Agreeing to Create Bad Games, What the Hell Is ‘Titanfall’? Chapter 209: Emperor Qin Shi Huang Touches a Live Wire!

"Ouch... oh my god I can't take it anymore... I'll do... I'll do the housework alright!"

After laughing for what felt like ages.

Shen Miaomiao had tears streaming down her face as she clutched her stomach, collapsed on the sofa, raising her hands in surrender.

"You're absolutely vicious,"

Shen Miaomiao wiped away her tears of laughter:

"Going to such extres just to avoid chores."

"Mainly because I might be too busy recently,"

Gu Sheng said while examining his swollen eye in the mirror, wincing as he touched the bruise:

"Escape is doing phenonally well, and the DLC is nearly finished. According to schedule, it should be ready for release this Friday."

Next Friday.

The final day of Escape's first week since launch.

Hahahaha... holy shit!!!

Shen Miaomiao had been giggling happily just monts ago!

Hearing this, she practically launched herself off the sofa!

No no no! This absolutely cannot happen!!!

Based on current trends, Escape's first-day sales would be around 250,000-260,000 copies. Historically, without additional content or changes, the total first-week sales would likely fall between 1-1.2 million copies.

An absolutely staggering number!

A million copies in one week!

This sales figure would be impressive even among mainstream shooter and sports gas.

Let alone for a horror ga, which is a relatively niche genre.

But!

While 1.2 million copies seems insane!

At their $18 price point, by Friday at 8 PM, total revenue would be approximately $21.6 million.

After accounting for Yiyou and XunTeng's average platform cut of 25%, they'd need to deduct about $5.4 million, leaving total profits at...

$16.2 million.

Compared to their $18.15 million developnt cost, that's a $1.95 million loss.

Not a huge gap.

But after Shen Miaomiao's system conversion, this becos a fortune!

After all, this deal has a 100x loss multiplier!

$1.95 million tis 100 equals $195 million!

Converted, that's 1.365 billion yuan!

A windfall!

An unprecedented fortune!

This would be her biggest payout since getting the system!

But now!

Old Gu wants to release the Escape DLC at the end of the first week?

You must understand!

That $1.95 million gap only translates to about 100,000 additional ga sales!

If he releases the DLC, it would almost certainly generate another wave of hype!

Selling an extra 100,000 copies would be entirely possible!

After all, everyone's currently fascinated by Waylon Park's story!

People want to see what happened on Waylon's tiline during Miles' desperate escape!

They want to know how the two coincidentally t at the exit and escaped Mount Massive together!

Hell!

So fans are already shipping Miles and Waylon as a couple!

With this level of hype, how could I possibly let you release the DLC?

"Uh... about that..."

Shen Miaomiao's mind raced as she blinked her big eyes rapidly:

"Is the DLC really that urgent?"

"Well... how should I put this,"

Gu Sheng stepped away from the mirror and sat back on the sofa:

"The DLC is basically done, and releasing now would capitalize on the current hype. Dropping it early Friday would perfectly ride the first-week montum, wouldn't it?"

Gu Sheng's reasoning made sense.

With Escape's current popularity, releasing the DLC now would be icing on the cake.

For a mont, Shen Miaomiao racked her brain for a plausible reason to delay.

Her ntal gears turned furiously until inspiration struck!

"Then... why don't we schedule the DLC release for 8 PM Friday?"

Shen Miaomiao suggested:

"Generally, more big strears are live in the evenings, and more players have free ti then."

"They can play imdiately after purchase without waiting,"

"Not only is this more player-friendly, but the initial hype would be stronger too, right?"

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant, Shen Miaomiao!

She cheered internally, nearly jumping for joy!

You're so clever! This reasoning is flawless!

An 8 PM Friday release would perfectly align with the seven-day settlent period.

As for how much the DLC might boost sales...

Well, the more the rrier!

First I'll secure a huge loss, then Old Gu can release the DLC for a second sales surge!

This move!

This move is like Emperor Qin Shi Huang touching a live wire - winning until it hurts!

I'm about to win so hard it's insane!

After considering it, Gu Sheng nodded:

"That's actually not a bad idea. The hype would build faster, with imdiate results upon release."

"Though about the 'more player-friendly' part... I beg to differ."

Gu Sheng shrugged.

An 8 PM release for the "Whistleblower DLC" would an players reliving the terror of being chased at night.

While reading reviews earlier, he'd noticed many players complaining about having nightmares of being hunted by psychopaths after playing Escape.

Now, with the Whistleblower DLC also releasing at night...

Many players, especially male ones, would likely have a fresh round of nightmares.

Which should generate plenty of emotional value for him.

"Then let's release at 8 PM,"

After so thought, Gu Sheng agreed it was a good idea:

"You're the boss after all. Your call."

"Ah— what an enlightened young man!!!"

Shen Miaomiao bead, patting Gu Sheng's shoulder approvingly!

Everything's set!

The ga! She's played and reviewed it! No major surprises left!

Additional content! After her persuasion, Old Gu agreed to delay! Won't affect sales!

Motion pod market! XunTeng and Yiyou have it locked down! No major promotions coming!

Everything's perfect!

Now just wait to lose money!

1.365 billion!

Just thinking about it feels amazing!

Shen Miaomiao is radiant!

Shen Miaomiao is jubilant!

Shen Miaomiao holds all the cards!

"To make it up to you! This CEO decides to treat you to a feast today! Na anything - whether it flies, swims, or walks on land!"

Shen Miaomiao waved her hand grandly!

"Speak! What do you want to eat!"

...

"...Did you get punched in the face, Sheng-ge?"

Monday morning.

Golden Wind VP office.

Da Jiang examined the panda-eyed Gu Sheng closely:

"Who hit you? Why didn't you call and Old Lu? We'd have backed you up!"

"I wanted to avoid unnecessary casualties,"

Gu Sheng slurped his noodles:

"The enemy was too strong. You two wouldn't stand a chance."

Lu Bian, being clever, kept quiet while eating his buns. He could probably guess who delivered that punch.

But Da Jiang wasn't having it!

"Who? Who's this tough guy?"

The brawny Da Jiang feared no one:

"Give a na, Sheng-ge! I'll make sure they're in tomorrow's papers!"

Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow: "Shen Miaomiao."

Da Jiang's righteous fury was instantly dispelled.

After a silent mont, he pulled out a hard-boiled egg from his breakfast:

"Here Sheng-ge, roll this on your bruise. They say it helps with swelling."

Gu Sheng stared at Da Jiang: "You can't be serious about using a tea egg for this?"

Pfft—

Lu Bian, mid-sip of congee, spat it out and scrambled for tissues: "Cough... what kind of bullshit conversation is this..."

After shared laughter, Gu Sheng explained the black eye saga.

"She really went for the kill,"

Gu Sheng gingerly touched his swollen eye:

"I was half-asleep when WHAM! Right in the face."

Lu Bian gave him a teasing look: "Worth it?"

Gu Sheng pondered seriously: "Mhmm!"

"You're hopeless..."

Lu Bian facepald, lanting how his normalcy made him the odd one out at this company.

"Speaking of which,"

After a pause, Lu Bian took a sip of congee and asked:

"What's your plan going forward?"

"What do you an?" Gu Sheng drank so broth: "About what?"

"Living together," Lu Bian said: "Weren't you planning to buy a place?"

Indeed.

Gu Sheng had been considering buying property and had his eye on a recently completed mid-to-high-end developnt.

At heart, Gu Sheng was traditional.

Though many online argued that buying property made less financial sense than renting nowadays—after all, people only live a few decades with limited housing needs—Gu Sheng still felt owning a ho would give him roots and security.

Renting long-term made him feel like a drifting weed.

With his current salary of 1.5 million yuan plus bonuses, financing a 200 square ter luxury apartnt would be no issue at all.

The problem was...

"What about CEO Ou?"

Lu Bian asked:

"If you buy now, between renovations and airing out, you could move in about six months."

"Then what? End your co-living arrangent? Or officially beco her landlord?"

The question left Gu Sheng stumped.

Neither option felt quite right.

End the co-living?

Technically, if either he or Little Nezha wanted to stop, they could have long ago.

Little Nezha had only been cash-strapped for a month or two—evident from her casually spending tens of thousands on gifts for him.

But becoming her landlord and continuing to live together?

Wouldn't that change the dynamic? How would Little Nezha feel? Might she use this as reason to end things?

Gu Sheng didn't know how to handle this.

"What's so complicated?"

Seeing Gu Sheng hesitate, Da Jiang stuffed the tea egg in his mouth and wiped his hands:

"Just get together and it solves everything. Perfectly normal for couples to live together. If you want, you can even add CEO Ou's na to the deed."

Xu Dajiang was always like this.

Simple. Blunt. Straight to the point.

Surprisingly, Lu Bian didn't mock him this ti, instead scooting closer to show solidarity.

"Old Shen treats you like a son, and Little Shen has been living with you for nearly a year,"

Lu Bian clicked his tongue, almost frustrated:

"If it were , we'd either be announcing a pregnancy or at least an engagent by now."

"Lao Gu, you took on Xing Mang, then Guang Yao, then XunTeng at their peak without flinching, and now you've even beaten Kora to a pulp,"

"Why are you so hesitant about this?"

"I..." Gu Sheng opened his mouth but couldn't continue.

Why?

He didn't know himself.

There had been many monts when he wanted to pierce that hazy veil between them.

In the hospital late at night. During their farewell hug. Their reunion embrace. The emotion behind "SamGu & MiiaShen." Those mornings waking up together.

Each ti he gathered courage, he held back.

The overwhelming weight of responsibility made him tread carefully.

The closer he wanted to be, the more afraid he beca to reach out.

He lacked Lu Bian's carefree attitude and Da Jiang's straightforward courage.

What he wanted were countless nights holding her, countless mornings waking up together, a forever-warm ho, a lifelong journey hand in hand.

For this, he was willing to take responsibility—but unsure if he truly could.

"The cart will find its way when it reaches the mountain..."

After much deliberation, Gu Sheng remained unresolved. Perhaps he truly wasn't ready:

"Let's focus on current matters."

Seeing Gu Sheng change topics, Lu Bian chuckled and teased his black eye: "Can you even see current matters clearly with that shiner?"

"I've still got one good eye,"

Gu Sheng widened his unswollen eye dramatically:

"Good enough."

Hahaha...

The three brothers laughed together.

Such was the nature of male friendships—so things needed no further explanation.

After discussing the Whistleblower DLC—Gu Sheng had taken Little Nezha's suggestion to delay release from 8 AM to 8 PM Friday—Lu Bian and Da Jiang had no objections.

As CEO Ou said, this delay would let them capitalize on hype more effectively—only benefiting sales.

With the DLC release settled, Gu Sheng turned to future projects:

"The market is extrely favorable for us now,"

"I've been thinking about that 'motion assist' system we upgraded in APEX,"

"As I said before, this system has major applications,"

"So for our next project, I want to—no, we must—implent this technology."

"Kora challenged us last ti... Now it's our turn to make a move..."

Just then—

Knock knock—

The office door opened to reveal executive secretary Chu Qingzhou:

"Director Gu, Director Shen requests your presence. We've received an invitation requiring your decision..."