Chapter 114: A Day of Rest

After Situ Zhou and Li Daode made their hasty exit, Liu Di and A Jia stood at a distance, gazing into the horizon as a gentle breeze blew past.

"A Jia, are you afraid?" Liu Di asked with a light smile. "Declaring war against Penguin… we could lose everything."

"Pfft… what's there to fear? Life has its ups and downs. I had nothing to begin with, so at worst, I'll just go back to selling clothes," A Jia replied with a nonchalant shrug, clearly unbothered by the prospect.

"But Penguin's scared," A Jia said, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked toward the helicopter departing from the corporate headquarters. He continued with a grin, "Why else would Teng Hualong come in person?"

A Jia couldn't help but chuckle, his amusement growing. "I mean, to play a game of wits with a giant like Teng Hualong—it's almost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Winning or losing doesn't matter; it's all about the thrill!"

"Just think about it; this is the kind of story you could boast about to your family back home!" A Jia laughed again.

Liu Di shook his head with a smile and patted A Jia on the shoulder. "This is nothing. There will be even more exciting challenges ahead. Who knows? One day, you might surpass Teng Hualong."

A Jia pondered this for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully. He glanced at Liu Di and said, "You know, with the way you operate, that might actually happen."

Liu Di merely shrugged.

"So, what's next?" A Jia asked.

"We rest," Liu Di replied after some thought. "Let everyone know they have tomorrow off. We'll regroup after that."

"Wait, what? Rest? Are you sure?" A Jia scratched his head in confusion. "This feels like the last meal before a death sentence."

"Death sentence, my foot!" Liu Di retorted, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Meanwhile, a group of business management graduates stood at a distance, blinking in disbelief. The events they had just witnessed felt surreal.

Liu Di is indeed the founder of Creators. He's the mastermind behind Zhang Tianjia, the legendary Emperor San, a man of considerable wealth and multiple inventions, the true boss of Creators. These titles, draped over Liu Di, were awe-inspiring, making everyone else feel insignificant in comparison.

But it wasn't until the recent confrontation that the graduates truly woke up from their dreamlike state. Liu Di had become someone who could stand toe-to-toe with a colossal figure like Teng Hualong. The conversation on the rooftop was a testament to this—no one dared step forward, only watching from afar. This was a gulf that could not be bridged, a difference in levels that made others feel like mere specks of dust.

Suddenly, the crowd felt a sense of bleakness, realizing just how small they were. None of them could compare to Liu Di's stature. Those who once considered befriending him now gave up on the idea entirely. They were left with a sense of melancholy. Liu Di had already stepped into another world, one they couldn't begin to understand.

Yet, when they thought about the upcoming battle between Creators and Penguin, all they could foresee was the devastation of Creators. Defeating Penguin seemed impossible. 

But this time, instead of mocking, the crowd looked on with respect. Liu Di's courage and boldness had earned their admiration. Even if he were to lose, no one would dare to belittle him. Everyone kept their thoughts to themselves. No one discussed Liu Di's identity as Emperor San, and no one tried to curry favor. Instead, they simply approached Liu Di and A Jia, greeted them, and left quietly.

A Jia took a brief leave to inform the employees about the day off, then returned to the rooftop and sat quietly beside Liu Di.

As the sun set, the two remained calm and still, but the online world was erupting in a storm.

In just a few hours, headlines across major news platforms were updated in unison:

- "Emerging Company Creators Declares War on Internet Giant!"

- "Showdown on the Rooftop: Two Business Leaders Ignite a Fierce Battle!"

- "Renowned Economist Analyzes: Creators Has No Chance of Victory!"

- "Rising Star Gemini Faces Overwhelming Adversary—Doom is the Only Outcome!"

- "Online Poll: Who Do You Support in the Battle Between Penguin and Gemini?"

- "A New Internet War Erupts, Following the 3Q Battle!"

- "Can Penguin's Dominance Be Challenged?"

Accompanying these headlines was a single photograph: three figures on the top floor of Rongteng Tower, facing each other in the wind, with the glowing Gemini sign in the background. However, the photo was taken from a great distance, and the figures were barely recognizable.

A Jia and Teng Hualong's personal histories were soon dug up, and both gained a significant number of supporters. However, their combined fan base was still no match for the mysterious Emperor San, whose profile remained a black silhouette.

Surprisingly, all the classmates who knew Liu Di's identity kept silent, out of deep respect for him.

The comments under the news articles multiplied by the thousands every second, dividing into two camps. Those with entrepreneurial experience, fully aware of Penguin's power, sided with the giant, believing it to be unbeatable. On the other hand, countless individual netizens supported Gemini, rooting for this creative new software to defeat Penguin and break the internet monopoly, allowing more innovative products to emerge.

These topics quickly became the hottest on the web, with no sign of cooling down. People speculated eagerly about the next moves from both sides, anticipating an intense and exciting showdown.

As A Jia scrolled through the flood of news notifications on his phone, he couldn't help but wonder, "Who took this picture? I don't remember seeing any cameras up here."

Liu Di chuckled. "Me."