Chapter 508: 480: Ideal Paradise Arc (Ending 3)

Three more months passed. On the second floor of Building B2 at the Haidong University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park, the office which initially housed only five young individuals has now expanded into a bright space occupying the entire building.

Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows and spills onto the copper plaque of "Ideal Paradise Network Technology Co., Ltd." The plaque remains prominently displayed at the center of the cultural wall at the entrance, now surrounded by numerous trophies, thank-you letters, and group photos.

Today, a special internal celebration is taking place here—not for the launch of a game, nor for the company’s latest market valuation peak, but for the release of a new book.

Qin Shan stood behind a small makeshift podium, in front of a pile of first edition copies of "Tomorrow’s Glow."

He wore a well-pressed shirt, long past the days of youthful anxiety and frustration while crafting plotlines in the dorm, with stable eyes and a genuine smile at the corner of his mouth.

Below the stage, all the employees of Ideal Paradise, along with many invited students from Haidong University, were gathered. Pang Linlin, acting as the campus reporter, was intently capturing the event with the camera sponsored by the company back in the days.

"This book,"

Qin Shan’s voice spread through the microphone, clear and powerful, "is not just a story I wrote. It includes shadows of many people—like the senior who worked part-time at night to pay for her father’s medical bills, the classmate who wanted to research affordable cancer medications, the junior who dreamed of becoming a public interest lawyer."

"Moreover, it is about this group of us, starting from when the company plaque was hung from the balcony of room 502 in the dorm, all the way through every clumsy moment, passionate effort, arguments, and persistence."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the first row. Gu Yu and Lin Xinyue were sitting side by side, Lin Xinyue’s hand gently placed on her slightly protruding belly.

Yu Shutong sat beside his girlfriend, the two exchanging whispered technical discussions.

Pu Tongren tightly held Hu Xiaoya’s hand, Hu Xiaoya’s bright smile clear of any past gloom.

Kang Jia, Bo Jia, Hu Shuo... familiar faces all focused intently on him.

"At one time, I thought that writing was just about crafting bizarre stories, and I considered giving up because of data crashes. It was Gu Yu’s words, ’We can always start over,’ and seeing the company truly help people like Pang Linlin to realize their dreams, that made me understand that the best stories come from the everyday yet great persistence around us."

"The fact that ’Tomorrow’s Glow’ could be published and receive appreciation is not due to how brilliant I am, Qin Shan, but because the time we went through together was inherently shining."

Applause was enthusiastic.

Pang Linlin’s eyes were slightly red as she clapped forcefully.

Now a key member of the campus media, her father’s condition had stabilized due to timely treatment.

She always remembered that afternoon when Gu Yu and Lin Xinyue told her, "As long as you can achieve your dream in the future, our company’s funding has not been in vain."

After Qin Shan finished speaking, Yu Shutong, as the company’s CTO, stepped on stage.

He did not talk much about technology but instead opened the large screen behind him, where the panoramic view of the backend data of the game "Tomorrow" was displayed.

Representing the module of "player-created life templates," millions of light spots flickered, behind each spot being a real-life segment that has been uploaded, experienced, and respected.

"Half a year after its public test, ’Tomorrow’ has surpassed thirty million registered users,"

Yu Shutong’s voice was filled with pride, "It doesn’t have top-notch graphics or cool battles. We’ve built a platform allowing sanitation workers to share their dream of opening a flower shop, retired teachers to talk about unfulfilled journeys... and then, miracles happened."

"Not only are players experiencing these templates, we’ve received tens of thousands of emails—someone decided to sign an organ donation agreement after using the cancer patient template; someone contacted us to fund students in impoverished regions after using the rural teacher template..."

He opened an email and projected it on the screen. It was a commendation letter from the National Radio and Television Administration, alongside a screenshot of an interview invitation from CCTV’s "Focus Talk."

"The authorities have also acknowledged us, not because of how much money we’ve made, but because ’Tomorrow’ has demonstrated that games can carry goodwill, and technology can convey warmth. This was the ambiguous yet aspirational direction we envisioned when we first wanted to create the best game in Huaxia and even the world."

Applause erupted again from the crowd, but this time it was mixed with the choked sobs of several employees.

Cai Hui patted his round belly and whispered to Xiao Chuan, "Old Cai’s wisest decision in this life was believing your nonsense and jumping ship to here."

Yu Xiaochuan laughed and gave him a playful punch, recalling the shock they felt when they saw that "down with capitalists" recruitment ad.

Looking back now, it was indeed the wisest decision!

Gu Yu stood up amidst the applause and walked to the front of the stage. He did not take any speech notes but simply looked at these partners in front of him.

From the five individuals in the dorm to Kang Jia, the first batch of employees in the incubator, then to those from Shengda and various other industries who shared the same ideals... the company size has long surpassed a hundred people, yet the pure atmosphere of "for ideals" has miraculously been preserved.

"Earlier, Qin Shan talked about ’Tomorrow’s Glow,’ Yu Shutong talked about ’Tomorrow,’"

Gu Yu began speaking, his voice not loud, yet it brought silence to the audience, "I want to talk about the name Ideal Paradise. When we first established the name in the dorm, Yu Laoer laughed at me for being childish. I said, I hope this place can become a paradise for everyone to achieve their dreams."

He turned around and pointed to the cultural wall. Not only was there the company plaque but also a blown-up, yellowed photo—a picture of five young people cheering towards the computer screens in the modest office on the second floor of building B2 of the incubator.

"Beside the photo is the neatly written thank-you letter from Pang Linlin sent years ago, and the group photo of 28 students who received help from the ’Ideal Assistance Program,’ and countless hand-drawn templates of the game ’Tomorrow’ sent by players..."

"Take a look here."

Gu Yu’s voice was emotional, "Have our ideals been realized? I think they are being realized, and they are extending in ways we never imagined. Our ideals are not just to grow and strengthen the company, to tread over Yi Net or topple Tencent."

"Our ideals are like helping Pang Linlin, providing a boost to dreams that are temporarily stalled. It is like what ’Tomorrow’ has done, allowing every glimmer of ordinary life to be seen. It is like our insistence on no overtime, and sending a pension subsidy to parents, proving that a company can be competitive yet full of warmth and humanity!"

He looked at Lin Xinyue, who responded with a gentle smile, lightly caressing her abdomen.

Gu Yu continued, "Soon, Xinyue and I will welcome two new lives. This makes me understand more profoundly that paradise is not only in the career but also in life."

"Ideal Paradise should be a place where all members can confidently strive and fearlessly enjoy life."

"Therefore, I officially announce today that the company will establish the Ideal Legacy Fund, not only to continue supporting the dreams of college students but also to secure the future education and health of all employees’ families."

"What we aim to create is not a flash-in-the-pan internet sensation company, but a paradise that can truly take root, grow, and let ideals live on."

Thunderous applause echoed, lasting without end.

Several veteran employees like Kang Jia, Hu Shuo, and others were already in tears.

They recalled when they joined initially; it was just a small studio with an uncertain future.

Now, they’ve not only witnessed the company’s development but also become a part of this unique ideal.

As the celebration drew to a close, everyone gathered to cut the cake and take group photos.

Qin Shan was surrounded by juniors and seniors asking for autographs.

Yu Shutong and his girlfriend were pulled aside by several technical heads to discuss technical details of the next version of ’Tomorrow.’

Pu Tongren was loudly organizing the dinner venue for tonight, with Hu Xiaoya laughingly chiming in beside him.

Kang Jia wrapped his arms around Bo Jia and Hu Shuo’s shoulders, pointing at the company’s early photos on the cultural wall, feeling deeply nostalgic.

Gu Yu and Lin Xinyue quietly retreated to the window side.

Outside the window, the incubator was lush with green trees, and further off was the familiar campus outline of Haidong University.

"Remember?"Lin Xinyue quietly said, "Back then, when we walked around the school, we heard everyone’s ideals were to make lots of money, and you sighed saying this society was too impetuous."

"I remember." Gu Yu held her hand, his gaze gentle, "But now I feel that making money isn’t the problem. The problem is what to do with the money you earn. We are lucky that the money Ideal Paradise makes allows us to protect more people’s ideals and prove the value of ideals themselves."

He looked back at the bustling office, where his brothers, his partners; a group of people gathered because they believed in ideals, and really used their hands to turn paradise from concept into reality.

"The ending of Ideal Paradise?"Gu Yu said softly to Lin Xinyue, as if to himself, "There is no ending here. As long as there are people striving for seemingly unrealistic ideals, as long as Ideal Paradise continues to fuel their dreams, our story will always be just the prologue."

The sunset’s afterglow shone through the window, dyeing the plaque of Ideal Paradise Network Technology Co., Ltd. in gold, while illuminating the most initial and ultimate principle on the cultural wall—

"To give everyone the courage to pursue their own dreams!"