Chapter 1 Zhao Xuming's Sudden Realization

So that's it! There was another trap buried here!

He had subconsciously overlooked this point before, thinking that it was just some subsidies for the operators, and what great effect could it have?

But now, after listening to Eric's analysis, the problem was huge! Obviously, this was the trump card buried at the very bottom!

Moreover, this strategy was based on the different operating methods of GoG and IoI in various regions around the world. The Finger Corporation would really find it difficult to think of a good solution.

Eric continued, "It's not just that."

"The Summer Promotion event doesn't end until the 10th of next month. There are two full weeks."

"If we grit our teeth and follow suit now, giving a discount even lower than Boss Pei's, what if Boss Pei lowers the discount again a week later? Do we still follow?"

"Don't forget about Boss Pei secretly changing the odds last time. He can definitely do something like that!"

Zhao Xuming nodded again, realizing the point.

That's right!

During the 515 Game Festival, Boss Pei actually secretly changed the odds, and instead of lowering them, he raised them, doubling them directly!

As a result, the Long Yu Group was caught off guard, making it difficult for them to end the prepared lottery event.

Analyzing it this way, Boss Pei's seemingly unremarkable Summer Promotion plan was more like bait, misleading the Finger Corporation and the Long Yu Group into thinking that Tengda Group's Summer Promotion event was just like that. After they gritted their teeth and followed suit, Boss Pei would come up with an even stronger Summer Promotion plan!

At that time, the Finger Corporation and the Long Yu Group would be at a loss. If they gritted their teeth and continued to follow, when would it end? If they didn't follow, then why did they follow in the first place?

Zhao Xuming asked again, "Then... what if we follow to the end, just like before?"

Eric shook his head, "If it were some time ago, I would definitely follow to the end."

"But now, the situation is different."

"The failure of the 515 Game Festival has allowed the voices opposing me within the Finger Corporation to regain the upper hand. Even within the Dayak Group, some voices have emerged..."

Zhao Xuming understood instantly.

Obviously, it was the aftermath of the failed 515 Game Festival event!

When Eric first took over IoI's national server, he was full of vigor. He suppressed a group of people within the Finger Corporation, led by Kletian, and obtained the full support of the Finger Corporation's senior management and even the Dayak Group's senior management, gaining a large amount of resources.

But this support came with conditions: Eric had to prove to these senior executives that he could really burn through Tengda's cash flow and allow IoI to achieve final victory.

However, in the half a year since Eric took over, he had organized many events and burned a lot of money, but he had not achieved the kind of results he had boasted about at the time.

So much money was burned during the 515 Game Festival, and Tengda was about to sell its building, but it instantly recovered.

As Eric felt frustrated, voices opposing him naturally emerged within the Finger Corporation and the Dayak Group.

What's more, Eric had already failed once in IoI's national server, and many people would have less tolerance for him.

If they continued to burn money like this, before Tengda collapsed, the Finger Corporation's revenue would not be able to withstand it.

The Dayak Group certainly had money, but the Dayak Group wanted to make money, not burn it for fun. If they kept filling the hole without seeing any hope of recovering their investment, who would be willing to continue burning?

Therefore, the resources and funding that Eric could actually use now were much less than before, and he naturally had much less confidence in burning money compared to Tengda.

What if they burned halfway and couldn't keep up? Wouldn't they have spent money and lost face?

If that really happened, it would be better not to follow suit from the beginning and just focus on the Summer Promotion event they had originally prepared.

Eric calmed down and said, "Moreover, some people within the Finger Corporation have openly criticized me, saying that my strategy is completely wrong, and that I failed to kill Tengda directly in the previous events, which angered Tengda, causing them to launch such a fierce counterattack."

Zhao Xuming immediately spoke out in Eric's defense, "That's outrageous!"

"People who haven't dealt with Tengda simply don't know how terrifying this company is! It's not just a matter of how much money they have, it's that they simply don't treat money as money. Their entire way of thinking is completely different from that of a normal company!"

"Killing Tengda? How easy is that?"

"It's only because you're in charge that we've been able to achieve the current situation. If someone else were in charge, they would have been beaten to a pulp by Boss Pei's hundred different schemes!"

Listening to Zhao Xuming's praise, Eric finally felt a little better.

Although everyone at the Finger Corporation and the Dayak Group were idiots, at least someone understood him.

Zhao Xuming asked, "Then... what should we do about this Summer Promotion event?"

Eric shook his head, "The result of my communication with the senior executives of the Dayak Group is that if they give me enough resources, I'll continue to burn money with Boss Pei; if they're reluctant, then don't take the bait at all, and just implement the original 40% off (six-fold) plan."

"They should still be working overtime in a meeting. They'll give me an answer before 8:00 tonight."

Although the Finger Corporation's Summer Promotion event was officially starting tomorrow, and the specific policies had not yet been announced, there was still plenty of time because the functionality was already in place. They just needed to change a few data points.

That being said, everyone in the conference room was well aware that they would probably have to work overtime very late tonight.

Zhao Xuming nodded, "There's still enough time. Whether we burn money with Boss Pei this time or not shouldn't have a big impact."

Eric shook his head slightly, "What I'm worried about isn't the outcome of this event, but... the change in the Dayak Group's perspective."

"The Dayak Group initially acquired the Finger Corporation because they saw the potential of the IoI game and hoped to quickly expand and monopolize the market to reap huge profits."

"With the intervention of Tengda Group and the emergence of GoG, the situation has changed."

"The Dayak Group's expansion of the global market and suppression of GoG is still aimed at monopolizing the market and reaping huge profits."

"But... it's been a year and a half since IoI was born. In this protracted war of burning money, Tengda Group has not only not retreated, but has gradually gained the upper hand."

"And for the Dayak Group, the Finger Corporation was acquired at a very high premium. They were angered by Boss Pei at the time and even used a privatization offer. The senior executives of the Dayak Group are very eager to recover this money and obtain more returns."

"But now, although IoI also has revenue, frequent discounts and promotions have made the game's profits meager. The national server has even suffered huge losses for many years and requires huge subsidies from the Dayak Group. This has completely failed to meet the initial expectations."

"And Tengda Group's counterattack has also made the senior executives of the Dayak Group increasingly aware that it is impossible to defeat GoG and form a monopoly in the short term."

"So I'm worried..."

Eric didn't say it explicitly, but Zhao Xuming already understood.

Obviously, some people in the Dayak Group wanted to use their traditional skills again.

The Dayak Group often acquires some game studios, and after the acquisition, it will make a lot of interventions and influences on the original company, with the aim of quickly and massively profiting, squeezing the value of these companies in a short period of time.

The Dayak Group has been relatively friendly to the Finger Corporation and has not interfered too much.

But this is only because IoI is in a period of rapid development. The Dayak Group believes that the Finger Corporation's promotion strategy is consistent with its own, and it also believes that giving the Finger Corporation greater autonomy is conducive to obtaining more benefits, so it has not interfered.

But what if the Finger Corporation's strategy is not consistent with the ideas of the senior executives of the Dayak Group?

The Finger Corporation regards IoI as its own son, but in the eyes of the Dayak Group, it is just a money-making tool, just like the games of other studios.

Zhao Xuming couldn't help but remain silent.

This kind of thing cannot be thought about too carefully.

Eric sighed, "Forget it, let's wait for the company's senior management to reply."

...

...

June 26th, Tuesday.

Pei Qian rolled over and sat up from the bed, glanced at his phone, and once again slept accurately until almost ten o'clock.

He originally wanted to sleep a little longer, but he immediately got up.

Because there was good news today!

It was already Tuesday, so the Finger Corporation's specific activities for the Summer Promotion should have been released, right?

What kind of promotional plan would it be?

Was it a 80% off (two-fold) discount on all skins?

Or was there some other tit-for-tat, unique promotional plan?

He was so looking forward to it.

Pei Qian opened his phone to check while washing his face and brushing his teeth.

"Huh? 40% off (six-fold)?!"

"Did I see it wrong?"

"Or is there some other special activity?"

"...There isn't."

Pei Qian was puzzled.

He even suspected that the Finger Corporation had even seen Tengda's Summer Promotion event plan!

Tengda was already offering discounts of 50% to 70% (three- to five-fold), and the Finger Corporation came up with a 40% off (six-fold) discount?

Could they even get simple addition and subtraction or basic comparisons wrong?

Pei Qian was speechless. This feeling was like a game was about to be released, and he was happily waiting to play the new game, but when he went online, he didn't see the new game but instead saw a postponement notice.

Bad luck!

Pei Qian didn't think too much about it. Whether the Finger Corporation followed suit or not was definitely the result of discussions between many senior executives. Just because they didn't follow suit this time didn't mean they wouldn't follow suit next time.

He still needed to find an opportunity to stimulate the Finger Corporation again. It would definitely still have an effect!