Chapter 42: System, Are You Scheming Against Me?

**Chapter 42: System, Are You Scheming Against Me?

"Yawn!"

Lin Qingshan felt a bit off and wiped his nose.

"Could it be that staying up late too much recently has led to a cold?"

He worriedly muttered.

Just then, Lin Qingshan's personal phone rang.

He glanced at it and saw it was Editor Ito Ayumi calling.

"Hello?"

Lin Qingshan answered the call in his usual languid manner.

"Mr. Qingshan, we have a matter to discuss. Could you come to our company in person sometime soon?"

Ito Ayumi, now familiar with Lin Qingshan, got straight to the point.

"Uh, what's this about? You can just tell me over the phone."

Lin Qingshan was a bit reluctant to move. While he wasn't opposed to going out—after all, he had been to buffet dinners and gatherings with Gu Qianli—he wasn't fond of visiting large companies like Manjie. It reminded him too much of his previous life as a corporate worker, which triggered his workplace PTSD.

The strict atmosphere of a corporate environment was something he absolutely dreaded. He would rather not return to the miserable life of a 9-to-9 worker.

Even though he wouldn't be working as a corporate drone in this instance, the high-pressure environment of a company was still something he wanted to avoid.

"Actually..." Ito Ayumi continued, "Our company has received a business cooperation offer related to your work."

"You mean..." Lin Qingshan blinked and asked.

"Yes, it's about 'Edge Walker'!"

Ito Ayumi whispered, "It seems they want to acquire the game adaptation rights for 'Edge Walker.'"

Lin Qingshan was taken aback. Could it be that the entity acquiring the adaptation rights was planning to create a game like *Cyberpunk 2077*?

He instinctively thought of the critically acclaimed 3D game *Cyberpunk 2077*. But given the current state of game development in this world, could they actually create a game of that caliber? Even if they did, would it end up being a poorly optimized, bug-ridden, and substandard game like its predecessor?

Honestly, if that were the case, Lin Qingshan wouldn't want *Cyberpunk 2077* to be made in this world.

"Mr. Qingshan?"

Noticing Lin Qingshan's prolonged silence, Ito Ayumi asked cautiously.

"Ah, I'm still here," Lin Qingshan snapped back to reality.

"What are your thoughts? When can you come over?"

Ito Ayumi asked curiously.

"Tomorrow, I guess."

Lin Qingshan sighed and agreed. While he didn't want *Cyberpunk 2077* to be released in a flawed state, he couldn't use this as an excuse to reject the negotiation of the game adaptation rights.

According to the contract he had previously signed with Manjie regarding *Edge Walker*, if the rights holder did not attend the copyright negotiation meeting, Manjie could make decisions on the rights in their place.

In other words, if Lin Qingshan didn't attend the meeting, Manjie could sell the rights for him. Of course, he would still receive the royalties from the sale.

This provision, though seemingly overbearing, was actually better than many platforms in Lin Qingshan's previous life, where some platforms directly sold the rights to a work without consulting the author.

Lin Qingshan also did not want his work to be tampered with. Who knew how Manjie would handle the adaptation of *Cyberpunk 2077*?

[translator: sauron]

"Alright, I'll let the editor know. Mr. Qingshan, please wait for my confirmation."

Ito Ayumi ended the call.

After half an hour, Lin Qingshan received Ito Ayumi's follow-up message.

[Mr. Qingshan, I'll personally meet you at the company's entrance at 3 PM tomorrow.]

Lin Qingshan replied, "Okay."

After sending the reply, he felt uneasy.

Suddenly, Lin Qingshan remembered the platinum-level ability he had received as part of the [Born for This] Phase Three reward: [Game Lord].

Lin Qingshan narrowed his eyes, exuding an aura of danger that even his playful companion, Pochita, found intimidating, causing it to bark a couple of times.

"It's fine, Pochita."

Lin Qingshan reassured Pochita and then shouted, "System, come out!"

The system interface reappeared before him.

"You, did you have some kind of scheme in mind, or did you plan this?"

He demanded.

The system replied, "Please describe the issue in detail; I'm having trouble understanding."

Lin Qingshan slapped his forehead, almost forgetting that the system wasn't that intelligent and was more like a tool with artificial stupidity.

Just like the previous life's system, it sometimes appeared human but was mostly clueless.

The system couldn't comprehend vague questions.

"I mean, was the acquisition of the game adaptation rights for *Edge Walker* something you planned or had foreseen?"

Lin Qingshan asked more clearly.

"Sorry, the system cannot predict the future or impact the real world beyond the host's actions."

The system replied coldly.

"However, the work chosen by the host, *Edge Walker*, is highly suitable for adaptation into a 3D action RPG. Such an adaptation would greatly increase the visibility of the host's work and the host himself, thereby advancing the mission."

"That's why the system awarded the [Game Lord (Platinum)] ability as part of the [Born for This] Phase Three reward."

Lin Qingshan's eyes widened in frustration. "So, you're scheming against me?"

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(End of Chapter)