Bao Xu was stunned—and not exactly thrilled.
"Uh… President Pei, I don't need that. I think staying at the company is great."
And that was genuine.
Travel? What was the point?
Wasn't he just going to end up in another internet café anyway?
And there was no internet café that could beat the experience of being at the company!
Here, everyone was smart, the vibes were great, and he genuinely loved being here.
But Pei Qian had fully expected this reaction. His expression immediately turned stern.
"That kind of thinking is completely wrong. Totally unacceptable!"
"As the saying goes, 'Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles.' Game design isn't something you can do while locked in a box. If you want to achieve great things in the future, you must broaden your horizons!"
"During this month, you are not allowed to spend time in internet cafés. I'll have Assistant Xin prepare a full itinerary. You'll visit all the major scenic spots in China, check them off one by one, and tour every major domestic game company. This will be an intensive learning experience."
"This is for work. No arguments. Understood?"
Seeing Pei Qian's no-nonsense tone, Bao Xu didn't dare protest further.
"…Okay, President Pei."
This exchange left everyone watching completely dumbfounded.
What kind of god-tier boss–employee interaction was this?!
The boss offers a paid vacation… and the employee actually wants to stay and work?
What alternate universe is this??
Lin Wan was so touched she wanted to film the whole scene.
She was genuinely afraid that one day, when she told others about this moment, no one would believe her.
But this kind of company, this kind of boss, this kind of employee—they were real. They existed.
Having successfully removed two dangerous top-performers, Pei Qian was in excellent spirits.
Huang Sibo had officially been relocated out of the game development department.
Bao Xu would spend the next month on a "business trip" across China—too far removed to affect the next project.
By the time Bao Xu returned, the new game's design document would already be finished and development underway.
Even if he had brilliant ideas, it'd be too late.
Of course, Pei Qian still had no clue what the next game project would even be.
But step one—neutralize the threats—was a complete success.
After the Best Employee ceremony ended, Pei Qian called Ma Yang into his office.
The rest of the staff returned to work, invigorated.
Xiao Lu (Lu Mingliang), now promoted to the role of Lead Executive Designer, had never felt so motivated in his life.
This Best Employee award had the power of a high-grade energy drink.
President Pei had shown everyone—with real-life proof—what happens when you work hard:
Best Employee? You get a 1 million yuan dream fund to chase your passions.
Second place? You get a full month of paid vacation.
Compared to bosses who endlessly draw fantasy blueprints and never follow through, this one solid example was more powerful than 10,000 empty promises.
. . . . . . .
In Pei Qian's office.
Ma Yang sat across from Pei Qian, visibly discontent.
"Brother Qian, I know you're my boss now, but with our relationship, I've got to give it to you straight. You might not want to hear this—but I'm saying it anyway!"
"You let Lu Mingliang take over Huang Sibo's role? I don't think that's a good idea!"
"I don't see anything particularly amazing about him. If he can be Lead Executive Designer… I feel like I could too!"
"I've been involved in a bunch of design work lately. I may not have cooked pork, but I've seen enough pigs run to know how it's done!"
Pei Qian leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, smiling like a wise sage.
"Relax. With our relationship, how could I possibly shortchange you?"
"Old Ma, you may not have gotten Best Employee today, but believe me when I say—you're the one I trust the most."
"The reason I haven't given you any big titles yet is because I've got something much more important in store for you."
"It's part of Tengda's expansion into new industries—a critical move in the group's strategic development."
"And I want you to lead it. Are you ready?"
Ma Yang's eyes gradually lit up.
"R-Really?"
Pei Qian turned his monitor slightly, pointing at a map of Jingzhou city.
"Look here—this area, this one, and that one. All major commercial districts in Jingzhou. Oh, and this spot near our university? Also a prime location."
"I'm considering opening a large-scale chain internet café in one of these places!"
"And this project? I'm putting you fully in charge. What do you think?"
Ma Yang's face turned uncertain.
"Brother Qian… this 'important position'… is just being a net café boss?"
The gap between expectation and reality hit him like a truck.
Pei Qian frowned.
"What net café boss? That's completely missing the point!"
"This isn't just any net café. In my vision, it's a multifunctional entertainment hub—combining a high-end internet café, gaming experience zone, hardware retail, movie screenings, and more!"
"You still don't understand the strategic value here."
"Right now, Tengda's core focus is on the gaming industry. But what are we lacking? A direct platform to connect with players!"
"Our goal is to become a cross-industry tech and entertainment giant—and offline expansion is a crucial pillar of that."
"And this task? I wouldn't trust it to anyone but you."
Ma Yang looked into Pei Qian's eyes—and realized he was 100% serious.
He wasn't joking.
He was entrusting him with something huge.
Ma Yang's hands trembled slightly.
"Brother Qian— I— I—"
Pei Qian patted his shoulder.
"Say no more. I understand."
Ma Yang hesitated.
"But I'm just a one-man show—I've got nothing…"
Pei Qian waved it off.
"You've got funding. What more do you need? If you think you lack talent, go hire some! Don't worry—Tengda is rolling in money now. Both of our games are printing gold. Just go full throttle—I'll cover your back."
Ma Yang's eyes sparkled.
"So… how much budget can I get?"
Pei Qian raised his hand grandly.
"Budget? No upper limit! Ask for whatever you need—just give me a heads-up. We still need time to move the funds."
Ma Yang nodded fiercely.
"Alright! I'll get it done!"
Pei Qian gave him final instructions.
"Go draft a proposal. I'll say this again—Tengda is here to make big moves. Even with a physical store, we are not going to be like other run-down internet cafés."
"Renovation quality must match our office. No cutting corners. Got it?"
"Total premium experience!"
Ma Yang smacked his chest with confidence.
"Leave it to me!"
Then he turned and strode out of the office.
Pei Qian stared at his retreating figure with a sigh of deep emotion.
As expected, you can't rely on outsiders—only brothers are dependable.
The "failure" of Ocean Fortress could largely be blamed on him putting too much faith in Huang Sibo and Bao Xu.
If he'd just handed that project to Ma Yang from the start, who knows? The outcome might've been very different.
Now, Huang Sibo was busy burning his million in another field.
Bao Xu had been exiled on a "scenic business journey."
The game department was in Xiao Lu's hands.
And the internet café expansion project was given to Ma Yang.
Last time, Pei Qian had gone all-out and barely managed to burn just over 20,000 yuan.
It was a win—but barely a sip from the well.
Next cycle?
If he could burn everything except 200–300k, he'd instantly convert 700–800k into personal income!
The thought alone was intoxicating.
At that point, even the things the system didn't allow him to buy before?
He'd buy them all!
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind spending $5 monthly to see till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1]
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 102: A Low-Key Grand Opening[2]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/129254813?collection=1399284[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/1399284?view=expanded[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/1399284?view=expanded
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/129254813?collection=1399284
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/129254813?collection=1399284
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/1399284?view=expanded