Ma Lu took the glass marble from Jigina's arms, held it up to the sunlight, and couldn't see how it was any different from a regular marble.
"This is a riding treasure bead," Liliem continued to explain. "After using it, you can summon a mouse nearby to serve as your mount."
Ma Lu felt this feature sounded a bit familiar. What was this... Mouse Uber?
But the problem was, with his size, there seemed to be no suitable mouse for him to ride.
Seemingly aware of what he was thinking, Liliem gently stroked a small house mouse.
"Don't underestimate these little guys; they have been surviving on this planet for longer than your species, are extremely intelligent, and possess excellent learning and memory skills. Not only can they serve as mounts, but they can also undertake many other jobs.
"For example, delivering letters, delivering goods, going places you can't... Plus, didn't you invent something called a camera? Mount one on them, and they can help you scout ahead.
"And in return, all you need to pay them is a stale cookie, a few peanuts, or even the leftover carrot ends from your kitchen, and they'll work for you for half a day."
"Hmm, now that you say it, it does seem pretty cost-effective. So, is this a high-dimensional artifact?"
Before Liliem could speak, Yan Wu interjected, "Not all things with special abilities are high-dimensional artifacts. This treasure bead was made by the shamans of the Valkyrie People."
Ma Lu had a strange look on his face, "But how did your shamans melt glass on Mount Everest? And there are colored patterns inside this, just like the ones sold at the entrance of my primary school."
Liliem said, "The glass marble is just the carrier of the riding treasure bead. They are ones we picked up from mountaineers who met with accidents, and the shamans infused them with the power of their souls to turn them into treasure beads."
"I see."
"When you use it, just put the bead in water, and the nearby mice will receive the soul signal and come to you. Then you can communicate with them using the treasure bead. As long as the command isn't too complicated, they will understand and work for you in exchange for an agreed reward."
Although Ma Lu couldn't think of what he'd need mice for at his stall for the moment, one doesn't turn down free things. So he thanked her and accepted the bead.
In addition, after returning home in the evening, Ma Lu also received an email from Yu Yitong, which turned out to be the interview draft from last time.
Ma Lu skimmed through it, and Yu Yitong was unusually fair this time, reporting truthfully about the explosive popularity of The Universe's Number One Snack Stall, the widely acclaimed taste, the incredible repeat purchase rate, and the high pricing unlike ordinary roadside stalls, as well as Aerospace University students complaining verbally but being very sincere in their actions...
Unfortunately, she didn't mention the real heavyweight scoop of the day at all, like when Yu Yitong asked Ma Lu to introduce Old Wang.
Ma Lu told her very seriously that Old Wang was actually an alien, who would stand by the power socket to charge himself after work every day, could run faster than the Fuxing high-speed train even with a tricycle attached, and the top of his head had a slide-to-open brain hatch.
Yu Yitong also randomly interviewed many diners that day. Hearing that everyone said the food at The Universe's Number One Snack Stall was very good and fresh, she asked Ma Lu if he could reveal the supply channels.
Ma Lu didn't keep it a secret and told Yu Yitong that he sourced these by popping into a Different Dimension in his spare time, and that last time he had a big fight with a Six-armed Ancient Ape that resembled King Kong.
In the end, he even summoned a Scarab, symbolizing justice and reborn from the dead, to duel the Six-armed Ancient Ape in a sandstorm, resulting in both creatures dying dramatically. It was such a shocking scene that if made into a movie, he'd recommend watching it in an IMAX theater.
While Yu Yitong patiently listened to Ma Lu's answers and managed her facial expressions quite well at the time, she clearly didn't believe this answer.
Or perhaps she felt this content wasn't appropriate for the company app, as there wasn't a single mention of it in the final draft of the interview.
Ma Lu felt quite regretful about this, but since Yu Yitong wrote at the end of the article about the upcoming opening of Universe Infinite Canteen and even pointed out the new location, fulfilling their agreement, Ma Lu had no complaints about the interview.
Furthermore, with the storefront design and installment wrapped up, the restaurant's construction also neared completion. Ma Lu went for an inspection and found no major issues, so he paid the remaining balance to Old He.
He then took the time to bring over the second-hand tables, chairs, and stools previously ordered to the restaurant and notified the kitchen equipment supplier to deliver the goods.
In terms of permits, Ma Lu had already run around a lot. All that was left was the food business license, which wasn't yet secured.
Being anxious now was of no use; Ma Lu had completed the initial application, but he still had to wait for the business department to inspect the renovation before he could obtain it.
Overall, Universe Infinite Canteen was getting closer and closer to officially opening for business.