With two content updates within a week, paired with some well-directed public opinion, Nook’s revenue began to stabilize after a brief decline. It was slightly better than expected, but still not enough to cover Yuan Yi’s daily operating costs.
The atmosphere in the company grew heavy. Although the employees didn’t know the full details, they could all see the declining numbers. Due to the increased update frequency, Li Xuan took back most of Nook’s workload, and meetings, which were originally biweekly, were now held weekly.
That particular day’s focus was the 200-day anniversary player rewards. The planning team had put together an exceptionally polished PowerPoint presentation. Throughout the entire meeting, Li Xuan was writing Reverse Track’s code, his brows furrowed. When the planner finished presenting, he still hadn’t stopped working. He asked, “Wang Tian, did you go over this plan with your team leader, Chu Tianheng?”
Wang Tian hesitated for a moment. “I went over the general framework…”
“The general framework was set by me. Which part are you referring to?” Li Xuan’s tone was calm.
The planner, who was actually older than Li Xuan by a few years, was quite proud and had hoped for praise in his first independent report. Now, feeling embarrassed, he said, ” Xiao Xuan, I’m not sure what part you’re dissatisfied with. You were busy just now, so maybe I didn’t express myself clearly, and there was some misunderstanding…”
His wording was tactful, but in essence, he was implying that Li Xuan hadn’t been paying attention and was criticizing blindly. Everyone in the meeting room was sharp enough to catch on, and silence quickly settled over the room.
Li Xuan lifted his eyes slightly, his expression unchanged. “You expressed it very clearly, and there was no misunderstanding. Just because I was busy doesn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention. For instance, should I also point out the two typos on page three?”
Wang Tian was at a loss for words. Chu Tianheng stepped in to smooth things over, “We’ll refine it further.”
He understood why Li Xuan had snapped. This plan was almost an exact copy of the one Li Xuan had personally made for the Mid-Autumn Festival event. Calling it plagiarism wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Given everything going on with ‘Void Island’, not to mention how crucial updates were, Li Xuan absolutely despised this kind of behavior.
Chu Tianheng had been busy designing a new NPC lately and hadn’t kept a close enough eye on the planning team. He had agreed to review the final version of the proposal yesterday, but despite multiple reminders, Wang Tian hadn’t submitted it on time.
“This one’s on me,” Chu Tianheng was used to playing the good guy and didn’t argue further. He gestured for Wang Tian to sit down. “We’ll have a revised plan ready before tomorrow’s deadline.”
“It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. It can be mine if you want.” Li Xuan rubbed his temples. “I want the revised plan first thing in the morning. Meeting dismissed.”
As the team left, Chu Tianheng pulled Wang Tian aside to give him some brief instructions before turning to Li Xuan to discuss the new NPC design. Before he could say anything, Li Xuan spoke first.
“We need to hire again.”
“Is it that bad?” Chu Tianheng was surprised.
“It’s that bad.” Li Xuan glanced up. “This is the fourth time. Senior… I know you said his family background isn’t great, but personal integrity matters.”
“I’ll interview new candidates first. In the meantime, let him continue working as usual—we’re already short on staff. You can observe him a little longer,” Chu Tianheng said, glancing at the dark circles under Li Xuan’s eyes from several sleepless nights. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, “I heard from Boyuan that the investment situation isn’t going well?”
“You’ll still get your paycheck,” Li Xuan said with a small smile.
“That’s not what I meant—”
Li Xuan waved his hand dismissively. Chu Tianheng sighed and left without pressing further.
The investment situation wasn’t just “not going well”—it had taken a complete nosedive. Investors who had been so enthusiastic before were now acting vague when approached for discussions.
Qi Boyuan, reporting the latest developments, sounded a little frustrated. After finishing his update, he paused for a moment before adding, “’Void Island’ just pushed another update yesterday. They’re like a rabid dog that won’t let go… I consulted a lawyer. If we sue, the chances of winning are slim since gameplay elements can be difficult to copyright… Plus, lawsuits take forever. I also filed complaints with app stores and regulatory bodies, requesting a takedown. Their response? ‘No substantial similarity, so no action taken.’ …Why are you smiling? You can still laugh at a time like this?”
“What, should I be crying?”
“You should be crying! No investment, and the competition is still targeting us!” Qi Boyuan grabbed a bottle of water from the table.
Behind him, Li Xuan’s fingers paused on his keyboard. “Find any connections between ‘Void Island’ and Yuanxin. As much as possible.”
Qi Boyuan turned around. “You’re thinking…?”
“They have such a profitable operation. It’d be a shame if people didn’t know about it. Just knowing isn’t enough—we need to spread the word.” Li Xuan’s voice was steady. “No rush. Just make sure the evidence is solid.”
“Got it,” Qi Boyuan nodded, feeling a bit more hopeful now that they had a strategy. After a moment, he added, “As for funding… I still have some personal savings, I could—”
“There’s no way I’m letting you pay.” Li Xuan shook his head, pulling a card from his drawer and handing it to him. “Spend what’s necessary, keep payroll on track. I’ll figure out the rest.”
Qi Boyuan hesitated and didn’t take it. “Weren’t you keeping that money for Sheng Min, just in case—”
“That’s none of your concern.”
Li Xuan had already planned for it. Leaving aside the money he had set aside for Sheng Min, he still had two properties he could sell if needed.
Qi Boyuan still didn’t take the card. “The company still has cash flow for now. If we run out, then I’ll take it.”
He was exhausted too. Taking off his glasses, he rubbed his eyes before sitting down in the chair across from Li Xuan’s desk.
“What are you thinking about again?”
“Thinking about the money in your pocket.”
Qi Boyuan leaned back on the sofa, arms crossed. He had calculated everything clearly. Based on their initial projections, as long as Nook maintained a steady cash flow, Li Xuan’s funds would primarily go toward covering the costs of the new game until Reverse Track launched. The real issue now wasn’t whether Sheng Min needed the money or whether Li Xuan had planned for it—the problem lay in Nook’s revenue shortfall.
Thinking of this, Qi Boyuan let out a sigh. “Your dad…”
“Hmm?”
“Forget it. I’ll go talk to them again.”
Even though the company could still operate normally for now, the funding issue had become the number one concern weighing on them. Qi Boyuan threw himself even deeper into the search, meeting seven or eight investors a day while also gathering evidence, but all his efforts led nowhere. Some investors showed mild interest, but whenever Li Xuan met with them personally, more and more shifted from vague hesitation to outright rejection.
“Mr. Li, let me be frank with you.” One investor finally spoke candidly. “If it were just me, I’d be willing to invest in you. I can see your capability, and I believe in Nook’s potential based on its market performance. I’m someone who’s willing to take on high risks for high returns. But I simply can’t convince my partners. Even if I believe this is a good match, they think Nook carries too many additional risks right now.”
“Additional risks?”
The investor smiled faintly. “Mr. Li, you come from a wealthy family. Do you really need external investment? Everyone can see how talented you are, but proving yourself doesn’t have to mean going fully independent…” He paused meaningfully before adding, “Our company and your father’s operate in different industries, so we have no business conflicts. But from an outsider’s perspective, it’s hard to interfere when a father only wants the best for his son.”
Li Xuan gave a slight smile and responded simply, “In that case, I won’t waste any more of your time.”
“Mr. Li.” The other party stopped him. “If your family doesn’t oppose it, we’d still love to collaborate. We’ve had multiple discussions, and we really do see a great future for Nook…”
Li Xuan listened patiently before replying politely, “Apologies, but I’m no longer interested.”
Later, he told Qi Boyuan everything. No one was naive—these investors suddenly changing their stance was something they had already suspected.
Now that it was confirmed, Qi Boyuan remained calm, only venting a little. “…I’ll keep searching. We still have time; we’re not at rock bottom yet. And seriously, does your adoptive father have that much reach? Has he warned off every investor? Oh, by the way, Song Wen’s firm hasn’t rejected us outright. He’s just out of the country, and his secretary says they can’t reach him… And honestly, it might not be an excuse. He’s doing some mountain-climbing event somewhere with no signal. His company people seem used to it.”
Li Xuan gave a noncommittal hum. Qi Boyuan couldn’t hold back another comment. “But seriously, what kind of demons and monsters do you have around you? If I ever meet your adoptive father, I really want to see what’s wrong with him.”
As if on cue, that very afternoon, Li Mingge showed up again.
