"Enough, enough—! Shut up! How could you possibly understand me? Stop acting like you know everything!" Scott, no longer bothering with mockery, was on the verge of breaking down.
March 7th, seeing Scott's expression for the first time, whispered to Stelle, "This is epic. It only took a few sentences to rile him up."
[It's a super break! Qingque dealt super break damage!]
[Waaah, why am I breaking down too?]
[Please, everyone, don't take this personally!]
— —
"You almost threw me off track. Today was supposed to be… about the duel, not debating with you!"
To the onlookers, this was just Scott's impotent rage.
Stelle, watching Qingque's back, couldn't help but feel awe. "Is this really the harmless little sparrow?"
"This is a battle sparrow now," March 7th chimed in. "This is the momentum we need—strike while the iron's hot!"
"I've got some experience convincing Scott…"
Qingque and Stelle exchanged a glance, and a thrilling battle to break Scott's defenses had begun.
Qingque: "Let me ask you, is the company your home?"
Scott nodded. "Of course it's my home. The company has so many great brothers…! Do you even know the company's structure? The folks in the 'Talent Motivation Department' make it feel warmer than home!"
Stelle pointed at the company staff behind Scott. "Ask your 'great brothers' if they can stand tall and say the company's their home. You treat them like family, but do they see you the same way?"
One staff member, head lowered, muttered dejectedly, "I'm just a lackey under Mr. Scott."
Scott, still defiant, retorted, "Lackey? Isn't that family too?"
[Hahaha, that kind of lackey?]
[I can't laugh. I've got a boss like that, and I'm a lackey under him too.]
[Stop it, I came to watch a show, not to break down!]
— —
Seeing Scott's momentum falter, Qingque pressed on.
"I heard that even the lowest-ranking employees in Pier Point puff out their chests with pride at the thought of the company's tech and wealth… but think carefully. Do any of the company's achievements or riches actually have anything to do with you?"
"O-Of course they do…!"
March 7th spread her hands. "Then tell us, which of the company's achievements are tied to you?"
"I was involved in the Aurum Alley business back then… and I'm overseeing this batch of company transport ships now… Sure, they might seem small, but without me, those things wouldn't get done!"
Stelle smirked. "Even when you're arguing, you don't miss a chance to plug the company's mech products. Truly dedicated. But do you really have a life of your own?"
"W-What? I find joy in my work. My life… is plenty fulfilling!"
March 7th shook her head, giving him a pitying look. "You pick fights even over a cup of tea. I don't think you have a life, let alone a quality one!"
[Phew, I can relate, but not too much.]
[Why is it that even though this is supposed to be fun, I, a worker, can't laugh anymore?]
[I'm like this too. I get chewed out by my boss all day, then go home and take it out on others.]
[Waaah, I'm breaking down a bit.]
— —
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Qingque fired another question:
"Do you think your phone's super fun at 3 a.m.? Do you think sleeping in the morning feels amazing? Do you earn a pathetic wage while your boss tells you everything you do is useless…?"
[Ahhh!!!]
[Stop it, Qingque, stop!]
[I'm broken, family!]
[Star Rail, why would you write lines like this?!]
[I'm a workhorse! I'm a workhorse! sobs]
[It feels like someone's chasing me with a knife.]
[What a bizarre show—watching it made me cry!]
[Massive AOE damage.]
[Stop scolding us, please!]
[…]
Scott broke down alongside them. "Stop… please, stop!"
But Qingque's break damage kept coming. "Try thinking about your life outside work. Can you only come up with two words?"
March 7th chimed in perfectly, "Over~time~!"
Scott clutched his head, his voice frantic. "Stop it, I'm begging you, stop!"
[Stop it, stop!]
[March Wife, you've changed. You're hurting me.]
[It hurts, it hurts too much!]
[This is too sharp!]
[This isn't just hitting Scott—it's hitting every worker out there!]
— —
Suddenly, Qingque's tone shifted. "According to my work philosophy, I wouldn't say 'you're not important.' On the contrary, I'd say 'you're very important.' Worker, you should be proud of living for yourself, not for anything else."
Scott lowered his head. "I… I don't even have my own life!"
Stelle stayed silent, her eyes filled with sorrow.
If eyes had warmth, Stelle's pity could hatch a chick.
Scott, meeting Stelle's gaze, felt like a stray dog being pitied by the roadside.
"Please, say something. Don't make me feel so pathetic."
March 7th sighed helplessly. "With no life of your own, you really are pitiful."
"Ahhh!!!" Scott collapsed to his knees, wailing in agony.
And in pain, too, were the countless workers watching on their screens!
Qingque, Stelle, and March 7th gathered around Scott.
Qingque continued, reasoning with emotion. "You think you're above others, look down on them, have no time for a real life, lack empathy, fear not being respected, and try to build confidence through the identity the company gives you. Are you okay with that?"
Scott's tears flowed uncontrollably. "Waaah—You don't have to be so harsh! I'm trying hard to live too! I'm just an ordinary person. Doesn't saying this hurt your own heart?"
"Of course it hurts, because I'm an ordinary person too." Qingque patted Scott's shoulder. "Now, Scott, welcome back to the world of ordinary people."
[Welcome back to the world of ordinary people!]
[I was breaking down, but this line pulled me back!]
[This is true emotional persuasion.]
[Tail: ???]
— —
"Mengming, the little proprietress of Ever-Hunt Teahouse, works hard to prepare tea and set up tables just so people like us, who can't help ourselves, can take a break and reclaim our lives! Isn't Mengming just like you? You work hard at your job, only for a meddling boss to flip the table, smash the teacups, and say you didn't deliver 'a dazzling shade of black.' Can you stand that?"
March 7th nodded repeatedly. "We thought making you apologize through a sword duel would be enough, but it's not."
"I need to apologize to her from the heart." Scott wiped his tears and slowly stood.
"I'm going to apologize to the proprietress of Ever-Hunt Teahouse. I need to apologize to everyone living earnestly."
"Thank you. I almost fought you all. I really shouldn't have.
Starting tomorrow, I'll be a happy person—drinking tea, reading the paper, wandering the cosmos.
No more talk. I'm off to apologize to the proprietress. Thank you for making me think… This company job, ugh, I need to take some time to figure it out. See you!"
Scott left Aurum Alley with his "brothers" to apologize to Mengming, the proprietress of Ever-Hunt Teahouse.
Qingque stretched, pounding her shoulders. "Ugh, so tiring. I haven't been this exhausted in ages. March, you guys owe me a good meal."
"Of course, of course. Thanks, Master Qingque!"
— —
The video cut back to reality.
Qingque, Sparkle, Stelle, and Jiaoqiu were already deep in a mahjong session.
"Bump!"
Qingque grabbed a tile. "So, what does the great Director Sparkle think?"
"Bar!
Satisfied? Look, we resolved a martial conflict with a verbal one…
I win!
This kind of 'wrapped-up' ending? The audience will love it."
Sparkle glanced at Qingque, who'd just made her lose a tile. "If the audience doesn't break down, that's a win. But I like your idea. And honestly, I love seeing the audience break down too."
"There's more than one way to avoid a martial fight. Scott's such a headache even Tail couldn't handle him. Let's be real—pure talk alone doesn't guarantee a win," Jiaoqiu suddenly interjected, cutting off the group.
Sparkle raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Doctor Jiaoqiu, what's your bright idea?"
Jiaoqiu opened his eyes. "In my humble opinion, how about this?"