Chapter 28

The White Telephone Booth and the Capybara

The newest addition to Moo66 was, without question, one of the strangest.

A white telephone booth.

Usinomics had purchased it from the interior store without asking too many questions.

That, in hindsight, may have been a mistake.

At first glance, it looked remarkably advanced.

The booth featured a built-in display monitor, an integrated camera, a full numeric keypad, a QR-code scanner, and even a card reader.

It looked as though it belonged in a futuristic financial district.

Everything about it suggested sophistication.

Everything except one critical detail.

It didn’t work.

Usinomics stepped inside and examined the equipment.

The monitor was there.

The camera was there.

The keypad was there.

The card reader was there.

The phone itself was even there.

Then realization struck.

“The telephone line…”

He paused.

“…doesn’t exist.”

Silence filled the booth.

Somehow he had managed to purchase a telephone booth that possessed every feature except the ability to make phone calls.

He stared at it thoughtfully.

“Maybe I’ll turn it into a changing room.”

A moment later, another idea appeared.

“Or maybe a restroom once I finally buy a toilet.”

Both possibilities seemed equally reasonable.

At least he had confirmed one important fact.

The door opened.

The booth could be entered.

Technically speaking, it fulfilled its minimum requirements as a room.

Satisfied with his inspection, Usinomics headed toward the rooftop.

There, another recent project awaited.

His first vending machine.

Not an ordinary vending machine.

A capsule-toy vending machine.

A gacha machine.

The moment it was placed, the lights switched on automatically.

No wiring.

No electrician.

No explanation.

Just instant power.

The illumination spread through the machine as though invisible currents had been flowing beneath Moo66 all along.

Within seconds, the structure had become a centerpiece of the rooftop.

Beside it stood the bakery area.

Visitors could prepare their own donuts beneath a covered shelter.

Rain or sunshine, the bakery remained open.

As Usinomics looked around, he realized something unexpected.

The rooftop no longer felt like a rooftop.

It felt like a shopping district.

A tiny town built above another town.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

After organizing food supplies and restocking emergency provisions, he set off toward the capybara feeding grounds.

The journey eventually led him to a rocky landscape overlooking warm springs and ancient ruins.

The capybaras were waiting.

Peaceful.

Unbothered.

Entirely unconcerned with economics, construction permits, or property values.

Before feeding them, Usinomics decided to research them.

The information was surprisingly educational.

Capybaras were the largest living rodents in the world.

Native to the warm wetlands and rivers of South America, they were known for their calm personalities and social behavior.

No wonder people loved them.

Usinomics studied the data carefully.

Basic Information

* Classification: Rodent (Capybara Family)
* Length: 105–135 cm
* Weight: 35–65 kg
* Lifespan: 5–12 years
* Habitat: South American river systems, including regions surrounding the Amazon Basin

Usinomics looked into the distance.

“The Amazon…”

He paused.

“Do they mean Amazon?”

Another pause.

“Or Amazon Prime?”

The capybaras offered no clarification.

Nearby ruins and palm trees gave the area an unmistakably South American atmosphere.

For a brief moment, Moo66 felt very far away.

Usinomics crouched beside one of the capybaras.

Then he remembered something.

“The ones near the hot-spring mountain seem to like raspberries, tomatoes, grapes…”

He stopped counting.

Most of the foods were fruits and vegetables.

A considerable amount of grass was involved as well.

“I should bring fruit next time.”

The capybara appeared supportive of this decision.

Or perhaps it simply wanted more snacks.

The distinction remained unclear.

As evening approached, Usinomics began the journey home.

Along the roadside, something enormous caught his attention.

A palace.

Not merely a large house.

A palace.

White walls.

Elegant towers.

Decorative crowns.

Grand gardens.

The entire estate radiated wealth.

Usinomics stopped walking.

He stared.

And stared.

And continued staring.

There could be only one explanation.

“Heavy spender.”

The conclusion seemed obvious.

The palace stood in dramatic contrast to Moo66.

One was a roadside gas-station diner built through countless quests and gradual expansion.

The other resembled a royal residence from a fantasy kingdom.

For the first time, a new thought entered his mind.

Maybe it was time to evolve.

Maybe Moo66 didn’t have to remain only a gas station.

Maybe someday it could become something larger.

A district.

A complex.

A landmark.

Perhaps even a city.

The idea lingered as the evening wind drifted across the landscape.

Far away, the lights of Moo66 glowed against the horizon.

Waiting.

As always.

And somewhere between a useless telephone booth, a rooftop shopping district, a capybara sanctuary, and a royal palace…

Usinomics realized something.

Without noticing it, he had already begun thinking like a city builder.

To Be Continued in Chapter 29