Chapter 872 : It_s About Time

Chen ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Fan stared at the woman below the platform, his gaze peculiar.

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍immediately recognized her as the woman wearing sunglasses in the hall during Ma Xiaoshuai's Zai Hui Lou opening ceremony some time ago.

However, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he didn't expect to encounter her here again.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍time, the woman wasn't wearing sunglasses. Her entire face looked very delicate and spirited. Under her sports cap, her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, making her appear quite valiant and graceful.

"Do ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you have her membership information?"

"Yes!"

The manager quickly looked to the side, and soon two female employees responsible for registration were called over, holding an A4 paper.

Chen Fan took it and glanced at it.

"Yang Juan, 27 years old, freelancer?"

Chen Fan frowned and shook his head, this information was obviously made up.

"Didn't you check her ID card during registration?"

The manager looked to the side, and the two female employees appeared somewhat nervous.

"We... we did. The ID card she presented had this name."

Chen Fan nodded.

"She used a fake ID."

"Interesting. Just for a membership, why would this woman need to use a fake ID? What is she hiding?"

"Boss, should we have someone call her over to ask?" the manager inquired.

Chen Fan shook his head.

"No need. Since she's already paid and become a member, let her continue."

"Huh?"

The manager was surprised: "If we let her continue competing, those three event prizes..."

Chen Fan smiled: "It's fine. If she can take them all, that's her capability."

"Since we've set up these competition rules, we need to play fair."

After speaking, Chen Fan turned and walked outside, showing no intention of investigating further.

"Have someone keep an eye on things, pay attention to the venue's safety, don't let any accidents happen."

"Also, if she really wins the championship, have the staff ask and probe whether she'd be willing to apply for an official membership card."

"Yes."

Seeing that Chen Fan wasn't going to reprimand them, the manager finally let out a long breath.

Chen Fan didn't pay much attention to this woman.

And even if she took all 600,000 yuan in prize money from the three events, the club could afford it.

Chen Fan didn't think much more about it, and after giving a few instructions, he left the club.

Compared to this woman with strange behavior, Chen Fan had a more important matter to attend to.

Feifan Technology.

Liang Shichu handed a document to Chen Fan.

"After nearly a year of price wars, quite a few small developers in this antivirus software alliance couldn't hold on and directly declared bankruptcy."

"As of this month, a total of 7 antivirus software developers have gone bankrupt, leaving 6 remaining, basically covering the six most mainstream antivirus software developers in the country."

Liang Shichu handed another document to Chen Fan.

"This is information we received last week, the remaining six developers are preparing for a last stand, they plan to continue price reduction sales, selling their original software at one-third of the price."

Liang Shichu sat down nearby, looking somewhat frustrated.

"This is clearly a tactic of hurting the enemy a thousand while self-harming eight hundred, these people are planning to burn their bridges and drag us down with them."

"Boss, should we continue with price reduction sales like them, or not follow and maintain original prices?"

"If we maintain original prices, our user numbers will definitely be affected to some extent. I had the company department calculate, we might drop at least ten-something percentage points."

Chen Fan looked at the information about those companies on the paper and said calmly: "Six still remain, looks like they can hold on quite well."

"However, the time is about right."

"Hmm?"

Liang Shichu looked over somewhat puzzled.

Chen Fan put down the documents in his hand and looked up.

"Do you remember what I told you when we initially decided to launch Feifan Antivirus software?"

Liang Shichu was stunned, then as if remembering something, blurted out.

"Permanently free!"

"Boss, you're not planning to actually implement permanent free service, are you?"

Liang Shichu was somewhat shocked.

"Although the competition is preparing for a last stand, but looking at our company's current situation and monthly profits, there's absolutely no need to take this step."

"Even if we lose some customers, our monthly profit from antivirus software alone is still a huge sum."

"If we implement permanent free service directly, what we lose won't just be a few million, it's tens of millions in profit..."

Liang Shichu wanted to continue persuading Chen Fan.

Because he felt there was absolutely no need to take this step.

Currently, whether in terms of installation volume or sales data, Feifan Antivirus far exceeded the sum of all other companies.

Having such an advantage yet suddenly implementing a free policy.

Isn't this equivalent to throwing away a huge profit for nothing?

He believed that even if he trusted Chen Fan, other management in the company would definitely oppose this news.

This move was just... too incomprehensible.

Chen Fan looked at Liang Shichu's excited state, understanding his current feelings.

But what Chen Fan was thinking was completely different from Liang Shichu.

When initially launching Feifan Antivirus, Chen Fan's goal was to implement a permanent free policy.

These two years relying on paid items had already earned a large sum, Chen Fan actually felt they had earned enough.

There was another reason Chen Fan had to launch permanent free service. That was to preempt 360's move.

In his memory, in his previous life, 360 launched Security Guard in July 06.

That meant there was less than two months left.

Even if Feifan Technology didn't implement a free policy, 360 would eventually take this step.

Consumers will only remember the first company to shout out the "permanently free" slogan.

As for the second, third, fourth, or hundredth company after... there's no difference.

What Chen Fan wanted to do was make Feifan Technology the first company to shout out the "permanently free" slogan.

This wasn't just about gaining an empty title, but about gaining goodwill among consumer groups.

Don't underestimate consumer goodwill.

Many companies have collapsed directly due to one wrong decision that lowered consumer impression and goodwill, leading to an irreversible situation.

However, Chen Fan also understood that at this time, asking Feifan Technology to suddenly let go of such a large stable profit point, probably not just Liang Shichu, but everyone in the company would not quite understand.

So he very considerately said to Liang Shichu.

"I'll announce this news at the meeting later."

Seeing Liang Shichu still didn't quite understand, Chen Fan had to reassure him.

"Old Liang, you need to look further ahead."

"Sometimes temporary retreat is for welcoming greater victory later."

"I don't have time to continue playing price war games with these antivirus software developers."

"They want to encircle us, fine, we'll just flip the table directly."

"Let go of the burden, only then can Feifan Technology climb higher peaks in the future."

Liang Shichu smiled bitterly.

"I can't see as far ahead as you, boss, but since this is already your decision..."

"Then I support it!"