The Grudge 3 was still burning hot at the box office. Even Edward himself was somewhat shocked by how ferociously its numbers continued to rise. The film had already been in theaters for half a month, yet instead of dropping, its daily box office had actually begun climbing again.
Edward sat there staring blankly as the box office soared to a staggering eight hundred million, and it was still climbing. Faced with such momentum, Edward's emotions became a bit complicated.
"Don't tell me it's really going to break one billion?" Edward smacked his lips. With results like this, as long as the audience didn't suddenly vanish, the film would certainly break the all-time peak for horror movies.
As for reaching one billion… that was a whole different problem. After all, a one-billion box office was an extremely difficult achievement—one many directors could never dream of obtaining. And as for a two-billion box office… Edward felt that such a concept probably only existed somewhere in the distant future.
For example, maybe one day, when a bowl of noodles costs more than a 50 pokedollars, and a single movie ticket costs several hundred, then perhaps—perhaps—a film could break a two billion at the box office. But for the Edward of today, he already felt incredibly proud just achieving what he had now. As for what such achievements might bring him in the future, he didn't know yet—but he certainly looked forward to it.
After all, a one-billion box office was something many directors could never reach in their entire lives—something many couldn't even imagine. Many directors' works couldn't even get screened in theaters at all. That, in itself, was a rather tragic story.
And now, Edward finally understood why he could reach such unbelievable heights. It was because, during this period, the entire internet had been discussing his Prayer Wall Foundation.
The spark was an article shared by Diantha, which exploded into the public eye and made the foundation's work more visible than ever. That attention was what pushed The Grudge 3 to achieve such terrifying, explosive box-office numbers.
The article's title:
[Prayer Wall Foundation: Lighting the Flame of Hope, Saving Families in Crisis]
On the lands of the League, many families have fallen into a bottomless abyss of despair because of illness. The crushing weight of astronomical medical bills suffocates them. Yet there exists a warm and powerful presence—the Prayer Wall Foundation. Founded and propelled by Edward Stone, it brings a glimmer of life to those who cannot afford treatment.
First, let me clarify: I am not a fan of Director Edward, nor am I someone hired by him. I'm simply telling a story—a story that happened to me, and to many others.
According to interviews with foundation staff, the Foundation was born from Director Edward's deep understanding of society and his burning compassion. He witnessed many families forced to give up treatment due to poverty. Those helpless eyes and despairing expressions stabbed at his heart. He knew that countless poor people in this world, once struck by illness, could only wait for death. Such tragedies should not exist in a world like ours. And so, Director Edward decisively founded the Prayer Wall Foundation, determined to use his own resources to give these families the possibility to live on.
In the beginning, the Foundation received almost no donations. It was Director Edward who supported everything using the profits from his films and merchandise. He even hired the super-powered Pokémon Mr. Kode, an Alakazam as the foundation's head and established an extremely strict application process.
Ironically, this strictness brought the best results. Funds were limited, but the number of patients in need was huge. Only such stringent standards could ensure the money went to those who needed it the most.
Mr. Kode shared with me the Foundation's earliest hardships and later progress…
(And the article continues to recount multiple case stories—Little Timmy from a rural Unova village, and working-class Steven from Paldea—both saved by the Foundation's help, both receiving not only financial support but medical coordination, psychological care, and hope where none remained.)
The article emphasized the Foundation staff's dedication: running tirelessly to different corners of the world, listening to patients' struggles, offering emotional and practical support, and working with society to raise more funds.
It noted that the Foundation's impact extended far beyond individual cases—it awakened public awareness of disadvantaged patients, motivated countless businesses and individuals to contribute, brought volunteers into the fold, expanded partnerships with hospitals and charities, and even established low-cost hospitals—funded entirely out of Edward's own pocket.
It concluded with a call:
We are all ordinary people with families and responsibilities, but even the smallest spark can ignite a prairie fire. Let us all extend a helping hand—our love and contributions may become the hope that saves a life.
…
This was the article Diantha shared. When Edward saw it, he was stunned.
At that time, the Prayer Wall Foundation and Edward were already in the public spotlight. Online discussions had faded slightly, but most people still remembered the matter. As a result, this post blew up instantly. And with it, so did the Foundation's documentary—and Edward's movie.
More and more people chose to enter the cinema, using their movie tickets as a way to donate a bit of kindness. And when countless sparks came together, they created a raging wildfire—one that devoured everything in its path and pushed The Grudge 3 past the eight hundred million mark.
…
"Boss! The theater chains said they're willing to increase our revenue share for The Grudge 3!"
Zoroark burst through the door with excitement. Edward nodded.
"There's more, isn't there?" Edward asked, already guessing something. Zoroark grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
"The distributors working with us also said they'll give us all of their share—to support our charity work!"
Zoroark was practically beaming. Edward laughed as well. He had indeed made those decisions casually back then, simply wanting to help people, which was why he created the Prayer Wall Foundation in the first place.
But he never imagined the Foundation would, in turn, help him reach such incredible heights. He might even reach that dream of breaking the ten-billion box office. The thought made Edward feel unexpectedly emotional. In a sense, life truly was full of surprises—an unpredictable journey built from countless uncertainties.
As for why the distributors and theater chains were doing this—it wasn't because they were noble enough to willingly give up profit. Rather, theaters and distributors were many different companies, not just one. None of them earned a huge portion individually, so giving it up for a good reputation was a worthwhile trade. Plus, charity came with tax reductions and exemptions from the League. They understood the math perfectly well.
"That's normal. It's a good thing," Edward said happily. "When the revenue comes in, announce it publicly and donate everything to the hospital construction fund. We should be able to build two more low-cost hospitals."
Even if these companies were taking advantage of the momentum to ride the wave of good PR, Edward didn't mind. After all, he was going to donate all the money anyway. Keeping the money for himself would just attract endless haters—and Edward had no need for it. Even if the film did break onee billion, the money would barely matter to him.
Donating it, on the other hand, would greatly benefit both Ghost Films and Devon Corporation, while also earning Edward long-term goodwill. People would begin to feel that watching his movies was the same as doing charity. And in the future, that mindset would bring even more benefits.
The only downside was that from now on, Edward would need to keep contributing a portion of his box-office revenue to charity in order to maintain this public perception. But Edward didn't mind. He had already intended to do so permanently anyway.
"Wonder if it can really break into one billion…" He rubbed his hands with anticipation. He wasn't sure—but he felt hopeful. The hype surrounding The Grudge 3 was simply too high. It was destined to be remembered as a historic horror film.
It made Edward feel amused and helpless. But perhaps this was fate. If others hadn't attacked him, he wouldn't have pulled out this counterattack—and none of this would have happened.
Life truly was interesting.
(End of Chapter)