Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 88 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 88.2 Extra [Sixteen years later III]
The clash between the two prominent internet giants, playing out in full view of the public, sent waves through the sensation-hungry audience. This incident swiftly reinvigorated internet activity, amassing tens of millions of shares in just ten hours!
As the buzz reached its zenith, Immortal Science & Technology, typically aloof, appeared to belatedly recognize the potential fallout and took the step to disable Best Partner IT's posting privileges.
The lines between right and wrong grew increasingly blurred. Onlookers formed their own interpretations regarding the issue of plagiarism. Some argued that the proximity in time between the updates and Best Partner IT's assertive stance strongly suggested the latter's work had been copied. Others contended that Best Partner's swift response might be an attempt to deflect blame. They cautioned that a louder voice didn't necessarily equate to moral authority.
In the midst of the brewing tempest, seemingly unwilling to let the conflict simmer down, Best Partner, silenced temporarily by Immortal, swiftly broadcasted their latest proclamation to the world -
Following extensive deliberations during the shareholders' assembly, Best Partner IT reached a unanimous decision: over the upcoming months, Best Partner will channel a staggering 100 million US dollars into the promotion of their cutting-edge mobile communication software application!
A hundred million US dollars!
This figure makes many Internet people stunned. There are many mobile communication software nowadays, but Best Partner and Immortal are undoubtedly the two companies with the largest customer base. According to their current market share, the investment of 100 million US dollars clearly shows that they do not want to give any competitors a way to survive.
However, Immortal Science & Technology countered with an equally thunderous announcement—
Anticipating that the transition of their company's core operations from PC to mobile will be a long-term endeavor, Immortal Science & Technology has earmarked a formidable 100 million US dollars in funding to bolster their inaugural mobile communication application and gauge the mobile market's reception!
Within just a few days of implementing these strategies, both companies’ user base quickly noticed the positive differences. Best Partner not only enhanced the gaming platform and streamlined the open chat experience but also introduced a referral program for existing users to invite new registrations, offering both parties opportunities to unlock a range of prizes though a lottery like system. Meanwhile, Immortal made a bold move by introducing beauty filters for voice calls, text-to-speech, and video calls, features they had developed some time ago. They took to the streets and TV programs to extensively advertise, with a clear focus on attracting more female customers.
The battle with a combined budget of $200 million USD escalated into a grand and extensive affair, with all rolled-out activities exerting a strong allure on the public. ‘Lottery Reward’ swiftly became a trending term among smartphone owners and even made its mark as the year's most popular catchphrase. Surprisingly, even many older individuals, unfamiliar with smartphones, were drawn into the excitement. Immortal's user-friendly voice features gained immense popularity, particularly the video beautification options like face slimming and skin rejuvenation, which resonated deeply with female users. This, coupled with the registration bonus event, which held slightly less weight but still proved enticing, maintained a dynamic equilibrium between the two platforms. Their influence continued to expand, keeping the rivalry as fierce as ever.
With their ample resources and no fear of a showdown, the two companies engaged in a fierce competition. If one company launched a small promotion one day, the other would respond with a wave of giveaways the next. And if one offered lavish rewards, the other would focus on enhancing and promptly updating their video beauty features!
In the end, it resembled childerns’ fight, with both companies stubbornly persisting in their back-and-forth.
Unexpectedly, the commonly seen titles in all the major forums shifted from
{LF: PPL To Use This Best Partner MSG Referral Link To Share Rewards}, {LF: Two More People To Join Lottery Reward Team}, {IDC What You Say, My Immortal Video Are Not Filtered[doge]}, to the gradual emergence of…
— {Am I The Only One Who Thinks Immortal and Best Partner are very shippable?}
Xiao Chi blocked all the accounts that were causing a ruckus under his blog, but it couldn’t prevent others from continuing the conversation. He scrolled through his photo album for a while, simping over the various selfies that Lin Jingzhe had sent him. It was during this perusal that he came across a post with quite questionable taste.
He couldn't resist clicking into it, and found the original poster stating—
— {OP: [I must defeat you all at all costs and make you prostrate yourself under my suit pants] [The only one who can defeat you is me] orz Maybe my cuteness radar is malfunctioning, but the mutual hostility between the two companies during this period can’t help but tickle my senses.}
People below responded one after another: {You are not alone!}
Xiao Chi perused his materials until it was his turn to step onto the stage and address the participation of Yan City's businessmen in the Olympics. His delivery exuded composure, and his countenance bore a gravitas. The audience held their collective breath, breaking into a murmur only after he concluded.
While Olympic discussions held importance, they couldn't overshadow the allure of gossip. Naturally, the audience leaned towards the latter. Consequently, following a series of earnest queries, a reporter couldn't contain their eagerness and interjected, "Chairman Xiao, the recent clash between Best Partner IT and Immortal Science & Technology in the realm of online mobile real-time communication software has been exceptionally fierce. As the predominant shareholder of Immortal Science & Technology, how do you perceive this contention?"
Xiao Chi's expression remained impassive as he gazed at the reporter who had posed the question. After a prolonged silence, he responded, "It's merely a work requirement, and I hold no personal views on the matter."
Undeterred, the reporter swiftly shifted gears and inquired, "There are rumors that the combined total of $200 million USD competition was instigated by your personal feud with Best Partner IT's controlling shareholder. Is this true?"
"Controlling shareholder? Who are you referring to?" Xiao Chi's demeanor shifted slightly, betraying a hint of intrigue. "Is it Lin Jingzhe?"
The name rolled off his tongue with such clarity that the media personnel in the room instantly became electrified. The continuous sound of camera flashes and shutter clicks filled the air. The reporter wasted no time in responding, "Yes! The supporters have been engaged in an ongoing battle through your and Chairman Lin's personal social media accounts. Do you have any message for him?"
Observing that this man seemed to thrive on chaos, Xiao Chi leaned in closer, slowly removing the Buddhist beads from his wrist and cradling them in his hands.
He made a mental note of the media outlet on the reporter's microphone before staring directly into the camera. In a deep voice, he announced, "Immortal’s voice-to-speech input update will be completed before early tomorrow morning."
Lin Jingzhe appeared to have inquired about this matter before leaving earlier in the day. He has never been fond of typing. Ever since Immortal introduced the voice-to-speech feature, their preferred messaging app switched from Best Partner to Immortal. However, the voice-to-speech input was hastily launched and had numerous glitches. Additionally, the conversion of voice to text only provided a short speech period and often made typos. Due to this, Xiao Chi specifically requested Immortal to expand their maintenance team and emphasized the urgent need for improving the user experience. Finally, this morning's meeting yielded some outcomes. However, after the meeting, Xiao Chi was rushed into this conference without having the chance to inform Lin Jingzhe.
After this announcement, Xiao Chi swiftly turned around and exited the stage. The perplexed audience members were left wondering: "???"
But upon careful consideration, they suddenly realized - is there anything more humiliating than openly informing your competitors that they are about to use their ultimate move and that they should hurry up and prepare to deal with it? What a provocation! It was a blatant provocation!
In the afternoon, Lin Jingzhe was invited to participate in an interview program to promote the Hero's Olympic Commemorative Edition Phones. As he sat there calmly answering the questions, he heard the host ask, "Chairman Lin, as the largest shareholder of Best Partner IT, what are your thoughts on the recent competition between Best Partner IT and Immortal Science & Technology due to the previous mobile communication software update?"
Lin Jingzhe, known for his gentle demeanor, faced the sharp question with a subtle smile. "It's just your typical business competition, nothing out of the ordinary," he replied calmly.
The host, clearly skeptical, pressed further. "Really? A battle worth over 200 million US dollars, on such a grand scale, and you consider it ordinary?"
Lin Jingzhe waved his hand dismissively, feigning nonchalance. "Oh, come on now," he chuckled. "Where did you hear about 200 million? Best Partner only spent 100 million US dollars on promotional fees. It's not a big deal, just a minor scuffle. No need to make a fuss."
The host was left speechless, visibly taken aback by Lin Jingzhe's response. After a moment of silence, he finally managed to speak again. "...Chairman Xiao seems to have a different perspective on this matter…"
Lin Jingzhe raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Do tell."
The big screen behind him replayed the clip of Xiao Chi during the post conference media interview that was broadcasted live an hour ago. Lin Jingzhe sat on the sofa and looked back for a while. As he watched, a friendly smile formed on Lin Jingzhe's lips.
The host, sensing the mounting tension even through the screen, couldn't help but ask, "What do you think of this? Is there anything you want to say to Mr. Xiao?"
"You want me to respond?" Lin Jingzhe's confident smile remained as he raised his hand to his chin, the ring on his fourth digit glinting in the bright lights of the recording studio. After a moment of contemplation, and under the host’s expectant eyes, he kissed his fingertips and waved them towards the screen.
Host: "……???"
"What does that mean?" The host was momentarily stunned, it took him a while to recollect and ask, "Are you blowing a kiss to Chairman Xiao?"
Lin Jingzhe laughed and nodded. "Yes."
The recording studio erupted in laughter, and the audience was left in shock. This was a masterclass in how to silently suffocate another.
