Chapter 211 - 169: The Great Change of Nuwa Base

Chu Bamboo unclenched his hand, then crossed his arms, his tone placid.

"These AI idols, AI animations, AI short video companies... why don’t you each just make one!"

Lin Xia: "!!!"

"...Huh?!" Zhao Shao was startled for a moment, but once he sorted out his thoughts, his eyes lit up.

"It’s free competition!" Chu Bamboo summarized. "Anyway, Lao Zhao, as long as you don’t restrict Lin Xia’s access to your resources, it’s fine! Then, we’ll just see who’s more capable."

Chu Bamboo shrugged. "Also, Lao Zhao, if you manage to build the company yourself, then it’s yours. But if Lin Xia builds it, then just as he said, he’ll give you half the shares. Of course, you can also charge him for renting the complete version of Z to produce all sorts of videos... But try to keep the fees low at first! We can talk about you taking an actual equity stake later on."

In the end, Z was Zhao Shao’s company. So even if he lost this competition... he would still have a stake in the final winner.

Besides, even setting that aside, simply transfusing capital into Z Company and getting Zhao Shao to purchase more computing resources was also one of Chu Bamboo’s goals.

After all, Z was an immense help to him right now... and there’s never anything wrong with spoiling one’s daughter!

"Fine! Then it’s settled." Now that everything was on the table, Zhao Shao had to give Chu Bamboo this one. He thought for a moment and pressed the red button on his desk.

"Xu Fei," Zhao Shao beckoned to the secretary who had just pushed the door open. "Get me... what’s-his-name from the HR department!"

「A moment later.」

"Boss... are you... planning to?" the sharply-dressed HR manager asked cautiously. In truth, the atmosphere within Z Company had been strange and heavy lately...

It was mainly because as the employees used Z more and more, they realized just how powerful it was. Based on the practices of other companies and the current economic situation... they were all already wondering if a wave of layoffs was coming. This was despite Zhao Shao giving no indication of the sort...

"We’re hiring!" Zhao Shao said succinctly.

"I knew it was layoffs. I’ve already prepared a plan... Huh?" The HR manager almost thought he was hearing things. He stared at Zhao Shao, dumbfounded, and stammered incoherently, "You... you mean... hi-hiring people?!?"

’What the hell! Hiring people in this climate... Are you running a charity?’

But then he heard Zhao Shao’s requirements.

"...Poach veteran web novelists, the ones with a proven track record online, who have an exceptional understanding of what users—or rather, readers—like to see. Preferably web novelists who also have screenwriting experience!"

"Hire some operations staff! Prioritize those with experience in the entertainment industry..."

"And besides that, also..."

"...I-I understand!" The HR manager’s hand trembled slightly as he jotted down Zhao Shao’s demands. ’This doesn’t seem to have anything to do with our company’s business, does it? Oh well, the boss is always right!’

".!?" Watching the HR manager slowly back out of the room, Lin Xia’s expression stiffened. ’This is bad. Chu Bamboo’s C Company is just a shell corporation right now. If I want to hire people, does that mean I have to do it myself?’

"Lin Xuedi!" Zhao Shao said with a grin.

"...What is it?"

"Good luck," Zhao Shao said slowly. "After all, if you don’t move quickly, I’m afraid I’ll have snapped up all the relevant talent in Jinling for myself."

Zhao Shao sized up Lin Xia with great interest. After their earlier brainstorming session and arguments, Zhao Shao had come to respect him. Especially after learning that while Chu Bamboo had initiated the idea, it was Lin Xia who had expanded on it and pieced together the blueprint for an entire industrial chain...

All he could say was, if Lin Xia wasn’t part of Chu Bamboo’s core team, he would have been tempted to start trying to poach him.

Ultimately, Z’s main strengths were its powerful execution capabilities and its aptitude for repetitive tasks.

In this situation, the one thing Z couldn’t touch... the multifaceted inspiration that only humans possess... was elevated to a level of importance beyond imagination.

"..." Lin Xia’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter. Then, a sudden flash of insight hit him, and he realized he had a brilliant countermeasure against Zhao Shao’s talent-poaching competition.

He turned his head in admiration to gaze at Chu Bamboo. "Ah Zhu, was this all part of your plan? No wonder..."

"?" Chu Bamboo looked at the gradually more worshipful gaze in Lin Xia’s eyes and fell into deep thought. ’What’s going on?’

Then, he heard Lin Xia take out his phone, open WeChat, and use voice input...

...

「Meanwhile.」

Waiting for the train at Jinling Railway Station, Hu Ruochu stared at the WeChat message from President Lin and fell into deep thought.

"’After I get to Shanghai, first hire screenwriters, authors, operations staff, and game developers...’" Rubbing her eyes, Hu Ruochu read it again to make sure she wasn’t mistaken.

"?" Hu Ruochu watched the train’s arrival on the station display and began to question her life choices.

’Judging by the tone, is President Lin planning to get into the entertainment business?’

Hu Ruochu silently wiped the cold sweat from her brow. "This... this... What on earth has gotten into President Lin now?"

Hu Ruochu had a feeling about this before... but now, she was pretty much certain. These two bosses of hers completely made things up as they went along!

’Even with the richest man in the country backing you, this way of doing things will get you killed, won’t it?!’

Completely oblivious to how powerful Z truly was, Hu Ruochu could only feel the overwhelming aura of a shoddy, fly-by-night operation.

She was even starting to wonder if, on this trip to Shanghai... she should look for a new employer... ’Oh wait, no. The reason I took this job was because of my emotional attachment to the factory. In terms of money alone, I was already financially independent after selling it.’

"Sigh! I just hope it goes bankrupt a little more slowly." Hu Ruochu bit her lower lip, her heart filled with sorrow.

...

Chu Bamboo, Lin Xia, and Zhao Shao discussed matters until late into the night.

Finally, on a whim, Zhao Shao invited them to stay the night and share a bed to talk.

"Don’t worry, my place is pretty big... Ahem, just kidding! The company actually has guest rooms here. Sometimes I sleep here too... There are two rooms. Personally, I still suggest the three of us share one room and talk all night!"

In response to Zhao Shao’s enthusiasm, Chu Bamboo refused him point-blank. "Sorry, I go to bed early! Just have Secretary Xu take me to an empty room... You two can argue amongst yourselves."

"? Huh?"

No, seriously. Zhao Shao stared, dumbfounded, at Chu Bamboo’s departing back. He just didn’t get it!

’I’ve slept less than six hours in the last two days, and even I’m not as tired as you look! Can’t a business worth tens of billions keep you from sleeping for even a little while?!’

"That’s just how Ah Zhu is!" Lin Xia was very composed. In fact, seeing Zhao Shao’s clueless expression, he felt a surge of pride.

’As expected, I’m the one Ah Zhu trusts the most!’

His good mood made his speech much more cheerful. "Senior Zhao, please! Don’t worry, if you get tired of talking, just go to sleep. Don’t mind me... I’m very easygoing!"

Zhao Shao: "?"

’Why does the way you say that sound a little off?’

...

「The next day.」

Chu Bamboo slowly woke up. He yawned, glanced around Nuwa Base, and then his expression froze.

"This time, how..."

Nuwa Base had changed.

The original Nuwa Base had a ceiling height of about five meters. But now, the ceiling was ten meters high, and... the area of the silver-white hall had expanded to at least five times its previous size.

In the center, a massive, silver-white metal pillar had appeared, supporting the floor and ceiling of the hall. The walls, at least, were still silver-white...

"..."

’Why does this layout inexplicably remind me of... a nuclear facility out in the wilderness?!’

"Nuwa No. 17." As Chu Bamboo called out, a silver-white brilliance flared, and a familiar voice replied, "I am here."

After a brief silence, Chu Bamboo started to laugh.

"...It seems that this time, ’we’ did a very good job!"

As long as Nuwa No. 17 was still here, then there wasn’t a major problem.

He patted his cheeks, went out to wash up, and then returned. As was his routine, he had Nuwa No. 17 monitor the situation outside.

And then...