The sixth and seventh floors of Northstar Games were now buzzing with life.
With the rapid expansion of staff, the company had officially entered a new phase. Several new departments had been established in quick succession: a graphic design team, a core programming team, an operations team, a research unit, and even a dedicated customer service department—something Northstar had never bothered with before.
Everything was finally running on proper rails.
And this made Vivian Frost so happy that her smile almost disappeared into her face.
---
The Boss on "Inspection Duty"
Dressed in a crisp gray blazer and tailored black trousers, Vivian looked every bit like a capable businesswoman. She walked with confidence, posture straight, expression bright.
Unfortunately, what she was doing had absolutely nothing to do with professional management.
She was wandering.
From desk to desk.
From team to team.
From one corner of the floor to the other.
Just looking.
This alone was enough to terrify the new hires.
After all, every single one of them had been personally interviewed by Vivian Frost. Only after passing her screening were they sent onward to Ethan Reed and Daniel for final selection.
In other words—
This woman was their boss.
And when the boss stared at you in silence?
Of course you'd panic.
The new employees sat stiffly, afraid to move, terrified of making a mistake. The veteran employees, on the other hand, were completely unfazed. They had long since gotten used to this strange ritual.
---
A Workplace That Makes People Want to Work
On the sixth floor, Leo Hart—now the team leader of a seven-person group assigned to Animal Party—was seated in the northeast corner.
When he noticed Vivian walking by with her arms crossed like an inspector general, he immediately stood up and greeted her with a smile.
"Good afternoon, boss."
"Mm, good afternoon," Vivian replied with a dignified nod. She waved her hand casually. "Back to work."
"Yes, boss."
Leo sat down obediently, completely relaxed.
He had been at Northstar Games for nearly a year now and knew Vivian's personality inside and out.
To put it simply:
Vivian Frost was the best boss he had ever seen.
Leo was a fresh graduate. Northstar was his first job.
And he had already decided—
he wanted to work here for life.
Where else could you find a boss like this?
Generous.
Beautiful.
Friendly.
Energetic.
She brought snacks. She handed out red envelopes. She treated employees like people, not tools.
Nothing like the horror stories seniors told about game companies chewing people up like factory livestock.
In such a high-salary, high-benefit, low-pressure environment—where all you really had to do was listen to Ethan Reed—long-time employees had developed terrifying loyalty.
Reject involution?
No.
They were voluntarily engaging in ultra-high-intensity involution.
Because with treatment like this, if you didn't work hard, were you even human?
---
Veterans and Newcomers
Leo smiled, put on his headphones, and calmly resumed modeling the new Animal Party map.
Under the solemn, anxious gazes of the new employees, he worked as if nothing were wrong.
Throughout the sixth floor, other veteran employees—now team leaders—also greeted Vivian one after another.
No tension.
No fear.
Just familiarity.
After finishing her "inspection tour," Vivian happily returned to the seventh floor.
---
A Clash on the Seventh Floor
The elevator doors opened.
Vivian immediately ran into Ethan Reed, who was in the middle of giving instructions to Daniel.
When Ethan saw Vivian step out, looking smug and self-satisfied, he rolled his eyes.
"Back from patrol again, Captain Security?"
"What do you mean patrol?!" Vivian instantly exploded. "That sounds awful! I'm not a security guard!"
She had been in a great mood.
Then Ethan opened his mouth.
Instant emotional damage.
Ethan only ever treated her like an idiot when they were alone—except when he needed money.
---
Bad News… or Good News?
"Come here," Ethan said, beckoning her over like a pet. "I've got something to tell you."
Daniel stood respectfully to the side and smiled.
"Hello, boss."
Vivian nodded, then walked up to Ethan and looked up at him.
"What is it?"
"StarForge Entertainment contacted me," Ethan said calmly. "They want the film and television adaptation rights for Neon Blade: Echoes of Lumen. Flat offer. Twenty million."
---
Money Detected
"Twenty million?!"
Vivian's eyes instantly lit up like she'd seen a divine revelation.
Her hand moved on its own—
grabbing Ethan's arm.
It was a reflex. A passive skill.
This wasn't Ethan's personal money. The IP belonged to Northstar Games, which meant she got a cut.
Even if the money would eventually flow back into development, even if her savings had never stayed stable—
Who doesn't like seeing the number go up?
Is there anything more important than money?
No.
Absolutely not.
---
A Reality Check
"You money-grubber," Ethan said, exasperated, flicking her forehead away.
Was twenty million high?
Yes.
Very high.
Absurdly high.
It was already half of the entire development budget.
And this was an IP that hadn't even fully matured yet.
If news got out, the industry would explode.
StarForge's boldness was real—and so was their vision.
But Ethan also knew something else.
The potential of Neon Blade was far greater than it currently appeared.
Film and television rights for top-tier IPs could reach astronomical numbers.
If Northstar let the IP ferment a little longer—
More discussion.
More emotional attachment.
More cultural weight.
The price would rise.
Even more so if Northstar eventually produced its own adaptations.
Selling episodes to platforms?
Five million per episode?
Six million?
Not unrealistic.
But—
IP cultivation took time.
And time was expensive.
---
Ethan's Dilemma
Ethan was conflicted.
Selling now meant guaranteed money, guaranteed exposure, and guaranteed player conversion.
Not selling meant long-term control—and greater risk.
The system backing him made everything easier.
Resources.
Music.
Visual assets.
Convenient.
But twenty million?
Still not enough.
---
Brains vs. Wallet
"You think twenty million is enough?" Ethan asked.
"Uh… isn't it?" Vivian blinked, genuinely confused.
Ethan sighed.
"Forget it. I was going to let you handle negotiations, but after seeing this reaction, I'll talk to them myself."
This could not be entrusted to Vivian.
She loved money—but had no sense of its scale.
Twenty million was a lot.
But not enough for something that could reshape the domestic fantasy genre.
And if StarForge saw the value—
Others would too.
Good scripts were rare.
Ethan Reed was planning ten steps ahead.
As for the boss?
A clear-eyed fish.
No brains at all.
---
Aftermath
"Oh… oh."
Vivian nodded at first, trusting Ethan completely.
Then it hit her.
"Wait—are you complaining about me again?!"
"No," Ethan replied calmly. "How could I dare disrespect my boss? I'm just worried you're tired. You've been patrolling all day. Copyright negotiations are exhausting."
Daniel nodded seriously behind them.
Perfectly reasonable.
Vivian chased after Ethan, punching his back.
"Come back here and explain yourself!"
Ethan didn't stop walking.
Behind them, Daniel watched with a gentle, almost maternal smile.
Downstairs, veteran employees exchanged knowing looks.
Yep.
They'd seen it again today.
Ethan Reed and Vivian Frost—being absurdly close as always.
Northstar Games was truly thriving.
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