NOVEL WEB Chapter 285: 281
Dong Wei led the way.
"I'll show you around our Yi Net's Fire Thunder Studio," he said.
He pulled open a glass door and gestured for Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui to enter.
"Fire Thunder Studio? The one that developed Ninja Ghost?"
Yu Xiaochuan's expression froze.
Seeing the gold lettered nameplate "Fire Thunder Department" on the door sparked curiosity in him.
Fire Thunder was an established game studio, its Tianxia San having been wildly popular throughout the region in the 2000s.
Besides Tianxia San, titles such as Tian Yu, Ninja Ghost, and Reverse Ice Cold were all phenomenon-level games.
Although these games were often criticized by players due to planning and operation issues, the games themselves were still good.
One shouldn't negate the excellence of the studio just because of some negative aspects.
Yu Xiaochuan was very much looking forward to meeting these legendary figures.
Surely they all must be full of hope, positive, and wholeheartedly striving for the new game!
Carrying such feelings, under Dong Wei's guidance, Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui stepped into the Fire Thunder Department with some excitement in their hearts.
Unfortunately, Yu Shutong, Kang Jia, and those from the development department hadn't come.
Otherwise, it would have been a great opportunity for exchange.
Yu Xiaochuan knew that Yu Shutong and others were seemingly working on developing a new PC game recently, working overtime until midnight and still reluctant to leave.
In terms of this level of dedication, Yu Xiaochuan felt inferior.
Therefore, the development department at Ideal Paradise had a commonly accepted nickname — King of Competition Department.
Inside were a bunch of code-obsessed lunatics, kings of competition who couldn't be more driven!
"Let me introduce you all, these two are Manager Yu and Manager Cai from Ideal Paradise Internet Technology Company," Dong Wei cheerfully told the employees of the Fire Thunder Department.
"Haha, hello everyone! I'm very happy to meet all of you!"
Yu Xiaochuan quickly took the initiative to greet everyone present.
During this time, he quickly scanned the work environment of the Fire Thunder Studio.
A large room, but everyone's workstation was crammed together, presumably for ease of communication.
The transparent display cabinets on the walls were filled with various trophies and game-related figures.
There were even some exquisite game character costumes hanging on the exhibition racks to one side.
Each person's desk had two computers, one laptop, one curved screen desktop, and you could tell without thinking that the configurations were top-notch.
It was evident that Yi Net highly valued Fire Thunder, providing the very best of everything.
"..."
However, his greeting was met with no response; the dozen or so people crowded at their workstations, playing on their computers and scrolling through Dou Ying, only a few lifted their heads to glance at him before returning to their own activities.
"Uh..." Yu Xiaochuan's smile stiffened on his face, a look of awkwardness appearing.
Dong Wei felt the same awkwardness, his own invitation for a tour ignored by everyone.
Even though he was just an Operations Manager, wasn't this an introduction of foreign guests to the company? He knew these people were proud on ordinary days, but he hadn't expected them to be this aloof!
It seemed they not only ignored Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui but also him, despite being from the same company.
"Haha, everyone is busy, unable to spare the time to greet us. Please don't take it too personally, Manager Yu and Manager Cai," Dong Wei hastily excused.
No matter what Yu Xiaochuan's status was, it was simply too impolite to be ignored by others!
But since he didn't interact much with the Fire Thunder Department at work, he couldn't say much.
Yu Xiaochuan was no fool; the two employees closest to him were engrossed with their phones, scrolling through Dou Ying!
And they intermittently burst into 'hehehe' laughter.
Noticing that he was watching them, they slightly quieted their laughter.
This... wasn't quite the Fire Thunder Studio he had imagined...
Yu Xiaochuan felt disappointed.
In his mind, Fire Thunder Studio should be a place where everyone was actively discussing new game themes, directions, and player feedback issues...
But there wasn't any.
Everyone had an air of casual arrogance about them, seemingly looking down on everyone else.
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Did they think they were so amazing that they could behave this way?
Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui exchanged glances, both filled with disappointment.
They weren't angry because they were being overlooked; they just felt their expectations had been dashed.
"Let's go..."
Just as Yu Xiaochuan was about to leave the studio with Cai Hui, at last a middle-aged man who seemed to be in charge stood up from his phone and walked towards them.
He stopped in front of Dong Wei, giving Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui a cursory glance:
"Mr. Dong, it's working hours right now. Everyone in the Fire Thunder Department is busy. If it's not something important, please refrain from bringing irrelevant people in for a tour."
Dong Wei frowned.
"Manager Shi, these two are Manager Yu and Manager Cai from Ideal Paradise, they're not irrelevant. Isn't it customary to show guests from our partner companies around?"
Dong Wei looked at the man in front of him, who was a bit younger than himself and already a top leader of the company, while he, Dong Wei, was still just a team leader.
It's maddening to compare oneself to others.
So he didn't dare speak too assertively but instead talked to Manager Shi in a negotiating tone.
But this time, Manager Shi didn't nod in agreement.
Manager Shi turned his head, looked Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui up and down, then shook his head and said with an indifferent tone, "Ideal Paradise? Some small workshop of a company, never heard of it."
"Next time, don't bring people from such obscure little firms into our Fire Thunder Department."
"Or else colleagues from other departments might see and think that any Tom, Dick, and Harry can just come in for a look."
Manager Shi didn't mince words, speaking quite bluntly.
Dong Wei was stunned.
To call someone Tom, Dick, and Harry to their face was a bit too much!
Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui, standing by, immediately bristled upon hearing this.
This Manager Shi ignored them, called them Tom, Dick, and Harry, which they could endure since it was his turf.
But to say Ideal Paradise was just a small workshop?
That was unforgivable!
It directly hit their bottom line.
"Our Ideal Paradise is not some small workshop as you claim; we are a reputable company!" Yu Xiaochuan retorted on the spot.
Cai Hui also rolled up his sleeves to reveal his muscular forearms and glared at Manager Shi.
"Oh, reputable? I've never heard of it, and guys, have you?" Manager Shi gestured towards his colleagues with a nod of his head.
Everyone laughed and shook their heads.
Someone spoke sarcastically:
"None of us have heard of this company, must be a small workshop, right? The kind that copies games, pirates games, or makes some minor web-based casual game templates?"
"Ha ha, Ideal Paradise, what a childish name! Your boss wouldn't happen to be a little brat, would he?"
"Really, Mr. Dong, next time don't bring people from such small firms into our department, okay? They're interrupting my gaming! No wonder you're still just a team leader after twelve years with the company!"
"..."
A flurry of mockery left Yu Xiaochuan and Cai Hui red with rage.
But reason told them not to act rashly, as they were at the headquarters of Yi Net.
Moreover, they were representing Ideal Paradise, and any confrontation would likely backfire.
"Cai Hui, we're leaving. A company like this isn't worth collaborating with."
Yu Xiaochuan no longer wanted to argue anymore.
This was just a group of arrogant people who looked down on their peers after achieving a bit of success.
It wasn't worth wasting words.
"Humph, studios like yours can't even compare to one-tenth of our development department!" Cai Hui clenched his fists, grunted at Manager Shi, and followed Yu Xiaochuan out.