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Chapter 107 Battle Tower: "Hunger and Thirst"

Zhao Lan didn't interrupt at all, just listened quietly, occasionally tapping the table with her fingers.

Ultimately, the person who made the final decision was a representative from a higher-level coordinating body.

He closed his notebook, his words concise and to the point.

"The plan is very creative, and its feasibility has been considered. The ministry has agreed in principle and will coordinate resources to support it."

Regarding fees —

He looked at Shen Yu'er: "In your initial draft budget, you hoped the government would bear a portion of the cost. Tell me your thoughts."

Shen Yu'er took a deep breath, knowing that the most crucial moment had arrived.

Instead of directly stating the numbers, she first explained the principle that Lin Dao had set: "commercial activities should not interfere with the core of the event," before speaking.

"We recommend that official funds be primarily invested in basic social security and public services."

"For example, there are one-time subsidies for the renovation of battlefields in relatively economically underdeveloped areas; the formulation and supervision of basic safety standards for competitions nationwide; and public service publicity and promotion through mainstream media channels. We have calculated that this part accounts for about 50% of the total budget, and the government only needs to bear 20%."

She didn't mention how much the commercial sponsorships would cover, but everyone at the table understood that the remaining portion was the bulk of the deal and would inevitably be the focus of contention among all parties.

The representative exchanged glances with those around him, nodded, and then addressed Zhao Lan and the others.

"20% is acceptable. But there's a condition: all cities and prefectures must fully cooperate in implementing this, treating it as an opportunity to invigorate local cultural and sports life and showcase a new urban image. Transportation, public security, public health, and public opinion guidance must all keep up. We can't just wait for the funds from above and then have the local authorities do nothing."

He paused, looked at Lin Dao, and softened his tone.

"Mr. Lin, please do your job with peace of mind. As for the specific coordination, Director Zhao and Xiao Shen will handle it."

It was not yet noon when I left the meeting room.

Shen Yu'er breathed a long sigh of relief and said to Lin Dao, "It went more smoothly than I expected. With the 20% official funding guarantee, plus the 'imperial mandate' that all regions must cooperate, the subsequent work will be much easier to carry out."

Lin Dao looked at the bright sunlight outside the window and smiled: "Because this matter is indeed not just about the competition."

Rumors of official pronouncements spread faster than official documents.

That afternoon, Shen Yu'er's office became a hotline center.

However, many of the calls this time came from officials of local governments or relevant departments.

The questions all remarkably focused on the same points: How to apply for a high-profile points-based tournament? What local incentives are available to attract trainers to battle and spend money? Does the group have any guidelines for related cultural and tourism activities?

Mayor Zhou of Chengdu even dialed Lin Dao's private number directly. Since the "Flying Dragon Incident," the mayor had saved Lin Dao's number as an important contact.

"Advisor Lin! Wow, your points-based competition is fantastic! Such a brilliant idea!"

Mayor Zhou's voice, even through the microphone, exuded a fiery energy.

"We in Chengdu will definitely give our full support! I've had the best battle centers upgraded overnight to ensure the best live stream quality! Our Culture and Tourism Bureau is already working on plans for accommodation, transportation, and unique Pokémon-themed tour routes!"

He even lowered his voice, sharing with a hint of pride.

"To be honest, our local star players," like Zuo Meimei and her mischievous panda, are really popular among young people right now! I plan to schedule their main matches for prime time on weekend evenings, in the central square! A massive 10,000-spectator lineup! Tickets? Oh, a symbolic fee, mainly to control the crowd; all proceeds will go into the local trainer support fund—"

Lin Dao could almost picture Mayor Zhou on the other end of the phone, beaming with excitement and gesturing wildly.

He listened patiently and then reminded him, "Mayor Zhou, enthusiasm is a good thing, but safety and order must come first. There are risks involved in fighting, so the safety protection and emergency evacuation plans for the onlookers must be implemented thoroughly."

"Don't worry! Safety is the red line, I understand!" Mayor Zhou readily agreed, and after exchanging a few more pleasantries, he reluctantly hung up.

Chengdu is not an isolated case.

Other far-sighted and quick-reacting cities also sprang into action.

Transforming venues, designing collaborative events, and uncovering the stories of local trainers for promotion—many city leaders have suddenly realized that this is no longer a simple task of hosting a "sports event," but an excellent platform to bring together young people, stimulate diverse consumption, and showcase the city's new image.

On the business front, the "Cooperation Solicitation Announcement" released by Shen Yu'er's team acted as a precise filter, quickly identifying truly capable and visionary partners.

Huaju Technology, leading a group of companies to form the "Event Support Alliance," demonstrated a high level of professionalism and efficiency. They not only quickly secured sponsorships that accounted for the bulk of the budget, but also provided a comprehensive solution covering everything from live streaming technology and data management to cybersecurity.

Meng Na privately lamented to Shen Yu'er, "If we don't seize this niche now, we might not be able to squeeze in later."

"Did you know that in the half day since we signed the letter of intent, at least three foreign and domestic companies have inquired through various channels, wanting to join the alliance's reserve seats?"

Some emerging small companies that focus on Pokémon nutrition products, care products, or simple training equipment have also gained an opportunity.

At Shen Yu'er's suggestion and with Lin Dao's approval, the group allocated a portion of the "Innovation Support Booths" and low-threshold cooperation packages, allowing these small but highly creative "future forces" to also make their debut.

This decision received explicit official support, as supporting emerging industrial chains is exactly what the government wants to see.

The actuaries' final calculations were encouraging. With official subsidies, city infrastructure investment, and commercial sponsorships covering the vast majority of costs, the group itself had very little cash pressure to invest.

The brand value, data assets, and future expected derivative benefits brought by the event are extremely considerable.

Shen Yu'er stated frankly at an internal meeting: "This revenue can be invested in our next plan, the community Pokémon Center pilot project and the trainer public welfare training project."

A week later, everything was ready.

At dawn, countless trainers who had registered early or stayed up late received a notification that their Pokédexs would be forcibly updated, along with an accompanying "Instructions for the Points Qualifying Tournament".

After the update, a new eye-catching icon with a flame border appeared on the homepage of the encyclopedia app: [Battle Match].

Upon clicking, the first thing that catches the eye is a high-definition image: In the morning light, the Battle Tower of New Edge City stands majestically, its tip seemingly piercing the sky, against a backdrop of brilliant sunrise.

Below the image is a simple yet powerful slogan: Your journey begins here.

These new trainers nervously swallowed, exchanged smiles with their Pokémon partners, or silently clenched their fists. Thousands of fingers across the country pressed that crucial "Start Matchmaking" button.

Vibrations or beeps signaling a successful match echoed across every corner of China.

The first battles, fought for points, rankings, and qualification for the New Tower of Destiny, unfolded simultaneously in many venues, some formal and some informal.

The central battle arena in Chengdu was packed to capacity. In the arena, Zuo Meimei's Mischievous Panda finally defeated Liu Yu's Great Wolfhound with a hard-fought "an eye for an eye" to end the match. Moreover, it accumulated enough Dark-type energy to directly evolve into Tyrant Panda, which drew enthusiastic cheers and applause from hundreds of spectators. The barrage of comments in the online live broadcast room instantly flooded the screen.

On a renovated football field in a small county town in Northeast China, two trainers who had just met, under the direction of the arriving referee, released their Oddish and Cloyster, engaging in a somewhat clumsy but extremely serious attack, while dozens of neighbors stood around watching with great interest.

In a community park in a southern coastal city, a water gun duel between agate jellyfish and mosquito coil tadpoles in a pond had the children watching laughing uproariously.

The craze isn't confined to the sports field.

On the subway, some people wear headphones and repeatedly watch the replay of the battle they just watched; at the dinner table, a family of three discusses which local trainer has the best chance of advancing; online, posts about battle analysis, team composition, and score predictions are emerging at an astonishing speed; businesses quickly launch "battle energy meals" and "lucky viewing packages"; even night market stalls have started selling homemade, not very sophisticated "Poké Ball" keychains and Pokémon stickers.

An unprecedented buzz, centered around Pokémon battles, truly captured everyone's attention.

All other entertainment events seemed to lose their luster overnight, wisely choosing to give way to this unstoppable torrent.

On the top floor of the Poké Ball Building in New Edge City, Lin Dao turned off the real-time scrolling data summary of the first wave of battles across the country on the screen and walked to the window.

The city lights were bright, and in the distance, the Battle Tower, which had been used for testing when Growlithe and Pikachu battled after its completion, was radiant with light, as if absorbing the fighting spirit that had ignited across the country, waiting for the trainers to arrive.

Pikachu jumped onto the windowsill and sat next to him. Riolu stood quietly behind him.

"The Battle Tower has waited long enough," Lin Dao said softly.