Lingjing Media, "Heart of Destruction" Game Department.

"Miss Duan, this is your future workstation. If you need anything, feel free to let me know."

After the HR lady left, Duan Xiaoyi finally opened her mouth wide, exaggeratingly stroking the beige ergonomic chair in front of her.

On the spotless white desk, a full set of brand-new gaming equipment, including a monitor, laptop, and keyboard and mouse, was neatly arranged. Even all the wiring was hidden, making it look so clean and tidy...

A quick glance over... Aofeng, HKC, Razer, Micro-Star Titan...

This, this, this... This set must cost no less than tens of thousands, right?

And this... such a long desk, it must be at least over four meters, right?

The spacious game department office area was exceptionally bright, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Suzhou River. There was also a fitness area and snack zone next to it, and even a billiard room next door.

In a few hundred square meters of office space, there were only a dozen or so workstations.

Compared to this, the esports club she stayed at before was like a slum, such a mess!

Duan Xiaoyi had only seen such high-end office areas in videos from international companies like Google and Facebook on TV.

This average area per person... screams wealth!

"Hello, are you the new employee?"

While Duan Xiaoyi was still immersed in the new company's office environment, several old employees in the office also noticed the new member here.

Girls in IT are already rare.

At this time, a cute girl with a hot figure and fair skin suddenly intruding into a monk's temple with little flesh to share would naturally garner attention.

Not to mention Duan Xiaoyi's looks, which are as striking as her brother's!

"Welcome aboard, I'm the game programmer for the department." A young guy with a slightly high hairline showed a smile he thought was very charming.

"Hello, I'm the game designer here."

"I'm in charge of art and sound effects."

"I'm a content designer."

"..."

A few colleagues introduced themselves to each other, and Duan Xiaoyi greeted them one by one, discovering that the whole team was very young, with an average age below thirty.

Under the not-so-subtle showing off by some of the gentlemen, she discovered that these "colleagues" before her were almost all from prestigious schools.

Basically, double first-class universities are as common as dogs, and returning sea turtles are all over the place. Either they have big company experience, or they have made outstanding achievements in the gaming industry...

This made the ordinary vocational college... and even yet to graduate Duan Xiaoyi feel a bit of immense pressure.

"Um... I still don't know what I'm specifically responsible for."

Already a little socially anxious, she really didn't know how to introduce herself.

The programmer looked at the nameplate on the table next to her.

"You should be a game tester; see, it says so here."

"Ah? Really?"

Only then did Duan Xiaoyi realize that each person's workstation had a nameplate indicating their position.

"Strange, before we were recruited, HR talked to us about the specific positions. How come you didn't?"

A short-haired girl with seven or eight points in looks asked, her gaze at Duan Xiaoyi carrying a bit of hostility.

"Uh..." Duan Xiaoyi was suddenly embarrassed.

Could she say she got in through the back door?

She hadn't gone through an interview at all, just a brief phone chat with HR before being asked to start work, so smooth she was a bit flustered herself.

Looking at the nameplate on the table, she had an odd feeling that this "game tester"... could it have been custom-made for her...

After all, the department had just been established, and there wasn't even a proper game. As a game tester, what's there to test?

And besides playing games, she really didn't know a thing about game development.

Other than "testing," it seems she couldn't do anything else...

Feeling a bit complicated.

Unexpectedly, she could one day enjoy the "dig a pit and then fill it with a carrot" special treatment?

"I don't think I saw you during the interview? Which team are you in?"

"So young and already a game tester, you must be quite famous in the industry, right?"

With hidden barbs, it was still that short-haired female colleague.

Originally, before Duan Xiaoyi came, she was the one who was pampered by all and definitely the group favorite in this monk's temple.

And now, she felt a strong sense of threat.

The conflict between women sometimes is just that simple...

"Hey! What's the big deal, our department has lots of peculiar things.

The game design document was blank, but they already came up with a name."

"Who says it isn't, they only gave us 'open world adventure' as a game position, and everything else is free to develop.

It is really open..."

"Maybe it's the company's test for us, giving just a title and letting us answer on a blank sheet, wanting to fully bring out each of our talents."

"Hmm... 'Heart of Destruction,' judging from the name, could it be a popular end-days fighting game?"

"Maybe it's a civilization warfare type, after all, without construction, how does destruction come about?"

"I think it could be a simulation city game. I heard the team over at Baiyeji seems to be developing a large city model."

"I rather think it should be a romance adventure game, where you end up with a broken heart and someone goes yandere..."

"Haha!"

Seeing Duan Xiaoyi's awkwardness, the guardian knights jokingly diverted the topic.

But anyone with a clear mind could see that Duan Xiaoyi's induction process seemed different from theirs.

"Game tester," a position, frankly, that's dispensable.

After all, everyone present had a gaming industry background; who among them didn't have rich game experience? Why dig a pit just to fill it with a carrot?

Do you think the social security contributions are too little?

Some were already speculating about Duan Xiaoyi's background, while others maliciously conjectured whether the girl had snuck into the company through office politics...

"Xiao Yi!" Just then, a very familiar voice suddenly came from the doorway.

Everyone turned to look, and saw a handsome guy in a casual suit standing at the entrance.

Even before he approached, the sense of threat was overwhelming!

Could it be that someone had beaten them to it?

However, Duan Xiaoyi's next words made the men present breathe a sigh of relief.

"Bro, why are you here?"

"It's your first day at work, can't I come to check on you?" Duan Xian smiled as he walked up to everyone, greeting those around him in a very friendly manner.

"Are you all Xiao Yi's colleagues? My sister doesn't have much experience, so I'll have to rely on you all to take care of her in the future."

"So, you're Xiao Yi's brother, huh? Nice to meet you! But I thought regular visitors weren't allowed on this floor? Are you with Lingjing Media too?"

"Haha! Yeah, my studio's upstairs. You're welcome to drop by anytime."

"Upstairs... studio?"

Before everyone could understand what it meant, the short-haired girl suddenly pointed excitedly at Duan Xian.

"You... you... you're Xiao Xian?!"

Xiao Xian? The group of gamers was confused.

The 'Your Moon, My Heart' guy?

The short-haired girl excitedly reminded everyone. "Xiao Xian! The sole contracted artist of Lingjing Media, who played the second male lead Lin Zhendong in 'Pegasus'!"

With that reminder, someone finally recognized Duan Xian.

"Oh, right! No wonder he looked so familiar, I just watched that movie."

"Oh~" Everyone finally realized.

So, he's a celebrity, and the only contracted artist with Lingjing Media...

Wait a minute! The only artist?

Doesn't that mean he must know the higher-ups at Lingjing Media well? No wonder Duan Xiaoyi got in without an interview.

This is the connection of connections!

"Mr. Xiao Xian, could I get your autograph? I'm a fan!

I... I actually applied here because I knew you were the contracted artist for Lingjing Media..."

The short-haired girl shyly handed over a small notebook.

The programmer guy caught on too, lifting his shirt.

"Mr. Xiao Xian, I recognized you right away, but I was too excited. Could you sign here? On my abs."

Good looks and connections, if one could win over Duan Xiaoyi, wouldn't that save twenty years of effort?

Wouldn't it be smart to start currying favor with the brother-in-law?

Others soon reacted similarly.

"Right, Mr. Xiao Xian, I've seen several of your movies! Your acting is incredible!"

"Exactly, sir! Each of your works is a treasure of mine!"

Duan Xiaoxian was speechless.

I've only acted in one movie; where are the 'several' coming from?

And that 'treasure' phrase, it could easily lead to misunderstandings!

While "big brother-in-law" was surrounded by techies all calling him "teacher," the short-haired girl eagerly approached "sister-in-law."

"Xiao Yi, I never thought you were Mr. Xiao Xian's sister. Feel free to ask me anything you don't understand in the future.

Oh, and you haven't joined the group chat yet, have you? Come, let me scan you in!"

She awkwardly pulled out a QR code, watching the short-haired girl, who had been hostile before, now run off jubilantly as if finding a treasure...

Meanwhile, after barely dealing with the...[fan]?... scene, Duan Xian was cornered at the door by his sister for a lecture.

"Brother! What are you doing here?"

"I came to support you, afraid someone might bully you."

"But with all this chaos, no one's bullying me, but haven't I actually become someone with connections?"

"Uh... aren't you?"

Duan Xiaoyi: "..."

She bit her lip and glanced at the bright workspace that seemed out of place with her identity.

"Brother, I feel like I can't get over this mentally.

I don't want everyone looking at me weirdly. It makes me uncomfortable being here.

You know I've hated cutting corners through connections since I was young. I don't want to become the person I dislike.

So I've decided... I'm going to quit!"

"Qui... quit?!" Duan Xian was dumbfounded.

"You haven't even completed the onboarding, and you're quitting?"

"That makes it easier; I can just pack up and leave!"

"But don't act impulsively. Do you know how many favors I owe for this opportunity?"

"That makes it worse, doesn't it? Unnecessary kindness, what if this benefactor has other intentions?

Helping me deal with the rich second generation only to dig a trap for me later...

If I accept this, what do I do when the moment comes?"

"Still, you shouldn't... Hey! Listen to me..."

Duan Xiaoyi made up her mind and, ignoring Duan Xian's persuasions, headed back to her workstation to pack and leave, only to bump into the HR lady looking for her.

"Miss Duan, I've been looking for you. Here's your employment contract. Please take a close look at the salary part, and if everything's alright, sign here."

"I..."

Duan Xiaoyi was about to decline but scanned the document and froze.

This... how many zeroes is this?!

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Ah? Oh! I mean, I have no problem at all!"

"Swipe, swipe, swipe!"

Seeing Duan Xiaoyi signing her name in bold strokes, Duan Xian's forehead lined with black streaks.

"So you're not quitting? Didn't you say you were worried the benefactor might have ulterior motives?"

"Ahem! I thought about it later, and for a beautiful girl like me, isn't it normal for men to be tempted?

Since they're so genuinely interested, I should at least give them a chance.

Didn't you always tell me to leave room for maneuver, so we can meet favorably in the future?"

Duan Xian: "..."

"But didn't you say you couldn't stand being judged and felt uncomfortable here?"

"Ding~" Just as Duan Xiaoyi was about to speak, her phone buzzed.

She looked at it and saw that the short-haired girl was inviting her to join a group chat.

Without hesitation, she clicked to accept.

[Ding~ You've joined the "Lovey-Dovey Sisters Group"!]

"Judged? Not at all! Look, my colleagues here are friendly and kind, and they speak so nicely. I absolutely love it here!"

Duan Xian: "..."

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