Outside the booth!
Yin frowned and looked at Pineapple, Jada Brooks, and ShuBro, who stood with embarrassed faces before him, his tone dripping with disbelief and mock anger!
"I have 100 HP, and the zombies took 24 HP, leaving 76 HP."
"Pistol magazine, 15 rounds."
"One bullet damages a friendly by 1 HP."
"In other words…"
"You three, each of you hit me with an average of one and a half rounds???"
"Just knock me down, that's all."
"You guys ran away after seeing me get bitten? And you even closed the fire door behind me???"
"Do you think this is reasonable?"
"Is this something a carbon-based organism could do?"
"Um?"
Turn out to be!
Just now!
The moment Yin screamed and ran away, Jada, ShuBro, and Pineapple acted decisively, raised their pistols, and were about to cover Captain Yin's retreat!
However!
How could these three, who weren't proficient in shooting games, adapt to the more realistic second-generation FPS mode in such a short time!
Plus, those zombies were howling and running faster than rabbits and crazier than dogs!
Under tremendous psychological pressure, the three of them completely forgot about the iron-sight aiming setting, screamed, picked up their guns, and started shooting indiscriminately on the spot!
The sound of gunfire like popping beans continued!
The bullets hit the wall, the ground, the ceiling, and Yin, but they didn't hit the zombies!
Yin didn't even call for a ceasefire!
He was knocked down right away!
Immediately afterwards, the zombies rushed forward and buried him in an instant!
When the three saw the scene of the corpses eating with blood flying everywhere, they were completely scared!
They scattered like birds and beasts on the spot!
They also closed the fire door.
The outrageous and hilarious gameplay experience filled the WindyPeak booth with laughter and a joyful atmosphere at the San Francisco International Convention Center during the USEA's 10th VR Game Design Media Conference!
And the Twitch barrage viewers were laughing like crazy!
"I am blind. Is that the time for you to celebrate the New Year?"
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha! You guys are such a show!"
"Close the door, you know public morality."
"Jada: Sorry, I'm actually an undercover zombie agent."
"These three have really fast hands! They managed to make the semi-automatic gun look like a full-automatic one!"
"It only took the boss six or seven seconds to run from the end of the corridor to the fire door, and he was knocked down."
"To some extent, they are quite accurate…"
"Indeed, my accuracy when hitting bosses is much higher than when hitting zombies (funny)"
"American quick-draw, empty the magazine."
"Have you been planning to kill Yin for a long time?"
"I have reason to suspect this is a personal vendetta."
And facing Captain Yin's questioning!
The three knew they were in the wrong and looked dejected.
"That…"
ShuBro forced an awkward yet polite smile:
"Small mistake, small mistake, don't be angry, boss."
"Let's go back and practice more. When the game is officially released, we will definitely perform well!"
"Well—that's about right."
Hearing this, Yin nodded, looking quite satisfied, and then turned to look at Gus Harper:
"Um, Mr. Harper, if it's convenient, could you send me a private copy of this demo? I need to practice with my team so that we can achieve the best live broadcast effect on the day the game is released!"
Yin spoke seriously, sincerely, and forcefully, like a responsible captain.
But the live broadcast room barrage was filled with question marks—
"?"
"What the hell? What did you talk about today? Sneaky pivot?"
"Your abacus beads fell on my face."
"You bastard!"
"I heard your calculations in Portland."
"How can you be more deceptive than ShuBro?"
Gus Harper was no fool!
Naturally, he could see through Yin's plan.
It was clear the streamer and his team were hooked on Left 4 Dead 2's innovative second-gen FPS—no crosshairs, iron sights, raw recoil—and couldn't wait to play it at home.
However, as a demo only for exhibition experience, it must not be leaked.
The demo contained critical data: aiming mechanics, recoil feedback, motion blur values. Gus, Luke Bennett, and Jake Rivers had worked day and night, testing and tweaking to balance ergonomics and gameplay. Since second-gen FPS was new to the world, these numbers were WindyPeak's core asset.
Gus wasn't worried about rivals copying the concept—Left 4 Dead 2's format was public, and they'd learn eventually. But the precise gun-feel data? That was the soul of the design. To protect it, WindyPeak coded the core in-house, outsourcing only minor assets. They'd signed a brutal confidentiality agreement with IndieVibe Tech, the exclusive login platform. Any leak, intentional or not, would cost IndieVibe millions.
Gus trusted Yin wouldn't leak intentionally, but security came first.
"I think the effect you just showed was already very explosive…"
Gus politely declined with humor, causing the crowd—media, fans, and execs from Qunfeng Games, Meiying Tech, Jiahua Games, and Bluebird Games—to laugh.
Yin, with high emotional intelligence and streaming experience, caught the hint. He nodded with a smile: "I understand. Then, when is our game expected to be released?"
Gus could answer this:
"It's expected to be in mid-to-late April. The main part of the game has been completed. We will…"
That's all he said.
Suddenly, a loud voice came from the periphery of the booth:
"Mr. Harper! Could you please use the microphone? We can't hear clearly in the back row!"
Gus was currently in front of the booth, surrounded by circles of people, causing him to pay no attention to the situation outside.
Hearing someone shouting from a distance, he looked up and stood on tiptoe to look outside.
This look!
Gus couldn't help but tremble!
Gift crab—!!!
He didn't know when, but outside the WindyPeak booth, there were already hundreds of people surrounding it in three layers!
Gus, over 1.8 meters tall, couldn't see the end at a glance, only heads!
Many cameras were mounted and aimed at him.
Arms stretched out from the crowd, each holding a microphone, trying to pass it to him.
The surging crowd was like a zombie tidal wave, not only surrounding him but making WindyPeak's small booth seem like an isolated island in a vast ocean, weak, pitiful, and helpless.
Yes!
The media that the brothers had been waiting for since Chapter 67 finally arrived!
But!
It wasn't what Gus had said—one or two would be enough!
Instead, they came in groups, like a huge army approaching!
Why are there so many damn people?!
Gus was stunned!
He froze for two seconds, then turned his gaze to the representatives of friendly companies in the front row—Director Chen from Bluebird Games, reps from Qunfeng, Meiying, Jiahua—looking at him with admiring expressions, and he suddenly realized!
Right! Who said these competitors who came to learn were useless?
Although they couldn't provide media reporting, they filled the crowd!
So many people at the door that even a dog passing by would take a second look!
These weren't enemy colleagues here to steal experience!
They were a group of human-shaped, self-propelled billboards!
As more media gathered, the line for the VibeX1 pods grew longer!
"I said—"
Gus took the microphone from Luke Bennett and stood on a small stool.
He knew his best publicity opportunity had come!
"This is a second-generation FPS online zombie survival shooter game designed by me and produced by WindyPeak!"
"We will meet you all in mid-to-late April this year!"
"This is a bold attempt by WindyPeak! It's also a complete innovation in the shooting game mode!"
"Even!"
"It will be greater than the 'psychological horror' pioneered by Phasmophobia!"
"Because!"
"Second-generation FPS!"
"It will surely become a milestone in FPS development and a legendary figure!"
"Perhaps you think I'm exaggerating, so let's wait and see when the game is officially released in mid-April—"
"Make FPS games even greater!"
Boom—!!!
You must know!
Gus always looked humble, whether in meeting rooms or on camera!
Any answer was ambiguous, all replies laced with "maybe"!
But this time!
He was full of confidence, even arrogant!
Make FPS even greater!
A gaming company worth only tens of millions dared to speak so boldly!
The media in the back row couldn't believe their ears! (They hadn't seen the trailer—too small, too many people.)
But!
Don't forget.
At this moment, the man standing in the small booth, on a small stool, cheering with arms raised, was Gus Harper.
The first designer in the U.S. gaming circle hailed as a supernova, the godfather of abstraction, the soul of WindyPeak, creator of psychological horror with Phasmophobia's record-breaking success, and the father of the future second-generation FPS.
Looking back, his experience was already legendary.
And in the coming time, he would create more legends!
Wow!!!!
Deafening applause and cheers broke out!
It surged like a tsunami, as if it would blow the roof off the exhibition hall!
Certainly!
If you thought Gus just wanted to show off and hype the crowd, you were wrong.
Because at this moment!
The cheers from WindyPeak's booth swept the venue, even pulling media from Apex Interactive and IndieVibe Tech's booths!
"Hey—why's it so lively in the back?"
"I don't know?"
"Is there big news?"
"That shouldn't be. Big news comes from Apex's level, right?"
"That's…?"
"Holy shit! It's WindyPeak! My colleague just messaged!"
"Oh yeah! WindyPeak's here!"
"What the hell is this news?! Such a sensation?!"
"Seems they've flipped shooting games!"
"Worth it! Is this true?"
"Don't ask. Hurry, let's check it out…"
"But it's almost our turn!"
"What queue? Stay if you want, I'm going to WindyPeak!"
"Hey, wait—!"
Seven o'clock in the evening!
Winter days were short. After a wild day, Zoey Parker and Chloe Quinn returned to the venue. Dusk had settled outside, lights glowing.
"I'm a WindyPeak staff member, here to help with evacuation."
Zoey rummaged through her bag, flashing her work ID to the door staff.
As they entered, a gentle warmth hit, like a spring breeze.
"Phew—it's really cold."
Zoey stamped her feet and walked deeper into the hall with Chloe.
The exhibition ended at six, and many booths were already cleared.
Heading north, they reached the northwest corner.
They saw the three brothers—Gus Harper, Luke Bennett, Jake Rivers—sitting on the ground, ungracefully slumped against the booth, as if paralyzed.
The three didn't say a word.
Too tired.
Since ten that morning, when Gus shouted, "Make FPS games even greater," they hadn't sat down.
Manufacturers' discussions, media inquiries, self-media consultations, long lines at the VibeX1 pods…
People came and went, endless.
At first, Luke and Jake were pumped.
But by the end, they were numb.
This lasted until the expo closed at six, with organizers using loudspeakers to clear the crowd three times.
I'm so tired.
No food or drink all day, just six boxes of BrewJoy to survive.
Now, the three were too drained to talk.
Ah!
Seeing them like this!
Zoey exclaimed in her heart!
Oops!
My director and his crew are salted fish who've lost their dreams!
Hahahaha… I didn't laugh out loud, did I?
Zoey was thrilled!
Don't ask!
Their defeated expressions said it all!
There couldn't have been more than ten people at the WindyPeak booth today!
No! Maybe not even five!
After all, Zoey knew Gus had iron willpower!
Normal flops or bad news never fazed him. He was always calm, confident!
But now!
Even he looked like a salted fish, eyes empty!
This proved how massive the blow was!
That's right…
Zoey nodded. Besides secret glee, she felt a twinge of pity.
Left 4 Dead 2 was WindyPeak's biggest investment, with the largest outsourced team, draining every dollar of Phasmophobia's $8,850,000 profit.
Gus had never failed.
But this time, they crashed.
Zoey had imagined the USEA expo would skyrocket the game's fame.
But reality was grim—remote location, few visitors, no interest.
No one could handle that gap.
Thinking this, Zoey dug through her backpack, found a lollipop, tore it open, and squatted by Gus. She stuffed it in his mouth and patted his shoulder:
"Okay, Boss Harper—it's just an exhibition. We don't need publicity; we'll win with strength! Don't be sad!"
Ah?
The sugar jolt brought Gus some life.
Hearing Zoey, his mouth twitched: "Ah?"
Sad? Why? Why's she comforting me? Do I look like I need it? What's she on about?
However.
Before he could ask, Zoey stood, clapping:
"Alright, everyone! Cheer up! You've worked hard today. I'm treating—let's eat to our heart's content!"
After a while.
Then came Luke's trembling voice:
"Let's put aside cheering up…"
"Can someone help me…"
"Sit up first…"
"My back hurts…"