Chapter 387: Recharge Channel Opens? Pay-to-Win Gacha?

Jiang Jing casually made up an excuse.

Pony Ma's mouth twitched slightly, and he complained internally: What the hell kind of flight delay is that!

You're flying a private jet, and it can still be delayed?

However, his face remained full of smiles; naturally, he wouldn't expose him.

"Chairman Jiang, you're joking," Pony Ma said, going along with his words. "It's like this: knowing you were coming, quite a few CEOs of our partners, as well as some friends, are all eagerly waiting to meet you and have a chat."

"What do you think? Would you like to meet them now? I've already made the arrangements."

Jiang Jing didn't even think about it, shaking his head directly, his tone laced with laziness: "Let's talk about it at the evening event. They aren't some breathtaking beauties, are they? Do I really have to rush around to meet them? Not interested."

These words were quite blunt and impolite, but Pony Ma, upon hearing them, didn't feel offended at all; instead, he was amused and burst into laughter.

He felt that Jiang Jing's personality was really to his liking—completely unpretentious.

Reality is like that; if you have capability, no matter how arrogant your words are, others will say you have personality. Conversely...

"Hahaha, good! Chairman Jiang is straightforward! If you don't want to see them, then don't! Let them wait!" Pony Ma said very readily.

Immediately, he affectionately put his arm around Jiang Jing's shoulder. "Let's go. Since we still have time, let me fulfill my duties as a host and take you to taste some authentic local specialties of Shenzhen. I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Jiang Jing smiled as well; when it came to food, he never refused: "Alright, then I'll trouble you, President Ma. It's a good chance to try something fresh."

The group chatted and laughed, and under Pony Ma's personal guidance, they left the airport and headed toward the most distinctive restaurant in Shenzhen.

Pony Ma's vehicle drove smoothly without obstruction, finally entering a top-tier private club located in the core area of Shenzhen, yet hidden away from the hustle and bustle.

Passing through the heavily guarded entrance, the view suddenly opened up to reveal a courtyard with the charm of a Jiangnan garden.

Pavilions and towers, small bridges and flowing water, strange rocks and bonsai were arranged tastefully, and the vegetation was lush. The environment was quiet and elegant, as if it were a different world from the bustling city outside.

"Chairman Jiang, please!" Pony Ma, familiar with the place, led Jiang Jing through winding corridors to a private room by the water.

The room was open on all four sides, using exquisite wooden lattices and thin white gauze as partitions, ensuring privacy while allowing one to enjoy the picturesque garden view outside the window.

Everyone took their seats, and immediately, a tea master dressed in an elegant cheongsam stepped forward, brewing top-tier, fragrant tea for everyone with fluid, seamless movements.

Exquisite tea snacks were also placed on the table one after another.

Pony Ma enthusiastically invited Jiang Jing to taste them, while he himself elegantly picked up his teacup, gently blew on the steam, took a small sip, and a look of enjoyment appeared on his face.

Taking advantage of the gap while dishes were being served, the two began to chat happily, from the local customs of Shenzhen to the recent international situation, the atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.

However, as they chatted, Pony Ma's topic began to drift intentionally or unintentionally toward Jiang Jing's phenomenal game, "phantom world."

After all, the two pillars of the Penguin Empire were social media and gaming. Facing a nuclear-level product like "phantom world" that could overturn the entire industry landscape, he couldn't help but be concerned.

"Chairman Jiang, to be honest, I experienced your 'phantom world' the very first moment it came out, and I even bought the deluxe edition," Pony Ma said, putting down his teacup with a look of sincere admiration on his face.

"I have to say, this game... is simply this!" He gave a thumbs up, his eyes filled with shock.

"Whether it's the technical prowess, the freedom of gameplay, or the immersion, it completely crushes all other games on the market. There's simply no competition!"

"I've been making games for so many years, and this is the first time I've had this feeling, as if a new world's door has been opened!"

Jiang Jing held his teacup, smiling as he watched Pony Ma perform, neither interjecting nor interrupting.

It was as if he were enjoying a wonderful stand-up comedy routine.

Pony Ma felt a bit embarrassed by Jiang Jing's gaze, which seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. He coughed lightly and continued his performance, though his tone was even more complimentary:

"But Chairman Jiang, as a veteran gamer and... well, a peer in the industry, I have to say, you've made this game too conscientious!"

"So conscientious that I even feel it's a bit of a waste!"

Jiang Jing was puzzled for a moment: "What do you mean by that?"

Pony Ma lowered his voice slightly, carrying a tone of "I'm doing this for your own good": "Look, apart from the one-time cost of buying the game itself and the VR equipment, there aren't any payment channels inside!"

"How can that be? This is simply treating a mountain of gold like a common decorative rock!"

Pony Ma became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he could see countless banknotes flying before his eyes: "Chairman Jiang, the main reason I asked to see you this time, besides inviting you to the event, is that I want to discuss a partnership with you!"

"We at Penguin really hope to acquire a stake in the 'phantom world' project! Whether it's a technical stake, a capital stake, or even... just like we discussed before, using our Penguin shares for an exchange, everything is open for discussion!"

His eyes lit up, and he began to paint a grand blueprint in his mind: "Just think, once you open payment channels for 'phantom world,' what kind of scene will that be?"

"'Making a fortune every day' wouldn't even be enough to describe it! It will definitely become the most profitable project under your banner, bar none! It might even surpass all your tech products!"

Indeed, the profits brought by things like games are unreasonable. Especially pay-to-win games...

Jiang Jing continued to sip his tea with a smile, watching Pony Ma get more and more engrossed. It was as if "phantom world" had already become his possession, and he had even started planning the subsequent operational strategies.

"We can implement a gacha system!" Pony Ma gestured excitedly, "Regularly launch some limited-edition cool weapons, rare skills, special costumes... Oh right, Guild Tokens! City Tokens! All of these can be put into the card pool!"

"Set up a pity mechanism and drop rates; this can maintain the players' sense of freshness and desire to pursue, while also maximizing the potential for payment."

"Given the phenomenal popularity of this game, this is simply an inexhaustible gold mine!"

Listening to Pony Ma rambling on about his "pay-to-win gacha" business model, which he knew by heart, the smile on Jiang Jing's face gradually became somewhat playful and speechless.

He seemed to see himself from before, starting to pull and pull for characters or weapons. Constantly getting the wrong ones!

That feeling of being hooked, frustrated, and wanting to crawl through the internet cable to drag the game planner out and beat them up—he was too familiar with it!

He himself was a player who had been tortured by all sorts of "pity" systems and "probabilities." He knew all too well the devastation this model inflicted on players' wallets and mental states.

A perfectly good game, yet they insist on making it a mess, with players cursing while still unable to resist spending money.

In the end, the money was spent, the game experience was a mess, and the game planner's ancestors for eighteen generations were greeted countless times every day.

The probability of getting a gold item in a ten-pull is really damn low, but getting it is also really satisfying. That's why this gambler mentality is so alluring.

Jiang Jing didn't want the game he had painstakingly brought out from the System Store to end up with a reputation for being "pay-to-win" and "money-grubbing." His reputation was worth much more than that bit of gacha revenue.