Becoming the richest man by playing games that help cure depression

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, tap tap!"

"One, two, three, four, five, six, empty!" "Da da! Da da!"

My cousin and A-Yin were crammed in front of a demo machine. A-Yin's eyes were wide open, and his head was almost touching the screen.

They stared intently at the bouncing ball, not even wanting to blink. My cousin was even more extreme, clenching his fists and shouting out the rhythm.

Her face turned bright red; she was even more nervous than if she were playing it herself. On the other side, the naive little girl stood next to Shi Liuliu, her palms red from clapping.

They clapped along to the rhythm. The four streamers split into two teams, looking like internet addicts competing in an arcade.

They glared and puffed out their beards, determined to prove who was superior before they would stop.

Xiao You was completely dumbfounded. She had been the host of "Amusement Weekly" for two or three years; what kind of scene hadn't she seen?

But these four top streamers today are really going too far. Media reports need to be measured; they shouldn't excessively praise a particular game.

And these are top-tier live streamers, after all. But these four don't look like public figures at all; they're clearly completely lost in the moment!

Actually, at first, the four members of the group didn't take this rhythm game seriously at all.

But once you start playing, you're completely hooked. This game, "A Dance of Ice and Fire," seems to have a magical power.

The ice and fire balls bounced on the marble grid, and the shattered grid pieces pieced together to form an exquisite background. It was hard to pinpoint what was so good about them, but it just wouldn't stop.

Unbeknownst to them, from the moment they were drawn to the "fragmented puzzle" concept, they had fallen into a trap set by the lead designer, Li Zhujian.

This irresistible urge was exactly what Li Zhujian had planned from the very beginning.

They capitalized on people's collecting instincts. Completing levels in the game was visualized as jigsaw puzzle pieces, serving as both a reward for skillful play and...

It's also the key to unlocking the next level, and the cycle repeats endlessly, making it hard not to get hooked.

This tactic worked thanks to the background illustrations. Without hesitation, Li Zhujian paid double the market price to hire Shen Yunshi for her illustrations.

Although he was carefree, he was meticulous in this matter—he personally reviewed all the illustrations for the fifteen levels of the game, and it couldn't be even slightly off.

If the illustrations are subpar, no matter how brilliant the collection concept is, no one will buy it; Li Zhujian knew this perfectly well.

In fact, this game's success is half due to PlatinumGames and half due to Shen Yunshi's excellent craftsmanship.

As the lead designer, Li Zhujian was fully aware of these intricacies, but the players and streamers were kept in the dark.

At first, the four of them tried to remain rational and give the game an objective evaluation, but once they started playing, all their concerns vanished.

Objective? What a load of rubbish! I'm going to beat the fourth level today and see what the illustration for that level called "Love Letter" actually looks like!

The background of the fourth level was a pinkish-white base with a hint of blue, which even grown men like Ah Yin and his cousin found dreamlike.

Little did they know that Shen Yunshi's original manuscript had been painted with five layers of paint to achieve this basic effect.

The scenes inside are so romantic they're almost unfair. At this moment, A-Yin looks just like a kid collecting Water Margin cards, eager to clear levels and firmly "grind" the illustrations in his hand.

The viewers in the live stream went wild. Just now, A Yin and Shi Liuliu were discussing with the designers of "A Dance of Ice and Fire".

They didn't want custom mousepads; they wanted some autographs as a way to give back to their fans and the audience.

Old Zhang, who was in charge of the booth, couldn't make up his mind, so he quickly ran backstage to ask Li Zhujian, who was hiding in a corner and slacking off, for instructions.

"What's the panic! If they want him, just give him to them!" Li Zhujian patted Old Zhang on the shoulder, his voice booming, his generosity unstoppable.

"But we have to set a rule, we can't give it away for free."

Old Zhang quickly asked, "Brother Hashirama, what are the rules?"

Li Zhujian's eyes darted around, and he grinned: "Let's see how many levels they can reach, and we'll give them ten times the amount of mouse pads."

For example, if the leader reaches level 5, they get 50 cards; if level 66 reaches level 6, they get 60 cards.

He paused, then added, "Remember, you'll only get the illustration mousepad for the level you reach."

"Boss, you've reached level four. Those forty cards only cover levels one through four. Don't give me the rest! Don't spoil it for me!"

Old Zhang nodded quickly, secretly admiring him: "Hashirama may seem carefree, but he's quite thoughtful; he's done a good deed..."

They maintained the game's mystique once again. Hiding backstage, Li Zhujian had already begun to ponder...

Once these four streamers have finished the game, could we invite them to play a couple of rounds together online?

To be honest, Li Zhujian's move was really cunning! Old Zhang couldn't help but give him a thumbs up and curse, "You little bastard, you're too good at playing tricks."

To put it bluntly, it's just a combination of scarcity marketing and competition! Li Zhujian patted his chest, fully aware of the situation.

Since Lao Tzu uses illustration as a selling point, he must have some creative ideas for it.

Want to pamper your fans with a mousepad? Sure! I'll give it to you! But whether you can give your viewers the best perks depends on your abilities as a streamer!

The four streamers were not about to back down; each of them wanted to secure more benefits for their viewers.

What's more, as soon as Lao Zhang announced this rule, both live stream rooms exploded! Rockets and airplanes were spammed non-stop, all urging the streamers to go all out.

Even the most loyal fans of high-end brands, who usually stay hidden in the shadows, have all come out one by one.

"Boss, don't come back today if you don't bring fifty mousepads!"

"Fifty rockets per group, no upper limit, just go for it!" "Go for it! We can't lose for the sake of the little artist!"

"Old woman, take them down!" "If we win, we'll make sure we have the king, I mean it!" The comments were dense and varied, none of them the same.

With the fans pressuring them like this, even if they know it's not worth getting hung up on a single game at a game expo...

These streamers were also caught in a bind—besides, they themselves had long been hooked on the game and had no intention of stopping.

Before long, the four of them spontaneously split into two groups. A-Yin and Liu-Liu practiced on their own, while Dai-Xiao-Mei and her cousin cheered them on from the sidelines, even more eager than if they were playing by themselves.

The rapid tapping of the keyboard, like popping beans, suddenly stopped, accompanied by a long, frustrated sigh.

"Damn it!" Ah Yin failed again at 85% of the fourth level.

This game is absolutely despicable! Even if A-Yin has a good temper, he's cursing the designer a hundred times over in his mind right now.

This lousy game is clearly designed to mess with people's minds. Just when you figure out the rhythm and loop, it immediately changes, targeting you when you least expect it.

At first it was okay, you could pass it after a few tries, but the difficulty doubled as you went up the levels.

Not only are there rabbit and tortoise grids controlling the speed, but there's also the despicable vortex reversal grid.

Already overwhelmed by the fast pace, this sudden reversal completely shattered my mental state.

The live stream chat was in stitches: "Hahaha, damn, how many times is this now?"

"The twenty-seventh time, don't ask, the answer is I squatted from beginning to end." "Sixty-six's side is also stuck at over eighty."

"This vortex grid is too sneaky; it specifically targets the reversal during gear changes."