Chapter 2: Shamelessness
Chapter 2 Shameless
“Life is something we all have only once...”
“Have you ever felt lost because you couldn’t find your direction?”
“Have you ever been filled with hope for the future, then grown ambitious and eager?”
“Do you feel a burning passion deep within your heart, like a flame, hoping to leave your own brilliance in this industry, to become a creator, a participant?”
“Ostrovsky once wrote in a book: A person’s life should be lived in such a way that when they look back, they will neither regret wasted years nor feel ashamed of idleness; so that at the moment of death, they can say: ‘My entire life and all my energy have been devoted to the most magnificent cause in the world...’”
...
Beside the Earth Network booth.
The HR lady’s long legs trembled instantly as the sound from the megaphone shook her ears with a roaring buzz!
Even the water on the table nearly spilled.
She instinctively turned her head.
Then, to her shock, she saw the man next to her—dressed plainly and somewhat familiar—holding a megaphone in one hand, while the other was raised slightly, clenched into a fist, passionately shouting those words.
His voice was piercing; sitting next to him, she felt as if her eardrums might burst!
She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt as if this man was pointing the megaphone right at her!
And when the megaphone’s mouthpiece was directed at her, his voice seemed even more powerful, more vigorous!
Who was this Ostrovsky?
Wait!
Wasn’t some spit flying onto her face?
She was stunned!
“When all foreign games mock our Chinese games for lacking hits...”
“When foreigners are excitedly earning our money, making us recharge cards until our hands go numb, yet we have no choice but to keep paying...”
“When we’re left wondering if our domestic games even have a future...”
“Have we ever considered why we don’t have our own games?”
“Why?”
“Why have our own games never succeeded?”
...
At the job fair.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Many subconsciously glanced toward Zhang Yang...
This young man was spitting words with great enthusiasm, growing increasingly impassioned, much like the radicals of decades past.
At first, it was bearable, but soon his speech became more and more incendiary.
They stared at the billboard beside him...
The billboard read: Universe Technology is recruiting!
Below the billboard:
“Hiring: Game Artists, Game Programmers, 3D Designers, Level Planners...”
“Annual Salary: 100,000 yuan plus game commissions!”
...
“...”
An annual salary of 100,000 yuan?
In 2005?
This surprised many students who hadn’t yet graduated, and even some HR representatives from other game companies were stunned!
The lady from Earth Network stared wide-eyed for a long time, unable to look away!
Her monthly salary was barely over two thousand yuan!
An average monthly salary of eight thousand yuan, even in Yanjing, was considered a legend!
How dare this guy offer such a ridiculously high salary?
Then, everyone noticed the bottom of the billboard.
At the very bottom...
There was a picture of a black guy who looked like a lump of coal, playing a blurry computer game with a look of rapture, like an addicted teenager...
That didn’t matter!
What was important was...
“One of the world’s top ten game companies...”
“The global king of single-player games!”
“One of the world’s top ten most popular game companies among youth...”
“The favorite game home of game industry workers!”
...
After the mention of a 100,000 yuan salary, many were even more shocked.
Countless impressive-sounding titles struck them like a thunderclap!
A few youths who had gathered around gasped, staring at the young man holding the megaphone, delivering his fiery speech.
He grew more excited as he spoke.
It seemed...
More and more absurd...
“The future is in our hands!”
“To build the rise of Chinese games!”
“Everyone, come forward! Your small step is our giant leap!”
...
...
“Who the hell is this guy?”
“‘Universe Technology’ sounds amazing, but why have I never heard of it? I can’t even find it online!”
“Yeah, me neither...”
“Maybe it’s a foreign brand? That black guy looks kind of familiar...”
...
It was 2005.
The era of 2G networks.
Phones were full of downloadable ringtones, but there were no real mobile online games.
Many young people were not as restless as they would be later...
Information was not as advanced, somewhat isolated, and even mobile internet was slow and frustrating.
The internet had no flashy internet beggars, no Phoenix Sisters desperate to marry a doctoral student...
Everyone was living relatively genuinely.
Then Zhang Yang appeared, from Erlonghu Village, Nanmin County, Zhangjiakou.
At first, no one doubted him; instead, they began looking up information on their computers.
But...
They found nothing.
Even with nothing to go on, many just stood there dumbfounded, staring at Zhang Yang like wild cats caught in a spotlight, eyes locked on that salary...
The crowd grew...
“Join us!”
“Join the future!”
“Please submit your resumes!”
“Talented individuals are common, but true mentors are rare; we need young strength!”
“This is...”
“The battlefield for young people!”
It seemed...
The more people gathered, the more enthusiastic Zhang Yang became.
He didn’t even know why.
When few people were around, he felt awkward and unsure how to speak...
But when the crowd grew, he suddenly felt his thoughts unleashed, and he let himself go completely!
“Boss, is that salary for real?”
“Absolutely, 100,000 yuan a year!”
“Then, do you think I qualify?”
“Where did you graduate from?”
“I graduated from Yanjing University, Game Engineering...”
“Good!”
“Great!”
...
...
At Earth Network!
When a young man who had already filled out a resume for himself also submitted one to “Universe Technology,” the long-legged lady, who had just wiped the spit from her face, was stunned.
After staring blankly for a long while, her pupils shrank!
Wait!
This guy...
Isn’t he the one who came to apply to her earlier with only a high school diploma?
Just an hour ago, her colleagues even questioned whether he was mentally sound!
And now...
How did he become the HR for one of the world’s top ten game companies in just one morning?
What on earth was going on?
She stared again at the application forms...
Then...
She was speechless!
“Global king of single-player games!”
“One of the world’s top ten most popular game companies among youth...”
“The favorite game home of game industry workers!”
Before these bright, striking phrases...
Were two small but clear words:
“Future!”
She felt as if she was seeing a ghost as she stared at Zhang Yang again...
Just as she was about to expose him...
She saw Zhang Yang surrounded by a group of security guards maintaining order, led by the job fair’s manager.
“Sir, your company isn’t registered here; you cannot conduct recruitment and promotion here...”
“Sir, if your company wants to recruit, you must pay an 800 yuan venue fee and a 500 yuan deposit, and we need to verify your company!”
...
“What! 800 yuan?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Fine then, 800 yuan isn’t much, it’s a small matter, okay, then I...”
“Sir, please register here, this way, sir. What kind of company is yours? We’ve never... uh, sir?”
...
...
...
The marketing manager, about to lead Zhang Yang to register, stood dumbfounded as Zhang Yang picked up the billboard and some resumes, then turned and walked out of the job fair to the astonishment of everyone.
Then...
He walked under a large tree not far from the entrance.
He gestured at the marketing manager.
“Is it okay if I stay here?”
The marketing manager was stunned but nodded instinctively.
Then...
“Recycle old phones, secondhand refrigerators...”
“???”
“Ahem, ahem...”
“Universe Technology is recruiting!”
“Universe Technology is recruiting; there will be times to brave the wind and waves, hoisting cloud sails to cross the vast sea!”
...
...
The buzzing sound of the megaphone echoed in everyone’s ears...
Wait!
Was it an illusion?
This guy who could offer a legendary 100,000 yuan annual salary...
Actually refused to pay the 800 yuan deposit?
(End of Chapter)