The lead designer of Tengda Games, Boss Pei, wanted very badly to turn the official platform down.
The official platform wants an exclusive interview with me to find out about my thought process behind the creation of my games?
My thought process has been 'I'm so miserable'!
Every single game I created turned out to be a success. Why is it so difficult to create a loss-incurring game?
Pei Qian was afraid that the official platform would raise many problems with Game Designer and Repent and be Saved. That would be akin to flogging a corpse and re-opening Boss Pei's old wounds. That would be too difficult to tolerate!
What's more, wouldn't an exclusive interview serve to market the games even more? Wouldn't it drive more players to buy Tengda's games?
Pei Qian instinctively tried to turn down the opportunity.
Assistant Xin remained silent for a moment and then tried to persuade him. "I think… you should at least turn up.
"It's an exclusive interview with the official platform after all. Other ordinary game companies can only dream of such an opportunity.
"Until now, the official platform has offered a lot of support to our company as well. I think we have to reciprocate with a certain level of respect."
For some reason, Pei Qian felt like a pupil who was being persuaded to go to class. Just talking about the support that the official platform had lent Tengda got Pei Qian mad.
Is that what you call support?!
It's one thing to give me recommendation spots even though I didn't ask for them, but they even wrote a special recommendation and praised the game to no end after that! Not only were the customers misled, but the official platform even gave Tengda seventy percent of the profits!
This cost Boss Pei a lot every single time.
If the official platform had not created so many problems, would Boss Pei have had to think about how to incur losses even while he was sick?!
Pei Qian pondered for a moment and asked, "If I don't go, will the official platform send someone to assassinate me?
"Would they stop giving Tengda recommendation spots? Would they split the profits evenly instead of giving us seventy percent?"
Assistant Xin was speechless. "I don't think they would go to that extent."
They wouldn't assassinate me, would they? That's a pity!
Pei Qian thought hard. If he showed disrespect to the official platform, perhaps he would get fewer recommendation spots in the future.
Assistant Xin spoke again. "They already said it would be a simple chat. They won't take up too much of your time.
"Since that's the case, why not just help them out?"
Pei Qian was speechless. "…"
Assistant Xin continued, "That's right, they'll also take the chance to give Tengda an official trophy to recognize our company's contribution to the creation of novel games."
Pei Qian was speechless. "…"
"They'll also give you a personal reward to recognize your outstanding results as a game designer. That's a hundred thousand yuan in cash.
"Of course, it's not much, but the most important thing is—". "Send them over!" Pei Qian interrupted Assistant Xin.
"Huh?" Assistant Xin was shocked. She did not expect Boss Pei's attitude to take a 180-degree turn.
He had just turned her down unconditionally. Had he changed his mind in the blink of an eye? Pei Qian cleared his throat. "I pondered over it. I really should agree to the interview.
"This is mainly because the honor is not only mine. The hard work of all of Tengda's employees should be recognized. Although I'm extremely busy and uninterested in being recognized in such ways, this is an opportunity for my employees to be rewarded.
"For them, I shall agree to the interview." Pei Qian spoke righteously.
"Yes, yes. Boss Pei, you are right." Assistant Xin sounded approving. "After all, not everyone is indifferent to worldly rewards like you are. You should accept these rewards if they're offered to you."
Pei Qian pondered for a moment and asked, "How many reporters will there be?" Assistant Xin replied, "It hasn't been confirmed. I think it depends on the scale of the interview. If they're only coming up with one manuscript, one reporter should be enough. If they're producing a video, there would be at least one videographer.
"There aren't any hard and fast rules. I think it's mainly up to us to decide how many people should come over and how many days the interview should last for."
Pei Qian nodded and said, "Alright.
"Since the official platform is showing us so much respect, we'll treat them as well as we can! Ask them to bring an entourage to Jingzhou. We'll cover all of their costs."
Assistant Xin asked, "Including their accommodation and food?"
Pei Qian nodded and said, "Yes, and their air tickets. They're coming all this way for an interview. We have to host them properly and cover all the expenses."
Assistant Xin did not ask any more questions. "Alright, Boss Pei. I'll make the necessary arrangements."
Boss Pei had intended to turn down the interview, but that was because he did not expect the sly official platform to have prepared a personal reward!
Of course, a hundred thousand yuan was not much to Boss Pei, but… it was not little either!
What's more, Pei Qian suddenly realized there was an opportunity to spend money here. Since he had already decided to quench his thirst with poison before settlement, he could go one step further. He could spend a sum of money by hosting the official platform's reporters well. He could pay for their air tickets, their accommodation, and their food and drinks. He could even bring them to Ming Yun Private Kitchen for a meal.
Of course, this could backfire on Pei Qian. For instance… the official platform could like him all the more. They could frame the interview in such a way as to increase sales for the games.
However, Pei Qian had already thought about a counter-plan.
He could say some cold, hard truths during the interview to burst the players' bubbles. This could become a topic of debate and negatively impact the games' sales.
Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?
In any case, Boss Pei was willing to do anything to incur losses!
October 17th, Sunday…
In the afternoon…
At the airport…
Xia Jiang was stepping onto Jingzhou soil for the first time. She looked behind her, scanning her impressive interview team. All of a sudden, she felt a great weight on her shoulders.
There were a total of nine people in the official platform's interview team this time.
Xia Jiang was the editor-in-chief, in charge of Boss Pei's interview. She brought with her an editor-in-training to help her out.
There were four people in the camera crew: one in charge of the main camera, two in charge of the roving cameras, and a young, burly man to help with carrying equipment and other matters.
There were also two photographers, and a businessman named Little Zhang. He was in charge of building a relationship with employees of Tengda and planning the entire interview schedule.
Apart from the trainee, all nine of them were experienced and aged. One could say that this was the dream team.
There would be no need to pull all stops if this were an ordinary interview. At most, the official platform would send one reporter, one videographer, and one photographer. Sometimes, the reporter would double up as the photographer as well. It was rare for a team like that to be formed.
Naturally, Xia Jiang had heard of Tengda Games before. She knew that it was an up-and-coming games company in Jingzhou and that its business was not limited to developing games.
It was said that this company's boss was quite a mysterious character. That was why Xia Jiang, along with everyone else in her team, felt extremely curious about him.
In fact, it was Tengda's request for the official platform to send so many people.
This showed how seriously Tengda was taking this interview.
That was why Xia Jiang felt incredible pressure from the moment she accepted this task. To her, this was going to be an important interview.
Tengda had also expressed their utmost sincerity. They had arranged for a seven-seater car and an ordinary car to send the team anywhere they needed to go. On top of that, the team's accommodation and meals for the entire period was going to be taken care of.
The two cars sent the entire team to their hotel where a few of Tengda's staff took care of the check-in process.
Everything was the same as when Teacher Qiao and Zhang Zuting visited. The hotel was a high-class one, and there were fruit platters, desserts, and coffee machines in the rooms. Everything looked top-tier. After resting for a while, everyone gathered in the hotel lobby and prepared to proceed to Tengda Games for the exclusive interview with Boss Pei.
At that moment, Pei Qian was planning the interview team's itinerary.
"We can bring them to this attraction in Jingzhou this afternoon and let them walk around. At night, we can bring them to Ming Yun Private Kitchen. I've already planned the menu.
"Tomorrow's Monday. We can take them to Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.
"In the afternoon… We can go to the other attractions in Jingzhou. We'll pick the most expensive ones. At night, they can have dinner at other high-end restaurants.
"We should probably start the interview the day after tomorrow.
"They can talk to staff from various departments over three days. Allow them to get as much material as they need.
"Once they're done, ask them to remain in Jingzhou to rest for a full day before leaving. Get them to stay until Saturday if you can.
"We can have a farewell meal at Ming Yun Private Kitchen on Saturday night. "Then, they can take a flight out of here on Sunday. That's a full week—perfect.
"We have to remember to buy them parting gifts before they leave. Give each of them ten gifts so that they can distribute them to their colleagues when they get back. "Yes, that's about it."
After calculating the total amount of money he could spend this time, Pei Qian could not help but grin.
In Pei Qian's eyes, this team was not here to film an interview with himself. Instead, they were his friends who were here to help him spend money.
As the saying went, one should spare no effort in taking advantage of whatever he laid his hand on.
It was rare for so many people to visit Jingzhou. Pei Qian could not allow them to slip away just like that!
After confirming the itinerary, Pei Qian glanced at his watch. It was almost time to set off.
Once Pei Qian arrived at the hotel, he spotted the interview team, walked up to them, and gave them a warm welcome to Jingzhou.
It was the first time Xia Jiang and the others were seeing Pei Qian. All of them were shocked at how young he was.
After exchanging pleasantries…
"Boss Pei, why don't we head down to your office first? We've already prepared all our equipment, and we can start recording at any moment." All Xia Jiang could think about was work.
"There's no hurry," replied Pei Qian, waving his hands. "Assistant Xin will bring all of you around Jingzhou tonight. Enjoy the sights and smells of this city before getting to work."
Xia Jiang paused. "Huh? Boss Pei, shouldn't we get straight to work? If we have extra time after that, then we can tour the city."
Pei Qian looked solemn as he said, "You'll be working too hard!
"As the saying goes, each place has its way of supporting its inhabitants. Tengda was born and raised in Tengda. If you want to film Tengda, you have to first film Jingzhou. Let's do this: all of you can visit some attractions in Jingzhou and get a feel of the atmosphere and environment. That would aid you in your filming "I have a welcome feast prepared for tonight. You can enjoy Jingzhou's delicacies and get your creative juices flowing. "The guests should follow the hosts; just follow what I have planned for you!
"Alright, everyone! Get on board the cars!"
Just like that, the interview team was pushed onto the cars by Boss Pei and his smooth words. They began their journey around Jingzhou to spend money-no, to enjoy the sights and smells.
Chapter 296 What is a Professional Journalist?
In the evening, they would enjoy Jingzhou's cityscape.
At night, they would eat to their heart's content at Ming Yun Private Kitchen. Xia Jiang and the interview team munched on the huge lobsters. They were very touched by the treatment that they received!
The treatment was out of this world!
The work of a journalist was very varied. There were gravy train tasks, and there were also back-breaking jobs.
In most cases—if the interviewee personally requested the interview, the treatment that the journalists received would be better. The interviewee would cover their transportation and accommodation costs. Sometimes, each of them would even receive a travel allowance ranging from five hundred to a thousand yuan. People would often label that allowance as a 'red packet(1)'.
However, the interview with Tengda was different. The interview was not requested by Tengda, but it was organized by the official platform instead.
Under normal circumstances, Tengda did not need to pay for their travel and accommodation costs.
However, Boss Pei offered to do so!
Not only did Tengda pay for their travel allowance and accommodation cost, but they also offered them the highest quality services such as in terms of the vehicles they used and their meals. That made them feel respected.
Furthermore, this feast that they were enjoying seemed very expensive. Xia Jiang and the team were a little overwhelmed by the treatment that they received!
Xia Jiang was originally considering if she should have a chat with Boss Pei during the meal to collect some interview information beforehand.
However, when the dazzling delicacies were served, she immediately threw that thought at the back of her mind.
She was completely engaged by the food!
Amongst the dishes that were served, many delicacies were something she had only heard of and never seen before. How could she resist the temptation to try them?
Moreover, evidently, the service speed of the attendants there was specially trained. The service timing of every dish was just right. That made the entire meal very enjoyable.
After finishing the dessert, Xia Jiang touched her bloated tummy in shame.
Oh, no! Boss Pei had been too thoughtful the entire time such that she did not find a suitable time to ask her questions!
After leaving Ming Yun Private Kitchen, Xia Jiang took out her phone secretly and opened the Quanmin Reviews app.
She would not know it if she did not check it. The moment she looked up the restaurant, the results shocked her.
Wasn't this place the unnamed restaurant that went viral a while back?
It was said that all the seats at the restaurant had been reserved for the following two or three months. It was too popular. Even Jingzhou City locals might not even find a chance to eat at the restaurant.
Everyone looked at Boss Pei respectfully and gratefully.
They must ensure that the video was of a high standard! They must not let Boss Pei down after all that he had done for them!
Xia Jiang was extremely touched. "Boss Pei, thank you for hosting us!
"We will make the necessary preparations tonight after we return to the hotel. Can we start the interview officially tomorrow morning?"
Pei Qian shook his head and replied, "No, no, no. I have other arrangements for you guys tomorrow."
"I will host you guys over at the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe tomorrow morning. How can you not play some games when interviewing a games company?
"In the afternoon, we will continue to enjoy Jingzhou's beautiful scenery. Jingzhou's rich land fosters many talents, and our city is as pretty as a picture. How can one evening be enough to see it all? You guys have to experience more of it!
"You guys can have a good rest tonight and tomorrow night. After all, you must be tired after all the traveling. We have ample time. Do not be so nervous. We can officially start the interview two days later in the morning."
Xia Jiang was stunned. "Huh? Boss Pei, that's not very appropriate, isn't it?"
Pei Qian smiled and shook his head. "How is that not appropriate? Aren't we all working towards creating a good interview? A guest should suit the convenience of the host. Do not worry. Just follow my arrangements, and we'll be fine."
October 18th…
In the morning, Xia Jiang and the others were surfing the internet and drinking their coffees at the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. They were both shocked and surprised by the cafe's new operating model.
After all, the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes were only located in Jingzhou City and had yet to be spread to other cities.
In the evening, the crowd had another half-day tour of Jingzhou City and toured the remaining places of interest.
At night, Boss Pei arranged for everyone to have dinner at Swan Lake Restaurant.
The reason Boss Pei gave as to why they did not head over to the unnamed restaurant was that they had no more reservations.
Swan Lake Restaurant was a buffet restaurant. Although the environment was still high-class and there was still a huge variety of food, Xia Jiang could sense that the restaurant was much more inferior as compared to the nameless restaurant!
The difference could be felt from the ingredients, chef's skills, dining environment, services, and other aspects. However, if she had to pinpoint exactly where the differences were, she would not be able to do it.
She could only conclude that the differences in the tiny details could accumulate and result in a huge difference in the overall experience.
Xia Jiang was not displeased with that. On the contrary, she was even more touched.
This meal at Swan Lake Restaurant was already high-class enough. However, it was barely comparable to the unnamed restaurant.
That showed that the welcoming reception that Boss Pei had hosted was indeed very deluxe! Surely, ordinary people who come to Jingzhou could not enjoy such treatment, could they?
Boss Pei was so amazing! He had been really generous!
In the eyes of Xia Jiang and the others, Boss Pei's image was infinitely enlarged. They felt slightly heartbroken to think that Boss Pei had been so low-key even after producing so many classic games.
They were not doing their job for not making a report on Boss Pei sooner!
They must do well in this interview. They could not disappoint Boss Pei after the meal that he invited them to last night!
At night…
Xia Jiang returned to the hotel. She took out her laptop and started typing furiously. She began sorting out the direction of the interview tomorrow.
She would be a little embarrassed if she continued neglecting her work.
After arriving at Jingzhou City two days ago, they had first toured the city. Then, they enjoyed a scrumptious meal and rested for the night.
Today, they went over to the internet cafe and toured some more tourist attractions in Jingzhou City. Then, they had another feast at night.
They had truly dined and wined to satiety and were thoroughly recharged.
"The schedule that Boss Pei planned had been very reasonable. He had really spent quite some effort on it.
"Jingzhou City is such a huge city. It is impossible to finish touring the entire city in one day. Therefore, he had specially arranged for the city tours to be held on two separate evenings.
"The weather in the evening is more subtle and suitable to head outside. At the same time, he ensured that the events every day were not too taxing and that they would not tire us.
"Moreover, we had truly captured some clips and obtained information that could be used in the interview itself during the tours."
Xia Jiang recalled the things that she heard and saw these two days. The good stuff that she had eaten instantly transformed into nutrition and was absorbed by her brain. She had an explosion of ideas.
Especially at the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, she played some of Tengda's games using the high configuration computers and experienced a completely different gaming experience. That allowed her to have a deeper understanding of Boss Pei's game design philosophy.
Her ideas were exploding in that instant.
Xia Jiang believed that Boss Pei's avant-garde game design philosophy would create sparks with her top-notch writing abilities. That would make this interview a hot topic in the gaming circle!
The next day, the interview team reached Tengda's office building early in the morning. Although the spacious and grandiose working environment shocked the interview team, the surprises that they had experienced these two days trained them to remain calm.
They had a segment later where they would interview the employees of the company. The impressive office space was definitely that they could talk about and film. They must not let the chance slip away.
The main task today was the interview with Boss Pei. The interview location was at Tengda's guest reception room.
The lead cameraman had set up the main camera. He showed an 'OK' sign with his hand, indicating that they could start at any moment.
Two other moving cameras were carried by two other cameramen. They were filming from other angles to collect clips that could be used during editing.
Xia Jiang was sitting on the couch. She realized that she was surprisingly a little nervous. She rarely felt that way.
Pei Qian noticed the three cameras from outside the guest room. He was immediately on his guard. He pulled Assistant Xin over and gave her some simple instructions.
After two minutes, Assistant Xin came to the guest room and conveyed Boss Pei's words to Xia Jiang
"Chief Editor Xia, Boss Pei hopes that you can put away the cameras during his interview and only produce a written script instead. You can still use the video clips only for the interviews with other employees."
Xia Jiang was stunned. "How is that possible? Boss Pei is the focal point of this interview!"
The crew had taken a lot of footage of Jingzhou's scenery and Tengda's working environment. They had also organized many in-depth interviews with the employees. After all that effort, the focal point of the interview did not show his face. That did not sound appropriate.
Assistant Xin smiled and said, "Chief Editor Xia, I'll be honest with you. Boss Pei is a very low-profile person. He doesn't like showcasing himself to the viewers."
"Boss Pei did not plan on accepting the interview initially.
"However, he felt that the laurels did not only belong to him. Their achievements were the result of the efforts of all the employees at Tengda. Therefore, he wanted to find an opportunity where the employees could receive their deserved acclamation. "Thus, Boss Pei hopes that the interview would focus on his employees. His own interview would be a simple written one.
"Don't worry, Chief Editor Xia. We've selected the core employees of our company, each of them in charge of one entire business. They would also have very interesting stories to share."
Xia Jiang was very hesitant.
She had come all this way, and yet she could not even film Boss Pei? The exclusive interview would lack substance!
Pure words without videos would greatly discount the effect of the interview.
However, Boss Pei had treated the entire interview team so well. His sincerity was obvious. If Boss Pei did not want to be in the limelight, they could not possibly force him to, right?
Xia Jiang pondered for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, since Boss Pei does not want to be in the limelight, we will do as he says. I'll improvise as we go along and try my best to adhere to Boss Pei's requests while ensuring that the interview would turn out well."
The cameramen switched off their cameras. They would only switch them on again when the employees were being interviewed.
Pei Qian walked into the guest room, sat down on the sofa, and prepared to be interviewed.
Although Xia Jiang looked disheartened that the cameras were off, she was a professional reporter after all. She had tons of experience hosting interviews. Thus, she quickly regained her composure and ran through the important questions she had prepared in her head.
"Boss Pei, we know that Tengda has produced many reputable and profitable games ever since it started. Gamers across the board love your games. What made you decide to enter the game industry and not other industries back then? Did a special opportunity present itself?"
After a moment of silence, Pei Qian said, "It was a rash decision on my part. I really regret this decision; if only I had chosen other industries instead."
"Huh?" Xia Jiang responded.
Then, she giggled. "Boss Pei, you're joking. The games you've created have received high praises. Obviously, you've accumulated profound knowledge. Otherwise, how could you have created deeply meaningful games like Game Designer and Repent and be Saved?
Pei Qian smiled bitterly. "It's true. Until now, I haven't figured out how to use the official game editor.
"As for how I created those games…
"I couldn't help it. My employees are too 'outstanding'."
Boss Pei said this through gritted teeth.
Xia Jiang's expression turned somber. She began writing furiously in her notebook.
'He is a bold, imaginative, and unique designing genius. Yet, he has never systematically learned knowledge relevant to game design. Is this what people call a 'natural prodigy'?
'He has never been constrained to the traditional methods of designing games. Instead, he tosses aside all restraints and allows his own ideas to take flight.
'He trusts his employees completely.
'He's humble and open-minded, giving his employees all credit without seeking to steal credit or glorify himself. He's extremely low-profile!'
[1] This is a monetary gift given during special occasions in Chinese culture
Chapter 297 Your Mind is like the Sea of Stars in the Sky
Xia Jiang quickly finished taking everything down and then said, "Boss Pei, we know that every game Tengda has created so far has been very profitable and reputable. That's very rare.
"Many game developers only focus on profits and choose to sacrifice games' reputation. As a result, potentially amazing works normally fail midway through.
"Other game developers focus more on the quality of their games and refuse to cut corners. As a result, they have good reputations but not enough profits. Some don't even earn enough to fund their daily operations.
"One has to admit that both of these are sorry situations to be in.
"Can you share with us how you achieve both profit and reputation at the same time?"
Pei Qian let out a soft sigh. "Actually, I'm not at all interested in making profits.
"I have never thought about how to balance building a reputation and making profits. However, for some reason, as Tengda's reputation improves; sales would increase, and we would generate more profits.
"We're earning so much now that it's becoming suffocating."
"I don't understand why gamers would keep praising our games and stuffing their money into our hands. This troubles me deeply."
Xia Jiang nodded with a serious expression as she furiously took notes.
'A designer who has stopped finding pleasure in the material world but has a greater desire for spirituality and mental strength.
'A soul whose burdens do not ease off a single bit no matter how much he earns.
'He is satisfied with just a bit of material pleasure, but his thirst for spiritual and mental improvement is insatiable.
'He never worries about his goals being unattainable. Instead, he keeps reflecting on himself.
"Have I not achieved that level of spiritual and mental strength?' He often asks himself this.'
After taking these down, Xia Jiang spoke again, "Boss Pei, you've already achieved such outstanding results. What's your next
goal?"
Pei Qian cleared his throat, his face a mask of seriousness. "My goal has never changed. My aim has always been to make a loss-incurring game."
Xia Jiang paused, nodded, and then started writing once again.
'Was this because he had already won so much in life?'
'Most designers spend their entire lives working towards creating a successful game. Yet, he secretly hopes for and seeks failure.
'Perhaps victory is a bore to him now. Maybe one unexpected failure could provide him with more of a challenge.
'He makes failure his goal and can put down what he takes up.
'Many people work hard to succeed, but a rare few seek failure.
'One can hardly imagine what kind of perilous situations he had been through in order for him to have such strong mental capacity, that he isn't even afraid of great losses.'
Xia Jiang felt the words flowing smoothly to her. The sound of her pen scratching the surface of her notebook continued for a long time.
Pei Qian, who was seated opposite her, began to seriously question his life. Question after question surfaced in his mind as he began soul-searching.
Why doesn't she seem shocked by my answers?
What exactly is she writing?
Why does she look like she understands what I'm saying?
Pei Qian felt increasingly uncomfortable.
Director, there must be something wrong with the script! I've been running my mouth off. Why isn't this reporter expressing any doubts? Instead, she's taking down notes very seriously as if I'm giving her golden advice… Pei Qian stole a glance at Xia Jiang's notebook, but the words looked like scribbling. He could not recognize a single word.
Should I ask?
Yet, that seemed inappropriate.
Which interviewee would ask his interviewer what kind of notes the latter was taking? That would be akin to doubting the interviewer's professionalism and skills. It would be too rude.
Pei Qian appeared calm and nonchalant as he smiled. However, his heart was filled with confusion. He could not help but feel like something was wrong.
Soon, Xia Jiang asked the next question. "Let's talk about your latest work, Repent and be Saved.
"Everyone knows that you work on a different game genre each time. What internally motivates you to continuously venture into different territories?
"Is it because you're brave and you want to push yourself outside your comfort zone? Is it because you want to learn as much as you can? Or is it because you have a superior attitude towards games and the world?"
Pei Qian was speechless.
This was getting increasingly ridiculous!
The earlier questions were more objective. However, this one made Xia Jiang's bias very obvious!
Pei Qian shook his head, denying it at once. "None of the above. I purely want to venture into uncharted territory, so that I can increase my chances of failure."
This time, Xia Jiang did not write anything down. Instead, she smiled and said, "I understand."
Pei Qian's mind was filled with question marks.
What the h*ll do you understand?! I hate know-it-alls like you the most!
Pei Qian was completely speechless. He was now a hundred percent sure that this reporter had misunderstood him. What's more, it was probably a grave and ridiculous misunderstanding. Pei Qian was frantic. Yet, his good sense told him to remain calm.
Whether this reporter had misunderstood him or not, Pei Qian could not forget his original motive.
He had to try his best to reduce his popularity! He had to make himself look bad among gamers so as to reduce his sales volume. It would be best if he could even cause his next game to fail! At that thought, Pei Qian regained his composure and gestured for Xia Jiang to carry on with the interview.
Xia Jiang asked, "Many professional critics have commented on Repent and be Saved. Did you expect the professional critics to say whatever they did about the game?"
Pei Qian shook his head profusely. "Not at
all!"
Xia Jiang smiled. "Had you originally thought that the game's meaning was extremely well-hidden, then? Were you prepared for people not to understand it?"
"Huh? No." Pei Qian shook his head again. "I didn't think people would over-analyze the game to this extent."
"Over-analyze it?" Xia Jiang picked up her pen again. Pei Qian nodded. "That's right, they've gone overboard. "The storyline they are praising was not created by me. I just found random literature graduates from school and made them come up with whatever they could.
"The game was not made difficult for immersiveness either. I only wanted to torture players with that game. Seeing players suffer is my guilty pleasure.
"Do you understand what I mean?"
Pei Qian looked very serious.
Xia Jiang nodded, equally seriously. "I understand, I understand."
Pei Qian was speechless."…" Xia Jiang picked up her pen and began writing some notes. However, sensing that something was missing, she asked, "What's with the Pudu, then?"
Pei Qian answered truthfully. "It was a weapon I created for myself to cheat. Players found out about it by accident."
Xia Jiang nodded. "So you played the game as well."
Pei Qian was silent.
What should he say? He didn't play it?
There was no need to lie about such a simple question, right? What's more, nobody would have believed him.
Should he say he did, then?
Yet, that seemed inappropriate as well. He had already said that the game was created to torture gamers. If he said he played it as well, wouldn't others mistake him for a masochist?
Thus, Pei Qian found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
Xia Jiang gave him a knowing look and continued writing in her notebook.
'Boss Pei's sense of humor has left a lasting impression on me.
'Perhaps successful and mentally strong men like him all have an innate sense of humor. Even a normally boring and formal interview could become fun and amusing with him.
'Boss Pei had straightforwardly admitted that Repent and be Saved was meant to torture gamers.
'However, before he tortured others, he tortured himself first. While players suffered through the game, most would not guess that the creator of the game had gone through the exact same experience as they did beforehand.
'He said that the Pudu was meant for himself, but who's to say it was not meant for everyone else?
'He had to produce a way to save everyone before he could be viewed as a savior.
'If not for the great mercy and sacrifice of someone like him, how could Repent and be Saved have been created?'
Pei Qian had already put everything plainly. However, looking at the serious Xia Jiang writing diligently in her book, he suddenly felt helpless. It's useless! She's not listening! She doesn't understand me at all! We're on completely different frequencies!
Pei Qian had no idea how to answer the next question anymore.
Xia Jiang finished taking notes and prepared to ask the next question. However, Pei Qian quickly lifted his hand to stop her. "Chief Editor Xia…" "Yes? Go ahead, Boss Pei." Xia Jiang looked earnest.
Pei Qian tried hard to find the right words. "Don't you think that you could have… misunderstood whatever I just told you?"
Pei Qian had thought he had already done a good job of expressing doubt in Chief Editor Xia's abilities. Yet, Xia Jiang did not look mad at all. Instead, she smiled as she nodded.
"Boss Pei, I understand.
"Your thinking is too deep. As hard as I try to guess the true meaning behind your words, I can only be partly correct at most. "This can be likened to the sea of stars in the sky. No matter how far we try to look, we will only be able to see specks of light. Still, an entire galaxy of beauty exists behind the darkness, and we fail to appreciate it. "I'm sorry, Boss Pei. I'm trying my best."
Pei Qian was confused. "?".
Did I doubt how hard you're trying? You are trying hard indeed-you're trying hard to misunderstand me!
Why can't I get through to you?!
No, this interview absolutely cannot carry on any longer. If this carries on, who could say what the final product would look like?!
Pei Qian was just about to think of an excuse to leave when his cell phone rang. He retrieved it and saw that it was his 10 AM alarm to get out of bed.
Normally, if there was nothing to attend to in the office, Pei Qian would sleep until 10 am. Since the interview had been set for 9 am, Pei Qian had set an additional alarm to get out of bed earlier today.
Now, the 10 AM alarm was ringing. Pei Qian quickly switched it off and then raised his phone to his ear, acting like he was answering a call. "Oh, okay. Give me a while. I'll be there as soon as I can."
After putting his cell phone away, he acted apologetic and said, "Chief Editor Xia, it's really unfortunate. I have to tend to some work matters.
"Can you interview my employees instead? I have to make a move." Chief Editor Xia nodded quickly. "Ah, alright, Boss Pei! I've already gained a lot from today's interview. Please do what you have to."
Pei Qian silently turned and left.
Forget it! If I can't fight, I'll take flight!
If I continue with the interview, I might be made into a god to worship. I have to leave as quickly as I can!
As Xia Jiang watched Boss Pei leave, she quietly wrote another line in her notebook.
'The scariest thing in the world is a genius who works even harder than ordinary people.'
Once she was done, Chief Editor Xia gestured for the camera crew to grab their cameras.
"Let me see who we should interview first."
Chapter 298 Chemistry between the Interviewer and the Interviewee
Pei Qian walked out of the guest room, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
One could say he had seen this coming. The interview team did indeed have something up their sleeves!
Pei Qian had thought he could easily deal with the problem by patronizing them. It was just an interview after all. He intended to casually say a few things for the reporter to take down and the readers to read. He would do the minimum required and then pretend that all of this never happened.
He never thought that Chief Editor Xia would be so good at twisting the facts!
From the looks of the current situation, this was no small problem. If he did not handle this well, there could be dire consequences!
Pei Qian quickly pulled Assistant Xin aside. "Who is Chief Editor Xia planning to interview?"
Assistant Xin pondered for a moment and said, "She's going to interview the more outstanding employees in Tengda-people like Huang Sibo, Bao Xu, Lin Wan, Lu Mingliang…"
Pei Qian took in a cold breath.
These were the people who constantly gave Boss Pei trouble!
Most of them were outstanding employees, who had been sent away, and problematic people like Bao Xu, who Pei Qian had to keep a close eye on.
What's more, all of these back-stabbing employees had one thing in common: wild imaginations. Huang Sibo, Bao Xu, and Lin Wan were all infuriatingly imaginative monsters.
If Chief Editor Xia interviewed all of them, the effects of their wild imaginations might not simply be a matter of addition. Instead, it might be a matter of multiplication or exponential growth.
Could anyone read the interview then? It would probably be so filled with praise that Boss Pei would have a heart attack.
Pei Qian wanted to arrange for others to be interviewed instead, but he realized that would be inappropriate.
For one, he could not guarantee that the other employees were not as imaginative as those few. Moreover, if he sent ordinary employees at the lowest level to be interviewed, they might expose their own ranks to Chief Editor Xia. That would be unacceptable as well.
Chief Editor Xia would surely be curious as to why Pei Qian had not arranged for core employees to be interviewed. She might even suspect that he was trying to hide something.
If Chief Editor Xia went on to interview the imaginative freaks in secret, Boss Pei would have a huge surprise.
Just the thought of that terrified Pei Qian. He could hardly imagine it.
Thus, he decided to allow those people to be interviewed.
As for how he could save himself…
After some thought, Pei Qian said, "Tell them not to mention me at all during the interview Even if they do, they cannot say a single good thing about me, understand?"
Xin Hailu was stunned. "Boss Pei, this… sounds quite difficult."
Pei Qian waved his hand. "This is an order. They must do it. Go and tell them now."
Xin Hailu nodded, retrieved her cell phone, and quickly highlighted the employees who were about to be interviewed. Then, she added them to a group and sent Boss Pei's instructions to them.
After that, Assistant Xin went to the guest room to leave Chief Editor Xia some brief instructions.
Even then, Pei Qian could not relax.
However, he had already told Chief Editor Xia that he had other work matters to tend to. That meant he could not remain in the office for much longer.
Thus, despite not being able to relax, Pei Qian left the office. He decided to take his time in coming up with a solution tomorrow-after today's interviews were completed.
Huang Sibo walked into the guest room and saw a set-up that he had never seen before. He could not help but feel slightly nervous.
There were three cameras: one on a tripod and two roaming around to film scenes from different angles. In addition, Chief Editor Xia looked exceptionally professional. All of these showed how high the standards for this interview were.
It was reasonable for Huang Sibo to be the first to be interviewed since he had also been the first to win the Dream Fund.
He had thought that this would be an ordinary interview where he would only have to answer questions straightforwardly. He did not think too much of it.
In any case, Boss Pei was the main subject. As long as he painted an accurate picture of Boss Pei and answered whatever questions the interviewer had for him truthfully, he would be fine, right?
Yet, reality was different from his expectations.
Before Huang Sibo entered the guest room, he received a very important message, telling him not to mention Boss Pei at all during the interview. Moreover, even if he absolutely had to, he was not allowed to praise him.
Tense
Immediately, Huang Sibo felt immense pressure.
He did not suspect much. Boss Pei's ways had always been inexplicable and unique. Every seemingly illogical action and request had a deeper and more complex meaning.
Huang Sibo and most employees in Tengda were already used to this by now. He would not be allowed to praise Boss Pei, but he definitely could not insult him either.
Only retarded people would diss their own bosses in important interviews like that.
What's more, all of them owed Boss Pei a lot. They would be guilt-stricken if they badmouthed him during the interview.
Thus, Huang Sibo decided not to mention Boss Pei at all.
Yet, what if, by following Boss Pei's requests; he failed to complete the interview?
After all, three cameras were facing him. Many gamers would watch the final video. He could not possibly blow smoke in front of hundreds of thousands of gamers for the sake of following Boss Pei's instructions, right? He would embarrass Tengda in front of all of those people!
Huang Sibo was in a dilemma.
Thus, he thought hard about what exactly he should say in order to satisfy Boss Pei's requests and complete the interview properly to avoid drawing suspicions.
He could not come up with anything brilliant in such a short time. He had no choice but to listen to Chief Editor Xia's questions and think quickly on his feet.
While this was happening, Xia Jiang flipped through the list of employees who were going to be interviewed as if she was preparing to fight a formidable enemy.
Xia Jiang had obtained this name list before the interview. She had all the information she needed, including the employees' resumes, the businesses they were in charge of, and their outstanding achievements.
That could save the team a lot of time trying to dig out information from the interviewees, and they could thus be more productive.
Assistant Xin had informed Xia Jiang that Boss Pei did not want his employees to talk about him during the interview. Instead, he wanted the interviews to focus on these outstanding employees' inner worlds.
Xia Jiang seemed to understand. Boss Pei was a low-profile person who did not want to overshadow his employees. Thus, he left all his facetime to them instead.
This was an extremely rare and valuable quality! If someone else had done this, Xia Jiang would have suspected their motives. However, Xia Jiang thought it fitting of Boss Pei to give instructions like that. Thus, she decided to respect Boss Pei's intentions and avoid mentioning him as much as possible.
Yet, was that enough?
Xia Jiang did not think so.
Boss Pei could remain completely indifferent to material rewards and avoid competing for fame. However, as a professional reporter, Xia Jiang had the power to show everyone Boss Pei's lofty and unsullied character! She also had a duty to expose the truth to her audience!
How could she respect Boss Pei's wishes for her not to mention him and put his lofty and unsullied character on display for the world to see?
It would be an extremely difficult task, but Xia Jiang was already prepared.
Huang Sibo sat down on the couch. Xia Jiang quickly flipped through his resume and then commenced the interview.
Smiling, Xia Jiang said, "For a reason we both are aware of, there will be some changes to the contents of today's interview. "You'll just need to voice your thoughts and answer my questions truthfully, alright?"
Huang Sibo quickly nodded.
Indeed, Xia Jiang was a professional reporter. She had already solved his problems. His worries had been unfounded.
"We all know that you're an old employee of Tengda. The company had probably not been established for long before you joined. Can you tell us why you joined a company like that back then?" Xia Jiang asked.
Huang Sibo recalled what it was like at the time.
"Back then, I was doing odd jobs at another game company in Jingzhou. I was being paid very little for the work I was doing, and I happened to come across Tengda's recruitment advertisement online. I decided to try my luck.
"When I went for the interview, I bumped into my previous chief planner, Old Liu. I found out that he did not pass the interview. That made me extremely apprehensive.
"When I walked into the office, I realized that it was a start-up. However, the working environment looked very good. That made me want to work there all the more.
"I introduced myself, my current job at the time, and my skills truthfully. Then, I was offered a generous salary that far exceeded my expectations. That's how… I started working here."
Huang Sibo carefully avoided mentioning Boss Pei as he recounted the story.
Xia Jiang seemed to notice that and nodded. Then, she asked a few specific questions about what Huang Sibo described.
"The company chose you, and not your previous chief planner who had much more experience than you did?"
Huang Sibo nodded. "That's right."
"At the time, Tengda was only a start-up, and yet the working environment was extraordinary, right?"
"Yes."
"You said you were offered a salary that far exceeded your expectations. How was this communicated to you?"
After some thought, Huang Sibo said, "Er… I mentioned a figure, and then I was offered double of that."
Xia Jiang shot Huang Sibo a look of approval.
That's right! That's the feeling I wanted to create!
Now that they had established some chemistry, the interview became much smoother.
"Before you started working on Ocean Stronghold, its general framework was already set, right? The game's advertising method… you weren't sure about it at first,
right?"
"After Ocean Stronghold was completed, you left Tengda Games. Can you briefly tell us about that?"
"In the beginning, Fei Huang Workspace was incurring losses. Yet, you insisted on turning low-end partnerships down unlike most other content creators. That was because someone had given you a warning against them, right?"
The questions came one after another. Huang Sibo answered every question that Xia Jiang asked, and the conversation progressed pleasantly.
It was not until noon that Huang Sibo's interview finally came to a close.
Xia Jiang was very satisfied with this interview. She stood up and shook Huang Sibo's hand.
"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be interviewed. I hope your work will go smoothly and that you will continue to achieve success!"
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe…
Pei Qian, who had been playing games, glanced at the clock. It was almost noon. The first interview should have been done by now, right?
Since he had no idea what exactly was said, Pei Qian could not help but feel unsettled.
Yet, he was too embarrassed to ask. He could only hope that his treasured employees would be obedient, follow his instructions, and not mention him at all.
The more Pei Qian thought about it, the more ridiculous the situation seemed.
Why was he feeling so apprehensive when other people would be the ones being interviewed?
Chapter 299 Life Had Cruelly Molded Boss Pei into a Great Actor
In the afternoon…
The second person to be interviewed was Bao Xu.
Xia Jiang had already roughly understood the structure. Thus, she felt more comfortable during this interview.
"You used to be what most would call an 'internet addict'. You basically lived in internet cafes, getting through life muddle-headed without any real aim. Is that right?"
"How did you end up in Tengda, then?" "Your first job was as a concept designer for a game. This is a critical role because the concept design is the soul of every game. How do you think you got that position back then?"
"Tengda holds selections for 'outstanding employees' regularly. Although you've been placed second, you still got a paid one-month holiday. How do you feel about this?"
"In fact, you won second place for 'outstanding employee' twice. You've been here for almost a year, but for two months, you were on a paid holiday. Most people would be quite envious. Why do you feel so troubled?"
Soon, Bao Xu's interview ended as well.
Lin Wan was next.
"Why did you choose to leave Sun Strike Studios for a newly-established Tengda back then?"
"In the first few months after Tengda Games was established, you were working on very basic tasks. Later, you were suddenly made the director of the newly-acquired Shang Yang Games. One could say that it's quite a huge responsibility. Why do you think you were transferred to this role?"
"When you took over Shang Yang Games, the company was incurring losses. Bloody Battle Song was a mini-client when the company first released it, and it was also unpopular. However, its popularity shot through the roof when you turned it into a mobile game. What made you think about turning it into a mobile
game?"
"You have already proven your capabilities now. What is your next goal?"
October 22nd, Friday…
Yesterday, Tengda's employees were interviewed about the company.
According to the original plan, the interview team was to remain in Jingzhou through Friday and Saturday. They were to roam around and eat, drink, and be merry. A farewell feast at Ming Yun Private Kitchen had been planned for Saturday night. On Sunday, they were to receive gifts and be sent off at the airport.
Pei Qian only dared to show his face in the office when he found out that the interviews were done.
Before that, Pei Qian indirectly asked Huang Sibo and Lu Mingliang about their interviews as well. Once he found out that they strictly kept to their word and revealed nothing about Boss Pei, Pei Qian relaxed slightly.
As for what the interview would turn out like…
Pei Qian could not imagine it now. However, since his own interview had been written, he guessed that he would not feature too strongly. Of course, he could not harbor too much hope as well.
Pei Qian had to guard against Chief Editor Xia because it seemed like the latter would praise him highly.
However, after some thought, Pei Qian concluded that things could not possibly be that bad.
After all, the officials had conducted many similar interviews before. Most brilliant, celebrity game designers in the country had already been featured in their interviews. None of them were ridiculously praised.
The official platform only conducted interviews like that to introduce gamers to excellent game companies and designers. It was only natural that they would paint them in a good light.
Yet, such interviews rarely had obvious effects. Instead, the effect they had after being published on the official platform was similar to placing the game in a good recommendation spot.
Of course, Pei Qian had drastic thoughts like chasing Xia Jiang and her team out of Tengda. However, on further thought, he concluded that he could not do such a thing. Did he really want to fall out with the official platform and media over something like that?
Was it worth it?
Others would begin to suspect that Boss Pei was insane. Then, he might not be able to incur losses, but his reputation would be completely destroyed. It would be akin to social suicide.
Thus, Pei Qian had no choice but to submit to his fate.
As the saying went, one could not slap a smiling face. The interview team had traveled a long way just to conduct this interview. What's more, they had nothing but good things to say about Tengda and Boss Pei. Of course, Pei Qian could not get angry with them.
In the morning, Pei Qian arrived at the hotel to meet Chief Editor Xia and her team.
"Chief Editor Xia, did the interviews go well? I'm sorry, I've been quite busy with work, and so I could not be interviewed longer."
As Pei Qian casually blew smoke, his expression and heart rate remained the same.
He was used to doing things like that. Life had cruelly molded Boss Pei into a great actor.
Xia Jiang smiled and shook her head subtly. "Boss Pei, don't stand on ceremony.
"You leave no stone unturned and work hard at your job, in order to contribute to the local game industry and Jingzhou's economy. You're really a role model for entrepreneurs.
"It's my honor to interview you, Boss Pei.
"Don't worry. The interviews went very well. I'm sure you'll be extremely pleased with the report!"
Pei Qian's heart thudded. It felt like something was wrong.
If Xia Jiang had grabbed his hand at that moment, begging for a few more shots or asking a few more questions; it would show that the report would turn out badly.
Yet, Xia Jiang looked very confident. Pei Qian began to panic.
What the h*ll did you get from the interviews?
What would the final video look like?
I can't imagine…
However, Pei Qian could not possibly ask them to do everything from scratch. Wouldn't that be akin to courting death?
Thus, Pei Qian could only curse inwardly and smile. "Thank you for your hard work, Chief Editor Xia! Go and enjoy Jingzhou over the next few days. Fully immerse yourself in the local culture!
"I've organized a farewell feast for all of you this Saturday and prepared a small parting gift. Chief Editor Xia, please thank the head of the official platform on our behalf."
Xia Jiang quickly nodded. "Alright, Boss Pei! I will!"
"Have a good time, everyone. I'm going back to work, and I will not see you for the rest of the day!" Pei Qian said his goodbyes to everyone in the team and then left with Assistant Xin.
Once he walked out of the hotel lobby, Pei Qian turned to Assistant Xin with a somber expression. "Arrange for them to go to Jingzhou's amusement park, Xin Tiandi. Buy them tickets to roller coasters, drop towers, pendulum rides, the haunted house, Bungee jumping… and everything! Let them have a good time and make sure we host them well!
"Sign them up for skydiving the day after tomorrow as well. We must make sure they fully experience Jingzhou's local culture!"
…
The interviews that had been causing Pei Qian's head to throb were finally done.
Now, Pei Qian felt like a student who had just finished taking his exams. Although he did not know if he would pass, he knew that he had filled in all the blanks.
In any case, fate would decide how the final product would turn out!
When he got back to his office, he turned his sorrow into motivation and got back to working on 1024 Digital Day. Over the last few days—while the interviews were being conducted, everyone at Upwind Logistics and the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes had been busy with preparation work. They were only two days away from October 24th. They were nearly done with preparations.
Zhang Yuan had already rented several warehouses near the Fish-Catching Internet Cafes. He had also found huge warehouses in relatively cheap areas in Jingzhou's outskirts. Those would be used specifically to store computer hardware.
Of course, there were too many warehouses. No matter how many computer parts and peripherals Zhang Yuan ordered, the warehouses would not be filled up. After all, ROF did not have many customers yet; and there was no need to have so many stocks prepared.
Still, Pei Qian did not see anything wrong with it. The warehouses could remain empty. Wasted space meant wasted money. He could not ask for anything better.
Apart from that, Pei Qian did some work to prepare everyone for the immense pressure that the event would cause.
He recruited huge groups of temporary, part-time workers for Fish-Catching Take-Out and Upwind Logistics. They were to be paid according to how much they worked during this period.
After all, Fish-Catching Take-Out and Upwind Logistics were sure to be extremely busy during this period. Even with the bonus incentives for completing deliveries, the delivery men would not be able to cope with the workload.
If take-out was delivered too slowly or packages piled up, Pei Qian would be in trouble.
Their reputation would probably not be ruined, but it would affect how much loss the companies incurred.
Anything that might cause Boss Pei to incur less loss had to be dealt with at once!
1024 Digital Day's event was set to last from October 24th to October 31st. During this event period, all of Fish-Catching Take-Out's food would be sold at a discounted price. Delivery charges would also be waived.
Those who sent their parcels to Upwind Courier stations would also have their delivery charges waived, and doorstep deliveries would be free of charge as well. ROF had three types of systems, but during the event period, all systems would be sold at their cost price.
At the same time, they would offer free upgrades for the first 100 customers. After that, they would also hold ballots and allow lucky customers to upgrade their systems from the 7,999-yuan one to the 11,999-yuan, or from the 11,999-yuan one to the 15,999-yuan at no charge.
Customers who chose the 15,999-yuan system would not get free upgrades, but ROF would refund four thousand yuan to them. That would be akin to getting a 15,999-yuan system for 11,999 yuan.
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe would hold ballots at regular intervals and give out entire systems to lucky winners.
Although preparations were still underway for the event, the various businesses were marketing the event at different intensities.
Fish-Catching Take-Out, the Upwind Courier stations, and ROF were already marketing the event as much as possible, spending a sum of advertising fee in the process. Fish-Catching Take-Out had put up information about the event on their application's 'events' page. Delivery men were also distributing flyers with every take-out order now.
Upwind Logistics' delivery men were also distributing flyers about the event with every parcel. Concurrently, Lu Mingliang contacted several express delivery companies, inviting them to send as many parcels as possible to Upwind Logistics during this period.
Fish-Catching Internet Cafe was advertising ROF's sales.
However, one particular activity was not being publicized: Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's lucky draw where customers stood to win a system unit.
They would not blow trumpets and make announcements on this particular activity. Winners of the lucky draw would be informed in private, in order to prevent news about the event from getting out. As Pei Qian worked, he felt the weight on his shoulders ease off little by little.
Although there were still many other details to work out, Pei Qian felt that he could more or less catch a break now.
Logically, running a huge promotional event like that should guarantee huge losses. Settlement had been set for October 31st. No new projects would be released from October 24th to 31st. Otherwise, settlement would be delayed.
Based on what he had planned for the duration of the event, Pei Qian guessed that losing seven or eight hundred thousand yuan would be a piece of cake. At that thought, Pei Qian leaned back in his chair and prepared to rest and watch some shows.
The hardworking Boss Pei could not stand being overwhelmed with work all day.
Yet, at that moment, he received a message on his cell phone. It was from Li Yada.
"Boss Pei! Repent and be Saved has been translated into English and Japanese, and the foreign versions are almost complete. The officials have decided to release them on the platform tomorrow! They have very good marketing material prepared. Boss Pei, you can go and take a look."
"???"
Pei Qian stared at his cell phone, completely dazed.
Sh*t! I forgot about this!
The official platform settled its accounts every week. Tengda would receive its share of the income on Monday.
It was already Friday. If the officials released Repent and be Saved's foreign versions on Saturday, Tengda would receive Saturday and Sunday's profits on Monday. Once again, a huge sum of money was dropping from the sky.
Pei Qian fell silent.
Five minutes later, he re-opened the document containing the list of activities during the event period. Bitterly, he began to edit it. What f*cking rest?! I have to keep working!