Professor Xie, isn't this a case of forcing customers to buy products that don't match the

The project manager stormed out of his private office, his face ashen, and roared in a hoarse voice, "Everyone! Immediately! The main conference room!"

The office was instantly filled with the sounds of chaotic footsteps, chairs being dragged, and suppressed curses.

Shang Song almost instinctively grabbed her phone, her fingertips trembling as she opened her chat with Xie Jing. Her mind was a jumbled mess as she typed rapidly:

"Something terrible has happened to the project. It's an emergency meeting, and I don't know how long it will take. Don't come to pick me up."

As soon as the message was sent, Shang Song didn't wait for a reply. He stuffed his phone haphazardly into his pocket and followed his colleagues into the large conference room.

In the large conference room.

The project manager stood at the front, his hands resting on the table, veins bulging on the back of his hands, his eyes behind his glasses bloodshot, staring intently at the team members with their varied expressions.

Ken sat in the front row, his face as white as paper.

Shen Yan sat in the back corner, head down, his expression unreadable.

"You saw it all?" The project manager's voice trembled uncontrollably. "The 'Tide of Returning to the Void' of 'Phantom Blade' and our 'Swallowed Star Void' are over 95% similar! This isn't a coincidence; it's blatant theft!"

He slammed his fist on the table with a loud thud, which made several female colleagues' shoulders tremble.

"This special effect was done by Ken and Shang Song! The security level is the highest! File access and transmission are strictly logged! Now, tell me, how did it end up in 'Phantom Blade's' hands?!"

No one can answer.

The air was so stuffy it was almost suffocating.

A series of gazes, some bright and some dim, swept over Ken, Shang Song, and several other core members who had access to the final version of the file.

Shang Song could feel those gazes piercing him like needles.

"From now on, everyone suspend all non-urgent work." The lead planner's voice was equally hoarse as he continued, "The technical department is retrieving all relevant logs, checking access and transmission records. Until the results are in, everyone in the project team... could be a suspect."

"Furthermore," the project manager's sharp gaze swept over the group again, pointedly, "has anything unusual happened recently? Has anyone behaved strangely? Or, have they come into contact with... people they shouldn't have?"

As soon as he finished speaking, many people's eyes were irresistibly drawn to Shen Yan in the corner.

This former company was "Xushi Interactive," and she was a newcomer who received flowers every day and was supposedly being pursued passionately by some CEO Zhou.

At this moment, all of these become the best reasons for suspicion.

Shen Yan lowered his head even further, his overly long bangs hanging down, obscuring his expression.

Suddenly, one of the art staff members who had participated in the mid-term preview burst into tears, crying out, "I didn't! I really didn't leak anything! I don't know anything!"

"Nobody said it was you!" Ken growled irritably, rubbing his face hard. "But now, nobody's safe! The most urgent thing is, we're going live next Thursday! What are we going to use to cover for us?!"

"Rework? Too late! It's launching next Thursday, a full six days. To redesign, produce, and debug an ultimate effect of the same scale? Absolutely impossible!" The lead planner held his head in his hands.

"Modify the existing plan? But 'Phantom Blade' has already struck first. Even if we make a better change, we'll still be labeled as copycats!"

"Can we make up for it by changing the plot or mechanics? We can weaken the performance of this skill?" a girl from the plot team said.

"But this is the core selling point, the one that players have the highest expectations for..." Shang Song said.

The discussion reached a dead end.

As dusk settled outside the window and the city lights began to twinkle, the atmosphere in the conference room grew increasingly deathly quiet.

Shen Yan remained silent throughout. He neither offered any explanation nor attempted to join the discussion.

Zhao Xiaowei whispered in Shang Song's ear, "Brother Song, do you think... it really wasn't Zhou Xu'an who did this? He's been pursuing Shen Yan so relentlessly, is he trying to get revenge, or... force Shen Yan to give in?"

Shang Song's heart sank suddenly.

If that's the case, then Shen Yan will not only be under pressure from harassment, but may also be dragged into this vortex of corporate espionage, leaving him with virtually no way to defend himself.

"Don't speculate, wait for the company's investigation results," Shang Song replied to Zhao Xiaowei in a low voice.

Time passed by second by second, and before we knew it, it was past nine o'clock at night.

The technical department's initial investigation did not find any obvious signs of external intrusion or large-scale data breach.

This means that the possibility of an inside job is much higher.

The meeting continued late into the night, but without any breakthroughs.

Finally, the project manager announced, "By 10:00 AM tomorrow, you must come up with three feasible solutions. Whether you redo it, revise it beyond recognition, or find another way!"

The meeting is adjourned for now.

Shang Song had a splitting headache and his stomach was throbbing with hunger.

He glanced at his phone; it was 11:20 PM, and the screen displayed a preview of Xie Jing's message:

"understood."

He moved back to his workstation, forcing himself to pull himself out of his chaotic thoughts, and began to pack his things.

There's still a tough battle to fight tomorrow, and he needs to rest, even if it's just for a few hours.

As he walked down the quiet company building, the night wind was biting. He lowered his head, wrapped his coat tighter, and his mind was still uncontrollably replaying the special effects light from the video.

Then, he stopped in his tracks.

In the visitor parking area, the familiar black SUV sat quietly, almost blending into the night.

Xie Jing... has been waiting for him here all this time?

His nose and eyes instantly stung, and he almost staggered as he rushed over, his heart pounding in his chest.

Before he could get quite close, the rear window of the car rolled down halfway silently.

Xie Jing sat inside, looking at him sideways.

After a week apart, he seemed unchanged, still handsome and serene.

"Get in the car." Xie Jing's thin lips parted and he uttered two words.