Chapter 63 — The Day the World Saw the Future
The sun rose pale and golden over the skyline, washing the city in a soft, honeyed light. By noon, the plaza outside XB Corporation had already become a sea of voices. Reporters from every major newspaper, businessmen in pressed suits, and a handful of government officials had gathered after hearing the same rumor: the young head of XB had invented something that could change photography forever. The rumor had spread like wildfire overnight, each retelling adding weight to the mystery.
Inside the building, Bai Xia stood before a long table lined with microphones, the velvet of the table contrasting sharply with the polished marble floor. Behind her, a dark velvet cloth draped an object on a stand, hinting at secrets yet unseen. Cameras clicked and flashed — some still loaded with film, some already making tentative attempts at digital capture — as photographers and journalists waited in anticipation.
> "Thank you all for coming," she began, her tone calm but carrying a quiet authority.
"Today, I want to show you something… that belongs not just to me, but to the era ahead."
Stella stepped forward, lifting the velvet cloth with a flourish. Beneath it lay the Modern Age Camera, its sleek black metal body gleaming softly under the lights. The gathered crowd leaned in; for a heartbeat, silence reigned.
> "It looks ordinary," muttered one reporter, squinting skeptically.
> "Then let's see how ordinary it really is," Bai Xia replied, faint smile curving her lips.
She lifted the camera, aiming it carefully toward the crowd, and pressed the shutter. A crisp click echoed, clean and alive, a sound that belonged more to the future than the present. Slowly, she turned the small display screen toward them. Gasps erupted. The image was impossibly clear — sharper and more vibrant than any photograph they had ever seen. Every detail, from the tiniest crease in a suit jacket to the glint of sunlight off a watch, was frozen with startling clarity.
> "This camera," she explained, her voice carrying across the room, "does not need film. It does not require development. It captures light as data — instantly, directly, and permanently."
A murmur rippled through the audience. Words like impossible, revolutionary, and miracle floated in the air. Older photographers pushed forward, squinting at the device as if it might dissolve if they looked too closely.
> "What you're seeing," Bai Xia continued, "is the beginning of a new chapter — one where memories can be preserved not on fragile film, but as light transformed into memory itself."
Cameras clicked endlessly, reporters shouted over one another, and a few television crews, still burdened with bulky video equipment, struggled to capture the live display on their screens. Every flash of light, every tap of a shutter, amplified the sense of awe in the air.
By evening, the story had already spread like wildfire. Headlines blazed across newspapers and television stations:
"Young Innovator Unveils Film-Free Camera — A Miracle from XB Corp!"
"Future of Photography Born in China?"
"Mysterious Girl Genius Stuns Tech World!"
Within hours, phone lines at XB Corporation rang incessantly. Local officials requested private viewings. Foreign investors sent letters thick with interest. Photographers lined up at the front desk, offering sums that made the accounting department's heads spin.
Inside the building, the hum of excitement lingered in the halls long after the last flash had faded. Bai Xia walked calmly through the corridors, her heels clicking against the marble. Each employee she passed looked at her differently now — some in awe, others in disbelief, but all with a flicker of respect.
In the main office, her team awaited her. Stella stood beside the desk, a stack of freshly typed documents in hand. The head of public relations, Mr. Wei, adjusted his glasses nervously, glancing at the camera resting atop the table like a small, silent oracle.
> "Miss Bai," Stella said softly, "the media requests are endless. Everyone wants to know when production begins."
Bai Xia placed her hand lightly on the prototype camera, the familiar weight grounding her amidst the storm of curiosity.
> "Then let's give them an answer," she said. Her tone was measured, firm, carrying quiet authority.
> "Mr. Wei, prepare an official statement. Tell them that Henghua will begin limited production of the Modern Age Camera within one month. No leaks, no previews — only the official announcement. Everyone must be clear on that."
> "Understood," Mr. Wei replied, scribbling notes furiously.
> "Stella," she continued, "go to the production department. Make sure every technician who worked on the prototype is assigned to the first batch. Inspect the assembly lines, verify the materials, and ensure there are no mistakes. If anything is off, correct it immediately."
> "Yes, Miss Bai," Stella replied, eyes shining with resolve.
Bai Xia picked up the camera one last time, its sleek surface warm in her palm.
> "We've shown them the future," she said softly, almost to herself. "Now it's time to build it."
She handed the camera to Stella — a symbol of what was to come — and stepped toward the window. The afternoon sun bathed the city in gold, and from her vantage point, she could see the pulse of the metropolis, unaware yet of the change it had just witnessed.
Even as the gears of production began to turn inside XB Corporation, she knew that elsewhere, intrigue and envy were already stirring. Some would see the invention and marvel, while others would see opportunity — or threat. But Bai Xia's focus remained steady, her mind on the work that lay ahead, the creations yet to come.
Outside, the city buzzed with her name. Inside, the future had quietly taken its first steps. And somewhere, in the shadows of ambition, the first sparks of rivalry and challenge had begun to ignite.
The day the world saw the future had arrived.