Beijing, Zhongguancun. The decoration of the two rooms is very simple, the style is very casual open office, even between the computer room and the office area, there is no obvious partition. The noise brought by static electricity is enough to drive Virgo's obsessive-compulsive disorder crazy.

Although the environment is a bit unkempt, any visitor who sees the logo will still be a little awe-inspiring - this is the headquarters of the Internet Express Company. THE COMPANY'S FLASHGET DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE, UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO, STILL ACCOUNTED FOR ALMOST NINETY PERCENT OF THE DOMESTIC BREAKPOINT DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE MARKET.

The fact that such a high-occupancy software was made in such a small company at the studio level is really surprising to outsiders. The core technical personnel of the company are the boss Hou Yantang himself; Financial management is also very casual, after the VC money is collected, in addition to accounting for the investor's shares, how to spend it later, there is no such strict charter as other Internet companies.

A MIDDLE-AGED VISITOR WHO LOOKED QUITE DECENT, SECRETLY PRESSED A TISSUE IN HIS PALM, AND WALKED INTO THE OFFICE OF THE COMPANY'S BOSS HOU YANTANG UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE FRONT DESK LADY OF THE EXPRESS COMPANY. Taking advantage of the time when others didn't look at him, he would cover his mouth and nose slightly.

Walking to the door of the only independent office, the front desk lady knocked lightly on the glass door, waited for three seconds, and then pushed the door in by herself without waiting for the person inside to answer "Please come in".

"Mr. Hou, Mr. Zhou has arrived." The front desk lady bowed to inform her and withdrew.

Hou Yantang raised one hand, helped him slightly, and motioned for someone to sit down, and the other hand was still holding the mouse to operate there, and after a few seconds, he took off the earphones. Get up and greet the people who come.

"Mr. Zhou, I'm sorry, I'm slacking."

The middle-aged man who came to visit smiled and didn't care: "You're welcome, Brother Hou does everything himself, which is the motivation of people in my generation." Don't call me Mr. Zhou. Just call Brother Zhou for face. ”

This middle-aged man is Zhou Hongyi, who packaged and sold 3721 Company for 150 million US dollars half a year ago and went ashore as an investor. A week ago, Zhou Hongyi found his new goal and used most of the 150 million to reopen a company called "Riding Tiger 361".

When he came to the express company today, he naturally had something to talk to Hou Yantang.

Hou Yantang's first impression on Zhou Hongyi was not good.

From the company's management atmosphere to the style, an old Jianghu like Zhou Hongyi can see at a glance that Hou Yantang is just a technical nerd who succeeded because of good luck and early entry into the industry. And in terms of company operation management. Hou Yantang is obviously not that material. A company that can be valued at one or two hundred million yuan if it is valued at a good valuation is managed like this, and anyone in the industry will be shocked when they see it.

There are few all-rounders in the world, and if Hou Yantang's problem is only that there are shortcomings in talent, then it is nothing, it is a big deal to rely on professional managers to make up for their shortcomings. The key Hou Yantang does not seem to pay attention to operation and management at all, and has no intention of recruiting talents in this area to make up for it, nor does it have a view of the overall situation.

"Throw away the blemish and take it. Who has to rely on this guy's Internet Express right now? Zhou Hongyi silently thought, and put a label on this future collaborator in his heart.

After Hou Yantang and Zhou Hongyi finished greeting. Seeing that Zhou Hongyi didn't speak immediately, he seemed to be a little impatient, and couldn't help but go back with one hand and move the mouse and keyboard a few times, before he raised his head again and asked a little eagerly: "I don't know what Brother Zhou wants to talk to me about when he comes today?" ”

"How can such a person who can't hold his breath make his business bigger? What a-guy. Zhou Hongyi sighed secretly in his heart. Then he spoke:

"Brother Hou, what I mean by today, in fact, you should be able to guess without opening your mouth: Gu Mojie's 'Hatsune Computer Manager' has launched a new 'plug-in package' during the eleventh day. It is said that it is a plug-in package, but in fact, a discerning person will know it at a glance. It already has a separate P2P download tool kernel. If he blatantly does this, aren't you worried at all? He's clearly ready to get rid of you and go it alone! ”

After Zhou Hongyi finished speaking, he was looking forward to Hou Yantang's reaction. However, after waiting for a few seconds, he didn't see any negative emotions brewing in Hou Yantang. Zhou Hongyi couldn't help but be a little confused: how could this person not be in a hurry when something happened? As a technical person, you shouldn't be so slow, right?

Hou Yantang thought for a while before replying:

"This matter, strictly speaking, can't be regarded as him leaving me alone. At present, 'Hatsune Download' is really just a plug-in, and it can't be used independently to download any Internet resources, but can only be used in conjunction with 'Hatsune Computer Manager' to download things from the resource library of Hatsune Computer Manager's 'Installation Essentials'.

Things outside the resource library, domestic netizens want to download, or rely on my express. What's more, the 'installation essentials' only include software, which is only a small part of the Internet download business. Game downloads, music downloads, and film downloads, which account for the majority of the total, can only be used by express trains at present.

Moreover, Hatsune Network Technology greeted me in advance. What Gu Mojie means is that the reason why he launched the 'Hatsune Download' is just that he doesn't want some of his 'Hatsune Computer Manager' users to have a situation where he is not equipped with an express car, and even his installation assistant function is lying on the ground. In exchange for my understanding, Gu Mojie also signed a supplementary agreement with me and gave me an additional benefit fee. ”

Zhou Hongyi hated iron a little. He covered his head and said, "Brother Hou, Gu Mojie hasn't officially torn his face with you yet, that's because his foundation is not stable!" As long as the number of users of 'Hatsune Download' comes up, he is confident, and he is not ready to launch a complete version of the download tool in minutes? After the difficulties of technology accumulation and the number of users, how long can a contract bind him? ”

When Zhou Hongyi said this, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and slapped it on Hou Yantang's desk, as if to strengthen his persuasiveness.

"Brother Hou, look at it, I will definitely not lie to you: on October 7th, just after the end of Golden Week, the number of installs of the 'Hatsune Download' plug-in package was 5 million. On the 16th, it exceeded 10 million people; Today, on the 19th, it's 12 million people -- that's a terrifying rate. I'm thinking about you, and if you don't make a decision right away, think about the consequences. ”

Hou Yantang finally showed some serious expressions.

"Brother Zhou. You are here today just to remind me: Gu Mojie may be unfavorable to me? What does this have to do with you? If I don't explain it, I always feel uneasy. Why are you running to help me? ”

When it comes to this, it can be regarded as a little open. Zhou Hongyi didn't hide it, and poured it out like beans in a bamboo tube, just to win the trust of others:

"I won't hide it from you, brother. On the 15th. I just registered a company, Tiger 361, and the registered capital is currently 200 million yuan. THE TARGET MARKET IS COMPUTER MANAGER AND SECURITY SOFTWARE - SINCE THE LAUNCH OF GOOGLE'S ADSENSE ADVERTISING PLATFORM LAST YEAR, THE GRAY PIGEON AND BOTNET ON THE MARKET ARE DOZENS OF TIMES STRONGER THAN A YEAR OR TWO AGO, AND I AM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS BUSINESS.

But Gu Mojie's Hatsune Network Technology has obviously worked hard in this area, and it has also won a joint venture from Google. He started earlier than me, and he didn't lack money, if he let him stabilize the platform again. It's not easy for us to get in.

However, fortunately, Gu Mojie's kid doesn't know how thick the sky is. In order to expand faster, he actually dared to attack from all sides, even a natural ally like you, Brother Hou, he has the intention of stabbing him in the back, isn't that God helping me? ”

Hou Yantang's body leaned forward slightly, and his attention finally focused: "Then, Brother Zhou is here today." I want to ......"

Zhou Hongyi slapped his thigh: "Brother Hou, I'll leave the words here today: I, Zhou, will never be so ungrateful as Gu Mojie." I run a company. To be a security software and a computer housekeeper, then focus on only doing these two pieces, and definitely not half-heartedly! Download the software, I ride Tiger 361 to promise never touch! When the time comes, as long as you and I join forces. The country that downloads the software will always be your brother Hou's!

There isn't much you have to do, it's nothing more than to cancel the follow-up cooperation with Gu Mojie now. Starting tomorrow, it will be announced that the Internet Express will no longer support downloading the contents of the 'Hatsune PC Manager - Installation Essentials' resource library. At the same time, I also canceled all the drainage links and channels that the express car currently gives to Hatsune Computer Manager, and left these channels to the '361 Security Guard' that I am about to launch. It's easy to talk about how much you're going to spend on promotion -- you know. I still have a small billion in liquid capital in my hands. ”

Hou Yantang pondered for a moment, and was obviously moved: "Brother Zhou, I agree in principle with your intentions." But let's talk about the operation. You may not know the details of the supplementary agreement signed between Gu Mojie and me: what he agreed to me at the beginning was that after he launched the 'Hatsune Download Plug-in Package', if the plug-in was operated strictly within the scope of use agreed in the supplementary agreement, then I would not interfere with or terminate the original cooperation on this ground. For this, he also gave me an additional 3 million to appease me.

If I breach the contract now, not only will I not be able to earn this 3 million, but I will also pay him 3 million liquidated damages. I don't think it's better to wait for him to tear his face first, right? ”

"The horse loves the stack bean, and the shaft is not enough to conspiracy!" In Zhou Hongyi's mind, this thought arose: How could there be such a short-sighted person in the world? How exactly did he make it big?

However, no matter how dissatisfied Zhou Hongyi was in his mind, the words could only be:

"Brother Hou! What's that little money? The most important thing now is to rush for time! If you break the contract one day later, Gu Mojie will sit on it for one more day! Your one in and one out, 6 million, I will help you pay the full amount! Other conditions are counted, I only need you to terminate the cooperation with Gu Mojie tomorrow. ”

"Since Brother Zhou is so sincere, I'm embarrassed. Then everything will come according to what you said, and I will terminate the cooperation with Gu Mojie immediately. ”

Hou Yantang was full of promises, and sent the guests off. Zhou Hongyi was still a little unreliable in his heart, but he couldn't say anything more.

Sending Zhou Hongyi away, Hou Yantang hurriedly ran back to his desk and cut a minimized window to the front desk.

"! Lao Tzu has stood in a place where he doesn't farm wild monsters, why is he still hanging? Nima, it turned out to be an alliance dog! Hou Yantang roared angrily, took the headset, and yelled at the brothers who were fighting together in the chat room, "Brothers, the paralyzed alliance dogs have all been killed in the Tirisfala glade!" You all eat dry food, and everyone in the Undercity will do it with me! ”

On October 18, 2004, an online game that would later be glorious for ten years began its open beta test in the United States.

The name of this game is called World of Warcraft.

The protracted war between the alliance dog and the tribal pig kicked off on the day before Zhou Hongyi found Hou Yantang. (To be continued.) )