Finding a vehicle suitable for the little people was proving to be an monumental headache.
Most toy cars on the market suffered from the same fatal flaw. They were designed to be remote-controlled. None of them featured a cockpit intended for an actual occupant to manipulate the controls from the inside.
Which, if you thought about it, was perfectly logical. What kind of idiot would design a toy for an occupant the size of a bean?
Li Dao Xuan had already experimented with remote-controlled cars and planes. If he was the one holding the controller, the vehicles couldn't venture beyond his immediate field of vision. The moment they reached the edge of his sight, they would slam into the invisible glass walls of the Great Box.
It was clear that the Box had a built-in "anti-exploit" mechanism. It prevented him from reaching his influence outside his current line of sight. Otherwise, he could just mount a camera on a remote-controlled tank, drive it out into the world, and flatten every dynasty on the map from the comfort of his chair.
Therefore, he needed a vehicle that the little people could drive themselves.
The difficulty of finding such a thing wasn't just high. It was practically impossible.
After scouring every shopping site on the internet, he was ready to call it quits.
---
Just as he was about to close his laptop, his eyes caught a glimpse of a strange little gadget tucked away in the corner of a listing.
He clicked in, and his eyebrows shot up.
Micro Solar-Powered Car.
This tiny vehicle was only 3 centimeters long and 2.5 centimeters wide, weighing a mere 4 grams. It ran entirely on solar power. When the sun hit its panels, it would zip forward. The stronger the light, the faster it went. The moment the light was cut off, it would stop dead in its tracks.
A metaphorical lightbulb practically shattered over Li Dao Xuan's head.
The operational potential of this thing was through the roof.
He placed the order immediately, paying extra for the highest tier of express shipping. He sent a private message to the seller.
"I need this car now. I'm adding a tip for the fastest courier you've got. Get it to me ASAP."
The seller's response was a classic of modern e-commerce.
"Dear customer! As long as you're paying extra, nothing is impossible! Just you wait, the courier is heading out the door right now."
---
By late afternoon, the package arrived.
Li Dao Xuan carefully extracted the tiny car from the box and took it out into the sunlight. The moment he set it on the ground, it whirred to life, scurrying across the pavement.
When he blocked the sun with his hand, it slowed down instantly, looking utterly exhausted before coming to a halt.
Seeing this miraculous, flashy little toy, Li Dao Xuan's mind erupted with inspiration. He could practically feel the sparks of creativity threatening to start a mental forest fire.
He hailed a taxi and made a beeline for Cai Xinzi's model shop.
---
When he arrived, Cai Xinzi was lounging behind the counter with his feet up, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.
While his actual model business was still lukewarm, his recent work for Li Dao Xuan, specifically brokering those 1-millimeter statues of Taishang Laojun, had earned him a commission of over a hundred thousand yuan. He'd effectively paid off the shop's rent for the next two years and was feeling incredibly relaxed.
Seeing his friend walk in, Cai Xinzi practically bounced out of his chair.
"Haha, Dao Xuan! What wind blew you in today? You here to pick out a new model? Take whatever you want, on the house! Whatever looks good, it's yours."
"I need your help with a modification," Li Dao Xuan said, getting straight to the point.
"Modification?" Cai Xinzi asked, looking genuinely intrigued.
---
Li Dao Xuan held out his hand and opened his palm.
The tiny solar car caught the overhead light and lunged forward, nearly driving off his fingers. Li Dao Xuan clamped his hand shut just in time, heart racing.
Cai Xinzi recognized it instantly.
"A three-centimeter solar car? What the hell is there to modify on that thing?"
"I want to add a steering wheel to control the direction," Li Dao Xuan explained. "And I also want a functioning brake and throttle system."
Pfft!
Cai Xinzi spat out a mouthful of his drink, the liquid spraying a full meter across the room. Li Dao Xuan barely dodged the mist, but a nearby Freedom Gundam model wasn't so lucky, getting splattered with sticky juice.
Cai Xinzi ignored the mess and pointed a trembling finger at the door.
"Take any model you want and get out. Just go. Don't ever come to me with these insane modification requests again. This humble servant literally cannot do it."
---
"What's the problem?" Li Dao Xuan asked, sounding genuinely confused. "Is it really that hard?"
"It's three centimeters long, man!" Cai Xinzi shrieked. "The steering? Fine. That's easy. I can add a handle like a walking tractor at the front and use a small mechanism to pivot the wheels. But a throttle and brake system? At this scale? You might as well just chop me to death right now!"
"And you call yourself a master modeler," Li Dao Xuan teased. "Use your brain for a second. What powers this car?"
"Solar energy," Cai Xinzi muttered.
"And if you block the sun, does it still run?"
"No."
"Well, there's your brake," Li Dao Xuan said with a grin. "Blocking the sun is the brake."
---
A metaphorical lightbulb finally flickered on in Cai Xinzi's head.
"Holy crap, Dao Xuan... you're actually a genius. That just clicked for me. We don't need brake calipers. We just need a tiny curtain that can cover the solar panel. When the driver pulls the 'brake,' the curtain slides over to block the light."
"Exactly," Li Dao Xuan said. "And the throttle works the same way. Slide the curtain back, and off you go."
Cai Xinzi scratched his head, looking impressed despite himself.
"I'm a professional modeler, and I'm being schooled by you. Your brain is actually working today, huh?"
"Hehehe, now you know what a real genius looks like. Now, quit stalling and help your genius brother out."
"Wow, you didn't even call yourself 'The Client' this time," Cai Xinzi noted.
"I don't want the hero who slays the dragon to become the dragon himself," Li Dao Xuan joked.
---
That night, Cai Xinzi stayed up late, fueled by a sense of gratitude for all the money Li Dao Xuan had helped him make. He poured his heart and soul into the work.
He started by fabricating a tiny, Y-shaped handle, similar to the steering arms of a walking tractor, to give the driver control over the front wheels.
Next, he attempted to create a curtain as thin as a cicada's wing to block the sun.
However, at such a microscopic scale, he simply couldn't get a mechanical linkage to work for opening and closing the curtain. The "throttle and brake" system was a mechanical failure. The curtain would have to be moved manually.
He worried that Li Dao Xuan would be disappointed with the result, but when he handed the tiny car over the next morning, the "Client" only thought about it for two seconds before beaming.
"Perfect. This is more than enough. Thanks, brother."
---
"You're really okay with no integrated throttle or brake?" Cai Xinzi asked.
Li Dao Xuan wore a mysterious, knowing smile.
"It's simple. We just use a two-man crew. One person steers, and the other pulls the curtain."
Cai Xinzi: "..."
It's a three-centimeter car, and you're planning on a two-man crew? What kind of monster are you?
Cai Xinzi reached out and felt Li Dao Xuan's forehead.
"Brother, did you eat some weird mushrooms today?"
"Nope!" Li Dao Xuan chirped.
"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"
Li Dao Xuan laughed.
"Quit it! Look, this car is just a prototype. If the trial is a success, I'm going to order some slightly larger solar cars. When that happens, I'll need you to build even better steering and curtain systems for those."
"Please," Cai Xinzi groaned. "Stop calling it a 'system' on something this ridiculous. It doesn't make it sound any more high-tech."