"Yeah… you were right, Ethan."
Daniel leaned back in his chair, letting out a slow breath as he looked at Ethan Reed with a complicated expression.
"If we had gone with my original idea—a 1% transaction fee for the Monster Exchange Center… the internet would've exploded by now. Complaints, outrage, drama… we would've been buried."
He shook his head.
"I still have a lot to learn."
---
A Game That Shouldn't Exist… Yet Does
It had only been ten days since the launch of Pokémon GO.
And yet—
Nearly 50 million users had already joined
Daily active users remained steady at 30 million+
Growth showed no signs of slowing down
For other game companies… this wasn't just shocking.
It was terrifying.
---
"They're Not Playing Fair…"
Inside industry group chats, complaints flooded in.
"This isn't normal!"
"How are we supposed to compete with this?!"
"This isn't a game launch—this is a takeover!"
At first, many developers had comforted themselves.
"It's just hype. It'll fade."
But now?
They realized the truth.
This wasn't hype. This was a new era.
---
The Worst Part? It Barely Monetizes
Normally, developers could relax if a game had weak monetization.
But Pokémon GO?
It barely had any paid content.
Poké Balls
Coins
That's it.
And yet—
In just ten days, revenue had already exceeded 2 billion yuan.
---
The Monster Exchange Center Shock
Then came the real shock.
The Monster Exchange Center.
Within three days:
Over 17 million transactions
Developers did the math in silence.
"If they charged 5%…"
"If they charged 10%…"
Their expressions turned pale.
That kind of revenue would be…
Monstrous.
---
But Northstar Did Something Insane
Instead of maximizing profit—
Northstar Games set the fee at:
0.1%
Not 1%.
Not 5%.
Not even 0.5%.
0.1%.
---
The Industry Couldn't Understand It
"What are they doing?!"
"Are they allergic to money?!"
"Even 10% would be justified—players have no choice but to use the system!"
"And yet they chose THIS?!"
Worse—
With such a low fee…
Even hired trolls couldn't attack them.
---
A Reputation Untouchable
On forums and social platforms, players were united.
Anyone who tried to criticize Northstar was instantly overwhelmed.
"You're complaining about 0.1%? Are you serious?"
"Find something real to complain about."
"Stop embarrassing yourself."
Trying to create controversy?
Impossible.
---
A Developer Players Actually Love
One comment went viral:
"Northstar? Yeah, I call them my 'dad'… but not like other companies.
This one actually cares about me.
So yeah—I'm proud to support them."
It sounded ridiculous.
But it reflected something real.
---
Why Players Chose Northstar
Players weren't fools.
They had seen:
Pay-to-win systems
Manipulative events
Endless cash grabs
So when a company appeared that:
Respected players
Maintained fairness
Delivered real fun
They didn't just like it.
They protected it.
---
And Most Important of All…
The game was actually fun.
No tricks.
No illusions.
Just pure enjoyment.
---
Ethan's Real Thinking
Ethan Reed listened quietly as Daniel spoke.
Then he smiled slightly.
It wasn't foresight.
It was intention.
---
The Truth Behind the 0.1% Fee
From the very beginning, Ethan understood one thing:
The Pokémon market would exist no matter what.
Because:
Some players had time
Some players had money
And both needed each other.
---
The Hidden Danger: The Black Market
If official fees were too high—
Players would move to illegal trades.
That would lead to:
Scams
Exploitation
Market manipulation
Ethan had seen it before.
Games destroyed from the inside.
---
So He Made a Choice
Instead of controlling the market—
He stabilized it.
**0.1% was not about profit.
It was about control without control.**
---
"We Don't Need That Money"
Northstar Games wasn't struggling.
Not even close.
Vivian Frost's wealth had already surpassed her family.
And honestly?
She didn't care about more money anymore.
What she wanted was simple:
Player satisfaction
Great games
Long-term success
---
A Long-Term Vision
Ethan wasn't building a one-time hit.
He was building a lasting ecosystem.
Even in other regions of the world—
Even with poor management—
Pokémon GO had remained a top-earning game for years.
Because the foundation was strong.
---
The Funny Misunderstanding
Online, many players believed something hilarious:
"Northstar is losing money to make us happy."
Ethan and Vivian almost felt embarrassed reading those comments.
Because in reality—
They were making insane profits.
---
The Real Numbers
Development costs?
Already recovered.
Projected monthly profit?
3 billion yuan.
Players thought they were supporting the company.
But actually—
They were part of a massive success story.
---
And Northstar Was Just Getting Started
While the game exploded—
Plans were already in motion:
Pokémon business districts
Real-world themed parks
Urban economic integration
---
A Bold Dream
This wasn't just expansion.
It was ambition.
They were building their own version of Disney.
---
A Massive Investment
The projected cost?
Unimaginable.
Even for Northstar.
But they didn't rush.
---
Next Step: Pokémon Gyms
Instead, they focused on:
National Gym systems
Competitive leagues
Global expansion
---
And One More Thing…
Ethan had a new goal:
Make battles feel real.
Not just phones.
Not just screens.
---
Imagine This…
A giant Charizard flying overhead
Mewtwo appearing in real space
Battles happening around you
Using AR technology—
They wanted to bring Pokémon into reality.
---
But Success Comes With a Price
Even with a perfect launch—
The workload became overwhelming.
Too many systems.
Too many ideas.
Too many responsibilities.
Ethan didn't even have time to plan the next game.
---
Meanwhile… Far Away From The Cities
In a small rural town—
Life was very different.
---
A Village Left Behind
In a quiet area of Shu Land—
Gaocun Village struggled.
Most young people had left.
Only the elderly and children remained.
---
A Boy Named Li Xiao
A second-year middle school student.
Average grades.
Ignored by teachers.
Not because they didn't care—
But because they had to focus on students who could escape poverty.
---
His World Was Simple
After school:
Play games
Cook dinner
Walk outside for better signal
But recently—
Everything changed.
---
A New Game
Li Xiao was the only one in his class playing:
Pokémon GO
Others played different games.
They didn't understand.
---
But He Did
"To not understand Charizard…
that's your loss."
---
A Different Path
While others stayed behind—
Li Xiao ran toward the mountains.
Phone in hand.
Eyes shining.
---
A Small Opportunity
In his area, a basic Pokémon spawned:
Nidoran.
Not rare.
But in demand.
---
And Li Xiao Was Smart
He caught them.
Sold them.
Earned small amounts:
4 yuan
5 yuan
Again and again.
---
Because He Knew
This chance wouldn't last forever.
---
A Sacrifice
He had saved money.
Planned to buy a new phone.
But instead—
He spent it on:
A bracelet
A cake
For his grandmother.
---
That Evening… Everything Changed
He walked into the mountains.
Phone in hand.
Searching.
---
Then Suddenly—
A rare signal appeared.
---
His Heart Stopped
An independent beacon.
Which meant only one thing:
A rare Pokémon had spawned.
---
He Ran
Faster than ever.
Through trees.
Over dirt paths.
---
And Then He Saw It
On his screen—
A massive creature.
Blue.
Huge.
Lazy.
Leaning against a tree.
Eating.
---
"Snorlax…"
His voice trembled.
---
Reality Hit Him
He opened the market.
Checked prices.
Weak rare Pokémon: 7,000 yuan
Strong ones: over 20,000 yuan
And This One…
Could be worth everything.
His Hands Shook
Fear.
Hope.
Excitement.
All at once.
"I have to catch it."
And in that quiet mountain—
For a boy forgotten by the world—
Happiness had finally knocked on his door.
--------------------------------------------------
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