Are you mentally retarded?

Ten minutes later.

Tang Yao composed herself and returned to the big comic Editorial Department.

Since it was lunchtime, there weren't many people in the Editorial Department.

Ding Yilong was currently sitting at his desk, his expression looking worse than ever.

Standing beside him was another person, about forty years old, wearing thin-rimmed glasses, slender, without the typical middle-aged man's belly or greasy demeanor. Instead, he exuded the awkwardness unique to men in STEM fields.

Tang Yao didn't recognize the man, but judging by his attire and aura, he was unlikely to be an editor. This man's face was also quite grim.

"..."

Tang Yao observed the two of them, furrowed her delicate brows, and vaguely sensed trouble brewing.

She slowly walked over.

The man in the thin-rimmed glasses saw Tang Yao approaching, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes. He seemed surprised that such a person existed in the Editorial Department and immediately turned to Ding Yilong.

As if asking, "Is she an editor?"

Ding Yilong, still with a dark expression, nodded almost imperceptibly.

The man in the thin-rimmed glasses reacted, scrutinized Tang Yao again, and before Ding Yilong could speak, he said, "You're the editor for Girl, Boy, and Sword, right? Hello, I'm Shang Tao, the Director of New Media. I have some things I'd like to understand from you."

His tone was a bit urgent, but not aggressive. On the contrary, he was quite polite.

"Hello... I was the editor for Girl, Boy, and Sword, Tang Yao."

Hearing this, Tang Yao thought of the topic she had just discussed with Miss Li and vaguely guessed what was happening. She introduced herself, deliberately emphasizing the past tense.

"...Was?"

Shang Tao was slightly taken aback by the answer and turned to look at Ding Yilong again.

It was clear he was asking what was going on.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Meanwhile.

Ding Yilong was also anxious, but he maintained a stern face, putting on airs. He slowly picked up the magazine from his desk, flipped to the last page of Girl, Boy, and Sword, and threw it in front of Tang Yao: "This! You wrote this, didn't you? What's going on?"

Tang Yao glanced down and casually replied, "AORI."

"What kind of garbage are you talking!?"

Ding Yilong was clearly dissatisfied with the answer and snapped, "Of course, I know it's AORI! I'm asking what this AORI means! What do you mean by 'malicious collective'? Is it a dream or reality? Since you wrote such an AORI, do you know something? Why did Teacher Ou draw this kind of plot? How will it develop? Explain it to me!"

"?"

Tang Yao heard this, slowly looked up, and then looked at the editor-in-chief in front of her with an expression like she was looking at an idiot. "Explain? Why would he draw this kind of plot? Editor-in-chief, are you an idiot?"

"What did you say?"

Ding Yilong froze for a moment, then the veins on his forehead bulged.

Tang Yao calmly repeated, "I asked, are you an idiot?"

Bang--

Ding Yilong slammed the table, his face contorted with rage. "Have you never learned to respect your superiors? Is this how you talk to your boss!?"

"Did I say something wrong?"

Tang Yao raised her right hand, pointing her index finger at his desk, where the manuscripts for the next issue were piled up.

Since it was a bi-weekly publication, there was more time compared to a weekly one, so many manga artists had drafts saved: "You won't even look down? You're asking me why Teacher Ou drew this plot? The manuscripts appear on your desk every week, and now you're asking me why he drew that plot?

Didn't I mention it to you the day before yesterday? I clearly remember telling you that he was completely drawing whatever he wanted, and how did you reply to me then? ...'Teacher Ou's drawing has problems! Can you understand it better than him!?'

Did you forget? Even if you had asked me at the last moment before printing, I would have answered you seriously, but you're asking me now?

If you're not an idiot, then what are you?"

Ding Yilong looked down at the desk, his expression stiffening. But he quickly recovered, immediately looked up at Tang Yao, and raised his voice, as if trying to use his loudness to appear more reasonable. "...I'm asking you a question! Not for you to shirk responsibility!"

"Shirk responsibility? Are you sure it's me shirking responsibility?"

Tang Yao met his gaze fearlessly. "Why don't you look in the mirror and see your own face? Oh, now that there's a problem, you're asking me to explain, and you're in a hurry to pass the buck. So what were you doing before? Where's your confidence? Where's that attitude of yours where you have everything under control?"

Ding Yilong became even more agitated, his voice louder, his expression more ferocious. "...Am I the superior now! Or are you the superior!?"

"You are the superior."

Meanwhile.

Tang Yao's expression remained unchanged, and she curled her lips. "You're asking me a question, right? Then I'll explain it to you now. I already informed you in advance that Teacher Ou was drawing whatever he wanted, but you ignored it. The subsequent development? I'm sorry, but I'm no longer responsible for that Teacher Ou. Just as you said the day before yesterday, I'm useless, and I'm not worthy of being his responsible editor.

As for that AORI, I was just doing my job, using Teacher Ou's content from this chapter to build anticipation for the next one. It's that simple.

Do you have any other questions? What answer do you want to get? Do you think that sentence, AORI, means I know the subsequent development and can change the current situation? Or do you want me to cry in front of you, admit I was wrong, and admit that this entire incident is my fault?"

Hearing Tang Yao's words.

Ding Yilong's face slowly turned red, as if his thoughts had been exposed. Angrily, he retorted, "Stop beating around the bush! I'm asking about the AORI matter!!"

"Fine, I wrote the AORI."

Tang Yao nodded, then slightly raised her snow-white chin and said, "And then? I've already explained the reasons. What answer do you want now? So what do you need me to do now? Please instruct me, Chief Editor."

"..."

Ding Yilong was stumped. He had rushed to find Tang Yao.

In the end.

He just wanted her to take the blame.

Because the matter was quite serious, the attitude of the Vice President, Zhao Fang Sheng, also made him feel uneasy.

Although he said they would use AORI to appease the readers, he had no idea how to appease them or what the subsequent development of "Girls and Girls and Swords" would be.

This was when the responsible editor should bear the responsibility.

Regardless of whether the other party had the ability, as long as they bowed down to him and said sorry, he could legitimately pass the buck.

Whether the situation could be salvaged afterward would be none of his business. At least the main problem wouldn't be his fault. After all, the Manga Artist was managed by the editors below, and AORI was also written by the editors below. He was, at most, negligent in supervision.

However, he hadn't expected that Tang Yao would show no fear and no mercy when such a thing happened, directly throwing the problem back at him.

She was even more aggressive than he was.

His face turned from pale to flushed. His long-held anger and dissatisfaction, mixed with shame and indignation, erupted instantly: "Isn't this your problem!? What kind of attitude is this!! Take responsibility!!"

"My problem? Responsibility?"

Tang Yao looked at Ding Yilong as if he were trash and said coldly, "I went four times a week, trying my best to change Teacher Ou's mind. I told you twice during that period to contact him yourself, but the first time you completely disregarded it! The second time, you directly called me useless and said I was harassing him. Now you want me to take responsibility? Now you want me to be responsible? Do you think you're worthy?

What were you doing before? Why did Ou Congquan draw such a plot? You know perfectly well, don't you? Oh, no, you don't know, because you arrogant idiot... you haven't even seen the original manuscript!

Now that there's a problem, you know how to shift the blame. Just because of AORI, you think I have a solution? You think I'll take responsibility? I'm telling you now! That's your responsibility! I can't do anything! I tried my best last week. Tell me what you want me to do now, and I'll do as you say.

But can you, a pretentious idiot, say it? Can you come up with a feasible plan?"

Ding Yilong's eyes widened like copper bells, and he suddenly stood up.

BANG--

In his haste, his obese body slammed into the desk, creating a loud noise that drew the attention of the few editors in the office.

Tang Yao was fearless. She took a step forward and looked him straight in the eye: "Speak, what do you want me to do? After this happened, besides shifting the blame, have you thought about how to solve the problem? Before coming to me, did you personally contact Ou Congquan? Did you have any ideas for solving the problem in your mind?"

Ding Yilong gasped for breath, seemingly enraged, and roared, "I'm asking you!!!"

"I'm asking you now!!"

Tang Yao placed her hands on the desk, leaned forward slightly, stared intently at the chief editor in front of her, and shouted, "I wrote AORI! So what? Don't tell me that just because I wrote AORI, you think I have a solution. I don't. What do you want me to do now!"

"You, you go and contact Teacher Ou!"

Ding Yilong met Tang Yao's cold gaze, furious, but even so, he stammered and couldn't articulate anything coherent.

"And then?"

Tang Yao pressed, "Do you know how far the plot has developed? Do you know why he drew such a plot? Do you know what he's thinking? Have you thought about how to change his mind? Have you read--Ou Congquan's manga?"

"..."

Ding Yilong opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.

"Can you say anything other than shifting the blame? As the chief editor, you don't even look at the original manuscripts, you only care about sales day in and day out, you don't understand your important authors, you don't listen to the suggestions of the editors below, and you don't consider the feelings of the readers who buy the magazine every week."

A mocking expression appeared on Tang Yao's porcelain-white, stunning face. "Before problems arise, you put on airs, with an arrogant and disgusting attitude. When problems occur, you're helpless and your first instinct is to make someone else take the fall. You can't even come up with a feasible rescue plan. Look at the nameplate on your desk, do you think you're worthy of being chief editor?"

Saying this.

She moved her hands away and straightened up again. "You're nothing but a dog! Useless!"

With that.

She turned around.

Ding Yilong's breathing hitched. Looking at Tang Yao's retreating back, his eyes widened sharply, feeling blood rush to his head, and his face instantly turned crimson.