"A different method?"
Yukong leaned forward, her interest fully piqued by Julian's unconventional thinking.
"It's simple, Madam," Julian said. "The IPC can block a signal, but they can't block a person. The Alliance has roots everywhere, even within the Corporation's sectors. Give our people the raw data for the anime. Let them distribute it manually—peer-to-peer—through the hidden channels."
He tapped his temple. "The IPC can stop a broadcast, but they can't stop fans from hunting for 'prohibited' high-quality entertainment. In fact, the more they ban it, the faster it will spread."
Yukong didn't blink. Every major power had its eyes and ears in rival territories. "We've tried cultural exports through those channels before, but the entry barrier was always too high. Our traditional operas and histories didn't translate well. But Pokémon..." She trailed off, a small smile appearing. "This has a universal soul. I'll arrange the 'data-drop' immediately."
"But Julian," she added, her voice dropping to a serious note, "if we go this route, you won't see a single Credit in broadcast revenue from IPC space. We're talking about hundreds of millions in lost profit. Are you sure?"
Julian laughed, a genuine, relaxed sound. "Madam, I never cared about the animation's bank balance. The show is the commercial for the game. If the galaxy watches for free and falls in love with the world, they'll pay for the game later. Besides..." He winked. "The IPC still owes me five hundred million in 'breach of contract' fees. Once they realize they can't silence me, they'll have to pay up eventually. I'm playing the long game."
Yukong stared at him for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "You are... remarkably thick-skinned, Mr. Reed. I believe 'cunning' is the diplomatic term."
"In business, being nice just gets you led by the nose," Julian replied as he stood to leave. "The Alliance is fierce on the battlefield, Madam. It's time we showed that same fire in the markets."
His words lingered in the room long after he left. Yukong looked out at the stars, a new resolve in her eyes. "Perhaps he's right. Our 'partners' have forgotten that the Hunt doesn't just use arrows."
By evening, the Alliance's counterattack was live.
Guinaifen, acting as the official voice of Arceus Studio, opened her stream with a bombshell. "Viewers, we have a solution for those trapped behind the IPC's 'Signal Shield'! The Alliance has officially launched the Arceus Accelerator."
She projected the interface—a clean, minimalist app. "It's a specialized tunnel designed specifically for Pokémon data. It bypasses the local firewalls and connects you directly to our Luofu servers. And because we want everyone in Kanto for the open beta next week, the first three days are completely free!"
The chat went into a frenzy.
"Xianzhou is playing 4D chess! The IPC just got outmaneuvered!""Three days free? That's enough to get my first Badge! Downloading now!""The Corporation is going to be furious. I love it.""Is this a front for a cultural revolution? Because I'm ready to enlist!"
Across the IPC sectors, the news spread like wildfire through private forums and encrypted chats. Players who had felt suffocated by the sudden blackout now had a weapon. They didn't just download the software; they turned into a digital militia, swarming IPC-controlled forums to fight back against the paid "troll armies" that were trying to smear the game.
The IPC's "Plagiarism" narrative was buried under a mountain of organic fan support. People who had never heard of Pokémon now sought it out simply to see what the Corporation was so afraid of.
But in the high-security towers of Pier Point, the mood was far from celebratory.
"They launched a VPN?" an IPC elder hissed, staring at the rising connection metrics. "They're bypassing our Echo-relays entirely."
"Initiate the second phase," the head of the Traditional Department growled, his face shadowed by the glow of a dozen monitors. "If we can't hide the game, we'll kill it. Target Arceus Studio with a total Subspace DDoS. I want their servers paralyzed. I want every player to see a 'Connection Failed' screen until they give up in frustration. Do it now!"
The digital war was no longer about ads. It was about survival.