Chapter Ninety-Four: I Won’t Go Silent

Page 1 of 3

Yin Jian rested his arm on Gray Wolf’s shoulder and asked in return, “Are all the tower-defense weapons you make fixed?”

“After players buy them, can they use them right away?”

Gray Wolf looked puzzled. “Isn’t that just how tower-defense games are?”

“You use purchased weapons to hold back wave after wave of monsters, earn rewards, and then buy weapons with stronger and more varied functions.”

He could not understand why Yin Jian was asking this, because any designer ought to know it was almost common sense.

“Do you remember what I said about the random style?” Yin Jian said, then continued without waiting for Gray Wolf to speak. “The random style is not a genre of game. It is a setting, and it can be applied to any genre.”

“How... do you apply it?” Gray Wolf only grew more bewildered.

If Yin Jian had not looked so righteous at the moment, he would have suspected the other man was simply trying to fool him.

Yin Jian seemed to see through Gray Wolf’s thoughts, and with the composure of a veteran, said, “Take the tower-defense games you’re good at, for example.”

“Don’t repeated stages make players tired of the game very easily? And make replaying it feel much less appealing?”

Gray Wolf nodded in deep agreement. This had troubled him for a long time.

The games he made had an overall replay rate of only a little over ten percent. That was also the fundamental reason he had worked for two and a half years and was still only an intermediate designer.

He had tried to change direction, too, but... it went even worse.

“I’ve tried to solve that problem as well. For example, special weapons that can only be obtained after completing specific achievements, but the results weren’t especially good.”

Gray Wolf said somewhat dejectedly, having poured enormous effort into changing the situation, only to get very little back. The return was nowhere near what he had put in.

After hearing him out, the corners of Yin Jian’s mouth curled up. “That kind of method only treats the symptoms, not the root. Players grow bored because the gameplay is too monotonous.”

Gray Wolf nodded thoughtfully. “Then, Brother Boss, how do we change it? Add more kinds of monsters, or more terrain...?”

He racked his brains for solutions.

But every method he suggested was waved away and rejected by Yin Jian.

“Those approaches may bring some change, but they still do not address the core problem.”

“If the gameplay is too monotonous, then add other elements to the game. But those elements cannot be thrown in carelessly; they require careful thought, or the game will become a monster stitched together from different parts.”

After speaking, Yin Jian gave Gray Wolf time to think.

Only after letting him fail to find an answer, and then revealing the solution himself, would the other man truly feel how impressive he was.

Back in university, he had used exactly this trick to convince a whole crowd of classmates, and it was not until after graduation that they realized he had been feeding them nonsense.

Sure enough, Gray Wolf was just as he expected. He scratched his head, completely at a loss, and in the end looked to Yin Jian for help.

Seeing that, Yin Jian stopped teasing and said directly, “What I mean by the random style is increasing a game’s variety.”

“Making the randomness in the game greater.”

“For example, with tower-defense weapons, you break them down into modules. Some modules are basic, some advanced, and different combinations of modules produce different effects.”

“How to assemble useful weapons is something the players will have to think through themselves.”

“Doesn’t that shift the player’s attention while also adding more fun to the game?”

“Besides, your monsters don’t have to follow ordinary logic. Arrange more random events, like monsters suddenly appearing.”

“These monsters don’t have to be strong, but they must be frightening enough. That way, players are kept in a state of constant mental tension, reducing the chance they’ll lose focus and increasing immersion.”

After hearing Yin Jian’s words, Gray Wolf was utterly stunned.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

He analyzed the feasibility of Yin Jian’s ideas, and then discovered that they really were feasible.

The problem that had troubled him for so many years had been solved in just a few words by the person in front of him.

Gradually, admiration began to appear in Gray Wolf’s gaze as he looked at Yin Jian.

There was an ancient saying: “A single conversation with a wise man is worth ten years of reading.” He had always thought it was an exaggeration.

But now it seemed that the ancients had not deceived him.

Feeling Gray Wolf’s admiring gaze, Yin Jian smiled modestly. “It’s nothing. Work on games for a few more years, and you’ll understand it yourself.”

But Gray Wolf shook his head. “If not for your guidance, Brother Boss, the time I would have wasted would be unimaginable.”

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing.” Yin Jian waved a hand, looking entirely unconcerned, though in his heart he was thoroughly pleased.

He had nailed the act. That was all there was to it.

Refreshing!

After chatting a little longer with Gray Wolf, he casually revealed a bit more about the designer of his own game, The Exorcist, which drew another exclamation from the other man.

Then a message came in from Happy Exploding Head.

Happy Exploding Head: Big Boss, I’ve arrived. Where are you?

Seeing this, Yin Jian ended the conversation with Gray Wolf. After giving him an apologetic look, he turned his attention to his light-brain and replied:

You Forced Me: Last row on the far left.

After receiving the reply, Lu Guo searched the classroom and quickly found the spot Yin Jian had mentioned. There he saw the two people already talking at their seats.

So he strode over at once.

Page 2 of 3

Coming up behind them, he heard Gray Wolf, wearing an orange beret, call Yin Jian Brother Boss, and he immediately understood that the middle-aged man speaking in front of him was the one known as “You Forced Me.”

This surprised him a little. He had originally thought that the “You Forced Me” who bantered with Sword Rise in the group every day could not be very old.

But he quickly came to his senses and greeted him, saying, “Big Boss.”

Hearing the somewhat familiar voice behind him, Yin Jian frowned and turned around. When he saw the distinctive explosive hairstyle, his eyes widened. “Damn it, Lu Guo!”

Because he was too shocked, the words slipped out of his mouth.

And when Lu Guo heard Yin Jian call out his name, he froze.

He studied Yin Jian carefully for a moment. There was indeed something vaguely familiar about him, but he could not quite remember where he had seen him before.

Embarrassed, he scratched his head. “Um, sir, sorry, I forgot your name.”

The reason Lu Guo found him familiar was naturally because Yin Jian’s features resembled his father’s by five or six parts.

But that was only enough to seem vaguely familiar; it was not enough for him to recognize Yin Jian at a glance.

“Cough.” Seeing Lu Guo looking embarrassed, Yin Jian coughed twice.

After greeting Gray Wolf, he stood up and pulled Lu Guo to a corner of the classroom.

Lu Guo, dragged off to the side, looked at Yin Jian with some confusion.

He found the move strange. Could they not just talk at their seats?

Yin Jian touched his nose and said awkwardly in a low voice, “I am Yin Jian.”

???

Lu Guo

For a moment, he did not react. “What? What dark realm?”

Seeing Lu Guo’s blank expression, Yin Jian could only smile wryly.

At that, Lu Guo’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

After his brain briefly short-circuited, he shouted out in shock, “Holy crap! How is the dark-realm man...”

But before he could finish, Yin Jian clamped a hand over his mouth.

Realizing his own lapse, Lu Guo hurriedly lowered his voice. “Why are you here too, becoming a game designer?”

“Back in university, didn’t you say, ‘My only ambition is operations’?”

Though Yin Jian’s signature smile was unmistakable, Lu Guo still found it hard to believe.

Yin Jian had come to do the same thing as him: become a virtual game designer.

“I don’t have three years of work experience.” Hearing Lu Guo, Yin Jian shrugged helplessly and said it plainly.

“Cough cough.” Hearing that, Lu Guo choked outright.

Once he recovered, he gave Yin Jian a look of understanding, because he too had changed careers for that reason.

“Ah... all because life forces our hand.”

Hearing Lu Guo’s sigh, Yin Jian said with a smile, “Not bad, really. Designers are more appealing than operators.”

“That’s because your game took off. I can’t even scrape together enough money to make a game right now.”

“I can only patch together a living by taking odd jobs everywhere,” Lu Guo said in low spirits.

After hearing him, Yin Jian felt a deep kinship, because he had once lived that way too.

He had even nearly gone without enough to eat.

And because he knew that hardship himself, he understood all the bitterness and frustration behind it. He reached out and patted Lu Guo’s shoulder. “If you’re short on money, tell me. I can still afford to help with a million or eight million.”

Lu Guo had always been extremely loyal. When Yin Jian had been at his most down and out, he had helped him quite a lot.

As the saying went: if one’s riches and honors should come, one must not forget old friends. Since he was doing well now, naturally he should lend a hand where he could.

He, Yin Jian, was not the kind of person who forgot kindness and repaid it with ingratitude.

“Thanks, but no need. Between the wages from my part-time work these days and the money from my last game, I’ve pretty much got enough to make the next one,” Lu Guo declined.

Seeing that Lu Guo had his own ideas, Yin Jian did not insist. After thinking for a moment, he said, “How about this: when you release your game, let me know. I’ll pin a recommendation in the comments section of my game to help promote it.”

He now had over forty million favorites. In theory, a comment like that would have an even better promotional effect than a featured recommendation in the game zone.

Hearing this, Lu Guo nodded awkwardly. “Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

“We’re classmates. No need to say that.” Yin Jian waved it off. “Come on, I just met a new friend who seems pretty interesting. Let me introduce you—”

He broke off abruptly and looked Lu Guo up and down.

Lu Guo felt increasingly uncomfortable under the stare. “What is it?”

“Do you know that Yu Jia is working as an operator at Qiyou?”

Hearing this, Lu Guo froze for a moment, then immediately reacted and quickly headed for the classroom door.

“Wait for me to change my account first.”

Page 3 of 3

...

...

Qiyou Tower

Yu Jia frowned at the chat window in front of her.

Stone: Sword Rise, why are you still not at the online academy?

Sword Rise Sect Master: Isn’t my lecture in the afternoon?

Stone: But there are still a lot of things that need you here before they can be arranged.

Sword Rise Sect Master: Plenty of time, plenty of time. I’m incredibly efficient.

Seeing this reply from Stone, an inexplicable sense of foreboding rose in Yu Jia’s heart.

Stone: You’re not planning to stand me up, are you?

Sword Rise Sect Master: I won’t flake, I won’t flake. I’ll definitely come this afternoon, don’t worry. I’m the most dependable person when I speak.

Stone: Fine. Try to come earlier. If I don’t see you, I keep feeling like you’ll stand me up.

Sword Rise Sect Master: Mm.

After the conversation with Sword Rise ended, Yu Jia was just about to go and report the situation.

But as soon as she stood up, she saw the door of Office Two being pushed open from the outside.

A sixty-year-old man with a head of white hair walked in from outside.

His hair was combed very neatly, he wore a short jacket, and on his feet were a pair of brushed leather shoes.

Even with wrinkles covering his face, he still looked full of energy.

Seeing him, Yu Jia immediately stepped forward.

“Group Leader Yueshan.”

The old man was the host of this online class.

He was the leader of Group One, and the most senior person in the White Bridge branch of Qiyou.

Yu Jia had originally planned to report Sword Rise’s situation to him.

Yueshan nodded at her address. “How did things go on Sword Rise’s end? When is he coming?”

His voice was extremely kind, and just hearing it gave off a strange sense of warmth.

Hearing this, Yu Jia replied, “He said afternoon.”

“I see. Then all right.” Yueshan nodded and turned to leave directly.

He had only come to confirm the message.

Since there was no issue with Sword Rise, he planned to return to his private office, enter the online classroom, and begin lecturing the designers who had been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Yueshan leave, Lin Xiaoxiao, seated beside Yu Jia, said, “I called Night Shadow over to give the lecture.”

Night Shadow was another of her top designers. Though his personality was also atrocious, he was still far better than Sword Rise—at the very least, he would not stand people up.

“If Sword Rise didn’t come directly, then that means he’s already flaked,” Lin Xiaoxiao said with complete certainty.

Hearing this, Yu Jia opened her mouth to defend Sword Rise, but...

Given that fellow’s personality, he really did seem capable of doing exactly that.

Realizing this, Yu Jia fell silent. She suddenly felt that she was far too naive to have believed Sword Rise’s nonsense.

“But what if Sword Rise does come, Senior Lin?”

“Then let him give the lecture. At worst, I’ll pay his appearance fee.”

Lin Xiaoxiao said calmly.

“All right.” Yu Jia nodded, then cautiously glanced at Lin Xiaoxiao, who looked fully focused.

She was a little curious about what the story between her senior Lin and Sword Rise had actually been like.

Because from the way Lin Xiaoxiao spoke, it was obvious she had been tricked by Sword Rise more than once.

But she knew questions like that were not appropriate.

So she gathered herself, opened the backend, and was about to ask whether the designer Yin Jian had arrived yet.

However, before she could send the message, she saw Yin Jian’s livestream in the chat group first.

“He’s already here.”

Yu Jia narrowed her eyes, memorized Yin Jian’s position in the video, and then logged directly into the online classroom.

She intended to gank Yin Jian before Yueshan started the lesson.

She wanted him to understand that she, as an operator, was not so easy to bully.

P.S. Wuwu! Please vote for me with your monthly tickets~