October 20th, Tuesday.
Modu – Business Office Building.
Oleana finished processing the last of her documents and tucked a loose strand of chestnut hair behind her ear. Stretching her sore shoulders, she sighed, exhausted.
From her drawer, she pulled out a small picture frame, gazing at it intently as a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
Just as she reached out to touch the frame—
Knock, knock.
"Pl-Please come in!"
Flustered, Oleana hastily shoved the frame back into the drawer, her voice slightly hoarse.
Lu Ye pushed open the door, Gengar floating beside him, and greeted her with a casual smile.
"Good morning."
Oleana froze for a moment, visibly nervous.
"You… didn't you go to the tournament?"
"The drawing isn't until this afternoon. I figured I'd drop by."
Lu Ye chuckled. "You've been working hard these days."
"N-No, not at all! Serving you is my greatest honor!" Oleana said, a bit too enthusiastically.
Then, realizing her outburst, she quickly lowered her head, instinctively reaching up to adjust her glasses—only to realize they weren't there.
…Damn, is she one of those people who believe in the 996 work culture?
Lu Ye blinked, clearing his throat.
"Anyway, how's the revenue from the last few games?"
At the mention of work, Oleana immediately regained her composure. She flipped through the financial reports and responded,
"After deducting all expenses, our monthly net profit is around 2,000,000 Pokedollars. Right now, the company's total balance is…"
Hearing the number, Lu Ye raised an eyebrow.
Most of the revenue came from Plants vs. Zombies and Angry Doduo, both primarily mobile game-based profits.
With that kind of cash flow, he could probably pay off Cynthia's debt in full!
But as a limited liability company, personal and business assets were separate.
…Not that he was expecting to regain his financial freedom anytime soon.
Might as well expand the company—
That way, Cynthia could become the CEO in the future…
Lu Ye shook his head, stopping himself from daydreaming.
He handed Oleana a USB drive.
"This is the proposal for our next project. No rush, take your time."
Oleana looked at him in surprise.
In just six months, he had developed three hit games, and now he had another project ready?
Calling him a game development genius almost felt like an insult—it didn't do him justice.
But… getting to work for a boss like this was a blessing.
Curious, she plugged in the USB and opened the file.
[Pokémon Trading Card Game (PTCG)]
[A tabletop game focused on collecting, trading, and battling.
Designed to allow children who cannot participate in real battles to still experience the joy of Pokémon battles.]
Oleana's eyes widened as she read.
Lu Ye leaned against the desk and explained,
"The barrier to entry for Pokémon battles is high. Even if a child catches a Pokémon, not every family can afford the costs of becoming a Trainer."
"But studies show that 'Trainer' is still the No.1 dream career choice for kids."
"This card game is designed for children—it teaches them about type matchups, evolution mechanics, and Pokémon abilities in a fun and engaging way."
Lu Ye smiled.
"Adults might not care much for it, but for kids, this could be their first step into Pokémon battles."
Oleana's pupils shrank slightly as she repeatedly nodded.
From a market perspective…
The toy industry aimed at children was still a vast, untapped ocean.
There were already Pokémon-themed card games on the market.
But those were purely for collecting—they lacked interactive battle mechanics.
If they could integrate actual Pokémon knowledge into the game…
Teachers, parents, and kids alike would love it.
And this encyclopedia-like format…
Wasn't this exactly what the Pokémon Company excelled at?
Oleana looked up at Lu Ye, her eyes burning with excitement.
"But… wouldn't developing a card game like this be too big of a project?"
"I'll reach out to Professor Oak in Kanto for assistance."
Lu Ye smiled.
"If this trading card game can really spread Pokémon knowledge, I'm sure Professor Oak will be more than happy to help."
After all, whether it was compiling Pokédex entries or running educational lectures, Professor Oak had always been dedicated to spreading Pokémon knowledge.
If a Pokémon-themed card game actually launched, Professor Oak would probably be the first to try it out.
"Three key elements."
Lu Ye raised three fingers.
"First, include Pokémon knowledge in every card—Abilities, Evolution Stages, Typing."
"Second, develop a balanced game system that simulates Pokémon battles—type advantages, status conditions, the whole deal."
"Third, target the right audience—kids in Trainer Academies or those who dream of becoming Trainers."
Lu Ye smiled.
"I believe this Pokémon Card Game will be their first step toward becoming a Trainer."
Oleana stared at Lu Ye, eyes glowing, before murmuring,
"Helping more people experience the beauty of Pokémon… That's exactly what the Pokémon Company stands for…"
Lu Ye snapped his fingers.
"Exactly!"
For kids, learning type matchups is the first step to becoming a Trainer.
But compared to boring textbook memorization, learning through playing cards was far more effective.
And in the world of tabletop games…
Lu Ye already knew at least three different gameplay styles he could adapt:
Traditional PTCG
Yu-Gi-Oh! Mechanics
Hearthstone / Gwent-style mechanics
A single tabletop game could lead to animated adaptations and merch sales—double the revenue, double the fun!
"I already contacted Mina to start working on the illustrations."
Lu Ye continued, "Once the artwork is ready, print a sample deck—I'll bring it to Professor Oak."
If Oak wasn't on board, Lu Ye could reach out to Professor Yamana.
And if that didn't work, well… Bill was always an option.
One way or another, Lu Ye needed a reputable figure to endorse the PTCG.
Because a game that was "fun for kids and reassuring for parents"…
Would always be a massive success.
Oleana hesitated.
"But… isn't this project too ambitious? And we don't even have an official Pokédex…"
"We'll start with Kanto's 149 Pokémon, then release expansion packs later."
Lu Ye waved a hand dismissively.
"If you have any questions, ask me. I've memorized all 149 Pokémon in Kanto!"
Oleana's eyes widened in disbelief.
After a long pause, she pouted slightly.
"I was a researcher before this—I can look up data, you know!"
The gameplay mechanics were a mix of Yu-Gi-Oh! and PTCG.
Both players would summon Basic Pokémon, using their attacks to knock the opponent's Pokémon out.
But unlike Yu-Gi-Oh!, players couldn't attack the opponent directly.
Instead, knocking out six Pokémon and claiming six prize cards was the win condition.
Some kids might ask—
"If we can battle in real life, why play the card game?"
That was like saying—
"If we can play real basketball, why play NBA 2K?"
Lu Ye had high hopes for this Pokémon TCG.
And with so many top-tier Trainers in the chat group…
If Red himself endorsed the game—
There was zero doubt it would become a massive hit.
Lu Ye imagined a future where Gym Leaders settled battles by drawing their decks…
"Yep. Card games are the true Tanoshi experience."
He grinned.
With the new project set in motion, Lu Ye grabbed Gengar and headed to the stadium—
The East Donghuang Division Tournament's Round of 16 was about to begin.