【Moqv】
Taking a short break during dinner, Yao Ruoning sat inside, staring at her phone.
Old Song’s phone remained completely silent; no one in the Copywriting Team was speaking.
Still brewing, something big was about to happen.
There was some new information on the Silver Phone, sent by the bespectacled man Huang Yi.
【We’ve uncovered more information】
【The last incident wasn’t the first—it’s at least the third】
【Two earlier incidents happened in the Alien Moqv and the Outskirts】
【The killer has been practicing something, getting more skilled each time. The first time they used that move, the ground collapsed an average of 182 centimeters】
【The second time was in the Outskirts, where a farmer died】
【The third time was the last incident you saw】
After reading Huang Yi’s message, Yao Ruoning pondered for a long time.
This matter was becoming increasingly puzzling.
It was certain the killer possessed intelligence—a sentient being.
If the culprit were truly a cadre-level alien, killing an ordinary human wouldn’t require such a move; a single punch would shatter a human easily.
Could it really be, as Huang Yi speculated, that the killer was practicing some sort of magical skill?
Each time becoming more proficient, each time more threatening.
Yao Ruoning typed and sent a message: 【The uncle’s words have an underlying meaning】
Huang Yi had only described the events, barely mentioning the outcome—was he waiting for Yin Lin to fall into the trap?
Someone suddenly sighs, “Ah, Valentine’s Day is next week.”
Isn’t that obviously a hint? Waiting for you to respond?
Huang Yi quickly replied: 【Our experts believe the killer possesses a uniquely human emotion: fear】
Again, a message with hidden meaning, but no clear explanation.
Because his words were so bold, Yao Ruoning dared not speculate recklessly.
She typed to ask: 【What’s the uncle’s conclusion?】
Huang Yi answered: 【The opponent’s intelligence is on par with humans】
Following his lead, Yao Ruoning asked further, wanting to know why he thought that—beyond what was just discussed, was there other evidence?
Huang Yi then brought up the Undying Pearl Incident.
The behavior of Lightning Man and the high-level alien was very strange—completely unlike any aliens they’d encountered before.
He also mentioned that Lightning Man wore an Earmuff, something seemed to be commanding him.
If even cadre-level aliens could be controlled, what kind of entity was giving orders?
Did the aliens have something akin to a Contract Goddess, leading them?
This possibility was quite high, but Yao Ruoning couldn’t reveal it to Huang Yi yet.
She guessed Huang Yi likely had similar theories but hadn’t confirmed them.
Inwardly, Yao Ruoning prayed that Huang Yi was a good man, someone willing to stand up to aliens for humanity’s sake.
There was no way to know yet what kind of person Huang Yi was; only time would tell.
After ending the conversation and finishing dinner, she returned to the main hall to continue working.
Four more people had arrived in the shop, causing her heart to skip a beat—they were half familiar faces and one old acquaintance.
Xiao Liu and Xiao Zhao from the Copywriting Team, plus another young person—all three sat together at a table.
The older guy was Huang Yijun, who surprisingly mixed with these younger folks.
“What do we do, Brother Huang? You have to help us.” Xiao Liu looked at Huang Yijun.
“Brother Huang, tell us what to do, we’ll follow. If we get through this, you’re my dad.” Xiao Zhao also pleaded.
Another young man enthusiastically brought Huang Yijun a milk tea and placed it in front of him.
“No need.” Huang Yijun pushed the milk tea away.
Seeing himself rejected, the young man suddenly knelt down, startling everyone else in the milk tea shop.
“Brother Huang, please help us.” The young man wiped his tears.
“Stop, stop.” Huang Yijun hurriedly helped him up. “I’m not refusing you. I just mean I don’t want this milk tea; it hasn’t been infused with the sister’s essence.”
When Yao Ruoning finished dinner and came out to work, just arriving at the bar counter, Huang Yijun immediately stood up and loudly shouted a slogan, very clear and resonant.
By now, Yao Ruoning was immune to those slogans and didn’t blush anymore.
Seeing Huang Yijun’s rather odd behavior, the three copywriters looked a bit awkward.
They went back to discussing work matters.
Huang Yijun promised that as long as they obeyed, he would do his best to protect them.
Whether he could or not was another matter, but he would try.
At this point, Xiao Liu revealed a secret: after the trouble broke out, the young people in Team Two planned to pin the blame on the two old guys, Qian Dehao and Song Wuli.
Why did these young people dare to do this? It was said they had backing and guidance from high-ups; the company wanted to get rid of those old folks but lacked a proper excuse.
So they gave the young people the order to shift responsibility onto the old men, making it possible to fire them.
Most of Team Two’s young copywriters agreed.
Xiao Liu, Xiao Zhao, and the third quickly approached Huang Yijun with this news, clearly distrusting the other side and trusting Huang Yijun more.
Why? Because all of Team Two’s work had to be submitted to Huang Yijun for review.
Huang Yijun had records of everyone’s drafts; if he exposed this, it would be clear which young copywriters wrote that mess about Shaohao.
Also, the Copywriting Team’s supervisor usually favored Song Wuli.
Holding onto Huang Yijun meant holding onto Song Wuli and the supervisor’s faction.
In palace intrigue, choosing the right path is crucial—one mustn’t choose wrongly.
Xiao Liu and the others obviously trusted Huang Yijun and the supervisor more.
“Please, Brother Huang.” The three clasped their hands together and begged.
Huang Yijun was happily sucking on the pearls in his bubble tea; after a while, he nodded: “No problem.”
They began planning their scheme.
Of course, Yao Ruoning overheard everything.
In short, Huang Yijun planned to take the initiative, submitting everyone’s assigned work and “accidentally” leaving out some names.
At that time, Xiao Liu and the others would cooperate to cleanly shift the blame.
Huang Yijun explained clearly how to execute this plan.
Yao Ruoning quietly made bubble tea while listening to their palace intrigue drama—it was rather interesting.
That night, the game situation escalated further.
The game released a survey report, asking players’ satisfaction with version 2.0, which again scored 32%, consistent with earlier market research.
The criticism didn’t lessen; it grew louder.
The planners bore the greatest pressure and felt wronged, venting complaints in the workgroup chat.
【Isn’t the story written by the copywriting team? What does this have to do with us planners? Why are we the ones getting cursed?】
Obviously, many players didn’t know that the copywriting team wrote the plot and character settings; they assumed the planners managed that.
In any case, when things went wrong, the planners’ mothers became the target.
Thus, an ecosystem formed: players hunting the planners’ mothers, planners hunting the copywriters’ mothers, while the copywriting team wiped sweat from their brows, quietly discussing what to do next.
“Sparrow’s Game” 2.0 version’s reputation had crashed spectacularly; players transformed into Hunters of Ma, mercilessly hunting horses everywhere.
The company atmosphere was extremely oppressive; no one dared to stir trouble, and the company chat was eerily silent.
The Copywriting Team supervisor sent a message saying there would be a meeting tomorrow morning; all copywriters must arrive on time.
Late at night, originally it was thought players would just curse the plot and numbers, maybe a few people would be fired to appease them.
But at that moment, the Producer of “Sparrow’s Game” suddenly posted a Weibo, trying to explain some aspects of the new version to players.
He said: The game’s characters also have their own lives; they have the right to choose their own lifestyles.