Chapter 250: Eat First or Shower First?
Pokémon Auto Chess.
If there was a low-tech, low-cost PC game that came to mind, Lu Ye instinctively thought of this. After all, Auto Chess wasn't even a commercial game to begin with; it was something players created themselves. At its core, its appeal came from its unique strategic gameplay and insanely addictive mechanics.
For Pokémon Auto Chess, the character models could be sourced from the Devon Corporation's assets, while the map could use various terrains from Pokémon: Battle. The key elements were piece upgrades and synergy effects. Pokémon's evolution system fit perfectly. For example, three one-star Charmanders could merge into a Charmeleon, and three Charmeleons would evolve into a Charizard. As for synergies, they were even easier to define: Blaze synergy, Starter Trio synergy, Regional Bird synergy… With the philosophy of "Everything can be Auto Chess," making this the company's first cross-platform online game would be a solid step into the PC gaming market.
Of course, there was no rush. At the earliest, it wouldn't be ready until next year. For now, the focus was on developing DLC for existing games.
After finalizing the project, Lu Ye called Oleana. "The response to the Johto expansion has been overwhelming," she reported. "But due to a lack of manpower, developing new projects is proving difficult."
"No need to rush it," Lu Ye replied. "As long as we hold our ground in Modu, that's good enough."
With the release of the Johto expansion, Pokémon cards had once again sparked a buying frenzy. At the same time, the training club was reopening, slowly generating revenue. Thanks to the company's backing, even after investing tens of millions into his own training, Lu Ye still had spare cash for high-end consumables. That said… he sighed inwardly. Even with all this, it's not enough to cover a single Mega Stone!
"Since Saffron City is the commercial hub of Kanto, expanding our business there would be a good move," Oleana suggested. "I'd recommend looking into office spaces in the Silph Co. building."
Hearing this, Lu Ye fell into thought. Up until now, their international business had been handled by Devon. While taking a cut was nice, running things independently would be better. "Leave it to me," he said.
After hanging up, he dialed Matori. "The Silph Co. building… There should be some office spaces available for rent, right?"
Back in the day, Team Rocket had taken over Silph Co. to research the Master Ball. If anyone knew about its business affairs, it had to be them.
Matori's expression turned… complicated. Giovanni had never gotten over his loss at Silph Co. And now Lu Ye was asking about rentals there? So… does he see me as some kind of real estate agent?!
"No, there's nothing available," Matori snapped. "Team Rocket has already withdrawn from Saffron City. We're a legal organization now."
"Oh, right. I forgot," Lu Ye scratched his head. "I was thinking if Team Rocket was still around, maybe I could get a discount… or even a freebie."
Matori: "???"
"You keep talking about your 'Rainbow Plan,' but aren't you the real final boss of Team Rocket?" Matori sighed. "If you go through the proper channels, you can still rent a space… What are you planning?"
"Opening a branch office," Lu Ye replied casually. "If those three still haven't cleared their debts, tell them to come work for me. I'll pay it off."
"How generous, Mentor," Matori let out a cold chuckle. "You do realize they owe ten years of funding, right?"
Lu Ye responded with an equally cold smile. Ten years of debt? As long as they stop chasing Pikachu, shouldn't they be fine? Then again… a Team Rocket that doesn't chase Pikachu would lose its soul.
"I got it," Matori finally sighed. "Give me two days. I'll get everything settled."
Two Days Later
Saffron City – Silph Co. Building
Matori had pulled every string possible to secure an entire floor of office space—at the absolute lowest price. The polished marble floors gleamed, and lush greenery decorated the corners. Oleana had taken a special flight to inspect the new branch. "This is… way too efficient," she muttered in disbelief.
"It's alright," Lu Ye shrugged. "Just a bit of negotiation."
A hint of admiration flickered in Oleana's eyes. "Rest assured, I'll get the overseas branch up and running as soon as possible!"
The Kanto branch would be responsible for card sales and marketing, while the Modu headquarters would focus on game development and the battle club. Lu Ye nodded, deep in thought. Following a certain gaming giant's model… if things go well, the Pokémon Company might just rule the world.
Friday – Business as Usual
Setting up a new branch had drained the company's liquid assets. Not that Lu Ye felt anything—money never stayed in his pockets for long. Most of it went to his Pokémon.
Since it was Friday, he headed to the Trainer Academy, finished two lectures, and happened to run into Erika after class.
"Mr. Lu." Erika tucked a strand of short hair behind her ear and smiled. "If you need it, I can give you the badge right now."
"...See you!" Lu Ye bolted. Erika blinked in confusion, watching him flee.
After work, Lu Ye swung by the Saffron Gym to pick up Gengar. Sabrina was in the middle of a psychic training session. She glanced toward the entrance before stepping out. "Can I train in psychic abilities too?" Lu Ye asked curiously, peeking at the meditating apprentices.
Sabrina studied him. "No. You're too old. You've already missed the prime age for it."
"I see…" Lu Ye nodded thoughtfully. In this world, abilities like Aura seemed to require special means to unlock, but psychic abilities could be trained through effort. The catch? It required extreme natural talent. Then again, considering his cooking skills had reached supernatural levels, did he even need psychic powers?
Friday night—the most relaxing time of the week. Lu Ye lounged on the sofa, holding Sylveon as he took a short nap. Nearby, Togepi snuggled up next to a snoozing Growlithe. With tiny hands, it carefully opened a bag of potato chips and offered one to the pup. "Arf!" Growlithe's sudden wide-mouthed chomp startled Togepi, but a second later, it burst into laughter, kicking its little feet. The moment Lu Ye opened his eyes, he was greeted by this heartwarming scene. A small smile formed on his lips.
"Bui~ (･ω-q)*" Still drowsy, Sylveon yawned, revealing tiny fangs. From the kitchen, the rhythmic bubbling of a steamer filled the air.
Inside the fish tank, Wartortle's eyes flashed with vigilance as it stared at the rattling doorknob.
"I'm back~" Cynthia yawned, lazily kicking off her heels as she stepped inside.
Hearing her voice, Lu Ye emerged from the kitchen. "Do you want to eat first, or take a bath first?"
"Uh…" Cynthia tilted her head slightly, looking troubled.
"You're not… considering a third option, are you?" Lu Ye teased.
She tilted her head again, her face showing a hint of confusion. "What's the third option?"
"Nothing," Lu Ye sighed. "Let's save that one for next time."
Cynthia pondered for a moment, then broke into a soft, knowing smile. Her bright eyes curved as she chuckled. "Alright."
[Inorin Note:
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