Fu Zan slid the calculator across the desk.
Old Zhang stared at the string of zeros on the display, his breath catching in his throat.
"That is the payment for the initial batch of 50,000 sets," Fu Zan said, locking the deposit slip inside the safe. "The second batch of 50,000 is already in production in Japan, and the Traditional Chinese editions for Hong Kong and Taiwan have already sold out. This is merely the beginning."
Remember the domain name of the first-release website: 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞
A few muffled gasps rippled through the room.
Someone struck the wall in excitement, while others paced restlessly, hands clasped in nervous anticipation.
After more than six months of relentless development, the high-stakes gamble to forgo full 3D, and the grueling ordeal of navigating legal oversight, their efforts had finally crystallized into these tangible, staggering figures.
"Xiao Lin, balance the accounts," Fu Zan said, pulling out a chair to sit. "Organize the relevant reports and prepare three copies.
I am heading to the Municipal Electronics Industry Bureau this afternoon. Since this project qualifies as a software export and generates foreign exchange, we must report it to the competent authorities in accordance with regulations. It is far better to be proactive than to have them discover it and come asking questions later.
" "Understood, I will get right on it," Xiao Lin replied, grabbing a folder before hurrying back to his workstation.
Fu Zan took a sheet of letterhead from his desk, ready to draft his report.
Just as his pen met the paper, the desk phone rang.
It was a line that rarely stirred, reserved exclusively for critical external communications.
Fu Zan lifted the receiver.
"This is Mercury Technology, Fu Zan speaking."
"Mr. Fu, this is Xiao Chen from the Municipal Electronics Industry Bureau—Chen Jianming."
Fu Zan set down his pen and straightened his posture. "Hello, Secretary Chen. I was just preparing the materials for this afternoon's report to the bureau leadership."
A burst of laughter erupted from the other end of the line. "There is no need for you to make the trip. The Bureau Chief is coming to see you in person this afternoon."
Fu Zan paused for a heartbeat. "The Bureau Chief is coming here?"
Chen Jianming lowered his voice. "Did you receive a foreign remittance from Japan today? Something in the neighborhood of 80 million yen?"
"Yes, that is the revenue share from Sega for our game sales. The title we developed, Investiture of the Gods: The Legend of Yang Jian, has officially launched in Japan."
"That explains everything," Chen Jianming said, clarifying the situation. "Early this morning, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange received a report from the Bank of China regarding a massive influx of foreign currency into an account held by your company, Mercury Technology. Old Li, over at the SAFE office, scrutinized the paperwork for quite some time. Given that only a handful of major firms in Fuzhou are engaged in import-export trade, the sudden appearance of 'Mercury Technology'—receiving a transfer equivalent to several million RMB in foreign currency—was highly unusual. Not daring to delay, Old Li contacted our bureau chief directly to inquire whether this was a newly registered joint venture under our jurisdiction. The chief was equally perplexed and instructed me to verify the matter immediately. Since these funds represent legitimate business income, that is excellent news. The bureau chief intends to lead a delegation to visit you at 2:30 this afternoon, and Deputy Director Liu from the Municipal Bureau of Culture will be joining him."
"We will certainly be prepared to receive you. Should we have specific financial statements ready?" Fu Zan asked.
"Prepare just one copy of the report for the record. The Director is primarily interested in seeing what that foreign-exchange-earning product of yours actually looks like, and he wants you to present and demonstrate it in person. He is quite intrigued by the game you have been developing. See you this afternoon."
Hanging up the phone, Fu Zan looked toward the core team members who had yet to disperse.
"Don't just stand there," Fu Zan said, clapping his hands. "At 2:30 this afternoon, Director Wang from the Municipal Bureau of Electronics Industry and Deputy Director Liu from the Bureau of Culture are arriving to inspect the company."
The office fell silent for three seconds, followed immediately by the clamor of colliding tables and chairs.
"Clean this place up!" Fu Zan commanded, gesturing toward the row of folding beds against the wall. "Roll up the bedding and stow it in the storage room. Clear away all the instant noodle cups and takeout containers from the desks."
This group of techies, as a rule, lived and worked at the office.
To keep pace with the production schedule for "The Legend of Yang Jian," many staff members had not ventured downstairs in a fortnight.
The air in the office, a stifling cocktail of tobacco, sweat, and cheap tea, felt as oppressive as a crowded hard-seat carriage on a long-distance train.
Several employees scrambled to fold their cots, shoving them into the storage room alongside a heap of pungent blankets.
"Open every window! Crank the exhaust fans to the maximum!"
"Old Zhang, tear down those Japanese magazine clippings plastered next to your monitor! What will it look like if the officials walk in and see that?" Fu Zan gestured toward the art department's cubicle.
"It's for design reference—" Old Zhang muttered, though he did not hesitate to comply, dutifully peeling away the posters of scantily clad anime girls and tucking them carefully into his drawer.
Xiao Lin from the finance department was wiping down the coffee table in the reception room with a rag. "Mr. Fu, we don't even have any decent tea—just two bags of Monkey King jasmine. And the cups are nothing more than the enamel mugs everyone uses for water."
"Go to the convenience store downstairs and pick some up! Get two tins of quality Tieguanyin and a new set of glass cups." Fu Zan pulled out his wallet and tossed it onto the table. "Grab a few cartons of good cigarettes while you're at it, and don't forget to keep the receipts for reimbursement."
Amidst the commotion, the programmers sized one another up.
They were all dressed in the same faded T-shirts and baggy shorts, their feet clad in plastic flip-flops.
Their hair was long enough to brush their ears, and their chins were shadowed with dark, coarse stubble.
"During the lunch break, those of you who live nearby should hurry home and change into clean clothes. Wear long trousers and leather shoes, and be sure to shave. If you don't own leather shoes, borrow a pair; if that proves impossible, wear clean white sneakers." Fu Zan rubbed the stubble on his own chin and turned toward the restroom.
An hour later, the office had been completely transformed.
The floor had been mopped three times, and the tangled cables were secured with zip ties and tucked neatly beneath the desks.
Half a bottle of floral water had been sprayed into the air, barely managing to mask the lingering scent of years of stale cigarette smoke.
The programmers, now dressed in long trousers and shirts, sat at their workstations with their hands resting flat before their keyboards, looking distinctly uneasy.
The leather shoes Old Zhang had borrowed were a size too large, causing his feet to slide uncomfortably with every step.
At 2:20 p.m., two black Santanas pulled up in front of the Mercury Technology building.
Fu Zan stood at the entrance, flanked by a handful of core staff, to receive their guests.
Director Wang of the Electronics Industry Bureau led the party, dressed in a dark jacket, his hair groomed with meticulous precision.
Beside him walked Deputy Director Liu of the Culture Bureau.
Secretary Chen followed in their wake, a black leather-bound notebook clutched in his hand.
"Director Wang, Director Liu, welcome. We are honored by your presence," Fu Zan said, stepping forward to clasp Director Wang's outstretched hand in both of his.
"Xiao Fu, you have truly pulled off something spectacular this time," Director Wang remarked, casting his gaze around the cramped office. "Old Li from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange called me this morning, and I honestly thought I had misheard him. Over six million RMB in foreign currency—many large municipal factories do not even generate that much in a year. You managed to bring that in with nothing more than a few computers and a dozen people?"
"It is primarily due to the favorable policies of the Reform and Opening-up, coupled with the strategic advantages of our partnership with Sega. By keeping our R costs lean, we have secured relatively higher profit margins," Fu Zan replied, ushering the director further into the workspace.
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