Chapter 21: Zhang Yang’s Machinations!

Chapter 21: Zhang Yang’s Calculations!

Shen Yi had once heard rumors on the internet about Zhang Yang, the owner of "Desert Cycling." It was said that he was the scion of some wealthy family, and his company was located in a prosperous but impractical area of Yanjing. Shen Yi had visited that location, only to find the office empty and the sign for "Universe Technology" removed. Later, he learned that Zhang Yang had moved his company into a narrow, winding alleyway.

When Shen Yi finally reached the low-rise building after navigating the labyrinthine alleys, he froze in his tracks. He took a deep breath. The stark contrast was truly hard to believe. However, the glowing "Universe Technology" sign hung by the door, and the fresh screw marks indicated it had just been installed. A thought struck the depths of Shen Yi’s mind: Was this guy actually playing a game of "empty-handed white wolf" (making something out of nothing)?

As he entered the room, he was hit by an indescribable musty smell. A dilapidated sofa sat in the corner. On a messy, old-fashioned desk sat five computers; they weren't terrible, but they couldn't compare to the ones at Wrangler Technology—not even their front desk computers. The incandescent light was dim, making the entire living room feel gloomy; even if one were to open all the windows, it was doubtful much sunlight could penetrate.

"Thank you!" A disheveled young man with dark circles under his eyes, looking like a chronic internet addict, carefully poured him a glass of plain water. "Uh, it’s fine. General Manager Zhang is in a meeting. Please wait a moment."

"I know."

The internet-addicted youth seemed nervous, sitting on a nearby stool with an unnatural expression. On the other side, a square-faced young man kept glancing at him, looking inexplicably guilty.

"Is this where you created 'Desert Cycling'?"

"I... I don't know, I just joined..." the addict replied, shaking his head.

"What part are you responsible for?"

"I... I handle game testing."

"Oh, what did you do before this job?"

"I played games."

"Wait... are you 'God Ge'?" Shen Yi froze as he recognized Ge Yumiao. Wasn't this the legendary player who cleared the game, the one hyped up on the "Desert Cycling" message boards? Despite his unkempt appearance, he was quite popular in the gaming community.

"Uh, yes, Mr. Shen..."

"Zhang Yang recruited you?"

"Yes..."

"And you, sir, who are you?" Shen Yi turned to the square-faced youth.

"I am in charge of... system operation testing..." Zhao Song had almost said he was a cheat-code developer, but remembering he had helped develop multiple cheats for Wrangler Technology—and was even one of the originators of the pirated versions—he caught himself. If this came out, he could be sued!

"Oh."

Shen Yi didn't think much of it, but as he looked around, he felt that while Zhang Yang’s team was small, it was fully equipped. He spent the next half hour on the sofa, sipping tea and occasionally drifting into thought, seemingly pondering something.

About thirty minutes later, Zhang Yang emerged from the office with three people.

"Wow, haha, Mr. Shen! What wind brings you here? I was just saying that the magpie chirping on the branch outside meant a distinguished guest was coming. Haha, your arrival truly makes my company shine! Look, even the lights seem brighter, haha..."

"Mr. Zhang, you flatter me." The moment Zhang Yang spoke, Shen Yi felt a warm breeze. His voice was pleasant; even though it was blatant flattery—the same kind others used—there was something about it that felt genuinely gratifying, as if he possessed a natural charisma.

"Haha, I never joke. In truth, I admire you greatly, Mr. Shen. You helped Wrangler Technology rise from insignificance to glory. The industry says you are a man of vision, the indispensable right-hand man to Mr. Liu. I truly look up to you as a role model for us young people."

"Mr. Zhang, cough, cough, actually, it's nothing—just doing my job..." Shen Yi found Zhang Yang to be an easygoing person, but his compliments were relentless. While he felt flattered and slightly embarrassed, he couldn't find a single flaw in the man's words.

"Haha, you are too humble, Mr. Shen. In fact, I have long wanted to meet you to discuss the future of the gaming industry. When I submitted my resume to Wrangler Technology, that was my exact thought. I felt you were a leader who valued talent regardless of background. I have the vision for the gaming industry you shared in the 'Gaming News' displayed by my bedside, to remind myself every day..." As he spoke, Zhang Yang miraculously produced a copy of 'Gaming News' from his jacket, beaming.

"Ah, this..." Shen Yi was stunned.

"But unfortunately, my academic qualifications were lacking, and I wasn't selected. Even after being rejected, I still lingered near Wrangler Technology every day, hoping to meet you and share my thoughts, but I never caught you... In truth, we are all the 'rejected' ones, the ones no one pays attention to..." Zhang Yang’s bright smile suddenly turned desolate; he lowered his head and sighed deeply.

"This... Mr. Zhang, that is my fault. I wasn't paying attention to the hiring process at the time..." Shen Yi felt a sharp pang in his heart. A sudden wave of guilt washed over him. He imagined this talented young man desperately trying to join his company just to share his ideas, only to be turned away due to his background, eventually leaving in regret. Even after leaving, he had waited at the gates, unable to share his ambitions, forced to start his own business. And the market had proven him right.

In reality, everyone, especially someone like Shen Yi who had worked in HR for years, feared missing out on talent. He hated the idea that someone who could have been his asset had left due to bureaucratic oversight and become his competitor. The more capable the talent, the greater the threat they posed.

"It's alright, Mr. Shen. We're doing fine now. We have our own team, and though funds are tight, we make do..." Zhang Yang offered a smile.

"You all are remarkable..." Hearing this, and looking at the environment, Shen Yi felt even worse. These people deserved a better place to work, and it was his own negligence that... *Sigh.*

***

On the other side, Zhong Chongwen and Zhao Hang were stunned by Zhang Yang’s performance. *Gaming News? Displayed by his bedside?* When did he ever display it? If their memories served them right, just minutes ago, they were desperately searching for an old issue of 'Gaming News' featuring Shen Yi. When they found one, Zhang Yang complained it was too new, crushed it on the table to age it, stepped on it to add dust, and then carefully tucked it into his jacket to create the illusion of constant reading.

Seeing Shen Yi’s pained expression, they realized the man had fallen into the trap.

"Mr. Zhang, actually, I don't have the final say... As the company has grown, many things aren't as they once were."

"Huh? A man as capable as you, Mr. Shen, has no power? You are a founding member, aren't you?" Zhang Yang’s voice rose in indignation.

"Founding member? Haha... Right, Mr. Zhang, I apologize for the company's past actions. Would you and your team be willing to join us now? Come to my department; I will not treat you poorly..."

"Mr. Shen, we would love to, but... can you actually make decisions in the company now?" Zhang Yang asked tentatively.

"I have some authority..." Shen Yi nodded, then recalled Liu Yun's words, his heart sinking.

"Forget it, Mr. Shen. I often hear that founding members are gradually being pushed out of the core of power... Wrangler Technology doesn't really need us, and Universe Technology is doing fine. Wait, my phone is ringing... Oh, it seems to be Mr. Qiu from Earth Company..."

***

Half an hour later, Shen Yi left the office with a complex look on his face. Before leaving, he promised to fight for their rights within the company. Zhang Yang was effusive, shaking his hand for a long time.

Once he was gone, Zhang Yang’s expression turned calm.

"Brother Zhang, did Mr. Qiu from Earth Company really ask you to dinner?"

"No."

"Then you... this is called 'waiting for a price'."

"Are we really going to join Wrangler Technology?"

"How is that possible?"

"Then why..."

"Old Zhong, from my chat with Shen Yi, I realized he is frustrated. His vision conflicts with the company's reforms. To him, we are promising young people. But Wrangler is at a critical juncture of internal transition; they won't let us in, and even if they did, there wouldn't be a role for us."

"So..."

"With Shen Yi’s personality, he will try to fight for us, which will mean stepping on someone else's toes, deepening the conflict. It seems inevitable that a large company will eventually purge its old guard. If we make our company successful, we create leverage. He wants to poach us? I want to poach him."

Zhao Hang let out a long breath. He felt Zhang Yang was like a man standing in the abyss, possessing eyes that could see through the human heart—both admirable and terrifying.

"Of course, we must plan for the future and define our roles clearly to avoid internal conflict. We must learn from the mistakes of other companies. Old Zhao, don't look at me like that... I won't do anything to you. If you're worried, we can sign a notarized contract now."

"No, no, Mr. Zhang, I didn't mean anything else..."

"Good... Hm? Someone else just cleared all the hidden tasks? Let me check..."

***

Elsewhere, in a hotel room, a tall figure played "Desert Cycling" on a laptop, grinding for the 20,000 reward. She was brilliant. Many tasks that were difficult for others, she cleared in one go. As she finished the final hidden level, a smile touched her lips.

This game... was interesting. There was a reason for its popularity.

She saw a string of QQ numbers on the interface. After a moment of hesitation, she created a new male account and added it.

"Congratulations! You are the first player to complete all hidden tasks. I am your customer service representative, Xiao Wei..."

When she saw the avatar, her smile instantly froze.