In the bustling heart of the corporate world, nestled within the confines of a sleek, modern office, sat Su Luo. Her office was a testament to her success - a spacious room adorned with tasteful decor that exuded an air of respect.
"Boss, even if you pay your employees twice their salary, there's no way they'll double their working hours!" Su Luo held her forehead, looked at Luo Mo who had a brain cramp, and said helplessly.
"Then can't triple the salary to make them work twice as long?" Luo Mo looked at Su Luo expectantly, his eyes wide and flashing, desperately hoping that she would agree. He quickly found Su Luo after the card drawing was over, thinking that she could approve of this genius idea. This was his lifelong request now! For Alicia! Hey hey hey, Alicia!
"No way!" Su Luo closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and with a cold face, she flatly refused.
Luo Mo was taken aback by her refusal. He couldn't comprehend why his employees would reject such a lucrative offer. "Why? Are all my employees so contemptuous of fame and fortune?" he wondered aloud. He glanced at their payroll - the figures were staggering, comparable even to the salaries of some Valkyries. He nodded to himself and sighed deeply. "It seems that I underestimated them too much," he mused aloud, "not being moved by money… very good! Very good spirit! Worthy of commendation!"
"No, boss," Su Luo interjected gently, "it's not for that reason." She knew she had to explain the situation to him - that it wasn't about contempt for wealth or fame but about maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
"Rather, it's because… ," Su Luo began, her voice trailing off into the silence. Her face was a canvas of emotions, each one intricately woven into the next, creating a complex tapestry of helplessness and frustration. The room was heavy with the weight of her words, each syllable echoing with a profound sense of resignation.
"Boss, they already work 12 hours a day," one of her subordinates interjected, his voice laced with concern. The reality of their situation was harsh; their workdays were long and grueling, stretching out endlessly before them.
"How can it be doubled again! If it wasn't for Schicksal super high treatment and explanation to the local government, this kind of work intensity would have been complained about countless times here!" The words tumbled out in a rush, a testament to the mounting pressure they were under.
"Ahaha, is this so!" Luo Mo responded, his laughter ringing hollow in the tense atmosphere. He offered an awkward smile, his eyes darting away from Su Luo's piercing gaze. He bowed his head slightly in deference, "It's because I was too eager, I'm very sorry!"
"It's good to know!" Su Luo replied with a sigh of relief. Despite the circumstances, she found solace in the fact that her boss was sensible enough to engage in a discussion with her.
"Right, if we change the 8 hours of overtime for their vacation to 12 as well…" Luo Mo began, but his sentence was cut short by the sound of the door slamming shut.
Before he could finish his sentence, Luo Mo found himself on the other side of the door, pushed out by Su Luo. The door clanged shut behind him with a resounding "Pa–", leaving him alone in the hallway.
What could possibly be wrong with the boss today? Is he suffering from some kind of serious illness? These questions swirled around in the minds of the employees as they watched Luo Mo's unusual behavior.
Su Luo, on the other hand, was engrossed in the report in front of her. Her eyes scanned over the series of numbers representing the performance of Honkai 3, a game they had recently launched. The numbers were impressive, but they did little to lift her spirits. Her good mood had evaporated, replaced by a sense of disappointment.
She had been eager to share the good news with Luo Mo. The game had been live for less than two days and already it was making waves. The revenue it generated had catapulted it into the top ten games of the week. But there was a catch. If only Luo Mo hadn't insisted on releasing that S-ranked Valkyrie a la carte box, their profits could have been even higher.
A sense of regret washed over Su Luo as she pondered over what could have been. But it wasn't all bad news. The high benefits had attracted a large player base. She was confident that even if they reduced the benefits in the next version, the revenue would still increase.
Meanwhile, Luo Mo stood outside the door, his back against the wall. His face was a mask of desolation as he stared blankly at the door that continued to tremble and make noises behind him.
Why is she doing this to me? He wondered, his mind racing with questions. All he wanted was to speed up the progress of the game. Wasn't that for the good of the company?
He thought back to all the hard work he had put into creating the game and leading the Valkyries to defeat Honkai. It seemed like all his efforts were in vain.
The Crumb Boss, a figure known for his meticulous attention to saving crystals, found himself deep in thought. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations and strategies, each one more complex than the last. He was grappling with a problem that seemed insurmountable - the staff's progress couldn't be accelerated. So, what was the next course of action?
Suddenly, a thought struck him. There was something peculiar about the crystal acquisition message he had received earlier. It hinted at a magical element that he hadn't considered before.
"System, you didn't tell me that the position in the company also affects the collection of emotional value," he said, his voice echoing in the empty room.
[You didn't ask either], came the system's response, its tone neutral.
"Alright then, now I'm asking you," he retorted, "since the boss's emotional value is only 60% of the total emotional value, what about planning?"
[Around 70%], the system replied.
"And screenwriting?"
[Around 85%, can go up to 90% if you affirm full responsibility], it answered.
A moment of silence followed before Luo Mo spoke again. "… System, do you want to change hosts?"
[You, sure? Only if the current host dies can we get to the next one, the system kindly provides comfort…]
"Stop, I know." Luo Mo cut off the system's response. His face was etched with a sad expression and his heart was filled with indignation. The reality of his situation was beginning to sink in.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. The three screenwriters they had hired were not fulfilling their roles at all! How could someone just lie down and earn money without lifting a finger? The thought filled him with envy.
He had always been frugal, but the idea of becoming a screenwriter was tempting. However, it was a decision that required careful consideration. He couldn't just jump into it without thinking.
[You don't love this deeply enough!], the system chimed in, its words echoing in his mind.
"System, you have to understand that when you die, everything is gone!" Luo Mo retorted, his voice heavy with emotion. He was determined to find another way.
An idea suddenly popped into his head. Why not try starting with dubbing? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Once he made up his mind, he was filled with a newfound sense of motivation.
Without wasting any time, he picked up the communicator and started scrolling through the contacts. His eyes landed on an avatar of a little girl with double helix hair - Bronya.
"Bronya, I have a good news, come over!" he said enthusiastically. He then took out the system's reward, the [Diary of a Seele].
"Before Bronya arrives, let me verify the authenticity of this diary," Luo Mo thought to himself, his fingers deftly flipping through the pages of the book.
The diary entry dated 'x month x day' caught his eye. It read,
[After the experiment, I found myself in this strange oceanic place, surrounded by magical little bubbles. Oddly enough, I haven't felt hungry despite not eating for a day. I found this diary here, so I decided to write in it. It's a bit lonely here.]
[A day has passed, or so I think. There's no way to tell time here; no sunrise or sunset. I'm certain Bronya-oneechan will come to rescue me!]
[I've stumbled upon a magical world that mirrors my old one. But the Bronya here doesn't recognize me and seems a bit upset… Oh, how I long to see my Bronya-oneechan!]
[That demon in my body came out, strange? She didn't hurt me and, also, helped me drive away some monsters that came over. Some wanted to talk to her, but she went straight away, and I don't know how to call her. I spoke a few words to myself and she finally spoke back, "Crybaby, stop it, I'm inside you." There was some fear, but some elation, and the emotions were a little strange.]
[She's been coming out more and more, and while she still looks like she's ignoring me, she reveals a very eager and concerned tone when I'm hurt. Unfortunately, after I realized it, she immediately stopped talking and didn't respond to how I called out, strange! Is she shy?]
[Strange? Is she really a demon? But she doesn't mean to hurt me at all.]
[She doesn't seem to hate me? That's great! I have a companion in this world!]
[We're getting more and more familiar with her, and our relationship is getting better, although she still likes to call me a coward and a crybaby, but every time we fight, she always comes out to finish off the enemy quickly, fearing that I'll get hurt again, it's a bit confusing]]
[However, she still hates Bronya-oneechan, I don't know why? Well, it's a bit strange.]
... The latest diary entry doesn't have many words, just.
[Bronya-oneechan, when are you coming over? I miss you so much! You must still remember our promise!]