In an elegantly furnished office, a robust man with thick eyebrows sat in an executive chair, his fingers tapping the desk while he perused a thick resume in one hand.
Clang, clang, clang!
"Come in," the thick-browed man said in a low voice.
"Brother Zhang, I've taken care of what you asked," Wu Yi said, gently opening the door and stepping inside cautiously, standing nervously before the desk.
Although it wasn't his first time meeting Zhang Luowei, the person in charge of Shadow, he still felt immense pressure every time he saw him and spoke with apprehension.
Within the Shadow studio, aside from Lan Hailong, Zhang Luowei held the greatest power and prestige. Moreover, Zhang Luowei was the champion of Jinhai University's martial arts tournament and a favorite to win the Jinhai City martial arts tournament. Even Lan Hailong had to show him considerable respect. To a large extent, Shadow's fame at the school was built entirely on Zhang Luowei's personal reputation.
"Sit. Tell me about it," Zhang Luowei said, placing the resume to one side and gesturing towards the genuine leather sofa in front of the desk.
Wu Yi knew that beneath Zhang Luowei's seemingly friendly exterior lay a terrifying ruthlessness. He was cruel and decisive, otherwise he wouldn't be able to keep experts like Zhou Yuhu in line.
Wu Yi thought for a moment, carefully choosing his words before speaking: "Brother Zhang, the others have all agreed, but that Hei Zi is simply a stone from a cesspit—smelly and stubborn. He refuses to join no matter what. He's joined a new studio called Zero Wing. He even said he disdains joining a trash studio like Shadow."
"He won't join? And he's joined Zero Wing?" Zhang Luowei said with an amused smile, though a glint of coldness flashed in his eyes. "What's the background of this Zero Wing studio? How come I haven't heard of it at the school?"
"Brother Zhang, that Zero Wing studio was just founded by a senior student named Shi Feng. I heard the studio has nothing; they only bought their gaming equipment today. But the guy is pretty wealthy. He offered Hei Zi a guaranteed monthly salary of twenty thousand. He even asked me to pass on a message: stop trying to poach members from other studios all the time and mind your own business." Wu Yi spoke, making his anger apparent. "Hearing that, even I couldn't stand it. They're just a fledgling studio, yet they dare to challenge and compare themselves to us at Shadow. Brother Zhang, why don't I take some people to crush their arrogance?"
"Shi Feng? I think I've heard that name before," Zhang Luowei said, furrowing his brow slightly as he tried to recall where he'd heard it. After thinking without success, he shook his head. "Forget about them. The school's annual social mixer is in a few days. It's a great opportunity for us at Shadow to rise; we don't have time to waste on these small studios."
"Right, go organize the newcomers we've recruited and get them leveling up quickly. The guilds in the White River City area will soon start competing for the First Clear honor of the twenty-person team dungeons. We must secure the First Clear of a level-five team dungeon."
"Yes, Brother Zhang. Don't worry, I'll make sure they level up to five quickly," Wu Yi promised, patting his chest.
Meanwhile, Shi Feng took Hei Zi to buy two advanced virtual reality headsets.
Although current virtual reality technology was highly developed, the standard headsets were inexpensive models designed for the masses, with a virtual reality level of only 80%. Advanced virtual reality headsets, however, were different—they reached a virtual reality level of 90%, making the five senses sharper within the Divine Realm. The difference might seem slight, but in battles decided by minute margins, that small edge could determine victory.
Battles in the Divine Realm were always life or death; dying once cost a significant amount of experience and skill proficiency. Therefore, official members of large studios were all uniformly equipped with advanced headsets.
Previously, without money, he couldn't even afford a standard headset. Now that he had funds, he naturally couldn't fall behind in this area.
After buying the advanced headsets, Shi Feng found a decent restaurant, ordered some high-end nutritious meals, and discussed the studio's future development with Hei Zi while they ate.
It made Hei Zi feel as if he were dreaming. It had only been a little over three days since the Divine Realm opened, yet not only was the headset issue resolved, Shi Feng had brought him to a high-end restaurant to eat and talk about studio development.
Even more incredible was that Shi Feng had unhesitatingly given him a salary of twenty thousand Credit Points. A monthly salary of twenty thousand was the dream income for many college students. Yet he hadn't really helped Shi Feng much yet to earn such a wage. Although he didn't say it aloud, he was deeply moved in his heart and felt somewhat unworthy. He secretly swore to work harder, hoping he could be of even a little help to Shi Feng.
Shi Feng and Hei Zi talked all day, planning the studio's next steps, preparing to formally bring in Jimo Ruxue and the others to establish a real studio. The remaining tasks were finding an office location and handling equipment procurement and management.
"Brother Feng, leave that to me. I have nothing to do during the day anyway. You're busy enough leveling up and making money. Besides, I'm majoring in Economic Management, so I can put my skills to good use. I guarantee I'll satisfy you," Hei Zi volunteered immediately, wishing he could start right then.
"Okay, I'll leave it to you," Shi Feng said with a smile. With Hei Zi managing it, he felt at ease.
After parting ways, Shi Feng sent a message to his parents and mailed them three thousand Credit Points, telling them not to send living expenses anymore. He'd found a good job and could support himself.
Shi Feng wasn't planning to tell his parents everything yet. If he suddenly told the two elders that he'd earned over two hundred thousand in just a few days, they probably wouldn't be able to accept it. It was better to take it slow, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water. He'd send money occasionally, gradually increasing the amount over time. This would help the two elders slowly accept the situation and feel it was reasonable.
At 7 PM, after finishing his meal, Shi Feng drank a Grade C nutrient solution, put on his newly purchased advanced virtual reality headset, and began his conquest of the Divine Realm.
This time, upon entering the Divine Realm, Shi Feng felt completely different even standing beside the large pool.
The refreshing sensation of the breeze, the sound of flowing water falling into the pool, the clearly visible scratches and rust on the steel walls, the faint smell of machine oil—he could even smell it now. Controlling his body felt much easier.
Shi Feng moved his body on the steps, drew his dual swords, and unleashed a series of brilliant sword blossoms. The sword shadows flickered in and out, giving a feeling of elusive uncertainty.
"Mm, finally, it feels like how I played the Divine Realm in my past life," Shi Feng stopped, very satisfied with his current state.
In his previous life, he had been used to using a virtual reality capsule. The virtual reality level of a capsule exceeded 97%. Inside the Divine Realm, apart from the various system panels and status indicators, it was almost impossible to distinguish reality from the virtual world.
After adjusting to his body, Shi Feng felt it was time to search for the Heart of Titan.