Chapter 25: The Heavenly King Group Chat, Mission Rewards? (Two-in-One)

Clearly, this is a private group chat for the regional Elite Four members and Champions; it is no exaggeration to say that the world's most powerful trainers are all gathered here.

Because people of their status are constantly occupied, this group is usually quiet. However, whenever something interesting happens, the lurkers emerge one by one—just like now.

As more people started speaking up and asking Lance for details, he simply downloaded the battle he had just played in the game and forwarded it to the group.

[Dragon Master: I ran into someone with a very interesting strategy. You should all take a look.]

Once the video appeared, the group fell silent again; it was clear that everyone was watching it intently. A few minutes later, comments began to trickle in.

[I Love Mining: Using the throwing mechanics of two Pokémon to create an infinite control loop? While it’s difficult to pull off in reality, the concept is quite fascinating.]

[Malicious Slander: Honestly, thinking about you getting pelted with trash for an entire match, Lance, I just couldn't keep a straight face.]

[Pear Blossom: Hahahaha!]

..

Since they were all trainers of this caliber, they naturally grasped the opponent's tactical intent and design at a glance. They had to admit that, even if it was just a game, the execution was quite ingenious.

[Dragon Master: Laugh all you want, but could someone do me a favor and give me any information on this "Quality Person"? I’d really like to meet him.]

[Pear Blossom: I hope you mean "meet" in a friendly way, not for an offline beatdown.]

[Lorelei: I think you could ask the high-ranking players in this group... perhaps they know who he is?]

[Dark Surge: The highest-ranked members in our group should be Red and Cynthia, but Red has been away training lately and is currently unreachable... Why not ask Cynthia?]

[Pure White: @Strawberry Ice Cream]

[Pear Blossom: @Strawberry Ice Cream]

..

Following the suggestion, everyone began tagging Cynthia. However, two minutes passed without a response. Suddenly, a user with a Charizard avatar appeared and sent a long message:

[Don't Call Me Fire-Head: Stop wasting your time tagging her. You can't reach her lately. I thought she was away on a mission, but when I logged into the gaming platform, I realized she seems to be addicted to some game. I see her online every single day.]

[The game is called something like... Pokémon Emerald? I don't understand what’s so charming about it; she hasn't even played her favorite Battle Frontier in days.]

[Pear Blossom: Understood. Thanks for the intel, Fire-Head.]

[Don't Call Me Fire-Head: ....I'm taking the Dragonite Express to your place for a duel. I'll be there in a few minutes, you’d better not run.]

[Dragon Master: Count me in.]

After sending that, Lance exited the group chat. He had hoped to use the group's intelligence network to find out the identity of this "Quality Person" and get to know them. Now, it seemed he would have to wait until he could reach Cynthia or Red.

As he pondered this, another thought crossed his mind. Right... the Sinnoh Fire-type Elite Four member, Flint, had mentioned that Cynthia was obsessed with a game. Given his impression of her, Cynthia had never been fond of video games. She only played the Battle Frontier because it provided insights into combat and Pokémon knowledge, not because she enjoyed gaming. So, what kind of magic did that game possess to make even Cynthia lose track of time and stop responding to messages?

The more Lance thought about it, the more curious he became. Since he was on vacation anyway, why not give it a try? What was the name of the game again? Pokémon... Emerald? He opened the search bar and typed it in based on his recollection.

...

An hour later, in Ling Feng's stream, his opponent surrendered, marking his 15th consecutive win. His rank had reached "Great Ball." Unfortunately, none of his recent opponents were as high-profile as Lance, so he didn't receive any additional "Emotion Points."

However, his goal for the stream had been met. Ling Feng looked at the viewer count in the top right: 1,200 people. He had exceeded the system's mission requirements. He cleared his throat.

"Alright everyone, that’s it for today’s challenge. We’ll be back at the same time tomorrow, 2:00 PM."

With that, he ended the stream, leaving over 1,000 viewers in confusion.

[??? Stream's over already?]
[Dude, you haven't even been live for two hours. Now that you finally have viewers, aren't you going to make money?]
[Did he run away because he was afraid of losing the red envelope giveaway?]

..

They didn't know that Ling Feng streamed solely to harvest Emotion Points to purchase modules for further game development. Now that the mission was done and the points were in his pocket, it was time to get back to work.

Back in his rental, he stood up and stretched. He scanned the notification before him:

[You have accumulated 100 points from the shock, joy, frustration, and anger of your viewers and opponents!]

For three hours of streaming, 100 points wasn't exactly high efficiency. Fortunately, the main reward came from elsewhere.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have completed the side mission "Part-time Activity" (C)!]
[Mission rewards distributed!]
[Received 200 Emotion Points and the entry-level module "Text Deciphering Module"!]

...Text Deciphering Module?

Ling Feng recalled what this was: a module that could convert real-world ancient scripts into in-game ruins and inscriptions, increasing historical realism. It also allowed him to understand and use any human language. While this was just a nice bonus for game development, considering it usually cost over 200 points, it was a solid random reward.

As he pondered, a new prompt popped up:

[Ding! Due to your excellent mission performance, you have received an additional reward!]
[You have received a "Low-Level Module Upgrade Card" (B) (Consumable)!]
[Using this card will upgrade any low-level module you currently own!]

Ling Feng raised an eyebrow. An unexpected bonus? He eyed the card, considering his options. To maximize the value, he immediately thought of upgrading the [Development Efficiency Boost Module]. This module increased his development speed, and it had been a significant help. He had spent 450 Emotion Points on it originally—far more than other entry-level modules. Upgrading it would yield massive value.

Without hesitation, he consumed the card and upgraded the module.

[Ding! Congratulations, the module has been successfully upgraded!]

A golden controller icon appeared before him:

[Development Efficiency Boost Module (Intermediate)]
[Description: Your development efficiency for any game type is significantly increased, and you will receive a 30% bonus on all Emotion Points earned from your games!]

Ling Feng’s eyes lit up. He had chosen correctly! Not only was his efficiency boosted further, but he also gained a 30% buff on point acquisition.

He closed the panel, satisfied, just as a new mission refreshed:

[Ding! Main mission obtained: Rookie Champion (S)]
[Requirements: Make your game win the championship at the "New Game Festival."]
[Rewards: 2,000 Emotion Points, 1x Random Advanced Development Module, 1x Special System Item Chest (A)]
[Description: Rumor has it a new game has arrived at the New Game Festival; it's so explosive that everyone playing it feels like they're flying!]

Ling Feng nodded. 2,000 points, an advanced module, and a chest—the rewards were incredibly generous. Becoming the champion was his goal anyway, so this was essentially a free bonus.

He took a deep breath. There was one month left until the festival ended. Within that month, he needed to finish the "Insane Mode" Sinnoh and Hoenn maps, the first and second playthroughs, and develop the "Standard Mode." Unlike Insane Mode, which focused on difficulty, Standard Mode focused on story and experience. He had many ideas for it.

He opened his panel. Including the new rewards and his savings, his balance was now over 1,300 points. It was a high number, but still shy of an intermediate module like the 1,400-point [Advanced CG Module].

He shook his head. Better to keep working and save up. He sat back down at his computer, but before he could start, a series of notifications popped up:

[Ding! Special character "Lance" has felt "surprise, confusion, and enjoyment" regarding your game. You have received 100 Emotion Points!]

Ling Feng blinked. Lance had just been tortured by him, and yet he went straight to playing Emerald? He couldn't find any connection. He was certain Lance didn't know he was the developer, thanks to the system's strict confidentiality. Was it just a coincidence?

Whatever. He silently thanked the "Boss" Lance for the points. He then spent all his points to unlock the [Advanced CG Module]. Now, he could create Blu-ray quality, high-definition special CGs! Combined with the ancient text translation module, he had a bold new idea.

He had planned to work on "Slateport City" and "Mauville City" tonight, but some things could be scheduled earlier. He created a new folder on his desktop:

— [Dewford Cave. Regirock. Ruins]

..

Meanwhile, at the Dream Factory headquarters in Sinnoh, a group of young, suit-clad professionals sat in a meeting room, whispering their frustrations.

"Boss B is disgusting. Does he really have to call us back during our annual leave?"
"It's insane. He pays us peanuts and expects us to bleed for him. If I had a better offer, I’d be gone already."
"The gaming industry is in a slump, and with Dream Factory like this, where else can we go?"

An older man spoke up: "Enough. Let's be practical. What do you think about that game?"

The group showed interest. "You mean that 'Emerald' game? Honestly, it's really well-made. High quality and very creative."
"Agreed. The graphics are polished, the content is rich, and the turn-based combat is a great idea. It’s a shame the boss has his eyes on it."
"Yeah... I bet this meeting is just to copy it again. They'll throw money at it, update faster than the original, and squeeze the creator out of the market."
"That's how Cui Yu rolls... it's not the first time."
"What a shame for that studio... dying just as they started to take off."