"What are you talking about..." Aunt Sarah blinked with disbelief on her face, "I have a friend who has been to Ocean City. How could this be a scam?"
"I'm sorry, my lady." Christopher shook his head and said regretfully, "There are not many tourists in Ocean City, and they must have a way to get some people to lie for them.
“I would not be surprised at all if one of their staff profusely apologizes to you later!
"To make up for it, they will probably give you a small amount of stock in Ocean City, and you can also participate in the dividends. Moreover, I believe those dividends are enough to make you forget the unpleasantness of the 'trip'."
Sarah and Nash looked at each other and were speechless for a moment.
Anna, who they were holding, raised her head and looked at her grandfather and grandma for a while. Although she couldn't quite understand what the adults said, there was some disappointment in her eyes.
Everyone fell into silence, thinking carefully about everything they had come into contact with about Ocean City.
Giant aquariums, black and white promotional videos, airships dropping leaflets...
The publicity campaign in Ocean City was just too intense.
Such vigorous propaganda seems very suspicious at the moment.
Affected by Christopher's words, people who wanted to feast their eyes suddenly realized that they could no longer confirm whether Ocean City really existed at this moment.
Sean frowned. He made no comment and decided to wait and see.
The taciturn Carmen spoke up: "If that's the case, how come they invited me to perform?"
"Do you still believe them?" Christopher firmly believed that there was a negotiator from "Ocean City" in the lighthouse, waiting to comfort and explain. "Madam, when we arrived at the dock just now, there was something very obvious and strange. You Didn’t you find it?”
Carmen frowned. The bodyguard Victor didn't like the tone of Christopher's words to Carmen. He turned sideways and looked at the stockbroker with squinted eyes.
The expression on Solomon's face was not very relaxed: "He is right, I felt strange just now...
"The Bronze Giant passed by Avalon Island. We were the only ones who landed on the island, and there were no tourists leaving the island.
"This is very unreasonable!"
Christopher nodded repeatedly, as if he had just discovered a smart person: "Besides, there was no one during our journey...
"If this isn't a set-up or a hoax, who would believe it?"
The gloom on everyone's faces became heavier, and Aunt Sarah's face even showed a hint of anger at being fooled...
It has to be said that Christopher's suspicions are well-founded.
but……
Sean walked to the double wooden arch door and rang the door bell hanging next to it: "Even if you want to receive a stock bribe, you can only get it by going in."
With a click, the wooden arch slowly opened.
Inside the lighthouse is a hall, illuminated by a chandelier.
Following Sean, the group walked into the lighthouse.
The hall is about one hundred square meters in size. Opposite the door is a tightly closed double iron door. Above the iron door, there is a gray black and white TV screen.
Eight iron doors with circular portholes surround the hall.
However, the round portholes were closed at the moment, so the scene inside could not be seen.
After Sarah's family, who were the last, entered, the door slowly closed behind them.
Just when Sean was about to shout "Is anyone there?", the black and white TV in front of him lit up.
After the snowflakes dissipated, the middle-aged man with a well-oiled head, white teeth, and charming eyes who appeared on the billboard in Ocean City appeared on TV.
He was wearing a tuxedo and bow tie.
A slightly exaggerated voice sounded from the loudspeaker: "Welcome to Avalon Island!
"I am Fuller Verne, chairman of the Ocean City Company!
“I believe you must have many questions in your mind.
"I fully understand how you are feeling now - but please believe that I will answer your doubts in the near future..."
"But before that, I want to play a game with you."
On the screen, Verne blinked his right eye: "This game is very simple, called - 'Discuss and Vote'!
“Next, you will have fifteen minutes of discussion, after which the voting room will be assigned according to the cabin you came from.
“In that room, you vote on the issues being discussed.
“The only requirement of the game is that everyone’s vote must be consistent.
“If you can do that, you’ll all get a share of Ocean City stock as a reward.”
“If they are not consistent, then the majority who voted for the same option will be punished and their reward will be divided among the minority – because you failed to convince everyone!”
Christopher shook his head and sneered: "I guessed everything."
Everything after landing on the island was a little strange. The bodyguard Victor was a little uneasy at this time. He did not look at the screen and protected Barbara Carmen behind him. His fierce eyes swept around the hall.
"In fifteen minutes, the issue you are going to vote on is very simple."
With a mysterious smile, Verne said: "This issue is——
"Does Ocean City really exist?"
After calling everyone to start the discussion, the TV screen went dark.
It was Christopher who was still the first to speak: "Is it even necessary to think about it?" The stockbroker spread his hands and said, "We can just unanimously vote not to exist.
"They're playing tricks, some psychological tricks.
“I want to rationalize their actions when they finally explain and bribe us.
"How is it possible for them to play with just one share? In addition to the game rewards, we also want more compensation!"
"Only by resolutely exposing their lies can we gain more benefits during subsequent negotiations."
Solomon scratched his forehead gently, seeming to be confused: "No, this isn't quite right..."
"What's wrong?" asked the young stockbroker.
"The purpose of my coming here is to complete what my friend entrusted me to do..." Solomon narrowed his eyes and said, "If Ocean City does not exist, then where should I go to complete what he asked me to do?"
Christopher shook his head and said, "Your friend probably just wants you to make some extra money!"
After everything he had just experienced, Sean fell into deep thought.
He now faces two problems.
The first question is what Verne calls this game.
Obviously, if everyone is allowed to vote, then they, a group without consensus, will never be able to meet the requirements of the game and vote for a unanimous result.
Sean's view of the consequences of failure in the game was different from others - he smelled a hint of danger.
He didn't know what this slightly crazy "Ocean City Company" would do to them.
"The punishment may not just be the loss of shares..."
The second question is the issue raised by Verne: "Does Ocean City really exist?"
This issue may be viewed differently by others.
But for Sean, the answer was unquestionable.
Because both Arthur Merlin and the Explorers Association have assigned tasks that can only be completed in Ocean City.
Sean squinted his eyes and once again immersed himself in his own world of thinking: "So, the key to this question is not whether it exists - but where it is!"
"Ocean City officials have always claimed that Ocean City is located at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and Avalon Island is a transit point to Ocean City...
"Maybe that's only half true!"
Sean's eyes lit up, and he suddenly thought of a possibility.
In order to ensure that the game can pass smoothly, Sean said loudly: "Gentlemen, don't jump to conclusions yet, I have an idea."
