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CHAPTER 31 : Professional Knowledge
🕑 Added 2025-09-06 14:15:52 +0000 UTC"Hello, who is this?" Alex returned the missed call after the meeting concluded.
"Brandon Sterling," came the cold reply.
Alex's expression hardened immediately. "What do you want?"
"I had someone contact you previously about Nathan Pierce's situation," Brandon said with obvious irritation. "You should understand the implications of your hiring decision."
Alex's frown deepened. "Who I hire is my business. Whatever history you have with Nathan is between you two."
"Using him means disrespecting me personally," Brandon threatened. "Alex, I'd advise against creating problems for yourself over someone irrelevant to your interests."
"He's not irrelevant—he's my vice president," Alex replied curtly. "I'm busy. If you don't have actual business to discuss, don't call me. Maybe spend your time developing better games instead."
Alex hung up and immediately blocked Brandon's number. The arrogance was insufferable—as if everyone should bow to Sterling family demands. Brandon's entitled attitude and threatening tone made Alex's decision to hire Nathan feel even more justified.
Several days later, Fast and Furious development officially began. To ensure authentic racing culture and realistic driving mechanics, Alex invited Jake to consult with the team on car modification techniques and automotive enthusiast subcultures.
"I've been analyzing existing racing content in Infinite Realms," Jake began during his first team presentation. "These games all feature modification systems, but they're incredibly simplistic. Buy an expensive turbocharger, upgrade your engine, install nitrous systems—basically encouraging players to spend money for better race performance, even compensating for poor driving skills.
This approach alienates non-paying players while oversimplifying what makes automotive modification compelling."
Jake pulled up his research notes. "Real modification is far more sophisticated. A skilled tuner can transform an ordinary family sedan into a competitive racing machine.
For example, ECU tuning and engine management optimization can unlock significant power gains by bypassing factory limitations. There are dozens of similar technical modifications that affect performance in measurable ways.
Consider our plot scenario where Brian faces a supercar with superior specs. Normally, that vehicle should dominate completely. But Brian's modified car, properly tuned and driven skillfully, not only matches the supercar's performance but surpasses it.
The modification costs less than the supercar's price tag, but delivers equivalent results through technical expertise rather than raw spending power. That's the satisfaction and accomplishment that proper modification systems can provide.
Driver skill remains crucial, of course."
Jake transitioned to his recommendations. "I suggest implementing a more professional modification framework. Beyond basic component upgrades—engines, transmissions, turbochargers, nitrous systems—allow technical adjustments that adapt vehicles to specific racing conditions and track requirements.
This provides much greater player agency, creative freedom, and potential for surprising results.
For example, suspension geometry adjustments: gear ratios, maximum steering angles, Ackerman angles, camber settings. Different parameter combinations dramatically alter vehicle dynamics and performance characteristics."
Jake's enthusiasm was infectious, but the team recognized the complexity challenges. Excessive technical depth could alienate casual players while creating prohibitively steep learning curves.
After extensive discussion, they decided on a dual-difficulty system: Amateur and Professional modes.
Amateur mode would mirror current racing games—simplified, accessible modification options that remained user-friendly but offered limited customization depth.
Professional mode would feature comprehensive technical systems that authentically replicated real-world automotive tuning, allowing skilled players to transform basic vehicles into high-performance machines through knowledge and experimentation.
Plot difficulty would also offer Simple and Complex options to accommodate different player preferences and skill levels.
After the day's work, Alex took Jake to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
"Hey, this project's gonna need voice acting, right?" Jake said over dinner. "I know some people in LA if you want introductions."
"Yeah, definitely send me contacts for the main characters," Alex replied.
Jake hesitated for a second. "Actually... what if I took a shot at Brian? I mean, my English is obviously native, and I know racing culture inside and out. Could be cool."
Reading through the Fast and Furious plot had gotten Jake genuinely invested in the character. Brian's journey from cop to street racer resonated with Jake's own car obsession.
"Dude, absolutely," Alex said without hesitation. Jake's background made him perfect for the role—he understood both the technical and cultural aspects Brian would embody.
"Seriously? Awesome! I'll start practicing tonight."
"Just don't expect me to pay you," Alex grinned.
"You're such a cheap bastard," Jake laughed. "But whatever, I'd do it for free anyway."
The Professional modification system significantly complicated development timelines. Programming teams began working extended hours to implement the technical frameworks, while Jake connected them with automotive engineers who could ensure mechanical accuracy.
Stormwind Studios' recruitment continued steadily, with new employees joining weekly. Nathan's hiring expertise freed Alex to focus on learning advanced game development techniques while maintaining strategic oversight.
Alex had maintained consistent exercise routines since arriving in this world, initially motivated by his mother's concerns about sudden health crises, later becoming personal habit. Regardless of work pressures, he started every day with morning runs, occasionally adding strength training sessions.
Physical fitness supported mental clarity—he'd noticed that post-workout thinking felt sharper and more creative. A healthy body was essential for the demanding career ahead.
Another morning began with Alex oversleeping slightly, but after breakfast, he still managed his usual hour-long run through the lakefront neighborhood. Despite the sweat and exertion, he felt completely energized and alert.
"Excuse me, could you help me find Building A-06?" a pleasant voice called as Alex jogged back toward the villa.
Building A-06? Alex stopped in surprise and turned toward the speaker. A young woman with an endearingly youthful face stood nearby, dressed in professional attire—white blouse and fitted skirt that suggested business rather than casual purposes. She looked slightly anxious and out of breath, as if she'd been searching for some time.
She carried a briefcase in one hand while managing leashes for two small dogs—one white, one golden—who seemed equally eager to reach their destination.
