Who would still start a business seriously after being reborn?

Chapter 715 Who needs your approval?
"What? Microsoft Research Asia is moving to Singapore? XP Speed ​​Edition is ceasing maintenance? Waters is being transferred back to headquarters?" Upon hearing this news, Lee Jae-young, who had just returned from a trip to Europe, jumped up from his seat at Samsung's headquarters in South Korea.

His face was filled with disbelief and shock as he murmured, "This, how is this possible? It's only been a short time. A virus, a poaching incident, and Microsoft has collapsed?"

He couldn't understand or accept it.

In his original plan, this should have been a protracted tug-of-war, where Samsung could use its hardware advantages and Microsoft's system ecosystem to slowly wear down Momo's strength.

But the reality is that just as he was getting his Samsung Express business off the ground, his anticipated ally had already suffered a crushing defeat on the front lines.

"Quickly, prepare a private jet immediately, I need to go to Singapore right away!" Li Zairong shouted in a deep voice.

His forehead was already beaded with cold sweat, because he knew all too well what that meant.

Microsoft's withdrawal is tantamount to handing over the entire Chinese market as its main battleground. Samsung, which had been hiding behind Microsoft and waiting for an opportunity, was instantly exposed to the forefront of Momo Group's offensive.

Without the constraints of Microsoft's system, Cheng Yi can mobilize all resources without any worries to deal with Samsung's hardware business and the fledgling Samsung Express.

The thought of facing Cheng Yi, a ruthless and far-sighted man, alone sent chills down Li Zairong's spine.

A few hours later, Lee Jae-yong's private jet landed at Singapore Changi Airport.

He didn't even have time to rest before heading straight to Microsoft Research Asia with a few key assistants.

Along the way, he was rapidly calculating in his mind how to discuss countermeasures with Waters.

Should they jointly request more resources from Microsoft headquarters?

Should we adjust our strategy and temporarily avoid their sharp edge?
He had previously been content to sit back and watch the fight unfold, but now he desperately needs advice from Microsoft, his troubleshooting expert.

Arriving at Microsoft Research Asia, the atmosphere here is somewhat oppressive. Compared to the grandeur of the headquarters in Beijing, it appears rather old-fashioned.

In the president's office, Lee Jae-young finally met Waters.

In just a few weeks, this once spirited fire captain seemed to have aged ten years. His eyes were sunken, his stubble was messy, and his once sharp blue eyes were now filled with undisguised fatigue.

A cup of coffee that had long since gone cold sat in front of him, and the ashtray was piled high with cigarette butts, making him look somewhat dejected.

"Waters, what exactly happened? How could it be so fast?" Lee Jae-yong, without bothering with pleasantries, asked urgently as soon as he entered the room, his voice trembling slightly, even he himself didn't realize it: "Your retreat was too sudden. Our Samsung Express service had only just begun to roll out, and the infiltration of Momo Internet Cafes had only just completed the first phase..."

“Suddenly?” Waters raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and said, “Lee, we’ve already lost from the very beginning.”

"Why?" Lee Jae-yong asked, somewhat puzzled.

“We were thinking about how to seize market share from Momo’s system, how to compete and how to coexist,” Waters said. “But that’s not how Momo Group works at all. From the very beginning, they wanted to completely drive us out of the Chinese market. Our goals are different, so how can we possibly win?”

Waters lit another cigarette, coughed a few times, and said, "Now, they've done it. Microsoft's foundation in China is finished. For at least five years, we won't be able to enter the Chinese market again."

Lee Jae-yong was stunned by the pessimism in Waters' words. He opened his mouth, trying to find a reason to refute it, and said, "But we can join forces, we still have a chance..."

“There’s no chance!” Waters waved his hand roughly, as if to slap away Lee Jae-yong’s unrealistic fantasies, and said, “Our Microsoft headquarters has lost patience and confidence in the Chinese market. They’re not sending me back to get reinforcements, but to be questioned and held accountable. Every word I say to you now could be my final judgment as the head of Microsoft Asia Pacific.”

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but said in a still heavy tone, "Li, as a loser who is about to leave office, I give you one last piece of advice."

Waters' gaze was fixed on Lee Jae-young as he said, word by word, "Cheng Yi's next target, one hundred percent, is your Samsung."

"Microsoft has fallen, and it needs to absorb a strong competitor to open up the Asian market. Samsung, which has hardware advantages and has always been its rival, is the best breakthrough point for it."

"Li, give up your illusions and prepare for battle. Stop thinking about cooperation, easing tensions, and negotiations. He will soon turn his guns on you Samsung with the same tactics he used against Microsoft."

Waters' words extinguished the last shred of hope in Lee Jae-yong's heart.

Looking into Waters' bloodshot eyes, he finally understood that Microsoft's defeat was not accidental, and that Samsung was already standing on the edge of a cliff, having also lost an ally it could rely on.

A chill ran from the soles of his feet straight up to the top of his head.

Lee Jae-yong's face turned deathly pale. He slowly sat back in his chair, muttering, "He...they really will..."

"It's not a matter of whether or not, it's already on its way," Waters said decisively. "While you still have some time, consolidate your resources, tighten your defenses, and prepare for the full-scale attack from the Momo Group, otherwise..."

Waters didn't finish his sentence, but the weight of his unfinished words was already making it hard for Lee Jae-yong to breathe.

Waters looked at Lee Jae-young, whose face was ashen, and a surge of anger welled up in his heart.

He sized up Lee Jae-yong and said coldly, "Lee, don't think I don't know what you were planning. You wanted to sit back and watch the tigers fight, and you wanted to use Microsoft to solidify your hardware market, right?"

Lee Jae-young's lips moved, as if he wanted to defend himself, but Waters's gaze rendered him speechless.

Waters chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "That's why I said we lost from the start."

He stood up, walked around the desk, and stood in front of Lee Jae-yong, almost looking down at him. He said, word by word, "Listen, Lee, if you continue to hold this hesitant and conservative mentality in the upcoming Asian battle, I dare say that even without Momo Group taking action, the Asian regional president sent by our headquarters alone will teach Samsung a lesson."

Lee Jae-yong blushed deeply after Waters's merciless rebuke, but with his secret exposed, he had no way to refute it.

Seeing that Lee Jae-young did not argue, Waters softened his tone slightly and said, "Microsoft will not give up the Asian market. Headquarters has now decided that Kevin Turner will replace me as President of the Asia Region."

"It's Kevin Turner?" Lee Jae-yong was taken aback.

Kevin Turner is Bill Gates' right-hand man, Microsoft's global chief operating officer, a true power figure, and known as the "shield of Microsoft."

Waters said, “Kevin is different from me. I’m good at putting out fires, but he’s good at business operations and defense. He’s a top expert in channel management, cost control, and building sustainable competitive barriers. Headquarters sent him here not to attack, but to hold onto this last stronghold in Asia and prevent the collapse from spreading further. So, he can’t provide as much help to Samsung as I can.” He stared intently into Lee Jae-young’s eyes and said, “But this is also Samsung’s last chance. I hope you will give it your all and cooperate wholeheartedly with Kevin, without holding back anything.”

Lee Jae-young sensed the resolve in Waters' words. He took a deep breath and said, "I understand, Mr. Waters. I admit that I misjudged before. Please rest assured this time. Also, please tell Mr. Kevin that Samsung will devote all its resources without reservation to working with Microsoft to meet the challenge from Momo Group. We will never give up on the Asian market easily."

Seeing the change in Lee Jae-young's attitude, Waters nodded slightly.

This is all he can do.

He handed over the endgame and the warnings; what remained was beyond his control.

Hours later, Waters boarded a flight back to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, USA.

Upon returning to headquarters, he was not met with the expected barrage of accountability.

Although the board members and CEO Steve Ballmer looked grim, they were more focused on listening to his detailed analysis of the collapse in the Chinese market.

After all, the Panda Burning Incense virus disaster, which originated from the grassroots and swept across the entire population, has a destructive power and unpredictability that far exceeds the scope of traditional business competition, making it an extreme case worthy of being written into textbooks.

Waters' failure was attributed more to force majeure and the opponent seizing a once-in-a-lifetime strategic opportunity than to his serious dereliction of duty.

After a brief performance review and self-criticism, Waters was not sidelined.

With his deep understanding of the Asia-Pacific market, especially Cheng Yi and Momo Group, he was given a crucial task: to fully assist in the preparation and promotion of the upcoming Global Internet and Technology Leaders Summit.

This summit, co-hosted by the U.S. National Science Research Association and the Global Commission on Science and Technology Development under UNESCO, brings together leading global technology companies, academic institutions, and policymakers to discuss the future development direction, technical standards, security frameworks, and global collaboration of internet technology.

Those who receive invitations are all influential figures in the IT industry, such as global IT giants like Microsoft, IBM, Google, Intel, and Cisco, or academic authorities from top universities like Stanford and MIT.

This is not just an exchange of technology, but a contest of industry standing, international influence, and future voice.

Waters was well aware of the significance of this summit, seeing it as a potentially excellent opportunity to launch a precise attack on Momo Group.

Thanks to his active mediation and promotion, preparations for the summit have been significantly accelerated.

The conference agenda quietly incorporated several important topics related to operating system security, global cyber threat response, technological autonomy and control, and the boundaries of global cooperation.

The list of invitees was also subtly adjusted at his suggestion.

As the Spring Festival approached, an invitation from the Global Internet Technology Summit was sent to the email addresses of Du Yusheng, Chairman of Momo Group; Cheng Yi, President of Momo Group; and Huang Ganping, Dean of Momo System Research Institute.

"The Global Internet Technology Summit was initiated by the U.S. National Research Council and the Global Science and Technology Development Commission under UNESCO..." Huang Ganping's heart immediately began to pound when he saw the invitation.

For him, this was not just an invitation, but a ticket to the world's top technological temple.

The opportunity to speak face-to-face with technological pioneers whose names he had only seen in papers and textbooks, and to discuss operating system kernels, network protocols, and even the future direction of artificial intelligence, was irresistibly attractive to him.

"This is a rare opportunity!" Huang Ganping said, unusually excited, "I can learn about the latest technological developments and participate in discussions on international technical standards..."

Compared to Huang Ganping's excitement, Cheng Yi appeared worried.

“Something’s not right…” Cheng Yi frowned as he stared at the meticulously worded and impressive invitation on the screen. “Waters just left, and this invitation to hero’s call comes right after? Isn’t the timing a bit too perfect?”

He was almost certain that this was by no means a simple academic exchange event.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door. Before Cheng Yi could respond, Huang Ganping excitedly pushed the door open and entered, waving a printed invitation in his hand.

"President Cheng!" Huang Ganping's voice trembled with excitement as he exclaimed, "I received an invitation to the Global Internet Technology Summit! This is recognition of our technological strength from the international academic and technological communities!"

Approval...

Hearing Huang Ganping's words, Cheng Yi felt a pang of sadness.

Since the Qing Dynasty's century of humiliation, many Chinese people have developed a fixed perception that no matter what, they want to gain the approval of foreigners and want to know how foreigners view things.

Cheng Yi remembers clearly that even in 2024, the secret to gaining recognition from foreigners was still a timeless formula for generating traffic.

For example, things like "Foreigners watch the military parade on YouTube," "Foreigners watch drones on Facebook," and "Foreigners observe China's development"...

In reality, the comments in the video are just randomly added by the video uploader, but as long as the editor adds what Germans say, Americans say, and Japanese say, the post will go viral.

This is a very heartbreaking feeling of inferiority.

It all stems from a lack of self-confidence.

It's like a hardworking and ambitious young person desperately trying to gain recognition from others.

It was both heartbreaking and frustrating.

Huang Ganping strode to Cheng Yi's desk, placed the invitation on it, and pointed to the organizers, saying, "Look, the National Institutes of Science (NIS) and a committee under UNESCO are on the board. This is incredibly prestigious! Professors from Stanford and MIT, as well as top experts from Microsoft Research and IBM Labs, will all be there. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for learning and exchange. We can even have in-depth discussions with them about operating system security models and future evolution paths..."

"What's there to discuss?" Cheng Yi looked up at Huang Ganping and said, "Dean Huang, in the field of operating systems, we are the best. We don't need to discuss anything with them."

"???" Huang Ganping wondered if he had misheard.

Cheng Yi has always been a strong advocate for technological innovation and often says that one should never stop learning. What's wrong with him today? Has he become completely arrogant after defeating Microsoft in China?
(End of this chapter)