In public places—on the streets, buses, subways, and shopping malls—holographic pets had become a common sight, floating above holographic phones held in people's hands.
Ever since the launch of holographic games, nearly every holographic phone owner had picked up a virtual pet. These games didn't take much time, and the pets were adorable, with no real-world maintenance needed.
Though they couldn't replace real pets, holographic pets offered a unique advantage: no feeding, no cleaning, no cost for supplies, and no restrictions. Even protected species could be "raised" virtually, allowing players to indulge their preferences without ethical concerns.
The Marching Ant Company had released fifteen holographic mini-games in total. While each of them topped download charts, Pet Adventure was the breakout star. Its download numbers far surpassed all others, firmly securing it at the top of the app rankings.
Unlike traditional idle games like Travel Frog, Pet Adventure featured more interaction. Pets couldn't go on adventures until their owners walked a certain number of steps. The in-game vegetables grown at home boosted step accumulation. The more steps collected, the greater the rewards—ranging from coins and food to accessories.
Players could also "visit" friends to steal vegetables, adding a social twist. While the mechanics weren't new, the addition of highly realistic holographic pets made it feel fresh again.
As pets ventured out, they could return with new food, costumes, or even eggs—adding to the thrill of discovery.
The combination of light gameplay, a health-positive theme, and the immersive realism of holographic projections made Pet Adventure a smash hit.
In Chen Mo's office, Zhao Min sat across from him. Between them floated a holographic white fox—Zhao Min's virtual pet. Even she hadn't been able to resist trying the game out.
The explosive popularity of holographic games had brought Marching Ant's mobile division, already dominant, to new heights.
Holographic phones were still in short supply. The bottleneck was production of the micro-holographic projectors. Fortunately, with the production lines running full tilt, supply capacity would soon expand.
While the holographic ecosystem now had momentum, Zhao Min knew this was only a first step.
"After deliberating and reviewing our options," Zhao Min began, "I've decided it's time to open up the holographic software development platform."
Chen Mo nodded. "Go on. What's your reasoning?"
Zhao Min laid out her logic clearly.
"The current wave of holographic games helped relieve the pressure on our software ecosystem. But there aren't enough apps. Eventually, users will grow tired. Our company is strong, but we have limited manpower. To build a truly diverse and vibrant ecosystem, we must bring in more developers.
"Just like Windows and iOS—Microsoft and Apple didn't build those ecosystems alone. Their strength came from third-party developers.
"By opening our software development tools, we let others create holographic apps using our system. They'll release their software through our app store, where we can collect platform and channel fees.
"Second, our software can only run on the Termite holographic OS and Marching Ant's intelligent holographic system. Since we're the only company currently mass-producing holographic phones and projectors, it will promote our operating system and hardware simultaneously.
"Third, our software development is built on the Chinese character programming language. In order to develop holographic apps, third-party developers must learn it. This will help popularize our language system.
"Our main business isn't developing games. That's just a hook to attract attention. We eat the meat—let others drink the soup. They'll build out our ecosystem, and we'll make money off the platform. Everybody wins.
"If we try to monopolize the software space, we'll eventually draw resistance from other giants. It's better to open up now and gain good will, revenue, and dominance while we're ahead.
"Our technology is far beyond the competition. Even if we open our tools, they'll still depend on us."
Chen Mo gave a thoughtful nod. In terms of strategic planning and long-term vision, Zhao Min had proven herself time and time again.
"Then do it your way," Chen Mo said simply.
Zhao Min smiled. Chen Mo's trust meant a lot.
Opening the development platform might mean giving up some short-term profits from exclusive apps. But the long-term benefits—user growth, system dependency, and global influence—would far outweigh the losses.
Just as their discussion ended, Xiao Yu entered the office.
"Zhao Jie, the meeting's about to start."
"You go ahead," Chen Mo said. "You already have a plan. You don't need to worry about the First Research Building for now. As for the rest of the tech roadmap, you can take full charge."
"Got it," Zhao Min said, standing up with a calm smile. Chen Mo's trust gave her a sense of purpose and pride.
In the Marching Ant Company's conference room, the senior management and heads of the Holographic Ecology Lab had gathered. The success of holographic games had energized the entire team. Everyone sat with an air of excitement and momentum.
When Zhao Min and Xiao Yu walked in, the room stood up as one.
"Sit down," Zhao Min said, taking the main seat. "Before we begin, let me acknowledge the excellent work done by the Holographic Ecology Lab. You've earned this."
Smiles lit up the room. Compliments from Zhao Min were rare—and when they came, they often brought bonuses. That was company tradition.
"Now let's discuss the current market situation."
Everyone's expression turned serious again. Lin Zhiyuan raised a hand to speak.
"We've had great feedback from the market. But while developing holographic games, we ran into some issues. When the phone is in projection mode, some competitive games are hard to control. We're considering developing a dedicated holographic game controller."
"That's fine," Zhao Min nodded. "Small peripheral development can go through the internal R&D system. Just report the project details to me."
Another director raised a concern.
"We're facing a staffing shortage. Half the engineers proficient in Chinese character programming are currently assigned to the 'Artificial Intelligence+' initiative. Our lab is still responsible for advancing the holographic PC system. Large-scale game development will require more staff. If we keep dividing the team, we'll be spread too thin."
Zhao Min nodded. "That brings me to the main point of this meeting. I've just discussed it with the boss, and after thorough consideration, I've decided—
We will open the holographic software development platform.
This includes the holographic simulator, Ant compiler, and a full suite of development tools.
As for large-scale game development, we'll put that on hold for now."
The entire room went silent. Everyone froze in place, stunned by the announcement.
They didn't dare question her decision out loud—Zhao Min had always had final say in the company. But many couldn't help feeling conflicted.
Holographic games were booming, with daily revenue nearing 10 million yuan. Why stop now and share that goldmine with outsiders?
Sensing the tension, Zhao Min spoke again:
"You're wondering why I'm opening the platform, right?"
There was a collective nod around the table.
"Because what we need," Zhao Min said clearly, "is a diverse holographic application ecosystem."