Chapter 88: Pan-Entertainment Exhibition

Early morning, Chaldea Studio.

Although the company had recently been raking in profits and moved into a spacious office building, Oriole still maintained his old habits as a game producer.

He wore a gray hoodie and sat at his workstation, intently staring at the animation storyboards for "Absolute Demonic Beast Front" rendered by the system, occasionally jotting something down in his notebook.

"President Kirito, I'm so pissed off! Those people at the Shanghai Exhibition Center have absolutely no sense of sportsmanship!"

Operations Director Yurito burst through the door, clutching an exhibition schedule, his face full of indignation.

Oriole rubbed his eyes, which were sore from staying up late to look at storyboards, picked up the mineral water on the table, unscrewed it, took a sip, and said in a calm tone, "What's wrong? Was the booth not approved?"

"The booth was approved, but the location is just bullying us!"

Yurito pulled out a chair, sat down, and slapped the schedule onto the table.

"We had originally agreed that the core central main stage at the opening ceremony would reserve ten minutes for us to showcase our new project. But this morning, the organizer suddenly went back on their word and assigned the main stage directly to Tianpeng Interactive Entertainment!"

"The organizer's reason is that Tianpeng Interactive Entertainment has partnered with several film giants to release a 3D blockbuster, 'records of gods and demons,' with an investment of 500 million. They are wealthy and influential, spending 10 million in sponsorship fees to book the main stage and the golden time slot of the opening ceremony!"

At this point, Yurito was so angry he kept slapping his thigh:

"They assigned us, Chaldea, to the most remote E-zone sub-exhibition hall! That place doesn't even see a ghost usually! President Kirito, why don't we throw money at it too? We have sufficient cash flow on our books now; let's offer double and snatch the main stage back!"

However, upon hearing this proposal, Oriole frowned and looked at Yurito as if he were an idiot.

"Spend 20 million? Just to stand on stage for ten more minutes?"

Oriole shook his head and placed the water bottle on the table. "Yurito, we make games and content, not traffic-driven talent shows."

"With that 20 million, wouldn't it be better to buy two more sets of top-tier servers, or give the artists at [Chaldea Station] more subsidies? Throwing money to fight for an illusory stage is purely the behavior of a sucker."

"But President Kirito, in such a remote corner like the sub-exhibition hall, how can the animation PV we prepared achieve a stunning effect on the whole audience?" Yurito was still somewhat unwilling.

"Remember one thing, Yurito. In the face of absolute quality, location is completely unimportant."

Oriole turned his gaze back to the animation manuscript on the screen, his eyes focused and serious.

"As long as our screen is clear enough and the sound is shocking enough, even if we exhibit next to a restroom, our audience will follow the scent and find us."

"Tell the organizer that the sub-exhibition hall is fine. Use all the saved booth fees to rent the best and largest 4K ultra-high-definition screen available on-site, as well as top-tier surround sound systems."

"We are going to turn that remote sub-exhibition hall into a small IMAX theater."

Seeing Oriole's pragmatic and calm demeanor, Yurito's anxious mood miraculously calmed down.

"Understood, President Kirito, I'll go arrange the hardware equipment right away!"

...

10:00 AM, Shanghai International Exhibition Center.

As the highest-spec pan-entertainment event on Blue Star, the venue was buzzing with noise.

Media reporters had long since set up their cameras and equipment around the central main stage.

The main stage was decorated luxuriously, with huge holographic projection equipment flashing with colorful lights.

Chairman Wang of Tianpeng Interactive Entertainment, wearing a high-end custom suit, stood in the spotlight, introducing their new project to the media and audience below with great spirit.

"Everyone, please look at the big screen! This is the 3D Xianxia epic created by Tianpeng Interactive Entertainment with an investment of 500 million over three years—'records of gods and demons'!"

Chairman Wang waved his arms passionately, "We used the most advanced light and shadow capture technology on Blue Star, and a Hollywood-level rendering engine! This is the ceiling of the visual industry!"

The big screen began playing the trailer for "records of gods and demons."

Several popular celebrity influencers were wearing glittering metal armor, with colorful, oversized wings that defied all physical logic spreading out behind them.

They posed stiffly in front of a green screen, surrounded by dazzling, and even somewhat blinding, light-pollution explosion special effects.

The media reporters below very graciously pressed their shutters, creating a sea of camera flashes.

But some hardcore gamers and veteran critics present were whispering to each other.

"Isn't this just an enhanced version of those old browser game art styles?"

"It's all light pollution; it hurts to look at. The plot is also the same old monster-slaying and leveling-up routine, nothing new."

Despite this, the momentum of the main stage remained grand.

Chairman Wang looked at the crowded audience below, a smug smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.

During a break in his speech, he didn't forget to subtly mock his competitors: "Some small workshops that only know how to make 2D paper cut-out characters and earned some money by luck could never understand the charm of this kind of heavy industrial visuals."

"I heard they were also assigned to the sub-exhibition hall today? Heh, I hope those few simple concept art pieces of theirs can manage to keep a few audience members."

A ripple of polite, sycophantic laughter broke out below the stage.

Meanwhile...

In the deserted E-zone sub-exhibition hall, a full 500 meters away from the main stage.

The Chaldea exhibition area was decorated extremely simply, one could even say crudely.

There were no flashy booths, no scantily clad cosplayers. In the entire exhibition area, there was only a giant 4K ultra-high-definition screen that took up the entire wall, and top-tier matrix sound systems arranged around it that were visibly expensive.

Oriole wore his signature gray hoodie and a baseball cap, standing quietly in front of the control console.

There were only a few dozen casual visitors wandering here, and a few die-hard FGO fans holding up their phones for live streaming.

When these die-hard fans, including PD who had come specifically to do an outdoor live stream today, recognized that the young man in the hoodie standing at the console was the legendary "Old Thief Kirito," they immediately crowded around in excitement.

"Holy crap! A live Father Gu!"

"President Kirito! Please give me an autograph! I'm an old player who has been abused by you since the server opened!"

Facing this group of hardcore fans who were crazed after finally seeing the producer's true face, Oriole smiled and signed autographs for them, then raised a finger to his lips, making a "shh" gesture, signaling everyone to calm down.

"Brothers, although getting the autograph feels great, this sub-exhibition hall is just too bleak. How did Father Gu get assigned to such a corner?"

PD held his outdoor live-streaming phone, looking at the deserted Chaldea exhibition area, and couldn't help but speak up for Oriole to the camera in the live stream.

Oriole checked his watch; it was 10:15 AM. The noise from the main stage could still be faintly heard.

"It's about time."

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