As Zhang Zhidong felt stabbed in the back, Ma Ge was engaged in an emergency meeting with Li Dan to discuss the current situation.
"Boss, it's really hard to influence public opinion!" Li Dan replied helplessly when facing Ma Ge's request to turn the tide of public opinion. After all, this was not an era where internet trolls made up half of the online population. Online public opinion was still very mainstream, and it was difficult for outsiders to manipulate it. Therefore, once online public opinion formed, even Tengda could not control it.
Not to mention that Tengda was still tens of thousands of miles away from the terrifying Tengda of the future.
"I know, but I feel wronged!" Ma Ge said with genuine pain, "We developed the feature first, but now the copier is us. oo, that despicable copier, has actually surpassed us!"
"Li Dan, do you understand the pain in my heart?"
"I understand!" Li Dan certainly understood. They were all from Tengda, so it was impossible not to understand. However, understanding couldn't solve the problem. After all, Tengda had indeed fallen behind by one day this time, and that one day had completely reversed their situation.
"Li Dan, can we sue them for plagiarism?" Ma Ge finally realized what the most powerful weapon in the NS district was.
"I'm afraid that won't work!" To Ma Ge's surprise, Li Dan poured a bucket of cold water on him.
"Why? It's clearly oo copying us!" Ma Ge said indignantly.
"Boss, we all know oo copied us, but the court is a place for evidence, and we don't have any!" Li Dan patiently explained, "Moreover, even if we had evidence, it wouldn't mean much, because the law's intellectual property protection only protects specific things, not gameplay!"
"For example, if oo copied our art assets, our fonts, our copy, then we could sue them. But if they copied our level system, we can't sue at all. Not to mention that they are completely different from us in terms of copy and art assets, which makes it even more impossible to win!" Li Dan said.
"Alas!" Ma Ge sighed deeply, feeling a profound sense of fatigue in his heart. It was too difficult for him, and he couldn't even win a lawsuit.
Just as Ma Ge and Li Dan were discussing their predicament, there was a knock on the door. Ma Ge looked and saw that it was Zhang Zhidong who had arrived.
"Boss, I suggest we immediately develop the invisible login and QQ emoticon pack features. I have the technical reserves for these. As long as you give me a week, I can complete the updates and add them to the brand new QQ level system!" After being angry for a few minutes, Zhang Zhidong ran to Ma Ge to make his request.
"That's enough!" Ma Ge jumped up somewhat irritably. "Zhidong, do you think we're not being criticized enough right now? Do you want people to criticize us for copying their Fengshen Bang and then continuing to copy their invisible login and emoticon packs?"
This furious rebuke stunned both Li Dan and Zhang Zhidong. The entire office fell silent. About ten seconds later, Ma Ge realized something was wrong and understood he had made a mistake. He then put his arm around Zhang Zhidong's shoulder and said, "Zhidong, I'm sorry. I lost my temper. It's not your fault, it's mine!"
"Boss, it's not your fault. It's just that oo and the others are too hateful!" Zhang Zhidong, having been scolded for no reason, had to comfort Ma Ge instead and advised, "Boss, I've looked, and those who are criticizing us for copying are actually the same people. We've always been criticized, so it doesn't matter."
"The real key is that many old users are complaining that our QQ level system lacks the invisible login and emoticon pack features. Users follow the experience. If these users leave because of these two features, then we will suffer truly heavy losses!" Zhang Zhidong said.
"But this still looks like copying them! My reputation will be even worse!!" Ma Ge said, recalling Huang He's prediction during the pineapple beer hero-ranking competition, saying that he would be notorious for plagiarism his entire life. At this moment, it was actually starting to come true, and Ma Ge did not want this.
"Boss, these two features were originally ours. How can it be considered copying?" Zhang Zhidong said, "Actually, as early as the company meeting in July this year, I proposed the invisible login and picture features. We thought of them before oo, we were just a bit slower."
"Yes, we thought of these first. Why should I be accused of copying!" Ma Ge grumbled, feeling even more wronged and upset in his heart. What was all this about!
"Zhidong, why don't you gather all the QQ feature ideas and innovations you have, and then release them all at once, telling everyone that we thought of these things this year, and in the future, oo will be copying us!" Ma Ge proposed a genius-like suggestion.
"Boss, if that's the case, then oo won't need spies. They can just copy what we release!" Li Dan reminded him softly. Ma Ge then understood and could only sigh helplessly, realizing he had been blinded by anger.
Just as Ma Ge's mind was in turmoil, his phone rang. He looked down, and his expression became even worse because the call was from Masayoshi Son!
"It seems Mr. Son is going to scold me over the phone!" Ma Ge said self-deprecatingly, then answered the call and heard Masayoshi Son's voice laugh, "Xiao Ma, you left a document with me. Do you want to send someone to pick it up!"
"A document?" Ma Ge was stunned. He didn't remember leaving any documents with Masayoshi Son, and was this one document worth Masayoshi Son making a special phone call about it?
"Yes, it's a report on the future development of your QQ, which includes the report on the QQ level system. You left it with me four months ago when we first contacted. It clearly states your plan for the QQ level. Oh, by the way, it also has our company's seal on it, and I can appear in person to testify for you if necessary!" Masayoshi Son said with a smile.
"I understand, thank you Mr. Son. If you hadn't reminded me, I would have forgotten all about these things!" Ma Ge said with a smile.
"Haha, it's nothing. Although Xiao Huang is eloquent, he's not a good person. It's time to teach him a lesson and let him understand the principles of being a person!" Masayoshi Son said, then hung up the phone. A few minutes later, his secretary called again, asking Ma Ge to send someone directly to Shanghai to pick up the document, and they had sent detailed photos of the document to Ma Ge's private email first.
"Li Dan, with this document, you can finally help us turn defeat into victory, right!" Ma Ge finally showed a smile.
"Yes, I didn't expect such a crucial document to exist. Mr. Son is truly a good person!" Li Dan also smiled, while Zhang Zhidong was a bit confused.
Four months ago, Tengda had not had any contact with SoftBank at all, and Ma Ge had not even heard the name SoftBank. How could a document be left with SoftBank?