Cannon Fodder Genius Game Producer - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The 21st Day of a Blockbuster

The administrative staff at Universal Group were highly efficient.

This efficiency was evident not only when an ordinary employee like Pei Shu resigned, but also when a high-ranking executive like Wang Fei left.

During that afternoon’s executive meeting, the moment Wang Fei uttered the words “I resign,” the entire process for personnel and work handover regarding Jixing Studio’s Super God project manager was fast-tracked.

Of course, the resignation of a high-level executive like Wang Fei was not as simple as that of an ordinary staff member. Wang Fei had a multitude of matters to hand over, including the future update plans for Super God and briefings on existing operations.

Simultaneously, a high-ranking official’s departure required signing a series of agreements, specifically non-disclosure and non-compete agreements.

The so-called non-compete agreement is a measure to prevent frequent personnel movement within the same industry—the full name is a Non-Competition Agreement. It was designed to prohibit high-level personnel like Wang Fei from immediately jumping to another major rival in the industry after leaving.

Wang Fei didn’t care much about this. In fact, before submitting his resignation, he already had a clear idea of what to expect—he would be required to sign a non-compete agreement listing dozens of companies. For at least 12 months after his departure, he would not be allowed to work at any of them. After those 12 months, at least two companies on the list would have their non-compete duration extended to as long as three years.

In other words, once he signed this agreement, given his age, it would be virtually impossible for him to jump to another major firm as high-level management.

However, when he actually went to sign the document, he discovered that Universal truly held him in “high regard.”

Aside from the clauses he already anticipated, there was an additional one: In addition to the companies listed in the non-compete roster, Party B agrees that within the next 12 months, they will not join any game company, studio, or project with a registered capital or investment exceeding 1 million RMB.

1 million?

Wang Fei looked at the non-compete agreement, momentarily speechless.

A game company with a registered capital of over 1 million?

Given the current state of the industry, what could a budget of 1 million actually achieve? Let alone a company with less than 1 million.

To put it bluntly, Universal only allowed Wang Fei to work for small, private game production studios—effectively restricting his employment scope to small studios with “no financial strength.”

Such studios were likely struggling every month just to scramble for R&D funds.

Of course, based on the strictness of this agreement, Universal Group would pay him a monthly compensation of 60% of his original salary for the next 12 months. During the three-year prohibition period for specific companies after those 12 months, they would pay him 35% of his original salary.

“Old Wang… I’m sorry.” The head of the Jixing Studio cluster looked a bit grim as he patted Wang Fei’s shoulder. “Increasing the compensation amount was the best condition I could fight for you.”

Wang Fei didn’t say much, merely nodding in understanding. “As for the current handover, as long as the successor’s project manager position isn’t snatched away, there’s nothing left on my end.”

When he proposed taking the blame and resigning, Wang Fei had already considered various consequences. Now, the consequences were simply a bit harsher than he had imagined.

After he left the Universal building, Wang Fei sighed with a sense of loss and looked back at the skyscraper.

He had worked at Universal for nearly 15 years and was someone who had witnessed the building of this tower with his own eyes. He once thought he would stay here until “a long time from now.”

He didn’t expect the deadline for that “long time” to arrive so suddenly.

Wang Fei let out a light laugh and a sigh, then pulled out his phone to take a farewell commemorative photo of the building. It was at that moment that he saw the message Pei Shu had sent him.

 Old Wang, I’ve started a game studio. Interested in coming?

Wang Fei: …

This Pei Shu!

Thinking of Pei Shu’s mysterious “slacking off” for the past 8 years made Wang Fei’s blood boil!

He had watched Teacher Bu Shu’s livestream. That day, seeing Pei Shu’s fluent commentary and sharp insights during the stream, he had rolled his eyes on the spot.

What a kid. In the studio, he was moping around as if he had never learned to speak in his life, but the moment he opened a stream, his brain was so sharp the whole world was clapping for him.

For a rascal like this, Wang Fei almost wanted to find Pei Shu personally and give him a good smack on the head.

Looking at the WeChat message, Wang Fei gave a cold sneer: Can you afford me?

This wasn’t Wang Fei bragging; his annual salary at Jixing, excluding bonuses, was 3 million RMB after tax.

If you added in the various project bonuses from Super God, his annual income reached a massive figure. An average small studio truly couldn’t afford him, nor would it make sense.

This was why Universal’s non-compete agreement was truly dog-like. With Wang Fei’s wealth, if he wasn’t truly passionate about games, he could comfortably spend the rest of his life doing nothing.

Work at a small game studio?

Was he going there to work, or to provide financial security for the studio?

Most small studios would probably treat Wang Fei like a “Sugar Daddy” to be fawned over.

In the Daonan Road apartment, Pei Shu was thinking about how to launch the studio’s first project when he heard a notification.

Old Wang had replied.

Seeing Old Wang’s message, Pei Shu smiled—since he hadn’t been blocked, it meant Old Wang was a good person, and an easy-going one at that.

Furthermore, although Pei Shu had been forced to slack off at Jixing for the past 8 years, since his awakening, he had a clear understanding of Old Wang’s abilities.

An elder in the family is like a treasure—the same applies to a studio.

Pei Shu typed quickly: Originally I couldn’t afford you, so I’m here to pick up a bargain.

Wang Fei: …

Wang Fei: Heh, why should I let you pick me up for a bargain?

Pei Shu: Well, because you value me?

Wang Fei: Heh, value you? That was 8 years ago. In these 8 years, which thing you did was worth me continuing to value you?

Pei Shu: Um… because you like games?

Wang Fei: …

Pei Shu: Why don’t we meet tomorrow to talk? The studio office has been decided and is currently being renovated. Right now, the only employees are me and Jiang Ziye. It’s a small studio; I hope you can overlook its humbleness.

Wang Fei: …Even if I like games, can’t I start a studio myself?

Pei Shu: Brother Wang, you are skilled at strategizing and managing projects as support. Ziye and I are still very green when it comes to game production; we need you to help us keep things on track.

Wang Fei was speechless.

He didn’t even know why he was continuing to chat with this kid Pei Shu.

As he said, if he really wanted to make games, he could invest a few hundred thousand himself to register a small studio and find talent he recognized. Even if he personally wasn’t skilled in creative work, every stage of game development was like a breathing instinct for him.

He truly looked down on Pei Shu’s behavior over the last 8 years. Even though the data document Pei Shu left before leaving was stunning, without a logical explanation, Wang Fei couldn’t think of why he should believe Pei Shu could produce a good project.

However, the name Jiang Ziye caught his attention. After all, he had followed Crazy Graduation Season and understood the dispute over the “True and False Producer” between Jiang Ziye and Lin Cheng.

Jiang Ziye was at Pei Shu’s studio?

Wang Fei thought for a moment and quickly realized that Pei Shu had used the Teacher Bu Shu account to point out the loopholes in Lin Cheng’s forced defense. It wasn’t impossible for Pei Shu to have contacted Jiang Ziye.

Wang Fei took a car all the way back to his home. On his phone, Pei Shu’s invitation hadn’t stopped.

Wang Fei couldn’t figure out what kind of mindset he was in, but he finally agreed to Pei Shu’s invitation to meet—the studio’s address was actually not far from the Universal building, right on the west side of Daonan Road.

Having the money to rent studio office space in such a location?

Wang Fei frowned, guessing that Pei Shu might have secured a large investment. If that was the case, tomorrow’s meeting with Pei Shu would likely just be a courtesy visit.

After all, his non-compete agreement prohibited him from joining studios or projects at the million-RMB level.

Lately, as the “True Sugar Daddy” younger brother of “Bu Shu Studio,” Li Chuyue had been eagerly hanging around Pei Shu’s apartment every day after work, under the pretext that “the investor needs to follow the progress of the investment project.”

In reality, Li Chuyue’s daily routine consisted of ordering all sorts of delicious takeout to have a happy dinner with Pei Shu, and occasionally—when Pei Shu wasn’t busy—using his supreme authority as the “Sugar Daddy younger brother” to drag Pei Shu out for a meal.

Today was no exception.

Dinner was finished. Originally, Pei Shu and Li Chuyue were both busy with their laptops. When Li Chuyue returned in the evening, the explosive news of the Super God project manager’s resignation had already spread across the entire internet.

Li Chuyue knew about Pei Shu’s plan to poach people, so when he heard Pei Shu say “Old Wang replied,” he leaned over to Pei Shu’s side and watched the entire conversation with Old Wang.

Seeing Old Wang finally agree to talk, Pei Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief and showed a smile.

Li Chuyue took the opportunity to put his arm around Pei Shu and nuzzled him: “I told you, Peipei is indeed the best!”

Pei Shu raised an eyebrow and swatted away Li Chuyue’s hand: “Director Li, speak normally.”

Li Chuyue blinked, looking aggrieved: “Peipei, you’re rejecting me!” He felt melancholy in his heart; today’s Pei Shu was still oblivious to his charms.

Pei Shu: “…”

After spending over half a month together, Pei Shu knew Li Chuyue seemed to like him, but he couldn’t figure out what Li Chuyue liked about him, given the 7-year age gap.

Pei Shu didn’t feel that after being muddled for 8 years and finally waking up, he would have the mood to immediately dive into a relationship with a large age gap that seemed very unreliable.

He even slightly regretted inviting Li Chuyue to invest in the studio. He felt that Li Chuyue’s feelings for him were likely a lingering illusion from his youth. What was needed now was to be calm and clear-headed; perhaps they should put some distance between them.

But whenever he tried to create distance, Li Chuyue was as sharp as a predator on the hunt, giving him no time or opportunity to pull away.

For these past two weeks, Li Chuyue had been constantly transmitting “like” signals to him, as if to gradually make him accept the realization of this “like.”

Because he was busy with the establishment and preparation of the studio, Pei Shu only tried to distance himself tentatively, but was quickly “stuck” back by Li Chuyue. This left Pei Shu unsure of how to handle it, so he planned to stall for now. Once the studio was successfully established and they started developing games, they would be busy as hell—then he could naturally use overtime and work as an excuse to distance himself from Li Chuyue.

Li Chuyue could see the distrust in Pei Shu’s eyes regarding this “like,” but he didn’t care. He knew how long the love for Pei Shu had been buried in his heart.

He once thought this love was just a simple longing for the beauty of his teenage memories, but after seeing Pei Shu again, he was certain that the love in his heart was not an intangible dream.

Seeing the real Pei Shu appear before him, he only wanted to indulge in it more.

He liked Pei Shu—even if Pei Shu didn’t believe it.

Putting aside the topic of like or dislike, Li Chuyue said seriously: “When Wang Fei resigns, he should have a non-compete agreement on him, and the penalty for breach will be very high. When you talk to him, it might be easier to start from this point. Your studio is small with low registered capital; it shouldn’t fall within the scope of his non-compete.”

When Li Chuyue started speaking seriously, Pei Shu also breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He shook his head and said, “No need.”

“Old Wang is a good person. It’s unnecessary and disrespectful to talk to him using the constraints of a non-compete agreement.” Pei Shu smiled with full confidence: “Even though my studio is small, I believe its philosophy and ideas can win Old Wang’s approval. Getting him to join of his own free will is the respect every talent deserves.”

Li Chuyue froze for a moment, then nodded with a hearty laugh.

What he considered were interests and efficiency from a capital perspective, but Pei Shu’s perspective was one of respect and passion.

He suddenly remembered that about ten years ago, he had seen Pei Shu and his old friends making games together. Back then, their budget was very limited; one person had to do the work of three or four. The person in charge of art also had to manage programming, and the person in charge of the plot had to know how to follow up on outsourcing.

But in those memories, he still remembered the hearty and happy smiles on the faces of Pei Shu and his companions.

Around noon the next day.

Pei Shu and Jiang Ziye arrived at a cafe near the Daonan Road West studio first, waiting for Wang Fei’s arrival.

While waiting, a post suddenly appeared on the WG forum—8 Years, Nothing to Show for It: This is the Real Teacher Bu Shu!

!!

The moment Jiang Ziye saw this post, he flashed his phone screen in front of Pei Shu’s eyes.

“Teacher, the style of this post… I suspect it’s Lin Cheng!”

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