Chapter 175: An Unserious Company
Date: 2025-04-05
Author: Xian Ge
The 25th of the Lunar New Year.
Kang Ming dragged himself home, exhausted.
Physically drained, mentally not much better.
As he stepped inside, he silently swore to himself: This is the last time I go shopping with women in my life!
“What’s with the face? So grumpy about buying New Year stuff with Mom and me?” Kang Yu, a girl who looked much younger than Kang Ming, trailed in behind him, clearly annoyed. “You got off work just yesterday. I’ve been tagging along with Mom for three days. Three whole days!”
Kang Ming paused, then muttered, “Three days, and you still haven’t bought everything?”
“How are two weak girls supposed to lug heavy stuff home?” Kang Yu shot back, unapologetic. “We needed a pack mule like you.”
“…”
Kang Ming couldn’t be bothered to argue with his sister.
“Also, you’ve been weird this past half-year,” Kang Yu added, pausing. “You go to work all smiles, come home and lock yourself in your room tinkering with who-knows-what. You didn’t even complain about working until the holidays. Mom and I are worried about your mental state. This was a chance to unwind.”
“Huh?”
Kang Ming couldn’t stay silent now.
“A-Ming, are you doing something shady at work?” Their mother, carrying a plastic bag, stepped in, closing the door. She looked at her son with worry. “When you graduated, you said you couldn’t find a job you liked. I told you to join your uncle, but you refused. Then you took some editing job, quit after a few days, and said you were starting a business with friends. But startups are tough—what kind of company is it? Is it… unserious? You’ve been so hyped up lately.”
Kang Ming laughed, exasperated. “Mom, how’d you decide my company’s unserious?”
“You’re too excited. I’ve never seen you this invested,” his mother shook her head. “I know you. That editing job—you joining was a miracle, but you quit in under a month. Now this job, you say it’s games, but I don’t get it. You never talk about it…”
“It’s legit. I’m excited because I love it,” Kang Ming said, helpless. “Heard of Avalon? It’s making waves in the gaming world.”
His mother and sister stared blankly.
They were completely out of touch with games.
Kang Ming sighed. “It’s a well-known gaming company, growing fast.”
“Bro, you sure you’re not being fed corporate fluff?” Kang Yu eyed him suspiciously. “Rapid growth? Sounds like your boss’s spiel. You didn’t join a half-pyramid scheme, did you? I hear naive guys like you are prime targets for shady bosses. They feed you lines about ‘tough times now, bright future ahead,’ and you slog away, thinking you’re contributing, while the boss reaps the rewards. By the time you’re owed back pay, you realize you’ve been scammed… You’re showing all the signs—like you’ve been brainwashed. That’s not even the worst part. Time’s no big loss for you—it’s cheap. But what if you’re doing something illegal? You keep mentioning Card Clash. Is that some gambling platform? If you’re in that, your life’s over.”
Their mother looked at Kang Ming, anxious.
“…”
Kang Ming was dumbfounded, picturing his workaholic boss—the stunning woman who, after one Card Clash demo, handed over two pages of revisions.
Reaping rewards?
The staff were practically shamed by her hustle.
Seeing Kang Ming’s silence, Kang Yu raised a brow. “Feeling off now?”
“…”
Kang Ming snapped out of it, chuckling wryly. “You’re overthinking. It’s a legit company. Pay comes monthly, and it’s high—really high for a no-experience grad like me. Card Clash is our second game, not a gambling platform.”
His last sentence was shaky. He’d nearly built something shady early on… if not for Tang Yao’s nudge.
He hadn’t told his family about that.
In most Chinese households, it’s easier to vent to strangers online than share with close family.
After graduating, Kang Ming took a long break due to health issues. He felt guilty about living off his parents and didn’t want his sister to look down on him.
Admitting he almost built a questionable platform? No way.
As for joining Avalon, it was so barebones early on, with no guarantee of success, he kept quiet to avoid worrying them. When FGO took off and pay skyrocketed, he got busy. Not one to brag, he never sat down to explain his job.
He hadn’t expected it to spark such a misunderstanding.
“High? How high?” Kang Yu, catching his unease, grew more suspicious.
Kang Ming knew he had to clarify. “Over 50,000 yuan… And that’s before salary adjustments. HR and finance are new, so it’ll be tweaked next year.”
“…”
Kang Yu sized him up, skeptical. “You? Worth 50,000 a month? Like those scam coupons you redeem after three months?”
“?”
Seriously?
Kang Ming, half-laughing, half-annoyed, pulled out his phone. “Why would I lie? Wanna see my bank alerts?”
But as he unlocked it—
Ding!
A crisp chime.
A new message.
Kang Ming’s eyes widened, staring at the screen, frozen in disbelief.
“Show me! Don’t say you deleted it,” Kang Yu teased, thinking he was bluffing. She leaned in to peek.
Their mother, worried, edged closer, glancing at the screen.
Then, both froze, like they’d been petrified.
Kang Ming’s phone displayed a bank alert.
[Account ending 1434 received a deposit of CNY 1,140,000.00 at 09:30:45. Note: “Year-End Bonus.” Current balance…]
“One, two, three… 1.14 million!?” Kang Yu looked up, gobsmacked. “Bro!? What’s this? What’d you do!?”
Their mother gasped, stunned.
“It says it—year-end bonus…” Kang Ming murmured. “They mentioned before the holidays they’d try to get bonuses out early. Guess it’s today…”
“Year-end bonus!? That high!? How many months’ salary is that?”
“About twenty, I think…”
“Twenty…”
Kang Yu’s brain short-circuited, dazed by the raw cash figure. Looking at her balding, not-exactly-handsome brother, she couldn’t connect him to a million-yuan bonus. “You deserve this!? What company do you work for!?”
Wait.
Wasn’t it an unserious company?
Wasn’t he brainwashed?
A million-plus to brainwash him—bit steep, no?
Could it actually be legit?
But a legit company with that kind of bonus!?
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 176: Dead?
Date: 2025-04-05
Author: Xian Ge
“What’s that supposed to mean!?”
Kang Ming glared at his incoherent sister, though he was buzzing with excitement. A recent grad, on his second job, snagging such a massive year-end bonus? “Why don’t I deserve it? Though, yeah, it’s a lot…”
“A lot!? You hear yourself!?” Kang Yu, face twisted like she was constipated, checked his phone again, confirming last month’s salary. He wasn’t lying. “This is obscenely much! What kind of fairy-tale company is this…?”
Kang Ming grinned. “Didn’t you just call it unserious?”
Kang Yu blurted, “With that much, who cares if it’s serious or not?”
“What a thing to say,” their mother cut in, shooting Kang Yu a look before turning to Kang Ming, serious. “This Avalon you’re at—it’s really a legit business?”
“Absolutely legit,” Kang Ming assured.
“Then why such a huge bonus?”
“Probably ‘cause I do a lot, and I’m one of the founding staff,” Kang Ming said, thinking of Tang Yao, who’d recruited him. He smiled softly. “Plus, the boss is great.”
“Then keep at it,” his mother said, relieved, looking at him warmly. “A-Ming’s made something of himself! Earning this much in under a year!”
“…”
Kang Ming, caught off guard by the praise, felt a bit shy.
Deep down, he was thrilled.
Really thrilled!
He hesitated, about to ask if they wanted anything—such a big bonus called for sharing. But before he could, his phone rang.
It was Shi Wanglin, one of the two buddies he’d roped into Avalon.
Kang Ming had a hunch, signaled his mom and sister to wait, and answered.
The second he picked up, a shout blasted through.
“Holy crap!!! Kang Ming!!! Did you get your bonus??? Do I deserve this!? I’ve never seen so much money!! Did they mess up!?”
Clearly, Shi Wanglin was losing it, barely coherent.
His voice was so loud, Kang Yu and their mother heard.
Their expressions shifted.
What? Shi Wanglin too?
“Got it,” Kang Ming said, staying calm with his family nearby. “Chill, you deserve it. Been at it this long—you don’t know Tang Yao’s character by now?”
“True… It’s just insane,” Shi Wanglin said, quieter but still hyped. “You know, we were eating, I saw the alert, and I nearly jumped on my chair. My dad chewed me out, but when he heard why and saw the alert, he looked like he wanted Mom to clear the table so I could stand on it and talk, haha!”
“Nutcase,” Kang Ming said, half-laughing.
“Thanks,” Shi Wanglin said suddenly.
“For what?”
“Dragging us in,” Shi Wanglin said, wistful. “If you hadn’t called us, we’d probably be wasting away somewhere else. Good thing we stuck it out, despite our doubts.”
“No need,” Kang Ming said, recalling their skeptical faces when he recruited them. He felt a pang of nostalgia. “I got lucky too. Just wanted to try editing, never thought I’d meet Tang Yao… Honestly, I still feel like I’m dreaming.”
He remembered his interview, Tang Yao sitting across, looking like she questioned reality itself.
Back then, he just thought… She’s gorgeous.
Who’d have guessed?
Not only stunning, but insanely talented, going from manga editor to the gaming world’s hottest founder in half a year.
She’d changed their lives completely.
Without Tang Yao…
Kang Ming didn’t dwell on it. The outcome was obvious.
He didn’t have her courage…
Must be what they call a destined mentor.
Shi Wanglin laughed. “Yeah. Wanna work on that face-tracking tool to snap out of it?”
“Got ideas?”
“Actually, yeah…”
“…”
Both were pumped, chatting work before reluctantly hanging up.
Kang Ming set down his phone, turning to his mom and sister, about to speak.
Kang Yu beat him to it. “Shi Wanglin’s with you!? They got that much too?”
“Yup, and Sun Gong. Didn’t ask specifics, but probably similar.”
“Your company… hiring?” Kang Yu, knowing his buddies, leaned forward, eyes gleaming. “Big bro?”
Kang Ming stared at his flip-flopping sister. “…”
At the same time, most Avalon staff got their bonus alerts. Everyone was ecstatic.
Especially the founding crew like Kang Ming—they were over the moon!
Avalon’s early days were scrappy, and the staff, mostly young, averaged under 25.
For fresh grads, snagging such a windfall? Pure euphoria.
But elsewhere, things weren’t so rosy…
Yup, the readers.
That day, Chainsaw Man Chapters 21 and 22 dropped.
Su Deqiang, on holiday, had nothing to do after lunch. Knowing it was update day, he didn’t wait for evening, plopping at his computer and opening his bookmarked Chainsaw Man.
But on ANF’s manga section, he first saw a notice: Chainsaw Man would pause for the New Year.
“Taking a break, huh,” Su Deqiang muttered, a bit bummed but understanding.
Third-Rate Sensei’s update schedule was already generous. They deserved a holiday. Waiting an extra week wasn’t a big deal.
Plus, this week was a double update!
He closed the notice, forgetting the break, and eagerly clicked Chapter 21.
The chapter picked up from the Eternity Devil arc.
After defeating the hotel’s Eternity Devil, the team gathered at a restaurant for a victory party.
The plot… as unhinged as ever.
“Haha, Third-Rate Sensei’s on fire as always,” Su Deqiang chuckled.
When Himeno, Denji’s drunk senior devil hunter, kept her promise and kissed him for beating the Eternity Devil—only to puke in his mouth mid-kiss…
Su Deqiang gagged, torn between disgust and laughter.
A first kiss ruined by vomit.
Hahaha.
What a wild image.
Too hilarious.
Still chuckling, he scrolled down.
He figured these two chapters were a bridge to the next arc, fleshing out the new senior, Himeno, plus Makima and Denji.
When drunk, incoherent Himeno tried to sleep with Denji, and he—usually a horndog—refused because of Makima’s lollipop…
“Total endgame couple!” Su Deqiang grinned like a proud aunt.
When sober Himeno, the next day, allied with Denji to set him up with Makima, his grin widened.
Here it comes!
Rom-com vibes?
Eagerly, he scrolled.
The manga shifted to Makima, on a train with her team, seemingly on a mission.
She mused about yesterday, saying the drinks were great.
Because of Denji?
Su Deqiang thought, smirking.
Next panel.
A close-up of someone reaching into a bag.
The passengers in front and behind Makima exchanged a glance, stood, pulled guns from their bags, and aimed at her team.
Next panel.
No dialogue.
Just blood splattering, bullets flying.
“……………?”
Su Deqiang’s pupils shrank. He reflexively scrolled.
Makima, a hole in her head, lay lifeless in the final panel.
The AORI blared: [Terror! Out of Nowhere…!]
And that was it.
The chapter ended.
Su Deqiang, stunned, clicked for the next chapter. A pop-up appeared.
[You’ve reached the latest chapter~]
“…”
Su Deqiang stared, processing, then exploded, voice spiking. “HUH!? DEAD!? What’s that mean!? She’s the lead, and she’s gone!? And you stop here!? Third-Rate Sensei, are you human!?”
He felt like he was imploding, heart clawing like a cat. The shocking twist left him reeling.
What kind of plot was this?
And what’s next?
Inhuman!
Waiting a week!?
Wait…
It hit him. He closed the manga, reopening the break notice.
Next week’s a pause…
So, two weeks…
Staring at the screen, Su Deqiang’s face twisted.
He’d thought waiting a week was fine.
But after this update?
The problem was huge!
Taking a deep breath, he pointed at the screen, trembling. “Damn it!! Third-Rate Sensei!! You monster!!! This isn’t human! Stopping here!?”
(End of Chapter)
Translation Notes
Names:
Transliterated using Pinyin for consistency: Kang Ming (康鸣), Kang Yu (康雨), Shi Wanglin (石旺林), Sun Gong (孙贡), Tang Yao (唐瑶), Su Deqiang (苏德强). These retain Mandarin phonetics for accessibility.
Character names (Denji for 电次, Makima for 玛奇玛, Himeno for 姬野) and titles (Chainsaw Man for 电锯人, FGO for Fate/Grand Order, Card Clash for 斗牌) use established English equivalents.
“Third-Rate Sensei” (三流老师) is kept as a nickname, reflecting fandom’s playful tone.
“AORI” refers to manga cover blurbs, retained for industry context.
Cultural Nuances:
Family Dynamics: Kang Ming’s reluctance to share work details reflects Chinese family communication norms, translated with relatable hesitance (e.g., “living off parents” for 啃老).
Holiday Context: The Lunar New Year (大年二十五) and year-end bonuses are key cultural markers, rendered with festive weight (e.g., “hefty windfall” for 一大笔钱).
Fandom Culture: Su Deqiang’s visceral reaction to Chainsaw Man’s cliffhanger mirrors Chinese manga fan passion, translated with universal fan outrage (e.g., “imploding” for 爆炸).
Technical Terms:
Industry Terms: “年终奖” (year-end bonus), “创业期间” (startup phase), “工资结构” (salary structure), and “财务人事” (finance and HR) align with corporate contexts.
Manga Terms: “双更” (double update), “休刊” (publication break), “过渡篇章” (bridge arc), “分镜” (panel), and “剧情转折” (plot twist) fit manga workflows.
Game Terms: “对战平台” (battle platform) and “网赌平台” (online gambling platform) are clarified to avoid confusion.
Adjustments:
Narrative Clarity: Kang Ming’s bonus reveal and Chainsaw Man’s shocking twist are detailed vividly, balancing workplace joy with reader shock.
Emotional Tone: Kang Ming’s pride, Kang Yu’s skepticism, and Su Deqiang’s outrage are tuned for natural English flow, preserving emotional stakes.
Dialogue Flow: Family banter, buddy excitement, and fan rants add humor and energy, grounding industry and manga plot points in character moments.
Character Dynamics:
Kang Ming’s Growth: His shift from aimless grad to valued employee shines, translated with quiet pride.
Kang Yu’s Teasing: Her flip from doubt to awe is rendered with cheeky sibling energy.
Su Deqiang’s Passion: His fanboy meltdown reflects Chainsaw Man’s grip, translated with raw, relatable fury.
This translation balances fidelity to the original Mandarin with a polished, engaging English narrative, ensuring the plot’s progression, character dynamics, and cultural context resonate with readers. Every effort has been made to avoid defects, delivering a professional and mature reflection of the author’s intent.
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