The Versatile Master Artist

The artwork in front of us communicates with the audience in a direct and natural way, needing no extra textual support, as these illustrations seem to be narrating something on their own.

Clumsy yet naive, dreamy and surreal.

”Hmm, okay, I’ll download it first.” Mr. Tree Sloth gestured for Gu Weijing to wait a moment.

Just a few minutes later.

A new message appeared on Gu Weijing’s phone.

”Splendid! (Magnificently grand and outstanding)”

A moment later, Mr. Tree Sloth seemed to feel that this word alone was not enough to describe the excellence of this set of illustrations, so he added.

”In my eyes, these paintings are simply shimmering with brilliance.”

”Thank you for your help.” Gu Weijing expressed gratitude.

”No, it’s I who should thank you for giving me the opportunity to be involved with these works. I can no longer use mere excellence to describe them.”

Mr. Tree Sloth’s tone in his words carried a touch of sentiment.

”Saint-Exupéry said that stars shine so that everyone can one day find their own star.”

Mr. Tree Sloth, with the air of a poet, said, ”As a long-time fan of ’The Little Prince’, I see that countless readers will find their own stars in these bright, twinkling works.”

”Thank you, Lady Detective Cat, I love them. This is a set of illustrations with the magic power to create classics.”

...

Myanmar and the United Kingdom are separated by a time zone difference of half a day.

When Gu Weijing is painting at night, the European Headquarters Building of Scholastic Group on London Financial Street is still bustling with evening office hours.

”In the 31st round of the Premier League, West Ham United and Manchester City went head-to-head for the top four at Upton Park Stadium...”

The plump assistant, wearing headphones, noticed that no one around was watching, and sneakily brought up Sky Sports’ football broadcast on the screen, lazily leaning back in his chair.

Helping the boss do ”bad things” might be an easier way to build relationships than flattery and bootlicking.

Ever since he secretly manipulated the review of the sample submission for Detective Cat on the president’s instructions, his status in the project group had significantly changed.

This could be considered as having pledged allegiance.

From then on, he was President Osborne’s man.

Although a big shot like the group president might find foot soldiers like him too insignificant to notice.

However, the project manager of ”The Little Prince”, who was also Osborne’s subordinate, was obviously much more affable to him this week.

The office door was pushed open.

A proofreader, sweating profusely, rushed into the open office carrying a large stack of Starbucks coffee.

The plump assistant paused the match broadcast.

He snapped his fingers, signaling the person to place his coffee on the desk, then comfortably fetched a doughnut from his briefcase and began munching on it.

The plump assistant contentedly belched.

Not only could he slack off at work these days, but all the routine errands running up and down the floors were also assigned by the supervisor to a proofreader.

These tasks were trivial, but they lightened his workload considerably, bringing a tangible sense of happiness.

He was so happy that he had gained two more pounds.

However,

he heard rumors...

Director Charlie wasn’t very happy.

There was a sense of crisis in the art department, and everyone was on edge. In the big boss’s office, the sound of things being smashed often echoed.

”Which of you is Vinson Cole, the project assistant for ’The Little Prince’?”

The plump assistant was lost in thought when suddenly a few men in black leather shoes strode into the project team’s office.

”Internal Affairs Department of the group, we’d like to have a chat with Mr. Cole.”

The leader of the group showed his credentials to the approaching supervisor, and the atmosphere in the office instantly cooled several degrees.

”Is something the matter?”

”No comment.” The Internal Affairs officer said coldly with a stern face.

The Internal Affairs Department is the regulatory auditing department within large companies, equivalent to a court in a business empire like Scholastic Group.

In such a multibillion-dollar conglomerate, relying solely on the police for internal regulations and risk control would be inefficient, and by the time issues arise, it may already be too late.

Theoretically, any regulation-related matters within the company fall under the jurisdiction of the Internal Affairs Department.

From investigating the misappropriation of 20 million US dollars in public funds by a management member for a lavish time in Las Vegas, to catching corporate spies planted by a rival company, to dealing with reported cases of teasing female colleagues—all fall within the investigative duties of the Internal Affairs Department.

Smaller matters are usually handled based on circumstances, either by reporting to the police or by summoning the accused for a human resource meeting.

But it’s mostly severe violations that attract the Internal Affairs Department’s attention.

Many colleagues in the office glanced at the plump assistant with curiosity, surprise, and confusion in their eyes.

The plump assistant’s expression suddenly grew tense.

He immediately thought of the Detective Cat incident.

Has someone reported him for violating regulations?

However, the supervisor remained relatively calm, patted the assistant on the shoulder, and encouraged him to accompany the visitors.

”Is it about Detective Cat?”

On the way to the Internal Affairs Department, the plump assistant felt a bit anxious and couldn’t help but ask.

”Mr. Cole, how do you know we’re looking for you because of Detective Cat?” the Internal Affairs officer immediately stopped and asked with a playful tone.

”Uh... I’ve been handling this work recently, you know.”

The plump assistant realized he had said something wrong, and his heart skipped a beat.

He looked at his watch with a sense of unease: ”It’s almost time to clock out, right? Umm, we shouldn’t be talking for too long, will we?”

”The group policy states that we pay triple overtime rates by the hour for conversations.”

The Internal Affairs officer shrugged: ”Of course, Mr. Cole, we can’t restrict your personal freedom. If you don’t want to talk, you can leave at any time.”

”However, the next time you’re called in for a talk, it might be the police. Because personal malice leading to significant financial losses for the group could result in criminal charges at the court.”

The officer calmly stated, ”Even if you don’t end up in jail, having such a record would make it difficult to find employment again.”

The still-subject-to-employee-status plump assistant was so frightened by the threat that he gasped.

”Causing significant financial loss to the group due to personal malice, is it really that serious?” He licked his lips.

”Heh, due to someone’s selfish interest, the initially agreed collaboration with the prominent illustrator studio Villerein was scrapped, and the contract was handed clandestinely to an unknown internet artist.”

A sinister voice said, ”The trash painter’s work could potentially result in market losses for the group of up to tens of millions of US dollars. You might as well prepare to spend the rest of your life picking soap in jail.”

Director Charlie of Scholastic Group’s art department leaned against the open door of the Internal Affairs Department’s conversation room, lighting a thick black cigar with a piece of Fragrant Wood.

He put the cigar in his mouth and took a deep drag.

Then he blew a smoke ring provocatively in the plump assistant’s face, his eyes filled with malice.

”Fatso, if you don’t want to rot away in prison with that bitch Detective Cat, I suggest you come clean about Osborne’s shady dealings.”

Charlie believed,

that there must be some undercover transaction involved in Osborne’s desperate attempt to promote an online illustrator.

Initially, Charlie didn’t want to report Osborne’s disciplinary violation to the Internal Affairs Department.

First, Charlie had no direct evidence.

Second, the open and covert struggles among the management were still within a controllable range overall, but taking it to the Internal Affairs Department would mean a complete fallout.

As he could report, others could report too. The contracts Charlie usually issued to Villerein Studio weren’t exactly clean either.

But Osborne’s move to win over Vice Director Shubert was beyond what Charlie could tolerate.

Luckily, what mattered most for an illustrator is to let the work speak for itself, similar to some technical professions.

What captures the audience is good; what doesn’t, is not.

It’s true that ’The Little Prince’ project had initially formed a preliminary collaboration intention with Villerein Studio before. It’s also true that the project was suddenly authorized to a random internet artist.

Regardless of the investigation results.

As long as he had Villerein, a top-tier studio, which can produce better works than Detective Cat.

Charlie believed that no matter the outcome of the investigation, he would remain undefeated.

Since Osborne had crossed the line already.

Charlie would take it to the board of directors, if needed, to ensure Detective Cat was kicked out.