The commission issued by Audiana is not complicated.

It’s simply about a startup company in game development, which has grown big in recent years, causing internal conflicts over profit distribution, with both founders trying to oust each other.

However, both are highly vigilant about equity issues, leaving no loopholes, making it difficult to overtake each other through normal means.

Thus, Founder A has begun using gray methods, hiring mercenaries to use dirty tricks to force Founder B out.

…

The “High-Tech Park” is located at the junction of Rust Wall District and Lakefront Business District.

It’s far from the Rust Wall, has better security, and contains many office parks, housing various big and small enterprises.

People working in the High-Tech Park often have some achievements, they might be big company employees or entrepreneurs running their businesses, or at least enjoying high salaries as white-collar workers.

In New Moon City, these people have relatively privileged material living and working conditions, yet tend to live the most strenuous lives.

They belong to the middle class, affluent, but merely affluent, with a lifelong desire to jump higher and become a top-tier in the world.

But most are ultimately crushed by reality, working tirelessly till the end without managing to move up.

Of course, not everyone is exhausted by the desire to transcend class in this land of struggle.

There’s a simple thing in this world, something for which people are willing to give their all.

Such a thing is already rare in New Moon City, yet some still pursue it naively.

It is…

Dreams.

Past ten in the evening, the High-Tech Park was still brightly lit, white-collar workers “voluntarily” enjoying their blessings.

Outside a 24-hour café, a man was on the phone, wearing a reasonably priced trench coat, his styled hair a bit messy from a day’s neglect, his face full of exhaustion.

His name is Lu Ren, founder of a gaming company, with a technical background, a full-stack programmer skilled in both front and back-end.

Lu Ren has always loved gaming and had a childhood dream to create his own game, a game focused on fun, free from commercial stench, purely aimed at creating joy for players.

After graduating from college, Lu Ren began chasing dreams in New Moon City, partnering with his college roommate Longtao to start the current company called Waku Waku.

Longtao was responsible for maintaining external relations, attracting investments, and meeting wealthy patrons.

Lu Ren served as the producer, learned art design, did the planning, wrote the code, fully immersed in game development.

Three years passed, Waku Waku’s team expanded to over thirty people, and Lu Ren’s efforts led to the creation of an open-world game named “Divinity: Origins.”

The game demo, after a test launch, received alarming data due to its unique gameplay and meticulous craftsmanship—78% next-day retention, 29% monthly retention.

This result crushed those assembly-line reskin works on the market, and big companies were shocked.

Games could still be made like this?!

The explosive near-perfect data made Waku Waku instantly the market focus, attracting various investors.

Discord within the founding team began here.

The success of “Divinity: Origins” was due to Lu Ren sincerely devoting himself to making a “good game,” with all designs aimed at one thing, fun.

The game features captivating plots, intriguing puzzles, excellent combat, a vast world filled with secrets waiting for players to explore and discover.

Paid content exists, as the team also needs to eat.

But they are all elements that don’t affect gameplay, like character skins, small mounts, home furniture, with no substantial difference between significant and no spending.

Lu Ren felt, going forward, the game should maintain the status quo, continually adding new content, wholeheartedly serving player experiences.

Longtao and the investors he connected with didn’t see it this way.

The demo’s test data showed Longtao and others enormous potential, prompting desires for large-scale commercial changes to the game.

Free access for all characters? Why? Lock them!

Initially provide just one character, lock all others in a pool, encouraging players to pay to draw them!

Equipment obtainable by freely collecting materials and forging in the big world? Are you dumb? Open a weapons pool!

90 draws for guaranteed small, 180 draws for guaranteed big, secretly adding a backpack detection system, always providing duplicate equipment already owned, forcing players to spend extra!

Why design values so smoothly? Gridlock them!

To avoid gridlocks, pay for drawing characters, drawing weapons, buying materials, how else to strengthen without spending?

Create a PVP invasion system too, allowing players to invade each other’s worlds, pillage, and bully female NPCs; such victims will certainly pay heavily for revenge.

Ideological differences led to tensions between Lu Ren and Longtao, turning from former comrades into adversaries, sparking a battle over company control.

At this moment, Lu Ren stood outside the café, holding his phone resolutely: “Tell Longtao those changes are impossible! I am the game producer, the production direction is set by me!”

The employee on the phone whispered: “Brother Lu, President Long has negotiated with several major investors; if we don’t make changes as they require, they won’t fund us, and our funding chain is already tight.”

Lu Ren firmly stated: “Brother, you must trust me, the current production direction is correct. We are creating a work great enough to be inscribed in game history! It will bring Waku Waku vast returns in the future!”

“Short-term funding issues are no problem, I can sell houses, sell cars, mortgage all my assets to the bank for loans to help the team through tough times!”

“I’ve worked on this game for three years, it contains all my efforts, I will never let it be ruined by those investors who don’t understand games!”

“Alright, let’s leave it for now, my cab has arrived, you get some rest, those working overtime tonight can come in the afternoon tomorrow, don’t strain yourselves.”

Lu Ren hung up the call and moved towards the cab waiting in front.

He opened the door and sat in the back seat, saying: “To 233 Green Valley Street.”

The driver didn’t respond, nor did the car start.

“Hello?” Lu Ren assumed the driver hadn’t heard him, looked up to check.

The rearview mirror reflected the driver’s face, with eyes sharp like a hawk, coldly staring at him.

Suddenly, Lu Ren noticed two men in black seated beside the front and back seats.

Sensing trouble, Lu Ren tried to escape but was pulled back by his clothes.

The man in black beside him grabbed his hair, took out a contract from his coat, and sneered: “President Lu, don’t be afraid, just sign the contract and you’ll be fine.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep