Chapter 154: Brand-New Version [Meteoric Salvation]! Subsequent Arrangements for Sanka Saga (1W)
"Customer Service Representative Xiao Qi, ID number 9527. How may I help you?"
"Holy crap! It's really President Kiana! Is the President actually working as customer service? Leading from the front? That's way too dedicated!"
Hearing the excited voice on the other end, Kiana's face was dark enough to mine coal from. She didn't know how many calls she had taken today, but every single person who dialed in gasped, "Holy crap, President Kiana!" followed by a barrage of shouting, as if they had bumped into their favorite celebrity.
No.
But the problem was, what kind of celebrity works as customer service and takes calls from fans?
Kiana had been wondering how these people knew she had been assigned to customer service until an employee showed her a post from Honkai Impact 3rd's top idol, Ai-chan: "A Busy Day for Customer Service Xiao Qi." It detailed her day from punching in to communicating with customers, with high-quality photos clearly taken from professional angles. Her entire workday was laid bare for all to see.
[President Kiana is too amazing! The boss of the company personally doing the grunt work?]
[President Kiana as customer service? I have to give some feedback right now!]
[Is the hotline always busy because of this? Stop calling, let me through, please!]
[She's the boss, yet she's so serious and responsible. I have to give her a massive like!]
[Whoa, is this like the CEO of Xiaomi? When you buy a car, the CEO personally opens the door for you. This service is top-tier!]
[President Kiana, I'm your fan (loses mind)]
[Brothers, this phone call is precious. Step aside and let me dial!]
Looking at the praise in the comments, Kiana—who had been fuming—suddenly felt embarrassed.
"A boss leading from the front, this spirit is incredible." "Look at what a real good boss looks like! Do you guys have a boss like this?" "President Kiana's work attitude is worth praising. Managing such a tough job so well, I have to give a triple-like!"
Kiana started squirming in her seat like a restless worm, giggling to herself: "Hehe, well, I'm not that dedicated.... hehehehe...."
Of course, one might ask: given Kiana's skill level, was she actually capable of customer service? The thing was, the players calling in didn't care about reporting bugs; they just wanted to see "Customer Service Xiao Qi" in action. As long as they heard her voice, they'd spam a five-star rating. Whether the feedback was resolved didn't matter at all!
It was just like Su Mu's previous life; if people heard that a top executive was working the phones, they'd call non-stop just for the novelty and the fun.
"Director Su is a god. I thought President Kiana wouldn't handle customer service well, but her satisfaction ratings have broken every record since the department was founded. Look at her—sitting there all day, taking so many calls the lines are nearly exploding..."
"But wait, isn't she the boss? Why does she listen to Director Su's arrangements?"
"Don't you get it? She's clearly trying to promote our company's excellent spirit to the public! Think about it—if a CEO is willing to suffer in the customer service department, won't people think our company culture is amazing?"
"She's really down-to-earth for a President.... In all my years of working, she's the first boss I've seen with zero ego!"
"Hehe! With a boss like her, I'm staying here for life!"
"True. Even state-owned enterprises might not have better benefits than us. Our department doesn't even handle dev or maintenance, but we have full social security and housing funds... We have all the perks other companies have, plus ones they don't. Where else are you gonna find a job like this?"
"Tell me about it! My aunt's sister-in-law's daughter heard I work for President Kiana and brought over two big roosters as a gift. They were so warm and friendly, you wouldn't believe how stingy they were before..."
"Whoa, don't go soft on them. President Kiana is so good to us; don't let any useless freeloaders in here. We can't let her pay wages to people who aren't worth it, got it?"
"Duh! I threw those roosters right back at them. Our company doesn't house slackers waiting to die!"
If the conversation of the customer service employees got out, it would likely break the spirits of many other companies. Excuse me? Aren't employees supposed to curse the boss and flame the company? Why are you guys defending the firm? Everyone is so hardworking and ambitious, even worrying about whether the company is hiring slackers...
One might think every employee had shares in the company. Why work so hard? Why treat the company like your home?
The answer was simple: MiHoYo paid too much. Money makes the world go 'round... Performance bonuses were everywhere, it was pay-for-effort, triple overtime pay, and the meal allowance was at least 50 credits per person per meal... The employees were terrified of the company going bankrupt!
Once you've experienced luxury, it's hard to go back. If MiHoYo went under, they'd have to go back to being "black slaves" at other companies. Those firms never wondered why their employees hated them. Four thousand a month, dozens of work groups, constant "noted" requests in the chat, and bosses who sent minute-long voice notes on your days off... Who wouldn't be frustrated? Not to mention insane performance quotas that increased every month. Expecting people to work like cattle and not complain? That was pure delusion.
"I have to say, this model is hard to replicate."
"True. If you hire someone who just wants to slack off, no amount of money will fix them. People like that just poison the environment."
"But our company is quite magical. I haven't heard of anyone taking a high salary and not working; everyone's like they're on a caffeine high."
"Haven't you heard what people outside are saying? President Kiana's luck is legendary. Every person she hires is a talent, and their professional ethics are above the line... Usually, a company always has a few bad apples, but we don't seem to have any!"
"Oh, this is especially weird. Did you know a very senior game designer came by last week? He was skilled but had a terrible reputation online. I thought he'd be hired because of his talent... but as he was leaving the front door, he literally tripped on the stairs, broke his leg, and was sent to the hospital."
"Holy crap, for real? Does our President have a massive luck aura that automatically filters out trash?"
"Who knows?"
Kiana had overheard such whispers many times, and the more she heard, the more ashamed she felt. Who knew? At first, she had given the employees such good benefits only because she wanted to lose money and get the system's rebate. She never expected that through a series of accidents, she would become the most "conscientious" boss, praised by everyone.
It truly made her feel undeserving. Her original intent was to bankrupt the company to satisfy her wish of becoming a rich girl. But seeing everyone admire her so much made her want to crawl into a hole.
"Does that guy Su Mu know I have a system? Is that why he's arranging things like this?" "No, impossible. I haven't even told Sirin. He has no reason to know!" "Is it really just a coincidence?"
To be honest, Kiana had stopped her sabotage of MiHoYo. One, losing money with Honkai Impact 3rd was now a fantasy. Two, the company wasn't just her; as little integrity as she had, she felt bad for undermining the efforts of friends like Bronya. But now she had a new understanding. She had wanted to destroy MiHoYo, only to accidentally make the employees fiercely loyal to her... Under their respectful gazes, her face burned even more.
Looking back at her past actions... wait, what actions? Every time she tried to mess up, things turned out better than expected. So was she incredibly unlucky, or was she the ultimate "Luck Goddess"? Who could answer that for her?
Su Mu had been quietly observing Kiana's situation during this period. Seeing her working seriously and bonding with the employees gave him a sense of satisfaction. This was Step Two of the "Kiana Social Reform Plan." Step One was Theresa's request: through half a month of "training" by Su Mu and Seele, Kiana had graduated from a "social waste who would starve to death" to one who could at least barely survive alone. Step Two was reintegrating her with society; managing a company required experience.
Having a Director tell the Owner to work as customer service sounded a bit rebellious, even borderline insubordinate. So Su Mu had called Siegfried directly, and the man had agreed with both hands and feet raised!
"Future son-in-law.... no, Director Su, go right ahead! Cecilia, Theresa, Bianca, and I all agree. Thank you for not giving up on our useless daughter. Meeting you is the luckiest thing that's happened to Kiana in several lifetimes!"
Siegfried's enthusiasm made it seem like Su Mu was already part of the family. The warmth was so intense Su Mu was actually dazed. He had always heard Kiana complain about her dad being stingy. But in reality? He wasn't stingy at all! On the contrary, he was over-enthusiastic, offering to pay millions as "tuition" for Kiana... When did the Kaslanas become like this? He couldn't figure it out.
As for why he was helping Kiana... no special reason. It was mostly the "old father" mindset kicking in. He couldn't stand seeing the "Tuna" stay paralyzed; he wanted to mold her into a mature, confident adult.
Bronya was also shocked by Kiana's recent stint as customer service. While waiting for their meeting with Cocolia, she couldn't help but ask Su Mu about it.
"Kiana seems like a different person lately. She feels... much more normal?"
"The answer is praise."
"What?"
"Based on my investigation, Kiana has an exceptionally outstanding sister, Bianca. The pressure at home must be immense. Growing up in her sister's shadow, Kiana naturally felt like giving up. She felt that no matter what, she could never compare to Bianca."
"But what does that have to do with praise?"
"Praising someone is a form of validation. That validation can, to some extent, become a source of confidence. Feeling acknowledged makes a person feel they have a place in the world... We have a saying in Shenzhou: 'A kind word warms three winter months; a harsh word chills in July.' That is the power of language."
Listening to Su Mu's explanation, Bronya nodded half-comprehendingly. "True. Back at the orphanage, I felt happy when Mother Cocolia praised me."
Seele added: "Yes! I bet Sister Kiana is very happy hearing so much praise and validation!"
Bronya raised a point: "But no matter how well a person does, they can't be validated by everyone, right? If she encounters that, what should Kiana do?"
Su Mu shook his head. "That's not something I should teach her, Bronya. You have to understand a principle: some things can't be taught in a lifetime of talking, but they can be learned in a single event. Some things you only understand through experience... As an adult, controlling one's emotions is a necessity."
Seele chuckled from the side: "Mhm, even though Brother Su Mu is younger than Seele, he knows so much. He's just like Mother Cocolia."
Bronya asked: "Then why does Seele call him 'Brother'?"
Seele smiled: "I didn't know he was younger at first, and now I'm used to it. I'm not changing it."
As the three of them spoke, a tall woman with golden wavy hair and black sunglasses walked into the shop. Her figure was curvaceous and graceful, with an air of mature elegance. Her full, shapely thighs were especially striking.
Su Mu felt a kick to his shin. He looked up to see Seele staring at him with an extremely dissatisfied look. Clearly, the little "vinegar jar" had tipped over. Bronya and Su Mu were sitting on the same side, and since her attention was on Cocolia, she didn't notice Seele's small expression.
"Long time no see, Bronya, Seele." The woman took off her sunglasses, smiling slightly at the two girls before shifting her gaze to Su Mu, sizing him up from head to toe.
"Hello, Ms. Cocolia." Su Mu proactively reached out his hand.
"Mhm, you're sturdier than I imagined. Not bad." Cocolia shook his hand, but an incredible strength was transmitted from her grip. Though startled, Su Mu's physical condition was solid. After all, you can't survive this job without a good body! To make games and live well, a healthy body was the prerequisite. He had used the system to enhance his constitution first for this very reason!
Bronya noticed the tension and, dissatisfied, stepped forward to separate their hands, shielding Su Mu behind her. "Mother Cocolia, if you keep this up, I'm leaving!"
Cocolia wasn't annoyed; instead, she showed a satisfied smile. "A man should look like a man. I can't stand those pretty boys who look like they'd fall over in a light breeze! A man without a strong body and spirit cannot protect those around him."
Cocolia sat next to Seele, crossing her long legs and nodding toward Su Mu as if in apology. "My apologies. As you know, I have a military background, so my standards are strict. But I am satisfied with you; no need to be nervous."
Su Mu smiled, inwardly surprised. As expected of a Russian woman. Military-born Cocolia was a real force to be reckoned with. Her aura was the strongest he had ever encountered—the sheer presence of a soldier.
"Bronya, it seems you've grown up quite a bit. You look much more mature." Cocolia looked at Bronya, a hint of loneliness appearing on her face. "This is the first time you've talked back to me over a man, isn't it? Sigh, you are at that age.... You used to love following me around, calling me 'Mother Cocolia' at every turn. You even insisted on sleeping with me at night because you were afraid of monsters under the bed...."
Bronya's face turned bright red instantly. She said in a flustered tone: "Mother, what are you saying! I never did that!"
"Is that so? It doesn't matter. I'm just relieved you finally have someone you like.... Bronya, remember this: we Siberian women are like this—if someone dares touch your man, you fight them to the death! A man is something you defend with your own two hands, understand?"
Cocolia's blunt statement made Bronya's face so red it could practically drip. "Mother Cocolia, you're suddenly saying... my man? We aren't in that kind of relationship yet...."
Cocolia looked suspiciously at Su Mu, then back at Bronya: "Have you two not had sex yet?"
Now, not just Bronya, but Su Mu nearly spat out his drink. Wait, I know Russian women are passionate and open, but asking your daughter if she's done 'it' right away? You're a bit too fierce!
"What are you saying all of a sudden?! I'm really going to leave...."
"Eh? You kid, so impatient.... Fine, I'll take a step back. Have you kissed?"
Both Bronya and Su Mu looked awkward.
"What about holding hands?"
Neither answered.
"....?" Cocolia's gaze fixed on Su Mu. After a moment of thought, she said: "I know a good urologist...."
This time, before Bronya or Su Mu could react, Seele interjected: "N-No! It's not what you think! Mother Cocolia!!"
Cocolia looked at Seele in surprise. Seeing Seele's blushing face, a flash of realization appeared in her eyes. Seele seemed to realize she had been too excited; she lowered her head and squeezed out a sentence after a long pause: "Sister Bronya and Brother Su Mu... aren't in that kind of relationship...."
Cocolia nodded, then looked playfully at Su Mu and Bronya. "I see.... so who is chasing whom? Bronya, are you chasing Su Mu? Or is Su Mu chasing you?"
Thanks to Seele's interruption, Bronya had calmed down. Though her face was still pink, her emotions were stable. "Did you come here just to ask these boring questions?"
Cocolia sighed: "Boring? Monitoring my daughter's marriage prospects is important.... Sigh, I didn't expect you wouldn't even have established a relationship yet. I originally planned to teach you how to please your partner in bed on this trip."
Too fierce. Su Mu let out a dry laugh. He hadn't expected the real Cocolia to be this bold. But on second thought, it wasn't surprising. Since this world lacked the Honkai, Cocolia hadn't experienced those cruel battles, so she hadn't become paranoid or extreme... well, in those ways at least.
Bronya turned her head away: "Teach me.... Mother Cocolia, you've been single this whole time; you have zero experience yourself."
Cocolia raised an eyebrow: "You just said something very rude, Bronya...."
Bronya said dryly: "Hmph, am I not telling the truth?"
Cocolia nodded: "I see. It seems you don't understand, Bronya. Perhaps you need a practical experience to know what a real adult is." With that, Cocolia looked at Su Mu with a slight smirk and extended an invitation. "Let's go get a room. Consider it a pre-practice session for Bronya. This is the only way I can provide you with help."
Su Mu: "???" Bronya: "???" Seele: "???"
Wait? What? You?!
Bronya and Seele slammed the table at almost the same time! "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" "Seele will never allow such a thing!!"
Seeing their frantic looks, Cocolia burst into laughter. "Don't be nervous, it was just a joke.... How could I steal a man from my daughters?"
Cocolia's gaze became sharp as she looked at Seele. Under her gaze, Seele felt like she was being seen through. She lowered her head weakly, not daring to meet Cocolia's eyes.
"Mhm.... I see. It seems Su Mu really is a capable man." She playfully shifted her gaze between Seele, Su Mu, and Bronya. "Alright, everyone relax, it was a joke. I came here to see my lovely daughters and to see what kind of person this Su Mu you always praise really is."
Everyone sighed in relief and sat back down. The awkward atmosphere softened during the subsequent conversation. The more Cocolia talked with Su Mu, the more impressed she became. Su Mu was incredibly knowledgeable; no matter the topic, he could keep up, and his insights even left her reconsidering some of her own views.
"I think I understand why Bronya likes you."
Bronya froze: "Mother Cocolia, what are you... what are you saying...."
Cocolia said seriously: "Bronya, being wishy-washy isn't like you! Since when did you become so timid? If you like someone, go confess! If he rejects you, drug him and make it a 'done deal'! Once the baby is born, he won't be able to say no!"
Her matter-of-fact tone made it sound like a drill sergeant training recruits, but the content was way too explosive!
"Pfft!" Su Mu nearly spat out his drink again. What a 'good' mother, teaching her daughter things like that!
"I-Is that so.... maybe, maybe you're right." Bronya's eyes seemed lost at first, then reached a sudden "realization."
Don't agree with her!!
Fortunately, the conversation didn't last much longer. After Cocolia took a phone call, she prepared to leave. "Alright, let's stop here for now. I hope to see some progress the next time I visit. I really want to hold a grandchild soon...."
Before leaving, she pulled a business card from her bag and handed it to Su Mu. "I'll be in Arc City for a while. If you need any 'pre-class tutoring,' feel free to consult me. A little sacrifice is unavoidable for a daughter's happiness...."
After Cocolia left, the room became incredibly awkward. "Su Mu, don't take it to heart. Mother Cocolia just... talks nonsense sometimes." "....Mhm...." "You, you must be hungry, right? Want to eat something? Seele?"
The three of them tacitly avoided the subject of Cocolia. Su Mu looked at Seele while Bronya was looking at the menu, only to find her pouting, looking quite unhappy. But with Bronya there, Su Mu couldn't speak, so he remained silent.
Seeing Su Mu stay quiet, Seele pouted enough to hang a bottle on her lip. she glanced at the ordering Bronya, then at the silent Su Mu.
Hmph, won't even let Mother Cocolia go? This hateful big flirt. He even took the business card; does he actually have those thoughts? Idiot, dummy, pervert!! "Seele, let me give this idiot a lesson." Black Seele's voice rang in Seele's mind. In the next moment, Seele's gaze shifted.
Su Mu was checking his phone when he felt something rubbing against his pant leg. He looked down; Seele had taken off her boots at some point, and her feet—in thin white socks—were now rubbing against his leg. He looked up to find Seele watching him, her eyes bedroom-soft and full of provocation. She even licked her lips slightly, looking like a seductive little succubus.
Black Seele.... you're doing this NOW? Bronya is right here! One slip and we're caught!
"Seele, what do you like to eat?" Bronya asked, her eyes moving across the menu as she selected dishes. "I like whatever Sister Bronya orders." Seele's foot slid up Su Mu's calf, yet she remained calm as she answered Bronya.
When Bronya looked back down at the menu, Seele put a finger in her mouth, sucking it slowly while staring at Su Mu. The implication was clear.
Bronya looked up: "Seele, how does this dish look?" Seele's expression immediately returned to normal as she took the menu with a smile. On the surface, she was looking at the menu, but her jade-like feet were unreservedly rubbing against Su Mu under the table.
God help me! Su Mu's body was stiff; he didn't dare move. What does this 'brat' Black Seele want? We're going to be caught! Why does she have no sense of tension? she actually looks excited!
"Mhm, that looks good. Brother Su Mu, what do you want to eat?" Seele handed the menu to Su Mu with a sweet smile. No one would suspect that this girl in a white dress, looking as pure as a lily of the valley, was engaged in such lewd behavior.
For some reason, a sentence popped into Su Mu's head: [Who is hurting Sister Bronya? Seele will never let them... oh, Seele? Never mind!]
Bronya seemed to sense something and looked under the table, but found everything normal, which left her confused. Am I being too sensitive? For some reason, Bronya felt the atmosphere of the meal was strange, but she couldn't pinpoint why... her favorite sister, the pure and lovely Seele; the person she liked beside her... it should have been a joyful gathering. But she felt something was off. What exactly is it?
After the meeting with Cocolia, the atmosphere between Su Mu and Bronya became noticeably weird. Bronya seemed to be avoiding Su Mu; whenever their eyes met, she would look away and walk off quickly. This left Su Mu wondering: did Seele's "playing with fire" get discovered?
But it didn't seem like that... Bronya wasn't ignoring him; she seemed... ashamed to look at him.
"Mhm, it's understandable. After what Mother Cocolia said, Sister Bronya's feelings were basically exposed." Seele explained that it was normal for Bronya to feel awkward. "It's not necessarily a bad thing. It means Sister Bronya cared about those words, and it means Brother Su Mu is close to 'conquering' her!" Seele's eyes sparkled with excitement; she seemed happier than Su Mu.
"Anyway, Sister Bronya is definitely torn about whether to confess right now. In this situation, victory is just one step away!" Seele giggled. "Brother Su Mu, hang around Sister Bronya more lately! Stir her up a bit; maybe she'll confess on her own!"
Watching Seele's excitement, Su Mu let out a dry laugh. "You... just be careful. Don't let her find out."
Seele nodded: "Mhm! Seele knows!"
She skipped out of the office like a little butterfly. After she left, Su Mu turned his gaze back to the computer. It had been quite some time since the launch of the Honkai 3rd version. November had arrived. The weather was cooling down, and the update for the new version was approaching.
Considering various factors, Su Mu prepared to release Chapter 13 [The Ash of a Long Night]and Chapter 14 [Dispel the Darkness]together in the next version. Along with it would be the Schicksal Assault event, where players could obtain the Sakura Rondo skin—[Magical Girl TeRiRi]—for free. Simultaneously, the preview stream would announce the production of the Cooking with Valkyries anime.
Of course, he hadn't forgotten the subsequent Captain-verse content. Su Mu planned to update the Captain-verse follow-up, Sanka Saga, alongside the Chapter 14 [Lost in the Sand]update in the version after next.
But for now, Su Mu focused on the next update. He looked at the document on his monitor. The name of the next version was...
—— [Meteoric Salvation].
END OF CHAPTER
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