Mastering the Sword Manual, sweeping across the globe

"Director Fang, put that one on... they've agreed over there."

Chen Juefei noticed that Zhou Zhengyi's phone screen was lit up when he said those words.

For the next ten minutes or so, the large screen opposite the conference room played several compilations from "The Edge of Reality".

Everyone in the conference room was stunned.

"What the hell is this?"

……

After another ten minutes or so, and with Director Fang's detailed explanation, everyone in the conference room finally understood what had happened.

"Why should I?"

"Damn it! What did we do to offend him?"

"We're just a food delivery platform! What makes us think we're so special?"

"President Zhou?" Someone looked at Zhou Zhengyi expectantly, hoping this was just a bad joke.

"It's true." Zhou Zhengyi nodded heavily.

After a brief silence, someone slammed their fist on the table and stood up.

"I'm going to sue him!"

"Why should I?!"

"Damn it! This is intentional assault, this is a crime!"

Some people are still doing the accounting.

"Isn't he a delivery driver? Let's set the highest reward for his stations—no, for all the stations in Y City!"

"It's just money, right? We'll give him a million! No, five million!"

"We have an assistant director position available in our department right now. If he agrees, he can start tomorrow!"

No one responded.

Director Fang looked coldly at those people.

The others looked at him as if he were an idiot.

78. Are you crazy?

Forget about five million, he's only a deputy director.

Even if it were equity or a position like chairman, the person in the video probably wouldn't be interested in any of it.

It must be said that everyone here is a smart person.

A half-hour video analysis.

Half an hour for discussion.

The results came out quickly: if I had the chance to contact that person, the most likely answer I would get would be—it's simple for me to be satisfied, as long as the riders are satisfied.

“Okay then,” the sales line said. “We’ll change it now… change the algorithm, reduce commissions, increase rider feedback channels, and lower the weighting of branch office profit assessments. This way, riders’ income will increase, their dignity will be valued, and the traffic accident rate will decrease—all of this is to be expected.”

The meeting room was quiet as they listened to him.

"However--"

"Have you all considered that once the compensation is significantly improved, the attractiveness of the delivery rider industry will also increase rapidly?"

"Next, more riders will join, until their income drops to the average social return on labor. At that time, if they want to make more money, they will still have to rely on cheating, sacrificing their health, and ignoring traffic safety."

He glanced at the people present.

"What difference will there be between then and now?"

"This is not our problem...it's a problem with the industry, with the world itself."

He's finished speaking.

No one responded.

Zhou Zhengyi raised his hand and waved it.

"At a time like this, don't try to be clever."

His voice was calm, but his tone made the salesman lose most of his confidence.

"That person's intelligence is definitely above yours and mine. Do you know what the consequences will be if you try to outsmart someone like that?"

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Everyone here knows this industry best.

What I just said, while not entirely nonsense, was at least pure sophistry.

That's right, with more riders joining, income will indeed be brought back to the social average.

However, the increase in the average social return value itself during this process is a huge social contribution.

If you can earn 4,000 yuan by delivering food for eight hours, it will immediately become much more difficult for factories with a 12-hour workday to find workers earning less than 4,000 yuan.

Moreover, are the scrolling time, scrolling speed, and scrolling traffic regulations truly impossible to change?

of course not.

There's no need to discuss this now.

Within the platform, similar solutions and ideas have long been piling up.

Daily delivery time limit.

Reduce the weight of order volume rewards.

Increase rewards for obeying traffic regulations.

and many more……

Etc., etc……

Wait, wait, wait...

What? You're saying that some delivery drivers really need income, that they really need two or three times the four thousand?

Someone who needs money so much wouldn't refuse to finish delivering food and then find another job.

Of course, that's another topic... Damn it, if you don't see these problems by then, don't blame me for looking down on you!

There's no need to discuss whether the platform has set up special permissions!

At that time, the delivery rider who desperately needs money will find that what used to be a temporary delivery job that only paid 3,500 yuan, now... seems to be able to get 4,000 yuan.

So why weren't these plans implemented?

It's simply not profitable.

No, it's that we didn't earn enough.

No, it's just that we earned a tiny bit less.

That's it.

-

"Let's work on a plan," Zhou Zhengyi said.

The director of the president's office looked up at him.

"Will the higher-ups agree?" Director Fang's voice was filled with obvious worry.

“I don’t care,” Zhou Zhengyi shook his head: “Let’s issue the announcement first.”

Director Fang was taken aback.

"Just issue an announcement?" He paused. "Maybe everything will be fine tonight?"

Zhou Zhengyi looked at him.

That look made Director Fang swallow the rest of his sentence.

“And who knows,” Zhou Zhengyi gave a bitter laugh, “it might get even worse tonight?”

Director Fang shivered.

However, professional inertia, or rather, ingrained instinct, still made him involuntarily remind himself: "What if the shareholding institution holds us accountable..."

"Come on, come on, jump out and veto it! I'm begging them!"

--------

Five hours later.

Announcement Regarding the Comprehensive Optimization of Food Delivery Rider Rights Protection and Platform Operation Mechanisms

Dear partners, riders, and users:

Recently, after in-depth discussions and careful decision-making, our company's management has officially released the following major operational adjustment plan.

The contents of this announcement are intended to respond to the widespread concerns of all sectors of society regarding food delivery riders, to effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of frontline workers, and to promote the healthy, sustainable, and dignified development of the industry.

We deeply understand that delivery riders are the cornerstone of our platform's ecosystem. Every rider who braves wind and rain and perseveres through the night has made tremendous efforts to make urban life more convenient. However, for a long time, the competitive pressure in the industry has been transmitted to the front lines, and the accumulated contradictions in areas such as algorithm rules, delivery timeliness, and income security have become deep-seated concerns that restrict the professional dignity and personal safety of riders.

In the past, we focused too much on growth numbers—order volume, market share, delivery efficiency—while neglecting the individuals behind those numbers. When a rider runs a red light to save time, when a rider is anxious all day because of complaints about being late, when a rider works for more than ten hours straight but can barely make ends meet—we saw these problems, but we didn't truly value them; we knew about them, but we didn't truly change them.

Today, we've decided to stop avoiding this issue.

Our company has decided to pilot the following reforms in the East China region, effective immediately, and will gradually extend them nationwide depending on their effectiveness:

I. Optimize the order dispatch algorithm and scientifically set delivery time limits.

Effective immediately, our company will comprehensively adjust its existing order dispatch logic, abolishing the performance evaluation model that solely focuses on "shortest path" and "fastest delivery." The new algorithm will comprehensively consider the following multi-dimensional factors:

Weather conditions: In severe weather conditions such as rain, snow, high temperatures, and extreme cold, the system will automatically extend the estimated delivery time.

Traffic congestion: Real-time access to urban traffic data allows for additional delivery grace periods for orders placed on congested road sections.

Merchant food preparation efficiency: Establish a database of merchant food preparation speeds, and allow sufficient waiting time when dispatching orders from merchants with slow food preparation processes.

Community access control: For older communities where entry requires walking or elevator waiting times are long, the system automatically marks and increases the weight of delivery time.

Building height and elevator configuration: For high-rise buildings without elevators, the additional time is calculated based on the actual number of floors.

For orders delayed due to the aforementioned force majeure events, the system will automatically waive penalties, remove them from rider performance evaluations, and cease using them as grounds for user complaints. We believe that true efficiency is not about squeezing every second, but about ensuring that every order is delivered safely and reliably.

II. Rider Income Increase Plan

1, 2, 3, 4...

III. Ensure smooth feedback channels for riders and establish a two-way communication mechanism.

1, 2, 3, 4...

IV. Reduce the weighting of profit assessment and introduce rider satisfaction indicators.

1, 2, 3, 4...

V. Implementation Arrangements and Commitments

The above plan will enter the implementation preparation stage from the date of this announcement:

Complete system algorithm adjustments and testing within one week.

The commission adjustment and financial settlement system upgrade will be completed within two weeks.

Election of rider rights liaison officers at each station to be completed within two weeks.

Fully implemented two weeks later

We know these changes may be a little late. We also know that for frontline riders who have already endured so much, no promise is as valuable as tangible change.

But we are willing to believe that it is never too late to start.

Food delivery should not be a cog trapped in algorithms, nor a backdrop to the hustle and bustle of the road, but a profession that is seen, respected, and treated with kindness.

May every rider feel the warmth of every city while running.

May every effort be rewarded accordingly.

From this day forward, may we no longer be "them," but "us."

Did it turn yellow?