70: Chapter 70: Holding 500 Million Yuan in Cash Flow, He Rescuing JD.com from Despair

It was now early June.

As Spark's terrifying moat, forged by its "low commission rates," was completely established.

Coupled with the perfect closed loop of its internal ecosystem, various businesses finally got on the right track in an orderly fashion.

Shen Du, whose nerves had been tightly strung for days, found himself with some rare, complete leisure time.

Inside the spacious president's office.

Holding a cup of freshly brewed premium Da Hong Pao tea, he quietly stared at the real-time data line chart on the Spark backend on his computer screen.

The user growth curve, which had been surging forward triumphantly and rising almost vertically at a ninety-degree angle.

Clearly began to slow down after daily active users (DAUs) broke through the ten million mark.

And gradually stabilized, fluctuating around the ten million range.

But this was by no means because Spark's potential was exhausted, let alone because the platform's content had lost its appeal.

What truly caused the user base to hit a ceiling at this stage.

Was an invisible shackle that no one could break on their own:

The limitations of the era.

In the early summer of 2011, amid the rise of the mobile internet, domestic 4G infrastructure was only just beginning to push forward with difficulty through the mud.

At this time, the vast majority of ordinary people's mobile data plans were still at the stage of being meticulously calculated by the "megabyte (MB)."

Watching high-definition live streams and scrolling through Short Videos on Spark was literally burning through data!

Scrolling through a few more Short Videos could make several yuan in data fees evaporate like water.

The wealthy naturally didn't care about this small expense.

But the absolute mainstay of Spark's tens of millions of users, who sought entertainment on the internet, were mostly ordinary people earning monthly salaries of just a few thousand yuan.

At a time when internet fees were expensive.

They only dared to open Spark without restraint when they were leeching off their company's network at work.

Or when they returned home and connected to the Wi-Fi of their private broadband.

This was the fundamental reason why those ten million-plus DAUs could remain stable.

If they didn't solve the era-defining, fundamental pain point of expensive network fees.

Spark's desire to continue expanding rapidly in the short term, defying physical laws to squeeze into the phone of every Chinese citizen, was basically a pipe dream.

Shen Du had a clear picture of the historical trajectory in his mind:

Even in the subsequent years from 2012 to 2014, when 4G networks would begin to be deployed on a large scale.

The initial data rates would still be prohibitively expensive.

The charge for 1 GB of data could reach a terrifying 70 yuan, and 3 GB of data could cost up to 130 yuan!

Under the shadow of such "sky-high internet fees," forcing traffic expansion would undoubtedly yield half the result with twice the effort.

But Shen Du, sitting in his office chair, was not in the least bit anxious, nor did he lose his mind and throw money into forcing a higher market share.

Because he knew better than anyone.

That trying to use the size of a startup to prematurely alter a national-level telecommunications infrastructure market was obviously impossible.

Facing the tides of the era, as a chess player, one sometimes had to learn to patiently wait for the wind to blow.

Since he couldn't use brute force to fight the physical progress of the era.

Shen Du simply reined in his thoughts.

He leaned back against the wide back of his chair and silently summoned the long-awaited system panel in his mind.

A light blue virtual light screen slowly unfolded before his eyes.

Shen Du directed his gaze straight to the ultimate main quest that had been hanging at the very top: Reaching Fame in Shanghai.

The data displayed on the progress bar caused a flash of understanding to cross Shen Du's eyes:

Current market share in the same category has reached 25%.

Only the final five percent remained to reach the 30% required to complete the quest.

Shen Du knew very well the underlying logic of the system's strict algorithm.

The anchor reference point for Spark's market share in its category was not at all the total number of smartphones in China, which was still in a chaotic state,

But was directly benchmarked against that overbearing social media hegemon.

The Tencent empire's rock-solid base of 50 million active online users!

To capture a 25% share with over ten million DAUs.

Meant that in the entire Chinese mobile social and pan-entertainment sector, Spark had effectively become the second pole.

In just two short months.

It had forcibly torn away a quarter of the active user map right from Penguin's mouth.

This in itself was already a miracle worthy of being recorded in business history.

Just as Shen Du was pondering how to play it safe and chip away at this final 5% of progress.

The long-silent system panel suddenly burst with a blinding dark-gold light without any warning.

Accompanied by a crisp electronic beep, a row of brand-new text frantically leaped onto the light screen:

"Ding! The system has detected the host's actions and met the hidden trigger conditions!"

"Hidden Mechanism Prompt: Within just two short months, the host has crushed similar competing products with absolute dominance, constructing a ten-billion-level ecological moat.

And has caused a massive sensation and capital shock throughout the entire domestic internet industry!"

"Reward Change: The original main quest completion reward for 'Reaching Fame in Shanghai' has been directly upgraded to the ultimate version: [Cutting-Edge Technology Matrix: Choose Two out of Three]!"

"Current Quest Progress: 25/30, with the final five percent remaining.

A breakthrough is imminent. Host, please keep up the good work!"

Looking at the words "Ultimate Version" and "Choose Two out of Three" flashing on the light screen.

Even though Shen Du's composure was unfathomably deep, a fiery light couldn't help but burst from his deep eyes at this moment.

After a brief moment of excitement.

Shen Du quickly suppressed his turbulent emotions, his brain returning to that almost cold, absolute rationality.

He knew very well.

That trying to forcibly chip away at this final five percent under the current infrastructure environment was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Shen Du casually opened the "Domestic Network Infrastructure Research Report" that General Manager Chen Shengqiang had just submitted yesterday on his desk.

The report clearly stated: Currently, the total pool of fixed broadband users nationwide is approximately 156 million households.

But within this huge number, the majority were public networks for enterprises, schools, internet cafes, and government agencies.

Private broadband belonging genuinely to individual households amounted to at most forty to fifty million households!

Yet Spark's current daily active users stood at ten million!

Calculated this way, it was a terrifying penetration rate.

Out of the forty to fifty million private broadband users nationwide, a full one-fifth of them would open Spark on time every single day!

In 2011, at a time when the mobile end had not yet completely exploded.

Being able to achieve a 20% extraction rate from home broadband users.

Was already an extremely exaggerated limit.

Under this ceiling.

Trying to forcibly break through that final five percent was simply an impossible task in the short term.

But looking at the ultimate "Choose Two out of Three" technology reward glowing enticingly on the system panel.

Not only was Shen Du not anxious, but he smiled with relief instead.

Since the time was not yet ripe, he might as well let the bullet fly for a bit.

He casually logged into Jiyuan Technology's internal financial system and began to calmly take stock of his assets.

After a meticulous calculation:

The revenue and profit from May, combined with the 350 million yuan in net income brought by this month's explosive growth.

After deducting the high platform subsidies of over 100 million yuan that had to be thrown in to maintain the ten-billion-level ecosystem, as well as various broadband expenses.

Jiyuan Technology currently had a total of 500 million yuan in freely disposable liquid funds remaining on its books.

500 million in cash!

In the Shanghai of 2011, this was definitely a huge sum of money that would make any investment institution green with envy and their hearts race.

But as Shen Du looked at the long string of zeros on the books, a helpless curve curled up at the corner of his mouth.

For ordinary business warfare, 500 million was enough to conquer cities and seize territory.

But if he were to throw this money into the kind of "hardcore tech enterprise" rewarded by the system.

It wouldn't even make a decent splash!

Whether it was developing chips, building infrastructure, or making cutting-edge hardware, which one of them wasn't a bottomless pit that started at tens of billions?

"500 million in cash flow... is still too poor in the end."

Shen Du muttered to himself, completely dismissing the idea of forcing the main quest prematurely.

His current strategy was very clear: continue to lie low, and patiently use Spark and Meituan, these two cash cows, to frantically rake in money.

Before holding the terrifying capital sufficient to leverage the era, he would absolutely not blindly touch those gold-devouring cutting-edge technology industries.

Since the primary task at hand was to accumulate capital.

Shen Du simply stopped obsessing over that five percent that could not be bridged in the short term.

He closed the financial statements in front of him and glanced out the window at the steel forest of Shanghai.

Now, the traffic behemoth that was Spark had completely bared its fangs.

Meanwhile, Meituan was also forging ahead triumphantly in the intra-city express delivery sector.

Both companies had entered a stable, booming period of explosive growth, so there was no longer any need for him to constantly monitor and micromanage them.

"It's time to take a look at the bigger picture outside."

With a thought, Shen Du summoned the system's "Geomantic Map," which could provide insight into luck and the business landscape.

Ever since he had stepped in to help Fu Enterprises weather its crisis last time.

He hadn't calmed his mind to properly examine the commercial changes in Shanghai and even the whole country for a long time.

As the Geomantic Map unfolded, a grand scroll shimmering with various lights of luck and representing the flow of capital and the clash of forces.

Gradually took shape on Shen Du's retina.

However, before he could clearly see the energy tides representing the various factions on it.

The private phone on the desk suddenly rang urgently.

Shen Du looked down at the caller ID, his brow arching slightly.

He pressed the answer button.

The voice of Zhou Wennan, the head of JD.com's Shanghai region, immediately came through the other end of the line, filled with deep exhaustion and anxiety:

"Young Master Shen!

My living ancestor, I've asked to meet you several times before, but your side always said you were busy.

This time, you absolutely cannot decline again!"

Hearing this business elite, who was usually considered quite composed, lose his cool like this.

Shen Du keenly sensed the change in the situation and asked in a calm tone:

"What is it? Has JD.com run into trouble?"

"It's more than just trouble; it's practically a dead end!"

Zhou Wennan poured out his grievances on the other end of the phone, his voice filled with helplessness: "Right now, the momentum of Meituan under you is just too fierce. Its intra-city express delivery service has already covered almost all the major areas of first-tier cities nationwide;"

And on the other hand, the Alibaba Group has also felt the crisis. Recently, they've started pouring money in like crazy, forcing their way into the express delivery logistics industry by buying stakes.

"Squeezed from both sides by your two giants, JD.com's logistics system, which we were originally so proud of, is now under attack from both front and rear, and our room for survival is being severely compressed.

The upper management has held several meetings, but in this current situation, we truly have run out of options!"

Like a drowning man clutching at a straw, Zhou Wennan's tone was almost pleading: "Young Master Shen, I have witnessed your vision and methods before. This time, you must point out a direction for JD.com to break through!"

Listening to Zhou Wennan's complaints.

A memory instantly flashed through Shen Du's mind of how he had owed Zhou Wennan a genuine favor during the previous Fu Enterprises crisis.

Shen Du had always been a man who clearly distinguished between gratitude and grudges.

Since he still owed the favor, and this was a changing situation that JD.com had actively brought to his doorstep, he naturally would not refuse.

"Young Master Zhou, don't worry."

The corners of Shen Du's mouth curved up slightly, and he let out a light chuckle, his tone carrying a powerful, reassuring confidence:

"I've just finished handling the company's affairs for now, so I'm quite free at the moment."

"Pick a place, and I'll head over right away."