The boy beamed and reached out to take Lin Hao's hand, pulling him toward the small reception desk.
"Come on, follow me! We can get you set up in no time."
When they reached the desk, the boy pointed to a small tablet screen embedded in the counter.
"Just press your hand here," he instructed, "and it'll register you in the base system. You'll get your own card and some base credits to start with."
Lin Hao followed the boy's instructions, pressing his hand against the screen.
It glowed for a moment before a soft chime signaled the completion of the registration process.
"All done!" the boy chirped. "Now you can use the vending machine. Here, I'll show you."
They walked back to the vending machine, and the boy demonstrated how to use the credits to purchase food.
Lin Hao watched carefully and then selected a cup of noodles for himself. As the machine whirred and dispensed the item, Lin Hao was shocked.
