232: New season plan

In the real world, Huanmeng Studio had already become the Huan Meng.

Its main business was naturally the Xuanhuan World game, which generated extremely high revenue through transaction commissions.

At the same time, the Huan Meng also began producing derivative products based on the Xuanhuan Worldview, such as novels, comics, animations, and even TV shows and movies, achieving great success and new income.

These new businesses naturally required many new employees, further disguising Jiang Feng's Golden Finger.

Of course, in an era where AI was prevalent, his Golden Finger itself wouldn't arouse suspicion; it even seemed like a negligible advantage.

One day, the Ancient Style Game Development Competition organizing committee once again came to discuss game issues with Jiang Feng.

The person was a middle-aged man in an administrative jacket, with neatly combed hair and a watch on his left wrist, looking very capable.

He brought several secretaries, all holding paper and pens, clearly intending to record the conversation.

Jiang Feng met them in the reception room.

"Boss Jiang, you are young and promising. The Huan Meng is now the largest gaming company in the country, and the daily active users of Xuanhuan World are constantly rising."

The middle-aged man chuckled, "You can call me Director Du. The purpose of my visit today was announced earlier, which is to discuss player behavior in Xuanhuan World."

Jiang Feng responded neither subserviently nor arrogantly:

"We only provide an open-world stage and do not interfere with players' thoughts, so naturally, we cannot interfere with players' actions.

"Everything that happens in Xuanhuan World now, whether it was the previous evil cultivators or the current Buddhist Cultivator, whether it's monopolizing resources or hunting newcomers, is all spontaneous player behavior."

Director Du nodded:

"That's right, and this is what our organizing committee values. Your Xuanhuan World is different from other games; it doesn't set a main storyline to force players to experience the darkness of ancient times. Instead, through ingenious world-view design, it allows players to spontaneously fall into darkness, provoking deep thought. This design philosophy is excellent, and our organizing committee recognizes it.

"But you also know that we are currently helping Xuanhuan World go global, constantly attracting players worldwide.

"Due to time constraints, foreign players are all newcomers. As soon as they enter the game, they are exploited by evil cultivators or Buddhist Cultivator, and because of language, customs, and other reasons, they are more easily exposed and captured by native NPCs.

"This makes the gaming experience for foreign players very poor and makes Xuanhuan World's global expansion very difficult. We hope Huan Meng can make adjustments to this."

Jiang Feng frowned:

"Director Du, Xuanhuan World is an open, grand world. All players are equal and begin playing on the basis of the existing world-view and Xuanhuan society. We cannot provide benefits for one particular group."

Director Du said earnestly:

"Boss Jiang, this is not just about foreign players; it's also about many new domestic players.

"You should know that the number of laid-off people is increasing, from mental labor to physical labor. Many positions have been replaced by robots, and more and more unemployed people are flocking to Xuanhuan World, making its importance increasingly high.

"We are not forcing you to change the social form of Xuanhuan World; the current form is what we need. It's about letting them feel the oppression of darkness, but also giving them a glimmer of hope to break through that darkness.

"What we need is just to give new players a new choice, so they aren't completely left behind by veteran players.

"I know Xuanhuan World has a trading System, and new players can quickly get started through trading, but this will allow real-world class divisions to directly infiltrate the game, which is not what the higher-ups want for Xuanhuan World.

"Boss Jiang, is there another way?"

Jiang Feng pondered for a moment:

"To be honest, I have also considered this issue.

"A perfect solution is difficult because cultivation is essentially an accumulation of resources and a competition of talent, so veteran players will inevitably have stronger advantages.

"But if it's just for the current stage, there is indeed a feasible solution."

Director Du's eyes lit up: "What is it?"

"Opening up new races."

Jiang Feng continued:

"In Xuanhuan World, there is not only the Human Race but also the Yao Race, and of course other races, but we won't discuss them for now.

"The Yao Race are Yao Beasts, but not all Yao Beasts are of the Yao Race. It can be understood that only a portion of Yao Beasts can, by Opportunity, transform into the Yao Race.

"The Yao Race can also cultivate, and can even directly cultivate various existing Cultivation Techniques and Divine Abilities, and they also have their own exclusive cultivation methods.

"Naturally, the Yao Race also has its own organizations, forces, and even Imperial Dynasties and Immortal Sects.

"More importantly, in the currently open map, the Yao Race and Human Race have a natural regional division. The Yao Race mostly appears in the North-South Mountains and the Western Great Desert, which is different from the main Human Race areas, leading to a deviation in the resources both sides compete for.

"I will add new character creation options in upcoming updates, allowing players to start as the Yao Race. Of course, considering the scarcity of the Yao Race's population, soul transmigration will not be opened."

Director Du nodded:

"That's right. If new players choose the Yao Race, it's equivalent to giving them a dedicated map, which counts as preferential support.

"Our organizing committee will re-evaluate the overseas promotion plan and will coordinate with your update to guide foreign friends to choose the Yao Race."

Jiang Feng watched Director Du's receding figure, a strange thought emerging in his mind.

Won't all foreign friends choose the Yao Race then?

Then, wouldn't the Human-Demon War naturally carry national disputes... "That's perfect. After this season ends, the theme of the next season will be the Yao Race, and then the season after that... we'll see. It might not necessarily be Buddhist Cultivator..."

...The Huan Meng's new season plan was unknown to most players.

Currently in Xuanhuan World, players were spontaneously holding a new event.

It was called:

"[Searching for the Immortal Foundation in Seclusion Near You]"

This event aimed to find Immortal Foundation players who were in seclusion trying to Breakthrough to the Golden Core stage, then gather friends, kick open the Immortal Cave door, and cut off their heads.

In short, it was to interfere with others' Breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.

The initiator was no longer traceable.

By the time most players started encountering this event, three Immortal Foundation players had already met tragic ends, dying directly in their Immortal Caves.

Then came forum posts of mutual insults, which further spread the event.

More and more players joined the activity of searching for Immortal Caves in seclusion.

It must be said that Immortal Foundations like Midnight Gao Sou, who had the resources to set up decoys, were few.

Most Immortal Foundation players only had one set of resources, and the Immortal Caves they prepared for seclusion were not too well-hidden.

It was fine when no one was specifically looking, but once a group of players started searching together, exposure was only a matter of time.