96: Chapter 97: The boss loses five hundred million US dollars, while his employees become rich by a billion!

In the future, Meituan and Jiyuan Technology would continuously funnel money back into the blood bank of Shanghai's old money to repay debts, until the principal and interest were completely settled.

Shen Du silently did the math in his mind.

If the authorities had really forced their way in to take a stake and taken thirty percent of the profits just now.

Then, from the remaining seventy percent, he would still have to earn one billion USD over the next few years to repay the debts to the various families.

After such terrifying layers of bloodletting and skinning.

The actual profit that would fall into the pocket of this nominal "uncrowned king" would probably not even be enough to cover the soup.

The figures would absolutely be ghastly.

Thinking of this, Shen Du took a deep breath, and his gaze became sharp again.

Since the authorities had given him this chance to catch his breath.

Then, it was time to settle the scores and start the full-scale harvest!

However, in this money-burning war that was worthy of being recorded in history.

What truly made Shen Du feel a hint of "black humor" was another internal personal earnings report sitting on his desk.

The data on this financial report revealed a contrast that could only be described as magical!

As the top-level operator of this century's commercial war and the big boss of the group.

Shen Du's financial situation throughout the second half of the year could simply be described as "ghastly."

Apart from the one or two months before the war began.

Where he had earned a net profit of two or three hundred million RMB based on earlier accumulation.

During the subsequent six months of red-eyed strangulation.

Not only did his personal account not receive any income.

Instead, in order to hedge against the capital oppression from the north, he had forcibly poured a full five hundred million USD of cash into the platform!

Looking at the pure book profit and loss.

Shen Du was actually the person who lost the most and bled the most heavily in all of Jiyuan Technology.

However, compared to the big boss's near-masochistic, crazy bloodletting.

The core employees and small shareholders under the platform, however, welcomed a staggering, across-the-board wealth explosion amidst this sky-high capital fire!

The most exaggerated example was none other than Red Phoenix, who had been guarding the live-streaming e-commerce base for Shen Du.

This woman, who originally only held ten percent of the equity shares to cooperate with Shen Du in heating up the platform's popularity.

Was simply like a peerless lucky carp that had fallen into a rice jar during this commercial war.

The reason was simple.

In order to resist the Beijing Circle, Shen Du not only crazily subsidized traffic for all users on the web.

But at the most critical moment, he had also insanely lowered the net profit commission fee for live-streaming sales to 0.5%, which was almost like giving it away for free!

What did this mean?

It meant that for a period of half a year.

The platform had thrown hundreds of millions of traffic into the live-streaming rooms for free, yet barely took a single cent in commission!

And Red Phoenix, relying on the mature live-streaming model that had already been tested and the perfect e-commerce supply chain.

Had forcibly eaten up all the hedging dividends in this crazy traffic subsidy war.

When everyone else was losing their pants and Shen Du was pouring in five hundred million USD.

She had earned over a billion RMB in the past year alone by selling goods!

Much more than the actual cash that the big boss, Shen Du, who held 90% of the equity, had received!

And this strange disparity of "employees getting rich" was not an isolated case for Red Phoenix.

General Manager Chen Shengqiang, who was in charge of the gossip and entertainment section, Technical Expert Su Hua, who focused on science and education, and Operations Manager Zhang Nan, who was deeply involved in fashion hits...

These leaders who stood at the very top of each vertical field at Spark.

Although they hadn't earned as much as the more than one billion that Red Phoenix had.

They had also made a fortune through various sales and monetization methods under the platform's near-"charitable" commission-free policy and massive traffic support.

In this crazy half-year.

Shen Du had used five hundred million USD as the price to hold up an umbrella for them, shielding them from all storms.

And under the umbrella, this group of people was not only unharmed.

Instead, they had faced the gale of capital and completed an incredible leap in the wealth class.

Looking at this magical financial report submitted by his fierce generals.

Shen Du finally couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.

But he didn't feel the slightest dissatisfaction.

On the contrary, buying horse bones with a thousand gold pieces.

Only when the people below were truly fed and had made a fortune.

Could this super giant ship named Jiyuan Technology truly become united and invincible in the giant waves of the new era.

After listening to all the reports, Shen Du finally completely relaxed his nerves, which had been tense for more than half a year.

He leaned back deeply into the spacious and soft boss chair, exhaling a long breath of stale air that had been pent up in his chest.

His eyes revealed a sense of relief, as if he had seen it all.

"This protracted war has finally come to an end!"

Shen Du's gaze became sharp again.

He turned to General Manager Chen Shengqiang and methodically issued the first core instruction for closing the net after the war:

"General Manager Chen Shengqiang, since the war has completely stopped.

It's time for us to start recovering our strength.

Starting today, the platform will gradually restore the original commission ratios."

"Remember, the moves must not be too big; you need to transition using the 'boiling a frog in warm water' method."

Shen Du curled his fingers and tapped the table lightly, setting a clear target for profit recovery:

"Slowly adjust the platform's commission on the net profit of sales back to forty percent.

Restore the commission on live-streaming tips to fifty percent.

Do not rush.

Increase it slowly, little by little, so that merchants, guilds, and streamers have a psychological adjustment period."

In this money-burning war, everyone had become accustomed to eating the platform's free dividends.

If the commission were raised to the full amount overnight, it would inevitably cause a strong backlash.

What Shen Du needed to do was to gently and gradually put his own profits back into his pocket.

"Understood!"

General Manager Chen Shengqiang immediately took out his notebook to write it down, then looked up and asked:

"Shen Du, what about the ecosystem subsidies that the platform distributes to grassroots users every month?

Now that there are no opponents fighting a price war.

Should we also cut them or stop them altogether?"

After all, that is a full one hundred million in real cash every month!

Now that the war is over, it seems to many that there is no need to throw this money away for nothing.

"No!

The monthly one hundred million subsidy to maintain the ecosystem does not need to be cut by a single cent; keep distributing it as usual!"

Shen Du interrupted him decisively, his tone revealing a clear strategic determination:

"The world is driven by profit. The reason why users and grassroots creators are willing to stay with Spark wholeheartedly.

Is because our soil allows them to truly taste the sweetness.

This one hundred million thrown out every month is definitely not an expense that can be cut at any time!"

Shen Du stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looked down at the bustling Shanghai at his feet, and said firmly:

"This is the price Jiyuan Technology must pay to block all potential competitors and firmly lock in our fundamental base.

This is the moat we created by shelling out five hundred million USD!

As long as there is water in this river, no one should think about targeting us again!"

Upon receiving this far-sighted instruction, General Manager Chen Shengqiang's expression became solemn, and his admiration grew beyond measure.

He immediately closed his notebook and nodded heavily:

"Understood, Shen Du!

I will go and adjust the operational direction immediately and start closing the net!"