Chapter Seventy-Eight: Seeking Help

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[Notification! Your operator "Stone" has sent you a message.]

Yin Jian had just finished part of a minor storyline in the game and was about to take a break when a notification popped up at the top of the backend interface. He clicked it absentmindedly, wondering what Stone wanted from him.

"Could it be about the name change?" The thought brought a brief smile to his face, but it vanished almost instantly. "Accelerated launch recommendation?" Yin Jian's expression darkened as he read Stone's message.

You’re forcing me: So my launch window is being shortened.

Stone: Yes, you can start making money sooner.

"..."

Staring at Stone's message, Yin Jian looked up at the ceiling. Everything had been progressing so smoothly, according to his meticulous plan, the rhythm was perfect. But now...

This damn operator is toxic!

Yin Jian took a deep breath, sat back down at his computer desk, and began typing rapidly:

You’re forcing me: I don’t want to accelerate. Please stick to the original schedule for the recommendation.

Meanwhile, at QiYou Tower,

Yu Jia’s smile froze as she read Yin Jian’s reply. She really couldn’t figure out this designer. He’d been eager for his game to launch as soon as possible, and now that he could do it even faster with added benefits, he suddenly wanted to slow down.

Are men really so slippery?

"Why are all talented designers so eccentric?" Yu Jia felt a headache coming on. That Jian Qi was the same—always promising imminent progress, but months had passed and there wasn’t even a shadow of the new game, let alone a name.

"Can’t any of these guys make life easier for me?" she muttered under her breath, quickly typing a reply to Yin Jian.

Stone: Recommendations are arranged and reviewed uniformly by headquarters. Once submitted, they can’t be changed.

This system was established by QiYou to prevent internal competition from harming the company’s interests.

You’re forcing me: Is it possible to delay the launch?

Stone: If your game hasn’t left the regional stage, I can arrange a trial push to delay the launch. But once it goes beyond the region, it’s up to headquarters. I can ask for you, but the chances are slim.

After reading Yu Jia’s message, Yin Jian rubbed his brow.

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Sometimes, life really surprises you—never knowing if the next moment will bring delight or disaster.

You’re forcing me: Please help me ask.

After sending his reply, Yin Jian closed the chat window and began pondering how to overcome the impending dilemma. Though there were always more solutions than problems, this time he truly felt cornered.

"If I work non-stop, maybe I could finish the rest within a month," he mused. "But I only have one liver. If I go all out, I’ll surely drop dead."

"Maybe I should launch an incomplete version... or reduce content?"

He shook his head. His expectations for this game were high; self-sabotage wasn’t an option.

"Looks like there’s only one way..."

Clenching his teeth, Yin Jian opened his neural interface and typed:

Yin Jian: Brother Zhou, save me!

...

"Bang!"

"Yin, what’s wrong?!"

Zhou Shun kicked the door open, scanning the room with a grave expression. Upon seeing Yin Jian sitting safely in his computer chair, his concern turned to confusion.

"What happened?"

Yin Jian blinked at Zhou Shun, who had burst in so suddenly. He glanced at his sent message—barely ten seconds had passed since he’d sent it.

Does Zhou live right outside my door?

"Brother Zhou, you’re so fast. I haven’t even typed my next message and you’re already here..."

Zhou, realizing Yin Jian wasn’t in danger, breathed out and explained, "I was working on a new game, spent all night thinking, and came over to ask your opinion. Just as I reached your door, I saw your message."

He glanced at the broken door. "I’ll call a renovation company to fix that later."

"So, what’s so urgent?"

When Zhou asked, Yin Jian quickly explained what had happened.

After hearing the situation, Zhou frowned and thought for a moment. "Bro, for story-driven games, you can release them in segments. No need to finish everything at once like other games."

"That saves a ton of energy."

"And if you release everything at once, you’ll make much less money."

Yin Jian shook his head. "My narrative game operates differently from the others on the platform. The segmented release model doesn’t fit."

"I see..." Zhou still felt skeptical, given the industry’s entrenched views, but he wasn’t the type to force his opinions on others. So, he didn’t press further.

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Instead, he shifted the topic, joking, "So, how do you want me to help?"

"But let’s be clear—if it turns out badly, don’t blame me."

"Thanks, Brother Zhou," Yin Jian said earnestly.

Zhou waved it off. "That’s what friends do—help each other. Didn’t you help me, too?"

"Honestly, I’m curious about your upcoming plot."

He walked over to the computer, sat down, and began examining the game’s framework.

Yin Jian joined him, explaining the game’s structure, gameplay, and the content that still needed to be added.

"In short, I want the players to suffer. The monsters must be strong. After beating the little ones, the big ones come, and when the big ones are beaten, even bigger ones appear."

"And then..."

Zhou’s expression grew stranger as he listened, finally unable to hold back. "Yin, are you sure you won’t get lynched by your players? This is a bit much."

"Uh... cough," Yin Jian cleared his throat. "Once it’s all done, you’ll understand."

"That’s about it for the upcoming content."

"The main work is integrating main and side quests."

"And creating special dungeons to pull wayward players back to the main story."

Zhou remained skeptical, but seeing Yin Jian’s determination, he refrained from arguing.

He went home, brought his computer over, and started helping Yin Jian refine the game’s later stages as they discussed and worked together.

...

...

"Mom, look! It’s a duck with an afro!"

Lu Guo turned at the sound, spotting a boy about six years old. He was currently working part-time at the zoo, his job being to entertain these little kids.

So, without hesitation, he walked over to the boy.

However...

"Waaah, the duck is going to eat me!"

Seeing the boy with tears and snot streaming down his face, Lu Guo froze on the spot.

I hate kids.

He thought to himself, then turned and walked away in another direction.

Just as he did, his neural interface chimed with a new message.

Stone: Are you there? I noticed your game’s sales are starting to drop. I have a recommendation for you, but you’ll need to offer a discount for it to be featured. Test results are good—it can nearly double your sales.