<Explorer> was taken down due to a lawsuit, and Sou Ben ended up losing both the lawsuit and resources, pushing Lin Jielin forward as a scapegoat.
At the same time, news of Lou Yan’s collaboration with Ruili Games had spread. The power struggle between the two companies made it clear who was stronger and who was weaker at a glance.
The number one gaming company in the industry had been completely trampled underfoot.
“Guess what? Lin Jielin actually came to me.” Ai Lun rubbed the freshly grown stubble on his head, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
In the spacious office, six large screens were installed, each displaying a different game.
Lou Yan stopped in front of the <Palm Pet> interface. Beside him, Wan Tong was staring at the screen, itching to dive in. Ah, she really wanted to explore, maybe she could visit different places and find some fun new friends~
It was as if Lou Yan saw through her thoughts. He reached out, clasping her wrist, then turned to Ai Lun and casually asked, “What did she say?”
Seeing his indifferent reaction, Ai Lun clicked his tongue, a little disappointed. “She said you’re just using Ruili Games and that you’ll betray them sooner or later. She also mentioned a game project she wants to collaborate with me on.”
Lou Yan ignored the first part completely and simply nodded. “What project?”
Ai Lun raised an eyebrow and tapped a few times on his smart interface. Lou Yan’s own device flickered as he received a file.
Wan Tong leaned over for a look. This game… it was one of the projects that Lou Yan’s company would develop later in the storyline.
So Lin Jielin was planning to preemptively develop all the hit games from the original plot?
“Familiar?” Ai Lun asked.
Lou Yan lowered his gaze slightly, his thin lips pressing into a cold curve. When he looked up again, his eyes were turbulent with undercurrents.
This game concept, he had only mentioned it briefly to Alan before. Given the current level of technology, it would take at least two to three more years to develop.
Ai Lun circled around Lou Yan, rubbing his chin before turning to Wan Tong. “Xiao Wanwan, I suspect your master’s brain has been implanted with something scary—like a biological chip that transmits his thoughts in real time to a terminal controlled by Lin Jielin…”
Wan Tong glared at him and muttered under her breath, “You’re the one with something scary in your brain…”
Ai Lun burst into laughter. What a loyal little thing.
But seriously, he found it all too strange. Lin Jielin always seemed to get her hands on Lou Yan’s latest game ideas.
Lou Yan chuckled softly and reached out to pat Wan Tong’s head.
Then, he turned to Ai Lun. “Her background?”
“Lin Jielin, born into a wealthy family. The first twenty-three years of her life were predictable, moving within the upper-class social circles. About a year ago, she suddenly became interested in gaming. Six months ago, she joined Sou Ben Games under the guise of a collaboration. However, her actual position within the company was only revealed recently. She probably kept it hidden on purpose to get close to you.”
Alan paused for a moment before adding, “Maybe she knew about you long before that. She recognized your talent and planted some kind of surveillance we haven’t detected around you…”
As he spoke, his gaze flicked toward Lou Yan’s smart device.
Wan Tong felt like he even glanced at her. Was he suspecting her?
Ai Lun’s reasoning was simple. If the smart device wasn’t being monitored, then the only other possibility was that Wan Tong, this little program, had a problem.
Lou Yan’s expression darkened instantly. “My device has no issues, and neither does Wan Tong.”
“Alright, alright, don’t get so worked up. I was just speculating.”
“I don’t like your speculations.” Lou Yan’s face turned cold.
“…” Ai Lun was at a loss for words. Looks like he really touched a nerve.
He glanced at Wan Tong, only to find that she wasn’t even looking at him anymore, her little mouth pouting.
Great, now he’d offended this little ancestor as well.
But since Lin Jielin had come knocking herself, things would be much easier to handle going forward.
<Palm Pet> was re-released by Ruili Games with significantly improved graphics. Many features that previously required in-game purchases were now free. Though many players had claimed they would resist, in the end, they all obediently redownloaded the game.
What excited players the most was that Ruili Games had obtained Sou Ben’s archived data. They could choose to import all their settings from the original software, though the process would take at least two hours to reconfigure.
According to Ruili Games’ backend data, less than 0.01% of players opted to transfer their old data. Almost everyone chose to start fresh.
Ai Lun had anticipated this result long ago. However, back when Lou Yan was negotiating for the game’s rights, he insisted on taking a step back, choosing not to pursue legal action against Lin Jielin and the Operations Director for coercing him, in exchange for acquiring a complete backup of all player data.
Lou Yan had said that even if only one player wanted to restore their old data, they should have the option to do so.
At the time, Ai Lun had struggled with the decision. It was essentially an unnecessary burden on the servers.
But in the end, this move turned out to be a PR win for Ruili Games. Compared to Sou Ben Games, Ruili came across as much more considerate and player-friendly.
Ruili Games, Development Department.
Lou Yan was surrounded by a group of guys, their teasing voices filling the air.
Standing in front of him was a beautiful woman, her face flushed with embarrassment.
“Come on, stop messing around. I just wanted to invite Lou Yan out for a meal. He helped me find a virus file last time…”
She was a new intern in the development department, the only female employee there. Anyone with eyes could tell, she was here for Lou Yan.
“Tch, got it, got it. I even helped you fix bugs, but I never saw you treat me to a meal!” Ai Rui joked.
The surrounding jeers made the atmosphere even more heated, as if Lou Yan and the woman really had something going on.
At first, Lou Yan might not have noticed anything, but with the mood and all the subtle hints, it was impossible for him to ignore it now.
He frowned slightly and, amidst the lively chatter, said coldly, “No need. You should use your after-hours time to properly study your professional knowledge. Since you’re here, you should take responsibility for your work. Not everyone is obligated to clean up after you.”
*Cough, cough, cough…* Airi choked on his own saliva, eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at Lou Yan.
The chatter in the office came to an abrupt halt, and everyone stared at Lou Yan in shock.
While he wasn’t exactly wrong, saying it so bluntly to a girl didn’t seem appropriate. Plus, this was the first female employee their department had ever hired, was he trying to scare her away?
Sure enough, after a moment of stunned silence, the woman’s face changed dramatically. She bit her lip, turned around, and ran off.
The office fell into dead silence. Wan Tong couldn’t hold back anymore and let out a *pfft* of laughter.
Everyone’s eyes instantly shifted to the figure behind Lou Yan. Though partially obscured, they could still see her covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
“Xiao Wanwan, what are you laughing at? Your master’s emotional intelligence is seriously concerning.”
“Yeah, that was such a good opportunity! The girl was just one step away from making her feelings clear…”
The men around them all sounded regretful.
Lou Yan turned to look at Wan Tong and asked, “What’s so funny?”
Wan Tong stifled her laughter, though the corners of her lips remained upturned. She answered seriously, “Master, if you keep this up, you’ll never find a girlfriend.”
She could probably accompany Lou Yan for a long, long time in this world, but she couldn’t give him a normal family.
So she wondered, should she stop him from getting too caught up in online relationships and remind him to pay attention to real-world connections?
“You want me to find a girlfriend?”
Lou Yan’s question hit her like a hammer. Wan Tong froze. His expression was dark. Was he angry?
With everyone watching, he grabbed Wan Tong’s hand and pulled her outside, leaving behind a group of dumbfounded colleagues.
“I knew it…” Qin Yang had a knowing look. “Lou Yan already has someone.”
“Someone… Xiao Wanwan?” Ai Rui was incredulous.
“It’s possible. Look at how Lou Yan reacted just now—he only got upset because of what she said!”
“Lou Yan is way too lucky. It’s like he custom-made his own girlfriend. And honestly, even if Xiao Wanwan walked out right now, no one would suspect she’s not human.”
“Still, I don’t get why people marry virtual characters. That’s a lifetime commitment! Can a virtual character cook for me, clean the house, carry on the family line?”
“Screw you! You think a girlfriend is just for cooking, cleaning, and making babies? If I had one, I’d worship her like a queen until her heart and soul belonged to me!”
“…”
A group of single guys began sourly discussing relationships, while Ai Rui opened <Palm Pet> and decided to raise his in-game sweetheart. Surely she’d be even cuter and smarter than Wanwan…
In the break room, the door was locked.
Lou Yan held Wan Tong by the waist. His lips brushed away from the corner of hers, his voice husky as he asked, “Wanwan, who is my girlfriend?”
“…”
Wan Tong licked her lips, looking at his expression before hesitantly whispering a name.
“Wanwan?”
Lou Yan let out a small hum from his nose, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
“But…”
She wasn’t human. She could only entertain him, help him vent his negativity. In reality, she could only touch him through his sensory suit. Every time they moved to a new place, he had to set up her virtual space again to merge it with the real world.
Lou Yan knew what she was going to say. He pressed his thumb against her lips, stopping her from continuing.
“Wanwan, I don’t want anyone else. I only want you.”
[Tongtong, you can actually exchange for a human body.]
Shishi’s voice sounded in her mind, as if unable to watch any longer.
Wan Tong’s head filled with question marks. [Wait, I can do that?!]
Shi Shi immediately popped up a selection option : [Generate Physical Form].
“Wanwan?”
Lou Yan gently pinched her cheek.
Wan Tong snapped back to reality.
Shishi said it would take twenty-four hours to generate a body.
So now… how was she supposed to explain this to Lou Yan?