Chapter 2: The Graphic Realm's Counterattack, "God of Graphics" Rises in Glory

Zhou Dan glanced at the mushroom boss’s inscrutable smile, his heart tightening. Just as he was about to explain, Chuan Shen spoke up first, “Boss, look, none of us slacked off all night. Zhou Dan really pulled out all the stops; this render will definitely impress the client.” Bao Bi Ge nodded in agreement from the side.

The mushroom boss raised an eyebrow slightly but said no more and turned to leave. Zhou Dan exhaled in relief, sinking into his chair, silently grateful for the support of his two colleagues. But before he could fully relax, he overheard a whisper from a nearby workstation: “Hmph, he calls himself a top college graduate? This render will probably need countless revisions. Let’s not get dragged into the boss’s scolding because of him.”

Annoyance flared in Zhou Dan’s chest, and just as he was about to snap back, a sharp pain stabbed his head, and a flood of memories—both strange and familiar—washed over him. He had been reborn! In his past life, he had endured countless humiliations at work. Staying up late for overtime, his renders were always picked apart. Exhausted and ill, he was eventually fired, living out a mediocre existence. But now, with a second chance from fate, he was determined to rewrite his destiny and become the true “Render God” of the design world!

With this thought, Zhou Dan sprang to his feet, eyes glowing with unprecedented brilliance. He reexamined the unfinished render before him, a confident smile curling at the corner of his lips. Suddenly, all the design skills and creative inspirations accumulated from his past life surged forth endlessly.

“Chuan Shen, Bao Bi Ge, let’s give it our all!” Zhou Dan declared passionately. The two exchanged a glance, surprised by his sudden change but swept up by his enthusiasm, they nodded eagerly.

Zhou Dan unleashed his three rendering “gu” insects once more, chanting softly under his breath. This time, the strength of the Labor Gu seemed to multiply, skyrocketing his work efficiency; the Ox and Horse Gu grew more agile, handling every detail with precision; the Minion Gu darted about, smartly spotting and fixing tiny flaws.

Just as he was hitting his stride, the design department’s “Queen of Sarcasm” approached, arms crossed, sneering at Zhou Dan’s render. “Wow, all these gaudy colors—what is this, a children’s drawing? Where’s the sophistication the client asked for? With this level, you want to be the Render God? Dream on.”

Instead of anger, Zhou Dan smiled calmly. Slowly standing, he pointed at the screen. “Your Majesty, you misunderstand. This is ‘Colorful Darkness.’ Though flashy at first glance, it holds hidden depths. See how the light and shadow transition resembles that of a high-end luxury ad? And the texture—I used the latest ‘Nano Micro-Carving Rendering Technique.’ Up close, every detail bursts forth; from afar, it all blends seamlessly. This is my exclusive secret.”

The Queen of Sarcasm’s face flushed pale then red. She wanted to find fault, but none came to mind. Grunting, she turned and sashayed away. Around them, colleagues secretly gave thumbs-up, and Zhou Dan’s heart swelled with pride.

Yet trouble was far from over. As the deadline loomed, his computer suddenly flooded with error messages: “Rendering engine conflict,” “Material parameter anomaly.” Zhou Dan’s heart dropped. In his previous life, panic would have seized him, but now was different. Taking a deep breath, he scoured his memories for past solutions.

His fingers flew over the keyboard, commanding the gu insects to assist the repairs while systematically adjusting parameters. Chuan Shen and Bao Bi Ge watched in stunned silence—they had never seen Zhou Dan so formidable.

At the last moment, Zhou Dan resolved every issue; the render was flawless. Stretching luxuriously, he caught the admiring gazes of his colleagues and said with a grin, “Watch closely, everyone. Once this render goes to the client, they’ll immediately place follow-up orders. From now on, we’ll make a name for ourselves in the design world.”

When the mushroom boss took the render to present to the client, Zhou Dan and his colleagues waited tensely in the office. Soon, the mushroom boss’s phone rang. Grabbing the receiver, Zhou Dan heard the client’s delighted voice on the other end: “This render is incredible! How did you achieve this? Especially this unique style—it far exceeded our expectations. Prepare the contract immediately; we want a long-term partnership!”

The office erupted in cheers, and Zhou Dan felt a surge of pride. He knew his journey to becoming the “Render God” had only just begun…