Rebirth 2010: I taught Mr. Lei how to make a mobile phone

Chapter 947 High-Latitude Enterprises and Employees

An hour passes in the blink of an eye on a normal day.

But this Saturday noon felt unusually long to Chen Mo.

He sat alone in his study, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table, but his eyes never left the ever-scrolling tide of public opinion on the screen.

Go ahead and argue, the louder you argue, the more it proves the irreplaceable existence of the Other Shore System!
It's like a company with an exceptionally talented new core member.

He is extremely efficient and always able to solve the most difficult problems, creating enormous value for the company and making the top leadership feel incredibly at ease and highly dependent on him.

However, his rise will inevitably cause panic and jealousy among some veteran employees who are used to the old order, rely on their seniority, and rest on their laurels.

They would gossip behind his back, stick together for warmth, and seize on any tiny oversight he made, magnifying it endlessly to accuse him of breaking the "rules".

If they can't get him to "blend along," then their biggest desire is to do everything they can to make him unable to work at the company.

But they overlooked a fundamental fact: what the boss really cares about is not who follows the rules, but who can get things done and who can make things easier for him.

Today's uproar is the most powerful proof.

Which voice carries more weight in the ears of the final decision-maker: the jealous roars of the veteran employees or the complaints of the users who rely on them?

The answer is self-evident.

The users' 'anger' stems precisely from their inability to leave the other side even for a minute.

This 'dependence' is the result of the other side's consistent empathy over the years, and the reputation earned through trillions of dollars of real money.

This is a moat that no competitor can cross in a short period of time.

Tencent is no good, and Alibaba is even worse.

Even if Chen Mo were to permanently shut down the Beyond Network services right now, even if competitors immediately followed suit, products could be imitated and models could be copied, but the core values ​​and trust could not be replicated.

This is the inherent limitation of capital.

They would never be willing to redistribute 80% of their profits like the other side, to give back to users, benefit partners, and invest in research and development.

Without comparison, there is no harm; users who have long been accustomed to the other side's model will naturally vote with their feet.

The other side model is not something that can be achieved overnight.

This is a grand strategy that Chen Mo has been planning for years, with each move carefully placed and each step tightly linked to the next.

Only through such meticulous and painstaking work can a moat be built as formidable as a chasm.

It's like having tasted the delicious wok hei (wok aroma) of freshly cooked food, who would want to go back to eating standardized, industrial-style pre-made dishes?

Is it because it heats up faster and is more expensive, thus showcasing a petit-bourgeois refined lifestyle?
In fact, the analysis article just mentioned precisely pointed out the key point:
"This move by the other side highlights a harsh truth in business competition—sometimes, irreplaceability is more important than a perfect reputation."

When users and society are already deeply integrated with the other side system, the temporary pain caused by downtime will be overshadowed by long-term dependence.

This was not a crisis; instead, it became the most effective free advertisement across the entire internet.

Chen Mo demonstrated a high level of strategic confidence and vision.

What he saw was not the gains or losses of a single city or battle, but the unshakeable position of the other side in the overall course of the war.

This move can be described as the ultimate embodiment of the "monopoly philosophy": the best market position is not to make users like you, but to make users unable to leave you—even if this inability to leave is accompanied by complaints.

This shutdown was a mandatory "network-wide detoxification test," and the result proved that the other side has successfully transformed itself into "oxygen" for the digital age.

Chen Mo browsed the surging online discourse, finding the public's most genuine emotions, the malicious manipulation of opponents behind the scenes, and the spontaneous support from allies and users. Following the trajectory of his previous life, even if he did nothing, Ant Group's IPO was destined to fail at the last hurdle.

But this life is different.

The existence of the Other Shore System is like a giant whale that has invaded the chessboard, making the original players feel unprecedented unease and threat.

Sensing the rise of this foundational force, they were compelled to unite like never before.

Moreover, this IPO involves a complex web of domestic and international capital, and with intertwined interests, Chen Mo vaguely sensed that it might also carry some unspeakable special mission.

If he chooses to stand by and do nothing at this moment, it may seem like they are keeping to themselves for the time being, but the long-term consequences will ultimately be paid for by the entire market and society.

When that time comes, who will truly be able to remain unscathed?
This is just like the support battle decades ago. Taking a step back won't bring about a brighter future; it will only lead to further demands.

Since capital attempts to "hijack" the current situation, it can also "bind" the masses.

Since the saying goes "the law should not punish the masses," let's see whose "masses" carry more weight!
Despite having done everything he could—providing advance notice, managing the event, and offering compensation afterward.

But he is not a saint, much less a god.

Where there is struggle, there will inevitably be sacrifice.

"You just do the work, let the people suffer; I'll bear the blame. This is a necessary stage in the struggle!"

That morning, the leader's words still echoed in my ears.

The phrase "in response to national-level rectification requirements" was less of an order and more of a shield that protected him from countless open and covert attacks.

A man who wants to achieve great things must be ruthless.

Be ruthless to yourself, ruthless to your enemies, and sometimes, you even have to sever your inner morality and kindness.

Chen Mo was mentally prepared for this.

If he can understand this, then Lei Jun and Liu Qiangdong can also understand this.

That's why they're so closely united around him right now.

When the clock finally struck 13:00, Chen Mo pressed the yellow button again.

The icon on the screen jumped back from "Pause" to "Run".

The services of the other shore system, like a sleeping giant slowly awakening, have begun to gradually resume.

Finished, call it a day!
Chen Mo let out a long sigh of relief, stretched his somewhat stiff body, and then carefully put the crucial equipment back in its original place, sorting it out by category.

The wind has died down, but the waves continue; online opinions are still escalating.

However, just one day later, through an inexplicable tacit understanding, the noisy public opinion seemed to be quietly turned around by an invisible hand.

Trending lists on major platforms were quickly updated, and the media's focus shifted from the inconvenience and controversy caused by the shutdown on the other side to uniformly reporting on the same upcoming international event.

The seamless transition was almost artistic, like the pause button Chen Mo pressed in the study earlier, where all the disputes, doubts, and protests were instantly silenced and temporarily sealed by a more powerful force.

All other issues must give way to this important matter;
All conflicts must temporarily cease at this moment.

That was one day later, on September 18th.

The 12th Annual Meeting of the New Leaders was grandly opened in Tianjin.
The more well-known name is the Summer Davos World Economic Forum.
(End of this chapter)