"Boss, are you... are you okay?"
Bai Fu suddenly stopped talking, and her complexion alternated between pale and green, which made An Ya increasingly anxious.
She had thought the boss had returned to normal, but with the current situation, could it be that the boss's head was damaged from the punch she took while collecting debts?
It would be terrible if the boss was damaged from getting hit!
An Ya threw herself forward, amidst a flood of snot and tears, "Boss, you've got to pull yourself together! If something happens to you, I... I'll go all out against that old hag who hit you!"
Bai Fu mussed up An Ya's hair, "Quiet, I'm thinking."
Becoming a character popular with players isn't easy.
First, she had to determine what kind of NPC was popular with players.
Bai Fu brutally simplified popular NPCs into two categories.
1. Fiery.
2. Not fiery.
She wasn't making an arbitrary division; she had come prepared!
It wasn't just about men and women, beasts, or even fridges, they could all be divided this way.
After all, aren't most people playing games just for the thrill?
Stimulation via sight and sound is enjoyable, and emotional resonance is pleasant, but "fiery" can provide players with the most straightforward and intense visual and auditory stimulation.
But never underestimate the word "fiery," otherwise players will use their wallets to teach you a lesson.
In the current climate, where new games are as plentiful as hairs on an ox, "average goods" have long been pushed out of the market, only those "special editions" can remain hot on the dark web after all is said and done.
Life is short; who doesn't want to indulge in something delicious?
So, what counts as "special"?
Bai Fu evaluated herself.
Bright eyes, white teeth, and a curvaceous figure with a well-proportioned build—both in terms of looks and body, she was above a nine out of ten.
Her hardware met the criteria, but having the right hardware was just like getting a ticket to the "special" category; she needed the right software to unleash all the potential of the hardware.
Could she pull off the ultimate move of unsheathing a sword from her chest?
Could she afford customized outfits like the trendy bubble tea with cheese foam?
Could she learn the flirtatiously elegant demeanor of the witches of the Hehuan Sect?
Bai Fu looked at her empty pockets and her inability to even flick a lighter.
With no money and no tricks, and an unwillingness to learn from the witchcraft of the Hehuan Sect, her evaluation would likely be "nice to see, what else? Next, please."
This didn't meet her expectations; she didn't want to be just a flash in the pan but to continuously explode the pockets of both players and planners.
It seemed she had to take the second route, to become an old artist who moved players with her performance, making them remember her years later.
Bai Fu classified the old artists based on her understanding and the community's voice of the players.
The first type, a just ally or a villain with immense personal charm.
The second type, someone who shelters players from the wind and rain, even burning themselves to pave the way for the future as a gang leader.
The third type, a tragic hero that makes one lament, "Oh vast, cold sky, how uncaring thou art."
The fourth type, one who casually doles out money, using wealth to create a future as a rich man's daughter.
The fifth type, always there beside the player, silently supporting them, ready to confront anyone challenging the player, a comrade-in-arms.
The sixth type, a fleeting, startling presence that disrupts the player's heartstrings, remembered even after many years, the "light of the pale moon."
The seventh type, other.
There seem to be many options, but choosing isn't that difficult.
Bai Fu was very self-aware.
She too wanted to be the righteous ally, to become the super-villain that drove everyone to despair, to be the gang leader who brought peace of mind to everyone, but she just didn't have that power.
As for the money-sprinkling young mistress, that was even more of a pipe dream.
After looking over her options, she could only try to become the comrade-in-arms or "light of the pale moon" for now.
Being a comrade had too many restrictions, so it was better to be the players' "light of the pale moon."
The shot fired in youth, years later, hit its mark right at the heart, clothed in the name of sentiment.
"While the players are still confused upon entering the game, I'll start racking up their affection for me. That way, even if they find out I'm from the Wildfire Gang, they won't immediately attack me."
Earning affection was something Bai Fu was confident about.
Her face wasn't for nothing; mere stretching of her legs was enough to draw a crowd of players, not to mention her plan to play the beauty saving the "hero" in order to cleanse her own reputation.
Having left the players with the impression that "She must be a good person," her next plan was to establish a persona.
A good persona could break through sensory limits and reach deep into a person's soul.
Only the popularity gathered in this way would truly stand the test of time.
Of course, what Bai Fu truly valued was power, and increasing popularity was just a shortcut to gaining it.
She saw establishing a persona as making a wish.
"Planners, take a good look, I should be perceived like this in the eyes of the players. To not disappoint them, for the sake of the game's reviews, shouldn't you give me some extra points?"
She wasn't threatening the planners, after all, a character so vibrant that it escapes their control would reflect highly on their ability to create characters, right?
If those points were really added, her power would grow, the players' expectations would be met, and the planners' mothers and bonuses would all be safe.
What the fuck is this if not a fucking win-win-win!
For this reason, Bai Fu was extremely cautious when creating her persona.
Personas like "20 years old, divorced with an 11-year-old kid" could get her a lot of attention quickly, but since they wouldn't help increase her power, she dismissed them outright.
"It's better to mold myself into a mysterious figure at this stage, letting the players imagine my true identity. This makes it easier to adjust on the fly and avoids the embarrassment of a persona collapse."
After all, she claimed to be unfathomable, without specifying in what ways she was unfathomable. If the players guessed wrong, could they blame her? Blame the stupid planners!
If the players come up with an interesting persona, she could simply plagiarize it.
Win!
Bai Fu glanced at An Ya beside her.
"An Ya!"
"Present!" An Ya, pulled to the side, promptly stepped forward. "Boss, are we going to teach those lawless foreigners a lesson now?"
Bai Fu shook her head, "Too short-sighted, An Ya. The value of those outsiders far exceeds the bounty offered by the Wildfire Gang. Open your mind, our conquest is the stars and the sea; we mustn't lose the bigger picture over small gains."
An Ya: "¿"
Bai Fu smiled like a witch feasting on children, "Want to wake up every day from the middle of a 500 square bed? Want to..."
An Ya grimaced, "Boss, I don't even dare to dream of that."
Bai Fu was speechless.
Young people shouldn't age too quickly; dream more, what if it comes true?
"If you want it, then cooperate with me. I've already found a way to strike it rich from those outsiders."
An Ya was skeptical, "What do I need to do?"
Bai Fu said, "I haven't figured out your persona yet; just follow behind me as an enigma for now."
Crafting a loli is not the same as crafting a young lady or a young wife; forcing the same direction might end up with pure prison vibes.
As a law-abiding five-star citizen, Bai Fu was not here for that.
She planned to interact with the players first, to see whether they preferred crazy lolis or loli princesses, before customizing a persona for An Ya that would complement hers.
An Ya nodded, seemingly understanding, "An enigma?"
Bai Fu stood up, "Don't dwell on it, let's go out now."
An Ya hurriedly asked, "Boss, where are we going?"
Bai Fu said, "To the salon, to dye our hair white before we take any formal action, give ourselves a buff."
They say white hair is especially effective against our countrymen; double white hair must be twice as effective. Wouldn't that just burst the players' affection?
"Ah?"
An Ya doubted she had heard correctly.
What does dying your hair white have to do with sleeping in a 500 square bed?
Damn it, the Old Man must have really hit the boss silly with that debt!
No, Boss, what am I going to do if you lose your senses!