At the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe's branch at Ming Yun Villas during the night...
Qiao Liang drank coffee and checked the reviews on the internet about the Thriller Hostel. His brows furrowed and relaxed from time to time.
At present, there were not many reviews about the Thriller Hostel. It was not comparable to the situation when Tengda's new games were released. There were basically no awkward bad comments about them, but neither were there huge praises.
Qiao Liang could feel that something was not right.
It was not necessarily a good thing to have no bad comments. It was also possible there was no enthusiasm for discussion since there was not enough interest!
That meant to say that not everyone understood the hard work that Boss Pei put into the Thriller Hostel.
If this situation were to continue, then the results would be obvious: the Thriller Hostel would be gradually abandoned due to the lack of traffic, and it would be ruined!
Qiao Liang knew that he would never allow something like that to happen.
His greatest mission was to make everyone understand Boss Pei's intentions!
He quickly scanned through these comments and locked onto some representative points of view.
"I think there is nothing wrong with the horror house itself. They have invested a lot of resources, and the details are done well. However, it is a horror house—not a comprehensive amusement park, that is the biggest problem!"
"Who would deliberately travel so far just to be scared other than for a few horror enthusiasts?"
"I think there is a major problem with the pricing strategy of Thriller Hostel. Desperate Escape was the most fun and suitable for multiple players to experience repeatedly, and yet the ticket is only 10 yuan? Everyone was queuing..."
"The location isn't very convenient either. It would be better if it was in an amusement park in Jingzhou or at least somewhere with better transport?"
"The price of Ultimate Horror is too expensive; who would want to spend 100 yuan to suffer...?"
"I'm also not optimistic about the follow-up development of this place. The choice to make a haunted house is already a niche market, the location is far, and the pricing is strange.
"If it was not because of the strong publicity from Tengda, it would probably not be known at all. Now, it is just a waste of resources to do the publicity. It will probably collapse soon..."
There were many similar comments; most people did not have any opinion on the Thriller Hostel itself. As a haunted house, it could indeed be ranked in the country, but it was obviously not attractive enough in the follow-up.
Most people concluded that it would still be a good deal if one was a local and visited it with friends. However, if one was not a local and not a horror lover, then it would be obviously not cost-effective to go all the way to be frightened.
The most discussed issues here were mainly focused on the positioning and pricing of the Thriller Hostel, which was believed to be the key factor leading to the subsequent weakness of this project.
Everyone had different opinions on whom to throw the blame to.
Some people said that Boss Pei would definitely not make such a low-level mistake, and it was definitely the fault of the person-in-charge.
Some said something as important as the pricing strategy must have been reported to Boss Pei so it was impossible for him not to know. There were calls not to deify Boss Pei; Boss Pei was an ordinary person and would make mistakes.
In short, the current situation of Thriller Hostel was not good.
Some UP Masters might be introducing the Thriller Hostel experience on the Aili Island video website, and the contents were very comprehensive. However, the responses were mediocre. They were not popular; neither did they become very good publicity.
Qiao Liang could not help but complain on behalf of Boss Pei especially since one of the most exaggerated comments was: "I think the brain of the person-in-charge was fried; he probably had too much money so he's just burning some away."
"Misunderstanding, this is definitely a misunderstanding!
"Sure enough, being misunderstood is the fate of the one who expresses himself. How dare he say Boss Pei's brain is fried? Think he has too much money? What a bunch of nonsense!
"Boss Pei is a business genius! Most people don't even understand Boss Pei's positioning and special pricing strategy?
"It seems like it still has to be me, Teacher Qiao, who unveils the truth to everyone!"
Qiao Liang switched the website to the operating platform of Aili Island. He could not help making a fist and shouting 'YES!' upon seeing the words 'Upload Completed' on the screen.
After four days of hard work—coupled with the close cooperation with the staff of Thriller Hostel and Shang Yang Games, the new video was finally uploaded successfully!
Qiao Liang did not contact Boss Pei again during the past few days. He devoted himself to the production of the video.
Collating information from the net...
Discuss with Chen Kangtuo and the others about the construction of the Thriller Hostel...
Repeatedly thinking about Boss Pei's deeper meaning...
The effort paid off; Qiao Liang finally completed the video and refuted all the misunderstandings of Boss Pei on the internet. He also made a bold prediction about the future development of Thriller Hostel!
He was filled with confidence for this video. He believed that Boss Pei would definitely be moved when he saw this video!
Finally, Qiao Liang confirmed the title of the video.
'The Silent Expresser Issue 1: Answering the True Positioning of the Thriller Hostel in the Interactive Theme Park!'
The title of the series of videos was changed from 'The Lonely Expresser' to 'The Silent Expresser'.
This change was based mainly on two reasons:
First of all, Qiao Liang felt that Boss Pei was actually not lonely. He might not be understood by the public, but Big Boss Ruan, Wu Bin, and the employees of Tengda understood Boss Pei!
How could someone say that Boss Pei was lonely since so many people understood Boss Pei and always acted with aligned interests? That would be too hypocritical.
Secondly, Qiao Liang felt that 'silent' could better express Boss Pei's attitude than 'lonely'.
Boss Pei had always been doing things silently, deliberately not explaining to everyone what he meant; however, his true intentions would always be understood by everyone.
Therefore, the word 'silent' seemed more fitting; moreover, 'silent' and 'expresser' were contradictory and seemed to be more philosophical.
Qiao Liang sent the video link to Ye Zhizhou, the person-in-charge of Shang Yang Games in the end.
"The video is completed!"
...
At night, Pei Qian lay comfortably on the sofa, playing with his mobile phone. He suddenly lost his grasp of it, and it fell directly onto his face.
"F*ck you!"
Pei Qian was stunned; he rubbed his red forehead and could not help but sigh.
This f*cking phone's really too heavy! It was not stable enough to be held, and it hurts badly when it hits someone!
Which idiot made this cell phone so heavy?
Oh, it was me.
Ah, nevermind then.
Pei Qian changed to a comfortable position, ready to use his mobile phone to cast to the big screen and watch his drama while drifting off to dreamland. However, he saw a push notification as soon as he opened the Aili Island application.
The UP Master he was following updated his status!
A bad premonition surged into his heart. He looked carefully; it was indeed Teacher Qiao!
"Forget about games, why do you not let me off even for a haunted house?"
Pei Qian was shocked. At first, he thought that Qiao Liang would at least need to return to Beijing before he started to make the video. That would at least take a week.
In the end, he only took four days!
Just go and die already!!!
Pei Qian did not want to watch the video, but he had no choice.
"Let's watch it. Teacher Qiao is a UP Master in the gaming area. He will definitely not be able to promote the haunted house professionally. Perhaps not many people would watch it?"
...
Different from the previous times, Teacher Qiao personally appeared in this video. The background seemed to be the coffee area of a certain Fish-Catching Internet Cafe. It was recorded in the morning; there were good light and not many guests.
Pei Qian realized in that instant that Qiao Liang had not left at all. He stayed in Jingzhou and made his video in the Fish-Catching Internet Cafe!
Qiao Liang took a sip of coffee and began to tell fans about the reason for this video.
"My dear audience, long time no see! It's your gaming father, 'Teacher Qiao' again!
"I know that many fans are seeing my face for the first time in this video. Don't be surprised; sometimes, you can be both handsome and talented. Friends who are conquered by my appearance can leave 'handsome' as a comment on the public screen.
"Next, let's get down to business. Many of you will ask, Old Qiao, what does the title of these series of videos mean? Why is it so poetic? Are you going to do a literary show?
"Of course not! The 'expresser' here is actually a broad concept. Expression can be done without needing it to be through speech or the formation of words. Everything that we do is actually expressing something, which might be some sort of idea or demand from ourselves.
"The protagonist of this series and the 'Products of the Gods' is actually the same person.
"He is a silent expresser... and also a lonely expresser. His thoughts were always misunderstood, his intentions misinterpreted. Even so, he still insisted on being true to himself, never compromising with the world!
"I have been following the discussion on the internet recently and found that everyone's understanding of Thriller Hostel has serious deviation.
"Next, let me uncover the mystery of the maverick theme park, explore those seemingly unreasonable places, and make bold predictions about its future."
"I say that Thriller Hostel will! Definitely! Become! Popular! Soon!"
...
Pei Qian felt like his tiny heart could no longer take it. The last four words especially were emphasized one after the other, somehow reminding him of the death knell...
He had to admit that Teacher Qiao was right.
Indeed, my thoughts are often misunderstood, and I am true to myself and never compromised with this world.
However, the ones who had been misinterpreting me had always been your lot!
Why would I have fallen to such a state if it was not because you all had been trying to explain my 'true intentions'?
And this Old Qiao, forget about how you interpreted my game and made me make a lot of money. Now, you can't even let my secret haunted house slip?
Are you still a human? Must you wipe me out?
Pei Qian trembled in the cold. The entire world would not become any better!
However, he quickly adjusted his mentality since he had experienced something like that too many times.
Pei Qian continued watching.
...
The following contents in the video were mainly shot in Thriller Hostel and Fish-Catching Internet Cafe; however, the relationship between the scene and the content was not strong. He did not shoot the scenes in the three projects either, probably to prevent spoilers.
The focus of the video was still on the 'interpretation'.
Qiao Liang's unique voice was very recognizable; he spoke at a comfortable pace.
"At present, everyone's doubts about Thriller Hostel can mainly be summarized to the three key points below.
"First, it was just a haunted house. It might be playable but is not worth a trip.
"Second, it is very scary and is only suitable for experienced horror lovers.
"Third, it's pricing is a huge problem which will directly restrict its future development, and its prospects are worrying.
"Therefore, many people think that it may be a failed project.
"But my opinion is just the opposite!
"Next, I will stand from the perspective of the business genius to refute these three points one by one, uncover the truth about the thriller hostel strategy, and explain to you why its future is limitless!"
Chapter 586: A Unique Experience of Horror
In the video, Qiao Liang continued to speak confidently and impressively.
"However, before I reveal the truth, I have to make one thing clear. Many people might say, 'Ah, Teacher Qiao, you have such overwhelming praise for this project that it sounds unbelievable. Have they paid you to do this?'
"In that regard, I must be clear.
"Boss Pei and I can be considered good friends. I have also made a trip to Jingzhou to try out one of Tengda's new games as a hardcore player before. On top of that, I was warmly welcomed.
"Thus, I have to admit that my interests are connected to Tengda's.
"However, I can assure everyone that every word I said in this video comes from my heart and was not influenced by money at all!
"As for how reliable I am or how much evidence I have... it's very simple: you can assess the content and quality of the video!
"If I have been praising Thriller Hostel for the sake of it in my video, all of you will find out the truth when you visit Thriller Hostel and experience the projects for yourself. Then, the place would slowly become deserted anyway. That means that no matter how much they pay me, my video would still fail.
"However, if the opposite happens and everyone finds out that I've been making sense after experiencing Thriller Hostel for yourselves, then the place would become more and more popular like I predicted. That would prove how powerful my insight and judgment are!
"We'll let the outcome speak for itself. Please stay tuned, everyone!"
Teacher Qiao paused for a moment in the video and began explaining the answer to the question he had raised earlier. As he spoke, various explanatory words appeared as well, so that it was easier for the viewers to follow him.
"Let me talk about the first question. Is Thriller Hostel nothing but a haunted house? Is the experience there really not substantially different from traditional haunted houses?
"Wrong!
"All of you can take a look at my title. I think that Thriller Hostel is not a house of horrors but an interactive game in the form of an amusement park. The biggest difference between those two things is the interactive experience! What's more, the most important part of this experience is the second and third projects!
"Many people only have a taste of the first project, without attempting the subsequent projects at all. Naturally, they would not be able to understand what makes the Thriller Hostel so special.
"Most haunted houses in the country are stuffed with all the scary things one can think of, but the participation required of the visitors is low. When jump scares appear pop up suddenly and without any warning, the visitors' minds often blank out. That's the experience that one can expect in traditional haunted houses.
"However, Thriller Hostel is different. The entire experience is interactive from start to finish.
"Desperate Escape is a large-scale multiplayer game in real life. Every visitor's heart rate would determine the color of their wristbands and change their identities, and all the staff acting as madmen would control the game's direction according to the scene in front of them.
"Haunted House Nightmare requires you to conduct a series of interactions with all the props in front of you, and each interaction would give rise to different consequences.
"Ultimate Horror takes both of those to the extreme. All the staff inside would control and adjust the game according to your every move and the props that you carry. At the same time, all the props in the scene would be maximally and impressively utilized!
"That's why I think that Thriller Hostel is an interactive game in the form of an amusement park. It is of much better quality than mindless haunted houses filled with all sorts of horrifying material, and its interactive experience is much better. On top of that, it is intricately connected to Tengda Games!
"Obviously, Tengda could only create an outstanding experience like that because it started off developing games. It has an excellent grasp of the gamer's psyche, thus giving it an insurmountable advantage over other haunted houses!
"Many people who don't understand horror would take it as a simple haunted house. However, that would be a grave misunderstanding!
"That leads us to our second question: Is it only meant for people who love horror games?
"Wrong!
"In fact, I have the opposite conclusion. Ordinary haunted houses would only be suited for those who love horror games. However, Thriller Hostel is suited for the majority of ordinary visitors.
"That's because ordinary haunted houses do not separate their horror content and only offer one type of experience. Apart from those who have an extremely good tolerance for horror, most people would be so frightened at the entrance that they would turn around and leave.
"Yet, Thriller Hostel is not like that because there are very clear distinctions between their horror levels. There is a variety of experiences and interactivity and a very heavy emphasis on the physical and mental health of visitors.
"Thus, none of you would be dissuaded from entering at lightning speed like you would at ordinary haunted houses. Instead, you can expect to experience the horror content gradually.
"It's not difficult to make a haunted house excessively scary. However, dividing the horror levels and catering the experience to people of different tolerance levels is what I call skill!
"As a result, in terms of the horror experience, I think Thriller Hostel completely trumps all the haunted houses in the country!
"At this moment, some would surely ask, 'I'm not a masochist. Why should I go in to be frightened?'
"That was also what I thought at first.
"However, after experiencing all the projects, I returned to the square and washed my hands in the Healing Spring. It was then that I changed my mind. In fact, I even thought about challenging myself again and selecting a higher difficulty level.
"That was for the same reason that all of us keep playing Repent and be Saved from start to finish, again and again: No one likes being tortured, but we all like defeating our mental demons and successfully overcoming our difficulties!
"Why do haunted houses exist, and why have they become one of the most important facilities in amusement parks? That's because it is human nature for us to chase excitement.
"An ordinary life where every day repeats itself is stable but very dry. In today's society, many people seem like they've been soaking themselves in tubs of honey. On the surface, their lives look worry-free, but in reality, the sugar will slowly get to our heads.
"Our tiring work damages our health, and a stable life brings us bliss. However, too much bliss would cause us to lose our sense of danger.
"That's why so many people chase excitement. Whether they take roller coasters, take pendulum rides, or visit haunted houses; the controlled amount of fear causes us to appreciate how beautiful life is. Our hearts race, our adrenaline levels shoot up, and our degenerating bodies that are worn down by daily life once again operate at full force!
"Think about how you feel after driving for a long time: bored and tired from beginning to end. As your eyelids get heavier, the terrifying danger looms over your head...
"At that moment, someone shouts by your ear! You immediately jolt awake—filled with energy and focus once again—as you begin the second half of your journey.
"That's why anyone who finds life boring and bland, and who craves risk in their hearts, should experience Thriller Hostel!
"There, you don't have to worry about being too scared or having a bland experience. The gradual nature of the three projects would give you the most appropriate level of fear. What's more, you can save your progress and take a break at any time before continuing. It's just like Repent and be Saved in that it offers you the best platform to challenge yourself!
"For these reasons, Thriller Hostel suits everyone who seeks to challenge himself or herself!
"The last question is whether Thriller Hostel's pricing strategy was a failure or not.
"Of course not!"
"There's clearly a very deep purpose hidden in this
"The Desperate Escape is priced so low to attract more visitors here. Its interesting gameplay, social interaction, and repeatable gaming experience could really expand the Thriller Hostel's customer base.
"After experiencing it once, people can bring their friends along a second time. The low price makes it more appropriate as a must-have experience.
"Once this batch of gamers has been scared adequately, they would become curious about the other two projects. They would also be more willing to try scarier experiences.
"Thus, they would go for the Haunted House Nightmare. If they fail to complete the challenge, they would not be allowed to try the Ultimate Horror and would be stuck there.
"On the other hand, if they managed to complete the projects in the Haunted House Nightmare, it would mean that they are capable of trying out the Ultimate Horror. In fact, they might even be able to try the most difficult level inside!
"For the above reasons, this pricing strategy is what I call 'value for money, without any deception'!
"One could spend tens of yuan on entry tickets at other haunted houses and then be so frightened at the entrance that they leave. Obviously, that experience wouldn't be worth the cost.
"However, in Thriller Hostel, you wouldn't be allowed to spend a single cent more! The more you spend, the more experience you would obtain and the more your tolerance would grow!
"Of course, people wouldn't understand this pricing strategy at the beginning because most people would be immersed in the Desperate Escape experience. They would be oblivious to how interesting the Haunted House Nightmare and Ultimate Horror are.
"However, as time passes, more and more people would try the latter two projects. Then, they would discover that all three projects in Thriller Hostel come together to form a whole. After experiencing everything, you would finally truly understand how different Thriller Hostel is compared to ordinary haunted houses!
"Then, you would fall in love with the place—just like me.
"As for the queue for the first project, I believe it will improve soon. As the second and third projects see more guests, fewer would go to the first.
"At the same time, the themed restaurant, the Golden Maze, the Healing Spring, the Maid Cafe, and other shops in Thriller Hostel would work to split the traffic as well.
"What's more, Tengda would definitely think of other ways to improve the queue situation. After all, game developers are best at iterative updating and improving the experience!
"That explains my advice for you: if you think that leading a peaceful life is boring and bland and you want to chase excitement, you should not fear. You will be well taken care of in Thriller Hostel. At the moment, the experience there is unlike any other in the country.
"In fact, it's rare across the world. It's definitely worth a trip down!
"On top of that, Jingzhou has the nameless restaurant, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, and the shared hero-themed phone booths which were decorated by the concept artist of GOG himself. All of those are places worth visiting!
"Come and play for a day or two over the weekend. That would be more than enough for you to experience a completely different world!
"Alright, my dear daddies. That's all for today's video. Please show me your full support!
"For those who say 'I'll be there next time', it's alright. Once my predictions come true, you will surely give me your full support!"
Chapter 587: The Queue Problem
After watching the video, Pei Qian only felt one thing.
You've spoken so much... are you sure you're referring to my Thriller Hostel?
'Thriller Hostel made use of its game design concepts and excellent grasp of the gamer's psyche, giving it an insurmountable advantage over other haunted houses?'
How would I have known that Chen Kangtuo would incorporate his game design concepts into the project after I put him in charge of the haunted house?!
I purely did that to punish him for working overtime!
'The haunted house can provide visitors with excitement and help to revive their bodies?'
He had never thought about that. He had only thought about using it for revenge!
The last point was the most ridiculous. I had only adopted this pricing strategy to earn less money. How did it become a finishing touch?
It was ridiculous! It was all so ridiculous!
At that moment, Pei Qian felt Qiao Liang's praises oozing out of every single pore in his body. Teacher Qiao had practically forced every positive thing he could think of down Boss Pei's throat!
In fact, Pei Qian had been praised so much that he now felt embarrassed.
No one would believe such a ridiculous video, right? No one would fly to Jingzhou to be tortured over a couple of lines from Teacher Qiao, right?
Don't gross me out! Gamers, don't be blinded by him!
Feeling extremely worried, Pei Qian watched the entire video again.
However, the video had only been uploaded a while ago. The comments section only contained comments from people who wanted to be the first. He could not tell much else.
Thus, Pei Qian had no choice but to turn in for the night.
When he woke up in the morning, he would scan the messages and comments under the video and then decide if he needed to take any action.
...
...
At 10 AM the following day...
Once Pei Qian woke up, the first thing he did was pick up his phone and check Qiao Liang's video. When he saw the number of views, he was shocked.
However, compared to the figures on Qiao Liang's other videos, it was still not bad.
Obviously, as a well-known UP Master on Aili Island, Qiao Liang had a huge fan base. Even though this was a new video series that had been uploaded a mere few hours ago, it was already getting a lot of attention.
However, it was also clear that the video was not as popular as the 'Products of the Gods' series.
Upon clicking on the video, many gamers realized that it was not about games and then did not bother to watch anymore. Instead, they clicked on the 'x' button at once.
Thus, until now, Pei Qian was still quite satisfied with the video's popularity. It had not even made it on the charts for the entire website.
What gave Pei Qian even more comfort was that the comments under the video were very different from the 'Products of the Gods' series. It did not look like the entire situation was being turned upside-down. Instead, most people seemed to take Qiao Liang's words with caution and adopted a 'wait and see' approach.
Pei Qian casually scanned the comments with the most likes.
"Well said! I won't give you my full support yet, but I definitely will once Thriller Hostel becomes popular!"
"We can definitely trust Old Qiao when it comes to games, but for haunted houses... let's wait and see."
"You're right, but I will never go there (sarcasm)."
"Let me be fair! I'm completely on Old Qiao's side, and I fully believe that this video is not sponsored. Old Qiao always makes it clear when his videos are sponsored, and he never hides it. However—!
"I have reason to believe that Old Qiao has suffered severe mental damage in that haunted house and that he's now trying to drag us down with him! Don't fall for his tricks, everyone!"
"Holy sh*t, the commenter above seems to have discovered the truth! Old Qiao is taking revenge on society!"
"Son, we appreciate your goodwill, but we'll leave you to experience Thriller Hostel on our behalf! Your daddies will not be visiting it!"
After reading those comments, Pei Qian was elated. Although he had just woken up, he was now fully alert. Based on the feedback from the audience, the video had not managed to turn the entire situation upside-down.
Pei Qian had to admit that Qiao Liang's content was confusing.
However, the biggest problem was the prediction he had made about Thriller Hostel definitely becoming popular in the future. It was too rash.
What if Thriller Hostel never became popular or if it took too long to do so? Wouldn't it prove that everything Qiao Liang had said was wrong?
All of his arguments would fall apart!
Hear, hear! The audience's eyes are bright and clear!
Qiao Liang, were you trying to blind our intelligent and wise society? Keep daydreaming!
Still, there were a few dissenting voices among the comments. Take this one for example:
"A real-life Be Quiet? That sounds interesting! I'm going to buy tickets right now! Jingzhou, here I come!"
All of a sudden, Pei Qian noticed a problem. Qiao Liang had many fans who were also players of Tengda's games, and until now, Be Quiet had already gathered a group of hardcore and loyal gamers.
Given its special nature (tedious prerequisites and complicated gameplay), Be Quiet had not been discussed much online. Moreover, it was less popular compared to the other games by Tengda.
However, every player of Be Quiet was a hardcore fan with high viscosity! In other words, as hardcore players, they would be the most easily motivated by the video!
After some consideration, Pei Qian concluded that this was indeed a hidden danger.
At the moment, everyone at Shang Yang Games was probably eagerly preparing for the competition. Yet, what if they suddenly paid attention to Be Quiet because they felt like it and then decided to run a combined event with Thriller Hostel?
There was a good chance of that happening!
At that thought, Pei Qian quickly called Ye Zhizhou, wanting to ask how preparation for IOI's competition had been going recently to send him down the wrong path.
If there wasn't enough work, he would give them other tasks to do just to keep them from thinking about Be Quiet and Thriller Hostel.
Soon, the call went through.
"Hello, Ye Zhizhou? How has work been recently?" Pei Qian acted nonchalantly.
At the other end of the line, Ye Zhizhou paused.
"Boss Pei, everything has been going well! Eh, wait... Boss Pei, did you call... to ask about the combined event between Be Quiet and Thriller Hostel?
"Don't worry, Boss Pei, it's all been settled! We've already uploaded Teacher Qiao's video onto the official noticeboard and website for Be Quiet!"
Pei Qian's mind was filled with question marks.
They had already uploaded the video onto Be Quiet? How the f*ck did they move so quickly?
The video was only released last night. I'm calling you in the morning, and yet you have already uploaded the video?!
You must have worked overtime!
After recovering from the initial shock, Pei Qian felt furious. Good, Ye Zhizhou! I've finally caught you red-handed!
"Did you work overtime?" Pei Qian asked in a low voice.
Ye Zhizhou was evidently stunned. "Huh? We didn't. I clicked the link that Teacher Qiao sent to me last night and only uploaded it when I got to the office this morning."
Pei Qian was speechless. "That quick? You couldn't have uploaded the video onto the official website in just one hour, could you?"
Ye Zhizhou laughed and explained, "Boss Pei, you want to check how well we have grasped our company's battle strategy right? Of course, we made preparations for the event a long time ago!
"Ever since we saw how similar Thriller Hostel's Desperate Escape was to Be Quiet, we knew that we had to run a combined event! Obviously, you had planned for this to happen, Boss Pei!
"That was why I arranged for a professional to prepare for the combined event while Teacher Qiao was working on his video. Once the video was published, I uploaded everything onto the website!
"Don't worry, Boss Pei, most people in the office are working on IOI, and progress has been smooth. Work in that regard has not been affected!"
Pei Qian: "..."
He seemed to understand why the Management Trainee had not reported this now.
The Management Trainee had obviously been keeping a close eye on IOI's competition and nothing else. Comparatively, uploading a video on the games platform seemed negligible. He had probably thought that it was not worth mentioning!
At first, Pei Qian had intended to mislead Ye Zhizhou. Yet, Ye Zhizhou had been one step ahead of him, and work had been completed even before Pei Qian thought about the problem...
Pei Qian wanted to say something else but stopped himself after further thought.
"Alright, that's all."
...
At that moment, in Thriller Hostel...
Each day, Chen Kangtuo kept an eye on the figures, including visitor traffic, number of times each person visited each project, and the like.
Hao Qiang was watching Teacher Qiao's video when he said, "Teacher Qiao has really gone all out this time. He used his own reputation as a UP Master to vouch for Thriller Hostel!
"Although I believe Thriller Hostel would definitely become popular as well, I still think Teacher Qiao's boldness is commendable.
"Should we give him some... remuneration?"
Chen Kangtuo pondered for a moment and then said, "Logically, we shouldn't let Teacher Qiao work for free, but... I'm afraid that paying him would taint his pure friendship with Boss Pei.
"I think we should let it go. Money hurts relationships. Let's think of other ways to help Teacher Qiao out.
"What do you think about... making him a distinguished guest who would be allowed to play at Thriller Hostel and all of its future projects for a lifetime?"
Hao Qiong pondered about it for a moment. "Yes, that sounds good! Since Teacher Qiao likes Thriller Hostel so much, he would surely be pleased if we make him a distinguished guest and allow him to come for free at any time!"
Chen Kangtuo picked up his notebook from the side and then read his notes.
"However, the visitors have given some pretty valid feedback: the queue problem is very serious. Visitors have been gathering at Desperate Escape, and queuing for too long would ruin their moods."
Hao Qiong looked nonchalant. "Hasn't Teacher Qiao already explained this? In a few days, most people would disperse to the other two projects. The queue problem will probably improve very soon."
Chen Kangtuo shook his head. "That's right, but we can't sit back and do nothing. What if the day comes when it is no longer the first project with the queue problem, but the third? Hoping that the visitors would sort the problem out on their own would be too passive.
"I think we should do something similar to the shared phone booths and create a queue mechanism in an application. Once visitors arrive, they can take a number and then check their position in the queue using their application.
"In the meantime, they can go to the Golden Maze, eat at the restaurant, or play at other projects. Once it's almost their turn, they can return.
"That way, visitors would not become frustrated in the queue, and we can direct more traffic to the surrounding facilities!
"Moreover, the shared phone booths have already proven that this model works!"
Hao Qiong nodded. "Yes, that sounds pretty good. Well, should we just use the shared phone booths application, then?"
After some consideration, Hao Qiong said, "It might not fulfill our needs, but we can make some edits. We have to engage a company that's strong in developing applications.
"Otto Technologies? It can develop applications, but they might just be busy with the algorithm laboratory and might not have time. What's more, making them develop things like that seems like a waste."
Chen Kangtuo thought about all the departments in Tengda Corporation that could develop applications. All of a sudden, his eyes lit up. He had found the perfect candidate.
"I know! We can get 'Top Student, Come Quick' to do it!"
'Top Student, Come Quick' had started out making applications to begin with, and they had good knowledge of how the Internet worked. Most importantly, 'Top Student, Come Quick' hadn't had much work to do lately!
It was all perfect.
At that thought, Chen Kangtuo immediately retrieved his cell phone and contacted the man in charge of 'Top Student, Come Quick'—Yu Pingan.
Chapter 588: Tengda Life App
Recently, Yu Pingan had been feeling frustrated, confused, and directionless.
Everyone else in the 'Top Student, Come Quick' project largely felt the same way. Every day, they went to work to slack and do whatever they wanted. There was no clear aim.
Some suggested making adjustments to the 'Top Student, Come Quick' project, but progress was slow because Yu Pingan knew full well that trying to fix something that wasn't spoiled was useless.
He could not say it would be ineffective, but it would not be fixing the root of the problem. Even if they could gain a few more active users in the short-term, the application's popularity would only continue to decline in the long-term. It was unsalvageable.
Yu Pingan had already noticed this problem earlier on and had even reported it to Boss Pei.
However, Boss Pei's reply had been a bolt from the blue.
He had said: " 'Top Student, Come Quick' has already completed its historical mission. It can now come to a graceful end."
Yet, he continued to pour funds into the project without changing the employees' pay or benefits. There were no signs that he intended to terminate the project or retrench anyone.
Those who didn't understand the truth might have found the situation very comfortable. They could slack every day without working; how perfect was that?
However, employees of 'Top Student, Come Quick' begged to differ.
Their income was stable, and their life was without stress. Under such circumstances, anyone with slight ambition would want to look for something to do to achieve success in their career.
The other departments in Tengda Corporation were progressing at rapid speed and achieving outstanding results. Yet, they were slacking all day and doing nothing of substance.
It was a fate more torturous than death!
Thus, all of 'Top Student, Come Quick' had been feeling frustrated.
Even after pondering about it for a long while, Yu Pingan still felt helpless. He felt like he had walked right into a dead end.
Ding.
The cell phone that he had placed on the table lit up with a message. Yu Pingan picked it up to take a look, feeling slightly astonished.
"Eh? Thriller Hostel wants us to create a software?"
Yu Pingan was shocked because 'Top Student, Come Quick', which he had been in charge of, had never been that close to the other departments.
'Top Student, Come Quick' was more like a tool that was meant to direct traffic to and run advertisements for all the other projects. Other departments very rarely took the initiative to contact them to work together.
Yu Pingan studied the requirements closely; they were not that complicated.
The main function was for visitors to get a number just like the shared phone booths. That way, they would not need to stand in line the entire time. Instead, they could walk around in the surrounding shops.
However, they could not take the application meant for the shared phone booths wholesale, because Thriller Hostel had other special requirements.
For example, the queues for all three projects had to be kept separate, a map had to show the live update for each project's line, and a brief introduction and comments section for each project were to be included.
The application was meant to be a smart directory which could lead and guide everyone interested in visiting or already visiting Thriller Hostel, so that everyone could enjoy a better experience.
"In short, we have to create an entirely new application. Indeed, this is the mobile Internet era. Every project now requires its very own application. However, 'Top Student, Come Quick' is about to be given up on..."
Yu Pingan could not help but feel sorrowful and regretful at the same time.
"Eh, wait a moment..."
"Logically speaking, shouldn't the mobile Internet era be our time to shine? Why did Boss Pei say that the project could come to a graceful end?
"Is Boss Pei unaware of the opportunities available in the mobile Internet era?
"That's impossible. Every game department has been developing mobile versions of their games at an insane rate. Boss Pei has even invested in Otto cell phones, which shows his awareness of the opportunities available in the mobile Internet era!
"Well... why does Boss Pei seem to be contradicting himself, then?"
All of a sudden, Yu Pingan noticed a conflict. All the other departments of Tengda Corporation had been focusing on developing applications. Tengda Corporation's own business emphasis seemed to be in this area as well.
Yet, why was 'Top Student, Come Quick' the only one that was said to be coming to 'a graceful end'?
"Boss Pei could not possibly be contradicting himself. There must be a common principle hidden inside. Could it be... that Boss Pei means something else when he says 'a graceful end'?"
Yu Pingan tried hard to recall Boss Pei's original words. All of a sudden, a light bulb went on in his head.
"I understand now!
"Boss Pei was absolutely right to say that 'Top Student, Come Quick' is coming to a graceful end and has already completed its mission! That's because 'Top Student, Come Quick' is satisfying a pseudo-demand. It could only become so popular because of Boss Pei's god-like management skills. However, even that is limited. That's why this project is unsalvageable.
"In other words, the initial concept behind 'Top Student, Come Quick' is indeed coming to a graceful end.
"However, 'Top Student, Come Quick's graceful end would probably signify the birth of another new project!
"If Boss Pei really wanted to give up on this project, he would terminate it completely. However, he continued to pour funds into it. Obviously, he had other plans for us! Thriller Hostel is a good opportunity!
"Similarly, Boss Pei definitely asked us to rest well so that we could recuperate and physically prepare ourselves for a new challenge! Until now, Tengda Corporation already has so many applications.
"The shared phone booths, Deposit Fitness, 'Top Student, Come Quick', Fish-Catching Take-Out, Zhongdian Chinese Network, Thriller Hostel, TPDb...
"Most of those businesses are either connected to 'Top Student, Come Quick' in some way or had their advertisements on the latter.
"What's more, a few applications have functions that are too simple. Take the application for the shared phone booths, for example. Many people only use it to get a number in the line or scan QR codes. Each application works on its own, and they do not come together to form a system.
"If Tengda's users want to use all of those functions, they would have to download several applications. That's not good for publicity.
"What if we could bring the different applications together and integrate them into 'Top Student, Come Quick'? Not only would the businesses come together to form a whole, but 'Top Student, Come Quick' would also be given a new lease of life!
"No, we shouldn't call it 'Top Student, Come Quick' anymore, then.
"The 'Top Student, Come Quick' application has completed its mission and is coming to a graceful end, but the Tengda Life application will resurrect it!"
The more Yu Pingan spoke, the more agitated he became. Obviously, Boss Pei had it all planned out for 'Top Student, Come Quick'!
Why else would Thriller Hostel's staff come looking for them after the latter rested for a while?
It all made sense now!
Boss Pei hasn't given up on us. Instead, he entrusted us with a more important task; we just had to discover it on our own!
Our project has hope!
Yu Pingan immediately contacted the people in charge of the shared phone booths, Deposit Fitness, Fish-Catching Take-Out, and other businesses. He shared his own hypothesis with them and then volunteered to integrate and update all the applications.
He believed that none of the department heads would turn him down.
That was because the various teams likely did not have additional manpower to update the applications. If they left their applications to 'Top Student, Come Quick', they would be able to focus fully on their own tasks.
All in all, maximizing the use of resources in this way was perfect!
...
...
July 17th, Sunday...
In his own house, Pei Qian took a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, opened it, and then basked in the afternoon sunlight while revising his work.
Handong University had slowly entered its exam week in the middle of July. Although most examinations were scheduled to take place on weekdays, Pei Qian still postponed the Management Trainee Meeting so that the Management Trainees could focus on their own studies.
Thus, yesterday's Management Trainee Meeting was canceled. The next one was to be held on August 13th.
Pei Qian had always believed that work was important for the Management Trainees, but academics were more important. If Pei Qian caused their grades to slip because of his own matters, he would feel incredibly guilty.
However, for some reason, he kept receiving good news after canceling the Management Trainee Meeting!
The first piece of good news was that, while visitor traffic at Thriller Hostel was increasing, the increase was not significant. It was almost as if Teacher Qiao's video had not been that effective.
Of course, Pei Qian could not say that it was completely useless. After all, Teacher Qiao was a UP Master with over a million fans, and his video had even been uploaded onto Be Quiet's official website. It had definitely managed to direct people to Thriller Hostel.
However, things did not blow up like they did after each video in the Products of the Gods series. There was no sudden and significant increase in sales.
The second piece of good news was that, to thank Teacher Qiao for his video, Chen Kangtuo had granted him the special privilege of being able to experience Thriller Hostel for free for a lifetime.
Pei Qian had heard that Qiao Liang's management of his facial expressions collapsed the moment he heard the news. He had laughed, but he also looked like he was crying.
When Pei Qian heard this, he nearly burst into laughter.
Old Qiao, Old Qiao... look what has happened to you! What is this called? It's called digging your own grave!
Pei Qian even thought about giving Chen Kangtuo a little red flower.
However, Pei Qian recalled that Chen Kangtuo had brought Thriller Hostel to life, even though it was meant to be dead, and thus increased the former's exposure to risks. That had been a huge mistake in itself. Thus, his merits and demerits canceled out, and he deserved no reward or punishment.
The third piece of good news was that 'Food Harmony' remained cold and deserted even after publicity. Its reputation was good; however, sales were low, and the situation looked sad.
In fact, it was incurring even more losses than Fish-Catching Take-Out.
In a week, Rui Yuchen would probably report this to Boss Pei.
As the saying went, people felt refreshed in the face of happy occasions. After receiving so much good news, Pei Qian felt it fitting to open a bottle of champagne to celebrate. He glanced at the date. Coincidentally, he could go to the biggest private room in Ming Yun Private Kitchen for a meal.
All of a sudden, Pei Qian felt like he should treat Teacher Qiao to a meal.
If for nothing else, it would be to see his defeated expression!
Qiao Liang had stabbed at Pei Qian's back confidently, and Pei Qian had no time to dodge. Instead, he had been squarely pierced, but after touching the wound on his back, he discovered that he was not bleeding!
Instead, Teacher Qiao's house had been burgled, and Chen Kangtuo had stabbed him until his back was covered with holes.
Pei Qian was overjoyed!
The more he thought about it, the happier he became. At once, he arranged to meet Qiao Liang for a meal at Ming Yun Private Kitchen.
It's impolite to always receive without giving. In the past, you always set me up. Today, it's my turn. I'll hit you while you're down and rub salt into your wounds!
Chapter 589: Giving Up on Products of the Gods
At Fish-Catching Internet Cafe...
"Old Qiao, let's play a round of GOG!
"We could also play Be Quiet if you want to.
"Old Qiao?
"That's strange... why is Old Qiao so quiet today?"
A few of Qiao Liang's fans had been asking Qiao Liang to play games with them, but Qiao Liang had his headphones on in front of his computer. He did not seem to hear a single word that they were saying.
Instead, he was repeatedly refreshing the webpage to observe the number of views and other data on his newest video.
That's not right! That wasn't how things were supposed to go!
His newest video had not achieved the effect that he had imagined!
His videos under the Products of the Gods series had become viral on the day that they were uploaded. Within a few hours, they had also made it on the charts for the entire website and completely turned the games' reviews around.
Yet, his newest video had not achieved the same effect.
Although it had served to publicize Thriller Hostel, it had not yet become viral, and the reaction was not as intense as he had imagined. Instead, many viewers continued to harbor a 'wait and see' attitude.
To Qiao Liang, this was an unbearable failure!
It was not that Qiao Liang had been confident in his latest video's ability to become viral no matter how much effort he had put into it. If it had been about a game developed by any other designer, Qiao Liang would not have considered an ineffective video as a failure.
However, this was Boss Pei's project!
From the bottom of his heart, Qiao Liang believed that Thriller Hostel was good and that Boss Pei had invested as much effort into it as he had for any other game. Yet, what did it mean that the video had not achieved its desired effect?
It meant that Qiao Liang had misunderstood Boss Pei's project!
He could make a simple comparison. Other game developers could be likened to merchants who provided ordinary ingredients. Even if the final dish tasted bad, one could blame it on the ingredients.
However, Boss Pei was a merchant who only provided exquisite ingredients. If Qiao Liang—the chef—whipped up a horrible-tasting meal, the problem would clearly lie with his skills!
More importantly, Qiao Liang had already expected this.
He had already felt like the video was missing something before he uploaded it. However, even after pondering about it the entire day, he could not figure it out. To not miss the 'right time', he had no choice but to upload it.
Yet, it had not achieved its desired effect, just as he had expected.
Qiao Liang saw his relationship with Boss Pei like that between an outstanding student and an examiner.
Each time the examiner set a paper before, he would answer it quickly, check it once through, and then hand it up after making sure that the other party would be satisfied. He had always gotten a hundred marks after that.
However, this time was different. He had felt uneasy after finishing the script, and he kept feeling like he had missed a step or a theory somewhere. When time was up, he had had no choice but to hand in his paper. After that, he had only scored ninety points—a world of difference from his expectations.
To Teacher Qiao—an outstanding student who had always gotten full marks, this was unacceptable!
Thus, he could only feel confused, defeated, and sorry towards Boss Pei.
Boss Pei had handed such good ingredients into his hands, but he could not whip up an outstanding dish. It was an utter waste!
Qiao Liang really wanted to do something to make up for his mistakes, but he could not think of anything.
"I'm afraid that Boss Pei is the only person who could offer me proper guidance now...
"Yet, how can I face him...?"
Qiao Liang picked up his phone and clicked on Boss Pei's contact. However, even after a long time, he could not bring himself to send the latter a message.
He felt like a chef who had failed to whip up a good dish—too embarrassed to call the merchant and ask how best to cook the latter's ingredients.
Just as he was struggling internally, he received a message from Boss Pei.
"Do you have time tonight? Come to the nameless restaurant at 7 PM. I'll treat you to a meal."
Qiao Liang was stunned. He even thought he was imagining things. However, on closer inspection, he realized that Boss Pei had indeed sent him a message!
"What a coincidence! Just as I was struggling and hesitating to call Boss Pei, he invited me to a meal. Could it be...?
"Boss Pei already saw the video and guessed my predicament?
"No, I can't say for sure. No matter how well Boss Pei can predict the future, he would not be able to achieve something like that. Perhaps he just wants to comfort me."
Qiao Liang was very moved and quite hopeful. No matter what reasons Boss Pei had, Qiao Liang had to have a meal with him!
He quickly replied, "Alright, Boss Pei! I'll be there on time!"
...
In the evening...
At the nameless restaurant...
"Boss Pei!"
Qiao Liang shook hands with Pei Qian, his expression filled with disappointment and guilt. He had mixed feelings, but no idea how to put those feelings into words.
Pei Qian smiled and said, "Come in, let's eat and talk."
The two men entered the private room in Ming Yun Private Kitchen. Soon, plates of delicious food were served in front of them. When he saw the dishes, Qiao Liang felt even more conflicted.
Obviously, Boss Pei was still treating him according to the highest standards. Somehow, that made Qiao Liang feel even worse.
On the other hand, when Pei Qian saw Qiao Liang's expression, he rejoiced inside.
It was worth every penny! It was worth every penny!
Pei Qian had achieved his goal. He happily picked up his chopsticks and dug in.
I don't care if you have the appetite, but I definitely do.
Did you think that you would see a day like that when you stabbed me in the back?
It was a pity that there was limited space in the private room. If it were wider, Pei Qian would have been glad to ask Teacher Qiao to sing or dance for him.
At first, Pei Qian had thought that Qiao Liang would feel enraged by the former's gloating and that he would leave in a huff.
However, Qiao Liang gave him a comforted smile. "Boss Pei, I am very touched that you're trying to lighten up the atmosphere so that I don't feel too depressed by my failure. However, I would appreciate it even more if you helped me to resolve my problems."
Pei Qian: "?"
Who's trying to lighten up the atmosphere so that you don't feel too depressed by your failure? I'm gloating, understand?! Gloating!
Before Pei Qian could say anything, Qiao Liang continued speaking. "Boss Pei, I know you must have watched my latest video. What exactly do you think the video is missing?"
Pei Qian fell silent.
I have indeed watched your latest video, and I also know full well that it hasn't met your expectations. Why else would you think I'm treating you to a meal?
Yet, you're seeking hints from me?
Go to hell!
Ask around in Tengda; who doesn't know how tightly my lips are sealed?
Pei Qian had already incurred enough losses by trying to 'guide others'. Thus, he decided to lower his head and focus on the food in front of him. "I have no way to help you."
Qiao Liang sighed softly. "Is that so...?
"This video wasn't done well. I didn't properly explain Thriller Hostel's special characteristics, and I didn't draw enough attention or direct enough traffic to Thriller Hostel.
"In fact, I already had a feeling that I was missing something before I uploaded the video, but I couldn't find out what it was. I... really should have given it much more thought.
"Yet, it seems too late to think about it now."
Pei Qian: "?"
You had a bad feeling about it before you uploaded the video? You even wish you had given it more thought before uploading?
Thank goodness you hadn't!
If you had, I might have been destroyed!
"Come, eat, eat. Don't think too much about these things. They're all in the past so leave them there."
Pei Qian quickly comforted Qiao Liang for fear that he would keep thinking and end up filling the gaps. If he posted another video to do that, wouldn't Pei Qian be in big trouble?
As Qiao Liang ate, he sighed again. "Since you don't want to tell me, I have no choice but to try and figure it out on my own, Boss Pei..."
Pei Qian: "?"
What do you mean 'I don't want to tell you?' You have already decided that I know the answer, haven't you? Well, I don't know a thing!
Pei Qian was speechless. This was where the conflict was:
If he didn't say anything, Qiao Liang would think that he was hiding something on purpose, and he would try his best to figure out Pei Qian's deeper intentions. On the other hand, Pei Qian could be helping Qiao Liang if he said anything.
How should he choose?
Once again, he had arrived at a fork in the road.
After considering the problem for two minutes, Pei Qian decided that he could not leave Teacher Qiao any room to imagine. Otherwise, he could come up with seriously dangerous ideas!
Take Yu Pingan's earlier answer, for example. It was very appropriate for a setting like that.
Pei Qian's expression became somber. "Alright, let me tell you the truth. Didn't you ask what your latest video was lacking?"
Qiao Liang nodded. "Yes!"
Pei Qian continued speaking. "Your video was not lacking anything. You've covered everything, from an introduction of Thriller Hostel's gameplay to an explanation of the pricing strategy and an analysis of the details."
Qiao Liang was evidently confused.
Everything was covered? It couldn't be, right?
He remained silent for a moment and then asked, "Well... why didn't it have the desired effect, then?"
Pei Qian was nearly stumped. "Well...
"Sometimes, that's the way life is. Communication between people is often pale and listless. The other party might not understand a few simple sentences or lines of words. Isn't that normal and to be expected?
"That's life!
"I can only say that your past videos went too well or that you were too lucky. The norm in the world is that what you express would be misunderstood.
"That's not your fault, and there's nothing you can do to change it. After all, being misunderstood is the destiny of any expresser!"
The more Pei Qian spoke, the more emotional he became because he completely understood. Although both of them were talking about completely different things, Pei Qian's tone was genuine and persuasive enough.
Pei Qian thought that it would be enough to make Teacher Qiao give up this time.
However, after a moment of silence, Qiao Liang shook his head. "Boss Pei, if you were someone else telling me this, I would believe you. Yet, I don't believe it when it's coming out of your mouth.
"That doesn't match your character!"
Pei Qian: "?"
What character? Don't try to assume my character!
Qiao Liang said, "Boss Pei, I know that you're a lonely expresser who is often misunderstood. Yet, even then, you continue trying to express your thoughts using various methods. I believe that you're not one to give up easily because you've been hanging on this whole time.
"Why are you asking me to give up then? Are you not telling me because it'll be too difficult to persist, and you're afraid that I would spend too much effort?
"Boss Pei, please speak your mind. No matter how ridiculous it is, I'll try my best to achieve it."
Pei Qian: "..."
He was completely speechless.
Are you going to refuse to leave if I don't give you an answer today? Alright, if that's the case, I will give you an answer now! Don't blame me if you get tricked.
Pei Qian pondered for a moment and then said, "There's one way, but it requires a huge sacrifice."
Qiao Liang's eyes lit up. "Tell me, Boss Pei!"
Boss Pei paused. "You shouldn't create another video in Products of the Gods for Tengda's next game."
Qiao Liang was evidently stunned. After a long silence, he said, "I shouldn't create another video in Products of the Gods for Tengda's next game? Is there a link between those two issues?"
He was very confused. The series in which he interpreted Thriller Hostel and that in which he interpreted Tengda's games were totally unrelated!
What's more, how would giving up on Products of the Gods help to resurrect this video on Thriller Hostel?
It didn't make sense!
Seeing Qiao Liang's confused expression, Pei Qian gave him an inexplicable smile. "Don't think about it now if you can't figure it out yet. Come, let's drink!"