Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The other employees in the Information Department were completely unfazed by their colleague's actions.

Their boss, far-sighted and sharp-eyed, had long recognized the internet as a lucrative domain.

Just look back decades ago—how many supernaturals resorted to all sorts of schemes just to scrape together enough for internet fees? How many once-ambitious and brilliant beings were corrupted by the online world, ultimately sinking into depravity and forgetting their grand ambitions?

For this reason, the boss had long ago begun recruiting talented individuals to form the Information Department.

Did they really think this department—known even within the consortium for its excellent benefits and treatment—was so easy to join?

Without some specialized skill related to the internet, the idea of becoming their colleague was simply not gonna happen.

Just one minute after the first employee slammed the table and shot up from his seat, another employee abruptly rose, shouting, "How dare you, troll!"

Immediately after, the entire supernatural made a diving motion and plunged straight into the computer screen.

As time passed, the office gradually grew quiet. Even the Information Minister's seat was empty, leaving only an office chair still spinning from inertia.

The temporary chatroom created by the first Information Department employee wasn't limited to just one troll criticizing the "Tonight's Big Star" behind-the-scenes footage. For efficiency's sake, Employee No. 7242 had gathered nearly twenty online users into the chatroom.

At that moment, the first troll who had provoked 7242, seeing no response from the other side, assumed the idiot supernatural had nothing left to say. Like a victorious general, he began bragging loudly in the chatroom with the other trolls.

To make their heated debates more convenient, everyone had their microphones on, saving him from typing.

A rough, disdainful voice echoed through the chatroom: "Who knows where that moron came from? What's it to him if I can't stand the 'Tonight's Big Star' behind-the-scenes footage?"

"And that 'Do you even understand what you're watching~?' crap—ugh!" The short-haired young supernatural sneered in the chatroom before slamming the table in frustration. "Now even a little Dormitory Selection Officer from a talent show can afford to hire paid trolls!"

This remark successfully stoked resentment among the other online users in the chatroom.

Damn it, even a Dormitory Selection Officer can afford paid trolls these days. Just how lucrative is the entertainment industry?

Another online user in the chatroom chimed in: "Who knows what’s going on? The footage from all the other floors in the behind-the-scenes video was blacked out. What a coincidence that only the third-floor camera was working properly!"

"It’s just the entertainment industry's dirty secrets. Haven’t you noticed? The 'Tonight's Big Star' production team claims to promote trainees, but everyone knows what those trainees are really about. The ones the production team is actually promoting are the mentors! What’s one more Dormitory Selection Officer added to the mix?"

"Tsk, tsk, if this third-floor Dormitory Selection Officer really debuts, I’ll make sure he's blacklisted everywhere! Can’t help it—I just resent the rich."

"Speaking of which, could this be some rich supernatural's kid here to experience life? Otherwise, how could they have such strong PR power? Earlier online, I felt like I was facing an army. For every comment I posted, they replied with ten!"

"Thanks, hearing that just makes me resent the rich even more. Anyway, I’ve created a group—who’s in?"

"Me."

"I’ll join too."

Hearing about the creation of a group—especially one with malicious intent—the online users in the chatroom jumped at the chance.

In their daily lives, they were already frustrated enough, unable to even vent their negative energy freely for fear that a powerful supernatural might overhear their complaints and make them pay dearly, perhaps even costing them their lives.

The online world was different. Here, they wore online aliases, and no one knew who anyone really was.

Only online did they feel truly alive, able to unleash their malice without restraint.

Just thinking about those powerful beings who could easily crush them in real life having to endure their online criticisms made them shiver with excitement!

As more than a dozen supernaturals eagerly signed up, the so-called group soon had ten members.

The group admin was about to continue promoting it when a blood-curdling scream suddenly echoed through the chatroom.

"Ah!!!"

"Who are you?"

"How did you get into my house?!"

The only response to the online user’s questions was a chilling laugh.

The other supernaturals in the chatroom weren’t sure if this was a prank, but they instantly went quiet.

In the next few minutes, they could only hear the voice of the newly added group member shift from confident to feeble and pitiful.

His tone went from questioning to terrified pleading.

Finally, with a static crackle in their headsets, a video page forcibly popped up on all the supernaturals' computers and phones.

In the video, a terrified face was pressed close to the camera. All the supernaturals could see was a hand with slightly calloused fingertips dismissively patting their new group member’s head.

As it patted, a voice asked, "Dark Night? Is that your username? Huh? Didn’t you say to come find you if I had the guts? Well, Pops is here now. Anything you want to say to me?"

"Heh, a bunch of hicks! Did you really think hiding behind a username would let you get away with anything?"

"How many times did I warn you in the chatroom?" The hand patted the chatroom troll's face disdainfully. "Watch your words! Watch your words! Understand?"

"Small-minded frogs, thinking the sky is only as big as the well’s opening. Did you really think just anyone could insult our young master?"

"Lonely Wolf, Brother So Bad So Gentle, Ghost Girl Give Me a Hug..." Employee No. 7242 read out the usernames of the chatroom members one by one.

The other supernaturals in the chatroom, now understanding what was happening, instinctively tried to leave but found their cursors unresponsive. Their accounts seemed locked in the chatroom.

As 7242 read the usernames and listened to the chatroom playback, his anger intensified when he heard that these lowlife supernaturals were planning to create a group to target their young master.

"Good, very good!"

"Are you creating a group for our young master? No... you’re slapping us in the face!"

"Just wait!"

With that, 7242, not caring about overloading the connection, grabbed "Dark Night" beside him, and the two supernaturals crammed together into the small computer screen.

In the blink of an eye, time passed as the Information Department employees worked diligently, and it was 6 a.m. the next day.

In the dedicated work group of the Information Department:

"Information Minister: @everyone, report your work results."

7424, who had been busy all night, took out his phone and snapped a selfie with the group of supernaturals behind him as the background.

The once-arrogant supernaturals, every last one of them, were now as docile as newborn puppies, smiling gently and kindly at the camera.

7424 nodded in satisfaction, retouched the photo slightly with editing software to make himself look more exhausted, and then uploaded the picture to the work group.

Before him, two colleagues had already submitted their reports.

"7421: Pic#Pic#Pic"

"7458: Pic#Pic"

After uploading his own work photo, 7424 immediately clicked open the photos uploaded by his two colleagues, scrutinizing them with a critical eye.

The number of supernaturals in 7421's photo background wasn't as many as his.

Although there were slightly more supernaturals in 7458's photo background than his—but—but—7458 wasn't even wearing his work attire! Deduct one point.

Overall, it seemed he, 7424, had completed the job more perfectly.

The work photos ended with the department head's picture.

7424 looked at the department head's work photo and smacked his lips, thinking, no wonder the department head could be the department head—the background wall behind him must have had a whole field of supernaturals, right?

It seemed he still had much to learn from the department head in terms of work efficiency.

Finally, there was an unexpected surprise. The third assistant from the CEO's office joined the work group to convey the boss's message.

"Third Assistant Wang Wei from the CEO's Office: @all members, by the boss's directive, the entire Information Department must treat purging toxic online culture as a regular task, persisting tirelessly. The Young Master is in his youth, an age full of infinite curiosity and kindness toward the outside world. We must carefully nurture, cherish, and safeguard the fine qualities the Young Master possesses."

"Third Assistant Wang Wei from the CEO's Office: @all members, as the saying goes, 'an army is maintained for years for use in a single hour.' Below is the latest promotion quantifiable standards applicable to all Information Department employees. Everything is based on KPI to judge heroes! As long as you accumulate a certain amount of KPI, colleagues, promotion is right before your eyes!"

Promotion?

Noticing this keyword, all Information Department employees' eyes lit up.

Upon seeing the KPI comparison table sent by the third assistant next, employees scattered in various corners of the supernatural world each took a sharp breath.

The comparison table actually went all the way up to the general manager level!

To think, their Su Financial Group had never established this position in the headquarters so far, except in branch companies—it had always been handled concurrently by the boss.

Now, their Information Department had actually used the Young Master's stepping stone to reach this golden opportunity of general manager first!

How was this different from military merits granting titles and benefiting future generations in ancient human legends?

It wasn't!

"7424: I, 7424, swear to protect the Young Master with my life, ensuring not a single foul word online has the chance to reach the Young Master!"

After sending this reply, he turned around with red eyes, walking toward the group of little lambs behind him. His expression, overly excited, even seemed somewhat unhinged: "Little ones, tell me, how many more of these underground groups do you have?"

"Whoever tells me first can leave after writing their self-criticism," he muttered.

***

Su Ximu had been going to bed earlier than usual lately because he accompanied the trainees waking up early.

Basically, after struggling to finish watching the first episode, he didn't even see the behind-the-scenes content the show released later—he was already yawning continuously.

Thus, he coincidentally missed the online turmoil that night.

When he woke up this morning and went to the show's account to find the behind-the-scenes link, the comment section was already peaceful and complimentary.

"Dark Night: Such emotional artistry, such great graffiti! Being able to see these on the trainees' faces is the honor of my lifetime!"

"Lonely Wolf: Seriously, does the production team have any aesthetic sense? Such an expressive, excellent presence, and you just have him be a third-floor selection supervisor?"

"Tonight Sleepless: ? Do you have X-ray vision? The third-floor selection supervisor's face isn't even clear—how can you tell he's expressive? Did you cut your face off and put it on his?" This comment has been deleted.

"Lonely Wolf: You understand nothing—what? Presence, presence—understand?"

"Brother Very Bad Very Gentle: I'll pay top dollar for the painting the third-floor selection supervisor drew on the trainee's forehead! I offer 10 million yuan!"

"Tonight Sleepless: ? Are you all sick? Isn't that just a 'king'? Didn't your mom draw tiger faces on you as a kid? Never seen one? Let your dad carve one?" he commented. This comment has been deleted.

In the blink of an eye, many comments were deleted.

Su Ximu, reading the comments, blinked, slightly curious about what these comments had said to get deleted.

Meanwhile, in a three-story office building in the suburbs:

Su Jianglou walked into his office exhausted, occasionally lifting his left hand to massage his right wrist during the walk.

It was also because his tour operations were mostly in remote wilderness areas, where rogue supernaturals would occasionally covet his territory.

Originally, he didn't care much—it was fine to go out and flex his muscles occasionally.

But times had changed. Now that more pressing matters had come up, those rogue supernaturals seemed rather disruptive.

He didn't feel tired while patrolling, but once he relaxed, Su Jianglou finally felt the exhaustion set in.

Walking to the sofa in his office, he settled into the soft couch, let out a long sigh, casually took out his phone from his pocket, and prepared to browse news headlines online to relax a bit.

But upon opening the app, he saw the trending topics bar topic: "Tonight's Big Star Premiere Ratings."

Su Jianglou frowned, suddenly remembering—didn't Xiao Mu recently insisted on changing jobs to work at this very show?

Author's Note:

Information Department employee KPI conversion formula: 1 complaint = 1 contribution point