Chapter 10

Doubtfully, Zhao Yongping and Yang Yun arrived in front of the factory that produced the Kote learning cards. Even from a few hundred meters away from the gate, the two were amazed. Along the street, there were mostly vendors selling cassette tapes, and some shops had written crooked large characters on cardboard with a brush pen—“Kote learning cards, large quantities available for wholesale”—and hung the cardboard outside their doors, selling openly.

Yang Yun exclaimed in amazement, "This... This is incredible! Doesn't Kote do anything about it?"

Zhao Yongping sighed repeatedly, "These people! I finally know where all the goods come from!"

Mao Daxin grinned strangely, "Isn't it because we helped them out! Even if Kote wanted to do something, they can't. I heard the factory is having a movement, and a few factory leaders have been transferred back to the headquarters in Beijing. They are all busy fighting for power, who cares about production!"

Yang Yun understood. This company, with its headquarters in Beijing, was indeed greatly affected by that incident. It was possible that the people below were acting recklessly.

Yang Yun's eyes lit up, "Factory Director Zhao, this is a great opportunity, the production line..."

Zhao Yongping thought of the same thing and pulled Mao Daxin aside to ask quietly, "Boss Mao, can you help introduce us to the cassette tape production line?"

Mao Daxin pretended to be difficult, "Factory Director Zhao, this might be a bit difficult. Besides, I still have a few delivery orders that will take a few months!"

Zhao Yongping laughed, "As long as Boss Mao helps us, we will have as many as we want in the future! Delivery orders and such, aren't they up to me?"

"That's great!"

Soon, the three of them, like underground operatives, followed Mao Daxin through the twists and turns of Shenzhen, visiting several electronic factories. Yang Yun and Zhao Yongping were greatly impressed!

Unlike the black market cassette factories Zhao Yongping knew, this time Mao Daxin took them to some relatively large-scale legitimate factories. They had complete production lines for both the machines and the cassette tapes. However, the price was really high, 500,000 yuan per set, which exceeded Zhao Yongping's budget.

Moreover, the sources of various capacitors, resistors, sensors, CPU chips, circuit boards, and gold-plated connectors, which are common materials and components in the electronics industry, were also a problem, especially the CPU chips, which had to be imported from the United States. Even if Huamao Electronics Factory obtained the production line, it couldn't solve the foreign exchange gap.

However, Zhao Yongping was indeed very capable. It didn't take long for him to negotiate the contract.

Huamao Electronics Factory would lease the entire production line, with a monthly rent of 50,000 yuan.

At any time, Huamao Electronics Factory could order various types of cassette tapes, learning cards, game cards, Pyramids, Little Genius, Nintendo, Kote, etc., from here. However, under the spirit of the central red-headed document "Resolutely Eliminate Triangular Debt," they had to pay in advance and take delivery immediately.

Moreover, as long as Zhao Yongping had the money, the production materials for the entire FC system would be supplied without limit, and when to start the production line would be decided by Zhao Yongping himself.

This was a big move! Zhao Yongping had solved the two most important problems Huamao Electronics Factory faced: increasing the production of cassette tapes and finding a stable supplier of learning cards. He was determined to expand the counterfeit business!

Moreover, the leased production line included the production of the FC console and controllers. Given a few months, he could ensure the production of the game console as well. Coupled with their own counterfeit cassette tapes, it would be a complete set, which would allow them to set a higher price and achieve higher profits!

On the way, Yang Yun didn't offer much opinion. He knew that Zhao Yongping was not just this capable. Zhao Yongping had great ambitions. Once given the space to develop, this highly intelligent businessman would unleash boundless energy!

And he, Yang Yun, could not just wait here. He needed to seek change to make progress.

...

...

Aleksey waited on time at the entrance of the SEG Electronics Market. Seeing Yang Yun, he gave him a knowing look.

The landlord, Mao Daxin, treated the three to a big meal. He was also very satisfied, having secured an unlimited supply of cassette tapes from Zhao Yongping and hints from the technical expert, Yang Yun. He was happier than anyone else.

Returning to Huamao Factory that night, Zhao Yongping, without resting, pulled Yang Yun and Aleksey into another small meeting.

Zhao Yongping asked, "Yang Yun, you said to Mao Daxin that you would soon develop another game. What's that about?"

On the way back, Yang Yun had quietly discussed with Aleksey and learned that the patent issue had been resolved, with a lawyer in Hong Kong handling it. It was now in the application announcement period and would take some time to finalize.

So Yang Yun gave Aleksey a look, and Aleksey took over, saying, "Zhao, there is a new game that Yang and I developed together. It's still in the debugging stage, but it should be stable soon."

Zhao Yongping became interested, "Let me see it!"

Aleksey shook his head repeatedly, "The code is still being debugged and can't run yet. We'll notify you when it's done. Haven't you been in the workshop these days? Are you distancing yourself from us?"

Zhao Yongping laughed heartily, patting both of their shoulders, and said, "I've been so busy these past few days! Aleksey, Yang Yun, you are my most trusted people. How could I distance myself from you? I'll wait for your good news. I look forward to your game's success, and it would be great if it could capture the summer market this year!"

The next day, Huamao Electronics Factory brought back a new platform from Shenzhen, doubling the production capacity. More skilled workers were needed for operation, training, internships, and shifts, making Zhao Yongping even busier.

Yang Yun and Aleksey were busy debugging on the development machine. Tetris had only a few gameplay modes: single-player, two-player battle, and speed competition. These programs were easy to develop.

Additionally, it had the most classic background music.

Aleksey had been very excited these past few days. Holding the patent application copy, he pointed to the name of the applicant and said, "Yang! I named the game Tetris, and the Chinese name I registered is Soviet Blocks. Do you have any objections?"

Soviet Blocks...

Yang Yun was almost speechless, feeling both amused and exasperated. The Soviet Union would dissolve in just a couple of years, and this name was too low-level! Are you, a Russian, so fond of the Soviet Union?

However, Yang Yun didn't say anything, nodding and saying, "I have no objections, it's up to you. The game still needs some background music. Why don't you play a short piece with your hometown's instruments? No problem, I'll hum, and you can fill in the rest."

When Yang Yun hummed the classic music, Aleksey's eyes widened in disbelief, asking, "Yang! I didn't expect you to know so much about our country's music? Isn't this the adaptation of the poem 'The Peddler' by Russian poet Nikolai Alekseyevich Nekrasov? I've heard the version by the Soviet Red Army Choir!"

Yang Yun almost fainted. Russian names were as long as trains, and he couldn't clearly hear who it was. He could only pretend to be profound, smiling and saying, "The Soviet Union is China's big brother, and I have always admired Soviet culture..."

The sound card used in the cassette game was the simplest single-channel sound card, a combination of sound and image, capable of producing only a single sound. But that was enough, considering the cost; they couldn't expect to have a sound card like the one from Singapore.

When Yang Yun suggested that Aleksey play an instrument and record it as the background music for Tetris, he was joking. The cassette memory had to be carefully managed, and they could only use a simple sound simulation program.

After struggling for a while, the background music for "Korobelniki" finally satisfied Yang Yun. He breathed a sigh of relief, clapped his hands, and laughed, "Done!"