Chapter 75 of 100

Chapter 75

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Chapter 22: Qidian Fast Food Restaurant

Lin Feng's idea was simple: Tencent would provide an online Counter-Strike server for free to players who purchased the game CD. In return, Lin Feng would provide Tencent with the data of the 200,000 players from Dangdang Network, ensuring that only these 200,000 players could enjoy the free online game.

Ma Huateng secretly praised him and smiled, saying, "What's in it for Tencent?"

"Hehe, Mr. Ma, didn't you forget about your membership system? This online game server will not only be available to players who bought my CD but also must be QQ members. This way, everyone benefits," Lin Feng said with a sly smile.

Upon hearing this, Ma Huateng immediately convened an emergency meeting. After discussing with the managers of various departments, they promptly launched the Counter-Strike online platform. As Lin Feng had said, players who purchased the CD from Dangdang Network could enjoy the game platform, but only three servers were open to ordinary players, while QQ members could access better-quality, faster professional servers.

This measure proved to be a win-win. Lin Feng successfully countered the counterfeiters, and orders increased again. Meanwhile, Tencent saw a surge in its membership numbers due to the game.

Initially, many people were unwilling to become QQ members, but the inability to play the game they had bought was frustrating. Although there were bot programs, they were not as satisfying as playing against real people. Going to internet cafes was not always an option, as not all had good environments, and the three public servers provided by Tencent could not meet everyone's needs. Additionally, the series of services like "QQ Farm" offered to paying members eventually led many to choose QQ membership.

In response to the "counterfeit scandal" orchestrated by Yixun Network, both Ma Huateng and Lin Feng hired hitmen to counterattack, pointing out that the so-called "counterfeit scandal" was merely a smear campaign by Yixun Network out of jealousy over Dangdang Network's success. The online debate was intense, like a world war, but with the massive user base of Tencent and the dual pressure from Dangdang Network, Yixun Network was clearly no match and gradually fell into a disadvantage, becoming the target of public criticism.

Faced with widespread condemnation, Yixun Network pinned all its hopes on the Valve development team, hoping they would come forward to prove the matter. However, to Yixun Network's disappointment, their letters went unanswered, and Valve ignored them.

Lin Feng received Yixun Network's letter from CS's father, Minh Le, and smiled coldly.

"Le, this is this month's profit, which I have already transferred to the Valve team's account. Please check it," Lin Feng transferred 40% of the profit from 200,000 game copies to the Valve development team's account.

Minh Le checked the account. Although the income was not much, it was equivalent to the revenue from selling 10,000 CD keys. In a China plagued by piracy, this income was satisfactory for Minh Le.

"Lin, I will help you resolve this 'counterfeit scandal'," Minh Le, after reading Yixun Network's letter, also logged into several major Chinese websites to understand the so-called "counterfeit scandal" and decided to help Lin Feng.

Minh Le decided to help Lin Feng mainly because he saw his business acumen. Seizing such an opportunity demonstrated Lin Feng's commercial intelligence, and there were future collaboration opportunities. Finding a partner in China would help the Valve development team enter the Chinese market. Their future development plan was online games, one of the most profitable industries in the future.

The next day, the Valve development team issued a statement, confirming that Dangdang Network's sale of Counter-Strike was not an infringement. Valve had previously authorized Lin Feng to sell in mainland China and now entrusted Dangdang Network to continue selling the game CD keys. All players who purchased the CD keys could enjoy free access to global servers.

This statement effectively sealed Yixun Network's fate, making it the target of public condemnation. Lin Feng and Tencent emerged as the winners, with their popularity soaring.

However, while Lin Feng achieved commercial success, he suffered a defeat in Chushi.

After an investigation, the "Chutian Style" announced to the public that Daya Chemical had no violations. Although the chemical plant was near a residential area, a chemical plant ranked among the top 500 in the country was only 1,500 meters away from the neighborhood. The industrial exhaust issues reported by the injured residents and the neighborhood residents were found to be within standards by the environmental department, posing no health risks.

Daya Chemical's boss, Hu Xiaobing, also apologized on TV to all Chushi citizens, admitting that his attitude during the interview was inappropriate and offering sincere apologies to all citizens and the journalists who came to interview that day.

Faced with this result, Lin Feng was almost driven mad. How could the public be treated like fools, so easily deceived! However, he learned from Meng Dong's secret message that all the injured families and the residents of the coal dormitory had changed their statements, admitting that the conflict arose because Daya Chemical had promised to repair the roads in the neighborhood but failed to do so. The injured residents, harboring resentment, deliberately spread rumors about Daya Chemical.

Lin Feng immediately went to the hospital, but it was empty, and all the injured residents had been discharged. When he went to the neighborhood committee, the chairman only gave an awkward smile.

"Little Lin, this was just a misunderstanding. Now that Mr. Hu is willing to fund the road repairs and address the industrial exhaust issue, isn't this good for everyone? The injured have also received compensation, and everyone is grateful for your efforts. We plan to treat you to a big meal to thank you," the chairman, being smooth-talking, praised Lin Feng for his efforts while betraying him.

Lin Feng laughed in anger, pointed at the chairman, and stormed out.

Seeing Lin Feng return with a grim face, Wang Meng knew something had gone wrong.

"Come, Brother Meng, let's have a few drinks," Lin Feng pulled Wang Meng to a bar.

After a few rounds, Lin Feng told Wang Meng everything.

With a crisp sound, Wang Meng crushed the wine glass in his hand.

"Let me handle it. Since diplomacy didn't work, we'll use force," Wang Meng said, looking at his palm.

"Forget it, it won't work," Lin Feng shook his head and tapped the table, "Since Hu Xiaobing has his cousin protecting him, it won't be easy to move against him. To take him down, we need to cut off his support."

"What's your plan?" Wang Meng asked.

"I have a plan, but we're missing a key link," Lin Feng whispered the plan to Wang Meng.

"The plan is feasible, but the key link needs to be at least a deputy director level. Lower ranks won't do, and ideally, it should be a director," Wang Meng said.

"Right, so I have to wait for the opportunity. We don't have any connections at the deputy director level in the police department yet," Lin Feng said helplessly.

"A gentleman's revenge is ten years in the making," Wang Meng consoled him.

What comforted Lin Feng was that although he lost the battle, he was winning in business. After Liu Yingying's preparations, Lin Feng's fast food restaurant officially opened on September 22.

Five chain stores opened simultaneously, and with Meng Dong's help, the business was booming.

A hamburger cost 6 yuan, two for 11 yuan, and three for 15 yuan. A small cup of cola was 2.5 yuan, a medium cup 3.5 yuan, and a large cup 4.5 yuan. Other items like chicken wings were much cheaper than McDonald's and KFC, which was a relief for parents with tight budgets who wanted to treat their children to McDonald's. They flocked to Lin Feng's fast food restaurant—Qidian Fast Food Restaurant.

Lin Feng chose this "shocking" name for two reasons: first, he hoped this fast food restaurant would be a new starting point in his career, and second, he wanted to see if naming it Qidian Fast Food Restaurant would still lead to the existence of Qidian Network in the future.

Perhaps he could start an original literature portal now. Of course, this was just a thought in Lin Feng's mind.

Of course, the main customer base was still students. For students, eating at McDonald's or KFC was expensive, but eating at Lin Feng's Qidian Fast Food Restaurant was much cheaper. A meal set cost around 12 yuan, compared to over 20 yuan at McDonald's, making Lin Feng's fast food restaurant a popular choice.

In the first three days of opening, each chain store's net income exceeded 10,000 yuan daily. This not only made the relatives who joined the franchise overjoyed but also made Liu Yingying consider expanding the fast food chain beyond Chushi. If not for the concern of Xia Qianhe's counterattack, Liu Yingying's plan might have already been in motion.

A long convoy of luxury Mercedes-Benz cars, accompanied by 24 cold-faced bodyguards, drew curious, admiring, and fearful onlookers in front of Chufeng Network City.

The car doors opened, and the bodyguards stood on both sides. Li Wuji and his brother stood by the middle car, gently opening the door.

A young man with a handsome face, a slight smirk, wearing an Armani suit and sunglasses, stepped out. He looked up at the Chufeng Network City sign and smiled disdainfully.

"Let's go, I'll pay a visit to this business genius!" Xia Qianhe said coldly, with Li Wuji and his brother leading the way, and the 24 bodyguards surrounding him as they walked into the Chufeng Network City, which had temporarily become an office due to the shutdown.

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