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The final week before launch was a blur of caffeine, cold takeout, and the hum of servers.
The development of *Pocket Monsters* was technically complete, but Zhong Ming wasn't satisfied with "complete." He wanted "perfect." He was currently in the "polishing" phase—a luxury that most developers in this world skipped, preferring to patch games later. But on a cartridge-based system, there was no patching. The disc was final.
"Texture alignment on the Pokemon Center is off by two pixels," Zhong Ming pointed out, standing behind Lin Yue.
Lin Yue groaned, her hand cramping around the stylus. "Zhong Ming, it's a healing station. People are going to walk in, heal, and walk out. They aren't going to stare at the roof tiles."
"They will," Zhong Ming said firmly. "Because the Pokemon Center is the sanctuary. It's where they go when their friends are hurt. It needs to feel safe. It needs to feel clean. Fix it."
Lin Yue sighed but zoomed in, shifting the pixels. As she worked, she realized Zhong Ming was right. The symmetry made the building look more inviting, more like a hospital than just a shop. It was these subconscious details that separated a game from a masterpiece.
"Good," Zhong Ming nodded. "Wang Hao, the encounter rate in Viridian Forest. It feels too high. Players are getting annoyed."
"I calibrated it based on the standard RPG grinding ratio," Wang Hao defended, though he was already opening the code.
"Standard RPG grinding is a waste of time," Zhong Ming countered. "This isn't a grinder; it's an adventure. Lower the encounter rate by 15%, but increase the experience yield from each battle. Make every fight feel rewarding, not frequent."
Wang Hao blinked. "Shorter play sessions, higher satisfaction. That... actually fits the handheld model better. If a kid is on a bus, he wants to finish a battle, not run away from five rats in a row."
He quickly adjusted the variables.
By Friday evening, the "Gold Master" versions of *Pocket Monsters Red* and *Green* were ready.
Zhong Ming held the final cartridge in his hand. It was a small, grey plastic shell, unassuming and light. But to him, it felt heavier than the world. It contained a universe.
"The street teams are deployed," Li Cheng's voice came over the intercom. "The demo cartridges have been distributed to the assigned zones. Chen Xu's marketing campaign is also launching today. Good luck, Division B."
***
District 9, Commercial Plaza.
This was the heart of the city's youth culture. Holographic billboards lit up the sky, casting neon reflections on the wet pavement.
Today, the plaza was dominated by a massive, three-dimensional projection of a tank, blasting realistic sound effects of artillery fire. It was the ad campaign for *Warfront: Siege*.
"Attention citizens!" a booming voice echoed from the tank hologram. "Enlist now! Experience the thrill of modern warfare! *Warfront: Siege*—Only for the elite!"
A crowd had gathered, watching the spectacle with awe. It was flashy, expensive, and loud.
In the corner of the plaza, ignored by the masses, sat a young man in a hoodie. He was one of the university students hired by Zhong Ming's "Ant Strategy." He sat on a folding stool with a small cardboard sign: **"Try a New World."**
On his lap, he held a handheld console.
Most people walked past him, drawn to the loud explosions of the tank ad. The contrast was stark. Chen Xu had a fortress; Zhong Ming had a kid on a stool.
"Stupid marketing," the student muttered, feeling discouraged. He was about to pack up when a young boy, maybe ten years old, wandered over. He looked bored, dragging a backpack behind him.
"Hey kid," the student said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Want to play a game?"
The boy looked at the handheld. It looked primitive compared to the VR visors he saw in shop windows. "Is it a shooter?"
"No," the student said, remembering the script Zhong Ming had drilled into them. "It's better. It's an adventure. Here, just try it for five minutes."
The boy shrugged and sat down on the curb. He took the console.
"Press 'New Game'," the student instructed.
The screen turned white. A distinct, synthesized melody played—a downtempo, mystical tune. The title *Pocket Monsters* scrolled across the screen with a pixel-art dragon.
"It looks like a cartoon," the boy said, skeptical.
"Just wait," the student said. "Choose your partner."
The boy went through the introduction, meeting Professor Oak. He looked at the three starters.
"I pick the turtle," the boy said, selecting Squirtle.
He walked out of the town. The music changed to a cheerful, marching tune.
"I'm walking... walking..." the boy narrated.
Suddenly, the screen flashed with a distinct animation. *Pi-ka-chu!*
"Whoa! What was that?"
"A wild Pikachu appeared," the student grinned. "Try to catch it."
"Catch it? I don't kill it?"
"Nope. You catch it. It joins your team."
The battle ensued. The boy carefully lowered the Pikachu's health, careful not to knock it out. He threw a Pokeball.
*Shake... Shake... Shake... Click!*
"Gotcha!" the boy shouted, a grin splitting his face. "It's mine!"
"Congratulations," the student said. "Now, look at your Pokedex. You have one. Only 150 more to go."
"150?!" The boy's eyes widened. "I want to find them all!"
Just then, another student approached. He was the second part of the street team. He sat on another stool next to the boy.
"Hey," the second student said, holding his own console. "Is that a Pikachu? Nice. I caught a Mankey. Want to trade?"
The boy looked up, confused. "Trade?"
"Yeah. I need a Squirtle for my team. I have a Charmander. Want to swap?"
The boy looked at his Squirtle, then at the prospect of a fire dragon. His eyes lit up.
"Really? Okay! How do we do it?"
The two students pulled out the link cable. They connected the devices.
The boy watched in amazement as his Squirtle traveled across the cable to the other device.
"Whoa..." the boy breathed. "That is so cool."
The "Ant Strategy" wasn't just about exposure; it was about infection.
Across the district, in parks, subway stations, and outside schools, similar scenes were playing out. The demo units were low-tech, but the experience was intimate. The link cable turned strangers into teammates.
***
Meanwhile, in the Guangyi Interactive office, Chen Xu was looking at the real-time analytics of his marketing campaign.
"Impressions are through the roof," his assistant reported. "The *Warfront* trailer has been viewed 500,000 times in the last three hours. We are trending on the District news feed."
Chen Xu smiled, swirling his coffee. "Good. Division B's little stunt with the street teams... has that even registered?"
The assistant checked the tablet. "They have teams in about fifty locations. Engagement is... surprisingly high for a low-budget effort. We've had some reports of small crowds gathering around their demo stations."
"Crowds?" Chen Xu scoffed. "Probably just people confused by the pixel art. It's a novelty. Once the novelty wears off, they'll come crawling to the real games."
He looked out the window. "Keep monitoring. But I don't see them as a threat. They are selling a toy; we are selling a lifestyle."
***
Back in Division B, the team was huddled around a single monitor, watching the feedback from the street teams. The "Street Team" leaders were reporting back via a group chat.
*Unit 4 (Central Park): Demo unit ran out of battery. Kids are demanding I recharge it. One kid offered to buy my personal console.*
*Unit 12 (Subway Station): Two high schoolers missed their train because they were trying to evolve their Charmander. This is insane.*
*Unit 7 (Commercial Plaza): A kid just asked his mom for the game. She said it looks 'retro and educational'. We have a sale!*
Lin Yue read the messages, her hands trembling. "Zhong Ming... they like it. They actually like it."
Old Zhang puffed on a cigarette (held out the window). "The music works. I knew that chiptune melody would get stuck in their heads. It's simple magic."
Zhong Ming read the reports, but his face remained serious. "This is just the demo. We've hooked them. Now we need to land the catch. The retail launch is in two days."
He looked at his bracelet.
**[Marketing Task Progress: 45%.]**
**[Points Awarded: 10.]**
**[Total Points: 45.]**
He was so close to another draw. But he didn't need luck right now. He needed distribution to hold.
"Wang Hao," Zhong Ming said. "Are the retail units packaged?"
"Yes," Wang Hao nodded. "10,000 cartridges. 5,000 Red, 5,000 Green. They are sitting in the warehouse. The distribution truck leaves tomorrow morning."
"Good," Zhong Ming said, leaning back in his chair. "Then all we can do now is wait."
He looked at the whiteboard with the names of the 151 monsters. They were no longer just names on a board. They were alive in the minds of the kids in the plaza.
The spark had been lit. Now it was time to see if it would burn down the industry.