The world is in trouble

Chapter 251 You Win! Backstab!

Nowadays, both Renren Group and Shandian Group have rented an entire office building.

A grand welcoming ceremony was held within the Renren Group.

Moreover, slogans of all kinds are posted almost everywhere in the office building.

It wasn't just the slogans welcoming Masayoshi Son and Jerry Yang, but also the various tremendous achievements of the Renren Group.

"Warmly celebrate Perfect World surpassing 5 concurrent online players!"

"Breaking through 100,000!"

"Breaking through 200,000!"

"Breaking through 330,000!"

"Breaking through 360,000!"

At this moment, Liao Feng was leading Sun Zhengyi and Yang Zhiyuan to the Renren Games floor.

"Renren Group now has three major business clusters: Renren Games, Renren Video, and Renren Social."

"Renren Games is divided into two main parts: original games and imported games."

"World of Warcraft has already caused a huge sensation and achieved great success worldwide. After acquiring the exclusive operating rights for this game in China, we will spend tens of millions of dollars to purchase the most advanced servers. In addition, we will spend unprecedented amounts of money to promote the game, and we will make sure that the Chinese market becomes the largest market for World of Warcraft in the world."

"And our original game has also achieved unprecedented success."

"The highest number of concurrent online users once exceeded 36."

"Even now, the total number of people online has exceeded 26!"

Liao Feng opened the backend data, which contained various very detailed data.

To celebrate this moment, Perfect World is launching an unprecedented massive event today, offering players huge benefits to attract them to log in.

That's why there was a peak of 26 people online!
After listening, Yang Zhiyuan and Son Zhengyi both nodded in approval.

Next, we will proceed to the Renren Video business cluster.

"We have the largest entertainment industry ally in China, so the film and television copyrights we own far exceed those of YouTube, by more than five or six times."

"Furthermore, we have launched an SNS sharing system and allocated a huge amount of funds to incentivize users to create original videos, carrying the spirit of Web 2.0 to the end."

"Because we don't have access to our competitors' data, but what we can say for sure is that our Renren Video surpassed YouTube from Lightning Group just two months after its launch, becoming the world's number one video website."

Finally, head to the Renren social networking cluster.

Liao Feng looked at Wu Lingxi, since this was her territory, so he let her introduce herself.

Within the Renren Group, the divisions are clearly defined: Renren Video and Renren Games are Liao Feng's territory, while Renren Social is Wu Lingxi's territory, and there is also a co-CEO, Chen Yizhou.

However, Wu Lingxi simply smiled and declined.

Liao Feng took the lead without hesitation.

"And Renren Social is our business cluster with the greatest competitive advantage."

“A long, long time ago, we far surpassed Facebook in terms of user registrations, IP traffic, and PV traffic. Especially after the Super Girl strategy and the strategy of attracting a large number of celebrities, we were far ahead.”

"During the recent Lunar New Year's Eve and Spring Festival, our Renren.com's traffic directly topped the list in China, surpassing all other portal websites."

"Human-to-human social networking is our foundation and our most successful business."

"Since last year, Renren has been the world's number one social networking site. Now, this leading advantage is getting bigger and bigger, and Facebook can no longer see any hope of catching up."

Liao Feng's words were impassioned, and Yang Zhiyuan and Sun Zhengyi nodded repeatedly and clapped softly.

..........................................

More than half an hour later!

A small group of people, including Yang Zhiyuan, Sun Zhengyi, Liao Feng, Wu Lingxi, and Miyazaki, held a closed-door meeting.

Yang Zhiyuan stated directly: "We have also tried both 'Zhu Xian' and 'Perfect World'. Our judgment is that 'Zhu Xian' far surpasses 'Perfect World'. The two works are not even in the same league."

"You may not know that the game 'Zhu Xian' has caused quite a stir in the entire gaming industry."

"The gaming circle is very small, and even the slightest disturbance can attract attention. Not to mention that Lin Xiao has very good personal relationships with the upper echelons of the gaming circle."

"Whether it's EPic, Ubisoft, Hideo Kojima, or even Obsidian Entertainment, he has like-minded friends."

"What can Perfect World do in the face of a product like Jade Dynasty?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Renren Group members present changed slightly.

Liao Feng took a deep breath and slowly said, "Mr. Yang, are you familiar with 'Legend'?"

Yang Zhiyuan: "I've heard that 'One Two' is the most profitable online game in the Chinese market."

Liao Feng: "So, how do you think 'Legend of Mir' compares to 'Zhu Xian' in terms of quality?"

Yang Zhiyuan: "Incomparable."

Liao Feng: "I admit that the game 'Zhu Xian' is very well made, extremely well made. But... it is entirely based on an engineer's mindset, not a capitalist's mindset."

"Lin Xiao simply wanted to create a game that reflected his vision of the world, regardless of whether players accepted it or not. It's an excellent product, but also an obsessive one. How many computers in all of China can currently run 'Zhu Xian' smoothly?"

"What do players need? Players need to feel good, to vent their hatred, desires, and anger. They need to level up, to bully others, and to be superior in the game."

"Our game will amplify this desire and emotion. We plan to make the game free-to-play and then implement a pay-to-play model."

"We want to sell this emotion to the fullest extent and attract the largest and most diverse audience."

"As for the high-end gaming market? Our exclusive distributorship of World of Warcraft has achieved tremendous success worldwide, and we believe it will be no exception in the Chinese market."

"In this way, we can capture both the high-end and mid-to-low-end player markets."

"In terms of product quality, I have great respect for 'Zhu Xian', but in terms of capital and the market, I completely despise it!"

After listening, Yang Zhiyuan and Sun Zhengyi nodded slightly.

To some extent, they agree with this view.

Liao Feng continued, "In terms of social networking, Lin Xiao has run out of ideas. I'm sorry, this idiom might be a bit difficult to translate. But it's the truth. Faced with the huge traffic advantage of our Renren.com, what can Facebook use to fight back? They actually used a small game called 'Happy Farm,' which shows Lin Xiao's helplessness in this battlefield."

"I even feel that he will focus entirely on the film and gaming industries from now on."

"Because he is a vain person, he enjoys the feeling of being admired. Because these two industries can produce results and products continuously, unlike social networking sites, which is a long-term business."

"Lin Xiao is someone who despises capital and is extremely narcissistic."

“But we are different; we embrace capital and change.”

"Furthermore, Mr. Sun and Mr. Yang should know that my family has very deep political and business roots in this country, so our connections are also very extensive. There is one thing I may need to remind you of: Lin Xiao carries enormous moral and legal risks."

"Moreover, he is too deeply connected with the Lightning Group. The so-called 'Second Dog Cult Leader' is practically the embodiment of the Lightning Group."

“Once the moral and legal risks he faces come to light, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

"As you know, our country is different from the United States. Our people have very high moral expectations of high-ranking officials, and even unrealistic demands."

"The more illustrious a person's image, the more severe its collapse."

"So I really find it hard to understand why someone with his narcissistic personality would tie himself so deeply to the Lightning Group. This is not the mindset of a mature entrepreneur at all."

"Personally, I admire Western elite democracy, especially within companies. Therefore, Renren Group is more open to the participation of external forces; we are open."

This person is very shrewd; it seems that every word he says is designed to resonate with Yang Zhiyuan and Son Zhengyi, constantly amplifying the advantages of Renren Group.

..........................................

next day!

Amidst the unease of Renren Group's top management, Masayoshi Son and Jerry Yang visited Lightning Group.

Lin Xiao's reception here was not extravagant, but rather grand yet simple.

The time allotted for visiting the various industrial clusters was also much shorter, and the meeting quickly moved into a closed-door session.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the other party got straight to the point.

Yang Zhiyuan: "Lin, $6 million plus Yahoo! China in exchange for a 35% stake in Lightning Group!"

When this number came out, the top management of Lightning Group were taken aback.

Based on this, Yang Zhiyuan directly valued Lightning Group at over three billion US dollars.

This valuation is extremely high in China's internet industry.

Of course, Lightning Group is not only involved in the internet, but also in the film and entertainment behemoth.

Yang Zhiyuan continued, "Our primary target for strategic cooperation has always been your Lightning Group. We have high hopes for you, and Renren Group has always been our second choice."

"We know very well that Lightning Games far surpasses everyone else's games."

“We are also well aware that you both have strong inherent advantages, whether it’s Facebook or YouTube.”

"The biggest shortcoming of Lightning Group right now is that Facebook in the US is no match for Zuckerberg's 'the Faces,' because this isn't your home turf."

"If Facebook in the US doesn't succeed, then your globalization strategy can't succeed either."

"And I can help Facebook succeed in the US. Once you agree to my investment, Yahoo! Group and Lightning Group will jointly invest to acquire Zuckerberg's The Faces, merging Facebook in the US with this website and unifying the US social networking field."

"In this way, your social strategy can easily succeed."

"This is the clearest path to success."

Lin Xiao and Xia Xi were slightly taken aback.

We should never underestimate the heroes of the world.

It can be said that Yang Zhiyuan's proposal directly hit the Lightning Group's most pressing need.

“Mr. Lin, Ms. Xia, you can’t have your cake and eat it too,” Yang Zhiyuan said. “You want us to help you with globalization and internationalization, but you’re not willing to give us the benefits of our domestic base. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

"Based on the experience of other companies, if they want to leverage our strength to go international, they must open up their domestic market to us."

Yang Zhiyuan then refrained from uttering any further threatening words.

But there's no need to say it out loud.

If Lin Xiao refuses, then he will invest in Renren Group.

Lin Xiao: "Do you need a reply immediately?"

Yang Zhiyuan: "A clear stance needs to be given, including specific proportions, amounts, etc., which can be negotiated over a long period. However, the stance needs to be given immediately."

Lin Xiao: "Let's go and discuss it!"

..........................................

We entered the small office next door.

Xia Xi took out a ladies' cigar, lit it, but didn't smoke it; she just held it under her nose to smell it.

After smelling it, he handed it to Lin Xiao to smell.

Because if this thing isn't absorbed, it goes out very easily.

"So it turns out his target has always been us; he just used Renren Group to pressure us." Xia Xi.

Next, Lin Xiao opened the drawer, which was filled with snacks because many people had come to rest there.

He casually took out a bag of peanuts, tore it open, and prepared to eat them for fun.

"You're not allowed to eat this stuff." Xia Xi snatched the peanuts away and put them back in the drawer.

Lin Xiao: "Why?"

Xia Xi: "Eating peanuts makes your teeth look ugly, and they turn into a bunch of mushy bits."

Lin Xiao: "It's not like we're dating, why would we care about this?"

Xia Xi: "I finally have a younger brother like this, so of course he has to be handsome at all times and smell nice too."

"Therefore, smoking and drinking are not allowed."

Lin Xiao: "You're lying. Haven't you made me drink enough? I've only been drunk two or three times, and it was all because of you."

Xia Xi: "We're an exception, anyway, we smell bad after drinking."

The two then chatted about all sorts of trivial matters, without saying a single serious word.

Such an important decision, even the biggest decision facing the company's future development, was not discussed or consulted between the two of them.

because……

No discussion is needed.

The two were almost perfectly in sync; they knew exactly what the other was thinking.

While chatting casually, one is actually constantly thinking and weighing options in their mind.

They were so in sync, it was like they were twins.

"Do you think Lin Yao and Lucas ever... you know... did they do anything?"

Lin Xiao: "Don't ask me such strange questions, okay?"

Xia Xi: "Aren't you going to sleep with Lian Yi? If you don't go to sleep soon, something might happen and it could be too late."

Lin Xiao: "Even if I'm going to sleep, I'll only sleep after something unexpected happens."

Xia Xi: "Idiot!"

Lin Xiao: "That day will come eventually. Whether you stick your neck out or not, you'll get stabbed anyway."

Xia Xi: "You're really something. Who have you spent more time with lately?"

Lin Xiao: "Same, averaged out over a day."

Xia Xi: "You dog of a man, you've ruined two beautiful girls."

Lin Xiao: "Knowing this, you still used my name to flirt with Wu Lingxi?"

Xia Xi: "She's not good at all. She's just like us, a capitalist monster."

"We can't bear to hurt the beautiful little fairies. But we can't bear to hurt the fierce monsters."

Lin Xiao: "A bunch of fallacies and heresies."

Then, the two of them stopped tacitly.

Xia Xi: "Have you thought it through?"

Lin Xiao said, "That's right."

Xia Xi: "At worst, it's fine if Facebook in the US doesn't succeed, it's fine if it fails completely, it doesn't matter."

"Independence and self-reliance are more important; otherwise, people will keep telling us what to do and we'll be annoyed to death."

"I'm already suffering enough from you riding roughshod over me, I don't want another one like this."

Lin Xiao: "Let's get this straight, you're the one who's been bullying me."

Xia Xi: "On the surface, I ride on you and act like a tyrant. In spirit, you ride on me and act like a tyrant."

"Forget it……"

"Go out and give them a reply."

Then, the two walked back to the office and came to Yang Zhiyuan and Sun Zhengyi.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yang Zhiyuan."

Upon hearing Lin Xiao's refusal, Yang Zhiyuan also stood up: "Understood."

"But I still have to say, you left a very deep impression on me."

"goodbye!"

Before leaving, Yang Zhiyuan and Son Zhengyi exchanged a glance and then let out a deep sigh.

What a pity, what a real pity.

Lin Xiao is truly capable, but... he's also incredibly self-centered.

Yang Zhiyuan and Son Zhengyi returned to Renren Group once again.

Immediately, Liao Feng and other senior executives of the Renren Group breathed a long sigh of relief.

Next, Yang Zhiyuan first met with Wu Lingxi.

"$3 million, plus a 20% stake in Yahoo, in exchange for a 42% stake in Renren Group."

“I support you replacing Liao Feng as the chairman of Renren Group.”

Upon hearing this price, Wu Lingxi frowned.

It's much lower than I expected.

The entire Renren Group leadership wanted $5 million in exchange for approximately 30% of Renren Group's shares.

This is because they not only secured the exclusive operating rights for World of Warcraft, but Perfect World also gained immense popularity.

Moreover, they have three major business clusters, so a valuation of $1.5 to $1.6 billion is not unreasonable at all.

Who would have thought that in Yang Zhiyuan's eyes, it was only around one billion US dollars.

The key is to secure investment from SoftBank Group and Yahoo Group, who have already invested a great deal of resources.

Yang Zhiyuan said, "I not only support you becoming the chairman of Renren Group, but I also support you becoming the CEO of Yahoo! China!"

Wu Lingxi's heart skipped a beat.

Although they keep saying that portal websites are outdated, Yahoo is still a top global giant, and being the CEO of Yahoo China is still a great honor.

She, a woman, became the CEO of Renren Group and also served as the CEO of Yahoo! China.

What glory!

Yang Zhiyuan: "I value your talent very much. The reason I invested in you is largely because of your talent."

Wu Lingxi: "Mr. Yang, but this valuation is too low, so low that it's hard for me to explain to the shareholders."

Yang Zhiyuan: "This price is a very serious figure that we have come up with after countless investigations and calculations."

Wu Lingxi: "I need to think about it."

Yang Zhiyuan: "Of course."

....................................

Next, Yang Zhiyuan met with Liao Feng and offered this price.

Upon hearing the price, Liao Feng's expression changed.

This price is much lower than I expected.

"Furthermore, after the investment, I personally prefer Ms. Wu Lingxi to serve as the chairman of Renren Group," Yang Zhiyuan said.

Upon hearing this, Liao Feng's face twitched slightly, and his fist inside his sleeve clenched almost instinctively.

Then, Liao Feng said, "Mr. Yang, how about I discuss this with the shareholders? Please give us some time."

Yang Zhiyuan: "Of course!"

………………

Liao Feng and Wu Lingxi first discussed it privately.

“This price is too low,” Wu Lingxi said. “Either raise it to $4 million, or reduce our shareholding to 30%. That’s our bottom line.”

"If the price is so low, what's the point of all this trouble?"

"We even have a hard time explaining this to our shareholders."

Liao Feng: "I agree, this price is really too low."

"But no matter what, we must unite our will and force Yahoo! and SoftBank to increase their funding."

"Because they have no choice but to be with us."

Next, the two convened a meeting with several major shareholders of Renren Group.

Then, Liao Feng and Wu Lingxi each had a conversation with several shareholders.

After reaching a consensus, they then negotiated with Yang Zhiyuan and Son Masayoshi.

There's only one core point.

Either increase the money or reduce the shareholding.

In short, Renren Group's valuation must be above $16 billion.

but……

The negotiations continued, one after another.

All failed!

No matter what Renren Group said, Yang Zhiyuan stuck to the original price and refused to budge.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate for three whole days!
There has still been no progress.

Ultimately, Yang Zhiyuan and Son Zhengyi stated that they would leave Shanghai first and negotiate again at the next agreed date.

Seeing that the negotiations were about to completely stall, Liao Feng urgently requested a meeting.

Then, he had a final negotiation with Yang Zhiyuan.

“Mr. Yang, I can agree to your conditions, but I also have one request.” Liao Feng said.

Yang Zhiyuan: "Please speak."

Liao Feng: "After you invest in our company, you must fully support me in becoming the chairman of Renren Group."

Yang Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes and said meaningfully, "What about Ms. Wu Lingxi?"

Liao Feng: "After your investment, our joint acquisition of Zuckerberg's The Faces signifies Renren's official internationalization, expanding into the North American and European social networking markets, and internationalizing along with Renren Video. Ms. Wu Lingxi will become the highest-ranking person in charge of Renren Group's overseas operations."

“Mr. Yang, Renren Group in China is already very mature. Even Renren Games only needs to proceed step by step.”

"Perfect World's item-based monetization maximizes profits."

"World of Warcraft uses a subscription-based payment system, and its user base is quantified."

"On the contrary, overseas markets need talents like Ms. Wu Lingxi to expand their territory, which is in the best interests of both of us."

"After all, the reason why Zuckerberg's THE FACES was able to defeat Lin Xiao's American Facebook was largely due to Wu Lingxi's knowledge."

"If there is one person in the world who is best at creating social networking sites, it is Wu Lingxi."

After listening, Yang Zhiyuan remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "Your idea is very creative and has surprised me."

..........................................

Next, Yang Zhiyuan and Son Zhengyi stopped again.

The two teams held meeting after meeting regarding Liao Feng's proposal.

Finally, Yang Zhiyuan informed Liao Feng.

"We agree to this plan in principle."

Liao Feng was overjoyed!
Then, he went to Wu Lingxi's side.

"Darling, I have some fantastic news for you," Liao Feng said. "I've secured the greatest benefit for you and for us."

"We agree to Yang Zhiyuan's offer and will have Yahoo! Group join us in acquiring Zuckerberg's THE FACES. Renren Group will officially go international, and Renren Video will also go international. You will lead Renren Group to conquer the world!"

After hearing this, Wu Lingxi froze.

What do you mean?
This is how they kicked me out of Renren Group and put me in charge of expanding overseas.

Do you have complete control over all power within the Renren Group in China?
Moreover, aren't we supposed to unite our will and force Yang Zhiyuan to pay more?
How can we accept this current valuation?

Wu Lingxi said slowly, "Did you discuss this with me when you were talking to Yang Zhiyuan about it?"

Liao Feng thought to himself, "Did you consult me ​​before you interfered with Renren Games?"
I admit that your actions at the time did save "Perfect World", but crossing the line is crossing the line.

But he couldn't say that, and his gaze softened even more.

“Darling, isn’t this your own will?” Liao Feng said softly, “You even specifically told me back then that you wanted me to support you in this regard.”

“We acquired Zuckerberg’s The Faces, completely crushed Lin Xiao’s Facebook in the US, then developed the North American and European markets, and finally returned to East Asia to besiege Lin Xiao’s Facebook.”

"Isn't this your strategy to completely block Lin Xiao's path overseas?"

"Xixi, I helped you execute this strategy, aren't you happy?"

"All of this is for you, for our shared cause."

Wu Lingxi's beautiful face remained motionless as she quietly gazed at Liao Feng.

After a long while, she finally gave Liao Feng a rare smile.

In an instant, it was like springtime when flowers bloomed.

Endlessly captivating.

"You did a good job," Wu Lingxi said slowly.

Liao Feng said excitedly, "Then let's convene a board meeting immediately!"

"Pass this resolution immediately!"

"Once this resolution is passed, we will immediately hold a huge banquet and invite many media outlets to attend."

"At this banquet, we will announce our strategic partnerships with SoftBank Group and Yahoo Group!"

"To declare our complete victory, the final victory against Lin Xiao."

Wu Lingxi smiled and said, "Okay, go and persuade these shareholders."

Liao Feng: "Of course, darling, leave the toughest battles to me! Leave the hardest persuasion to me too!"

Then, he gazed at Wu Lingxi with deep affection.

“Darling, let’s hold this feast either tomorrow night or the night after tomorrow.”

"At that time, not only will we announce our great victory, but I will also give you a huge surprise in front of everyone!"

"Believe me!"

Wu Lingxi nodded: "Okay, I look forward to the surprise you have for me."

"I'm really looking forward to it!" she even added silently to herself.

..........................................

After Liao Feng left.

Wu Lingxi closed and locked all the doors.

He filled the bathtub with water, then stripped naked and completely submerged himself in it.

The final decision has to be made.

Is it reason or madness?

She had long anticipated Liao Feng's shamelessness, but when it actually happened, it was still astonishing.

He truly seized every opportunity to eliminate dissidents and consolidate his power.

Even the extremely low offers from Yahoo! Group and SoftBank could become weapons for Liao Feng to seize power.

The key point is, in his own words.

Everything was for her, Wu Lingxi.

I'm helping you achieve your dream.

Acquiring The Faces, conquering social networks in North America and Europe, and finally returning to East Asia to encircle and annihilate Facebook—that's your strategic plan, Wu Lingxi.

I'm not trying to seize power; we just need you to take charge of more important things.

Global President of Renren Group, isn't that position enough?
but……

Can I really take the risk?
Can I really go crazy for once?

I have invested so much in Renren Group, not just money, but also countless hours of effort.

Once I go crazy.

Then... I will lose everything.

A huge amount of money, and several years of time!
I'm over there, ready to start all over again.

Is it worth such an adventure, worth such madness?

I agreed to Liao Feng's terms, and I still possess a great deal of wealth. Besides, expanding overseas was something I wanted to do anyway.

She remained submerged underwater, as if trying to suffocate herself completely.

I kept suffocating, I kept suffocating.

Until one reaches their absolute limit.

She then suddenly exerted force with both hands, propelling herself out of the water.

Then, she got out of the bathtub completely naked.

Standing in front of the mirror, I took out my Nokia N90, a phone with very strong camera capabilities.

She took a full nude photo of herself directly in front of the mirror.

Then, she sent it directly to that familiar phone number, which she knew by heart.

"You bastard, don't speak, don't reply!"

"This is the moment I hate you the most!"

"you win!"

"The grand banquet of Renren Group tomorrow night will be broadcast live on Renren Video."

"It will even be broadcast on television."

"But you'd better get there."

"I will give Liao Feng and the shareholders of Renren Group a real surprise!"

"That's it, no reply allowed!"

....................................

Xia Xi held the phone in front of Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao was stunned.

He sensed a terrifying and insane atmosphere from these text messages.

Xia Xi said, "I've said it before, she and I share similar blood, and we both go crazy in crucial moments."

"For the sake of the overall situation of Renren Group, she has endured humiliation and hardship and struggled to keep going for the past year."

"Even when she was silently ousted from her position as chairman and her supreme decision-making power last time, she did not resist."

"Right now, Liao Feng probably still thinks she will endure it because of sunk costs and the bigger picture, and will continue to swallow her anger."

"He's too clever for his own good; he's about to face the most devastating blow of his life!"

Lin Xiao and Xia Xi both had a general idea of ​​what Wu Lingxi was going to do at the celebration banquet tomorrow night.

Just imagining Liao Feng in that situation sends chills down my spine!

..............................

Note: Tomorrow is the climax! If any benefactors have monthly passes, please grant me two! I would be eternally grateful!
(End of this chapter)