Chapter 69
When Fang Yi arrived at the company, Zong Heng was already sitting in front of her computer, her brow furrowed, and in the bitter aroma of coffee, she wore a sour face as if the whole world owed her eight million.
Fang Yi pushed the door open, sat down, and saw Zong Heng lean back slightly, letting out a very annoyed “tsk.”
This was also a way of greeting.
“Senior Zong Heng, morning.”
Zong Heng raised her chin, her gaze not looking over. “A batch of new people has arrived. The information is on the table. Pick some to expand the team.”
“Me?” Fang Yi pointed to herself. “Isn’t Sister ZERO leading them? I don’t need to, right?”
“How absurd,” Zong Heng sneered. “No team spirit, no emergency plan. Your free and undisciplined attitude will sooner or later drag everyone down.”
A hint of sarcasm appeared on her lips. “Your grand ambition, are you planning to complete it all by yourself?”
Fang Yi looked at her calmly. “Aren’t you here too, Senior Zong Heng?”
She said it so matter-of-factly, so sincerely, that Zong Heng was a little stunned for a moment, and her indifferent face was tinged with a bit of shame and anger:
“…That’s not what I’m talking about!”
“Then what is it? What can be divided has already been divided. Only I can do the remaining core modules.”
Zong Heng stared at her coldly. “Late, leaving early, suddenly disappearing. You mean to say that you’re going to bet the heart of the project on a single person like you?”
“It won’t happen again,” Fang Yi paused. “My personal matters have stabilized.”
Zong Heng: “Do I have to spell it out for you? You can’t do it alone. I’ve talked to ZERO about your plan. Four years, it’s impossible to reach that scale. They’re all too easy on you, which has given you some arrogant misconceptions.”
“You’re very smart, so what? There are no fools in this building. You can go through the information on the table and see which of these ‘newcomers’ has worse qualifications than you.”
The System screened the key points and shouted excitedly: [Host! She’s praising you for being smart!]
“Nothing is impossible.”
Fang Yi looked at Zong Heng. “Before the first-generation model was made, everyone said it was a fantasy, but I still made it.”
Zong Heng narrowed her eyes. “Are you planning to monopolize this technology?”
Fang Yi shook her head. “When it’s a little more mature, Wang Quan and I will consider open-sourcing it.”
“The Spirit Realm will be a truly open platform. We hope that everyone can enjoy its results.”
…
The overly idealistic idea made Zong Heng a little stunned. She unconsciously sat up, straightened her back, and rested a single finger on the desk, frowning. “Continue. Then how will it be commercialized? Maintaining this project is a huge expense.”
Fang Yi replied, “We control the platform. Anyone can edit and create, but they can only use the rules we set. The data will be fed back into the model for training.”
This was the true meaning of Wang Quan’s naming the project Genesis.
They did not control everything, only set the rules.
In her calm and unwavering statement, Zong Heng saw ambition.
An ambition that was enough to change the world.
Zong Heng did not hate this kind of ambition. In fact, she quite admired it. Her gaze towards Fang Yi also couldn’t help but soften a little. For once, she was in a good mood, got up, and took out a few files from the bottom of the cabinet.
“Take a look. You might find these people useful.”
These were all the lab reserves she had carefully selected, all geniuses in their respective fields. For once, she was so generous, willing to give Fang Yi a little priority in choosing.
“No need.”
“I’m not at ease giving it to others. The process of handover and communication will be even more troublesome. I can do it myself.”
Fang Yi refused decisively. With a flick of her finger, she pushed the files back.
The identities and personalities of the two of them seemed to be misplaced and reversed at this moment.
Zong Heng’s just-relaxed face sank again. She felt that Fang Yi’s individualism was very irresponsible and sneered, “What do you think a team is?”
A person’s energy is limited. An excellent team should be a gathering of geniuses from different specialized fields, cooperating with each other.
Not like Fang Yi, who greedily wanted to take on everything by herself.
Fang Yi had no expression. “I just don’t want to waste time.”
Even if she encountered any problems, she could just go for a special consultation. That would be enough.
For a long time, she had always been like this. It was impossible for her to let others do the most critical part.
Even when she had participated in competitions before, she was proficient in all the tasks assigned to her team members. She had rehearsed them countless times in her mind to ensure that there would be no mistakes.
Many colleagues thought that Fang Yi was a good-tempered person and would often patiently help them solve problems. But at this moment, meeting this pair of black eyes, Zong Heng suddenly realized that this person was clearly a stone.
Stubborn, conceited, and stinky and hard.
Zong Heng was almost amused to the point of anger. “Is your time so precious?”
She had seen too many tragedies of being eager for quick success and instant benefits, and haste makes waste.
“Yes.”
Fang Yi did not refute, nodded, and sat back at her workstation, opening a can of ice-cold Coke.
Her time was very precious. In these four years, she had to race against time.
There were many strange and bizarre props in the system store. Because she was in debt with points and could be wiped out at any time, she rarely spent points to buy them.
But she would often flip through them page by page in the dead of night. Marrow Cleansing Pills, Invisibility Pills, Truth Serums… were there any things that could prolong one’s life?
Since the system, or rather, the thing that created the system, could give her a new life in this world, then was it possible that it could also fundamentally change a person’s fate?
She had never believed in fate, but once she had a bond, she would fear loss. She had to work a little harder, be a little more insured. She had been drifting for too long, and she had to grasp onto something with all her might.
The Spirit Realm, Genesis. If it could really be realized, to reach the future of virtual reality, it would definitely not just be a game.
It would be a brand new possibility.
If used well, it might be possible to infinitely grind wish missions to earn points. After all, here, anything is possible, and even bolder…
Fang Yi took a gulp of ice-cold Coke, put on her headphones, and her long, slender knuckles tapped on the pure black keyboard, officially starting a whole day of work.
When she was fully focused, it was a stark contrast to the nonchalance she usually deliberately showed. Her presence was suddenly sharp, her ten fingers flying, and she gradually dismantled and built an impossible world.
At this time, she could not be disturbed at all. “Living people, stay away” was written all over her.
This state did not stop until the end of the lunch break. When Zong Heng came back from her meal, she saw that she was still concentrating on her calculations, with no intention of stopping.
Not even eating? Zong Heng frowned, feeling that her extreme attitude was very undesirable.
Some people, relying on their youth, did not take their bodies seriously, staying up late, sitting for long periods, and eating irregularly, like a candle lit at both ends, burning themselves to a thousand sores and a hundred holes.
In the past, Zong Heng had seen too many such people in Yanjing, especially in the field of scientific research. They would be full of illnesses before they reached middle age. Tendinitis and lumbar muscle strain were light.
Zong Heng disliked many people, and Fang Yi was one of the most disliked.
She often felt that she was very cheap, acting so light and breezy everywhere. Now it seemed that she was full of worries and had to carry Mount Tai on her own shoulders.
Twenty-three, thinking she was mature, but actually still an ignorant and childish little brat.
Just as Zong Heng got close, still wondering what to say as a senior, Fang Yi had already spoken without raising her head. “Don’t talk to me yet.”
This was said quite impolitely.
She was in the middle of writing something important with great enthusiasm. The priority of all external things had dropped infinitely, and was ranked after the completion of the task at hand.
Crazy. Who wants to talk to you? Zong Heng swallowed a breath and turned her head to put on her headphones.
When Duan Ruoxi knocked on the door and came in, she felt that this office was exceptionally cold, at least three degrees lower than outside.
It was already 3:30 in the afternoon. There were two empty Coke cans on Fang Yi’s desk, which had not yet been thrown into the trash can.
“I’m sorry, I’m late. I missed the lunch break. Please have some afternoon tea.”
Duan Ruoxi placed the insulated box on the table, took out a small cake, and placed it on the table.
Fang Yi nodded and raised her hand slightly to indicate that she was busy. Duan Ruoxi understood, smiled slightly, helped her throw away the empty drink bottles, and poured half a cup of cassia seed lemon tea in a thermos.
Zong Heng’s sinister gaze was faintly visible. Duan Ruoxi took out another small cake from the box and walked towards her.
“Engineer Zong, good afternoon.”
Zong Heng said coldly, “Take a step back. Keep your distance.”
“I’m sorry. I was wrong before. I swear it won’t happen again. Really.”
Duan Ruoxi raised her hands pitifully, bent down, and gently handed the cake to the table, maintaining a distance that was not too close and not too far. “I brought your favorite tiramisu. Little Yi specially asked me to prepare it for you.”
Zong Heng pulled it closer in disgust. “Who likes this kind of thing?”
You don’t hit a smiling face. Zong Heng’s attitude towards Duan Ruoxi was really a bit too bad. Fang Yi had just finished her work and said, “I like it. Then give it to me.”
Facing Fang Yi’s outstretched hand, Zong Heng scolded coldly, “Put it down!”
Fang Yi asked, “Didn’t you say you don’t eat it? It’s a waste to leave it there.”
“Who said that?” the woman squeezed out a sentence from between her teeth with a cold snort. “None of your damn business.”
Duan Ruoxi reminded gently, “Don’t say swear words.”
The principle of “a fed mouth doesn’t bite” did not apply to Zong Heng at all. She righteously stuck a spoon into the cake, declaring her sovereignty.
“Speaking of which,” Duan Ruoxi’s eyes lit up. She took out a black square box from the dessert box and turned to Fang Yi. “I shouldn’t have said that the things you made were garbage last night. I tried it later, and it’s indeed edible.”
Her voice was very gentle, completely in the mindset of coaxing a child. She opened the box, and the menacing-looking pastry that Fang Yi had made yesterday was carefully sprinkled with a layer of cocoa powder, and with a pair of edible chocolate decorations, round white eyes and small black bean eyes, it was instantly transformed from something rotten into something magical, becoming strange and cute.
Fang Yi was stunned for a moment and sincerely exclaimed, “You’re a genius!”
The System pinched its throat and gave the little monster dessert a voice: [Master, Mom, I’m really alive!]
Zong Heng’s gaze fell on the little coal ball monster, her expression indescribable.
There were four left. Fang Yi looked at them eagerly and first packed the two best-looking ones separately.
One for Lin Shuxing, one for herself, one for Lin Shuxing, and one for Zong Heng.
Zong Heng mistakenly thought that the packaged one was for her. She hesitated for a moment and still held out her hand with great face, and then saw Fang Yi’s hand move away, and put that small box into her bag.
“…”
Zong Heng’s hand was awkwardly suspended in mid-air, and a strange killing intent suddenly arose.
Duan Ruoxi’s eyes curved, and she held out her hand. Their warm palms touched, and she shook it.
“Thank you for taking care of our Little Yi.”
Thank you for taking care of us.
Showing weakness is a philosophy. She always said this, as if this could really make others take more care of her.
It was like this in the hospital, and it was like this in life. Duan Ruoxi found that by expressing gratitude first, some kind people would be moved. Even if it was just out of embarrassment, they would pay a little more attention in the future.
But Zong Heng instantly jumped back as if she had been electrocuted, her reddened nose a little angry out of shame.
A woman with a gentle disguise suddenly shaking hands with her from a high position, in her eyes, was no different from teasing a dog. It was a provocation! A threat!
But in front of Fang Yi, Duan Ruoxi did not make any out-of-line moves. After being shaken off by Zong Heng, her eyes even showed a little pity. After distributing the cakes, she sadly packed up and left.
Her weak protective color was very successful. Even though Zong Heng knew that this woman was a terrifying monster with great strength, she still felt a subtle sense of guilt.
Fang Yi lowered her eyes and only then slowly brought the remaining, larger little coal ball to Zong Heng.
It was unknown if it was because of the woman’s “thank you for your care” just now, but Zong Heng’s face softened. She took a bite and praised it against her will, “Not bad.”
Zong Heng, who had come from the capital, had always been very particular about her food, and could even compete with the young lady. Fang Yi’s eyes lit up. She also took a bite, and her expression became very twisted for a moment.
Too sweet, a lethal dose of sweetness.
So awful, she absolutely couldn’t give it to Lin Shuxing.
Fang Yi asked, “Really? Do you like it?”
“Yes…” Zong Heng nodded very reluctantly.
“Then it’s all yours.” Fang Yi pushed the two packaged ones in front of her again.
The corner of Zong Heng’s eye twitched, and she gritted her teeth. “You’re quite generous.”
“You’re welcome.”
The two fell silent and began to eat the cake.
Fang Yi hadn’t eaten lunch. At this time, she leaned against Zong Heng’s desk and didn’t notice that she had eaten a little more of her portion.
Fortunately, Zong Heng, who was wrapped in the sweet scent, was still very easy to talk to. After a spoonful of tiramisu, even her sharp gaze softened a lot.
The afternoon sun shone in. It seemed to be the first time the two of them had sat together so calmly and enjoyed afternoon tea.
“By the way, Senior Zong Heng, can I ask you a question?”
“Hm?”
“How did you and Li Xianqing meet?”
“Get lost.”
“Oh, a secret military project, right? Don’t worry, I won’t ask too much.”
After a stiff preamble, Fang Yi stirred the cream as if unintentionally and asked again, “Besides social engineering, are there any other legal ways to find and match personal information? What if I’m looking for Li Xianqing?”
“…”
Hearing this absurd question, Zong Heng suddenly felt the cream stuck in her throat. This afternoon tea was like a death-defying Hongmen banquet.
“Why are you looking for her?”
Zong Heng stared at Fang Yi’s clear black and white eyes, and from her guilty, shifted gaze, she seemed to see a dog that had made a mistake.
Fang Yi asked with a straight face, “I’m not looking. I’m just curious. People like them should have very powerful anti-search protection, right? What kind of technology do they usually use?”
In fact, asking about Li Xianqing was just a pretext.
She had written a search and screening program herself, which had helped her to find photos of Wen Qianxue and Lin Shuxing’s piano competitions when they were children. There was relatively little information on Lin Lan, but she could also find it by following the clues.
But there was one person for whom she could not find any information at all.
Fang Yi probably understood a little about the process of buying an identity on the black market, but even a fake identity was not created out of thin air.
As long as data is generated, it will definitely leave a trace.
Lin Xinyou’s performance had always been flawless, but since she loved Lin Shuxing so much, why would she let her die alone in the original world line?
Fang Yi couldn’t figure it out.
She had read the lightly written ending in the original text dozens of times, like a sharp thorn piercing her chest.
Every time she witnessed her happiness and longed for her to be healthy and long-lived, this thorn would pierce deeper into her flesh.
She shouldn’t doubt love, but if love was also a product of weighing the pros and cons…
Was it to completely indulge and sink, or to explore the bloody truth?
Lin Shuxing could be the former, but Fang Yi chose the latter.
She would see clearly for her.
