Chapter 344

Seeing so many reporters downstairs, Gu Xiguang initially thought they were media invited by Dongling High-Tech and Tianya Network.

But after looking carefully, Gu Xiguang discovered something wrong. Many security personnel were anxiously trying to persuade those reporters and media to leave, but that group of reporters seemed as if they had been injected with chicken blood; not only did they not leave, but they were gathering more and more.

"We want to interview Li Zong!"

"May I ask what the relationship is between Dongling High-Tech and the Zhixing Foundation?"

"Is Yahoo invested in by Dongling High-Tech?"

Many of the reporters gathered downstairs were shouting to interview Li Dongling. Over the past few days, official media such as the Youth Daily, Economic Daily, and Industrial and Commercial News had reported on Li Dongling's presence in Yanjing, and the reporters and media all knew that Li Dongling was currently in Yanjing.

As for what the internet was, not many of these reporters and media could understand it, but that didn't stop them from eating melons, and these were big melons!

Yahoo, with a valuation of 500 million US dollars, was actually invested in by a mainland company. Although it was a small shareholder, even if it only had a 1% stake, it was still a shareholder!

In the past few years, the news heard domestically was always about some foreign giant company investing in or acquiring some domestic time-honored brand. Now, hearing that a mainland company had invested in an American company thousands of miles away, didn't this sound like the world turned upside down?

Not to mention that domestic media were still digging for news about the Zhixing Foundation and Yahoo. How much money did the Zhixing Foundation actually invest in Yahoo? How much Yahoo equity did it have? Was this equity making or losing money, and how much return had it received? Domestic media were full of curiosity and certainly wanted to extract news from Li Dongling.

Seeing this group of reporters gathering more and more and refusing to leave, while Gu Xiguang's motorcade was almost there, the supervisor in charge of the building's security was so anxious that sweat was dripping from his forehead, and he hurriedly ran back to make a call to summon more people.

"Today, our company indeed has important matters to handle and it is not convenient for interviews. I hope everyone will understand!"

"Another day, everyone pick a time another day, we will certainly tell you everything we know. Please understand for today!"

Li Dongling and Guo Jingyun, who had been upstairs preparing to receive Gu Xiguang's party, had both come downstairs, and Guo Jingyun said to the group of media reporters.

"Li Zong, give me a hint, and we'll leave immediately!"

"That's right, Li Zong, say a few words!"

"Is Yahoo invested in by you?"

A reporter shouted at Li Dongling, and the other reporters also spoke up one after another. They had come here excitedly today and were not willing to return empty-handed.

Guo Jingyun looked at Li Dongling with a headache. To be honest, although he was the person in charge of Tianya Network, he really wasn't clear about the matters between the Zhixing Foundation and Yahoo.

Currently, there was absolutely no movement on the internet domestically. If it weren't for Li Dongling regularly subscribing to news, magazines, and reports from overseas Silicon Valley, allowing Guo Jingyun to know the latest trends in the American internet industry, he might have been completely in the dark right now.

"Dongling High-Tech did not invest in Yahoo!"

Li Dongling glanced at the group of media reporters in front of him and spoke first. As soon as these words came out, many reporters showed disappointment, feeling that they wouldn't get to eat the big melon.

"But, the Zhixing Foundation did participate in the angel round investment in Yahoo and currently holds a 7.5% stake in Yahoo!"

Li Dongling said. Although the Zhixing Foundation and Dongling High-Tech were both established by him and there were intricate connections between the two, they were completely independently operated, and the investment was indeed made by the Zhixing Foundation.

"Boom!"

The reporters who had just shown disappointment seemed to explode like a pot after a few seconds.

"The Yahoo equity held by the Zhixing Foundation is worth more than 35 million US dollars?"

"How much money did the Zhixing Foundation spend to invest in Yahoo initially?" the Computer News reporter couldn't help but ask Li Dongling.

A smile appeared on Li Dongling's face, and he slowly said a number, "300,000 US dollars!"

"300,000 earned 35 million US dollars?"

"How long has Yahoo been established? Earned a 200-fold return in one year?"

"Is the internet really that profitable?!"

The media reporters who came here today were originally aiming for a big melon, but when this melon truly appeared, it still left them dizzy.

The myth of getting rich overnight on the internet appeared before domestic media for the first time. This kind of impact was unimaginable.

When Computer News reprinted reports from American media, the domestic reaction wasn't deep, but when someone domestically obtained a 200-fold return by investing in an internet company, it made them feel that their life values had been impacted.

Li Dongling didn't talk about the current internet model. Currently, the internet didn't rely on performance or revenue; it relied entirely on hype. The bigger the balloon blown and the more tricks played, the greater the valuation and market value. The first generation of the internet industry was all about playing "pass the parcel"!

It was useless to talk about these things now. Li Dongling said these things today because there was nothing that needed to be hidden about this matter; even if he didn't say it, it would be dug up by the media. On the other hand, Li Dongling saying it now could also be considered warming up for the launch of Tianya Network.

After finishing, Li Dongling used the group of reporters and media in front of him to announce another piece of news to the country, as well as Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and other places, "The Zhixing Foundation is also Yahoo's general agent in Asia, possessing the brand agency and operation rights for Yahoo throughout the entire Asian region!"

"The Zhixing Foundation will promote the Yahoo brand to all parts of Asia!"

This was just a matter of killing two birds with one stone. If Yahoo could go public next year, Yahoo's brand value would certainly soar. Li Dongling was also telling companies and investors in Asia interested in the internet in advance whose hands the Yahoo Asia brand was in!

With the Yahoo brand's general agency in Asia in Dongling High-Tech's hands, this was equivalent to a master contract. Companies in places like Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Siam that wanted to obtain the local operation rights for the Yahoo brand would have to buy them from the Zhixing Foundation, and they would become subcontractors.

Using the Yahoo brand as bait, the hook had already been cast; it just depended on how many big fish could be caught. If they could catch Japan's SoftBank, then the Japan Yahoo brand in the Zhixing Foundation's hands could be sold for a sky-high price!

However, it was estimated that they would have to wait until Yahoo went public for the Yahoo brand to become more and more valuable. In any case, the Zhixing Foundation didn't need to worry. The agreement previously signed with Yahoo was to obtain the general agency for the Yahoo brand in Asia for 500,000 US dollars; the Zhixing Foundation could afford to wait.

The media, having obtained the big melon and knowing there was no chance to interview Li Dongling today, hurriedly dispersed and ran back to their respective newspaper offices, preparing to break the big melon about the Zhixing Foundation and Yahoo. What Yahoo did or what the internet was didn't matter; what mattered was that the Zhixing Foundation had obtained a 200-fold return with 300,000 US dollars, which was enough to attract eyeballs!

"Director Gu!"

After the media and reporters left, Li Dongling welcomed Gu Xiguang and the leaders of the departments and units such as the National Development and Reform Commission, Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Machinery Industry, Yanjing Investment Promotion, and Finance, who were there for the inspection, into Dongling High-Tech's Zhongguancun office building.

The leaders of the State Economic and Trade Commission who had just spoken to Gu Xiguang had seen the scene at the building entrance and couldn't help but ask Li Dongling curiously, "Did the Zhixing Foundation really earn 35 million US dollars by investing in Yahoo?"

As soon as these words came out, the leaders and supervisors of other units who came for the inspection also couldn't help but prick up their ears. For them, exchanging 300,000 US dollars for more than 30 million US dollars was simply too shocking. How many domestic companies relied on subsidies to sell products at a loss overseas, only earning a few million US dollars a year by boosting sales volume?

The Zhixing Foundation invested in Yahoo at the beginning of the year, and in less than a year, it had obtained a 200-fold return, which was too shocking. Wealth moves people's hearts; it was hard not to be tempted. Even for these domestic units, if the internet could really make a lot of money, could they also support some companies to invest in or even establish internet companies?

"It is true that the Zhixing Foundation invested in Yahoo, but to cash out, one must wait for Yahoo to go public and pass the stock lock-up period. This will take one or two years or even longer, and any accident could happen in between!"

"There is no business in the world that only makes money without losing, and the internet is no exception. Currently, countless internet companies have emerged in Silicon Valley, but Netscape is the only one that can truly go public!"

More internet companies have a cycle from establishment to bankruptcy of no more than six months, and the number of companies that can truly survive to go public is less than one in a hundred. Investing in internet companies now is called venture capital in Silicon Valley. For venture capital firms, it is also gambling and requires luck. It is more likely that money is just thrown in and lost!"

"Even, one might be cheated by fraudulent companies that take the money and run!"

Li Dongling's words caused the hope that had risen in many of the people from the units present regarding the Silicon Valley internet to fall somewhat.

"Will the internet appear domestically?"

While riding the elevator, Gu Xiguang's old leader continued to ask Li Dongling, obviously very interested in the internet.

"Yes!"

Li Dongling did not hesitate, but still said, "But it takes time. America's internet was built in the last few years when internet infrastructure was initially perfected and computer users entered ordinary American families. Only after there were enough internet users did it start!"

The start of the domestic internet was not much slower than that of Silicon Valley. Once Netscape went public, a famous billboard for Yinghaiwei would appear in Zhongguancun.

Li Dongling did not want the domestic internet to be led astray because of the Zhixing Foundation's "accidental" success this time. The Zhixing Foundation dared to invest in Silicon Valley because of his existence, so he didn't have to worry about failure.

If other domestic companies followed the Zhixing Foundation to take risks and invest in Silicon Valley, they would definitely be fleeced of everything. If you don't believe it, ask those institutions around the world that were fooled by Wall Street into investing in Silicon Valley internet companies in the past life; did they have a single hair left in the end?

The domestic internet certainly needs to be developed, but one must pay attention to propriety and grasp. If a large number of internet companies are invested in when internet infrastructure, cables, and broadband have not yet been laid and there are not enough computer users, what is the difference between that and a castle in the air? In the end, it can only be a mess!

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