[Blood trickled down Liu Changjiang's scalp, and the crimson sight made Dai Tiefeng turn pale as he rushed forward to intervene.]
[Only then did everyone snap out of their daze. Dai Tiefeng snatched the bloody stapler from your hand and threw it far away, while others pulled you back.]
[Liu Changjiang, who had been so smug just moments ago, was now reduced to lying on the ground, crying out in pain.]
[The commotion attracted everyone on the floor, with people gathering around to watch. Even colleagues from other departments on the 8th floor came running down.]
[The situation gradually spiraled out of control, and someone called the police.]
[You were pulled behind your desk, feeling utterly satisfied. Suddenly, you heard sobbing from behind and turned to look.]
[It was Zhuo Huijun from your team. She had just graduated and joined the company this year, a wallflower in the group who was timid and rarely spoke. Now she looked at you with tear-filled eyes, mumbling.]
["I never thought things would turn out like this," she said. You looked at her puzzled, not knowing what had happened.]
[She quietly told you about what she had witnessed yesterday.]
[Soon after, the police arrived to investigate and took you away. Liu Changjiang insisted on pressing charges with his injury report, but it was Dai Tiefeng who worked tirelessly to get you out on bail.]
[Afterward, Old Dai told you with a complicated expression that due to the negative impact of this incident, the group had decided to terminate your employment.]
[You were fired.]
"Simulation complete!"
"System calculating..."
...
[Overall Rating: E]
[Reward: Your fighting experience has slightly increased]
[System Comment: A failed simulation. You seem to have missed the key point.]
[Review Scene?] [Restart Simulation?]
Shen Yi let out a breath. This outcome wasn't unexpected - once you decide to throw a punch, anything could happen in the reality simulation.
A warm current flowed into his mind, flashing back several scenes.
What's with this fighting experience? Liu Changjiang was as skinny as a monkey; Shen Yi didn't think it required any fighting skills to hit him.
[Click to Review]
If he hadn't guessed wrong, the review method should be opposite to before - if the scene simulation was text review, then text simulation should be scene review.
"Whoosh"
Sitting on the couch, Shen Yi's vision suddenly blurred, then his consciousness rose. The simulated scenes flowed before his eyes like a kaleidoscope.
The breakfast shop auntie, the property management receptionist, company colleagues - every person and every event appeared crystal clear before Shen Yi's eyes.
He could sense Liu Changjiang's fear as he lay on the ground, and understand Dai Tiefeng's difficult position from his troubled expression.
As for young Zhuo Huijun's tearful confession later, it made Shen Yi's expression grow serious.
The final image froze on the scruffy-looking Old Dai, who appeared both helpless and guilty.
After the review, Shen Yi stood up with gleaming eyes. The simulator's capabilities were incredibly powerful - it was as if he had possessed his previous self and watched everything from beginning to end. Apart from not being able to move freely, all other information was crystal clear.
Turning to pack up his laptop bag, Shen Yi checked the time - it was already past 11. Although he wanted to continue simulating, he still needed to go to the company.
He no longer cared much about this job, but he did care about his reputation.
In his two-plus years at the company, while not exactly cautious, he had been generally agreeable. He couldn't leave with a bad reputation now - if he didn't show up, people might think he was guilty.
While heading downstairs, Shen Yi called for a ride on his app, not wanting to wait for the subway since he had things on his mind.
Soon enough, the driver stopped steadily at the company entrance. Shen Yi efficiently got out and went upstairs.
After clocking in, he walked straight to his workstation and sat down, habitually tidying his desk.
It was close to lunchtime - some were calling friends to order takeout together, while others were already eating.
"Xiao Shen, come here for a moment."
As Shen Yi had expected, Old Dai's voice called out to him shortly after he sat down.
Whether it was the wrong time or place, or perhaps Dai Tiefeng intentionally wanting to save face for Shen Yi, this conversation was to take place in his office.
Old Dai meant well, but Shen Yi still had to decline. This was why he came, and he couldn't back down now.
"No need, Team Leader. If there's something to discuss, let's talk here," said Shen Yi, standing up and pointing to the long table. This was where they held impromptu meetings, and many people also ate lunch here.
At these words, Old Dai's face fell. He removed his hand from the doorframe and walked out of his office, responding, "Fine, if you don't mind losing face."
The atmosphere was unusual. Everyone present was a workplace 'elite' well-versed in office politics, and they immediately perked up their ears to listen.
People from Teams One and Two also quietly crept closer, clutching their lunch boxes, takeout, snacks, and drinks.
The entire hall suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop, save for the sound of chair wheels rolling.
By the time Shen Yi sat down, the area was crowded with people. It was amazing how so many could squeeze into Team Three's small space.
Dai Tiefeng frowned at the scene around him, but since it was break time, he couldn't very well chase people away. He could only sit down facing Shen Yi and shake his head helplessly, as if to say 'you asked for this.'
"Xiao Shen, I don't mean to lecture you, but you're a veteran in our team. How many times have I said we're one team and need to stay united?" Old Dai began with his usual routine.
Shen Yi had heard this spiel so many times his ears had grown calluses - not just him, everyone in Team Three knew it by heart.
"You think the Planning Department is easy to deal with? They immediately reported the delayed manuscript. If it weren't for Xiao Zhuo arriving early to save the situation that morning, our Team Three would have been in serious trouble."
After his usual spiel, Old Dai immediately got serious about the main issue - it would indeed be serious if department higher-ups targeted them.
"Why should I write Liu Changjiang's manuscript that you assigned to him?" Shen Yi interrupted.
Old Dai's rhythm broke, and after a pause, he said, "Didn't you two agree on that?"
Hearing this, Shen Yi let out a derisive laugh and leaned forward, looking straight into Dai Tiefeng's eyes very seriously: "Team Leader, Leader Dai, given our relationship, do you think he would actively seek my help? And would I agree to help him?"
"Even if, hypothetically, I had agreed to help him, given what you know about me, would I go back on my word?"
Old Dai fell silent, slowly processing this. He was somewhat aware of the relationships between team members.
He might not have known the exact conflict between Shen Yi and Liu Changjiang, but he knew very well who Liu Changjiang was closer to.
Indeed, Sun Yinchao and Hu Wei were there yesterday too. If Liu Changjiang needed help urgently, he would have asked those two, not Shen Yi.
At this moment, Shen Yi suddenly shouted:
"Liu Changjiang! Come here."
Liu Changjiang, who had been eavesdropping, hadn't expected Shen Yi to call him out. He wanted to ignore it, but seeing the gleaming eyes of everyone around, he reluctantly stood up and left his workstation.
'I'll go. Why not? If I don't go, they'll think I'm afraid of him.'
Liu Changjiang felt that Shen Yi seemed different today, and he silently encouraged himself.
The usually spacious walkway now seemed cramped, with various familiar and unfamiliar faces gathered around. It was remarkable how three or four people could squeeze into one workstation.