Ye Huanqiu stared at the unfinished music arrangement on his computer. He could wrap it up in minutes, but this tedious task wasn't even his responsibility.
It was all thanks to that pig-headed manager, Wang Tong, who, in his misguided chivalry, had reassigned the work of a female composer and her male lyricist partner to Ye Huanqiu.
Ye Huanqiu had already finished his own work during the day. He was diligent and hard-working, and every time he had to work overtime, it was to clean up the messes left by the company's latest batch of exploited recruits.
This company, Nuocheng Company, felt like a blood-sucking sweatshop that devoured its workers whole, leaving nothing but gnawed bones behind. None of those outwardly polished but inwardly callous parasites who took pleasure in exploiting others were innocent.
Every extra penny he earned for this company left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He unplugged his computer from his workstation, packed his belongings, and resolved to resign tomorrow.
"Starbeam, are you still there?"
"Host, I'm here..."
"You're a support-type system. Can you help me devise the perfect resignation plan? I'm done with this place."
Ye Huanqiu had already anticipated that resigning tomorrow wouldn't be a smooth process with the HR department. If they played dirty and dragged things out for months, or even fabricated false statements on his resignation report, he'd end up with nothing but a tarnished reputation.
Do good people always have to suffer? Must honest workers endure such indignities first?
"Understood, Host. Starbeam can devise the optimal strategy for you. I've accessed Earth Star's databases and retrieved your employment records. According to your contract, your nearly seven years of work history at Nuocheng Company involved consistently excessive workloads, far exceeding this world's legal working hours. Furthermore, Nuocheng Company illegally withheld numerous annual bonuses you were rightfully entitled to. You can file a labor arbitration claim with Earth Star's China, where the government consistently sides with the vulnerable in labor disputes."
"So, you're saying you can compile all this evidence and documentation for me to submit to the labor arbitration tribunal?"
"Affirmative."
"Alright, let's do it."
Ye Huanqiu was leaving, but not like a beaten dog kicked out the door. He intended to reclaim what he had earned and leave the company with dignity.
Amid the ceaseless flow of traffic and bustling crowds, Ye Huanqiu picked up his cracked smartphone and hailed a ride-hailing car—a luxury he usually couldn't afford. He had some urgent errands to run before returning to his cramped "pigeon cage" apartment.
The next morning at six o'clock, everyone at Nuocheng Company had already clocked in. Wang Tong, his hundred-plus kilograms of "pig trotters" stomping through the office, surveyed his team.
"What the hell's going on? Where's that loser Ye Huanqiu?"
He shouted several times, but no one answered. No one normally paid much attention to Ye Huanqiu anyway—just another wage slave. Why would anyone give him a second glance? No one cared.
"Damn it, always causing trouble! Two songs are due today, and he just disappears? I'll dock his performance bonus so hard he'll be begging for mercy."
Wang Tong pulled out his latest iPhone and dialed the number labeled "Loser." The call went straight to voicemail, as if Ye Huanqiu had blocked his number.
Wang Tong's blood pressure skyrocketed. His face flushed crimson, resembling a plump pig fresh from the oven, its skin turning a mottled red.
The client had already arrived and was pressing him for the songs. Unable to reach Ye Huanqiu, Wang Tong was forced to resort to desperate measures. He approached the supervisor of another team and struck a shady deal, securing two subpar tracks to stall for time.
After much cajoling, Wang Tong finally managed to appease the client and let them take the songs. By this point, he was on the verge of exploding with rage. He ordered the receptionist to keep a close watch and immediately inform him when Ye Huanqiu arrived at the office. He refused to believe the man wouldn't show up, no matter the excuse. He'd never shown mercy before, and he certainly wouldn't start now. His losses were too great, and he needed to vent his fury.
Wang Tong had already devised a thousand ways to make Ye Huanqiu's life a living hell!
As ten o'clock approached, the receptionist suddenly called. Wang Tong, who had been half-asleep in his office with his feet propped up, sprang to his feet the moment he heard Ye Huanqiu had arrived.
"Really? Where is he?"
"Human Resources."
"Human Resources? What's he doing there?"
"I heard someone say he's submitting his resignation..."
Wang Tong's anger flared. Without letting the receptionist finish, he slammed down the phone. How dare his designated scapegoat resign? Didn't he care about losing his job or jeopardizing his Demon Capital residency permit?
Moreover, as Ye Huanqiu's direct superior, shouldn't the resignation have been submitted to him for review first? This was blatant disrespect!
Old grudges and new resentments coalesced, and surprisingly, the pig-headed manager, weighing over two hundred pounds and barely over five feet tall, moved with remarkable agility.
Employees from other departments watched as a "cannonball" sped down the hallway.
The HR department was still closed. Wang Tong, fueled by porcine fury, kicked the door open with a thunderous force, sending it crashing inward with a pained cry from within.
In an instant, Wang Tong spotted Ye Huanqiu standing calmly, proceeding with the formal resignation process.
"Ye Huanqiu! You son of a—"
Before he could finish his curse, a man in a black business suit suddenly grabbed him. Wang Tong glared ferociously, his pig-like face contorted with rage. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you know who I am? You're blocking me in my own company?!"
Wang Tong was accustomed to bullying his way around Nuocheng Company. Aside from Li Tong's brother-in-law, the company owner, no other department head dared to cross him.
Ye Huanqiu met his gaze with a mocking, derisive smirk, only fueling Wang Tong's fury. But before he could explode again, the HR manager shouted from behind, "Wang Tong! What are you doing? This is a labor arbitration officer!"
The female staff member who had been caught in the crossfire earlier straightened up, her back hunched and her face pale.
The male staff member, who had grabbed Wang Tong, glared at him, his face turning steely. "I thought Mr. Ye might have been exaggerating, but it seems I was wrong. This is even worse than he described! Is this a legitimate company, or some kind of criminal gang?"
The HR manager, utterly panicked, rushed forward to apologize.
Wang Tong finally realized what was happening. This punk had brought labor arbitration officials to resign, but where had he gotten the evidence to submit? Everything depended on proof.
He glanced at the stack of printed documents on the HR manager's desk. There, in stark detail, were records of every penny Wang Tong had embezzled and every task he had unfairly shifted onto Ye Huanqiu over the years.
While the more vague accusations could be dismissed as Ye Huanqiu's exaggerations, the performance metrics were undeniable.
And Wang Tong's chaotic entrance had just provided everyone with a real-life demonstration of his character.
"As previously agreed, compensate Mr. Ye for all withheld wages. Our arbitration office will oversee the payment process. And you, Wang Tong, for injuring our staff member, we'll have a hospital assessment done to determine the extent of the injuries before settling with you."
Resorting to violence wasn't the labor arbitration office's usual approach. Wang Tong was likely to be swamped with paperwork and legal proceedings now.
The HR manager could only nod in agreement, releasing Ye Huanqiu's complete resignation file. From that moment on, he was free.
Wang Tong apologized profusely as he escorted the arbitration staff out. When he returned and saw Ye Huanqiu, he nearly did a double take. When did this kid get so muscular? His height and physique are completely different from the frail, submissive image he used to project.
Ye Huanqiu walked past, clutching his records and belongings. Wang Tong turned and snarled, "Don't get too cocky. You're blacklisted in this industry. If I ever catch you working as a songwriter for another company, you'll be paying millions in damages. That little bit of compensation won't even cover a year of social security and rent. A country bumpkin will always be a country bumpkin. You'd better crawl back to your village while you still can!"
As Ye Huanqiu walked past, he scratched his ear and muttered to himself, "Who's that dog barking at?"
"The dog's barking at you!" Wang Tong snapped, his anger overwhelming his reason.
"Oh, I see," Ye Huanqiu replied coldly, smirking as he continued walking.
Wang Tong's fury boiled over as the insult sunk in. That lowly piece of trash dared to call me a dog? he thought. Who does he think he is? I'm a noble Dragon Person of the Demon Capital! How can some migrant worker compare to me?
"Enough with the racket! What's all this shouting so early in the morning?"
A voice cut through the air. Wang Tong turned to see Li Tian, Li Tong's brother-in-law. His anger instantly dissolved into a sycophantic smile.
"Young Master Li, my apologies. I was just disciplining an employee. Sorry for disturbing you."
By the time Wang Tong looked back, Ye Huanqiu had vanished. But the venomous fury still simmered in his heart. He vowed to find an opportunity for revenge.