The two of them walked to the sand table, and Aventurine exclaimed, "My, what a large sand table... When I save up enough money, I'd like to build myself a tower this tall."
[Sushang: Wow, buying a big building, Mister Aventurine's dream sounds very interesting!]
[Guinaifen: Fam, do you have time to watch my livestream?]
[Dr. Ratio: He's talking nonsense. With his status and wealth, he could buy not just a building, but an entire planet.]
[Aventurine: Haha, I'm just making small talk. Is it not good to find a topic of conversation?]
[Dr. Ratio: Idiot.]
After circling the sand table, Aventurine noticed something and said, "Look here, there's a very obvious gap in the model. I dare say you're right."
"There wasn't this gap the last time I came. It's clearly intentional placement by that man."
Aventurine put on an exaggeratedly flattering manner: "With your brilliantly intelligent mind, I'm sure you clearly remember what was originally placed here, esteemed Professor?"
Dr. Ratio nodded slightly, indicating agreement: "Naturally, if I see it, I'll recognize it."
With that, the two began searching around the hall. They poked and prodded here and there. After some rummaging, they finally made a new discovery—a peculiarly shaped toy door placed on a pedestal.
The door was painted with colorful patterns, and a blue light screen flickered within it, undulating like waves, making it quite eye-catching. Even more notable was the clear inscription on the door: Gulliver's Arch.
Aventurine picked up the arch and walked to the sand table, inserting it: "It's just like building with blocks. I've never built with blocks before, I wonder if it's more fun than stacking chips..."
"Look, it fits perfectly—" After saying this, Aventurine hesitated: "Uh, what now?"
As he spoke, Aventurine was debating whether to reach out and touch the mysterious blue glowing door. After a moment's thought, he cautiously extended his finger and lightly touched the light door.
In that instant, something unexpected happened—Aventurine's body was instantly enveloped by a powerful force, then transformed into a dazzling light at an astonishing speed, twisting like a meteor as it plunged into the light door.
As Aventurine's figure disappeared into the light door, the perspective twisted along with him.
When the view became clear again, a prosperous and magnificent city appeared before their eyes. However, unlike before, Dr. Ratio now stood at the edge of the city like a towering giant, silently watching Aventurine who had just crossed over.
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"...Heavens! I've shrunk!" Aventurine's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. He involuntarily muttered in a trembling voice: "Am I dreaming?" Faced with this sudden change, Aventurine's heart was filled with excitement, but even more so with uncontrollable agitation.
[March 7th: Ha, this guy can't even tell if he's dreaming or not.]
[Bailu: It does seem like a lot of fun... I want to play too.]
"You indeed are," Dr. Ratio replied in his characteristically calm and steady tone. Hearing the professor's words, Aventurine gathered himself a bit and began to carefully observe his surroundings.
Aventurine was amazed to find himself truly inside a giant sandbox, and his body had become so tiny. This strange experience both excited and bewildered him. He couldn't help but say to Dr. Ratio, "Professor, you've become so tall! I can't believe I've come to this place and become like this..."
"Why don't we just leave like this? You could find another chance to tuck me into Sunday's collar, and we'll infiltrate the family that way..."
Seeing Dr. Ratio click his tongue, Aventurine sheepishly said:
"Alright, I'm just joking. Let's find a way to open the door."
Ahead, a puzzle stand stood brazenly by the roadside, with a key-like puzzle missing two pieces.
As Aventurine approached, these puzzle pieces flew up, one towards the high-rise building, and one towards the pinball machine.
This sandbox city was a scaled-down version of the Golden Hour. Aventurine excitedly walked around, looking here and there, until he found a figurine in front of a pinball machine.
The figurine spoke: "Hello, welcome to the Golden Hour base model. I am the Oak Soldier, responsible for guiding your tour of the base model—at your service."
"Well then, tell me about this guide," Aventurine replied with a cheerful expression.
The speech began to stutter, repeating itself:
"Hello-lo-lo-lo-lo, welcome to the Golden Hour ba-ba-ba-ba-base model"
"I am the Oak-oak-oak-oak Soldier, responsible for guiding your tour of the base model-el-el-el-el—"
Hearing the stuttering voice, Aventurine was perplexed. Was it broken? So he extended his foot and gave it a kick.
"At your service, generating-ing-ing-ing guide for you, please wait patiently-ly-ly-ly... Please look... behind... gashapon machine... model-el-el-el..."
"Ah!" With a scream, it fell to the ground, completely crashed.
"What's going on, do the family's toys all try to scam people? I didn't do anything, Professor, you have to testify for me."
"I didn't see anything."
Ignoring the wooden puppet lying on the ground, Aventurine looked up at the giant gashapon machine that stood as tall as a skyscraper. Clearly, there was no control panel or buttons at the base of this enormous machine that could be operated. The only way to control it was to turn the spring at the top.
"Professor, a little help!" Before Aventurine could finish speaking, Dr. Ratio's hand, as large and powerful as a giant's, firmly grasped the spring at the top of the gashapon machine and began to turn it forcefully.
As the spring was gradually wound up, a low and subtle mechanical sound arose. The capsules inside the machine, each larger than Aventurine, began to spin frantically, and soon one capsule was ejected.
So it really works like that. These models are identical to real buildings even in their internal structure, the only difference being that no one lives in them. Sunday places such a miniature model where he can see it every morning when he wakes up, does he really think of himself as the giant of Pinocchio?
Aventurine put aside these thoughts and walked to the gashapon machine, opening the capsule. A key fragment appeared inside.
Still missing one, come to think of it, it seemed to have flown up to the building earlier. He could bounce up there using the pinball machine. But it probably wouldn't be that easy.
Aventurine ran to where he remembered the Golden Hour pinball machine was, and sure enough—there was only an empty base there.