"Sorry, Ethan, I think this is the first time I've ever called you by your real name… and it will also be the last."
Inside a small, enclosed meeting room, the woman sitting across from him spoke calmly, though her eyes betrayed a faint trace of regret.
She was not tall—barely five feet four inches—but she carried herself with a confidence that filled the room. Her softly curled hair framed her face in a way that made her look both youthful and strangely mature at the same time. The contrast gave her an almost contradictory charm: innocent at first glance, yet quietly seductive if one looked longer.
Her name was Vivian Frost.
She was Ethan's boss—and also the founder and head of Northstar Games Studio.
With a gentle sigh, Vivian extended her hand and placed a thin envelope on the wooden table between them. Not too thick. Not too thin. Just enough to say everything that didn't need to be spoken aloud.
"…"
Ethan stared at the envelope. His lips twitched violently, as if his face itself was protesting reality.
Five days ago, Ethan Reed had transmigrated into this world.
When he first woke up and finished absorbing the original owner's memories, he had nearly laughed out loud.
Making games?
Not even a dog would willingly do that.
In his previous life, Ethan had been a second-tier music producer—not famous, but good enough to make a comfortable living. He knew melodies. He understood composition. He lived for sound, rhythm, and emotion.
And now fate wanted him to make games?
Was music suddenly not profitable?
Was music suddenly not fun?
The entertainment industry in this world was already highly developed—music, movies, animation, and games all flourished side by side. This wasn't some cliché low-entertainment parallel world where a single guitar could dominate the charts.
But Ethan had something else.
He had a mind full of golden melodies.
If his own talent couldn't crush the musicians of this world, then what about… borrowing?
Jay Chou alone could feed him for a lifetime.
Just thinking about it made his future sparkle.
Three days ago, if Vivian had slid that envelope toward him, Ethan would have accepted it without hesitation—salary in hand, door behind him, freedom ahead.
His plan had been simple: take his monthly pay, combine it with his savings, rent a small recording studio, and step onto the road of becoming a top-tier music producer.
A perfect plan.
But now?
Now he couldn't leave.
Because two days ago, everything changed.
---
The System That Ruined Everything
Out of nowhere, Ethan had gained a system.
At first, he was excited—after all, systems were supposed to be cheat codes for transmigrators.
Then he saw its name.
God-Tier Game Producer System
"…Game?"
Ethan almost laughed in disbelief.
He immediately planned to ignore it. Music was his path. Games could come later, maybe as a side project once he became rich.
But the moment that thought formed—
Something terrifying happened.
The memories inside his head began to blur.
Songs from Earth.
Famous games.
Classic movies.
Anime scenes.
Even variety shows.
They all turned vague, distorted, as if someone had scribbled over them with static.
He knew they existed.
He knew they were brilliant.
But whenever he tried to recall details, his mind turned into a mess of broken pixels.
It was the system.
And then the cold text appeared:
> [Activation Requirement]
Become a Game Planner
Time Limit: 72 Hours
Reward: Game Treasure Vault
Failure: System deletion + memory loss
Ethan's soul nearly left his body.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Become a game planner in three days?
In an industry this competitive?
As a nobody intern?
It was absurd.
It was impossible.
Or so he thought.
Until he remembered where he currently worked.
Northstar Games.
---
A Company on the Brink
Northstar Games was dying.
That much was obvious once Ethan整理ed the original owner's memories.
They had two fatal problems.
First: No successful products.
Their games were mediocre at best. The highest-selling title barely crossed seventeen thousand copies over two years—a number that sounded decent until costs were calculated. Updates, patches, staff salaries, server fees… the game had bled money instead of earning it.
Even their so-called "successful" web game—an old monster-grinding, equipment-dropping title—ended up losing money once operational costs were included.
No profit. Only losses.
Second: Talent collapse.
Their lead planner—a bald middle-aged man—had been poached by a rival studio. He didn't leave alone. He took the backbone of the team with him.
Programmers followed. Designers followed.
In the end, out of more than twenty employees—
Only Ethan remained.
Not because of loyalty.
But because nobody wanted him.
Fresh graduate.
Intern.
No value to poach.
And yet, because of that, Ethan now stood at the center of the storm.
Vivian Frost had kept the company alive for three years despite losses. She wasn't poor—she was just stubborn. Or idealistic.
A boss driven by love rather than profit.
Which was exactly why the company was about to collapse.
---
The Turning Point
"Boss," Ethan suddenly said, breaking the silence.
"I don't want my salary."
Vivian froze.
Then she smiled helplessly. "Alright. Which computer do you want? Take it with you."
She reached for the envelope.
SLAP!
Ethan's hand came down fast, stopping hers mid-motion.
Vivian yelped, pulling her hand back and glaring at him.
"What are you doing?!"
"That's not what I meant!" Ethan said urgently.
"I mean—I want to keep working here!"
He straightened his back and spoke with conviction:
"I don't want to leave Northstar."
"This is the best game company I've ever been in."
"And you're the best boss I've ever had."
Vivian blinked. "…Didn't you just graduate?"
"…Yes."
"And this is your first company?"
"…Yes."
She frowned. "Then how do you know it's the best?"
Ethan clenched his teeth internally.
That was not the point!
Taking a deep breath, he looked straight at her and spoke clearly:
"Boss, do you really want to give up like this?"
Vivian sighed softly.
"What choice do I have? The company is empty. It's just you and me now."
She paused, her voice gentle.
"I appreciate your loyalty, Ethan. But this industry is cruel. I can't drag you down with me."
Ethan shook his head.
Then, with firm certainty, he said the words that changed everything:
"Boss, I think we can still be saved!"
Vivian's eyes widened.
"I have a game idea," Ethan continued.
"A really good one."
"Give me time."
"Let me be the planner."
"And I'll make a game that saves Northstar."
The room fell silent.
Vivian stared at him—first in shock, then suspicion.
Finally, she spoke slowly:
"…Intern."
"Are you trying to scam me out of money?"
"?"
And thus—
The gamble began.