Qiao Laoshi began analyzing the deeper meaning of “Game Developer” in his video.

The narrator represented both the inner greed on the path forward and the meddling of bystanders.

By creating “immersion” through first-person perspective and environment, then establishing “alienation” through the narrator, this atmosphere easily led players to reflection.

Every choice players made completely simulated the mindset of a game developer.

After playing this game, you could understand what a miserable profession game development truly was!

Furthermore, Qiao Laoshi elevated the game’s spiritual connotation even higher.

“While playing this game, I felt an exceptionally strong resonance.”

“Why is that? I don’t have any experience in game development.”

“After careful thought, it’s because creating videos and creating games have commonalities.”

“Or rather, almost all cultural producers share the same mindset.”

“Loneliness.”

“There’s a saying: Being misunderstood is the fate of an expresser.”

“The content of ‘Game Developer’ demonstrates this.”

“The performance art outside of ‘Game Developer’ also demonstrates this.”

“Perhaps this is the goal that Tenda hoped to achieve with this meticulously developed game. Perhaps they already anticipated that this game would bomb in sales and fail to recover its costs.”

“But they hoped to accomplish one thing: to make us calm down in this impetuous society, patiently do things, and patiently think about:”

“Where do we come from, and where are we going?”

“In this restless society, how should we live our lives?”

“What should we truly be seeking?”

…

…

After watching this video, viewers fell into silence.

So… that’s how it was?

The final questioning in the video struck viewers’ hearts like heavy hammers.

Seeing Qiao Laoshi’s previous video update, many people thought Qiao Laoshi was the monkey, and they were watching a monkey show.

But now they realized they had it all backward!

Qiao Laoshi was the one conducting the show, and the viewers were the monkeys!

Such a seemingly stupid sponsored video with numerous suspicious points had truly fooled all the viewers, forcibly creating a new meme called “Qiao Studies”!

All viewers and netizens had unconsciously joined this performance art, underwent a test, and the test results were disappointing.

These were the blindly conforming netizens!

Soon, the likes on this video began to skyrocket, and comments rapidly increased!

Originally, “Qiao Studies” had already become a trend at its peak, and many people who heard Qiao Laoshi had released a new video, planned to show off their “Qiao Studies” skills, and grab front-row seats to the drama.

So, this video had high initial attention!

After the audience discovered the “truth” of the matter, their attitudes instantly underwent a 180-degree transformation.

This was evident from the comments.

“Holy crap, this was a large-scale performance art piece?”

“Game companies these days… have become so clever?”

“Sorry, son, Dad misunderstood you. I’m giving you a like and sharing this right now!”

“Qiao Laoshi, a true artist!”

“‘Being misunderstood is the fate of an expresser.’ I’m blown away, how about you?”

“Who would have thought ‘Game Developer’ had so much depth? I’m going to play it again!”

Of course, some suspected Qiao Laoshi was deliberately clearing his name, but these voices were quickly drowned out.

Because Qiao Laoshi’s explanation was more logical and more aligned with the netizens’ understanding!

Once this video was released, many players who had tried “Game Developer” but quickly given up decided to settle down and give it another proper playthrough.

And those who hadn’t experienced “Game Developer” due to aversion now decided to try it out, to see if this “masterpiece” in Qiao Laoshi’s words was truly as godly as claimed.

…

…

Swan Lake Restaurant.

Tenda Network Technology Co., Ltd. was having a team-building dinner!

Having a celebratory dinner after a game was completed and released had been a tradition since “Sea Fortress.”

As for why they chose the same restaurant again…

There was no choice—it was the most expensive in the entire Jingzhou City. Pei Qian would have preferred to fly to the Imperial Capital to eat somewhere better, but the system wouldn’t allow it.

They had to make do.

Pei Qian walked among the crowd with a glass of red wine, noticing that everyone seemed to be in low spirits.

This was normal—”Game Developer” was currently facing a cold reception after its release, so who would be in the mood to eat?

This was different from last time.

Last time, they had come to eat immediately after “Sea Fortress” was completed, when there was no psychological pressure, so naturally they could eat heartily.

But this time, “Game Developer” had been online for three days, and both sales and reviews were far below expectations.

So, except for Pei Qian, everyone else was eating without much appetite.

“Today is team building, everyone cheer up!”

“Why do I feel like everyone’s mood is low? Is the food here not to your liking?”

“Since moods are low, we should eat the more expensive items. Come on, three plates of bluefin tuna for each person to start!”

“All you veteran employees need to set a good example. You’ve eaten here before, so you should know what’s valuable. Don’t let me see anyone still hugging ice cream!”

“Also, this is Ma Yiqun, our new member, a top graduate and cultured person. We must take good care of him, understand?”

Pei Qian, happy with his circumstances, enthusiastically organized everything.

Someone not drinking?

No problem—wherever Mr. Pei went, he toasted. When the boss offers a toast, it wouldn’t be appropriate to refuse, right?

Of course, Pei Qian’s act of toasting was completely different from traditional drinking culture.

In traditional drinking culture, especially when leaders force subordinates to drink, it’s to establish authority. The purpose is to make you drink too much and feel uncomfortable, to establish a relationship of submission.

But that wasn’t Pei Qian’s purpose.

They were drinking red wine, which doesn’t cause intoxication as easily, and Pei Qian had no requirements for how much to drink—a sip was fine.

The main goal was to encourage everyone to eat more.

Currently, the atmosphere was a bit low, and drinking a little would both stimulate the appetite and help everyone relax.

Sure enough, after several rounds of toasts, the atmosphere noticeably improved!

Pei Qian was very pleased and went to get some delicious food for himself, starting to eat voraciously.

It had been a long time since he’d been this happy!

So far, everything was going smoothly.

The internet café was losing around 300,000 yuan per month, with no signs of profitability in sight.

Although the short video platform had good popularity, it rejected all low-end sponsorships. So far, they hadn’t received any high-end custom requests, with income at zero.

“Game Developer” had mediocre reviews so far, and even more mediocre sales. At the current trend, it would fail to recover costs!

Pei Qian felt his meal had become even more delicious.

Happy!