Three Stinkers, One Stench

Indeed, the people Gu Sheng wanted to recruit were his two "adopted sons" from the same dorm—Lu Bian and Xu Dajiang.

Originally, Binjiang University's dormitories housed four students each.

But for various reasons, when it came to Gu Sheng's dorm, they happened to be one person short, making their room somewhat unusual, with only three residents.

When Gu Sheng had transmigrated, it had been the start of freshman year. It could be said that these two were the first friends he had made after coming to this Parallel World.

That emotional foundation was very important.

Moreover, the three of them got along well and often got up to no good together. Over time, they became an unshakable Iron Triangle.

Lu Bian was the second roommate. When Gu Sheng first heard his name, he had nearly laughed himself into the ICU.

There was no other reason—it was simply too virility-boosting.

Second Brother's name suited him well. Although his looks were average, he changed girlfriends as easily as drinking water. It was unbelievably impressive and utterly baffling.

But that was not even his most impressive trait. His attainments in programming were not to be underestimated.

Especially when it came to learning and mastering cutting-edge game engines and programming languages, he was even faster than he was at changing girlfriends. He could even draw inferences from one example to another—a rare genius programmer who did not go bald.

As for the third roommate, Xu Dajiang, he was a Ludong Big Man, six foot one, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted. Honest and simple by nature, he was often the target of Gu Sheng and Lu Bian's instigation.

If the three of them were described as wolves and jackals in cahoots, then Gu Sheng and Lu Bian were the crafty jackals full of wild ideas, while Xu Dajiang was the wolf who tirelessly carried the two of them around as they caused trouble everywhere.

However.

Despite Xu Dajiang's honest, rough appearance, he was actually quite refined beneath the surface.

Xu Dajiang had started studying art at the age of ten. His talent for color and composition far surpassed that of ordinary people, and after coming into contact with game art, he had displayed astonishing artistic sensibility.

Especially his side gig—his 3D modeling might not have been top-tier, but it was enough to say that this time, not taking off was simply impossible.

A classic Zhang Fei Embroidery Type.

As someone with extensive experience in the game industry from his previous life, Gu Sheng had long since recognized the potential of these two.

They merely lacked experience, but their foundations were absolutely first-rate.

Besides, the three had been classmates for three years and had extraordinary tacit understanding. They would definitely work together more smoothly than newly recruited people.

"So... your two friends... are students too?"

After listening to Gu Sheng, Chu Qingzhou looked troubled.

Please spare the company, okay?

Now that the company already has a college student like you acting as game director, things are absurd enough.

Yes, the Mario Bros. you developed recouped its costs in just twenty-four hours and has now begun turning a profit. It is a miracle, truly impressive.

But this company cannot possibly have no seasoned veterans at all, can it?

The director is a college student, the Lead Artist is a college student, the Lead Programmer is a college student, and even the damn president is a college student.

Are we some kind of college student startup incubator?

Isn't this a little too ridiculous?!

However!

Shen Miaomiao's eyes lit up when she heard that!

That was right!

She had been so focused on figuring out how to raise employee salaries that she had overlooked the quality of the recruits!

If Chu Qingzhou really recruited a group of top industry professionals as she had suggested, the salary investment would indeed rise—but at the same time, wouldn't the quality of the games rise accordingly?

Gu Sheng's future ideas, no matter how stupid, might even be polished into excellent games by those experienced employees!

That would not do!

The higher the salaries and the higher the quality, the less likely they were to lose money!

That was the last thing Shen Miaomiao wanted to see.

It would be better to follow Gu Sheng's suggestion and recruit a few equally foolish yet innocent college students to form an Idiot Development Team with him.

No idea was too ridiculous, no investment was too expensive—they just had to lose money like crazy!

I, Wang Duoyu, am investing in this project!!!

"Mmm—okay!!!"

Shen Miaomiao nodded repeatedly.

"Director Gu's idea is great,"

"Build an elite game development team that belongs to us. While ensuring stable game quality, we can also protect our future trade secrets to the greatest extent possible from being leaked!"

"Director Gu has thought this through well. This is a great proposal!"

Beside them, Chu Qingzhou was already speechless.

Right now, she wanted nothing more than to put an extra-long watermelon strip over her head and write: "Can anyone relate? My boss is getting better and better at lying with her eyes open..."

Trade secrets?

What trade secrets do we fucking have?!

That stupid-looking cat with its mocking grin?

Or this dumbass game that sounds like complete garbage, where two players play a father and son dancing at the gates of King Yama's court?

What secrets do we even have that other companies would want to spy on?!

Are you afraid that people from other companies will laugh themselves to death after seeing our design documents, then make us take responsibility?

Watching the two nod and smile at each other in an atmosphere of harmony, Chu Qingzhou slowly leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

Destroy it all. She was tired.

And so!

Gu Sheng and Shen Miaomiao reached a unified decision on recruitment.

As game director, Gu Sheng would be responsible for recruiting his two idiot best friends into Golden Wind.

As for their salaries, Shen Miaomiao offered them lavish annual packages based on the highest pay standards for newcomers in the gaming industry.

Lu Bian, who would serve as Lead Programmer, would receive an annual salary of 300,000; Xu Dajiang, who would serve as Lead Artist, would receive 260,000.

Adding Gu Sheng's annual salary of 500,000, the three of them alone would cost a full million a year in salaries!

It was not as though Chu Qingzhou had never seen money before.

When she had previously worked as a secretary under Shen Miaomiao's father, those venture capital broker teams often earned annual salaries of one million per person, and some could make five or six million with commissions included.

But now!

She still felt that the annual salaries Shen Miaomiao had offered the Idiot Development Team were a little too outrageous!

What she did not know was that although a million in annual salaries seemed like a lot—

In reality, as long as Shen Miaomiao lost 100,000, she could earn the combined annual pay of all three of them overnight!

That was the power of the system!

As long as these three sleeping dragons and young phoenixes could lose money for her, forget a mere million in annual salaries.

Even annual salaries of five million, on par with top venture capital brokers, would not make Shen Miaomiao so much as blink!

"Then it's settled, Director Gu."

A hopeful smile once again spread across Shen Miaomiao's face.

Woohoo!

Two more fools are joining the company!

Three fools, plus an absurd game proposal.

Hehe.

This time, it would probably be hard for her to make money even if she wanted to!

It was no exaggeration to say that even if Gu Sheng and the others got lucky again, and their game was discovered by streamers again, she would not have to worry about it becoming a hit.

After all, even dumb luck required a certain level of game quality.

I, Shen Miaomiao, admit that your Mario Bros. was indeed pretty good.

But this ends here!

With two fools holding you back, no matter how brilliant your ideas may be, they will be ruthlessly snuffed out!

This was called—three stinkers, one stench!

Meeting adjourned!

Time to lose money!!!