Chapter Fifty-Four: Acquiring the Engine

Chapter Fifty-Four: Acquiring the Engine

Early the next morning, Shi Bai opened the gaming section of the news and was greeted by the headline announcing the bankruptcy of the Gaocanguo Game Company, NNN. Shi Bai felt a surge of delight. “That’s what you get for looking down on others,” he thought.

He clicked on the article and saw the subtitle: “NNN Company executives arrested for soliciting prostitutes, gambling losses amounting to billions, company assets emptied, sudden bankruptcy!”

Shi Bai smiled faintly and was about to call the planning department in the game division when Boss Zhang’s call came through first.

“Hello, Mr. Shi! I have some good news for you!”

Shi Bai raised an eyebrow. “What’s the good news?”

“NNN has gone bankrupt! No idea what happened to their president, but he managed to ruin the whole company overnight!”

Shi Bai chuckled, “I already know.”

“Let’s acquire them!” Boss Zhang said. “They’ve lost everything now, but their engine technology is still intact.”

“Oh?” Shi Bai was a little surprised; he hadn’t expected Boss Zhang to proactively propose this. “Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

Boss Zhang paused, not expecting Shi Bai to be so decisive, but he felt secretly relieved. (The boss may be young, but he’s wise and capable. Looks like I made the right choice this time.)

“Okay! Wait for my good news.”

Shi Bai nodded and hung up.

By afternoon, the acquisition process was unusually smooth. NNN seemed desperate, and when Boss Zhang casually offered five hundred thousand, the other side immediately agreed to sell.

It was mainly the system at work. With NNN left as an empty shell, the court officials were eager to make money and sold everything that could be sold. Not understanding the significance of the engine, they handed over all the core technology to Shi Bai.

A day later, Shi Bai watched the smoothly running engine test on his computer, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Trying to fight me?”

“Mr. Shi, I feel like fate is on our side!” Boss Zhang said. “We just mentioned wanting to buy NNN’s engine, and their president went off gambling and soliciting prostitutes, bankrupting the whole company. According to the news, it was his first time, and no one knows what possessed him!”

The staff burst into laughter.

“This proves our company was destined to rise, nothing can stop us!”

“Exactly! Heaven itself is helping us—we’ll turn every misfortune into fortune!”

“Mr. Shi, you’re incredible!”

They applauded enthusiastically.

Shi Bai smiled inwardly. With the system in hand, he didn’t need heaven’s help—he could force heaven to assist him if needed.

He joined in the applause. “This is thanks to all of you. Our company is lucky because of your efforts!”

“Mr. Shi, you’re too kind!”

…

The office was filled with an atmosphere of joy and celebration.

“Mr. Shi!” Boss Zhang said, “Now that the engine issue is resolved, we just need to finalize the story and gameplay, and we can start production.”

Shi Bai nodded. “That’s actually quite simple. Just imitate Dungeon—design multiple maps, each with a boss. As for classes, we’ll have swordsmen, cultists, beasts, and warlocks. That’s all. Of course, you’ll need to handle the data yourselves.”

“Naturally,” replied Bai Sha, the leader of the game planning team. “Rest assured, Mr. Shi, we’ll have the initial data for the prototype ready within a week.”

“Good!” Shi Bai nodded. “It’s all in your hands!”

“Understood!”

With everything settled, Shi Bai stopped concerning himself with the game. All he needed was to wait about a month for the release.

When the game launched, he planned to make it completely free, meaning all the money he’d invested would be gone, amounting to a loss of ten million. That would complete his task.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion. “Have you ever played a truly free online game?”

Time flew by, and soon it was Thursday. Shi Bai was enjoying a massage from a skilled technician.

The masseuse was a beauty, both in looks and figure, with strong hands that left Shi Bai howling in pain yet unable to resist.

“Are you satisfied, sir?” she asked, lifting Shi Bai’s leg and pressing down hard.

Shi Bai felt as though his rear was about to touch his head and quickly replied, “Very satisfied! Ow!”

“Ma’am, please be gentler with my legs!”

Elsewhere in the room, similar cries of pain echoed. Turning his head, Shi Bai saw Liu Dafu, Liu Xiaoyan, and Wang Xiaodong enjoying their own massages.

“What good deeds did we do in our past lives to deserve a boss like Mr. Shi?” Liu Dafu said, enjoying the foot massage.

Liu Xiaoyan replied, “He must have messed with us in a past life, and now he’s here to make it up to us!”

Everyone laughed heartily.

The masseuses were both surprised and envious; never before had they seen a boss who treated all his employees to a wellness day.

Only Shi Bai knew the real reason: he hadn’t finished losing all the money required for “Zhang Gouzi’s Adventures III.”

After the massage, Shi Bai lay lifelessly on the bed when his phone rang.

The beautiful masseuse handed it to him, and he saw it was Liu Feifei calling.

“I haven’t been to school these days; perhaps this girl is missing me?” Shi Bai smiled and answered.

“Hello.”

“Hello, Bai! Why haven’t you been coming to class lately?” Her melodious voice came through the phone.

Shi Bai smiled, “I’ve taken a leave of absence.”

“What?!” Liu Feifei exclaimed. “So you won’t be coming to school anymore?”

“Not exactly,” Shi Bai said. “I’ll still come for important occasions, like sports day, exams, things like that.”

“What about tomorrow’s singing competition?”

“Oh, I’ll be there for that too.”

“I see.” Her voice sounded disappointed. “Tomorrow is the big competition. How’s your practice going?”

“Practice? Singing?”

“Yes! Don’t tell me you haven’t practiced?”

Shi Bai laughed, “Of course not. A genius like me doesn’t need to practice.”

“That’s true, you sing so beautifully.” Liu Feifei fell silent.

Shi Bai hesitated, about to boast some more, when Liu Feifei suddenly said, “Come to school this afternoon! I have something important to tell you!”

Shi Bai paused. “What is it?”

“Don’t ask, just come. It’s very important!”

Shi Bai thought for a moment; since he had nothing else to do, he agreed, “Alright, I’ll come this afternoon.”

“Good!” Liu Feifei’s excited voice came through the phone.

That afternoon, Shi Bai arrived at school. His seat was still vacant, as if reserved just for him. He sat down, feeling moved.

No sooner had he taken his seat than Liu Feifei appeared at his desk. Today, she wore her hair in a beautiful ponytail and a blue-and-white dress, looking pure and lovely.

“Bai, you’re here. Let’s go practice singing.”

The classroom erupted.

“Bai?!”

“Damn! Liu Feifei really likes Shi Bai?”

“I always thought it was just a rumor, but it’s actually true!”

Liu Feifei didn’t seem to care at all. She even reached out and tugged at Shi Bai’s arm, pleading, “Come on! Let’s go!”

Shi Bai became embarrassed and quickly stood up. “Alright!”