The Charm of Money

At eight in the morning, employees of Yggdrasil Corporation arrived at the front desk, bleary-eyed and clocking in. Most of them returned to their workstations, ready to slack off.

Then, with a loud "bang," the front door was kicked open. Every gaze snapped toward the entrance, even those who hadn't fully woken up yet.

Mu Fengyu walked in, looking haggard and clutching a stack of documents. His entire being radiated an aura of "I am in a foul mood." His gloomy gaze swept over everyone, giving the impression that he was randomly selecting a lucky individual to fire on the spot.

Those who met his eyes felt a chill, as if brushed by a cold winter wind, and everyone couldn't help but shiver.

They speculated inwardly: he was cheerful when he left yesterday, so how did he end up like this overnight? Had someone offended this shareholder?

Mu Fengyu walked step by step toward the department responsible for designing items. Each of his strides seemed to carry a heavy pressure, making everyone present feel an unprecedented sense of oppression.

The team leader of the design department felt uneasy. She asked cautiously, "Team Leader Mu, what is this..."

Mu Fengyu did not answer. He simply pulled a sheet of paper from the documents in his hand, slammed it onto the table in front of her, and said sternly.

"Get the items on this list into the next version for me."

The team leader hurriedly picked up the paper and glanced at it. It was filled with countless teleports for terrain-return outposts, special items for hidden outposts, and plans to strengthen outpost defenses.

Every single one was aimed at better protecting outposts, showing just how much resentment Mu Fengyu held over having his base raided.

The team leader swallowed hard and said tentatively.

"Team Leader Mu, the new version is about to go live. I'm afraid there isn't enough time. Besides, if these items are released, it will be very disadvantageous for guild players fighting each other."

"This is very unreasonable for the guild wars in the coming versions. If we really launch them, will the other shareholders agree?"

Mu Fengyu glanced at her coldly, a look that seemed to pierce through the soul. He said in a deep voice:

"This is an order, not a negotiation. You only need to do as I ask. I already finished talking with the other shareholders last night."

"Those guys who only know how to collect money don't know a damn thing about games. Wouldn't it be fine to release a few more items that can detect hidden bases later? Wouldn't earning another wave of money be exactly what they want?"

The team leader was stunned by his words. She knew Mu Fengyu's status and influence in the company; his words carried irresistible authority. Yet, she still couldn't help but say worriedly.

"But these changes will have a huge impact on game balance. We can't ignore the players' feelings."

A flash of anger crossed Mu Fengyu's eyes. He slammed the table and shouted.

"My base was raided—isn't that the biggest imbalance of all? I'm doing this to give them a better gaming experience, not to cater to the unreasonable demands of others!"

His voice echoed in the office with unquestionable firmness. The team leader was intimidated by his presence and dared not say anything more, only nodding silently to indicate she would do as he asked.

Mu Fengyu turned and saw everyone lowering their heads, afraid to meet his eyes. Only then did he realize he had been controlled by his emotions. He called out to the team leader, who was preparing to leave.

Calming his restless mood, he bowed deeply in front of everyone and said with a sincere tone.

"I apologize, Team Leader Tengzhai. I was too emotional just now; please forgive me."

Tengzhai was caught off guard by Mu Fengyu's sudden apology. She froze for a moment, then hurriedly waved her hands.

"It's fine, Team Leader Mu. We are all doing this for the company; we just had different opinions."

Mu Fengyu nodded. He knew his loss of control had caused trouble for Team Leader Tengzhai and the other employees. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"I am truly sorry, but please, Team Leader Tengzhai, I need you to help me make these items. I don't want the base that my companions and I carefully created to be destroyed again."

As he spoke, he bowed to the other employees in the design department.

"I'm counting on you all."

Tengzhai hurried forward to help him up. Looking at his earnest eyes, she knew Mu Fengyu was determined to see this through. She nodded and said.

"Very well, Team Leader Mu. We will complete the design and launch of these items as soon as possible according to your requirements, ensuring the game's balance and the players' experience."

The other employees behind her chimed in as well. After all, Mu Fengyu was usually very good to them; they could handle this small, willful request by working a little overtime—even if it meant pulling an all-nighter.

Mu Fengyu thanked everyone one by one and immediately issued a three-month bonus as a token of his appreciation.

After settling the specific matters, Mu Fengyu went on to the finance and data departments. At the finance department, he withdrew a portion of his own dividends, and at the data department, he pulled the personnel list for Tears of Angels.

At first, the staff there refused to release the data, citing the need to prevent the leakage of player information. They only compromised after his threat: "If you can do the job, do it; if you can't, get out. There are plenty of people who want this job."

After all, every person on "Yggdrasil" could only create one account, and the account was bound to the person's real information. This effectively prevented people from creating large numbers of accounts for improper activities like farming rankings, scores, or gold.

However, this also made player information highly sensitive. Ordinary people had no authority to access it, but Mu Fengyu was a shareholder of the company and had sufficient reason to need the data, so he was able to obtain the information smoothly.

He carefully reviewed the personnel list of the Tears of Angels guild, meticulously noting down everyone's information and distinguishing between those who could potentially be bought off and those who would remain loyal to the guild.

The next two days were handled in the style of an overbearing CEO: use money to pave the way and turn them into lackeys; promise high positions and generous salaries to those who comply, and ruin the lives of those who oppose.

Although Mu Fengyu's methods were harsh, they were also very effective.

Under his monetary offensive, many in the Tears of Angels guild began to waver, willing to betray their original guild for higher status and better treatment.

Of course, there were some who firmly rejected his temptations and chose to stick with their guild.

For those who remained loyal, Mu Fengyu did not force them to change their stance; he chose to respect their choice, merely wishing them a quick promotion and doubled bonuses.

As for these unstable factors, Mu Fengyu naturally used his connections to ensure they couldn't log in when he made his move.

Through his efforts, he managed to turn sixty-one members of the hundred-person guild. Although only eleven were high-combat-power players, the others who felt their value was insufficient provided Mu Fengyu with internal information and movements of the Tears of Angels guild.

This information was insignificant to Mu Fengyu. Honestly, with his status as a GM, nothing could stump him. If it weren't for the fact that frequently using unreleased items could affect the game's reputation, he could have wiped out the top ten guilds himself.

After agreeing on a specific time with his inside men, Mu Fengyu went to his office alone and put on his beloved little helmet. Now, he was ready to scout the location and prepare for a solo raid on Tears of Angels.