Croft walked over, pulled up a chair, and sat down.
–I’ll cut to the chase. This time, I’ll authorize you to use my philosophy for free.–
–Oh?– Huan Bao’er’s eyes narrowed.
–But… well…– Croft glanced at Gong Huanwu. –I mentioned it to Officer Gong this morning. Looks like he hasn’t told you yet.–
Hearing that –but,– Huan Bao’er knew there had to be a catch. She looked at Gong Huanwu.
The man leaned close and whispered something in her ear for a while.
–I’m afraid that goes against the principles our Starlight Illusion upholds.–
On hearing her words, Croft let out a sneer and sprang up from his chair.
He walked to the table, picked up a –Group Leader Credential– formed from refracted light, and tossed it in front of Huan Bao’er.
–This is part of the detailed design framework for my exclusive Demon Hero Hall. I’ll give you another ten days. Combine it with the guidance from that so-called young man of yours, and deliver it to me as soon as possible.–
He paused at the door and cast a look back at the two inside the room.
–Philosophy or no philosophy, whether it works or not is still up in the air. Now get to work, youngsters.–
Bang! The door slammed shut.
After a brief wait, Huan Bao’er reached out and touched the translucent, gleaming Group Leader Credential.
–Wants to earn Chronos, and put on airs at the same time.–
–But at least he’s bending.–
Gong Huanwu looked at Huan Bao’er. –Still, sending this now—maybe he’s trying to throw Yuwen Haowen off his game.–
–After all, it is the work of an outstanding master. I hope Yu Wenhao can draw some inspiration from it. This is also what we promised him.-
……
The night was still. Inside the luxuriously decorated room.
Yu Wenhao stared at all the notes of Executive Croft before him and the project embedded within the –Team Leader Credential- in his hand, his mind reeling.
Three days later, a haggard Yu Wenhao arrived at Huan Bao’er’s office.
–I’m sorry, Lord Huan Bao’er. I…-
–What about you?-
The young man raised his shamefilled face: –I want to give up this side job. I’m simply not qualified.-
Huan Bao’er’s finger, which had been gently tapping the desk, came to a stop.
–It can’t be that bad. You are an outstanding young talent. Your name will definitely be among the future designers of the Demon Hero Hall. Go back and continue your instruction work.-
–You haven’t designed an Arena City… Of course, this is not your direction of development, so you don’t understand what it really means.-
He held up the blueprint in his hand.
–Compared to Lord Croft’s design, mine is merely a row of common houses in front of the imperial palace. If I continue to instruct the newcomers, I’ll be leading them astray. I cannot do such a despicable thing!-
He looked at the Director-General with earnest eyes.
–Let Lord Croft guide them. I am willing to become his student. Or, I could join your team and design alongside you.-
Huan Bao’er’s eyes narrowed.
–This old bastard, pulling this kind of trick on a youngster.-
–You go back and finish the work at hand first. After all, there are still seven days until his assessment. Whether it works out or not, we’ll discuss it then.-
–I… okay. But you really need to seriously consider this—the Arena City is no joke.-
……
Yang Zicang, shuttling through the constantly shifting mental wavebands, uses the –Power of Mental Manifestation- to alter the texture of each waveband that Ding Jiaojie, Zoro, and the others have stabilized, repairing the gaps and eliminating their eerie, terrifying aura.
Finally, as needed, he leverages the immense energy provided by the Lost Mirage Company to extend the voids between scenes, transforming them into completely new, refreshed venues.
This is the work of the Action Department’s Cleanup Team.
{Zicang, move the foundation beneath your feet to Suspension No. 4, position marked North No. 5.}
[Okay.]
With a thought from Yang Zicang, the mass of mental field retracted and appeared on his palm.
Golden threads floated on his black employee card, spreading like star tracks, and then, in the form of a psychic body, he moved to the location specified by Jiao Ma.
The mental fields unfolded from these out-of-frequency wavebands resemble fragmented drafts of a painting. Like a restorer of cultural relics, he refreshes them, alters their time and space, and displays a new lease on life in a different form.
In the pure psychic field reminiscent of a starry sky, hundreds of scenes of varying sizes are shifted left, right, up, and down, with one or two figures busy in each scene.
{Everyone, keep it up—we absolutely cannot disgrace Starlight Mirage.}
As everyone worked, the outline of a large building gradually emerged on the table.
{You should say that to Group Leader Yuwen Haowen.}
……
Yuwen Haowen brought today’s design to Croft’s residence.
–Is this your design?-
–Teacher, do you think it can meet the minimum standard?-
–Minimum standard? Are you trying to destroy my lifelong reputation here! All my Magic Hall works are super-perfect!-
Yuwen Haowen bowed his head in shame.
–Forget it, I’ll go teach them a lesson.-
Just as the weirdo rushed into the major groups like a little follower alongside Yuwen Haowen to offer revision suggestions, Huan Bao’er had already learned of his latest move.
–That old guy, why is he so diligent today?-
–I think he intends to stay on and continue guiding. After all, Yuwen Haowen actually got the framework done in ten days. That proves his strength.-
Gong Huanwu looked at Huan Bao’er:
–If it’s now, about the proposal he made earlier—should we agree?-
–I’ve discussed it with Yao Shuling. He is, after all, a master who designed three high-rated Magic Halls. With his help, we’re at least set for this mission.-
Huan Bao’er compromised with a sigh and said:
–Let’s go along with him. Converted, it’s about several hundred thousand Virtual Zero Chronos. Not too much.-
–Great, I’ll go notify him right away.-
Gong Huanwu left happily, waiting for Croft to finish his tour of the major production groups.
The elegant door slowly opened a crack.
Crovet stepped out through the gap, followed by Yuwen Haowen, who carried a document bag.
The strange man casually glanced up at Gong Huanwu, who had been waiting for a long time.
–You need something from me?-
–Yes, Executive Crovet,- Gong Huanwu said happily. –The virtual zero Chronos allocation plan you proposed earlier has been approved by Director-General Huan Bao’er from the company.-
–Wow, that’s incomprehensibly good news.-
After saying that in a mocking tone, Crovet turned to look at Yuwen Haowen:
–Go back to the team. I’ll give you a month to continue leading and perfecting this project. Then I’ll provide the final assessment.-
–Yes, respected Teacher Crovet. Also, thank you for staying.-
Gong Huanwu’s eyelids twitched as he watched the young man return to the room with a delighted expression.
With one hand behind his back and the other holding a leather bag, the strange man handed the bag to Gong Huanwu.
–Here, you carry it for me.-
……
Before they knew it, two and a half months had passed since Yang Zicang joined the Special Action Team of the Demon Hero Hall, and it was now well into November outside.
At that moment, the more than 370 people were greatly encouraged to see that they had actually designed a large, semi-original framework for an arena city.
Although there were still many details to fill in, it really depended more on how the Council allocated resources from the Old World.
Their job was simply to use mental power to mark the approximate strength of the monsters and examiners needed.
–From now on, our résumés will have a bold, memorable stroke.-
Everyone gathered, buzzing with chatter in a slightly larger office.
–Everyone, find a seat and sit down.-
Yuwen Haowen ran in from the door and raised his hand to say:
–The esteemed Master Croft is about to arrive! Sit down quickly.-
This executive officer from the Path of Fate, each time he arrives, brings tension to the otherwise harmonious atmosphere.
Yang Zicang, Zorro, Ding Jiejie, and others sat down nervously.
–We’re going to get chewed out again,- Wang Dingshan said with a chuckle.
Jiao Ma shot him a glare.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
Leather shoes struck the vintage floor tiles, producing crisp sounds.
With a sharp nose and prominent brows, like a green-faced demon in a black suit, the officer strode in through the door.
Every time Croft arrived, his critiques were razor-sharp, carving deep into the heart of the matter like a knife.
Although his words were harsh, they indeed pushed the creation of the Magic Hero Hall up another level each time.
Everyone in the room hardly dared to breathe.
They had gone from initially resenting him to now being fully accustomed to it.
–Come on, first show me each of your individual results. Move it, quick, get a move on—don’t be a radio that only knows how to listen to frequencies.-
Surprisingly, he wasn’t going to inspect the finished product of the Magic Hero Hall first.
Yuwen Haowen ran to the front and waved his hand, saying:
–Everyone, seize the moment! The master will give comments to each one of you. Hurry, this is a precious opportunity you won’t encounter in ten lifetimes!-
The crowd was in an uproar. There were over three hundred people here, and he actually intended to comment on every single project each person had handled.
Yang Zicang and Jiao Ma exchanged a glance. Like a student being spot-checked by a teacher, she frowned and began to outline a red circle on her chest.
A broken line flickered, and soon the scenes she had handled were displayed through the –Right of Mental Manifestation.-
Everyone was doing the same actions.
The Moxel on Yang Zicang’s chest flickered, and the small scenes in front of him were especially numerous.
Because he was from the Action Group of the First Cleanup Department, his employee card was a special item, and moreover, he was a quadrilateral, so the mental wavebands and force fields he had handled were countless.
Wang Dingshan turned his head in shock and said, –Wow, the capable ones do more work. I didn’t expect you had so much work.-
The scenes in front of him were already three times more than an ordinary person’s, but Yang Zicang’s were at least two times more than his own.
Yang Zicang shrugged.
Miniature scenes overlapped and floated in the crowded workspace before him.
Ding Jiaojie’s gaze also sparkled with colorful light. Jiao Ma saw so many small illusions in front of Yang Zicang and smiled reluctantly.
Suddenly, a figure of Croft appeared beside him.
–A psychic body!-
Yang Zicang saw at a glance that this person, who looked so real, was actually a psychic body. His psychic body was incredibly strong, almost tangible.
The young man’s eyes flickered as he looked into the large office, where dozens of Croft’s telekinetic projections materialized simultaneously.
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