Chapter 1 This Isn't a Gacha Game?

"Isn't this just a loot box system?"

The thought spread like a disease, and the players' interest was piqued. Some of the more gambling-inclined players' hands were already trembling with excitement, itching to throw down for a faith-based ten-pull.

Loot boxes, also affectionately known as the road to endless spending or the 'chop your hands off' method, are a classic revenue-generating trick for game developers. Han Xiao was naturally very familiar with this, as it could not only ignite the players' gambling spirit and make them fall into the pit of no return, but also allow him to earn a fortune.

And he happened to have the conditions and the need to do so, making it perfect for use as one of the regular events to attract players.

Each planet has its own currency, and after the three major cosmic civilizations established order, they created a common culture, currency, and language for the convenience of exchange between civilizations. The unique currencies of interstellar civilizations can be converted into the common currency. However, surface civilizations like Aquamarine Star were naturally excluded from this treatment. Aquamarine coins had almost no purchasing power and were useless in the universe, not even good enough to wipe your ass.

So, if you wanted to go interstellar, you had to convert the money into resources and machines first. Different civilizations define the price of resources differently, which are barely considered hard currency in the universe, but are still more valuable than Aquamarine coins. In version 2.0, "Calamity of the Mutated," the beginner planets will be connected to interstellar civilizations in different ways, and local currencies will gain exchange channels, so players don't have to worry about this problem. But if Han Xiao wanted to leave the beginner planet in 1.0, he had to pay attention to currency, language, and cultural differences.

His assets were all in Aquamarine coins, which would be a pile of waste paper outside of Aquamarine Star, so he took them all out to buy materials and build machines. Moreover, manufacturing machines could also earn him some experience and increase his strength.

Because of this, he had accumulated a lot of useless machines, which he could use as prizes for the loot boxes to make use of the waste in the warehouse. The drop rate of the boxes was completely under his control. Most of the boxes contained scrap parts and junk, with only a small amount of good stuff. The cost would never exceed the profit, which meant a steady profit.

Outwardly, he claimed to be dealing with the backlog and didn't guarantee the quality of the products. The players, knowing that they might get burned, would still spend money to gamble on a future—before seeing a pile of garbage, everyone thought they were lucky.

Even players who didn't have much money would grit their teeth and buy one to gamble on their luck. Even if they failed, they would convince themselves next time they would get lucky, and they would enjoy it.

"Most players like similar lottery events, with the opportunity to win huge returns at a very small cost, which is the same principle as the lottery. And now, other than me, there is no lottery anywhere else. There are two types of lotteries: one is the game's official store. The lottery in the store hasn't been launched yet, mainly for special virtual items, such as dungeon crystals, gene repair fluids, red and blue potions, experience potions, and fashion, which won't directly give equipment, but are auxiliary lotteries."

"The second is the behavior of storyline forces and characters, which is the real way to get direct benefits. For example, some forces and groups have a contribution system to draw powerful equipment and props, or some mysterious merchants have gambling games, and some groups deal with old goods and let players pan for gold... After various forces and civilizations understand the players better and treat them as mercenaries, the lotteries belonging to the storyline characters will gradually appear. It should be regarded as a new way for major forces to try to drive 'heterogeneous mercenaries' with profit as the driving force."

"My image in the players' eyes is probably something like 'protagonist of the planet', 'mechanical mentor and businessman', 'handsome and dashing', 'legendary and important NPC'. If I do lottery events, players are more accepting, and it is the first lottery event, which should attract more attention."

Han Xiao pondered.

Three thousand for a box wasn't cheap, but players at the current level had some spare money, and buying one or two wouldn't hurt them. If they gambled on a purple-grade equipment, they would be rich. There wasn't a single purple-grade equipment on the market right now, which meant it was a seller's market. Things are valued according to their scarcity, and it would definitely be sky-high.

The burning gaze suddenly focused on the large truck filled with boxes. The players' eyes flickered with various meanings, and then they saw Han Xiao standing on the side, and all their little thoughts instantly died out.

Let's just honestly spend money and not try to be clever.

In ten boxes, nine boxes were trash, and one box was purple equipment. It was unknown whether it was Bi Kong You You's good luck or whether the ratio was originally so high.

The players began to buy enthusiastically, opening the boxes one by one. Some were happy and some were sad. In addition to trash, there were other things, such as some useful materials, some green equipment, and blue equipment. Overall, the drop rate was still considerable, but a second purple equipment hadn't appeared yet.

"Could it be that you can only get purple equipment with a ten-pull?!" One player's face was flushed, eager to try, unable to control himself.

"It's hard to say, I feel that the drop rate is a bit weird and can't be explained by common sense... First of all, we have to understand one thing: is Black Phantom's launch of the loot box system a part of the game's storyline? Everyone knows that *Galaxy* is extremely realistic, and each character seems to have independent thinking logic, almost like the real world. A character's actions must have their own reasons and motivations. So, is this lottery a function from the game's official, or is he really clearing the warehouse..." A brother next to him pushed his glasses, and a flash of wisdom passed through his lenses. "But if it's clearing the warehouse, why doesn't he just throw away the backlog, but sells it to us?"

"Wow, bro, you've done some research." The crowd was attracted by this brother's words and surrounded him. Looking up, this brother's ID was impressively called "King of Single Pulls."

The surrounding players twitched their lips.

No wonder he spoke so eloquently. This ID looks like an old hand.

Someone asked, "That makes a bit of sense, but how can we tell the difference?"

The inventory of heavy trucks was getting smaller and smaller. King of Single Pulls' eyes flashed, and he crossed the crowd and asked loudly, "Please, how many boxes are left inside?"

Han Xiao waved his hand and said, "There are a total of seven hundred and eighty-six boxes, and now there are five hundred and thirty left."

The players were stunned and then burst into an uproar. They thought the boxes were unlimited, but they didn't expect them to be limited. Some of the players who were watching were a little restless and waved their money to join the buying frenzy.

King of Single Pulls changed his pose, with one hand around his chest and the other against his chin, like a detective in thought, asserting, "That's right. Since it's limited, it can't be a function of the game's official. Black Phantom is really clearing the warehouse, but he chose to sell it in a sealed box form instead of directly abandoning it, um... and there will be intact and precious purple equipment in the backlog, which can't be said to be waste disposal at all. So, the only reason is that this is not a true sense of dealing with garbage! Black Phantom is doing this to give benefits in a subtle way. Yes, we 'Heterogeneous' helped him build a shelter, and this is an implicit reward for us!"

King of Single Pulls' voice was not small, and when the players on the square heard it, they immediately agreed.

What he said was reasonable and convincing.

"If it is an official opening box function, then the official will definitely announce the drop rate, but if it is part of the game's storyline, then it depends on the player's personal experience to summarize the hidden drop rate..."

King of Single Pulls' eyes flashed, "In order to maintain balance, the game officials will definitely not let you draw anything too awesome, but it's different if it is Black Phantom's reward lottery. Maybe you can find something good, which means these mechanical boxes may explode with earth-shattering divine equipment!"

His words made everyone's blood boil, panting like cows, extremely excited, and the crowd was high.

Han Xiao next to him was stunned and confused.

'I don't seem to have hired actors, where did this person come from...'