The agent’s name was Lei Yunzhen, in her forties, who had been immersed in the entertainment industry since the era of traditional idols. After years of struggle, she had built a reputation and connections that were among the best in the field.
However, when the superhero idol industry disrupted the traditional model, she chose the wrong side and followed the misguided leader, resulting in her failure during the internal struggles of her once-prominent agency. She was left with no choice but to become a second-rate agent, picking up the heroes that others had discarded.
Yet, Lei Yunzhen was also a savvy operator. Somehow, she managed to connect with the president of the Xingxing Company, persuading him to hire her at a high price, allowing her to leave her previous agency with some semblance of dignity.
After that, she successively brought several superstars to Xingxing Company, gradually restoring her reputation and resources within the industry.
In Xingxing Company, she had transformed from a tail to a head, and with her impressive track record, she acted with arrogance and authority, making unilateral decisions regarding the heroes under her management.
Perhaps the shadow of being cast aside for choosing the wrong side still lingered, leading her to adopt an even harsher attitude towards the heroes than she had towards the idol stars, allowing no room for defiance.
There might also be a perverse pleasure in keeping the superhumans beneath her heel. In any case, the heroes under her command who managed to rise to prominence were all smooth-talking sycophants, treating her with utmost respect and catering to her every whim.
The events of today had caused a tremendous uproar online. Setting aside the issue of ability, a superhero with a clearly handsome and outstanding appearance had been subjected to a disfiguring makeover, which was nothing short of shocking professional exploitation and conspiracy.
The sludge made that melancholic face, with its expressive eyes that seemed to silently question from behind the screen, a target for the beauty-obsessed fans who had barely become loyal followers before being subjected to a harsh reality check.
In the age of male beauty, it was intolerable to see a handsome man fall into misfortune. One by one, they seemed to suddenly feel a sense of mission, standing on a moral high ground.
As a result, all external channels of Xingxing Company were overwhelmed. While some remained rational and sought an explanation, many voices directly cursed the unscrupulous capitalists and the heartless team to death.
Lei Yunzhen’s dominance in the company was predicated on her business acumen and vision, but after seeing the public’s reaction, the upper management began to question her professional ethics.
It wasn’t about defending the sludge; rather, from a business perspective, a newcomer of such quality was more than enough for the company to allocate resources to, rather than being treated as a clown and buried.
Lei Yunzhen’s differential treatment of heroes was inconsequential; this industry was inherently cruel, and only the famous deserved respect. However, placing personal preferences above the company’s interests, even ignoring the talents and qualities of others, was a significant problem.
After all, the superhero idol model differed from traditional idols in certain ways. Traditional idols lacked strict evaluation standards, but superheroes at least operated under the principle that “the dish is the original sin.”
The sludge had previously appeared unremarkable and unlikable, but the combat intelligence he displayed was far superior to the more celebrated Bullet Head. Coupled with a breathtakingly handsome face, he was a seed that could easily rise to the top with just a little packaging.
Yet Lei Yunzhen wasted such a seed, even deliberately concealing his image. Before the sludge returned, the upper management had already summoned her for a reprimand, warning her that if she didn’t handle the situation well, they would thoroughly investigate whether there were any other heroes like the sludge under her command.
For Lei Yunzhen, who had a significant say in the packaging of heroes, this was nothing short of an insult.
Everything stemmed from the sludge, so she sat in her office, waiting for him to return as if a storm were brewing.
When she saw him enter, even his handsome face couldn’t quell her anger; instead, it only intensified.
She glared at him, sneering, “Isn’t this the sludge who stole the spotlight today?”
“What? I thought you would take the opportunity to start anew or had already found a new place to jump ship and bite back at the company. I didn’t expect you to remain loyal to this little temple of Xingxing.”
Lu Qingjia approached the office, pulled out a chair in front of her, and sat down boldly, a stark contrast to his previous timid demeanor when standing before her, which only fueled Lei Yunzhen’s fury.
“Did I tell you to sit down?”
Lu Qingjia smiled, “We’re all adults here. This isn’t a situation where underage students naturally fear their teachers’ authority, nor are we in ancient times where social status dictated treatment.”
“As citizens of the country, we are equal. You may be my superior for now, but there are no laws that restrict personal behavior, and frankly, Ms. Lei, your presence isn’t imposing enough to instill fear in me or make me feel anxious about my words and actions.”
Lu Qingjia rested his elbows on the desk, looking at her, “What can you do if I sit down?”
Lei Yunzhen was momentarily speechless, her anger turning to a mocking smile, “Good, very good. So you want to play this game with me, huh?”
“You young people think this world is all about clever talk. I told you before, you have the conditions, but your insight is lacking. You don’t know how to compromise or adapt, and your future won’t be easy.”
“And how did that turn out? Those who debuted around the same time as you are at least living comfortably with houses and cars, while you have achieved nothing and are living on welfare.”
“Don’t forget, thanks to my business acumen, I saved you multiple times from being terminated. Do you really think that just by getting some exposure and making a fuss online, you can become famous overnight and have a smooth path ahead?”
The other party seemed quite pleased, sneering at Lu Qingjia, “Today, it was unexpected for me; a biting dog that doesn’t bark caught me off guard.”
“But do you really think this can take me down?”
“Don’t forget who holds your contract. Without my permission, you cannot accept any business or interviews. Do you think the public’s interest in this matter will last long? Once something more explosive comes out, they might forget you by tomorrow.”
“And you, while the rescue earlier was at my behest and doesn’t violate the contract, accepting interviews in a personal capacity and making statements detrimental to the company is a serious breach.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t terminate your contract, but for this incident, you must accept punishment, reflected in your salary calculations for the next year. Don’t expect other companies to poach you. If you forget, just go back and check how much the termination fee is. All companies are preparing for the upcoming ‘Hero King’ Cup; do you think anyone will go out of their way for a small fry like you?”
“Next, there will be a flood of promotional activities, and everything must give way to this grand celebration. You fool, you can’t even pick the right timing and still dare to challenge me.”
“You won’t escape my grasp.”
After finishing her tirade, Lei Yunzhen leaned back in her chair, finally having time to appreciate the sludge’s appearance.
To be honest, she had been amazed by him at first sight, but when he refused to pick up on her hints, she had directed her anger at him.
After a year or two of seeing the sludge’s image, Lei Yunzhen had almost grown accustomed to his disheveled appearance. She hadn’t expected that after tidying up, his charm and looks hadn’t withered from two years of neglect; instead, he appeared even more captivating.
She revealed an ambiguous smile, “Don’t say I lack compassion, what I said back then still stands. I’m not an unreasonable person; I just hope each of you can be sensible and obedient. Is that too much to ask?”
Bullet Head watched the process unfold, sighing helplessly in his heart. He knew Lei Yunzhen was not someone easy to deal with.
The sludge had indeed underestimated the situation.
In the world of superhero idols, there were daily explosive points. Today, although the sludge had made a big move, the harsh contracts and Lei Yunzhen’s connections in the media could easily silence him, preventing the outside world from receiving any information about him.
As long as there were no follow-up developments, they could shift public attention with other sensational news, or simply wait for the comprehensive promotion of the “Hero King” Cup, and people would naturally forget the stunning yet pitiful sludge.
Today, the sludge had saved him, and although it was uncomfortable in front of a crowd, Bullet Head would still owe him a favor, as he was well aware of the danger at that moment. If the flames had spread, his life would have been ruined.
So he tried to mediate, “Hey! Lei姐, don’t be angry. You know what his personality is like, right? Expecting him to speak properly is why he ended up like this.”
“Today should just be an accident. Isn’t it mealtime? Since the last mission failure, he hasn’t had any work for weeks. It’s understandable that he got lax and didn’t wear his uniform.”
“I know you’re tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Just let him apologize to you for the trouble today, and we can let this matter go, how about that?”
Lei Yunzhen glanced at Bullet Head. Although he hadn’t performed well today and there were many negative comments online, he was still one of the company’s key heroes being cultivated.
Moreover, his future was limitless. Since he had spoken up to help plead for leniency, she couldn’t completely disregard his face.
But at this moment, it depended on whether the sludge understood how to step down.
So both of them looked at Lu Qingjia.
Lu Qingjia, however, chuckled lightly, “I see.”
He looked at Lei Yunzhen, his eyes revealing a rare disdain for women, as if he were looking at a maggot: “Generally, I am naturally more forgiving towards women, but you, a filthy rat that deserves to roll in the sewers, are an exception.”
“What did you say?” Lei Yunzhen exploded with rage.
Bullet Head’s face also stiffened, shooting him frantic glances.
Then they heard Lu Qingjia say, “You’re fired!”
“What?”
“You’re fired.” Lu Qingjia repeated, “You have half an hour to pack your things and get out of my company.”
“Hah, your company?” Lei Yunzhen laughed in anger, “If you’re going to dream, at least wait until night. I think you’re out of your mind.”
As soon as her words fell, an urgent notification popped up on the computer screen, announcing a change in ownership and personnel in the management.
Everything else remained unchanged, except for the largest shareholder and president’s name, which now boldly read: [Lu Qingjia].
Lu Qingjia, the name of the sludge.
Lei Yunzhen stood up as if struck by lightning, and even Bullet Head, who had leaned closer to the computer to check her expression, looked at Lu Qingjia as if he had seen a ghost.
“Impossible, how could you—” Lei Yunzhen began, then suddenly thought of a possibility: “Haha, I know! You hired a hacker to pull a prank, right?”
“This guy has gone crazy today; he just wants to cause trouble.”
Lu Qingjia smiled, “If thinking that way makes you feel better, go ahead, but don’t let self-deception delay your packing.”
Lei Yunzhen shouted, “What gives you the right to order me around?”
Lu Qingjia looked a bit hurt: “I’m the boss here. Am I really that lacking in presence?”
Bullet Head’s head was about to explode: “Big Brother, stop playing around. What the hell is going on? If this is a prank, even if Lei姐 lets you off the hook, the company will still deal with it.”
Lu Qingjia sighed, “Alright, I’ll be honest. I bought the company for five billion!”
Upon hearing this, Lei Yunzhen laughed, “Are you joking? The company is valued at tens of billions, and with Bullet Head’s rising star status, the future is limitless. Even if President Zou is willing to sell his 59% stake, you think you can buy it for five billion?”
“Let’s just say poverty has limited your imagination. Have you never seen money before?”
Lei Yunzhen felt increasingly relaxed, convinced it was a prank.
But before her smile could fully form, the sludge said, “But I told him that if he didn’t cash out and leave immediately, hiding in a country without an extradition treaty with us, he would face at least twenty years in prison.”
“His time is limited, and I’m the only one making an offer, so I got a great deal.”
Lu Qingjia continued, “Valuation is one thing, but this price is very reasonable. President Zou isn’t losing out.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Bullet Head, sensing something, quickly asked, “Why would President Zou face prison time?”
Lu Qingjia replied, “I went out for lunch this afternoon, and out of boredom, I wanted to check who the shareholders of the company were. After all, it’s good to know who you’re working for.”
“To my surprise, I found out that our largest shareholder, President Zou, had his wife murdered in a home invasion eight years ago.”
“President Zou isn’t a celebrity, so no one paid attention to the case at the time except the police. But now, with many criminal incidents requiring heroes to enhance case-solving efficiency, registered heroes have exclusive accounts to browse records.”
“At the time, President Zou was the prime suspect, but on the night of the incident, he was at his mistress’s house, providing a solid alibi. The murderer quickly turned himself in with the weapon, so the case was closed swiftly.”
“Then what are you talking about?” Lei Yunzhen interjected.
“But I looked at the evidence photos from the first scene, and both the location of the fatal wounds on President Zou’s wife and the trajectory of the blood droplets from the weapon indicated that the murderer was right-handed.”
“Yet in the arrest photo of the criminal, his left thumb was on top when his hands were cuffed together.”
Lei Yunzhen still looked confused, but Bullet Head had already understood.
Generally, when two hands are clasped together, the thumb on top indicates the dominant hand. If the dominant hand is the left but the right thumb is on top, it would be extremely awkward.
But Bullet Head frowned, “Such an obvious flaw, the police couldn’t have missed it, right?”
“Of course, they could.” Lu Qingjia said, “I casually browsed the criminal’s social media account before he went to prison, and he was clearly using his right hand for eating and writing.”
“Such people do exist; even if they are left-handed, they can be corrected by adults during childhood, and their daily activities may be more suited to the right hand. However, for certain specific tools, they still prefer the left hand, like when using a knife or playing ball.”
“Fortunately, the account was unmonitored, and I finally found a photo of him cooking with his girlfriend, clearly using his left hand to hold the knife.”
Even someone as ignorant as Lei Yunzhen understood this. She frowned, looking at Lu Qingjia with suspicion: “Is that it? You think you can overturn the case based on your speculation? Let’s not even discuss whether you’re right; even if you are, it could just mean they arrested the wrong person, and it doesn’t necessarily point to President Zou.”
So many years had passed; there was no evidence left.
Lu Qingjia smiled, “How could that be? Such a degree of evidence could make President Zou give up his thriving business; that would be too naive.”
“However, when President Zou’s mistress provided him with an alibi, she had given photos of the two of them in her house that night.”
“In her testimony, she mentioned that they were taking a shower together and then came out to have dinner.”
“Coincidentally, I had previously interned at a cosmetic surgery hospital, so I could tell at a glance that in the photo, the mistress had just received Botox. Generally, doctors recommend avoiding water for twenty-four hours after the procedure, let alone playing around in the bathroom.”
“The police focused their attention on President Zou, neglecting the mistress, who was also a somewhat popular internet personality. Her account still has many posts about her cosmetic procedures and experiences.”
“With a casual scroll, I found that she had received the injection on the day of the murder, well within the twenty-four-hour limit.”
This saved Lu Qingjia the trouble of checking with the hospital.
Then he addressed the stunned Lei Yunzhen and Bullet Head: “The questions about the murderer’s dominant hand and the mistress’s false testimony are enough to overturn the case conclusion, right?”
Although the surveillance footage from back then wasn’t as pervasive as it is now, it was still advanced. The case was hastily closed, and aside from the criminal turning himself in, there must have been financial manipulation behind President Zou, which led to many clues being overlooked.
If the conclusion were overturned, then in reality, he had no alibi and would undoubtedly be re-listed as the prime suspect. Even after eight years, with the emergence of superpowers, tracking technology, and rival companies getting involved, it wouldn’t be easy for President Zou to escape punishment as he did eight years ago.
Involving murder and perjury, framing someone else, twenty years would be a light sentence. In this case, President Zou’s decision to cash out and flee would make perfect sense.
Then Lu Qingjia added, “Oh, I was worried that this charge wouldn’t be enough leverage, so I added a little more. Besides the murder suspicion, I also reported him for child molestation.”
“You’re talking nonsense,” Lei Yunzhen slammed the table. In this day and age, child molestation was a serious crime. If combined with the previous charges, he might never get out.
Lu Qingjia laughed, “This is the easiest to uncover. The internal company network has had photos for many years. Although there has been some filtering, I have one advantage: I have a good eye. I saw a video from a certain hero’s sunglasses showing President Zou reaching under a little girl’s skirt.”
“From the girl’s clothing in that photo, I quickly identified her as a family member of an employee. I called the school in the name of the parents and had the girl answer the phone. Although she was confused back then, she has since realized and told me that not only her but also a little boy who was invited said that President Zou had touched him in the bathroom.”
“Once there is suspicion about such matters, it won’t stand up to scrutiny, right?”
“And I also told President Zou that I found all this information within five minutes. If that isn’t enough leverage, just give me some time, and I can find more.”
“Clearly, President Zou is a reasonable person, and he quickly transferred his shares to me at a price below market value.”
With today’s advanced information technology, signing agreements didn’t even require a face-to-face meeting. Fifty thousand points were directly exchanged for five billion in funds, granting control of Xingxing Company.
At this point, the company’s upper management had also arrived, and Lei Yunzhen’s not-so-large office was now filled with people.
These individuals had evidently verified the authenticity of the news and then collectively addressed Lu Qingjia, “Hello, President Lu!”
The vice president smiled and said, “President Lu, the president’s office has been tidied up. Please take a look and let us know if there are any areas you are dissatisfied with.”
Lu Qingjia nodded and turned to the pale-faced Lei Yunzhen, “Calculate her severance pay.”
“However, I will personally sue her for workplace sexual harassment, and all the heroes under her management will be investigated. The company will provide free legal assistance if needed.”
“Additionally, I don’t want to see her in the industry again.”
This was a clear intent to eradicate her, and Lei Yunzhen immediately panicked: “On what grounds do you have to blacklist me?”
Lu Qingjia replied, “Because I have money.”
Then the crowd exited the office, leaving Lei Yunzhen slumped in her chair.
Lu Qingjia glanced at the president’s office, temporarily without any thoughts, but he did gather all the shareholders, upper management, and contracted heroes in the company.
During this time, a major news story broke online.
The president of Xingxing Company was arrested for the suspected murder of his ex-wife and child molestation while attempting to flee to country X, intercepted by police at customs.
In an instant, there was an uproar both online and within the company. It had been less than ten minutes since the confirmation of the change in ownership, and the upper management present couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.
At least the press release is easier to write now; otherwise, with such a CEO, the entire company’s image would plummet, and even the company’s heroes might face backlash.
Bullethead had followed the entire process and naturally knew whose handiwork this was.
He couldn’t help but twitch his lips and asked, “Did you report this?”
Lu Qingjia replied, “Of course.”
“But weren’t you—” in the middle of a deal?
Lu Qingjia spoke in a lecturing tone, “That was just negotiation rhetoric. I’m not extorting anyone. Although the price is quite favorable, it is definitely fair.”
“Setting aside the deal, that’s a crime, involving the injustice of a life and the mental health of many children. As a hero, how could you possibly stand by and let such a criminal escape?”
Isn’t that extortion? He really dares to say that, Bullethead thought.
However, the situation had reversed, feeling like a dream, but the fact was that the Mudslide, once at the bottom of the company, had now transformed into the boss.
The situation was stronger than the person; Bullethead considered himself to be someone who knew how to read the times.
Meanwhile, Game issued a mission—
[Mission Content: Compete for the ‘Hero King Cup’, no limits on life or death, no holds barred. The ranking in the competition is the same as the instance evaluation ranking.]
As expected of the Infinite Game, simple and brutal. But for some reason, that voice sounded a bit weary.
In the main god space—
The Infinite Game had the Horror Game by the throat: “I told you not to send seed players over without notice. Now he has become capital. If you’re ruthless, just manipulate the competition results. How can other players even play?”
“You deliberately sent someone over for a big purchase, didn’t you?”
The Infinite Game was aware that players wouldn’t return to reality but would instead reside in the infinite space after the mission ended, so the variety of goods was something the Horror Game couldn’t compare to.
For example, large-scale destructive weapons, which were generally hard to obtain in the Horror Game to avoid affecting reality, were affordable and of good quality in the Infinite Game’s shop.
However, conversely, obtaining abilities in the Infinite Game was much harder than in the Horror Game.
Bloodlines and abilities were expensive in the Infinite Game shop, but in the Horror Game, as long as one achieved a high evaluation upon clearing, there was a chance to obtain them for free if the compatibility with the ability was good.
In any case, both sides envied each other’s exchange students, and those who were too outstanding naturally aimed for ability grinding or big purchases.
Seeing this situation, the Infinite Game thought, it hasn’t even been two hours, and you’ve already taken over a hero management company. How did this bastard come up with such a clever move?
Well, here comes another big purchase, glancing at the hundreds of thousands of points in the background.
The Infinite Game felt a darkness before its eyes, its heart bleeding.
The Horror Game finally felt a sense of schadenfreude, reveling in the misfortune of dragging others down with it.
It chuckled, “Don’t rush, don’t rush. This is basic operation. Letting him into this kind of world is your miscalculation; just lie back and let yourself be harvested.”
The Infinite Game: “…”
The author has something to say:
Bro Ye will make his appearance tomorrow; I almost forgot about him (smack).
Also, about being left-handed, that’s how I am. I eat and write with my right hand, but for anything with a knife in the name and knitting, I use my left hand. When I was a kid, everyone jumped rope to the right, but I had to jump to the left, so no one wanted to play with me (cry).
