Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 141 Flesh and Blood Suffer, Technology Soars! Farmers Must Not Die! (Burst Update, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

The modern world, Zhurihe, at the portal of time and space!
Heavy trucks lined up in a queue, their engines roaring low, and disappeared one after another into the huge, azure-blue light gate.

Inside the convoy, the soldiers lifted the camouflage netting off a semi-trailer truck, revealing layers of iron cages.

Dozens of monkeys, captured from Mount Emei and trained long ago, huddled in a cage, their golden eyes filled with bewilderment and fear. They had never seen such a bizarre sight before.

As the vehicle started, the portal rapidly enlarged before their eyes, and the monkey troop instantly erupted in chaos, their sharp, piercing cries filling the air.

Unfortunately, the cold steel cages are an insurmountable barrier for them.

Following closely behind were trucks loaded with cattle, sheep, and white pigs, the air thick with the distinctive stench of livestock.

These are all new batches of living experimental materials being transported to another world.

Some are used for genetic improvement, to select for better meat quality or milk production.

Some are sent directly to the laboratory to verify various cutting-edge biotechnologies.

Their ultimate fate is one of two things—to become food for the base personnel, or to be turned into efficient agricultural fertilizer in an incinerator.

Technological progress is inseparable from the help of countless living beings.

We thank them for sacrificing their lives to make human biotechnology better.

There are so many research projects in this other world that the research fanatics at Tokyo University have approved almost every topic they could think of.

The frantic pace of the experiments resulted in a huge consumption of biological consumables.

This directly led to a 50% surge in the cost of various consumables in a short period. If it weren't for official price suppression, this figure would have been even more dramatic.

To solve this problem, the scientific team frantically searched for alternatives, and the rhesus monkeys they had previously obtained from India were almost all used up.

In some areas where the monkeys have overrun the population, they have been detained multiple times...

Inside the armored vehicle not far away, Deng Dakang closed his eyes, letting that familiar dizzying sensation and tearing feeling engulf his entire body.

His vision distorted into a chaotic mass of colors once again, then plunged into a brief darkness, as if his internal organs were being repeatedly kneaded by an invisible hand.

When Deng Dakang's vision cleared again after blinking, the view outside the window was completely different.

A faint smell of minerals mixed with soil wafted in the air. Although the air was cold, Deng Dakang's spirits were lifted.

That elusive, mysterious feeling, as if my mind could sense a new world, is back!

"Ha, I, Deng Hansan, am back again!"

The line rolled around in Deng Dakang's throat again and again, but he ultimately swallowed it back down.

He's almost sixty; he needs to be more mature.

If I were to shout like that in front of these young people, would I still have any dignity as "Professor Deng"?

He raised his hand and touched the unassuming helmet on his head. This thing was an improved version by scientists, capable of shielding against mental magic from other worlds and a life-saving device in critical moments.

"Xiao Zhang, how are you feeling?" Deng Dakang asked the young soldier in the driver's seat.

"Reporting to Professor Deng, this crossing was much better than the last one!" The soldier grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "I'm gradually getting used to this dizziness."

"That's good. I feel much more relaxed this time than before!"

"Going to Experiment Zone No. 3, I wonder what Master Chen and the others are doing."

"okay!"

Xiao Zhang drove the car, transporting Deng Dakang to his destination.

As soon as the armored vehicle's door opened, a strong smell of disinfectant hit you.

A burly figure glanced in their direction and then made a sound.

"Professor Deng!"

Wang Hu's eyes lit up when he saw Deng Dakang.

He walked over carrying a box full of materials, and only realized what was happening when he got close. He quickly put the box down and snapped to attention, giving a military salute.

Deng Dakang smiled and patted him on the sturdy shoulder.

"Alright, you've gotten even bigger in just over ten days? Are the ingredients from this other world really that nourishing?"

"Hehe, Professor Deng, ingredients from another world are really good!"

What are you carrying?

"Materials prepared for the Taoist priests." Wang Hu grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth. "You have no idea, these past few days, besides our daily training, we've been nothing but guinea pigs for these Taoist priests. Those days have been...it's been..."

He couldn't find the right words for a moment, and after struggling for a while, he blurted out: "Absolutely brilliant!"

Deng Dakang was amused by him: "How wonderful?"

"We get our blood drawn every day!" Wang Hu replied dejectedly, his face full of resentment. "We're like walking blood bags now."

As Deng Dakang listened, his smile deepened.

The details of these soldiers' tantrums cannot be captured in the dry reports in the letters.

Forced to return to the modern world due to his injuries, he was able to grasp the general situation remotely, but the most valuable information came from the real people and events he encountered firsthand. This allowed him to adjust his research tasks based on the team's condition.

As they spoke, the soldiers began unloading various goods from the trucks.

One by one, the boxes wrapped in special materials were carefully lifted off the ground.

Seeing this, Wang Hu immediately stepped forward: "Professor Deng, let me lend a hand!"

"Go ahead." Deng Dakang waved his hand, then put his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the laboratory building.

He's too old to cause trouble; young people have plenty of energy.

Before he even reached the door, the door to the laboratory building opened, and several figures dressed in Taoist robes quickly walked out, with Master Chen leading the way.

"Haha... Layman Deng, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you so long these past few days!"

Master Chen's wrinkled face couldn't hide his joy.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Master Chen pulled the young man behind him over.

“This is my unworthy disciple, and here is my most valued disciple, Wang Ye.”

Deng Dakang's gaze lingered on Wang Ye for a moment.

The young man had clear, bright eyes and stood tall, exuding a composure beyond his years. However, the curiosity and scrutiny in his eyes were not hidden at all.

Wang was indeed sizing up Deng Dakang.

He wore thick glasses and was very thin. Apart from his full head of white hair, he looked like any ordinary old man taking a stroll in the park.

Why would the master hold such an ordinary old man in such high regard?

He didn't understand.

"Your trial-and-error summary ideas are excellent. I've read them, and the methods are very good, demonstrating a strong scientific experimental spirit," Deng Dakang spoke first, his voice gentle yet powerful. "Once that book, 'The Complete Guide to Trial and Error in Otherworldly Talismans,' is compiled, it will not only benefit the Xuanmen sect, but all our warriors will also benefit. At that time, Wudang will have made a great contribution, and everyone will remember your kindness."

"Master Deng, it's 'The Complete Guide to Wudang Scientific Talisman Making Trial and Error'!" Master Chen corrected him sheepishly.

Deng Dakang paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Yes, 'The Complete Guide to Scientific Talisman Making in Wudang,' hmm, a good name! It not only gets to the point but also shows the importance of Wudang."

These words of praise carried great weight, and Master Chen's smile became even more sincere.

This is not just praise, but an official commitment.

"Let's go back to the lab first. I want to hear what results we've achieved recently."

The group entered the laboratory, which was more spacious than the outside. The walls were covered with whiteboards, which were filled with mathematical symbols and formulas drawn with markers of various colors.

These are all summary reports compiled by Master Wang Ye after several days of research and trial and error.

Without waiting for Master Chen's introduction, Deng Dakang went straight to a whiteboard with an extremely complex diagram of the Five Thunder Spell.

Upon seeing this, Master Chen wondered how Professor Deng would evaluate their recent achievements.

Deng Dakang stared at it for a long time, then suddenly pointed to one of the ingredient formulas.

"Master Chen, could the repeated failures in making talismans be related to some of the synthetic properties of the materials?"

"what?"

"Why must you use materials that are extremely rigid and masculine? Many of the materials you use have chemically reactions that are too violent! Don't you know that rigidity makes things prone to breakage?"

Master Chen was taken aback, then his eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"That's right! We were planning to use extremely yang materials to create the Five Thunder Spell, but we never thought of combining the five elements?"

"Kan represents water, water nourishes wood, and wood generates thunder. By using the gentle strength of water to temper the fierce power of thunder, not only can it be stabilized, but its power might even be increased to another level! Professor, you truly..."

He was so excited he could barely speak, and his eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Deng Dakang.

Wang Ye, standing beside him, gaped slightly, completely stunned.

The "ordinary old man" in his eyes only glanced at the problem they had been studying for more than ten days without any clue, and pointed out the core issue incisively.

This is no ordinary old man; he is clearly a great master with profound knowledge of both heaven and man!

Deng Dakang smiled, adjusted his glasses, and turned his gaze to Wang Ye, who looked shocked.

“Young man, don’t think of Taoist magic as too mysterious. In my opinion, talismans are formulas, incantations are instructions, and magical power is the circulation of energy.”

"According to you young people, the casting of magic in other worlds is idealistic. You call it 'the mind triumphs over matter,' transcending the mundane and attaining sainthood."

"But in my view, all the achievements of idealism can be analyzed from a scientific perspective."

Compared to the idealistic doctrine that prioritizes the mind over matter and seeks transcendence, Deng Dakang believes more in the suffering and weakness of flesh and blood and the rapid advancement of technology!

When Wang heard Deng Dakang use such fictional terms, he was filled with admiration for him.

Unaware of the Taoist priests' inner thoughts, Deng Dakang continued, "Although magic is unpredictable, it adheres to many principles of physics and microphysics."

"The wisdom of our ancestors combined with our modern scientific theories is the only way to carve out a path to the heavens for our human race in this new world."

He paused, then threw out an even more impactful bait.

"Now, are you interested in researching experiments on how to reduce the difficulty of casting various Taoist incantations and increase the success rate?"

Deng Dakang's words were like thunderclaps, exploding in the minds of Master Chen and Wang Ye.

Wang Ye was alright; he was young and had been exposed to modern science for some time, but he never imagined that his family's thousand-year-old Taoist practices could be related to scientific experiments.

He felt that his previous thoughts were too one-sided.

Master Chen's gaze toward Professor Deng became even more fervent!

Seeing the expressions on the faces of the master and his apprentice, Deng Dakang smiled and did not dwell on this profound question any further.

He knew that the inertia of thought, and the imprint of thought, would take time to slowly dissolve.

He turned around and said to everyone, "Come on, look at the new toys I brought this time. Wang Hu, move the things!"

"it is good!"

Wang Hu stepped back and displayed the silver-white metal box he had just brought.

"Open it here."

"it is good!"

Wang Hu answered, then carefully placed the box on the lab table with a muffled thud.

Deng Dakang stepped forward and pressed the sensor area on the side of the box.

Click~
The lid popped open automatically, revealing several uniquely shaped metal headbands neatly stacked inside.

In addition to the theft and replacement, a large number of exposed wires were also placed separately.

These things made Master Chen and his companions dizzy.

Although this thing doesn't look very appealing, everyone who sees it immediately feels that it's a high-tech product.

They are full of raw cyberpunk science fiction.

"This is..." Master Chen leaned closer, his eyes full of curiosity.

"This is a great product specially developed by the research institute. It can be used as a patch or implanted inside the human body to specifically enhance brainwave signals."

Deng Dakang picked up a headband part and showed it to the Taoist priests.

"To unleash magic in another world, several prerequisites are required."

"Based on the data collected from everyone's recent exploration, I believe that magic, especially mind magic, is actually a directional, high-intensity brainwave resonance."

According to a recent investigation by a scientific team, the existence of certain spellcasters in this world may very well be through those red-leafed, white-barked trees with human-faced features.

These trees form a vast network of biosignals, enabling wide-ranging mind control over wild animals and other organic life forms.

"The pineal glands in the brains of those elves, as well as their hair, all possess the ability to establish some kind of link with the magical particles of the New World."

"The people in this other world can use magic because they have been growing and developing in this world for countless years. Their bodies have long since mutated and been strengthened."

"Logically, we should also be able to possess magical abilities, but our genes and organs would need specific enhancements! Okay, I've finished speaking. Does anyone have anything to add?"

"Professor Deng, you said that these pieces of equipment can enhance our own magical abilities once we wear them?"

Deng Dakang nodded: "Yes!"

The creatures of this other world evolved through countless years of adaptation.

Humans don't have much time here, so they can only use immature technology to enhance this ability.

Deng Dakang's gaze swept over everyone present.

"Magic cannot create power out of nothing; these items will enhance the frequency at which you resonate with magic."

"With the right equipment, I think I can silently recite a spell in my mind and then resonate with the magical particles of this world with the best equipment."

"Unfortunately, the technology behind these things is not yet perfect!"

Wang Hu was stunned for a moment, and finally managed to stammer out, "Professor, you mean... this thing is like the equipment in a game that increases spell power? Wearing it will make the Taoist priests' talismans more powerful?"

"Haha, Xiao Wang's analogy is good." Deng Dakang was amused. "That's pretty much the idea. When I had the team design this equipment, I was thinking about greatly improving the efficiency and power of spellcasting for all of humanity."

Master Chen's breathing quickened as he stared intently at the headband, as if he had seen some priceless treasure: "If this... if this is real, the strength of our Wudang Sect... no, the strength of our entire human race can take a giant leap forward!"

"Yes, but don't get too excited yet." Deng Dakang poured cold water on him. "This is still a semi-finished product. There are problems with signal recognition and filtering. It's too risky to put people in directly. If the signal amplification goes wrong and turns the fused energy into some kind of explosive energy, then things will get really messy."

He pointed to the cargo still being unloaded outside: "I also applied for a special group of 'volunteers' to help us avoid potential problems this time."

Wang Hu asked curiously, "What kind of volunteer?"

Deng Dakang pushed up his glasses and smiled.

"A batch of experimental monkeys that have undergone rigorous brainwave response training."

"From Mount Emei!"

Using monkeys to test Taoist talismans?

The scene was so beautiful that they almost dared not imagine it.

Ignoring their shock, Deng Dakang's gaze fell on Wang Ye, the young man whose Five Thunder Spell had been awakened by his words.

"Master Wang, the young Taoist priest."

He slowly opened his mouth and made a suggestion that made Wang Ye's heart skip a beat.

"Once the monkeys' tests are stable, would you be interested in... being the first to try making some Taoist incantations using your mind, instead of talismans and cinnabar?"
-

The modern world, Shanghai!
Lin Li was living a very comfortable life in Shanghai.

He can indulge in the top-notch cuisine he brought from another world to his heart's content here.

Because of his incredible luck in winning the hotel, he has recently been indulging in the beautiful scenery of the Huangpu River.

The unique hustle and bustle of the modern city brought him immense joy.

However, this joy dissipated considerably after only a few days.

Eating and drinking are fun, but causing trouble is even more fun.

Zhong Mengyao had inquired about the silly animation several times recently.

Lin Li knew it was time for him to start making silly animations.

There's an unspoken understanding between him and the authorities. You know I have cards to play, and I know you're watching, but neither of us can break them first.

In this delicate balance, Lin Li needed a channel to appropriately convey information to the authorities, without allowing himself to be controlled, and also to let the other side know that he would not leave.

The hundreds of thousands of yuan left by the parents is not much, and in a place like Shanghai where land is extremely valuable, it will soon be spent.

He's too weak right now. Going to another world to risk his life for money is not only dangerous, but he could also easily die.

Since projection clones are precious, after much thought, finding some cattle and horses to share the burden and provide the exploration team with important information about the other world through animation is a very worthwhile investment.

Lin Li was certain that no matter what the authorities did, they wouldn't just stand by and watch their "special informant" starve to death on the streets, would they?
A few days later, he rented an office at a discounted price and hung the sign blatantly – “Time Travel Studio”.

The studio primarily deals in cultural, film, and entertainment works, and also handles talent management, film production, and distribution.

It's clearly a small studio with an investment of a few hundred thousand yuan, but the things it does are far more outrageous than what's expected.

The crucial business license was even approved by the industry and commerce authorities.

A day later, Lin Liyue recruited several fresh graduates, whose eyes were still shining with enthusiasm, as animation and short video novice producers. They were offered an internship salary of 1.5 yuan.

The internship lasts three months, and if you pass the three-month internship, you will be given social security benefits and project revenue sharing. Such conditions are definitely not enough for top talents in enterprises, but they are very attractive to fresh graduates.

At the first studio meeting, Lin Li sat in the boss's chair and cleared his throat.

"Everyone, we live in an era where traffic is king. I have the channels and the connections. I can definitely make something big happen."

He tapped his finger lightly on the table, feigning seriousness.

"I want to make an animation, a funny and silly one, and I'll call it 'Steel Torrent Pioneering Another World'!"

The new employees looked at their boss, wanting to see what was going through his mind.

Lin Li continued to introduce the premise: "The story begins simply: one day, a time portal suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the Shanghai police station..."

He embellished and described what he had seen in the other world, only scratching the surface.

What undead scourge? Knights riding warhorses, mages who can conjure fireballs, cruel female elves, creatures who can control hordes of beasts…

He threw it all out at once.

A young man wearing black-rimmed glasses, who looked like the lead screenwriter, had shining eyes.

After Lin Li finished speaking, when it was the employees' turn to ask questions, a man with slightly frizzy hair adjusted his glasses and asked, "Boss, the world setting is very grand. Are there any long-term foreshadowing plans? For example, how will the plot develop? What will the world be like? How many factions will there be? How many races will there be? How big will the planet be? How many explicit and implicit storylines will there be? We can plan ahead and improve the script."

Lin Li was a little confused at the time.

How would I know that much!
I obtained a portal to another world through the inheritance I received from my parents.

I went there with high hopes, only to suffer a more horrible defeat each time.

If it weren't for his quick thinking and sending the main force over, he probably wouldn't even have achieved 10% of the exploration progress by now.

"Boss, why is there a portal in this police station? Is it for any special purpose? Is it just a plot device, and the main characters are the people from the police station? This kind of thing is easy to get off the ground in the censorship process!"

Another girl in charge of art asked the same question.

Hearing these words, Lin Li remained outwardly calm, but his mind was racing.

With a quick glance, Lin Li leaned back slightly, adopting a profound posture that suggested, "You're all still too young."

"That's a good question, that's exactly what I wanted to say."

"Don't worry about anything borderline; the subject matter is very safe. I have connections."

"Do you think this is just a simple alternate world? No, this world is extremely dangerous, where magic and technology are intertwined, the faith of gods and believers is highly intertwined, and even..."

He paused deliberately, whetting everyone's appetite.

"There are even alien civilizations from other star systems coveting the origin of this world!"

"What I want is hilarious slapstick comedy, adrenaline-pumping action, and the crushing defeat after an alien invasion!!!"

Several new employees gasped in shock.

The atmosphere in the conference room, which had been so lively and exciting just a moment ago because of the silly and funny jokes, instantly cooled down after Lin Li uttered the words "alien civilization".

The young people looked at each other, their eyes filled with the same word—this is too unreliable.

The lead writer, Zhou Qi, who wore black-rimmed glasses, felt that since he had just passed the job interview, he needed to salvage this project, which sounded like it was likely to fail and die before it could even begin, and his monthly salary of 15,000 yuan, in order to work there longer.

He didn't want to lose this new job that he had worked so hard to get.

He cautiously pushed up his glasses and carefully began to speak: "Boss, the worldview you just mentioned... it involves alien civilizations and gods coveting it, it's a very grand scale...! But you want us to make it a silly and funny style, won't these two styles... clash a bit?"

The girl in charge of art nodded in agreement, whispering, "Yes, a serious background paired with a nonsensical plot can easily result in something that doesn't quite fit the bill, and the audience won't buy it."

Several pairs of eyes turned to Lin Li, as if they were looking at a client with a split personality.

Lin Li waved his hand dismissively, then slumped into his executive chair, looking utterly lazy.

"Serious? Who wants to be serious?" He yawned. "Does anyone read serious stuff? Young people these days work like dogs, and all they want after get off work is to have some fun. That's the contrast they crave!"

He got more and more excited as he spoke: "Think about it, a Holy Knight who bears the fate of a planet's rise and fall, his biggest worry in life is that there are too many potatoes in today's beef stew with potatoes. Isn't that funny?"

"An ancient dragon determined to destroy the world was fined 250 yuan by the Bureau for 'no flying in the city.' Isn't that ridiculous?"

The meeting room was silent. Several young people were already imagining the scene in their minds, and the corners of their mouths began to twitch involuntarily.

It seems... to be somewhat interesting.

Just as Lin Lizheng was about to add fuel to the fire, having gotten the employees into his rhythm, Zhou Qi once again seized the opportunity to voice his concerns.

"The boss is indeed the boss; he's much more thoughtful than us. Boss, what's the core storyline of our animation? There needs to be a goal to drive the plot forward, right?"

"Main storyline?" Lin Li took a sip of water. "Farming! Farm to death!"

"The core idea of ​​the animation is very simple - anything that hinders the rabbit from building infrastructure, clearing land, and farming, whether you are a dragon or an elf, a god or a demon, will be defeated and used as fertilizer!"

Lin Li stood up and paced around the conference room, his tone impassioned.

"Our silly animations are just farming and funny everyday animations!"

"We need a slogan, and that slogan is—'Those who offend our farm, no matter how far away, will be punished!' What forbidden spells of the magical empire, what divine punishments from the gods, will all have to give way to farming before our steel torrent of construction vehicles! Anyone who dares to prevent the rabbits from farming will be planted in the ground!"

These words were like a thunderbolt, leaving the employees stunned and speechless.

But it has to be admitted that this theme... is both silly and exciting, and it hits the sweet spot for contemporary young people exactly!
Finally, with a clear direction, Zhou Qi and his colleagues exchanged glances, feeling that this project... might be salvageable again.

"Alright, the theme is settled." Lin Li sat back in his chair and waved his hand. "Hurry up with production, it would be best to make it a weekly broadcast. As for the quality... just follow the example of 'A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality'."

"..."

The conference room fell into a deathly silence once again.

Everyone was looking at Lin Li as if he were an alien.

How can a fledgling, silly animation be compared to the top 3D animated series in China?

Boss, do you seem to have some misunderstanding about the terms "cost" and "quality"?
Zhou Qi opened his mouth, struggling to organize his thoughts: "Boss... for a show like 'Ordinary People,' the cost per episode might be... astronomical."

How much will it cost?

"This year's annual anime series will cost at least 5600 million yen, with a single episode costing as much as 70 yen, and the top-tier ones costing at least 150 million yen!"

Lin Li: "..."

He thought for a moment and then said, "For short videos, our studio's ultimate goal is to produce videos of the quality of 'A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality.' In the early stages, let's focus on making the studio profitable first."

"In the early stages, we can just use 2D silly animations of panda images."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The boss's ideas were wildly imaginative, but thankfully not completely insane.

"The company's funds are not sufficient at the moment... so in order to save costs, the studio needs more staff, both cheap and durable."

“Go back to the school forum and post a message, find some junior students who haven’t graduated yet to do part-time work, and outsource the less important tasks.”

The glimmer of hope that had just ignited in everyone's hearts was instantly extinguished by this bucket of cold water.

Even without much experience, one can still accomplish great things.

This boss is unreliable in his words and deeds, and more importantly, he has some of the characteristics of a capitalist—he's stingy!
Seeing the constipated expressions on the faces of his employees, who looked like they'd met the wrong person, Lin Li laughed, revealing a set of white teeth, like a devil tempting people to fall.

"What kind of expressions are those? I'm not asking you to work for free."

He held up two fingers and waved them in front of everyone.

“You guys go and recruit people, and bring the outsourcing prices down to the lowest possible level. For example, if a job costs 10,000 in the market, you can get it done by your juniors for 5,000. Of the 5,000 you save, 2,500 goes to the company, and the other 2,500... you guys can split it among yourselves as a project bonus.”

"My requirements are simple: I just want the same quality as other products in the market at the same price point."

The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the conference room changed instantly.

The disdain and helplessness that had just been in those eyes vanished without a trace, replaced by a wolf-like green light.

With a base salary of 15,000 yuan per month, and after recruiting people to reduce costs, they also receive high commissions.

This isn't a heartless boss, this is clearly a money-giving boy!
"Don't worry, boss!" Zhou Qi was the first to pat his chest and assure everyone, "I'll contact our animation school professor right away. He has plenty of excellent students working on projects with lots of work and low pay!"

"Our school's short video club members are all hardcore video editors, guaranteeing high quality at a low price!"

The employees were immediately filled with enthusiasm and made numerous promises.

Lin Li nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand, saying, "Go, bring all those future cattle and horses over here. Remember, the journey of our animation is to the stars... no, to every inch of the world!"

From then on, this makeshift operation called "Time Travel Studio" unleashed astonishing energy, driven by money.

Zhou Qi and his team, armed with a few sketches drawn by Lin Li and an outline he dictated, stayed up all night to refine several episodes of the script.

He handed it to Lin Li for inspection, and then Lin Li generously allocated 1 yuan to the other party as a huge sum for production.

Subsequently, Zhou Qi used a "huge sum" of one thousand silver dollars to successfully swindle several junior students who had not yet graduated, and persuaded them to write the sequel to this silly animation called "Iron Torrent Pioneering Another World," a story full of love and fertilizer.

The allure of money is endless.

The makeshift Time Travel Studio has unleashed unprecedented energy.

In just a few days, a silly animation that blends outsourcing and self-production was freshly produced.

Looking at the rough-looking finished product with a hint of eerie magic, Zhou Qi felt uneasy and reluctantly dialed Lin Li's number.

"Boss, the film is finished. Would you like to come and review it?"

Lin Li's lazy voice came from the other end of the phone, with game sound effects mixed in the background. "No need, just send it up directly."

Zhou Qi was taken aback. "Huh? You really won't even take a look? What if..."

"Don't worry, it'll definitely be a hit!"

Lin Li's tone left no room for argument, and he hung up the phone after speaking.

Hearing the busy signal, Zhou Qi and the group of cattle and horses surrounding him looked at each other, their hearts sinking.

The boss wouldn't even bother to glance at the stuff they worked so hard to produce.

"Let's upload it, what else can we do?" Zhou Qi sighed and uploaded the video titled "Iron Torrent Pioneering Another World" to Douyin.

As expected, the data on the first day was dismal, with the number of views barely breaking a hundred, and the studio contributing only a few dozen.

In the comments section, there were only a few bot accounts that left "read" messages.

The studio was shrouded in gloom, and several junior students who had been lured there were already thinking about their next company.

They probably won't be able to write their resumes from this studio anymore.

Late that night, they were unaware that Zhong Mengyao had already contacted relevant personnel and forwarded the animation's name and studio information to a private chat group.

The next morning, Xiao Wang, who was in charge of backend data and also handled publicity, cleaning, and human resources, rubbed his eyes and habitually refreshed the page.

The next second, he almost dropped the Nescafé in his hand.

"Holy crap! Brother Zhou! You guys need to come quick!"

The backend data skyrocketed like a rocket, with the number of views jumping from three digits to six digits and still growing wildly!

The number of likes has even surpassed 10,000!
The comments section exploded.

"What kind of amazing animation is this? A rabbit driving an excavator and taking down a giant dragon?"

"Those who offend my farm, no matter how far away, will be punished! This slogan is fucking addictive!"

"Use it as fertilizer, hahaha, is this the kind of plot a carbon-based organism could come up with?"

What makes them even more envious is that the amount of tips received in the video's backend has accumulated to a number that makes them breathless.

"We earned 7 yuan in just two days! That's enough for our monthly wages and rent. Looks like we don't need to think about running away anymore!"

"We've struck it rich! We've struck it rich! The boss said he'll give us a 5% commission. Now I can buy some glue."

The employees hugged each other excitedly, all the fatigue and anxiety they had accumulated over the past few days vanished.

Money is always the best motivator.

When the news reached Lin Li, he immediately said that the 5% reward would remain unchanged, and everyone should continue producing the animation series. He also suggested recruiting more people to prevent anyone from taking on multiple roles.

The four or five newbies in the studio are full of enthusiasm.

In the afternoon, Zhou Qi was using the restroom.

"Senior, I feel like this thing doesn't require much technical skill. It's just that the boss came up with an idea, and we do the rest. If we started our own business, I think it could take off!"

"Exactly! Why should the boss just talk and get the lion's share while we work ourselves to the bone and get nothing? We deserve a raise!" The studio's editor immediately chimed in with a joke.

Although it was meant as a joke, Zhou Qi sensed something was amiss upon hearing it.

He thought about Lin Li's words for a long time, and then dialed the other party's number when no one was around.

“Boss, this animation is a hit! But… some people in the company think it’s all their credit, and they want to…” Zhou Qi carefully chose his words, not saying the words “go solo”.

Lin Li, who was playing around, didn't even lift his eyelids, and chuckled: "Changing jobs? Don't worry, they're still green! I've already registered the copyrights and stories. Their contracts also have restrictions."

"You did a great job this time, so here's a 5000 yuan bonus. The best is yet to come. By the way, I've already contacted the higher-ups at Douyin, and they'll continue to allocate more traffic to you. You just need to focus on creating good content."

Zhou Qi's mind went blank.

High-level executives at TikTok?

The boss really does have these kinds of connections!
He recalled Lin Li's nonchalant demeanor and suddenly felt that this young boss was unfathomable.

He quickly nodded and bowed to indicate that he understood.

The next day, he shared this "insider information" with his colleagues in the studio through other means.

Upon hearing this, the smugness and ambition on the faces of some people who had harbored ulterior motives instantly froze.

None of them are complete novices; they don't even have enough savings right now.

That little bit of cleverness is a joke in the face of absolute connections and resources.

I thought I had caught the wave, but I didn't expect that I was just a pig being blown up by the wind, while the kite string was firmly held in the boss's hand all along.

Those inappropriate thoughts that everyone had were instantly crushed.

"I was so naive after all!"

"Hey!"

"The most genuine human relationships in this world are ultimately based on blood ties! Sigh... let's just stick to being good working men for now!"

Countless ambitions have been ruined by Lin Li’s careless words.

These newbies at the time travel studio then began their lives as beasts of burden.

The videos from the Time Travel Studio seem to have a magical power, quickly going viral in terms of views.

Thanks to some information previously provided by Zhong Mengyao, and through a series of operations involving short video traffic monetization and selling products through silly animations, the Time Travel Studio quickly turned a profit.

No one noticed that a small, independent cultural studio at the University of Tokyo had launched a viral hit.

Even if they found out, they probably wouldn't care.

If things are not kept secret, they will be lost; some highly confidential matters must be kept absolutely hidden in the early stages.

Who would have thought that behind this silly animated film is the hard work of an entire team pioneering a new world?
Even if some intelligence agents saw this silly cartoon, they wouldn't consider it to be something secret.

It's estimated that some struggling creators will rely on animation to gather inspiration for their derivative works.

(End of this chapter)