Chapter 70: Dungeon Cleared

Yancheng.

Tianji Barbecue Shop.

Tang Song patted his hot face and exhaled a turbid breath with the scent of alcohol.

. C〇

He turned on the faucet and scooped up cold tap water to wipe his face.

Taking out his phone to check the time.

【22:02】

This department team-building event that lasted all day was finally coming to an end.

Returning to the private room.

Pretending to quickly integrate into the colleagues' topics.

Tang Song had a harmless smile on his face, occasionally echoing a few words.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

Director Chen Yunteng raised his glass, spoke a few polite words with a glowing face, drew a big pie, and drew a perfect end to today's team building.

Walking out of the barbecue shop entrance.

The cold evening breeze blew, and colleagues said goodbye to each other.

"See you Monday, bye~"

"Remember to say something in the group when you get home."

"Director Chen, be careful on the road, bye."

"Let's go together, Tang Song, we're going the same way!"

In the black Nissan Teana.

Two female colleagues were chatting enthusiastically in the back row.

Tang Song leaned against the back of the passenger seat, half-closing his eyes, expressionless.

Having joined Jinxiu Trading for over four months, all his energy had been invested in the development of the company's new SCM (Supply Chain Management) system.

He held multiple positions, from requirements analysis and system architecture to functional development and code deployment, all completed independently by him.

After the system went online, it greatly improved work efficiency and effectively reduced procurement costs, receiving high praise from the company's top leadership.

This made Tang Song, as a new employee, full of a sense of achievement, imagining the promotion and salary increase promised by the leadership.

However, reality dealt him a heavy blow.

The success of the SCM system ultimately became the credit of Department Director Chen, with public commendations, job level promotions, and reportedly even stock option incentives.

The maintenance work of the project was also transferred to Du Shaokai, a colleague with connections.

Tang Song was arranged to develop a new project, continuing to shine for the company.

A series of unfair treatments made him feel terrible, and he had thoughts of resigning.

Perhaps seeing his thoughts.

During team building today, Director Chen privately indicated that he would apply for a 10% salary increase for him next month.

Telling him to work steadily and that he would definitely not treat him unfairly in the future.

After struggling for a while, Tang Song ultimately accepted it.

He had only been regularized for a month, rented a house near the company, bought an electric scooter, and gotten familiar with colleagues.

If he resigned now, the sunk cost would be too high.

Moreover, the overall environment was bad, and Jinxiu Trading was already his most ideal choice.

Two days ago, his mother called, saying a new real estate project had opened in his hometown and asked him to go back and take a look when he had time.

While deep in thought, Zhao Yue in the back row suddenly patted his shoulder: "Brother Song! You look so listless today; you haven't been dumped, have you?"

Tang Song restrained his emotions and mocked himself: "First of all, I have to have a partner."

Zhao Yue covered her mouth and chuckled: "Brother Song, you're actually quite excellent—capable, handsome, and tall; it's just that your weight is a bit over the limit. Hurry up and lose weight and build muscle; the young girls in our company would definitely rush to chase you!"

Tang Song touched the thick fat on his stomach and said helplessly: "Then I'll work hard."

"Go for it!" Zhao Yue made a cute expression with her fist.

Hu Mingli beside her blinked and teased: "Xiaoyue, Tang Song is such a good potential stock; why don't you hurry up and take him?"

"Sister Mingli, I suspect you're testing me; you don't have ideas about Brother Song, do you!?"

"Haha, how about we compete fairly?"

"Then I have to admit defeat, after all, you have big boobs!"

The two slightly tipsy female colleagues teased each other, but neither took it seriously.

Tang Song was indeed a very good person—enthusiastic, sincere, motivated, and capable; he had worked at a large internet company in the capital and was recognized as the best backend developer in their department.

However, his family background was a bit poor—an ordinary rural youth, and buying a house in Yancheng was indefinitely far off.

There were no highlights in his appearance either—casual attire, messy hairstyle, and a bit fat.

As a colleague or friend, that was absolutely no problem.

As for deeper development? Forget it.

Qingxin Garden residential complex.

Tang Song threw his shoulder bag aside and collapsed onto the bed.

The alcohol gradually surged, and fatigue, disappointment, and helplessness instantly swallowed him.

After a while, he turned on his side, opened WeChat, and said "I'm home" in the department group.

Then he clicked on the "lucky red packet" sent by Director Chen, claimed three yuan and two cents, and sent a "Thank you, boss" sticker.

Opening his Moments, he scrolled aimlessly.

He was like an outsider, silently browsing the updates of familiar and unfamiliar "friends."

Some were showing off their daily lives, some were showing off their partners, some were living peaceful lives, and some were striving for progress.

It seemed that except for him, everyone was living very happily.

Before he knew it, a familiar photo caught his eye.

【Deng Yazi: "Accidentally flipped out the graduation photo from high school, old classmates, are you all okay?"】

His scrolling finger stopped involuntarily.

Tang Song quickly found his own figure in it, his gaze slightly lost.

At that time, he was about to enter college, youthful, optimistic, and cheerful, with a "white moonlight" by his side, feeling that life was full of hope.

And the 25-year-old him? Single, overweight, no car, no house, and his work and life were a mess.

Casually liking this update, Tang Song put down his phone, sat at his computer desk, put on his headphones, and prepared to play games to relax.

Every stage of life has things that can only be experienced at that stage.

In the few years since graduation, he had recognized reality and had his edges smoothed by life.

To put it more nicely, he had matured.

He still liked the things he liked, but no longer forced them, so he left the capital and said goodbye to his "white moonlight."

He still hated the things he hated, but could endure them, so he integrated into the group and accepted unfairness.

The game "Male God Growth Plan" suddenly appeared on Tang Song's computer during his senior year.

It might have been downloaded accidentally while browsing study materials.

Because the icon was big and white, Tang Song clicked in with a critical attitude, wanting to get to the bottom of it.

He didn't expect to play for three years, which was a major factor in his weight gain.

This is a male god cultivation game with simulation management as the core.

The art style is beautiful, the sound effects are top-notch, the settings are perfect, the gameplay is extremely unique, and there's no need to spend money.

The game plot is set against the backdrop of the real world.

Including maps, events, financial markets, enterprises, policies, environment, etc., all consistent with the real world.

More importantly, the timeline in the game starts from 2016.

Being in 2020, Tang Song, holding a search engine, possessed the golden finger of foresight in the game.

He knew the trends of stocks and futures, knew the next industrial outlets, knew which companies would become unicorns, knew which future movies, songs, and artists would go viral...

And every character in the game had their own story line; players could see their growth, life, and joys and sorrows.

The sense of immersion was full!

The Tang Song in the game fulfilled his male god dream and also experienced the fun of being a billionaire, surrounded by beauties, and at the peak of power.

But a game is a game after all.

The real him was just a bitter wage slave, with no house, no car, no girlfriend, living a messy life, and having to swallow his anger at work.

Tang Song shook his head, no longer letting his imagination run wild.

Entering the game, checking unread notifications, claiming task rewards, buying new items...

After operating skillfully, he returned to the main interface.

The mouse in Tang Song's hand paused, and his gaze turned to the timeline in the game.

【April 1, 2023】

And the current internet time was 23:50 on April 1, 2023.

Due to the difference in time flow, the timelines of the game and reality were about to overlap.

As a game set against the backdrop of the real world, Tang Song was very curious about how the plot would develop next.

He licked his dry lips.

Casually picking up a bottle of "fat house happy water" (cola).

Calling his beloved Secretary Jin over to report on work.

While "gulping" down the happy water, he admired the silk-stocking beautiful legs and slender waist on the screen.

All worries dissipated, and his mood instantly brightened.

Although everything in the game was fake, the joy it brought him was real.

As time passed 0:00, the rhythmic BGM in the headphones suddenly stopped.

The date in the game changed accordingly.

【April 2, 2023】

Immediately after, the screen began to automatically play beautiful game animations.

Starting from the story of 2016, one game character after another appeared, one wonderful plot after another was performed, and the achievements, titles, badges, and items obtained slid by from time to time.

Reviewing the entire game journey.

The screen gradually quieted down, with only the sound of "tap, tap, tap" footsteps approaching from afar.

Player "Tang Song" walked slowly from outside the lens.

In a crisp suit, with an elegant and upright posture, walking confidently and calmly.

He stood still in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of the building, overlooking the brilliant city night view beneath his feet, carrying an indescribable charm.

The lens flowed from top to bottom, and the screen finally froze on his back.

A line of eye-catching text appeared in the middle of the screen.

【The story seems to have ended here; you have awakened from a long dream and embraced the real world once again. Congratulations, player!】

"Holy crap! Is it cleared? It's over just like this!?"

Tang Song was shocked, leaned forward, clicked the mouse wildly a few times, and knocked heavily on the keyboard again.

The game screen didn't change at all.

Tang Song felt a chill in his heart.

He had invested deep feelings into this game.

The realistic background and unique sense of immersion made him feel as if he were truly cultivating elites, developing enterprises, gathering wealth, and improving himself.

And from now on, the ups and downs of the story in the game came to an abrupt end, and one vivid character after another disconnected from him.

A strong sense of loss and fragmentation surged in.

Tang Song's breathing became heavy.

"Ding—" A crisp prompt sounded suddenly.

The game on the computer screen disappeared directly, and the interface turned into the Windows desktop.

Tang Song's vision blurred for a moment.

Whoosh! A light screen full of sci-fi colors unfolded before him.

【Player confirmed】

【System resources loading... 1%... 50%... 100%】

【Completed】 ===== CHAPTER 71 =====