Chapter 33

Fang Zhao could handle the overall artistic vision and manage his staff, but the other members of the team weren’t as mentally strong as he was . They were still affected by the pressure, both internally and externally . Even Zu Wen was making careless mistakes .

“We’re short-staffed . “

Thus Fang Zhao pronounced at their meeting every three days after surveying everyone’s progress .

“My apologies . My focus hasn’t been great . But we are indeed short-handed . The music video for the second chapter is even more complicated than the first . It’s a tall order to maintain production quality and meet the advanced deadline next month . ” After starting on the video for the second chapter, Zu Wen had realized it was more challenging than the one for the first chapter . He also wasn’t good at managing large scenes . He made mistakes frequently, but he didn’t feel comfortable delegating to technicians from other departments .

“I agree . It’s best that we recruit a few more Reg Dimension technicians, ones that excel at staging scenes with many characters . ” Zeng Huang agreed with Zu Wen . Even though they had a few loaned technicians from other departments, they weren’t on the same page, leading to occasional disputes . They didn’t follow instructions .

“Let’s recruit a few more people,” Song Miao suggested . She wasn’t assigned to the virtual idol department initially . She applied for a formal transfer after the first movement was released and became an official member of the team . Only their own staffers would go all out and dedicate themselves to the project .

Fang Zhao shifted his gaze to Zu Wen . “Zu Wen, any recommendations?”

“Internal candidates or external?” Zu Wen asked .

“Internal . ” The Polar Light project had received a lot of attention . Outsiders might not be trustworthy . It was best to hire internally .

“Got it . Let me ask around . ” Technicians like Zu Wen had their own chat groups . He was friendly with a few of his colleagues . The department ended up being overstaffed during last year’s expansion and a few technicians were crowded out . Now the department had been revamped and was recruiting . He could ask if they wanted back in .

Fang Zhao also posted a notice on the label’s internal chat forum: “Virtual Idol Department on the 50th Floor Seeking Reg Dimension Technicians . “

The notice didn’t generate many responses . Quite a few staffers saw the notice but adopted a wait-and-see attitude . There was too much press coverage of the project . The praise was over the top . If the second movement failed, the backlash would be just as intense . They were reluctant to make a move when the project’s fate was still unclear .

“Can I switch fields?” Bei Zhi asked his manager after seeing the notice .

His agent vetoed the idea without hesitation . “Considering your IQ, you better keep singing . “

“There are quite a few smart singers . “

“And you think you’re one of them?”

” . . . ” Bei Zhi went silent .

“Don’t think too much . Go practice the new song you got yesterday . I won’t say anything if you want to help out on the 50th floor when you’re free, but don’t think about switching careers . Reg Dimension technology is too difficult . ” Bei Zhi’s agent recalled his greenhorn days when he also aspired to become a Reg Dimension technician . Unfortunately, he didn’t have the talent . Just seeing the lines of code gave him a headache .

Ji Polun wasn’t contemplating a career change, but he had cleared his schedule for the next 10 days . He left a message for his agent saying he was going to hang out at the virtual idol department on the 50th floor .

His agent didn’t disagree this time . The “epic” release boosted Ji Polun’s popularity somewhat . More importantly, Ji Polun’s acting improved slightly . He didn’t know whether it was the acting courses he’d signed Ji Polun up for or if Ji Polun had actually learned a thing or two on the 50th floor . In any case, Ji Polun said he learned a lot over there, so his agent signed off .

The next day, three of Zu Wen’s candidates showed up—two men and a woman . They had all spent time in the virtual projects department but were let go . They never thought about coming back . Even though Polar Light was a success so far, they were unclear about the dynamics within the new project team, so they didn’t act even when they saw Fang Zhao’s notice . They only turned up after being approached by Zu Wen .

Apart from the trio, a fourth candidate responded to Fang Zhao’s ad .

“I’m Rodney . I graduated from the Yanzhou University of Science and Technology and joined Silver Wing last year . This is my diploma and my transcript for all six years . I’ve also included the certificates for awards I’ve won . “

Rodney lined up his certificates in front of Fang Zhao . He wanted to join Silver Wing’s virtual projects department after graduating last year, but the department was undergoing a massive expansion then and competition was fierce . A fresh graduate without any connections like him was no match for veteran technicians . So he bided his time in the film production department . He was tempted when he’d heard that the virtual idol department was recruiting a while ago, but he hadn’t acted because he hadn’t seen an official recruitment notice . When he saw Fang Zhao’s notice yesterday, he decided to try his luck .

Frankly speaking, Rodney was a strong candidate . The Yanzhou University of Science and Technology was one of Yanzhou’s top schools . Its Reg Dimension department ranked well in the continent . The transcripts and certificates Rodney brandished were impressive . Without a doubt, he was a stellar graduate, maybe even a nerd .

But in a company like Silver Wing, nerds were everywhere . Every department had a few geniuses . Even the unimpressive Zu Wen had an impeccable resume . That was why he was kept on while others were crowded out during the virtual projects department’s expansion last year . The reason was simple—his technical skills were superior .

Speaking of which, Zu Wen had also graduated from the Yanzhou University of Science and Technology . He was only a few years ahead of Rodney .

Fang Zhao sent Zu Wen a text message . “Have you heard of Rodney?”

Zu Wen, who was working on something with Zeng Huang and company, responded immediately . “No . “

Fang Zhao didn’t follow up, turning his attention instead to Rodney’s graduation project, a video he had made . It was a video of army ants attacking their prey during the Period of Destruction .

Army ants mutated during the Period of Destruction . They became quicker and larger and proliferated in numbers . They were awfully deadly .

Rodney’s video probably drew from documentary footage and films about army ants . There were quite a few flaws in the details, but overall, he had successfully conveyed the invincible aura of the species . Otherwise the video would not have been deemed prize-worthy .

Fang Zhao didn’t speak and Rodney couldn’t read his face . He kept rubbing his palms on his knees . For some reason, even though the project head before him was younger than he was, he felt like he was dealing with a professor at school . He was too scared to take a deep breath and his palms were sweaty .

“Do you game?” Fang Zhao asked .

“Huh?” Rodney was caught off guard by the abrupt question .

How many Reg Dimension technicians could resist the temptation of computer games?

But given the circumstances, Rodney had to consider his answer . What if he came off as a slacker? Being caught lying was worse .

Rodney hemmed and hawed before whispering, “I do, but actually, I—”

“You’re hired . “

“Actually, I’m a decent gamer . ” He was going to say he didn’t game often but switched gears . Thank God he had a quick wit and quick reflexes .

“Fill out your transfer application before 10 a . m . I’ll pull your file . “

“Got it . I’ll get on it right away . ” Rodney answered gingerly .

“I’ll give you a day to rest . Start tomorrow . “

“Sounds good . I’ll head back and get ready . “

“Speak up . Can you live at the office?”

“No problem . “

“Pack your things and live out of the office . “

“Yes, sir!”

“Get ready for some major overtime . “

“Yes, sir!”

“Any more questions?”

“No, sir!”

“Dismissed . “

Rodney turned around and ducked into the elevator . He wiped the sweat on his forehead . He was suddenly at a loss .

Something didn’t feel right .