"$25 per user?! Damn, why don't you just rob people instead?"
Despite his complaints, Alex was thrilled.
He had already noticed that game prices in this world were ridiculously high. Compared to the overpriced, mediocre games dominating the sales charts, Honor of Kings was leagues ahead in quality.
Even if he sold it for $25 per copy, it wouldn't be unreasonable.
But Alex understood something crucial—
Short-sighted greed only leads to smaller gains. True success comes from long-term strategy.
Without hesitation, he called Apple's app store representative using the number in the message.
After just ten minutes of negotiation, he reached an agreement—
Honor of Kings would be released as a FREE game.
The real profit engine wouldn't be the game itself—it would be the in-game store!
A competitive multiplayer game thrives on player numbers.
The larger the player base, the greater the potential revenue.
Alex had absolute confidence in his game.
Back in his previous life, Honor of Kings had dominated the 2016 Pan-Entertainment Index Awards, ranking in China's Top 10 IP Value Game List.
And this version?
It was even better.
Every visual, every animation, every voice line—perfected through the Game Maker System.
If it wasn't top-tier, then why had Dilireba and Sera gotten completely addicted, playing for hours without realizing it?
By the time Alex wrapped up the call, Sera had snapped out of her gaming trance.
Noticing the time, she nudged Dilireba, who let out a reluctant sigh.
"Ah! It's already past ten! Sorry, sorry—we need to go!"
Even as she spoke, Alex could tell—
If her phone battery wasn't dying, she would probably keep playing for at least ten more rounds.
"Uh… let's meet again tomorrow, then!"
Dragged away by her strict manager, Dilireba gave Alex a pitiful look as she left.
She clearly wanted him to carry her to victory at least once.
That was the true addictiveness of the game—
The more you lose, the more you want to win.
After getting completely destroyed by AI bots, the two girls had somehow leveled up to 17 and 18—without winning a single match.
They desperately wanted to turn the tables.
"Well, I've done everything I can. Now, I just have to sit back and watch."
Alex opened the game's backend and watched as the download count slowly ticked up.
10 players…
100 players…
200 players!
Since there weren't enough real players to match against, most people were playing against AI—
Yet, despite that, they were hooked.
They kept grinding matches, learning the mechanics, and coming back for more.
If he had stuck with the $25 price tag, he would have already made $5,000 by now.
But Alex wasn't changing a thing.
He would wait.
And when the floodgates opened—
The real money would roll in.
Denton Shaw's father was a street racer.
After his old man landed in prison, Denton naturally took over the mantle, becoming the leader of a small gang known as the "Youngblood Crew."
But in a country like this, organized crime had no future—and running a "moral" gang? That was even harder.
Fortunately, Denton had managed to sell off his father's stash of antique pagers to collectors, using the money to buy a small apartment.
The rental income was enough to support his crew, allowing them to scrape by without resorting to real crime.
His one true passion? Hunting for new games in various app stores.
Unfortunately, after years of gaming, his tastes had become incredibly refined—to the point where it was nearly impossible to find a game that truly satisfied him.
That was… until something caught his eye.
In the Apple App Store's featured section, an unknown game from a private indie studio was being strongly recommended.
"Honor of Kings? Featured by the editors… Suggested retail price: $25… but the developer insisted on making it free?"
Denton's expression hardened with admiration.
"A game developer with actual integrity? That's rare these days! I've gotta support this!"
He wasn't someone obsessed with material wealth, but his internet speed was top-tier—so in under two minutes, the game was fully downloaded.
Clicking on the golden-haired knight's icon, he officially entered the world of Honor of Kings.
Account Registration
• ID: Silent Phantom
• Gender: Male
• Age: 23
• Additional details: Private
Registration complete!
After a simple tutorial, Denton quickly found himself immersed in an inexplicable thrill.
The orchestral soundtrack, the meticulously designed characters, the incredible hero models, and the never-before-seen mechanics—everything screamed legendary quality.
"AI mode? Hell no! I'm going straight to player battles!"
"True warriors don't fight bots—they conquer real opponents! To be the best, I must crush them all!"
Thirteen Minutes Later…
Staring at the defeat screen, Denton's grand ambitions shattered into a million pieces.
"Damn it! I didn't even equip a rune set—why the hell did I queue into ranked?!"
"Bro, this guy didn't even unlock talents yet…"
"LOL! He's still using the default starter knight, Arthur!"
The mocking voices of his teammates echoed in his ears, each line dripping with condescension.
Just as Denton was about to rage-quit, his eyes landed on a single line of text inside the in-game store—
"Think about it… If you don't invest, will you ever become stronger?"
His brain short-circuited for a moment.
Then, without hesitation—
Denton started throwing money at the screen.
He needed to get stronger.
No—he needed to become unstoppable.
He needed to become a legend.