527: Chapter 526 1.4 Billion Reservations! Official Lottery Begins!

1.4 billion!

This number meant that almost every eligible adult in China had participated in this unprecedented super lottery.

As countless people stared at this astronomical figure, the hope that had just ignited in their hearts was doused with a bucket of cold water.

Over a billion people fighting for those ten million spots. The probability of winning was even lower than winning the lottery jackpot!

"It's over, it's over. I definitely have no chance this time..."

"With such a huge pool of applicants, I feel like I'm just here to make up the numbers!"

"I'm not asking for the top-tier Exploration Edition, just give me a high-spec youth edition! Please!"

The internet was filled with wails of despair.

Meanwhile, at the Beijing Olympic Sports Center, the venue had been transformed into a futuristic live broadcast site.

An unprecedented "notarized lottery ceremony" was being prepared with great intensity.

Dozens of notaries from the National Notary Office were fully in position, ensuring the strictest supervision over every aspect of the lottery.

Reporters from hundreds of media outlets, armed with their cameras and microphones, stood ready.

The supervisory group, composed of high-ranking officials and prominent figures from all walks of life, sat in the observation seats with serious expressions.

There were even hundreds of ordinary citizen representatives, selected through random draws, who had been invited to the scene to witness and supervise this historic moment firsthand.

The Chinese authorities were demonstrating the absolute fairness of this lottery to everyone in the most transparent and open manner.

At exactly 12:00 PM, the live broadcast officially began.

Under the watchful eyes of 1.4 billion people nationwide holding their breath, Lin Mo walked up to the lottery stage himself.

Without saying a word, he simply faced the camera and calmly pressed the red start button.

Hum— The giant screen at the live broadcast site, large enough to cover an entire football field, lit up instantly.

"The lottery for the first batch of Kunlun Second Generation Civil Exoskeleton Armor officially begins!"

The host's voice spread to every corner of China via television and the internet.

"This lottery will generate 10 million winning spots!"

"Among them, 5 million sets of the youth edition, 4 million sets of the Striver Edition, and 1 million sets of the Exploration Edition!"

"All winning numbers will be generated and scrolled on the screen at a speed of 1,000 per second!"

"Every winning number will be encrypted and stored in a distributed manner to ensure that the lottery results are absolutely fair, just, transparent, and immutable!"

As the voice faded, rows of ID numbers, composed of digits and asterisks and processed for privacy, began to refresh frantically on the screen like a tide.

Winning numbers were locked in one by one at a rate of 1,000 per second. The entire process would last for nearly three hours.

Meanwhile, in Kun City, inside a detached villa in an upscale suburban residential area.

Ma Jinlun and Zhang Xiaoya stood guard in front of the giant smart TV in the living room, not daring to even breathe loudly.

On the TV screen was the live, nationwide broadcast of the lottery under the supervision of the National Notary Office.

"Old Ma, do you think... we can win?"

Zhang Xiaoya's voice carried a hint of imperceptible trembling. She clutched her hands together nervously, her palms already slick with sweat.

"It's unlikely."

Ma Jinlun leaned back on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the screen without blinking, his heart also filled with intense nervousness.

"With 1.4 billion reservations for only 10 million spots, the probability works out to be one in several thousand."

"Aren't you the Spring Festival koi fish?"

Zhang Xiaoya turned her head, her large eyes filled with expectation and trust.

"Last year, during the Spring Festival Gala moon landing, you managed to win despite such low odds, so you'll definitely make it this time too!"