“Hell no! I specifically tried to distance myself from the Struggling Project, so how did I still get dragged in?”

Pei Qian was fuming with rage.

He could only say that, like Qiu Hong, he had focused all his attention on the incubator base and completely overlooked those independent game studios that weren’t part of the incubator—and now they had dealt him a brutal blow!

The more Pei Qian watched, the more agitated he became. “Corporate Slave: The Survival Guide” was exploding in both critical acclaim and sales. If those studios managed to release some solid DLC updates and interesting expansions, this game could easily sell for a year or two.

By then, every penny earned would result in profit sharing for the Struggling Project—how unbearably painful!

The only silver lining was that the settlement date was just a few days away, so most of the profits would be delayed until next month—a small mercy in this disaster.

Pei Qian sighed quietly and returned to planning his emergency spending initiatives.

…

After clocking out precisely at closing time, Pei Qian headed to the nearby Slackin’ Internet Café. While eating dinner, he pulled up Ma Yang’s livestream on his phone, waiting to watch him give reverse promotions for the fully automated Intelligent Debate Machine.

He trusted Ma Yang completely.

Since he’d explicitly told Ma Yang to be extremely demanding with the Debate Machine—to nitpick every detail and find every possible flaw—Ma Yang would definitely execute this task with utmost sincerity.

Chen Yufeng was basically Ma Yang’s loyal assistant, always diligent in his work, so nothing should go wrong there either.

In any case, he hoped this livestream “product promotion” would discourage those consumers still on the fence, leading to fewer sales, more inventory, and less profit.

Soon, showtime arrived.

Amidst numerous bullet comments, Ma Yang officially went live.

After accumulating followers through internet giveaways and reverse product endorsements, Ma Yang’s livestream had built up a dedicated audience. Some viewers watched to avoid purchasing duds—seeing what Ma Yang criticized meant steering clear of those products. Others tuned in purely for entertainment.

Meanwhile, Ma Yang’s team was bustling with activity.

After a full day’s work, the script had been finalized through multiple revisions. Every segment of the livestream evaluation was arranged, including teardowns and function testing, all rehearsed to ensure zero mistakes.

These days, Ma Yang wasn’t the only face on camera—Chen Yufeng occasionally appeared as his assistant, handling technical tasks.

Ma Yang scanned the bullet comments, his long face beaming with pride.

Look at these viewer counts and engagement levels—all my achievements for Brother Qian!

In the chat, viewers were speculating about today’s featured products.

“Let’s see which ‘lucky product’ gets roasted today?”

“Delisting warning! Apology warning! Recall warning!”

“Manufacturers are probably trembling right now, awaiting justice!”

“Ma Yang, stop stalling! We’re ready!”

Since most viewers were regulars, no pleasantries were needed. Ma Yang quickly reviewed his notes one last time before diving in.

“Today I’m showcasing several audio systems—these ones right here on my desk.”

The camera zoomed out to reveal multiple products: speakers, soundbars, compact units, cylindrical models, and full sets—an eclectic array of shapes and sizes.

Among all these audio products, the fully automated Intelligent Debate Machine stood out spectacularly, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.

While other speakers had their own design aesthetics, none could compete with the Debate Machine’s striking appearance.

This black rectangular box, crowned with a metal rod, resembled a postmodern art installation rather than any tech product—completely different from typical speaker designs.

A flood of question marks filled the chat.

“Wait, Ma Yang, isn’t this Tenda’s own product?”

“Are you seriously going to criticize your own company? Even Mr. Chang isn’t safe?”

“Quick question: who ranks higher at Tenda, Ma Yang or Mr. Chang?”

“Obviously Ma Yang is higher! He’s second only to Mr. Pei at Tenda!”

“Ma Yang won’t just give Mr. Chang a friendly promotion, right? Please don’t! Tenda products are good, but they don’t need Ma Yang doing free advertising!”

“Ma Yang, you’re too late—I already bought the Intelligent Debate Machine!”

Viewers were thoroughly confused.

Ma Yang remained unfazed, continuing with his prepared script. After numerous livestreams and product reviews, he’d weathered every storm imaginable. Featuring a company product was nothing new.

“The audio systems I’m showing today are all items you can consider based on your budget—even getting scammed won’t cost too much.”

“First up: an imported soundbar retailing for 5,500 yuan with these specs… Next…”

“As for the Debate Machine, though it sells for over 2,000 yuan, its specs mostly match domestic speakers in the same price range…”

Ma Yang methodically introduced each speaker according to Chen Yufeng’s script.

His livestream style involved setting the tone immediately: for substandard, environmentally unsafe products, he’d open with “Several products you absolutely shouldn’t buy”; for acceptable products with decent value and popularity, he’d say “Consider purchasing based on your budget.”

Regardless of the opening, he’d follow with detailed specifications, covering both pros and cons.

Never would phrases like “strongly recommend buying” appear—whether viewers purchased made no difference to Ma Yang.

Most viewers weren’t audio spec experts, limited to basic number comparisons, so this segment was mainly for show.

Still, professionalism demanded these details.

After the specifications, viewers formed basic impressions: generally, you get what you pay for. Some foreign brands cost 3,000-5,000 yuan more than domestic ones—obviously that premium meant something, at least on paper.

Of course, foreign brands carried significant markups.

Surprisingly, Ma Yang didn’t praise the Intelligent Debate Machine. Instead, he harshly criticized certain flaws, particularly its cost-performance ratio.

Next came the “detailed examination” segment.

Specialized cameras captured close-ups of each speaker’s details. After external examination, Chen Yufeng began teardowns, revealing internal components.

These internal revelations exposed clear differences between models. The cameras captured intricate details of each speaker’s innards.

Component brands, wire management, solder quality, sound dampening foam, sturdy backplates—everything displayed clearly for livestream viewers.

While most viewers couldn’t identify component brands, the visible craftsmanship alone left strong impressions.

“This joint-venture brand looks severely stripped down! The wiring’s a mess—so sloppy…”

“Import quality still beats domestic.”

“But some domestic brands are well-made—the gap isn’t as wide as expected.”

“Why does this 6,000-yuan speaker have such cheap internals? Doesn’t match its price tag.”

“Looking at this, the Intelligent Debate Machine has solid construction—must be a reliable manufacturer.”

“The mechanical precision inside! Those gears mesh perfectly—true mechanical beauty!”

“Tenda chooses partners carefully—always reliable manufacturers, just like with OTTO phones!”

“Exactly! Internally, the Debate Machine crushes other speakers!”

“Well, it’s a different type of product—comparing internals might be unfair!”

…

Watching these comments, Pei Qian felt confused, scratching his head.

“This…”

He had indeed asked Ma Yang to focus on details.

Logically, as a contracted speaker product selling for around 2,000 yuan, even with a conscientious manufacturer using quality materials and good craftsmanship, the Intelligent Debate Machine shouldn’t surpass speakers costing several thousand yuan!

But here’s the issue—this wasn’t just a speaker; it was a debate machine!

The machine’s main structure was incredibly sophisticated, with intricate mechanical components meshing together like a dismantled clock, creating a dazzling display.

In contrast, other speakers contained merely circuit boards, sound dampening, speakers—standard construction that couldn’t compare to the Debate Machine’s complexity!

Because the Intelligent Debate Machine included complex mechanical systems beyond just audio, it scored major design points.

Moreover, the Debate Machine’s innovative split design, where the two surround speakers could dock inside the main unit for charging, was another impressive feature.

Despite Ma Yang’s intentional criticism about cost-performance, the unique design, quality craftsmanship, and attention to detail still captured significant viewer interest.

Though pricier than other 2,000 yuan speakers, its distinctive appearance was worth something!

Having this conversation piece at home during gatherings would definitely generate curiosity and bragging rights.

Ironically, Ma Yang’s excessive criticism triggered viewer contrarianism.

“You say it’s bad, but I think it’s great!”

“You say poor value, I think it’s worth it!”

Though only a few comments showed this tendency, it signaled a dangerous trend.

Pei Qian sipped his drink, maintaining composure.

“It’s fine, fine—these are just surface impressions. The sound quality tests should expose everything.”

“Once we test the audio, the truth will emerge—you get what you pay for, after all.”

Pei Qian steadied his nerves and continued watching.

…

After displaying the internal structures, Chen Yufeng reassembled the speakers and began sound testing.

This segment utilized professional recording equipment to capture audio from different angles.

Since some products were soundbars requiring specific recording setups to demonstrate surround sound effects.

Naturally, even with the best speakers and recording equipment, viewers would ultimately hear through their phone speakers or headphones.

Multiple transfers would certainly distort the sound significantly.

Even so, relative audio quality differences remained discernible.

Chen Yufeng quickly calibrated all equipment, playing the same song through each device in sequence.

Audio critics in the chat began their expert analysis.

“This one’s bad—weak bass!”

“Sounds muffled, pass.”

“This one’s decent.”

“Wow, this is excellent! Destroys the others!”

“Ten-thousand-yuan speakers deliver! Clearly superior to cheaper models—that’s the sound of money!”

“Huh, the Intelligent Debate Machine sounds pretty good, actually—quite balanced, not too different from 5,000-6,000 yuan speakers.”

“True, handles highs, mids, and bass well—clear sound. Good value for this price point.”

“Foreign brands have huge markups. The Debate Machine uses domestic manufacturing, so pricing should be more reasonable.”

After playing several tracks with various frequencies, chat experts reached their verdict: the fully automated Intelligent Debate Machine sounded… surprisingly good!

Compared to premium audio systems, the difference wasn’t dramatic?

Considering the price gap and unique design, buying this thing seemed like decent value?