February 3rd. Lumen City. Headquarters of Northstar Games.
Several days had passed since Northstar quietly dropped its teaser for Cyberpunk 2077, but instead of fading away like a ripple in dark water, the impact was spreading across the global net.
On Twitch. On YouTube. On every major streaming platform.
Foreign streamers replayed the trailer again and again, pausing on neon skylines, chrome implants, rain-soaked alleyways. Some leaned back in their gaming chairs, wide-eyed. Others slapped their desks in excitement. Reaction compilations flooded YouTube, stacked with thousands of comments.
"When does it release?"
"Is this really made by a Chinese studio?"
"Can we wishlist this now?"
Those were the three most common questions.
Some bilingual players translated the overseas comments and posted them back domestically. Screenshots spread through forums. Threads exploded overnight.
For the first time, Cyberpunk 2077 was no longer just a domestic project. It was becoming a global signal flare.
And the funny thing?
The person at the center of it all had no idea.
Vivian Frost — founder of Northstar Games — never bypassed firewalls. She was, in her own words, "a law-abiding citizen." If hype was exploding overseas, she was blissfully unaware.
Right now, she had something much more serious on her mind.
The annual company meeting.
---
Northstar Games had grown.
When Vivian counted every department — programming, art, animation, publishing, operations — the company was pushing four hundred employees.
Compared to megacorps with tens of thousands on payroll, that wasn't much. But in the gaming industry, especially for a studio based in Lumen City, this was already mid-to-upper tier scale.
Lumen City wasn't a massive metropolis. Booking a venue big enough for everyone would be difficult.
So Vivian called a meeting.
Inside the conference room sat key department heads. Ethan Reed, lead planner. Evan Cross from programming. Daniel from publishing. Rachel Quinn from animation. Others filled the long table.
Vivian posed the question:
"Do we hold the annual meeting here in Lumen City? Or take everyone to a bigger city?"
Opinions split immediately.
Evan Cross shook his head. "Boss, traveling too far isn't ideal. The meeting's in two days. After that, it's almost New Year's. People need time to pack and go home."
Luo Yang — art lead — added, "Young people wouldn't mind traveling. But honestly, we've lived here for two years. Staying local gives more freedom."
Rachel Quinn crossed her arms. After thinking a moment, she said calmly, "There's still a lot of work before New Year's. Keep it simple. Besides… the Boss won't even be there."
She rolled her eyes slightly.
It was true.
This year, Vivian planned to appear via video only. The actual event would be run by the departments themselves.
For older employees, that was perfectly normal. They knew Vivian's personality.
For newer hires, however, Vivian Frost was practically legendary.
Self-made billionaire.
Visionary founder.
Genius entrepreneur.
The rising light of domestic gaming.
But the veterans inside Northstar knew better.
Self-made?
Her family fortune had been vast long before.
Genius entrepreneur?
The entire founding team had bled for three years.
Visionary founder?
Ethan Reed had drafted half the core systems.
Light of domestic gaming?
That belonged to the whole company.
Still, everyone protected her image. Over time, myth and reality blended together. And without even trying, Vivian gained real authority.
Which led to a certain resentment among management.
She gamed in her office half the year.
And now she wanted to skip the annual meeting too?
What kind of Boss was this?
The answer: one they couldn't replace.
Because she had Ethan Reed.
---
Ethan sat beside his younger sister, Sienna, who was happily sipping milk tea and eating snacks in the corner.
Sienna had integrated into Northstar's core staff with shocking speed. She learned quickly. Absorbed faster than anyone expected.
Daniel had tried multiple times to recruit her into publishing.
Rachel Quinn nearly exploded when she found out.
"She joined with me. If she goes full-time, she's in my department!"
Sienna, with fox-like charm, made them both compete for her attention — without offending either.
Now she leaned against Ethan, carefree.
Back at the table, Daniel finally spoke.
"Let's hold it at a hotel here in Lumen City. It gives everyone time to go home."
Vivian nodded immediately.
"Then you're in charge."
Daniel froze.
He regretted speaking.
---
Ethan shifted the topic.
"What about year-end bonuses and raffle prizes?"
Vivian checked her notes.
"Animation gets six months' salary bonus. The 2077 core team gets eight months. Evan Cross and Luo Yang get five. Publishing and other departments get three."
Rachel Quinn's eyes lit up.
Six months.
That was life-changing money for her team.
Ethan nodded. "Eight months for 2077 is fair."
Daniel exhaled in relief.
His team had over a hundred developers grinding nonstop on the 2077 demo. They were exhausted. Burned out.
But now?
Eight months' salary bonus.
Complaints would disappear overnight.
At an average salary of fifteen thousand, that was serious money. Combined with base salary, some would effectively earn twenty months' pay this year.
If anyone still complained after that…
Daniel would personally show them the door.
The truth was simple:
Northstar paid well.
Not because it avoided competition.
But because competition here actually paid off.
Employees volunteered for overtime — not because they were forced, but because effort translated into reward.
Vivian might joke about money.
But when it came to rewarding results, she never hesitated.
"As for raffle prizes," Vivian continued, "Grand prize is 68,888. A dozen high-spec laptops. Graphics cards. Enough for over a hundred winners."
Another million gone.
The entire annual meeting would cost at least ten million.
Vivian didn't blink.
Her perception of money had always been abstract. Raised in privilege. Then her net worth skyrocketed after 2077's success trajectory.
Ethan sometimes feared she would one day say on national television:
"I'm not interested in money. I've never touched money."
That thought alone made him uneasy.
---
The meeting ended.
The annual meeting was scheduled for February 6th.
Vivian quickly booked a hotel in Lumen City.
Then she found Daniel again, smiling sweetly as she patted his shoulder.
"You're fully responsible for the event."
Daniel stared at Ethan.
"Don't look at me," Ethan said calmly. "We'll be busy."
"Busy with what?" Daniel frowned. "It's the end of the year!"
Vivian glared at him. "Stop asking."
Then she dragged Ethan away.
Daniel sipped water slowly.
Why were those two still not together officially?
The old employees had been "shipping" them for nearly two years.
How slow could they be?
He sighed.
But responsibility wasn't a burden.
Once Cyberpunk 2077 was complete, Daniel's department would split into a subsidiary under Northstar — focused solely on high-budget 3A projects designed by Ethan.
He would receive equity.
Real authority.
It was both a reward — and a binding contract.
Even if they hadn't offered it, he wouldn't leave.
But power and money?
No one refused that.
---
Two days later.
Guangling City.
In a luxury residential complex, a middle-aged man stood by the door holding a suitcase.
Handsome. Refined. Sharp eyes.
Old Mr. Frost.
At the doorway, his wife spoke gently.
"When you get there, don't criticize our daughter again. She's not the same as before. Her company might even be stronger than yours now."
Mr. Frost nodded.
"I'm not criticizing her. I'm going to see her. It's been three years."
Then he lowered his voice.
"If this continues, she'll run off with someone and we won't even know."
His wife smiled.
"With her personality? She's more likely to run off with a computer."
He snorted.
"Give me a kiss."
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
Satisfied, he left.
After the door closed, she immediately grabbed her phone nervously.
"Oh no… I've been hiding Vivian and Ethan's relationship from him. If they meet…"
She paused.
Then sighed.
"She's twenty-five. What's wrong with finding a man?"
Downstairs, Mr. Frost entered a black Mercedes.
"To the airport. Don't arrange a car there. My daughter will pick me up."
"Yes, Boss."
He dialed a number.
"How's the background check I asked for? His family? His personal record?"
Pause.
"Ordinary family? Good."
"Send a New Year's gift to his parents. In my daughter's name."
Calm. Calculated.
Vivian would never think of that.
As a father, sending a gift to future in-laws on behalf of his daughter — perfectly reasonable.
His wife thought he didn't understand the internet.
Didn't know about online rumors.
Didn't know about Ethan Reed.
Heh.
He understood perfectly.
In fact—
Among the online fans who secretly shipped Vivian Frost and Ethan Reed…
He was one of them.
And now—
Old Mr. Frost was on his way to Los Angeles.
The meeting would not just be about family.
It would be about legacy.
And perhaps…
About the future of Northstar Games itself.