Started as a comics editor

There shouldn't be any new games in Chapter 325, right?
After Li Xue blurted out the incoherent and extremely chaotic game name, an eerie silence fell over the office.

Tang Yao began to think.

I wonder when I started this strange game project.

Then I pondered for a long time.

She realized what was happening, stood up, walked over to Li Xue, and placed her hand on her smooth forehead: "Miss Li, if you're too tired, you should rest for a few days. Don't worry, I'll be fine on my own..."

Li Xue, who was still rambling on, paused: "Huh? What rest?"

"Then what were you saying just now?"

After confirming that the older sister in front of her didn't have a fever, Tang Yao lowered her hand, blinked, and said with amusement, "《Embroidery... Embroidery Zombie vs. Teemo and the Wanderer》? What kind of super battle royale is this?"

"Ah! No, no!"

Li Xue suddenly realized her mistake, her delicate face instantly turning bright red. She seemed startled by her own nonsensical slip of the tongue, frantically waving her hands to explain, her words flowing incredibly fast: "I'm so sorry! I misspoke! It's *Embroidered Zombies*! No, no, not *Embroidered Zombies*... it's MOBA! The one we were discussing before! The sword and spear game with a strong Eastern aesthetic! And *To the Moon*! Yes, *To the Moon*! I really want to talk to you again about its backstory..."

She continued to explain incoherently, frantically trying to bend down and pick up the documents that had fallen to her feet when she froze, almost tripping over herself.

"..."

Tang Yao quickly stopped her from bending over and reached out to cup her face in her hands.

A soft, hot touch came over me.

Li Xue paused, blinked her beautiful eyes, and looked at Tang Yao with her face flushed.

Tang Yao was also watching her usually gentle and intellectual older sister, who was now at a loss. The fatigue she had accumulated and the headache from being tormented by her younger sister miraculously disappeared, replaced by a huge curiosity.

"So why are you so agitated?"

Tang Yao stroked her face and tilted her head to ask the question.

"..."

Li Xue was silent for a moment, then cautiously reached out and grabbed the hem of Tang Yao's clothes before asking, "What do you mean by talking about marriage and such?"

"?"

Tang Yao was taken aback, then realized what she meant: "I meant teaching my younger sister!"

She was both amused and exasperated. She gently squeezed Li Xue's burning face, making it impossible for her to escape her gaze: "It's a lesson about family of origin and the failure of your parents' marriage! Not about my marriage! What are you thinking!"

"Huh?...Ah!" Li Xue's face was cupped, and she looked closely at Tang Yao's beautiful face, which had a helpless yet somewhat amused expression. Finally, she broke free from her chaotic thoughts and understood the key information.

Immediately afterwards, a huge sense of embarrassment swept over them.

Li Xue gripped the hem of Tang Yao's clothes tightly, her whole body flushed like a steam girl, the blush even spreading from her ears all the way to her collarbone.

Tang Yao glanced down slightly. At this moment, Li Xue stood obediently, shyly clutching the hem of her clothes like a young girl, her face flushed. This posture was in stark contrast to her current image—she was wearing an incredibly mature business suit that accentuated her alluring curves, hugging her shapely figure. Her long, white legs in high heels were slightly brought together by her flustered state, and the taut lines appeared even longer and more seductive in the light.

A mature exterior conceals a panicked inner self.

This strong sense of contradiction creates a strikingly cute feeling.

It's both funny and makes you want to tease her again.

"Of course, I also talked about my marriage."

"what?"

"Ah."

"..."

There was a long silence.

Dead silence.

Then, Li Xue's hands not only gripped the hem of Tang Yao's clothes, but even went so far as to pinch her waist.

This clearly shows just how nervous she was.

"...You're such an idiot."

Tang Yao noticed this and chuckled softly, her clear eyes filled with amusement. She stopped teasing her.

Because she knows it very well.

Just how much courage does that take?

After all, Li Xue is not her... Tang Yao is an individual who is a bug, and her thoughts have been largely changed by the memories called her past life.

But Li Xue is a native of the area.

If Tang Yao hadn't appeared, she might have stayed in the stable and familiar environment of Wenxin Pavilion, working as a girls' comic book editor, and then following a path that was widely recognized by society and had less risk. That would have been a life that conformed to better and more universal values.

But Tang Yao's appearance directly steered her life trajectory off course. She resolutely left her comfort zone and jumped into the completely unfamiliar game industry, taking on a management position that required overall coordination, managing game production processes that she may not have fully understood at first. Every minute and every second was a challenge for her, accompanied by unknown pressure and self-doubt.

But she overcame them all.

In the end, he staked his entire life on it, taking that step despite the risk of being disliked by Tang Yao.

She could have chosen a better life, one that was more in line with universal values.

But she didn't.

Tang Yao would tease her and watch her adorable, flustered expression, but she would never let that teasing turn into continuous mockery, leaving her feeling uneasy.

After all, this is her Li Xue.

"..."

Seeing the smile on Tang Yao's pretty face, Li Xue immediately understood that she was doing it on purpose. Her voice was tinged with embarrassment and annoyance as she glared at her lightly: "...Tang Yao!"

Not loud.

Even when she's angry, she's still gentle and kind.

Tang Yao preemptively glared at her and said, "You have a problem."

Li Xue was taken aback.

Before she could react, Tang Yao gently rubbed her smooth cheeks with both hands, and said with a hint of reproach, "Miss Li, what are you thinking? Do you think I'm a casual person? Or do you think I don't even understand the definition of friendship? I'm not an idiot..."

Why did you react that way when I said I was talking to Kaoru about marriage? Are you an idiot?

"..."

Li Xue was slightly taken aback, then seemed to remember something, and her beautiful eyes instinctively looked away.

It seems I was indeed too nervous...

"you are wrong."

After Tang Yao finished speaking her last sentence as if making a declaration, she released her hands that were holding her face, and gently lifted her up by supporting her pert buttocks.

A few seconds later.

Li Xue sat on the edge of the table, her fair legs dangling slightly together in the air. Her delicate feet, clad in high heels, were off the ground, her insteps pointed, and the exquisite high heels dangling from her toes, swaying precariously, exuding a fragile charm that was inexplicably endearing.

She reached out and gently placed her hands on Tang Yao's shoulders, looking at Tang Yao's pretty face so close to hers.

It's a bit chaotic.

Are you really wrong?
It seems not.

Then why...

Forget it.

If Tang Yao is wrong, then she is wrong...

The older sister was initially angry, but before she could react, she was completely taken care of...

……

……

"So what game were you talking about just now?"

Tang Yao naturally reached out, her slender, fair fingers gently picking up a small button and softly buttoning the top button of Li Xue's shirt. Then she steered the conversation back to work: "《Embroidered Lake》?" Li Xue, sitting on the edge of the table, seemed to regain the blush that had just faded from her face, her expression a mix of embarrassment and helplessness: "I misspoke, it's 《Embroidered Lake》! That small-scale puzzle game! And the MOBA project, and that sword-fighting action game codenamed 《Rogue》!"

She quickly corrected him, afraid that Tang Yao would hold a grudge against her for her slip of the tongue.

"That's what you just said yourself."

Tang Yao straightened her collar and teased, "I've been thinking about this for ages, and I've never even proposed such a strange game before..."

Li Xue glared at Tang Yao with a charming look, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. After a while, she said, "The release date for 'Embroidered Lake' is about to be confirmed. As for the other two big projects, the person in charge seems to want to release the first promotional video for the game. They said that these kinds of big games are usually promoted in advance to whet the players' appetites."

And now that the Summer Game Festival is in full swing, let's add fuel to the fire. After releasing all three smaller games, we'll also release the trailer for the new game, giving players plenty of anticipation... That's their exact words.

"A promotional video? Released during AG's Summer Gaming Festival?"

Tang Yao stood in front of Li Xue, her small hand resting on Li Xue's plump thigh, seemingly lost in thought: "Is this an attempt to develop the promotional activities in a direction similar to an online gaming festival?"

"Online gaming festival?"

Li Xue didn't rush to get off the table, but asked curiously, "Something like an annual game awards ceremony?"

"Not quite the same..."

Tang Yao gently shook her head, then said, "I'll think about it. Pre-release promotion is fine, but whether or not to release it at the Summer Game Festival needs further discussion..."

"Ah."

Li Xue noticed that Tang Yao was deep in thought, so she didn't ask any further questions. Instead, she gave a soft reply and then fell silent.

to some extent.

The relationship between the two is actually quite dynamic.

The dominant party will change depending on who becomes shy first.

However, one thing is certain: the older sister is really gentle.

So if Tang Yao isn't shy, Li Xue will most likely be the weaker party...

Tang Yao pondered for a while, then looked up and asked, "Miss Li, have they made a promotional video?"

"It's been done, but it's probably not finished yet."

"I'll decide after I've gone to see it."

Tang Yao nodded slowly, then turned the topic to her upcoming small-scale new work: "Let's talk about 'Embroidered Lake'."

"Ah."

Li Xue slightly adjusted her posture, resting her hands naturally on the table on either side of her body. Her dangling legs swayed gently, her high heels still hanging precariously on her delicate feet: "But before talking about 'Embroidered Lake,' let me first talk about the follow-up of 'To the Moon'... The sales and word-of-mouth for 'To the Moon' continue to grow. Like Plants, this game has generated considerable buzz in overseas markets and player communities. Many gaming media outlets have given it high praise, even believing that it has redefined the appeal of narrative-driven games."

However, in terms of sales, it was indeed lower compared to the previous games... it didn't even break a million. The marketing department discussed this and felt that it might be related to the time gap between our new games. The popularity of Plants vs. Zombies was too high, and the Summer Game Festival boosted third-party games, sweeping across almost all types of player groups. To the Moon was launched right after, although the genres were different, some players' attention and spending power may still be focused on the previous game.

Therefore, the marketing department suggested that perhaps *Brocade Lake* could be released a little later, after the hype surrounding *Plants vs. Zombies* had subsided somewhat and players had more appetite for the game. This would avoid internal competition and player fatigue. They believed this would be more beneficial for *Brocade Lake*'s initial performance.

"Actually, it doesn't matter much."

Tang Yao gently shook her head: "To the Moon is a game with a relatively short playthrough and almost no replayability. Its core selling points are emotional impact and narrative depth. It is not a fast-food product aimed at the broadest masses."

"When I chose to make this game, my target audience was players who were willing to calm down and experience a good story and a deep emotion. It doesn't need to sweep the world like Plants vs. Zombies and become a phenomenon. It just needs to accurately touch the people it should touch and leave an indelible mark on their hearts. Then its mission will be accomplished."

"Good reputation, good player discussion, and high media reviews... that's enough."

"That……"

Li Xue hesitated.

Tang Yao chuckled and said, "However, since the marketing department is worried about internal competition and player fatigue, let's take it slow for a bit. This will give me a good chance to think about whether we should promote those two big titles during the Summer Game Festival."

Li Xue sat on the edge of the table, looking at the pretty girl standing in front of her, and couldn't help but smile.

Tang Yao can be quite gentle sometimes.

No wonder almost everyone in the company likes her.

After all, the boss is beautiful, generous, talented, and gentle.

Thinking of this, Li Xue said softly, "Then I'll tell them you agree later."

"Okay, I'll go watch the promotional video that Kang Ming and his team made now."

Tang Yao left after saying that.

But Li Xue jumped off the table and grabbed her arm: "Wait."

Li Xue asked, somewhat puzzled, "Hmm? Is there anything else?"

Li Xue didn't say anything, but took a step forward with a slightly flushed face and hugged Tang Yao.

Then she was allowed to sit on the edge of the table as well.

"..."

Tang Yao glared at Li Xue lightly.

Standing in front of Tang Yao, Li Xue tried her best to appear more righteous: "You just did the same thing..."

"I... okay, wait, don't take off my shoes! I don't wear high heels!"

"..."

……

……

at the same time.

"It's done."

Zhang Da let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

He leaned back in his chair, stretched his stiff neck, and made a slight clicking sound.

On the screen, the lengthy review article, spanning thousands of words, finally came to a close with a period, its title boldly proclaiming: "<To the Moon>: Retrieving an Eternal Promise from the River of Memory."

He read through his review word by word, from the initial amazement at "To the Moon" to being repeatedly struck by its profound and gentle power after a deep experience, and then calmly analyzing its narrative structure, the perfect fusion of music and gameplay... This review almost exhausted all the emotions and thoughts he had accumulated during this period. There was no exaggerated praise in the text, only genuine emotion and profound analysis.

"Phew..." Zhang Da exhaled again, a satisfied look on his face.

He wrote this article with a clear conscience, and it did not disappoint the impact of the game.

then.

He habitually opened the AG platform's game store page. On the homepage, the familiar and captivating promotional image of Plants vs. Zombies was still prominently displayed, with AG's summer festival promotional information scrolling by. He skillfully typed "Go to the Moon" into the search box.

Page jump.

To the Moon

Developer: Avalon
Rating: Overwhelmingly positive - 98%
Recent reviews: Overwhelmingly positive - 97%
Looking at the near-perfect review and the numerous player comments in the review section—some touching, some thoughtful, and some sharing their own stories—Zhang Da couldn't help but click his tongue.

"Holy crap...this company is really..."

He muttered to himself, unable to find the most fitting adjective for a moment.

Monster? Genius? Neither of these fully captures the essence.

After all, from their initial accumulation in mobile games, to the phenomenal success of "Left 4 Dead", to the amazing and topic-generating "Plants vs. Zombies" at the AG Summer Game Festival, and now to the emotionally intense "To the Moon"... Avalon is truly like a tireless, creatively prolific precision machine, with each work precisely targeting different player groups.

He opened Avalon's developer page and looked at the row of icons for works with different styles but all of high quality. A strong sense of witnessing history welled up in him.

This relatively young company has already made a unique mark on the entire gaming industry with overwhelming force.

"Writing reviews these past few days has been exhausting."

Zhang Da smiled, then rubbed his sore eyes. From Left 4 Dead to Plants vs. Zombies and then to To the Moon, he felt that every game by Avalon was worthy of being written about in detail. Each game brought new impact and thought, making this veteran media professional feel unprecedented excitement and...exhaustion.

"but……"

Zhang Da leaned back in his chair, looking at the screen, a sense of relief washing over him: "It's finally over. They probably won't be releasing any new games for a while, right?"

(End of this chapter)