Chapter 874 ·Cards on the Table, Flipping the Table

"Effective ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍immediately, all service items under our company's Feifan Antivirus product will no longer be charged and will become free software. Moreover, it will be permanently free!"

This ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍simple sentence completely ignited the internet.

Within ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍less than 10 minutes after Feifan Technology's announcement was released, it was immediately reposted and reported by the three major web portals, appearing as the top headline.

Additionally, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all media outlets began following up with reports.

When ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍netizens saw this news, they thought their eyes were playing tricks on them.

They ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍immediately rushed to Feifan Technology's official website to check, and the announcement was clearly displayed there.

It was actually true.

This was most people's first thought.

The second thought that followed was:

"Feifan Technology has gone mad."

This company must be crazy, or rather their boss must be crazy.

They actually gave up the company's most profitable project, directly switching to a free strategy.

This... what else could this be but madness?

Not only were netizens stunned.

Even those antivirus software companies were dumbfounded.

They implemented price reduction promotions just to survive, while trying to grab some of Feifan Antivirus's users and market share.

Completely taking down Feifan Antivirus was impossible, and they had never thought that way.

Their greatest hope was just to grab a portion of the market.

For this campaign, several companies held many meetings, and even specifically spent high prices on purchasing large amounts of advertising space online and offline media for promotion these past few days.

They had considered all possible responses from Feifan Technology.

It would either continue with promotions alongside them, or stand firm like a mountain, letting them nibble away at some market share.

However, who would have thought that Feifan Technology would directly use a strategy no one had anticipated.

This company actually flipped the table directly.

Permanently free!

They actually dared to make such a claim.

This wasn't free for one day, one week, or one month... but permanently, permanently free.

What was wrong with these people at Feifan Technology?

Were they giving up on making a living?

As soon as the "permanently free" slogan was announced, it immediately occupied all media headlines.

The advertising effects that several developers had painstakingly purchased at high prices lasted less than a week before being reset to square one.

And Feifan Technology didn't even spend money on advertising, yet directly got all media to start promoting extensively.

Someone online calculated an account.

With Feifan Antivirus's current market share, Feifan Technology's monthly profit of tens of millions might be a bit questionable.

But 10 million should be achievable.

Even calculating at 10 million, that would be at least 100 million in profit per year.

Yet these people actually gave up this profit.

100 million thrown away?

How much courage would that require?

What else could this be but madness?

Of course, the person most shocked by Feifan Technology's announcement wasn't these antivirus developers. It was Zhou Honghai.

No one knew how Zhou Honghai felt when he saw this announcement at this moment.

Thinking about how the company's staff had been working overtime for so long, and the 360 Antivirus and Security Guard that were about to successfully launch.

Zhou Honghai suddenly felt powerless, like punching cotton.

His planned permanent free strategy had actually been preempted by someone else.

Should he still release this product or not?

Not launching it would mean the company's efforts and resources had been wasted after everyone's hard work.

But launching it, could their product compete with Feifan Antivirus and Feifan Security Guard?

Zhou Honghai didn't have that confidence.

All day long, the internet was discussing Feifan Antivirus, with media and experts in related fields analyzing Feifan Technology's purpose for doing this.

Some experts analyzed with an air of authority that Chen Fan, the boss of Feifan Technology, had likely made a bad move this time.

Not only losing huge profits, but possibly leading Feifan Technology down a dead end.

With their biggest profit point gone, where would Feifan Technology go from here?

However, while experts and media were still analyzing, netizens had already started frantically downloading Feifan Antivirus.

Permanently free.

This slogan was just too attractive.

Even if just out of curiosity, they had to download the software and take a look.

After installation and trying it out, it really was completely free.

This was great.

More and more users began frantically downloading the security guard and antivirus software.

All at once, Feifan Technology's backend download volume skyrocketed.

In less than half a day, new user installations broke 1 million.

Looking at that heart-stopping download curve, Feifan Technology's management was excited but also somewhat dejected.

If all these new users had converted to paying users, how much money would Feifan Technology have made in one day?

The aftershocks caused by the phrase "permanently free" continued to spread.

Soon several antivirus developers felt the terror.

Their own products' users were rapidly flowing away, large numbers of users flooding to Feifan Technology's official website, starting to download Feifan Antivirus while uninstalling their products.

In just one day, each company lost at least a quarter of their users.

And by evening, the speed of user loss actually became even faster.

At this point, several developers began to feel the real terror.

Because they finally realized the power of Feifan Technology's move.

Feifan Technology wasn't just trying to compete with them.

This was clearly flipping the table.

They were going to completely wipe out all of them in one fell swoop.

And this was a typical open strategy.

The cards were dealt, and they could only watch helplessly as users rapidly flowed away, with no way to stop it.

In contrast to the wailing of several antivirus developers, inside Feifan Technology, there was celebration.

At this moment, many people finally understood how terrifying their boss Chen Fan's move was.

There was no way to defend against it.

Unless competitors followed Feifan Technology's steps and announced permanent free service, even if they continued to reduce prices, it would just be a futile death struggle.

The boss was too strong.

When he didn't make a move it was fine, but once he did, he directly took these developers' lives.

In the manager's office.

Liang Shichu looked at the news reports on the computer screen with emotion.

If he were the person in charge of these antivirus developers, what methods would he have to respond at this time?

He thought about it back and forth, finally only able to reach a terrifying conclusion.

There was no way out.

Continuing to reduce prices would be jumping track.

Choosing to follow Feifan Technology's lead with permanent free service would just be slow suicide.

No matter what they did, bankruptcy was their only path now.

The "permanently free" slogan proposed by Mr. Chen was just too terrifying.

Most importantly, only Liang Shichu knew clearly.

The "permanently free" slogan wasn't something Chen Fan had just thought of these past few days.

Rather, when Feifan Technology was established years ago, Chen Fan had already mentioned permanent free service to him.

So, at that time Mr. Chen had already considered the current situation.

This was just... too terrifying.

Just as Liang Shichu was feeling unlimited admiration for Chen Fan, Chen Fan's phone call came through.

On the phone, Chen Fan assigned Liang Shichu a task.

Send people to privately chat with the elite IT engineers inside several antivirus developers.

Poach them to come to Feifan Technology.

Salary and benefits were all negotiable.

After hanging up the phone, Liang Shichu was still stunned.

After quite a while, Liang Shichu sighed and shook his head with a bitter smile.

Is this what they call business acumen, seeing three steps ahead with each step?

Compared to Mr. Chen, he probably could only honestly be a computer engineer for the rest of his life.