Chapter 17: Overwhelmed by Crushing Burdens, on the Verge of Collapse

Though the cultural heritage project had returned to its proper course, the exhaustion and pressure following the turmoil surged over Zhou Dan like a relentless tide. With the delivery deadline drawing ever closer, the demands from partners grew increasingly stringent. They insisted not only on ultra-meticulous restoration of every cultural detail but also unexpectedly added multiple special effects requiring scene transitions across different historical periods. The workload multiplied exponentially.

Every day, Zhou Dan led his team working late into the night, bloodshot eyes betraying their fatigue, their bodies repeatedly sending distress signals. Hours spent sitting motionless left his cervical and lumbar spine aching fiercely; each turn of his neck produced a cracking sound, like an old machine laboring painfully. Yet, despite this, he dared not pause even for a moment, his nerves taut as a drawn bow.

His team was equally drained; the relentless intensity of work frayed their tempers. During one design meeting, two core members erupted into a heated argument over a minor disagreement, stubbornly refusing to yield in front of everyone. The harmony and unity that once defined the group had vanished, replaced by an oppressive tension that thickened the air in the conference room.

“You’re completely ignoring historical logic with this revision—any audience would spot the flaw immediately!” one retorted.

“Then what do you suggest? Your plan is technically unfeasible. If we can’t deliver, we’re all doomed!” the other snapped back.

Watching their bitter quarrel, Zhou Dan felt a sharp pang in his heart. Just as he opened his mouth to intervene, a wave of dizziness overcame him, nearly causing him to collapse. Alarmed, his colleagues rushed over, faces etched with concern.

“Boss, are you alright?”

“Mr. Zhou, please take a moment to rest—don’t overwork yourself.”

Zhou Dan forced himself to steady his stance and waved them off. “I’m fine. Stop the arguing. We’re all in this together, like grasshoppers on the same rope. We must unite. We’ll figure out the plan calmly.” Though he spoke with resolve, he knew well that time no longer permitted hesitation or delay.

As if fate were conspiring against him, the studio’s financial lifeline soon faltered. Heavy expenditures on equipment upgrades, staff training, and countering sabotage had drained resources, and payments from several recent small projects were delayed, leaving the account perilously low. Upon hearing this, suppliers stormed in demanding payment, threatening to halt deliveries and pursue legal action if ignored.

The finance manager approached Zhou Dan, brow furrowed with worry. “Mr. Zhou, what do we do? Without funds to pay suppliers, our upcoming projects can’t move forward. If we get sued, the studio’s reputation will be shattered.”

Rubbing his temples, Zhou Dan felt a splitting headache. “I understand. Calm the suppliers for now. Give me some time to find a solution.”

Desperate to ease the financial strain, Zhou Dan sought investments and loans far and wide. Yet financial institutions, seeing the studio’s dire straits, declined, unwilling to shoulder the risk. Former investors, shaken by recent scandals and negative publicity, wavered in their support, leaving him stranded in uncertainty. Each hopeful visit ended in disappointment, each rejection hammering at his already battered heart.

Returning to the studio, surrounded by mountains of unfinished work, exhausted employees, and bleak financial reports, Zhou Dan felt as if he stood at the bottom of a dark abyss, with no glimmer of dawn in sight. His body and soul were drained; his spirit on the brink of collapse. Doubts crept in—was his perseverance in vain? Would all their efforts dissolve into nothingness?

Late at night, sitting alone in his office, he gazed out at the city lights twinkling in the distance, tears silently streaming down his face. Yet within that sorrow burned a stubborn flame of defiance. He knew he could not fall now. For his team, for their shared dreams, he must grit his teeth and endure, seeking that faint ray of dawn amid the darkest hour...