As for daily necessities, while some would still go to supermarkets to purchase these items; some also started to choose home-delivery options.
As for having meals, more and more people called for deliveries; and they would at most go to an upscale restaurant during special occasions. They didn’t patronize restaurants that often anymore.
All in all—regardless of what type of business a physical shop ran, business was falling for them all; and it had become a sunset industry.
This was exactly what Pei Qian liked!
However… what sort of physical store should he open? The system had not specified any industry or service, just that it had to be a physical store. The only restriction was it had to be in a bustling city district or near a school. Even if it was a snacks stall, a book shop, or a photocopying shop; everything was permitted.
Pei Qian started to think about this deeper and to analyze the rate of success for this matter. Although in the next ten years, physical shops would increasingly perform more and more badly; was it a done-deal that if he opened one now, he would definitely make a loss?
That was not a given.
It was the Year 2010 now. E-commerce and delivery services were still in its infancy; physical shops could still earn a profit! Bookshops, small marts, internet cafes near schools were all still doing quite well. Even openly a photocopying shop in some corner or out-of-place location could earn enough money.
As students needed to print their thesis, print worksheets, and photocopy documents; they still had to head to printing shops for these services. There was still an existing demand. However, ten years from now, physical shops would most likely no longer be profitable.
Nevertheless, in the short term, profits were still highly possible.
Furthermore, Pei Qian was very conflicted; how was he going to open this shop?
If he invested less, he would also lose less. If he was lucky, he might actually make a profit. If he invested more and the quality of his services was good; what would he do if the business roared?
This was a technical job; he had to think this through!
However, before opening this, Pei Qian decided to first implement his long-planned ‘First Place Elimination System’. Initially, he just wanted to recruit a group of hooligans; however, everyone he hired actually turned out to have much potential; he was in a bind.
Especially Huang Sibo and Bao Xu; if he kept them around, troubles would abound! With them working for him, Tengda’s gaming business would have a hard time incurring a loss!
As for Lin Wan… she could still be kept for further review. After all, she had managed to connect with those gamers only because she had coincidentally been doing such work when she had been working for Sun Strike Studios. This also meant that her connections would not be of much use anymore.
Hence, Pei Qian was considering how he could deal with Bao Xu and Huang Sibo. He definitely couldn’t fire them immediately; he also couldn’t demote them. Without any justification or evidence, or without even a valid reason, the system would not agree to this.
Pei Qian was deep in thought.
…
February 2nd, Monday…
Office…
“Brother Huang, quick, take a look. Many people online are hotly discussing our game; it seems like some are from the industry as well?” Xiao Lu was browsing the net and seemed to have found some big news.
Huang Sibo nodded and said, “I know; I have been keeping tabs.” He then looked at Bao Xu and said, “Brother Bao, what do you think?”
Bao Xu’s expression was composed and replied, “It doesn’t concern us.”
Huang Sibo thought for a while and agreed; it had nothing to do with them. Indeed, many people online were hotly debating Ocean Stronghold. This interest in the game had persisted for half a month ever since the game had gone online.
Originally, the players from Ocean Stronghold and Bullet Hole had been scolding each other. However, as they continued to bicker, this topic somehow attracted even more attention.
Initially, everyone had been debating which of the two games was better. Subsequently, Bullet Hole seemed to have disappeared from the discussions. Everyone then started to debate whether Ocean Stronghold was an industry cancer or industry-conscious?
Among those that participated in the discussions, not a few of them were from other gaming companies. Casually opening any note, and one would be able to see both factions bickering incessantly.
“Ocean Stronghold could possibly trigger the advent of ‘The Age of Paywall’ for locally produced games!”
“To sell a permanent weapon for eight-hundred-and-eighty-eight yuan; that is unprecedented! Furthermore, as an FPS game, it is actually selling character attributes? Does this company still have even a veneer of passion and principles for games?”
“When other games sell in-game merchandise for two or three hundred, you guys would scold them. Why is it when it costs eight-hundred over for a weapon now, you guys are lapping it up?”
“Also, this game’s servers are bad. They will suddenly be full, and I will get stuck! This is trash!”
“How many influencers have this game bought? It obviously is a trashy game with a high paywall; it still dares to boast that it is the pride and glory of locally-produced FPS games?”
However, these opinions would swiftly be rebuked.
“A trashy game with a high paywall? Haha, it seems like you obviously haven’t played this game!”
“That’s right; I’m an influencer for Ocean Stronghold. So what?”
“I would like to emphasize why I said that this game is good? It only requires you to buy a weapon that costs 888 yuan; everything else in the game is free! You guys who make other in-game purchases in other games, the number of pages of items to buy is quite a lot, right? How can you make the same comparison?”
“This game’s story mode models that of many big, blockbuster games; it had been splendidly done. To buy blockbuster games, that would cost you at least two thousand, right? If the cost is slashed by half or even only a hundred yuan or fifty yuan, that is reasonable.”
“However, this company actually foolishly made everything free! Even the story mode could be experienced for free! If this isn’t benign, what is?”
“The cost of the weapon is but the upfront cost that everyone has to pay for any game; just that now, this money has been placed in the hands of ballers. Furthermore, ballers that buy the weapons are also willing buyers and sellers; isn’t that the best of both worlds?”
“As for the server crashing, I’m sorry, Ocean Stronghold is no longer crashing! They must have rented a new server and expanded!”
“Sigh, some people really just don’t understand the relative importance or urgency of things. This company had developed this game and provided this service. They can’t possibly do all of this out of love, right? They have managed to avoid making people pay for the game but had transferred this to ballers; why aren’t you guys satisfied?”
…
Whether this game was an industry cancer or industry-conscious, there still wasn’t a conclusion.
Regardless, as people continued bickering, this game gained more and more attention!
The crux was the 888-yuan Red Kilin was just too hot a topic; many people who had no interest in gaming whatsoever had heard that a weapon was being sold at such a price and started to notice Ocean Stronghold.
Hence, Ocean Stronghold statistics just kept on rising!
Huang Sibo was actually concerned at the start that this online fighting would affect the reputation of Ocean Stronghold. However, from the looks of it, not only had the game’s reputation not been affected; but the dispute had also generated publicity for the game!
Huang Sibo was now relaxed; it seemed as if everything was going according to Boss Pei’s plans!
At this time, Pei Qian walked out of his office. Wearing his new spectacles, Boss Pei looked much steadier and calmer; as if he had victory just within grasp. H
uang Sibo was very impressed by him.
“Everyone, take a look at the internal chat; I had started a poll. This is an anonymous poll; I want everyone to evaluate who you guys think is the best employee.”
Pei Qian smiled slightly and said, “I have a secret prize for that person.”
Chapter 76 - Dream Fund!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The best employee? Secret prize? Boss Pei was going to reward according to merit?
Everyone immediately started clicking with their mouse to choose who they thought was the best. Soon, everyone had finished voting.
Pei Qian took a look at the results: Huang Sibo was number-one with fourteen votes while Bao Xu was close behind with ten votes. Lin Wan actually had gotten three votes; Pei Qian didn’t know who had voted for her.
Pei Qian looked at Assistant Xin. Xin Hailu immediately took out the long-prepared custom-made trophy and handed it to Pei Qian. Pei Qian walked to Huang Sibo and handed him the trophy, “Congratulations!”
Huang Sibo was rather shocked; he was stunned momentarily as he hurriedly stood up and took the trophy. Everyone in the office immediately applauded warmly. Most of them thought that Huang Sibo was indeed the best employee!
Who was the one who had pushed the development over and over again? Who was the one who had worked hard without complaint; always staying back to work overtime? Ocean Stronghold’s huge success naturally had to be attributed to the development team while Huang Sibo was the development team’s chief planner; he had given the most effort!
OF course, some people also thought that Bao Xu’s creativity had been very important; hence, Bao Xu had gotten ten votes. However, Boss Pei also had to be credited for creativity. After all, Boss Pei had been the one to raise three requests; and Bao Xu had come up with his ideas based on them. He had essentially gotten some guidance and hints before he produced the correct answer.
Furthermore, Huang Sibo had been so busy taking care of the game’s development; his presence was the strongest. Hence, he had gotten the most number of votes.
Huang Sibo held onto the trophy with both hands as he was so emotional he could hardly speak. This trophy looked rather unique, and it was obvious it had been custom-made. It was different from the cheap tens of yuan of ordinary trophies! Furthermore, it wasn’t just about the cost of it.
A trophy also brought about a certain degree of honor!
The trophy also had the words ‘Tengda Network Technology Co., Ltd. First Best Employee’ engraved on it. This was the greatest praise and affirmation for his work; it was not something that money could give!
As everyone was still clapping, Huang Sibo felt that he should say something.
He cleared his throat and said, “I am grateful for Boss Pei’s trust and nurturing; I am also thankful for everyone’s constant support and assistance!
“Ocean Stronghold’s success should first and foremost be due to Boss Pei pointing us in the correct direction. Brother Bao and I had then managed to push forward in this direction.
“Second, credit should go to Brother Bao and his bold vision and inspiration. If he hadn’t thought of such a brilliant story mode and such a novel PvP mode to this game, it would have been hard to achieve its current success!
“Also, everyone’s hard work had also played a huge part. All this time, the designs team had been working overtime with me to work step by step according to plan while everyone else had also provided their greatest amount of cooperation. The great success was a combined effort!
“I think that this trophy should belong to everyone!”
After Huang Sibo spoke, yet another round of warm applause broke out! Lin Wan actually had some tears in her eyes, and she was rather emotional.
Hear, hear!
Shouldn’t this be what a company with a conscience was all about?
Of course, I had also not chosen wrongly; coming to Tengda had been the right choice!
The applause slowly subsided.
Pei Qian continued, “Next, I want to reveal the special prize for the best employee. Huang Sibo, from today, you are no longer part of the designs team. The chief planner position would be given to Lu Mingliang.”
Xiao Lu was flabbergasted.
Ah?
Huang Sibo was stumped.
What did this mean?
Hadn’t I just gotten the best employee award?
What was happening? Was I being fired on the spot?
Everyone else was equally stunned; they didn’t know what Boss Pei’s intentions were. Huang Sibo had done so well as the chief planner and the results proved as much; everyone knew it clearly.
Yet, he had been taken down like this?
Not only was he no longer the chief planner, but he also had to get out of the designs team immediately?
Pei Qian grinned as he continued, “As the best employee, I have decided to give you a Dream Fund worth one million yuan; you can use it to fulfill your dreams!
“You will still be Tengda’s employee. However, you will not be in the games department anymore. You can choose any industry that you’re interested in and invest the one million yuan. Regardless of whether your venture succeeds or not, the company will foot the bill!”
Huang Sibo—who had actually been so scared his limbs had gone cold—actually did an internal 180-degree flip!
Great, Boss Pei was not firing me!
Furthermore, he had given me a one million yuan Dream Fund, for me to fulfill my dreams!
Huang Sibo felt as if he was dreaming; he could not believe that all this was happening! Everyone else also stared wide-eyed as their eyes were filled with envy and jealousy. This was the treatment the best employee received?!
Wasn’t it… just a little too ridiculous?
A million-yuan investment with a high level of autonomy; regardless of success or failure, the company would pay the bill!
Envy—a whole load of envy!
Huang Sibo’s hands were shaking, and he almost couldn’t keep his grip on the trophy. “Boss Pei, I’m afraid that I am not good enough and can’t take on this responsibility…”
Pei Qian shook his head slightly, telling Huang Sibo to stop talking. “As the best employee, you have already proved your capabilities. Since I have faith in you, you should have trust in yourself as well.”
Pei Qian was very sincere.
Huang Sibo’s eyes contained tears as his lips trembled. Words could not express what he was feeling as he bowed deeply and said, “Alright, Boss Pei, I will definitely do my best!”
Pei Qian revealed his relief while he was secretly elated.
Success!
The first place had been eliminated!
This was the plan that Pei Qian had racked his brains to come up with.
The Ocean Stronghold’s success had proved that this bunch was not hooligans. Especially people like Huang Sibo had proved to be a hidden talent in the gaming industry! Pei Qian didn’t have the time to lament why he was so unlucky and always encountered hidden talents like this, and his top priority had been to get rid of this problem.
If not, if Huang Sibo and Bao Xu continued to be in charge and created yet another money-making game, wouldn’t he be in trouble??
Losing Money to Be a Tycoon c1-883 Page 41