Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Nation intervened strongly, and Ma Congyun and Chu Donglai had no right to oppose it. However, there were benefits to Nation's involvement; at least confidentiality and research would not be an issue—initially, the two had racked their brains over how to keep things secret—and profits had not decreased. Yet, they were just ordinary citizens; how did they get entangled with Nation? Had they struck it rich? They were left dazed, returning to the company and still not having processed what had happened when they saw Tian Yuan and Zhao Nan.
Bai Tang took over for Ma Congyun to disperse people and negotiated with Zhao Nan. Zhao Nan's intention to cooperate was very clear, and he was quite sincere. The three parties smoothly reached an agreement. Zhao Nan's research institute was responsible for developing the core chips for the Game Helmet and gaming pod. Only by installing the chips into the Game Helmet and gaming pod could these items function; otherwise, they would be no different from ordinary Motorcycle Helmets, serving no purpose at all. The core chips were equipped with encryption and self-destruct programs; if the password was not provided, forcibly removing the chip would result in its automatic destruction. Yuan Teng Company was tasked with developing servers and finding manufacturers for the production of the Game Helmet, gaming pod, and nutrient solution. Although these three items did not involve high technical content, confidentiality was still necessary before the launch of the holographic version of Six Realms. Therefore, selecting manufacturers was crucial, and ultimately, Zhao Nan recommended three companies. All three had solid backgrounds and were linked to the research institute, showcasing strong capabilities. Ma Congyun and Chu Donglai excitedly contacted the managers of these three companies, feeling that their worth had suddenly increased significantly.
The discussions that followed were numerous. Since Zhao Nan focused on research technology, Tian Yuan did not contribute much; both were not adept in business matters or trivialities. However, they brought along a business elite named Zhang Huannian, who was around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, possessing remarkable decisiveness and capability that even Ma Congyun and Chu Donglai willingly listened to his instructions. The future development plan for Yuanhang Company would be formulated by Zhang Huannian, while Ma Congyun and Chu Donglai nodded in admiration. The group engaged in a heated discussion in the conference room, losing track of time. Bai Tang, glancing at the wall clock, stifled a yawn and stepped out of the conference room to explore Yuanhang Company.
The administrative area resembled other offices that Bai Tang had seen before but was quite spacious with only a few desks. At this time, administrative staff had already left work, leaving it empty without any presence. The technical area was much livelier, with several people still working. To the left of the technical area were five rows of computers where two night shift staff members sat diligently monitoring game visuals on their screens, managing game operations on computers—commonly referred to as "g." The right side housed the server room where a technician was responsible for maintaining the servers. The technical department operated on a three-shift system; due to a shortage of personnel, employees voluntarily worked overtime, merging three shifts into two, with each employee working over twelve hours. These employees had been with the company since its inception alongside Ma Congyun and Chu Donglai, forming a deep bond with Yuanhang. Thus, when the company faced difficulties, they chose to stand by it through thick and thin. Their efforts were not in vain; after the launch of the Holographic Online Game, Ma Congyun and Chu Donglai expressed their gratitude by distributing five percent of company shares as rewards to these employees. Do not underestimate that five percent; at that time, Yuanhang had become one of the top online gaming companies both domestically and globally, with assets beyond measure. Every veteran employee became a millionaire, leaving those who had just submitted resignation letters seeking other opportunities regretting their decisions deeply.
Not wanting to disturb the work of the three staff members, Bai Tang quietly exited the technical area. Just as she returned to the office area, she saw Ling Xin walking out of the conference room.
“Bai Tang, where did you go?”
“I couldn't understand what you were discussing and found it boring, so I went out for a stroll. How about you? Are you done discussing?” asked Bai Tang.
“Not yet; it's already twelve o'clock. Everyone must be hungry. I'm going to buy some late-night snacks,” replied Ling Xin. “There's a twenty-four-hour place called ‘Couple's Eatery’ nearby that has pretty good food.”
“I'll go with you!” Hearing it wasn't just a trip to buy convenience store snacks like cake or instant noodles piqued Bai Tang's interest. She loved food from Magic City. Having eaten there before in the south, although it wasn't very authentic, it was still delicious—especially her favorites: pan-fried buns and pork rib rice cakes. Locals referred to pan-fried buns as Shengjian Mantou in Magic City, which has a history spanning over a hundred years; it was once most famous for “Da Hu Chun Shengjian,” known for its fragrant skin and tender meat but later mysteriously disappeared from popularity. The bottom of Shengjian Mantou is fried golden brown while its upper part is sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions. It smells delightful; biting into one releases an explosion of soup—delicious beyond compare. A couplet describes it: “Thin skin that doesn't break or burn; two parts yeast rely on baking; fresh filling bursts forth with soup; thick bottom that's burnt is subpar.” The pork rib rice cake has only been around for over fifty years—large ribs paired with thin rice cakes that are blanched in oil and then cooked—combining both rich rib flavor and soft yet crispy rice cake texture that is very tasty. The ribs are golden brown on color with a crispy surface while being tender inside. When eaten, they are fragrant yet slightly sweet-spicy—deliciously tender—and have benefits such as nourishing yin, moisturizing dryness, enriching essence, and replenishing blood.
Originally run by an elderly couple known for their authentic flavors, they later handed over the shop to their son and daughter-in-law as they aged. The shop is small but does great business; even late at night there are still occasional customers coming in.
“This place has the best three-flavor wontons!” said Ling Xin, introducing some signature dishes to Bai Tang. “The chicken porridge is also good; their steamed buns are delicious too—not inferior to those from Nanxiang.”
“Do they have pork rib rice cakes?”
"Uh, it seems not. If you want to eat, I can take you to a place that specializes in rice cakes," Ling Xin said.
"Great!" Bai Tang replied happily.
The two bought five bowls of three-flavor wontons, two baskets of dumplings, a bowl of fried tofu vermicelli soup, and a bowl of chicken and duck blood soup to take back to the office. The fried tofu vermicelli soup was what Ling Xin wanted, while the chicken and duck blood soup was ordered by Bai Tang. The discussion in the conference room was still lively; even after having a late-night snack, several people continued to discuss. However, Bai Tang was already mentally prepared and borrowed a laptop from Ling Xin to play "Six Realms," playing for an entire night and the following morning. After lunch, although everyone was eager to get back to work, their bodies protested, and they ultimately had to return home or to their hotels to rest.
Since she had already submitted the materials to Ma Congyun and facilitated connections between the research institute and Yuanhang, Bai Tang had nothing else to do. After spending a few days in Magic City, she returned to City D with a large pile of gifts. Magic City is an international metropolis where everything worn and used is the latest trend. Bai Tang bought three or four sets of the most fashionable clothing for each family member and many snacks and toys, leaving Magic City feeling satisfied. Before leaving, she made an appointment with Ma Congyun to return to Magic City in a month to review the results.
After returning home, Bai Tang went back to Future World again. This time she stayed for only a year. During that time, she helped Sun Senwen severely undermine the Weir Family and leaked their plans for rebellion to the royal family of the Empire. As a result, chaos ensued in the Empire; the royal family dispatched troops to besiege the Weir Family, who raised their banner of rebellion. After years of operation, many families supported the Weir Family, and taking advantage of the chaos, new forces emerged. The Empire became a mess and no longer had the resources to attack the Alliance. However, instability also plagued the Alliance; some spies from the Empire stirred trouble within it, collaborating with star pirates to form reactionary armed groups, causing panic among the Alliance's people. Kate and Sun Ding's armies were busy exterminating star pirates across Interstellar space. Sun Senwen returned to the Sun Family and was introduced by the head of the Sun Family to high society in the Alliance. However, unlike other members of the Sun Family, Sun Senwen did not join the military; after all, he came from the Empire, and the Alliance did not fully trust him. Sun Senwen exchanged one hundred bottles of Gene Enhancer with Bai Tang for Huaxia Restaurant and Huaxia Eatery, becoming the new owner of both establishments. Although Sun Senwen's culinary skills were not as enhanced as Bai Tang's due to game system bonuses, he had worked in restaurants in his previous life and learned some techniques from chefs. While his cooking could not compare with Fatty or Thin Man's skills, he excelled in understanding Huaxia cuisine and Ancient Earth pastries. Collaborating with Fatty and Thin Man allowed him to recreate Huaxia dishes along with Western and East Asian cuisines in Future World, far surpassing Bai Tang as a hands-off manager. Later on, Huaxia Restaurant and Huaxia Eatery became popular throughout the Alliance and even expanded into the Empire, making Sun Senwen famous across Interstellar space.
Bai Tang returned to the Twenty-First Century with her backpack filled to capacity. She had promised Bai Ma that she would not return to Future World again; this time was indeed her last visit. Naturally, she wanted to buy enough souvenirs from the future—everything from aircraft to clothing and various strange foods—Bai Tang purchased it all. What pleased her most was the Gene Enhancers she exchanged with Sun Senwen. With this batch of Gene Enhancers, Bai Dad, Bai Ma, Xikang, and Mei Mei's health would be secure; they would enjoy delicious food and robust health without any diseases bothering them again. Of course, Xing Xiaokang and Wu Xuemei were unaware that Bai Tang had injected them with body-enhancing substances; she secretly administered Gene Enhancers while they were asleep at their homes—even Xikang received similar treatment. Wu Xuemei felt increasingly healthier and younger and attributed it to improved living conditions; she believed that better nutrition made life easier than before, leading her mood and spirit to lighten up as well—completely unaware that Bai Tang was behind it all. Naturally, Bai Tang would not let them understand; although she treated them like family, she would not fully trust them. She believed in one saying: "Not betraying someone is because there isn't enough benefit!"
Comment 0 Comment Count