Chapter 8: Make Good Use of the Resources Around You

“Who exactly should I look for as a partner?”
“First and foremost, they have to be wealthy. I don’t have any money myself, and if my partner is also penniless, it’s all just empty talk.”
“Second, their ability to handle affairs and relationships must surpass mine. I’m not particularly adept at managing these things—my strengths lie in technology and product development.”
“Hmm, but most important of all, they must be reliable!”

Li Fu pondered deeply. Finding a partner is something worth careful consideration; having the right team can double the results with half the effort, but if you end up with a bunch of incompetent teammates, even the most skilled leader would struggle.

This was a principle often preached by Wang Wanli during their gaming sessions, and it’s just as true in reality. For a startup, the right partners are crucial—they largely determine how far the company can go.

“Should I ask Monkey? He’s reliable, but his family situation is similar to mine—no money to spare. His parents would never fund him to start a business.”

Li Fu’s first thought was his childhood friend, Monkey—Huang Chaoyou—a third-year student at a prestigious university in the Empire, who grew up together with Li Fu.

“Liu Chenyun? His family is wealthy; they made millions mining rare earths, and supposedly gave him a million yuan to start a business. He brags about it every year at our old classmates’ gatherings. But his character is lacking, and he only graduated from middle school—not suited for these new internet ventures.”

Li Fu mulled over his options, but came up empty. His social circle had always been small, and he wasn’t skilled at networking—he’d always focused solely on his studies. Now, when he needed a suitable partner, none came to mind.

“Hello? I’m still sleeping. What dinner? Talk later!”

At that moment, his roommate Qian Jin’s voice on the phone pulled Li Fu back from his thoughts.

“Ah! How could I be so blind? I have so many college classmates around me, yet I’m thinking about old school friends—really missing the obvious!”

“All these resources right at hand, and I don’t even know how to make good use of them!”

Suddenly inspired, Li Fu slapped the table, as if struck by a revelation.

“What’s going on?”
“Li Fu, are you alright?”
“Damn, you scared me!”

The other three in the dorm were startled by Li Fu’s sudden outburst, all turning to him, thinking something had happened.

“Sorry, everyone. I just thought of a brilliant business idea. Would you be interested in hearing it?”

Li Fu apologized, seizing the opportunity to share his idea.

“Ugh, I thought it was something serious. You’re yelling and banging the table for this?”

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“My girlfriend just called inviting me out for dinner, and I wasn’t interested. Starting a business? Even less so!”

Qian Jin pulled the blanket over his head, preparing to go back to sleep.

“Exactly, starting a business isn’t easy. Nine out of ten startups fail—it’s all a scam.”

Wang Wanli pouted and turned back to his game, League of Champions.

“Haha, I’d like to hear what Li Fu has in mind. He rarely makes such a fuss.”

Zhao Dongye smiled, got out of bed, and prepared to listen. Coming from an official family, Zhao Dongye was exceptionally diplomatic and perceptive—he knew Li Fu wasn’t one to exaggerate without reason. If he was this excited, it must be a genuinely good idea.

“Li Fu, why don’t you share your idea? If it’s feasible, we could give it a try. These days, it seems like college is wasted if you don’t try to start something.”

Zhao Dongye smiled at Li Fu.

“My idea is this: Look at how popular League of Champions is right now. If we develop a mobile game version—bring League of Champions to smartphones—do you think it would catch on?”

Li Fu was a little embarrassed, since only Zhao Dongye was willing to listen.

“You mean make League of Champions into a mobile game?”

Wang Wanli, who hadn’t cared at first, suddenly turned around, intrigued.

“Yes, a multiplayer competitive game you can play on your phone.”

Li Fu nodded.

“You know, that could really work. So many people play games nowadays, and nearly everyone has a smartphone. If you could actually make a game like that, playable anytime, anywhere—it would definitely explode in popularity.”

Wang Wanli’s eyes widened, speaking with conviction.

“Really?”

Zhao Dongye raised an eyebrow. He didn’t play games and didn’t know much about them, but if Wang Wanli, a frequent gamer, was so sure, it must be a solid idea.

“Absolutely! League of Champions is currently the most profitable cash cow in the global gaming industry. If you could play it on a smartphone, it’d be phenomenal—could even surpass League of Champions. Done right, making billions in a year would be easy.”

As a seasoned League of Champions player, Wang Wanli knew just how lucrative the game was—it was the most profitable weapon in the hands of the Penguin Empire.

“Is it really that profitable? Billions in a year—there aren’t many companies in the country pulling in those numbers.”

Qian Jin, who had been hiding under the covers, perked up and poked his head out. He was a second-generation rich kid, but that didn’t mean he was content to just ride his father’s coattails. Compared to ordinary people, those born into wealth often want to prove they’re no less capable than their parents.

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At first, he hadn’t been interested in Li Fu’s proposal, thinking that no matter how good Li Fu’s ideas were, they’d amount to little and weren’t worth his energy. But hearing Wang Wanli’s enthusiastic endorsement, he suddenly realized this idea could have real financial prospects, and his interest was piqued.

“My estimate is conservative, based on League of Champions’ data. If we can develop a mobile version, in an era where everyone has a smartphone, its popularity will definitely surpass League of Champions. Making billions a year would be no trouble.”

Li Fu said nothing more; he’d just raised the topic, and Wang Wanli, the gaming enthusiast, had become the chief persuader, speaking with confidence.

“Wow, I never would’ve thought, Li Fu—you rarely play games, yet you came up with such a great idea. No more talk, I’m in! If we pull this off, it’ll be a massive success.”

Wang Wanli usually looked down on Li Fu, given their different family backgrounds—Wang Wanli had that cosmopolitan flair, while Li Fu was oblivious. But now Wang Wanli couldn’t help but admire him.

“Game development isn’t easy, though. The programming alone is incredibly complex—it’s a monumental task. Do we have any professionals? That’s a challenge. And then there’s the issue of startup capital.”

Zhao Dongye stroked his chin, thinking aloud about the difficulties they might face.

“Leave the technical side to me. Look, this is a basic framework I set up this morning—took me a few hours. If we recruit a few computer science classmates to help, developing such a game isn’t impossible.”

When it came to technology, Li Fu immediately grabbed his laptop and demonstrated the framework he’d built earlier. Although Zhao Dongye and the others weren’t versed in the field, seeing Li Fu’s confidence and the tangible progress, combined with his history of dabbling in programming, convinced them he was up to the task.

“I know a few friends in the Computer Science Academy, and I’ve seen their software projects—none of them are at your level, Li Fu. Looks like we really can leave the technical side to you.”

Zhao Dongye, well-connected, watched Li Fu’s demonstration and nodded. He didn’t know that Li Fu had a stroke of luck that morning, acquiring the Seed of Civilization and training his mind with Xiaoying’s help.

Li Fu’s abilities in computing had soared overnight; otherwise, he could never have produced such a framework. If his previous skills were merely entry-level, under Xiaoying’s guidance, he now counted as proficient.

With Xiaoying’s assistance woven into the framework, it was naturally impressive. Zhao Dongye could see the skill—even if he didn’t understand it, his friends did, and he knew the difference.

“Technical and product development are mine—no problem!”

Li Fu spoke with confidence. With Xiaoying’s help, he’d made leaps in a short time; give him a bit longer, and he’d be among the global elite. Creating a game would be no trouble at all.

“Alright, if technology and product development are settled, then the remaining issue is funding. Without capital, everything else is just talk.”

Zhao Dongye nodded, always methodical. He considered every problem and solution carefully, only acting once all was thought through—calm and experienced, like someone raised in official circles.

“Money—we’ll all chip in. We’ll need at least a few hundred thousand, or we won’t even have the funds to promote the game.”

Wang Wanli nodded as well. Money isn’t everything, but without it, nothing can be done.

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