Pokémon, but cultural invasion.

Izumi regrets that her starter Pokémon isn't Mudkip, otherwise, just thinking about a Mega Swampert swimming freely in the rain is enough to make her cry.

[The reach of "Overcoming Difficulties Together with Saltstone" is 22985/500]

[Climber LV1: The relentless climb will pay off.]

The vague introduction made Izumi frown.

Since it was an effect exclusive to Salt Stone Treasure, he didn't hesitate to upgrade it.

Upon reaching LV3, Izumi Tree ceased its actions.

The first upgrade costs 10,000 Pokémon, the second 100,000, and the third 500,000.

A stage play and a game have filled his wallet, but not to the point of reckless spending.

Spending 500,000 to improve a blurry effect is still too extravagant for him at the moment.

We'll have to wait until the movie becomes a huge hit.

He exited the handheld console and checked the unread messages on the Navigator app.

I picked an important one to deal with first.

"Brewed Light City Electric Frog: You lied to me!"

"Thoughts flowed like a spring: Where's the deception? Tell me, did it leave a lasting impression on the audience?"

He marked the previous chat history.

"Brewed Light City Electric Belly Frog: Being used as a trump card for mockery is considered memorable? Do you know that now streamers in the battle zone are sending my voice messages to mock the opposing team?!"

"Thoughts flow like a spring: Do you remember the first lesson I taught you?"

Quanshu added another comment to the chat log: "This is the first lesson I'm going to teach you on the internet: even black and red are still red."

"Thoughts flow like a spring: Then let me ask you, has your account's popularity increased? Have you gained more followers? Is your livestream more popular?"

"Thoughts flowed like a spring: Don't focus on the process, focus on the result. Being too concerned about the process will distort my efforts and dedication."

Looking at the message on the navigator, Qishu, separated by oceans and land, gritted his teeth in anger, his shark teeth gleaming.

She also had to admit: it had increased, increased, and gone up.

How dare he be so presumptuous? Is it because I've been chatting with him these past few days, giving him the illusion that "we have a good relationship"?

Qi Shu's finger jabbed the screen hard.

"Nyangguang City Electric Belly Frog: Do you have time to visit Nyangguang City recently? My treat. (Smiles)"

"Thoughts flowed like a spring: I'm afraid of getting electrocuted, so I won't go. I'll wait until I awaken the ground crystal attribute."

Regardless of the other party's reaction, Quanshu turned off his phone.

He stepped out of the bridge archway. The sun was shining brightly in Yuhong City; it was the perfect weather to enjoy the botanical garden.

The casting for the film should also be put on the agenda.

On his Navigator account and Pikachu video account, Izumi simultaneously posted a job posting for employees in the Kanto region.

Having created two games and a stage play, he is no longer an unknown.

An account with a constant flow of ideas can be a good channel for making one's voice heard.

The first thing is to let the dear fans of the Pokémon world know that he is going to make a movie.

He was the one who reversed the public perception that the film industry was in decline after its run ended.

Chapter 57 Kneeling before the veterans is an offense

After several days, "One Thousand and One Nights," which had been met with a barrage of criticism in the comments section, has finally made a move.

Have you heard the rumors about the Dark Grey City Museum lately?

I heard that the place is under a terrible curse; every night, the artifacts on the display stands come down and move on their own.

Nobody wants to be a night shift security guard anymore, except for one third-rate trainer who was eliminated from the league tournament.

A brief conversation was uploaded.

Since Hua Lan's performance ended and the second half of "The Little Mermaid" was released, this series of updates has been stagnant.

The sudden update immediately caught the attention of a small group of people.

"Oh wow, it's come back to life after a week's hiatus."

"One Thousand and One Nights, gloriously resurrected!"

"These three sentences are rather sinister, not like a fairy tale. It's probably because Hajiquan is trying to launch something new again."

"Exhibits moving in the dark sound a bit scary. Could it be a horror story?"

Before the small-scale discussion could spread, another announcement was posted on the account.

Recruitment Announcement

"To keep pace with the development of the information age and to produce and deliver higher-quality creative content, we urgently need highly qualified talents in fields such as performance, photography, costume and prop design."

Basic requirements for applicants:

1. Possess proof of residence in the Kanto region, or have been active in the Kanto region for an extended period.

2. Abide by laws and regulations, have good moral character, and have no criminal record.

3. Preference will be given to candidates with professional skills and knowledge in any of the above-mentioned fields, and those who are interested in historical myths from around the world.

......

The job posting included a message from the creator.

"Izumi: The end of the golden age of movies that year was the failure of the second season of Pokémon and Trainer Love to pass censorship."

Ultimately, the film was judged to have contained scenes that violated public order and good morals.

I saw the director sitting in a chair, sobbing uncontrollably.

At that moment, I thought that if I could become a professional director, I would definitely win everything.

Now that the opportunity to make a movie is right in front of me, I have to consider whether this might be the only opportunity I'll ever have.

I believe the golden age of cinema played a crucial role in its past glory. It is our inescapable duty to restore cinema's former glory!

"In short, we're going to make a movie! We welcome more like-minded friends to join us!"

As soon as the announcement was released, several comments appeared to be from paid trolls.

"After joining Tingxiang Studio, my lower back pain and leg soreness have disappeared, and I have more energy for my work."

"It's true, my luck has improved since I submitted my resume. Today, the bombs from the long-winged gulls at the dock didn't hit me."

"I just decided to apply for the job, and the goddess who was ignoring me yesterday suddenly became enthusiastic and introduced me to a high-paying job in the remote Jiantie area. I'm not going to say anything more, the ship is about to leave port."

One second they were reading the announcement seriously, the next they saw several inhuman comments and the fans couldn't hold back anymore.

Are these people even human?

"That kid Quanshu is the smartest; he uses the comments generated by Polygon as a kind of paid troll army."

Are we also part of his performance art play?

Despite the complaints, most fans focused on the information revealed in the announcement—Izumi is going to make a movie.

Movie, a word that is both familiar and unfamiliar to ordinary people.

For residents of rural towns, their impression of movies is still stuck in the past.

On a particular night, a film screening crew found an open space, and the projector spun around with the click of the film reel, casting light and shadow.

At this time of year, even wild Pokémon passing by will be attracted, with those hiding in the shadows and the large crowds in the open space clearly separated.

For many, it's a childhood memory, but that's about it; after growing up, they rarely see new movies like it.

Whether it's nostalgia or a decline in quality, people aren't very enthusiastic about new movies.

For those living in cities, memories of the film are hazy.

The clicking sound of ticket verification upon entry, the dimly lit screening room, the rough large screen, and the unavoidable slight echoes from the vibrations of multiple speakers.

Young people's strongest memories are of their parents holding their hands as they walked into the movie theater; the specific content of the movie has long been a blur.

With the decline of the film industry, there are fewer and fewer cinemas in cities nowadays, and people can hardly remember them anymore.

As the announcement was released, more and more people recalled this familiar yet unfamiliar term.

Their subconscious thoughts were strikingly similar.

If a game company suddenly decides they want to make a movie, wouldn't that be suicidal?

Especially now that the film industry is in complete recession and cinemas are closing down, is it possible to recoup costs?

"With its high-profile foray into sunset industries, ever since 'One Thousand and One Nights,' I could never guess what Izumi's next move would be."

"If your purpose in issuing this announcement was to make me laugh, then I admit you win."

"Other game companies: What does it mean when a competitor commits suicide?"

"To be fair, the stage play was actually very well done, but movies and stage plays are two different things, right? So who gave Izumi the confidence?"

"Making a movie? What about our new game? Will we have to wait a long time again?"

"Isn't it enough for Tingxiang to produce one new game a month? You newbies in the game industry don't understand at all. We veterans are already very satisfied."

Of course, there are also many kind-hearted fans who try their best to persuade us.

"Movies are expensive in many ways, right? Why don't we wait until we've made more money before starting?"

"Boss, are we really not going bankrupt by investing so much in a sunset industry?"

"It's okay, he'll come back to making games on his own once he goes bankrupt."

"If I were to crowdfund again, I would like to create a special page to express my gratitude. I missed it last time, and I would be so annoyed if I missed the opportunity again this time."

"I really miss movies. I don't even dare to hope to restore its glory. I just want to make a watchable film."

Looking at the comments, Quanshu snorted and looked away.

The movie hasn't even started filming yet, and his fans are already offering advice on what to do after he goes bankrupt.

Fans aren't like that; their purity is still far from enough.

Where are his die-hard fans? Where are his die-hard fans? And where are the Oppo fans who wore wedding dresses to movie premieres and have two husbands?

The only thing that made Izumi feel relieved was that the fans' anger had obviously lessened a lot.

Perhaps his method worked, using the streamer as a shield for the torturous game and diverting attention.

Perhaps it was the moment the movie was announced that even the most furious fans were relieved and looked at him as if he were a dead man.

In any case, the days of hiding in the Kanto region have come to a temporary end.

Standing in front of the glazed tile gate of Yuhong Martial Arts Hall.

The staff member, whom I had met before, smiled shyly and said, "Our owner's mood has improved, and he can accept your challenge."

"I'm not here to challenge the gym today."

"...what?"

Chapter 58 The Adult World

Late summer is precisely the second peak blooming season of the year for wisteria.

The arched trellis made of pine wood is densely entwined with wisteria flowers, and the cascading flower spikes are like a waterfall.

Saltstone followed several Oddish and Leafeon, frolicking and playing among the flower spikes.

Having grown up on Earth, Saltstone had no experience playing with Pokémon of the same age and was initially a little reserved, but gradually opened up under the guidance of a positive atmosphere.

"Whether you challenge a gym or not, you must pass the gym's test to meet our gym leader."

Under the pavilion, staff members placed two cups of flower tea on the stone table.

The leaves of an unknown plant floated in the water, their colors vibrant, and a strange, sweet fragrance wafted from them.

A dojo test?