Chapter 881 ·Striving to Secure Publishing Rights

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍just over 20 days, Feifan Antivirus directly forced all competitors to a dead end with its permanently free slogan.

Even ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when forced to follow Feifan Antivirus's free strategy, the remaining antivirus developers' user base continued to decrease at a visible rate.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mid-June, the smallest antivirus developer was the first to go bankrupt and announced company dissolution.

Although ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the remaining ones were still struggling to survive, everyone knew this was just their final death throes.

Additionally, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Feifan Technology was launching attacks on all fronts, privately contacting technical backbone staff of each antivirus developer, promising competitive salaries and benefits.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍essence, the message was simple: your company is about to fail. When that happens, welcome to join Feifan Technology. The benefits will be much better than your original company.

This move was somewhat ruthless, but in business competition, there's no room for softness or sympathy, only survival under business rules.

To celebrate this stage of victory, Feifan Technology held a company-wide dinner gathering to relax.

During the dinner, Chen Fan gave Liang Shichu a private task.

"About the suggestion you made last time, I thought about it carefully and remembered some information."

Seeing Chen Fan talking business, Liang Shichu quickly put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, showing a serious listening pose.

Chen Fan deliberately paused for two seconds before slowly speaking.

"I heard from a friend in a related field that SG company in Korea is developing a shooting game recently. Their internal name for it is something like 'Cross Fire' or 'Fire Mode', anyway it's a first-person multiplayer shooting game."

"Find some time to send someone to Korea, talk with their company, and secure the domestic publishing rights for this game."

"First-person shooting game?"

Liang Shichu frowned, somewhat confused.

"There are already many shooting games domestically, and our Starry Sky studio previously released 《Blood Battle on Shanghai Beach》. Isn't it redundant to do another shooting game?"

Chen Fan shook his head: "First, this isn't a single-player game, it's an online game. Multiplayer combat inherently adds more fun to gameplay than single-player games."

Liang Shichu was still worried: "But even with multiplayer combat, we already have CS now."

"This game is so classic that it remains at the top of internet cafe game rankings. I think later games will find it hard to surpass CS."

Chen Fan smiled.

"You have a point, but nothing is absolute. I heard their game adds a lot of interesting elements in both maps and gameplay."

Liang Shichu looked at Chen Fan, not quite understanding why the boss was so enthusiastic about shooting games.

Could the boss be a dedicated shooting game fan?

"Even if we get the publishing rights for such a game, how do we charge? Sell point cards?"

Chen Fan smiled: "The game will be completely free, we can make money by selling skins and items."

Liang Shichu thought for a moment and agreed with this model, but he still had one concern.

"How will it pass domestic review?"

"If we encounter difficulties in the review process, our money will be wasted."

Chen Fan couldn't directly tell him how popular this game would become in the future.

So he could only say: "Don't worry about the review process, just secure the publishing rights first."

Seeing Chen Fan's insistence, Liang Shichu could only nod.

"Alright. I'll find someone to contact their company."

Chen Fan cautiously reminded: "Remember. We must secure the publishing rights for this game. Also..."

"We must keep it low-key! Can't let other companies notice."

"Our company's exposure is too high right now, and many competitors are watching our next move."

Liang Shichu nodded, indicating he understood.

Chen Fan finally felt somewhat relieved.

He clearly knew how popular this game would become. As long as they secured domestic publishing rights before Tencent, it would be like finding a cash cow for Feifan Technology.

In the future, they would never have to worry about Feifan Technology's financial issues.

...

There was one day left until Ma Xiaoshuai and Song Linlin's wedding photo shoot.

Their closest classmates and friends who had time all came to Yunhai from various places.

On the groom's side were Chen Fan who stayed in Yunhai, Luo Wenjie, Wu Di, and Han Xu who was about to graduate from graduate school and came from far away.

On the bride's side were Liu Qianqian, Sun Min, Su Qing from Dorm 326, plus Su Ruochu who came back from Beijing.

Sun Hao from Dorm 519 was working in Pudong with his girlfriend and couldn't get time off.

From Dorm 326, Lu Wei also couldn't get time off.

This made it exactly four men and four women.

Logically, it wasn't necessary for everyone to come just for a wedding photo shoot.

But this was the first couple getting married since university graduation. Also, Ma Xiaoshuai and Song Linlin were genuinely nice people who maintained good relationships with everyone.

Of course, there was another reason, Ma Xiaoshuai and Song Linlin's wedding photos included a campus series theme, so everyone wanted to take the chance to visit the school.

Chen Fan went to the airport early to wait for Su Ruochu.

As for the others, they arranged for Brother Jie and Ma Xiaoshuai to pick them up.

It wasn't easy for graduates to return to school for wedding photos, requiring visits to multiple offices and several stamps.

Initially, Ma Xiaoshuai asked Wu Di for help with this matter.

Since Wu Di was the class monitor and a student union member during school, he had good relationships with the teachers.

Wu Di contacted the counselor, but after the counselor inquired, the school didn't approve.

The reason was safety concerns.

Ma Xiaoshuai was so anxious he had no choice but to ask Chen Fan if there was any possibility.

So Chen Fan called Professor Chen who taught Economics and Management.

Although Professor Chen wasn't Chen Fan's counselor in school, he had a close relationship with Chen Fan, and Chen Fan's graduation thesis was pushed through by Professor Chen.

During university, Chen Fan only had a good relationship with this Professor Chen.

Unexpectedly, Professor Chen was really helpful and actually got the matter settled.

This made Chen Fan very happy, repeatedly expressing thanks on the phone, and promising to visit Professor Chen's office that day.

Professor Chen was very polite, laughing on the other end of the phone: "Then I'll prepare tea and wait for you."

Chen Fan was very grateful that Professor Chen could help, feeling he should bring some gifts when visiting Professor Chen.

Actually, Chen Fan had completely overestimated the difficulty of this matter.

It might have been troublesome if someone else tried to do it.

But Professor Chen was no longer the same Professor Chen as before.

Thanks to Chen Fan's graduation thesis, Professor Chen had gained quite a bit of fame in the media, and was frequently invited to various economic forums afterward, gradually building up some reputation domestically.

This also elevated Professor Chen's status at Yunhai University. Even school leaders had to treat him with respect.

This time, helping out barely took any effort from Professor Chen, because he only said one sentence to the school affairs office.

"The groom who wants to take wedding photos, his roommate is Chen Fan."

"Chen Fan will come to school that day too."

Who was Chen Fan? The leaders of Yunhai University knew better than anyone.