Who would still start a business seriously after being reborn?

Chapter 460 Commercial Espionage
"This Chen Tianqiao is really something."

"What's so great about them? They're just taking advantage of someone's misfortune."

"Strike while the iron is hot; that's the most dangerous kind of opponent."

In a high-level meeting at Momo Group, a group of executives began discussing countermeasures.

Less than a month after the Momo Technology Industrial Park was announced to be opening, Shengda Group launched a full-scale offensive.

According to Momo Group's original plan, all CBDs and industrial parks would need to undergo a round of high-end renovations, as well as various promotional activities for the industrial parks. All in all, it would cost at least 15 billion yuan.

In this era, construction costs are far lower than decoration costs.

But now, Shengda Group has suddenly seized Momo Group's Achilles' heel and is causing trouble in the 334 districts and counties that Momo Internet Cafe has recently acquired.

It must be said that Chen Tianqiao chose a very good time. If it had been before the park opened, Momo Group would have had enough funds to meet the challenges.

At worst, both sides can just burn money against each other.

The most straightforward and brutal way to burn money is to fight a war of attrition; in the end, whoever backs down dies.

After everyone finished discussing, Huang Wenrong, who was chairing the meeting, said, "Everyone should be clear about the specifics. Shengda Group is going all out this time. We have no other choice but to fight back."

“Shengda Group was once a behemoth in the gaming industry, but of course, that was all in the past. The biggest reason they’ve chosen to go all in this time is that we’ve already affected their development.” Huang Wenrong looked around at everyone and said, “From this moment on, all expenses of the group will be streamlined, all subsidiaries will cease investment-related businesses, and all funds will be concentrated on the industrial park and Momo Internet Cafe.”

"Mr. Huang, if we take care of both ends, won't there be funding problems?" Ni Yongfeng, deputy director of the group's development planning department, asked.

Ni Yongfeng was one of the top students at Handong University of Finance and Economics. After graduation, he joined Momo Group and was promoted from an ordinary employee to deputy director of the department in just one year. Many investment projects within the group had to go through Ni Yongfeng's initial review.

Huang Wenrong smiled and said, "No, our group has plenty of funds."

Ni Yongfeng looked slightly worried. Building an industrial park while fighting against Shengda was a familiar scene; many companies had fallen victim to endless expansion.

Even a powerful company like Shengda only focuses on online games and project investments. But now Momo Group is going to get involved in real industries, and with such a huge investment that it will account for a significant portion of the company's annual profits.

Many others present shared the same thoughts as Ni Yongfeng.

Many people did not express their opinions, but waited for Cheng Yi and Zhang Lingyu to arrive.

Although Huang Wenrong has a high level of financial expertise, the biggest taboo in corporate management and operation is letting finance determine the direction of development.

Finance has always relied on data and only trusts data. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Once a company's decision-maker is a finance professional, the company is in danger.

Because data can be falsified.

Blindly pursuing data can easily lead to losing sight of the bigger picture.

Many people present felt that Huang Wenrong had lost his way.

Momo Group is a very democratic company. Chairman Du Yusheng rarely interferes in the affairs of the group. Only three people have a say in the affairs of the group: Cheng Yi, Zhang Lingyu, and Huang Wenrong.

These three people are jokingly referred to by many employees as the Three Principles of the People of Momo Group.

As long as these three people make the decision, Du Yusheng's side is just going through the motions.

What these group executives didn't know was that in a villa in the Shinan District, another "Two Principles of the People" was lying in bed.

Zhang Lingyu lay beside Cheng Yi's pillow, the fine beads of sweat on her beautiful face a testament to how intense the battle had just taken.

Cheng Yi embraced Zhang Lingyu's smooth waist, one hand wandering as if recalling the tenderness just moments before.

Feeling Cheng Yi's mischievous hand, Zhang Lingyu said reproachfully, "No, I don't want it anymore."

“Even if you want it, I won’t give it to you anymore. You’ve already given it to me twice.” Cheng Yi glanced at Zhang Lingyu.

Zhang Gang was right; Zhang Lingyu's learning ability is truly remarkable.

Zhang Lingyu's voice was slightly breathless as she said, "Are we really not going? It's such an important matter."

“Compared to the threat from Shengda, the internal threat is greater.” Cheng Yi looked at the ceiling and said, “Our group has developed too fast, so fast that we don’t have time to look back at the people behind us. Shengda’s choice to make a move at this time obviously means that it has obtained a lot of information about us. The people I placed in Shengda also gave me intelligence, and there are also people planted by Shengda in our group’s senior management.”

"Do you want them to come out?" Zhang Lingyu asked.

Cheng Yi nodded and said, "Yes, these people are a more serious threat than Shengda. Before dealing with Shengda, we must also deal with these people, and then rectify the atmosphere within the group to prepare for even greater challenges."

"An even bigger challenge?" Zhang Lingyu looked at Cheng Yi with some doubt.

Is there anything more powerful than Shengda?

Moreover, judging from Cheng Yi's tone, the pressure brought by Shengda this time does not seem to have affected Cheng Yi's state of mind.

Cheng Yi said, "Only after defeating Shengda can we leave the newbie village. For us, Shengda is the BOSS of the newbie village."

"The King of Rakes?" Zhang Lingyu asked with a playful smile.

“That’s not all. Chen Zhi is the Rake Cat King.” Cheng Yi laughed, “Chen Tianqiao is at least the Snowman King.”

Cheng Yi's confident and smug demeanor captivated Zhang Lingyu.

Her hand caressed Cheng Yi's chest, her eyes filled with seductive allure, and she said, "Master, how about we do it again?"

"Don't call me master," Cheng Yi scolded.

"Don't you... think calling me Master would be more exciting?" Zhang Lingyu murmured seductively, tracing circles on Cheng Yi's chest with her hand.

"You insatiable little vixen..."

"Master..."

(Another 1200 words omitted)
Cheng Yi and Zhang Lingyu's absence left the entire group's affairs to Huang Wenrong.

Generally speaking, only listed companies prefer to appoint financial personnel as decision-makers because financial personnel can reduce investor confidence and lower the company's stock price, making it easier for capital to repeatedly buy at the bottom.

At this critical moment, Huang Wenrong, who was brought to the forefront, not only failed to alleviate the tension among senior executives, but also made the situation worse.

Huang Wenrong stubbornly chose to fight on two fronts, continuously investing large sums of money into the Momo Technology Industrial Park. Meanwhile, facing pressure from authorized internet cafes in 334 districts and counties, Huang Wenrong only resorted to the most primitive defensive tactic—recharge discounts. On the other hand, Shengda was investing heavily in promotional activities for authorized internet cafes every day.

What angered the executives the most was that even Zhang Lingyu, who was usually shrewd and capable, approved of Huang Wenrong's decision.

"I have to see the chairman! If this continues, our group will be in danger!" Xie Shansi, the director of the group's development planning department, was furious in his office.

"Oh, the chairman has gone to Paris for a vacation and probably won't be back until September."

The only way to break the current situation is to simultaneously remove the Windows version of Honghuang Zhanji from the app store, allowing Honghuang Zhanji players to make up for the low occupancy rate at Momo Internet Cafes.

Xie Shansi offered Huang Wenrong advice three times, but Huang Wenrong rejected it each time.

Huang Wenrong's reasoning was simple: removing the Windows version of Honghuang Zhanji would be a lose-lose situation, since Momo Internet Cafes didn't have a nationwide presence. Giving up the Windows game market in over 1600 districts and counties for the sake of Momo Internet Cafes in 334 districts and counties was simply not a worthwhile deal.

Instead of doing that, it would be better to announce that these 334 Momo internet cafes will be permanently free; the losses would be much smaller that way.

Xie Shansi was really angry; this was the downside of having finance personnel in charge of group affairs.

Financial personnel prefer to speak with data; the revenue of internet cafes in 334 districts and counties is far lower than the revenue of the game market in more than 1600 districts and counties.

After all, the occupancy rate of Momo Internet Cafe has only decreased from 75% to 46%, which is only a 30% drop, so the loss is not particularly large.

The problem is that Momo Internet Cafe's market share has been declining. When the data became too bad, it became extremely difficult to recover, and in the end, it could only go bankrupt and be liquidated.

In just half a month, Momo Group has been thrown into chaos.

However, the Momo Technology Industrial Park is progressing very quickly. With a continuous influx of real money, the Momo Technology Industrial Park is changing almost every day. The signing center at the entrance of the industrial park is also overcrowded. The policy of rent-free periods of 3-5 years for IT companies, coupled with the "three reductions and one exemption" policy offered by Jingzhou City, has immediately attracted many small and medium-sized IT companies.

These days, it's tough for innovative tech companies. Many startups live in residential communities. Even Alibaba Group, which is already very successful, has been living in a residential community for more than two years.

Jingzhou, as the capital of ten dynasties, may not have a very high GDP, but it is by no means an ordinary provincial capital.

The senior executives of Momo Group are now truly experiencing what it means to be caught between extremes.

What made them most desperate was that their chairman, Du Yusheng, and his girlfriend, Liu Shengnan, went on vacation to Paris.

Went on a trip...

The sky has truly fallen.

Many people feel that Du Yusheng has really become arrogant.

"Chairman Du really thinks he can rest easy just because he's latched onto Jiang Zhixue, a big shot. Sigh, he's still young after all."

"Yes, Cheng Yi and Zhang Lingyu are also exchanging glances. I suspect that these two also intend to bring down the group."

"You just noticed? Last time I saw Cheng Yi's hand stroking Zhang Lingyu's back."

"If this continues, our group will be finished." Similar sentiments could be heard in the offices of various subsidiaries of Momo Group.

In the atmosphere of anger and disappointment, everyone spoke more openly and without reservation.

Because they feel that Momo Group is the next Giant Group.

At that time, Du Yusheng will also be invited by CCTV, and then a group of self-righteous illiterates will be found to verbally attack Du Yusheng.

By early September, universities were gradually reopening, and Xiaonei.com was busy again. Cheng Yi, as the head of Xiaonei.com, devoted himself wholeheartedly to the company's affairs.

Du Yusheng, who had just returned from Paris, was busy teaching new students at Jingzhou Vocational College about his entrepreneurial experiences and success stories, leaving him no time to attend to the group's affairs.

"Director Xie, what a coincidence!" In a tea restaurant on the commercial street, a spirited young man sat down in front of Xie Shansi and said with a smile.

This young man is named Han Shuang, 28 years old. He is the deputy director of the marketing department of Momo Group and a top marketing genius in the industry.

Han Shuang is very capable and eloquent, and has a very good reputation and interpersonal relationships within the group.

"Director Han, please have a seat." Xie Shansi put away her worried expression and got up to pull out a chair for Han Shuang.

Looking at Xie Shansi's worried face, Han Shuang smiled and said, "Director Xie, are you still worried about the company's affairs?"

“Yes.” Xie Shansi sighed and said, “I plan to go to Jingzhou Vocational College to have a chat with the chairman after I finish eating.”

"Director Xie, to be honest, it's already a miracle that Momo Group has developed to this point. The management's understanding and ability can only support them to this extent at most." Han Shuang's words surprised Xie Shansi.

Xie Shansi vaguely realized what Han Shuang wanted to do.

Han Shuang took out a letter from his pocket, placed it in front of Xie Shansi, and said with a smile, "Director Xie, a wise bird chooses a good tree to perch on. This letter was written to you personally by Mr. Chen Tianqiao, Chairman of Shengda Group. You can read it first, and then we can continue our conversation."

Xie Shansi didn't take the letter. He looked at Han Shuang with shock in his eyes and said, "You, you're from Shengda Group?"

Han Shuang straightened her collar and smiled, "Yes, strictly speaking, I am a corporate spy. There are quite a few people like me within Momo Group. So, do you think Momo Group can still be saved?"

A look of horror flashed in Xie Shansi's eyes.

Corporate spy, that's a jarring name.

From 1995 to the present, many large corporate groups have been driven to bankruptcy by industrial espionage.

These people are adept at finding weaknesses within a company, then amplifying those weaknesses, and finally stabbing the company in the back twice.

"This struggle has actually come to an end. In eight days, Momo Internet Cafe will release its financial report. At that time, the investors of the joint-venture internet cafes in 334 districts and counties will collectively turn against us. Then we will bribe Microsoft executives to make the game incompatible with Honghuang Zhanji in the next update." Han Shuang smiled and said, "Director Xie, you are a professional. Tell me, is there any way to resolve this matter?"

Xie Shansi remained silent.

Even if Chairman Du really takes it seriously and launches a full-scale counterattack in eight days, it will probably be too late.

"Chairman Chen said that Momo Group is currently making too many mistakes and is likely to run into trouble. When they do run into trouble, they will try to sell off the group's fixed assets to make ends meet," Han Shuang said with a smile. "At that time, Chairman Chen will offer a high price."

Han Shuang pushed the letter towards Xie Shansi again and said, "If you join Shengda, your annual salary will remain unchanged."

Looking at the letter, Xie Shansi hesitated for a full half minute before finally taking it in his hand and tearing it in half.

(End of this chapter)