Chapter Fifty-Four: Game Update

“I…”
Lanbai’s body trembled slightly.
He had no idea how much effort and devotion it had taken to reach this position, yet now, with a single trivial sentence, it was all swept away.
Qiyou needed an explanation for the public—and he was to be that explanation.
Under everyone’s gaze, his fists clenched tighter and tighter, knuckles turning pale.
“…No objections.”
The words seemed to drain him of all strength, his entire spirit extinguished in an instant.
All that remained was defeat.
Such is reality: you never know what you will face in the next moment.
Once the punishment was announced, the meeting ended swiftly.
“Thank you, Senior Lin.”
Back in the office, Yu Jia immediately expressed her gratitude to Lin Xiaoxiao.
If it hadn’t been for Lin Xiaoxiao’s help, things would never have gone so smoothly.
“It would have worked out without me as well.”
Lin Xiaoxiao waved her hand dismissively and turned back to her work.
She had a heavy workload today and needed to help a designer negotiate some peripheral rights.
Seeing this, Yu Jia didn’t disturb her further, returning to her own desk. After a moment’s thought, she opened her operations manager console.
She felt it necessary to share this good news with Yin Jian ahead of time.
Stone: Your issue has been resolved.
After the message was sent, Yu Jia waited for Yin Jian’s reply.
But three minutes passed with no response at all.
“What’s going on? Did he not see it?”
Puzzled, she sent another message.
Stone: Are you there? The rankings for the Sci-Fi Game Initiative have been reconsidered and adjusted by Qiyou’s upper management.
…
Another ten minutes passed with still no reply.
Yu Jia’s excitement began to cool.
“That jerk probably doesn’t care about any of this.”
“Maybe I’ve just been deluding myself, moved by my own efforts.”
Her mood faltered.
But the feeling lasted only a few seconds before she pulled herself together.
“Why should I care what he thinks? I’m an operations manager. Doing my job well is what matters most.”
Yu Jia refocused and threw herself into her work.
Stone: Jianqi, when will you launch a new game?
Jianqi: I’m already thinking about what color to use for the cover. It’ll be out soon.
Stone: How soon is soon?
Jianqi: Very soon—right away.
“…”
…
…
[Hello! After review by Qiyou’s audit department, we have detected significant indications of data manipulation in your work “Mecha Armament.” This does not meet the standards of the Sci-Fi Game Initiative.]

[After discussion by the operations department, we have decided to disqualify you from the competition.]
[If you have any questions regarding this initiative, you may consult your operations manager for details.]
[We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation.]
“Clang!”
Seeing the sudden pop-up message, Raging Mantis hurled his titanium thermos to the floor, the metallic clang ringing out.
“Qiyou has gone too far!”
Nowhere in the competition had it said that boosting numbers was forbidden.
He felt utterly played.
“Lanbai must know what’s going on.”
With that thought, Raging Mantis opened Qiyou’s backstage system, intending to message Lanbai for specifics.
However…
(The other party has blacklisted you.)
When that message appeared in the chat window, Raging Mantis finally snapped.
“That son of a—!”
He cursed loudly.
After a while, once he’d calmed down, he remembered to contact the popularity booster.
That guy had promised to get him first place in the competition, or else not charge a cent.
Since Qiyou had caught him manipulating data, the other party bore some responsibility.
He was determined to get his money back.
Even if he’d lost face, at least making some extra cash would soften the blow.
Raging Mantis: My game didn’t make first place; what do you have to say for yourself?
Popularity Booster: It did, boss. We earned every bit of that money the hard way—don’t take advantage of honest folks.
Raging Mantis: See for yourself.
He sent over Qiyou’s notification.
Popularity Booster: I already got you to first place. What happened after that is beyond my business.
Seeing this, Raging Mantis’s eyes bulged—clearly the other was trying to dodge responsibility and stiff him.
Raging Mantis: I’ve kept the records. See you in court!
Popularity Booster: I really did get you to first place. You never said I had to keep you there. So, in court, you’d have no case. My advice: let it go, or you’ll just embarrass yourself.
(The other party has blacklisted you.)
“Damn it!”
Raging Mantis shook with rage, because the other party was right—even if he went to court, there’d be nothing he could do.
All told, “Mecha Armament” had lost him over twelve million yuan…
At the thought, Raging Mantis’s face turned as dark as charcoal.
He’d spent a fortune, only to lose even more face—something he’d never imagined.
…
…
[Announcement!]
[A technical error occurred in the Sci-Fi Game Initiative rankings.]
[The rankings have now been adjusted.]
[Click to view]☜

In the midst of a heated debate in the comments section, Li Shang saw the notification.
He was stunned for a moment, then immediately clicked in.
First Place:
“Spore Evolution”
Second Place:
…
Seeing the new rankings, elation flashed across Li Shang’s face.
“It worked, hahaha!”
“It actually worked!”
He had never expected Qiyou would really give in.
After all, this sort of thing was practically a Qiyou tradition.
Not once had anyone succeeded in making a fuss and getting results—until now.
But this time…
It wasn’t just “Spore Evolution” that won.
The players did, too!
For the first time, the platform had yielded to the players!
Li Shang was overwhelmed with excitement.
He felt that this victory was not only because “Spore Evolution” was strong enough,
But also because he had posted at least two hundred critical comments during this period,
Each one no less than a thousand words.
If contributions were calculated, he’d surely be near the top.
Though flaming others had been exhausting these days, Li Shang felt it was worth it.
“My mentor must be thrilled now.”
The thought made him smile.
He felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
And with that feeling, the first thing to do was share it with others.
With this in mind, Li Shang returned to the comments section, ready to join in.
However…
[Notice! In appreciation of our players’ support,]
[A brand new mode awaits you!]
[A different version,]
[A different kind of fun,]
[I am GouDesign,]
[Here to guarantee,]
[This will be a truly fresh experience like nothing you’ve played before!]
[Log in to the new mode for the first time,]
[And claim fabulous rewards!]