"…One last time: No overtime without my sign-off! Meeting's done!"
Zoey Parker's all action.
This is make-or-break for her piggy bank rescue mission.
So, the day after jetting back from Tokyo, Zoey storms WindyPeak Games for an all-hands meeting.
Two agenda items:
First, PUBG's production kicks off. Whatever, no big deal.
Second, no overtime allowed. Critical!
Zoey hammers it twice.
Then, meeting's over—she's got a video call with her thesis advisor.
Click.
The conference room door shuts, and whispers erupt:
"Hold up, did Ms. Parker say… overtime needs her approval?"
"Brother York, get your ears checked. She said overtime's gotta go through her…"
"Run that back?"
"She said overtime needs her okay… Wait, did I hear wrong?"
"Yo, Caleb, what'd you catch?"
"Sounded like… report overtime…"
Everyone's stunned!
They heard right.
Report overtime?!
The fresh-outta-college crew's floored!
What happened to the game industry's toxic grind? Small studios with no benefits, big ones with no life?
Companies forcing overtime, dodging pay, or denying work injuries 'cause you didn't keel over at your desk?
They were ready to rage against the machine!
But this?
Total scam!
The newbies lock eyes, wanting to slap themselves!
What's WindyPeak giving?
Full trust, five-year vet salaries, sweet office, full benefits, no toxic hustle!
What'd they bring?
Fresh, clueless grads with starry eyes and zero experience!
They're failing WindyPeak!
The students' eyes well up, guilt hitting hard!
Even quiet Caleb Knox gets hyped:
Is this the real game industry vibe?
He nudges Jonah York: "Yo, Brother York, was it like this at your old gig?"
All eyes on Jonah and his vet crew.
These guys, with a decade in games, know the score.
WindyPeak's benefits flipped their view of the industry.
They want Jonah's take—his past, the truth behind online horror stories.
Jonah York just laughs!
A laugh packed with thrill, disbelief, and the scars of ten years' grind!
"Like this? Hah…!!!"
He's seen it all.
Ten years, two companies, countless colleagues.
In games, especially production, overtime's life.
Quitting time's a myth!
Two hours extra? Early. Three or four? Normal. All-nighters? No shock.
"I've heard of begging bosses for leave, not for overtime!"
Jonah sighs.
Sci-fi?
Nah, fantasy flick!
Jonah York, a decade adrift, never found a leader like this!
Groping through the industry's chaos!
But now!
WindyPeak rises, Ms. Parker shines, blue skies ahead!
Jonah's near tears.
This ain't a company!
It's the home that birthed him, raised him, gave him warmth!
Without light, he'd take the dark.
But now?
Jonah unloads his decade's pain to the newbies!
"Think your phone's horror stories are bad?"
He waves it off:
"Nah, let me school you on our old life—"
Jonah's voice cracks with passion, joined by his vet crew, painting the game industry's brutal truth for these ivory-tower kids!
Every word's a gut punch, every tale a tearjerker!
The newbies are shook, hairs standing!
Even Luke Bennett and Jake Rivers huddle by Gus Harper, trembling:
"…Boss Harper, is Manager York's story… real?"
Fear in Jake's eyes.
Hah.
Gus smirks.
Worse than real.
As a big-studio vet, Gus feels Jonah's pain.
Big companies bleed you drier than small fry!
"Eh, sorta," Gus shrugs:
"How'd I know? I'm just chilling in the dorm, gaming with y'all every freaking day."
"Oh… yeah," Jake nods.
True that!
Jonah's voice booms from the table's end:
"Boss Harper, can we finish PUBG on schedule without grinding?"
"Barely," Gus nods:
"It'll be a skeleton. No time for polish. I pitched bonuses for overtime to Ms. Parker yesterday—company's too broke for overtime pay."
"She shot it down hard, chewed me out for 'pushing toxic hustle.'"
"Thinking on it, she's got a point. We launch rough, polish later…"
But!
A unified roar cuts him off!
"NO!!!"
Jonah York, vet of the 16-person team, second only to Gus, Caleb, and Jade Sierra, shakes his head: "That's wrong."
"What's up?" Gus asks.
"Ms. Parker's off, and you shouldn't cave, Boss Harper."
Jonah says:
"As a 'washed-up' Nebula Games vet, I know WindyPeak's deal."
"WindyPeak shines with killer ideas, top-tier quality, winning fans!"
"Now, PUBG's our biggest bet—most cash, most creative, most hype."
"We can't launch a half-baked prototype!"
"That'd tank WindyPeak's rep and scream we're slackers!"
"Did Ms. Parker hire us to coast?!"
Huh?
Gus's stunned.
What's this? Wrong meds?
Why the self-roast?
"So… what?" Gus grins, worried about their sanity.
"You treat me like a hero, I repay like one!"
Jonah waves, fired up:
"Back in the day, Yu Boya smashed his zither for a true friend. I ain't that deep, but I got Ms. Parker—a real one!"
"WindyPeak's real with me. If I slack, I'm a joke!"
BOOM!
The 16 across the table leap up!
"Facts!"
"Same!"
"Brother York's right…"
Bang!
Jonah clasps his fists:
"For WindyPeak! For PUBG! For Ms. Parker's heart! For Boss Harper's genius!"
"This crew—"
All roar:
"We're in!"
Gus's speechless…
This is wild!
He thought Zoey's no-overtime rule was nuts.
But these 16 newbies flipping the script?
They're ready to grind for free!
Gus's stoked—they're all-in.
PUBG's his shot to push second-gen FPS, backed by Huayu Electronics.
Publicly, privately, he wants it perfect for players.
"But…" Gus frowns:
"Ms. Parker banned unauthorized overtime. Needs her sign-off. Even if y'all are down, it's tough, right?"
Jonah's eyes glint, thinking, then says:
"Tricky, but not impossible, just…"
"Just what?" Gus asks.
"Might get you roughed up by Ms. Parker," Jonah grins.
Gus nods, getting it:
"No biggie, lay it out."
"I'll take the heat. Ms. Parker can yell—I'll own it."
WHOA—
The crew gasps: "Boss Harper's a beast!"
Jonah gives a thumbs-up, then whispers: "Here's the play…"
…
Blink—5 PM!
Ding-ling-ling—!!!
The alarm in Zoey's office chirps.
Day one of PUBG production, day one of her no-overtime ban.
Bang!
Zoey kills the alarm, stretches, yawns: "Ahh—yawn—"
Slings her bag, struts out.
"Needs more rendering…"
"Grenade collision's gotta be tight, or it's a mess…"
"This dance move's savage—add another?"
"Hahaha, you're wild, let's go…"
Outside, project team chatter hits her!
Hiss—!!!
Zoey's eyes narrow.
What's this?!
I banned overtime this morning, and it's 35 seconds past quit time—why're you still here?!
She storms to the project room.
Pushes the door.
Jonah York's at a screen, geeking out with a teammate.
Luke Bennett and Caleb Knox debate code. Jake Rivers and Jade Sierra puff cigs, nitpicking visuals.
Others huddle in groups.
They spot Zoey, freeze, then stand: "Yo, Ms. Parker—"
"I'm not cool!"
Zoey glares, pointing at her watch.
But!
Footsteps echo—Gus Harper rushes in, wiping hands with a tissue:
"Ms. Parker."
He nods, then brushes past, all business, into the room.
Sees everyone frozen, frowns:
"What's this?"
They gape, silent.
Bang!
Gus chucks the tissue, roars:
"Why're y'all staring?! Work! You gonna finish PUBG standing around?!"
CRASH—!!!
The room jumps at Gus's bark, scrambling to desks, keyboards clacking.
"Freaking slackers…"
Gus mutters, then booms:
"Making games ain't playing 'em—it's grind!"
"Ms. Parker's soft on y'all. She's got heart."
"I ain't that nice."
"Five months—that's it!"
"Screw this up, you're toast, got it?!"
YES—!!!
Gus heads to his corner desk—he ditched his office to fix issues fast.
But!
A chilly voice creeps behind: "Director Harper… step out."
"Huh?"
Gus turns, faking confusion at Zoey's dark glare:
"What's up, Ms. Parker? I'm swamped…"
"Out!"
No debate!
Zoey cuts him off, waving him to the hall.
"What's this…" Gus grumbles, following.
Bang!
The project room door slams.
Then—Zoey's voice rips through:
"Gus Harper, you're out of line! I said this morning—overtime needs my okay, and you're forcing grind in my face?!"
"You lost it?!"
"…No excuses! I know the workload's heavy! No overtime!"
"You know our cash flow? No overtime pay—every lawsuit's a slam dunk!"
"Forcing grind? Where'd you pick up this trash habit?!"
"…Shut it, I'm not listening! Off work! Now!"
Click!
The door swings open—Zoey pokes in, waving:
"Clock out! Time's up! Go!"
But…
Everyone freezes, eyes on Gus behind her, like he's the overtime devil holding their fate.
"Hey—"
Zoey's livid!
She yanks Gus aside:
"You! Move!"
Points at the team:
"Y'all! Go! Who's stopping you?!"
CRASH—!!!
The team finally bolts, shooting grateful looks at Zoey, fleeing like they can't wait to bounce!
Even stone-faced Caleb Knox mumbles "Thanks, Ms. Parker" passing by.
Watching them scatter, then at Gus's sour face, Zoey's smug as heck!
Hahaha, Gus, oh Gus!
This round?
I'm owning!!!