3: Chapter 3 Game Engine? All in!

...

After entering the company, Lin Tianxiong seemed like a different person, exuding an air of authority without even trying.

A woman with a curvaceous figure wearing black business attire walked over quickly. Seeing who it was, she clearly breathed a sigh of relief. "Boss, I couldn't get in touch with you. I thought..."

"I had some business to take care of," Lin Tianxiong interrupted her. "Tell me about the situation in the R&D Department."

"Ah? Alright."

"Eight people resigned yesterday, and now there are only six technicians and one engineer left..." Xia Jinsha spoke rapidly. She had only taken the position of general manager at this company two weeks ago. Seeing the decent salary, she thought the future was promising, but it turned out to be a bottomless pit.

Bank collection calls, brain drain, hopeless projects... everyone could see the future of this company!

What a massive mess this was. No matter how capable she was, there was no saving it. Staying here was nothing more than basic professional ethics. Moreover... Xia Jinsha was secretly alarmed. Based on what she had found, this company had previously been a "pig-butchering" scam designed to swindle funds.

Even a complete overhaul wouldn't be enough to turn things around.

Thinking of this, Xia Jinsha felt a bit of pity for the middle-aged man in front of her.

"Let's go take a look."

After hearing this, Lin Tianxiong felt a bit melancholy and led Lin Fang, who was beside him, further inside.

Who is he?

Seeing this, Xia Jinsha was surprised. At a time like this, the boss was actually bringing someone along.

After the group walked over,

The few people slacking off in the R&D Department clearly hadn't expected anyone to come in and hurriedly started fiddling with their computers.

"Boss, Manager Xia." One person came forward to greet them.

"Where is Minister Hou?"

When Lin Tianxiong got angry, no one present dared to speak or meet his eyes. Anyone who started out in coal mining was bound to be a tough character.

"Minister Hou left this morning and hasn't returned," the balding man who had just spoken replied, bracing himself.

The underlying meaning was already clear.

Lin Fang observed the people present. Three or four of them weren't much older than him, clearly fresh college graduates.

"Then you, come with me."

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Lin Tianxiong didn't slam the table. Instead, he led the balding man to the minister's office. "Show him the R&D data for the engine."

This made Xiao Quan, who thought he was being brought in for a beating, breathe a sigh of relief. No joke, he was truly terrified.

Only then did Xiao Quan notice Lin Fang beside him. "Boss, who is he?"

"Don't worry about it. Just show him."

What else could he say? Xiao Quan obediently turned on the computer and displayed all the R&D data for the Xiongba Engine.

—

A game engine is a set of software frameworks that typically include modules such as graphics rendering, physics simulation, sound processing, artificial intelligence, and network communication, helping developers create and run games. Examples include America's Unreal Engine and RAGE Engine, and Europe's Frostbite Engine...

Em...

The name sounding bad was only a minor issue.

Next, he skimmed the parts he understood and skipped the parts he didn't.

Having won first prize in a national college competition, Lin Fang was also proficient in programming languages.

Looking at it as a whole,

this Xiongba Engine was just a pile of defective parts cobbled together from the internet. Without its own patented innovations, the engine wouldn't sell even if it were completed.

Moreover... to be a qualified game engine, its R&D progress was less than 30%. The more Lin Fang looked, the angrier he became.

*Sigh*—

Lin Fang calmed his agitated mind. There was no need to optimize this pile of electronic trash. He would create a brand new one for Boss Xiong. But then, a problem presented itself:

how much should the engine's performance surpass modern game engines?

When profit reaches 50%, people will take risks; when profit reaches 100%, they will trample on all laws; and when profit reaches 300%, they will dare to risk being beheaded to seize it!

A powerful game engine can fully support a multi-billion dollar enterprise. When you are weak, this massive wealth is an original sin; even a butcher's knife can take your life.

Right now, the Xiongba Engine Company's influence in Coastal Sea is too small. What should be done?

Lin Fang pondered.

—

"Son, don't be so stubborn." Lin Tianxiong patted him, looking relieved. "Forget about this junk. You haven't slept for a day and a night; how can you stand it? I'll take you for a foot soak to get some proper rest."

Lin Fang suddenly realized it was already evening. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the bustling city lights.

And they were the only two left in the office.

Lin Fang gave a self-deprecating smile. Just now, he had acted like an ambitious careerist, wanting to seize every benefit, when in reality, he was just an ordinary person who hadn't even solved the immediate crisis or found his footing.

"Dad, you go down first. I'll be right there." Taking off his glasses, Lin Fang splashed some mineral water from the desk onto his face to calm himself down.

After he left,

"Black Star, create a game engine."

[Please confirm the transaction. 1,000 plunder points will be consumed.]

"Cancel," Lin Fang continued. "Create a game engine with performance that surpasses the current Unreal Engine by 300%."

[Please confirm the transaction. 1,000 plunder points will be consumed.]

"Cancel."

A single piece of candy can be worth billions; I definitely lost out last night.

Lin Fang tapped the table helplessly. This Black Star was terrifyingly powerful, but too unpredictable. Once something went wrong, there was no after-sales service. It couldn't even compare to...

His slender fingers stopped. Lin Fang felt he should change his approach. This game engine didn't necessarily have to be completed by the Black Star.

He could totally use a nesting dolls strategy.

Opening the computer in front of him again, Lin Fang's eyes gleamed. "Using this computer as a carrier, create an intelligent program that surpasses all modern artificial intelligence and can only be used by me."

[Please confirm the transaction. 1,000 plunder points will be consumed.]

"Cancel."

Lin Fang leaned back in the soft office chair and fell into deep thought. What would an intelligent program generated with 1,000 plunder points be like? Hopefully, it wouldn't turn out to be an "artificial idiot."

It seemed that the more he invested, the greater the gain. Should he go all in or keep something in reserve?

He still had 16,000 plunder points. If it worked, the global network would become his back garden, his most powerful trump card!

At this moment, Lin Fang was like a gambler hesitating over whether to place a heavy bet.

"Son, what are you doing in there? Don't do anything rash. Even I haven't jumped yet." Outside, Lin Tianxiong began knocking on the door.

There was no response from inside.

As time ticked away, Lin Fang suddenly stood up in the room and stared intently at the screen in front of him.

It's not like I'm in a dead end. If I'm still this hesitant after getting a cheat, then it's all for nothing.