Pei Qian never imagined he'd stumble upon a detailed review of Ghost General on a major news portal.
Curious, he clicked into the article.
"Recently, a mobile game titled 'Ghost General' has unexpectedly surged in popularity. Without any proactive promotion from the developers, the game reached nearly 80,000 downloads within its first week!"
"According to estimates, this game's active user numbers, player satisfaction, and retention rate significantly surpass those of other recently released card-based mobile games—positioning it far ahead of the competition!"
"Many industry insiders previously believed the card game market was saturated. Even the pioneering game, 'Cute Three Kingdoms,' had experienced declining player engagement and revenue, seemingly struggling to reverse this trend."
"However, the release of 'Ghost General' has entirely overturned this pessimistic viewpoint, demonstrating that there remains substantial room for growth within the card game genre!"
"So, how did 'Ghost General' defy the odds, becoming a worthy successor to 'Cute Three Kingdoms' and the new benchmark for card-based mobile games?"
"Next, through professional analysis, we'll unravel the secrets behind the success of 'Ghost General'!"
"Firstly, instead of continuing the tired chibi-style art pioneered by 'Cute Three Kingdoms,' 'Ghost General' boldly adopts a completely fresh visual style, reimagining classic Three Kingdoms characters in a groundbreaking way that instantly captures players' attention!"
"Players had grown weary of identical, cartoonish visuals. This unique Epic Ink-and-Oil Painting style presented a novel, engaging the Three Kingdoms universe, creating immediate interest and affection."
"Secondly, 'Ghost General' simplifies gameplay dramatically. It strips away the bloated features commonly found in modern card games, retaining only essential, classic elements, thus significantly reducing player stress!"
"Games like 'Cute Three Kingdoms' have continually added features, transforming what was once a casual experience into a highly demanding, time-consuming chore."
"By preserving only core gameplay mechanics—requiring just one or two hours daily—'Ghost General' appeals greatly to casual gamers, successfully avoiding a draining 'time war' with competitors."
"Thirdly, 'Ghost General' is remarkably fair!"
"Besides the initial buyout price of 10 yuan, the game's sole additional purchase is a permanent 30-yuan card. All players are equal; even non-paying players can fully enjoy the game's charm without excessive grinding or spending!"
"This fairness is the cornerstone of 'Ghost General's' explosive popularity and widespread acclaim!"
"Perhaps 'Ghost General' signals the future direction of card-based mobile games. We expect to see many more games following its path—fairer and more enjoyable!"
Below the article, readers enthusiastically left their comments:
"Very professional analysis!"
"Spot on!"
"Exactly! I chose 'Ghost General' precisely for its fairness—I can pull rare cards without paying a fortune!"
"Plus, I genuinely love its art style! Just collecting heroes and completing my gallery could keep me entertained for a whole year!"
And so on.
After finishing the article, Pei Qian began doubting reality.
How on earth?!
Are you people even playing the same game I made?!
The reason I changed the art style was to deliberately discourage fans of the Cute Three Kingdoms-style visuals!
"Simplifying the gameplay"? It wasn't intentional! The template I purchased simply didn't include more features. I could barely use the editor properly—there was no way to add complexity even if I wanted to!
*"Extremely fair monetization"? That's because I deliberately set prices low to prevent whales from spending and thwarting my plans to lose money!
How did everything become an advantage?!
Pei Qian felt like dying.
This world was insane—there had to be something wrong somewhere!
He put down his phone, silently contemplating life.
. . .
"Hello, President Pei! Apologies for the wait."
A thirty-something man in a suit entered and shook hands with Pei Qian.
"I'm the regional manager-level consultant for Exon Headhunting Agency in Handong Province, and also a senior headhunting consultant. You can call me Lawrence. It's a pleasure to assist you."
Lawrence was exceedingly polite. Pei Qian had already informed the receptionist that he was the owner of Tengda Network Technology Co., Ltd.
Hiring a senior-level headhunting consultant like Lawrence for a private consultation incurred additional charges, but Pei Qian hadn't hesitated in the slightest, clearly demonstrating his wealth.
Naturally, the headhunting agency wouldn't dare neglect such a client.
Of course, Pei Qian himself felt indifferent since he was spending the system's money anyway.
"Nice to meet you, Manager Lawrence. My purpose here is simple—I want to hire an assistant," Pei Qian explained directly.
"Very good. Could you clarify your specific requirements?" Lawrence maintained his professional smile.
"Hmm…the most expensive one," Pei Qian said with a look that screamed, "Money is no issue!"
Employee salaries came directly from the system's funds, so naturally, Pei Qian wanted the salary to be as high as possible. The more he spent, the bigger his losses would appear!
Lawrence smiled. "Of course. I'll note that down. However, I must clarify further—would you prefer an administrative-secretarial type of assistant or a youthful, executive-trainee type?"
Pei Qian appeared somewhat confused. "Is there a difference?"
Lawrence explained patiently, still smiling. "Certainly."
"An administrative-secretarial assistant is usually an extremely capable young woman who handles routine tasks that a busy CEO doesn't have time for—somewhat similar to a celebrity manager in function."
"The salary range usually falls between 100,000 and 350,000 yuan annually. The most outstanding candidates might reach around 400,000 yuan per year, which is about the ceiling."
"An executive-trainee type assistant, on the other hand, is typically an ambitious young man whom companies cultivate for future executive roles, such as Vice-President or even CEO successor."
"Of course, these roles aren't mutually exclusive. It all depends on your needs."
Without hesitation, Pei Qian answered, "The former."
There was no need to consider it carefully. Tengda Network Technology Co., Ltd. currently has only two employees. Thinking about a successor at this point would be absurd.
Moreover, he wasn't the slightest bit interested in having a male secretary.
Not at all!
Lawrence nodded. "Understood. Please wait a moment—we have several candidates' resumes for your review."
Moments later, several resumes were placed before Pei Qian.
All were attractive young women with similar qualifications.
Every single one had impressive educational credentials.
Each spoke fluent English, with some proficient in up to three languages.
Several had work experience as executive assistants in well-known domestic conglomerates.
Additionally, there were bonus qualifications, like expertise in financial management and legal affairs.
Lawrence added, "These are the most outstanding executive assistants in Handong Province. Our headhunters have personally communicated with each of them to ensure they have excellent demeanor, professional communication skills, and outstanding organizational ability."
Pei Qian browsed through the resumes quickly, picking out the one with the highest expected salary without hesitation.
- - - - - -
If you want to see more chapter of this fic for free, please go to my Scribblehub Account[1], I cross-poted this fic in there too.
Link: https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1589938/losing-money-to-become-a-tycoon-starting-with-games/[2]
[1] https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1589938/losing-money-to-become-a-tycoon-starting-with-games/
[2] https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1589938/losing-money-to-become-a-tycoon-starting-with-games/