New Issue of Big Comic

Tang Yao, although she'd been subjected to a round of sarcastic remarks, didn't actually care much.

This was because she knew her superior placed a lot of importance on so-called 'leader's dignity.' Just as his understanding of the job of an editor was sales-driven, his demands on his subordinates were surprisingly pure: obey, be loyal, and respect him.

Compared to that, actual work ability was secondary.

While it sounded a bit ridiculous, this was actually a common situation. Tang Yao had encountered people like this before in her past life.

This was mainly because the superior's own abilities weren't strong enough, coupled with a narrow mindset and extreme jealousy. Thus, his fragile and incompetent vanity would particularly despise subordinates who were more capable than him and dared to talk back. He would ostracize you, using every implied method to tell you that you were nothing special.

If you made a mistake, he would go to any lengths to belittle you.

Honestly, such traits could be somewhat understandable in a boss, but it was just tiresome when they appeared in the editor-in-chief of an editorial department.

Tang Yao also knew that as long as she didn't back down for a single day, no matter how brilliantly she performed, nothing would improve.

However, the thought of compromising herself had never even crossed her mind.

Because there was no need.

She had already made up her mind to resign.

Regardless of whether she secured the investment.

Even if she couldn't get the investment and had to go draw comics, she was still going to resign, so there was no need to care anymore.

The only reason she was still here now was to meet with Miss Li properly and confirm her future path.

Now that she had resolved the knots in her heart from her past life and could pick up her paintbrush again, she didn't even care about the year-end bonus anymore...

In a way, she wasn't exactly loyal.

"Are you okay?"

Returning to her seat.

As soon as Kang Ming sat down, he glanced worriedly at Tang Yao beside him.

Tang Yao casually replied, "I'm fine. How does that saying go? The money you get every month isn't salary, but compensation for emotional distress. It's not without reason."

"What about the manga award matter..."

Although Kang Ming hadn't been here long, less than two days in total, he had still managed to piece together the cause and effect from Editor Ding's words.

Tang Yao shook her head, "No problem. Although, as the editor-in-chief said, I'm an unfashionable editor and the other party is a third-rate painter, I personally have quite a lot of confidence."

"I don't quite feel that way."

Kang Ming looked at Tang Yao's profile. Even though they hadn't known each other for long, his intuition told him that this girl, despite being worthless in the editor-in-chief's eyes... the reality was definitely not that.

"Then please look forward to it. You can just check the website yourself then."

Tang Yao smiled at his words and casually added, "Ultimately, whether one is fashionable or not is up to the readers. Thank you for your concern, but... I'm actually planning to resign, so I really didn't take Editor Ding's words to heart."

"Huh!?"

Kang Ming was stunned upon hearing this, his face quickly shifting from curiosity to shock.

He had never heard of such a thing.

"Because I want to do something else."

Seeing Kang Ming's shocked expression, Tang Yao hesitated for a moment. Considering it might be too much for him to accept if she actually got the investment, she decided to prepare him mentally first. "The date isn't set yet, but I will definitely leave."

"..."

Kang Ming finally recovered from his shock. Although it felt very sudden, he still asked, "So, are you planning to..."

Tang Yao turned her head and chuckled lightly, "Make games. I initially wanted to make a mobile game, can you believe it?"

"..."

Kang Ming looked at the manuscript in Tang Yao's hands, then at the enchanting smile that appeared on her face, and became even more confused.

Wait.

This is related?

This isn't related at all, is it?

Is this a joke?

But before he could figure it out, Tang Yao was already buried in her work.

Kang Ming felt it was awkward to ask further.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Tang Yao looked at the storyboards she had completed yesterday and at Teacher Ou's latest masterpiece... She shook her head gently.

The latest issue of big comic was about to be released soon.

Ou Congquan had ultimately gone his own way. Thinking of those readers full of anticipation, rushing to buy the magazine.

And then seeing this kind of plot... they were truly pitiful.

Although the manga award is important.

But the magazine's release will not be affected in any way.

As time passed, the final proofreading of the manga was completed, and after the magazine was confirmed to be error-free, it was immediately handed over to the printing factory, ready for printing.

Soon, the rumbling sound of the printing factory starting up echoed throughout the entire factory area.

And then, on Thursday.

The new issue of big comic was rolled out, appearing on time in bookstores and various retail outlets.

Tang Yao bought a copy from a magazine stand on her way to work.

Even though she knew what would be serialized this week, and she wasn't interested in Girl, Boy, and Sword, which was a pillar of the magazine, she certainly wasn't interested in other manga either.

But she still bought it. The main reason was that in her previous life, when she was young, she could still occasionally see magazine stands, like near some subway exits.

However, as time went on, such things as magazine stands became fewer and fewer.

Not to mention the rapidly disappearing traditional bookstores.

She herself hadn't experienced the flourishing cultural boom of the eighties; by the time she was born, the first wave of killers that would decimate bookstores, online bookstores and e-readers, had already emerged.

If anything, this place was almost entering the era of mobile internet. The fact that traditional bookstores hadn't died out on a large scale yet was the most unbelievable thing.

It could only be a parallel world.

It was precisely out of a sense of nostalgia that she went to buy the latest issue of big comic.

Unexpectedly, quite a few people were buying it. Although most of them were buying the top-selling manga magazine, looking at the stacks of books at the magazine stand, big comic, which had always ranked fourth, had actually sold two-thirds of its copies by early morning.

"Does this issue have Girl, Boy, and Sword?"

"Of course! It's at its most exciting part! The mastermind behind it is a loli! She's about to go to war with the male lead! I've been looking forward to it for half a year! This arc is finally reaching its climax."

"Yeah, I wonder what kind of art Give It Your All-sensei will draw this issue!"

"Looking forward to it!"

"..."

While Tang Yao was buying the magazine.

Several young readers, judging by their appearance, picked up the latest issue of big comic while discussing animatedly.

They must be students?

Tang Yao couldn't quite tell, but she did overhear their conversation.

She shook her head slightly, then remained silent for a moment before turning to head to the company.

Ten minutes later.

Tang Yao arrived at her workstation, placed the magazine she bought on the desk, and sat down to flip through it.

After a quick skim.

She tossed the magazine aside, rubbed her temples, and felt a sense of unease for some reason.

Especially when she recalled the excited words of those readers just now.

It made her even more agitated.

Tang Yao thought for a moment, woke up her computer, and opened the website for the 'Wenxin Manga Award' to distract herself.

The website wasn't actually called 'Wenxin Manga Award,' but rather—Wenxin Online.

Although the manga award hadn't started yet, the website had already been set up. It even had a mascot character, and the current main page displayed information related to this first 'Wenxin Manga Award.'

According to the process.

Once the manga award opened, all submissions would be displayed on the website.

After the manga award, the website would officially open for free submissions. The entries for the manga award would become the first batch of works on the website, serving as a kind of seed.

Tang Yao opened the website precisely to confirm the submission process for this manga award.

After all, she wasn't going through the special invitation channel for manga artists...

Overall, the submission process for the manga award wasn't complicated. The company seemed to value this website quite a bit. In addition to specially invited manga artists, they also accepted recommendations from editors.

That made things easier.

Tang Yao closed the page, then searched for a bit and found the short story titled Uzumaki, and began preparing the digital file.

However, before that, she needed to confirm one thing: did the manga artist have to use their real name?

No.

As soon as the thought popped into her head, Tang Yao shook her head, rejecting the idea.

It wasn't her own work, and it felt like it would cause a lot of trouble.

Using Junji Ito's name wouldn't work either.

Because she planned to upload other works under the same pseudonym later.

Hmm... then she'd just pick a random name. It was just a codename anyway.

"Let's just call it... Third-rate Painter."

Tang Yao thought for a moment and casually confirmed the name.

After all, in this world, the people who drew these comics, she herself, were indeed not mainstream.

Now that the name was confirmed, the next step was to finish the manuscript and then transfer it into an electronic file.

As for the cover, that had been finished yesterday too.

Tang Yao busied herself again.

And about twenty minutes later.

Tang Yao was getting into the groove, and at the same time, Kang Ming, who had been assigned to the workstation next to hers, arrived.

Hearing footsteps, Tang Yao glanced over and saw that the new recruit was also holding a copy of the latest issue of Big Comic... but for some reason, he looked extremely listless, as if he had gone grave-robbing late at night, fought desperately with another group of tomb raiders, and barely made it to work on time.

What had he been up to?