckles whitening as if she were about to strangle Jing Shu. The farmers, realizing Dr. B looked slightly displeased by the commotion, quickly did a 180 in attitude and flattered him. "We won't disturb you anymore. It's already been a long day, and you must be tired. We have got to look after your health!"
"Yeah, yeah, this really is a miracle! But how much does it consume? How much material can it expand? Each of us still has tens of thousands of pounds of grain and other goods. As for your fee, Doctor, just name it, we won't argue."
Dr. B gave a benevolent smile that could have passed for god himself. "Right now, the daily output of Water of Life can only let about a thousand pounds (450 kg) of materials absorb it. I take thirty percent as my fee."
Even after that cut, they would still keep seventy percent profit. That's practically free money appearing out of thin air.
Still, some of them looked disappointed, their brows furrowing with greed. "Only a thousand pounds a day? That's not enough for us to share. Is there any way to increase production?"
"Of course. If it's done at the material's place of origin, you can expand tens of thousands of pounds daily. But that area is too dangerous. I don't plan to risk it. A thousand pounds a day's profit is enough for me to continue my research." Dr. B waved his hand, a dismissive flick of his wrist as if he couldn't care less about the money.
"And I'm really tired. If you're all decided, you can start transporting materials tomorrow, but I will only take one thousand pounds a day."
The farmers exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with excitement. They began to shuffle toward the exit, leaving one by one. In their minds, they were already walking on a road paved with gold.
The first, most crucial step was done. The initial trust was in place. After everyone left, the lab went quiet, and Jing Shu and Dr. B high-fived, the smack of their palms echoing in the sterile room.
"Next step, give them a little taste of sweetness," Jing Shu said with a sly smile. "Once they're hooked, we will yank it away. They will go crazy for it."
And so began Jing Shu's second phase as a professional shill.
Those farmers wouldn't go to any authority for verification now. This was a secret, a goldmine they wanted to keep for themselves. If they spread it, everyone would know, and then how would they profit? Who cared what methods were used, as long as they had seen it with their own eyes. One turns into two. That's all that mattered. They were already weaving dreams of fortune in the dark.
If anyone dared question Dr. B now, these "witnesses" would be the first to jump out and defend him. That's the terrifying power of brainwashing.
Overnight, Jing Shu's herbs underwent explosive growth. When she brought the lush, green bundles to the inspection center the next day, Austin's higher-ups were shaken. Everyone was shocked and thrilled by the herbs' vitality, and whispers about Dr. B's Water of Life spread like wildfire through the corridors.
People were still skeptical, of course.
But when those farmers started hauling food to Dr. B's facility and returning days later with twice the amount of bulging sacks, others finally began to realize something big was happening.