Once the interview ended, the popularity of Spiritual Sword plunged once again, dropping from the previous 200,000 online users to not even 50,000! All the servers could be said to be desolate and barren, totally devoid of their previously explosive popularity.
From close to 1.8 million concurrent users, only within a few days’ time, it’d been completely forgotten by everyone.
One couldn’t help but admit that no matter how powerful a monopoly, after all, it could not win against the nation’s policy support.
“Spiritual Sword is finished.” The bedridden Shiroishi Kazuma could only helplessly admit this truth. In fact, at the start, he initially thought that no matter how much Spiritual Sword’s popularity dropped, 500,000 concurrent users and above could also be kept. And in that case, the profits would still substantial.
But looking at it now, with only these less than 50,000 online users, he would not even be able to recoup his investment into the servers.
Spiritual Sword was finished…
…
Chenhui Building, 90th floor.
“Haha, that rascal Dali, giving others the taste of their own medicine. Good!” Different from Shiroishi Kazuma’s pathetic end, Hong Weiguo, Liu Yihui, and Mu Tie were sitting on the sofa. Hong Weiguo’s face was brightly glowing, as he roared with laughter. “Who would’ve thought that within just a few days’ time, the number of online users at Dream Dota League has already exceeded 2.6 million, and it’s still rapidly increasing. Aiya, the effects are indeed different when sports and gaming are combined together!”
“Yes, but I say, Old Hong, you’ve really hidden this matter well.” After the three of them laughed for a while more, Liu Yihui expressed his dissatisfaction. “What has your Dali done to become so powerful? I haven’t gotten any bit of news, you’re not doing me justice on this!”
“Right, you’re even keeping secrets from us.” Mu Tie was very displeased as well. “Now we can be said to be in the same boat, and you’re still hiding things from us. That’s not right.”
Upon hearing what they said, Hong Weiguo sighed and shook his head. “I didn’t hide this matter deliberately, it’s just that I didn’t dare to say it. That person has a very powerful background, and currently, he’s only responsible for Dali. I can’t get him to help me. Or else, why do you think I’d ask Dali to stand up for me this time?”
If even Hong Weiguo said that that person was very powerful, Liu Yihui and Mu Tie naturally understood that this should be true.
Being able to get the Sports and Films and Entertainment departments to release a joint document, this kind of ability was scary just by thinking about it.
More often than not, it might not be a good thing to know too much. Thus, Liu Yihui and Mu Tie decided not to ask and changed the topic. Liu Yihui touched his chin and slowly said, “Since it’s inconvenient, then we’ll not ask about it. But looking at things now, Dream Dota has already gotten on the right track. It’ll definitely not be disadvantaged since the nation is greatly supportive of it. But in fact, now I feel that this matter is very strange. Sun Yuanzhou is not a fool, would he need to work so hard for Toyoda Conglomerate? These few days, I heard some news that Sun Yuanzhou has gotten quite a few members of the inner circle from the Resource Chamber of Commerce, planning to go all out in fighting against us.”
Mu Tie also said, “Yes, Sun Yuanzhou is definitely a sly old fox. Being able to achieve things to such an extent means that he’s definitely bold and sly. Yet, now he’s working hard for Toyoda Conglomerate. I don’t understand this no matter how much I think about it.”
What kind of person was Sun Yuanzhou? One of the five magnates in the Resource Chamber of Commerce! It could be said that, political matters aside, in the Heavenly State’s business industry, Sun Yuanzhou was the true magnate, being able to shake the business world with just a stomp of his feet.
Had he worked with a transnational corporation, it’d be understandable if they planned to have a win-win situation. But with Toyoda Conglomerate…
After all, it wasn’t so easy to be a nation betrayer.
“I also know that this matter is very strange.” Hong Weiguo thought for a while, then said, “But the problem lies in what exactly his true goal is. If he’s helping Toyoda Conglomerate because of benefits, that’s understandable. But now that Dali has already proven to him our side’s ability, he’s still planning to fight with us to the end. This doesn’t make sense! It’s true that the business world is like a battlefield, but there’s also a saying that there isn’t an eternal enemy, only eternal profits. There isn’t much to benefit from fighting with us.”
“Who knows.” Mu Tie thought for a while, then suddenly smiled and said, “Forget it, let’s stop thinking about it. We’ll just think of an appropriate solution when the actual situation occurs. If he has any plots, they’ll be exposed sooner or later. If there are other plans, we’ll just wait and see. Currently, Dream Dota has already risen, we only need to operate it well and that’ll do.”
“Makes sense, makes sense!”
…
Merika, Hollywood, Round Table Meeting.
The eight core members in the meeting gathered before the round table, discussing Hong Dali’s recent movements.
“James, I heard that recently that prodigal Hong Dali had created a Dream Dota’s Holographic Projection battle.” A person slowly said, “This Hong Dali always has many strange ideas, I wonder what he’s up to with the holographic projection this time again.”
“Hong Dali always manages to do unexpected things.” James touched his chin and slowly said, “I heard that that Spiritual Sword online game at Heavenly State is having an intense fight with Hong Dali’s Dream Dota League, it’s just that I’m not sure about this Holographic Projection battle. Recently I’ve been busy with editing the movie, so I haven’t been paying attention to it. I should indeed properly look at it today and see what this fellow is planning to do again.”
“It’s just a Holographic Projection.” Just then, another person disdainfully said, “Hasn’t he already made it, that so-called Hatsune Tianyi. In my opinion, there’s nothing much, it wouldn’t cause as big an impact as we think it would on our movie industry.”
“Yes, I know.” James nodded and gently patted the table. “The laptops will be sent over here right away. Everyone, please look at it properly first. Also, do not rush. Hong Dali never does things predictably, we’ll just see what he does this time.”
What he said made a lot of sense. The other seven people glanced at each other and all became silent.
Very soon, the laptops arrived. James keyed into the laptop the address written on the slip of paper.
In the West Fourth Loop Stadium, after all the lights had been turned off, a few people expressed their opinions. “It’s starting, let’s see what he does this time.” “Deliberately acting mysterious, Hong Dali always does things like this.” “Instead, I feel that there’s something different this time…”
After a short while, those 400 holographic projectors hanging down from the ceiling of West Fourth Loop Stadium shone brightly, and with just one look, James and the others were completely stunned! Everyone stared in bewilderment at the grand holographic projection battle.
“Th… This…” James opened his eyes widely as he exclaimed, “Hong Dali’s technology has already reached this level? Is such a holographic projection possible?!”
After watching this round of battle, James’s face went red and he stood up at once, shocked and furious at the same time. “Sh*t! Hong Dali’s technology has already reached this level?! He can even create such a combined holographic projection?! Then what are we doing here!”
The others were completely stunned as well. They’d indeed thought that Hong Dali would probably have done something new again, but they couldn’t imagine that Hong Dali could actually develop the holographic projection technology to this extent!
Everyone present knew without a doubt what this meant.
Able to combine all the holographic projectors, wouldn’t that mean that in the future, he’d be able to use this kind of technology to screen his movies in the stadium?! Hollywood’s 3D technology and special effects were indeed good, but when compared with a projection of graphics that were real-like…
Everyone in the room fell silent as their thoughts progressed to this point.
“Monster, monster!” James desperately roared, “What kind of monster are we facing! They are cheating! Cheating! Oh god, have you already deserted us and went to tour Heavenly State?!”
…
Merika, Hexagon Building.
The Films Department Chief, Horace, sat on the sofa with the Intelligence Department Chief, Salon, looking at the latest information of Heavenly State.
“Looks like we definitely have to deal with this Hong Dali.” Horace rubbed his temples and vexedly said, “A large scale holographic projection technology, virtual reality online gaming… if things continue to develop this way, our technology will very soon become completely obsolete. Especially this virtual reality online gaming. With Heavenly State being so supportive towards it, a few years down the road, the physical fitness of our Merika citizens will definitely lag far behind.”
“Yes, I’ve already considered this point.” The bald middle-aged Salon slowly said, “This virtual reality online gaming allows people to train their bodies while playing games. The effects might not be obvious yet, but 10 to 20 years later, after the new generation of Heavenly State people has grown up, it’ll be very difficult for us to catch up. Unless, we open our door and let them in, or else…”
“Open our door?!” Horace exclaimed. “This Dream Dota League only has one server in the world, we can’t be a retailer for it even if we want to! If we open our door, wouldn’t all our money become theirs?!”
“Of course, of course. I know this.” Salon helplessly shook his head. “But what choice do we have? At the moment, we still can’t develop virtual reality technology. Those useless bunch of people, they can’t do anything useful other than taking money from us. Thus, I’ve already discussed this with Mr. President, and the plan is to release Lucifer.”
“Lu… Lucifer?!” This time, Horace was completely stunned.
After being shocked for a quite a while, he desperately shouted, “Mr. Salon, are you really not kidding? It’s Lucifer! The Angel of Misfortune! Are you really planning to release him?! That kind of misfortune that cannot be controlled…”
“Then, can you think of other ways to stop Hong Dali?” Salon helplessly said, “Unless we request for Heavenly State to punish Hong Dali and lock him up, there is no other way. But do you think Heavenly State would possibly agree to it?”
“They indeed wouldn’t. How about assassins? Won’t that do it?” Horace anxiously said, “Once the Angel of Misfortune is out, nobody can predict the consequences There are just too many uncertain factors!”
“We’ve thought assassination before too.” Salon shook his head and helplessly said, “But if we can see how important Hong Dali is, would Heavenly State not know it? They’d definitely have people protecting him. The probability of the assassination being successful is not even 1%.”
“Then we’ll give up just like that?” Horace asked.
“Of course not.” Salon smiled bitterly. “As long as there’s an opportunity, we need to give it a try. So this time, our idea is to do both things simultaneously—assassination + the Angel of Misfortune!”
…
At the underground of the Hexagon Building, in the lead covered single room where Lucifer was locked up.
“Congratulations, Mr. Lucifer.” Snow, who was dressed in a thick radiation protection suit, opened the door. “You’re free!”
