Saturday, August 15.
The open challenge had concluded, and the school team had no immediate plans. Despite soon owing 7 million, Luke felt lazy, and Eevee seemed perfectly content.
Taking advantage of the weekend, Luke indulged in the rare luxury of sleeping in, cuddling little Eevee comfortably.
"Vui~..." Eevee half-heartedly struggled for a moment before succumbing to sleep.
At noon, precisely at noon, the alarm clock jolted Luke awake. The sun streamed into the room, casting a warm glow.
"Vui~..." Eevee curled up, using her tiny hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight, letting out a sleepy whimper of dissatisfaction.
Luke gently rubbed Eevee's head, chuckling at her protest. Just then, his phone vibrated.
"Hello, Damien," Luke answered, still half-asleep. "What's up?"
Damien's voice was filled with excitement. "Luke, did you check the ORAS backstage? Our data has gone through the roof! We've gained over a million credits!"
Luke was taken aback. While "Plants vs. Zombies" had garnered a positive response during this time, the traffic hadn't been particularly high. Could they really have nearly 100,000 purchases without a proper advertising budget?
"Slow down," Luke urged, trying to contain his excitement. "There could be errors in the data."
Even if it was just one million, it was still something worth celebrating. However, it was essential to verify the authenticity of the news first.
Damien composed himself. "It's true... and it's even growing."
He continued with enthusiasm, raising his voice, "When you were playing the game, someone posted a promotional message on Twitter."
Luke made himself a cup of coffee and began to stir it while listening. "Go on..."
"It appears to be a fan of your game with almost 20 million followers," Damien said. "Their last tweet was about the Oscars a year ago, and now they're advertising 'Plants vs. Zombies'!"
Luke almost choked on his coffee, coughing as it burned his mouth. He put the phone down and jumped around in excitement.
Damien couldn't help but get emotional.
Even with such groundbreaking news, Luke remained calm. Truly a man who had a close friendship with the Vice President of Devon!
Luke took a deep breath, feeling his tongue tingle, and picked up his phone again. "Really? Can it be?"
He had only teased Cynthia about it, so had she actually gone ahead and promoted his game? Could it negatively affect her?
"You can see it on the Twitter homepage, and several big names have also retweeted it!" Damien exclaimed. "We're going to make a fortune, Brother Luke!"
Luke was slightly taken aback. The money wasn't his main concern; he just wanted to pay off his debts. But now it seemed he might owe a favor instead.
After ending the call, Luke opened Twitter and clicked on the profile of the blonde beauty.
The first tweet on her homepage was game-related. It said, "This game is so much fun. The creator asked me to promote it. @TeacherLuke have you eaten today?"
The tweet included an image from "Plants vs. Zombies."
Luke felt somewhat lost. Her last tweet had been about celebrating Diantha winning the Oscar a year ago. She had been inactive on social media for quite some time, but now she was using it to promote a joke...
He placed a hand over his chest and muttered, "Should I pinch myself to see if it's real?"
Netizens' comments were also quite amusing.
"This game is way too difficult! My brain is almost eaten by Cofagrigus!"
"Crazy Dave lives up to his name as a Grass Type Master. His Venusaur's Sleep Powder is unstoppable!"
"I got scared at first, thinking it was an official announcement. But then I checked the ID. It's Teacher Luke!"
"Teacher Luke, you're the best for promoting your game this way!"
Cynthia had retweeted it, drawing even more attention. The high-quality game that was "Plants vs. Zombies" led to a surge in purchases of ORAS.
Even though the number of purchases was relatively small compared to the traffic celebrities in his previous life could generate, it was still impressive. In the end, fans had to purchase records, even if it meant selling their blood.
Without these limitations, Luke's net worth might have already exceeded 100 million.
After setting down his phone, Luke deep in thought.
After a year-long hiatus from updating, his first tweet was related to the game. And all this was thanks to Cynthia!
At this rate, by the end of the month, the ORAS platform might generate nearly 3 million in revenue, which would be enough to pay off his other debts. He might even be able to reward himself and prepare Presents for Eevee and Squirtle!
With a deep longing, Teacher Luke sighed, "I miss her so much..."
"Hmm? Maybe I could create a game and play with her online!"
Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and decided that his next new project would be a two-player game. After all, liquidity was limited, and he couldn't afford large-scale triple A games. Developing a single-player game with the potential for quick sales seemed like the right move.
Furthermore, a standalone IP could also be adapted into a mobile game, ensuring double the profits!
Luke decided not to disturb Cynthia directly.
Each person follows their unique life path, and it's these individual trajectories that make the moments of intersection all the more poignant.
In the afternoon, Teacher Luke dialed the number of the delivery manager from his previous purchase.
"Hello? Mr. Luke, back for more Items, I see!" The manager's voice was filled with delight.
Luke clenched his teeth and replied, "This will be the final time. There won't be another."
The manager was momentarily surprised but responded with a smile, "I understand, I understand."
In Sabrina's "Calm Mind" Secret Records, the Dawn Stone required higher quality. The manager agreed to keep an eye out and promised to inform Luke as soon as he found one available.
Luke stroked his chin, his expression shifting slightly.
While the total value of 2 million was within his budget, the materials were starting to seem costly. Could this be Sabrina's real intention?
"Never mind," Luke reassured himself. "If there's extra money today, it's time to treat myself."
For dinner, Luke enjoyed a Berry salad and pan-fried steak. Haunter, with a pair of sunglasses on, and his little companion Squirtle returned from the training club, showcasing a big brother's demeanor.
Haunter & Squirtle: ヾ(⌐■_■)
"Jie jie~? (￣▽￣)/" (Can we have dinner?)
Luke squinted and said, "Wash your hands first!"
As the day came to a close, Luke found himself immersed in "Pokemon: Battle," gazing at his empty friend list.
A message notification sound chimed, and Luke's interest piqued.
Gold: Want to play?
Teacher Luke: Get in here!
Gold rubbed his nose with a bitter expression, wondering why he was so stern.
Teacher Luke remained in a daze for the next two hours.
As the late night approached, and Luke was about to call it a day, a message from the blonde Chibi caught his attention.
100 Flavors of Ice Cream: Up for a game?
Teacher Luke: Sure.
Luke contemplated the idea that perhaps this was where two parallel lines finally intersected.
"I may need some time to repay the debt I owe you," Luke sighed, burdened by his thoughts. "I also have to provide for those three little ones, buy Secret Records, acquire Items, and ensure Haunter continues his training."
Luke felt like a worn-out father, grappling with these concerns, and an unexplained sense of exhaustion washed over him.
The blonde beauty hesitated for a moment before flashing a warm smile.
"Alright."