Big Data Cultivation
/ Big Data Cultivation Chapter 913
Chapter 913: Chapter 913: The Way of Management Chapter 913: Chapter 913: The Way of Management The announcement was issued by the Municipal Administration Office, claiming that this telephone facilitates contact without consuming spiritual energy, enabling long-distance communication effortlessly and making life more convenient for everyone.
Some voiced their opinions loudly, “True, it doesn't consume spiritual energy, but it costs Spirit Stones! A setup fee alone costs twenty Spirit Stones, and then there's a monthly fee of one Spirit Stone… All of it already belongs to me, why should I pay rent? Are they obsessed with Spirit Stones?”
Then, others expressed different views, “One Spirit Stone for unlimited chatting throughout the entire month isn't really expensive.”
“How is that not expensive?” someone retorted dissatisfiedly, “How many Spirit Stones do a pair of paper cranes for messaging cost? And there's no time limit.”
Then another person chimed in, “Paper crane messaging is point-to-point. With this telephone, you can call anyone who has a phone… as long as you know their number!”
Feng Jun had listened for a while before knocking on the courtyard gate and entering, silently marveling at how swiftly Huang Fu Flawless had handled this operation; no sooner had she settled the sects than she began promoting it in the Fang Market.
Not long after he entered the courtyard, Huang Fu Flawless got the news and came looking for him.
The two exchanged pleasantries briefly before Chairman Huang Fu spoke about the telephone, “Do you think my promotion was effective?”
Only then did Feng Jun realize that the poster at the entrance of his own courtyard was no coincidence, but rather inevitable.
He was initially taken aback, then nodded, “Pretty good. It seems those two apprentices I helped you with… have learned something.”
What those two learned was not just communication skills; they even grasped some business operation knowledge.
However, Huang Fu Flawless was still a bit unhappy as she felt the installation rate was too slow. “The trial was initially in a small town and not many people got it installed. I hope things go smoother in Qiuchen Market, given its size.”
Feng Jun thought this was quite normal. With few people in a small town living close together, a quick shout could nearly resolve issues, so naturally, the installation rate wouldn't be too high. “Isn't the installation rate within the sects quite good?”
“It's good but that doesn't concern me,” Huang Fu Flawless replied somewhat indifferently, “In the sects, they earn the monthly fees and installation fees; I only make a bit on the equipment markup and installation fees.”
Feng Jun was quite surprised, “Then what can you earn in the small town and Qiuchen… You aren't personally operating it, are you?”
“Of course, Tiantong is operating it personally,” Huang Fu Flawless looked at him oddly, “Why wouldn't I want to earn more if I can?”
Feng Jun helplessly slapped his forehead, “Tch, production and operation must be separated… Don't you understand that principle?”
This principle was well understood in the Earth Realm; manufacturing and operation of communication devices must be separate. Otherwise, it certainly involves monopolies, not only hindering technological progress but also failing to reduce costs. How can one be both the referee and the player?
Take the communication industry, for instance. In Huaxia Country, let alone the famously notorious AT&T of Merrick, which had been split time and again–operation stays with operation and production with production.
Take Merrick's entertainment industry as an example. Film companies and cinema chains must be separated; this is also legally required.
After much explanation by Feng Jun, Huang Fu Flawless indeed felt quite enlightened.
She didn't really care about the emergence of competitors in equipment manufacturing. Tiantong was effectively a monopoly. Still, she was very keen to understand the relevant principles and some embedded market laws; she felt it quite insightful.
However, after listening, she still expressed her doubts, “What you're saying might be a bit far-sighted. The problem I'm currently facing is that the town and Qiuchen Market… only have administrative offices, and they can't possibly buy communication devices.”
There is no government in the Cultivation World. These places' administration offices are more akin to something like a “homeowners' committee” concept, and they are under the supervision and management of Wutai Four Sects.
This is somewhat similar to local governance but not entirely; whether it's markets or towns, they all adhere to roughly the same rules, and moreover… the administration doesn't have absolute power.
Any family daring to break the rules can expect big troubles–do you really want to create a new cultivation force?
As for the administration office of Qiuchen Market, the amount of Spirit Stones collected each year is relatively fixed, and so are the expenses. If there is suddenly a need to repair any important public facility, they will have to levy additional charges–and these accounts are subject to oversight from the higher-ups.
In short, Tiantong wants to sell communication devices to Qiuchen, but unlike Wutai Four Sects, without a budget, they dare not spend the money–especially since this is an unproven innovation, who would risk so much?
So, Tiantong operating on its own was a forced choice, but then again, if the local administration does not gain any benefits, who would be eager to help you promote it?
Huang Fu Flawless expressed her difficulties; buying off a few individuals for Tiantong is no problem, thinking of buying off the entire administration… that's impossible.
Then you could adopt the BOT method! Feng Jun felt this wasn't really an issue at all, inevitably having to explain it all over again to her.
BOT stands for build, operate, and transfer–Tiantong first builds, then operates it themselves, “… and once the costs are recovered, it will be handed over to the Municipal Administration Office. They will definitely be glad to see it happen; don't you think they would put their heart into it?”
Of course, during the process of selling the machines, it is possible to give the Municipal Administration Office a cut for each machine installed.
Huang Fu Flawless was dumbfounded. She had a talent for management, and she understood these concepts as soon as she heard them, but precisely because she understood them, she was dumbfounded–Feng Jun, how brilliant must you be to come up with these brilliant ideas?
No, these ideas weren't just flashes of brilliance; it seemed like there was a whole system behind them!
She had always felt that Feng Jun had many eccentric products, and although his conversations were insightful, she was more interested in gaining substantial benefits from him.
Now, however, she was more interested in understanding his set of business concepts–buying products was only getting “fish,” while learning the concepts was learning “how to fish.” “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime,” and she knew well enough not to confuse the importance of the two.
So, she nodded her head and gave a thumbs-up, “Fellow Daoist Feng indeed has great talent. I am interested in hiring you as a Patron of our Eastern Branch and striving to make you a Guest Elder of Qiuchen Branch. What do you say?”
A Guest Elder of the Qiuchen Branch? Feng Jun felt a bit unhappy in his heart, but upon further thought, he understood: She still thought I was at the peak of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and didn't know that I had already reached the Ascension Realm.
For a mere Qi-Refining Practitioner to become a Guest Elder here was indeed a genuine offer. Even Master Xusheng was just a Guest Elder.
Therefore, Feng Jun was not angry. On the contrary, he felt quite happy inside. If Huang Fu Flawless could change her habit of peeping, she would indeed be a decent friend.
He smiled and replied, “Forget about being a Guest Elder. I've grown accustomed to being idle. Even when Master Ji Buseng from Tianxin Platform invited me to be a Guest Elder, I didn't accept… mainly because I can't stand the restrictions.”
Upon hearing this, Huang Fu Flawless was stunned and after a moment, she asked doubtfully, “Ji Yongnian… Master Ji Buseng of Tianxin Platform invited you to be… a Guest Elder? But you're only in the Qi Refinement Realm, aren't you meant to be a Guest Elder for a lower-ranking power?”
Feng Jun smiled faintly, “I get along quite well with him, and he highly values my medical skills.”
“Your medical skills?” Huang Fu Flawless's eyebrows furrowed even more, and she stared at him intently, “I know others call you the Divine Doctor, but… I've never seen your medical skills.”
At that moment, she kind of believed him; dealing with life and death, medical skills could not be underestimated, and if the skills were truly profound, not to mention Qi Refinement Realm, even an Ascending Mortal could be a Guest Elder at Tianxin Platform.
Of course, if he were a Mortal, the possibility would be rather slim–no matter how profound the medical skills, why bother when you can just use the Soul Search?
“My medical skills… are passable,” Feng Jun hesitated, then finally chuckled, “A few days ago, I just helped Old Man Su from Changhai Book House complete a Pill Formula and cured his Purple Gold Sculpture.”
“Old Man Su from Changhai Book House…” Huang Fu Flawless pondered for a moment and finally remembered, “Is that the one offering a reward for the ancient Pill Formula?”
Feng Jun laughed, “So you've heard of him?”
How could Huang Fu Flawless not have heard of him? She was in charge of the Eastern Branch in Huaxia Country, and her dealings with the Cultivation World generally passed through Qiuchen Market.
However, each time, she didn't stay long and her understanding of the Market was just superficial.
In fact, even the local branch of Tiantong in the area wasn't very interested in Old Man Su; after the news about the incomplete Insight Pill spread, the Tiantong Commerce Alliance sent people to inquire–such a business opportunity wasn't missed.
But after understanding the situation, Tiantong felt it was nothing special; in this day and age, too many people harbored unrealistic dreams–any random person dared to claim they had an ancient Pill Formula!
This was not just a guess; they had indeed sent an Alchemist over who examined the ancient Pill Formula and concluded: the Pill Formula might be genuine, but it had little research significance.
Later, as Old Man Su's reward kept increasing, Tiantong opted to ignore it: Completing the Pill Formula was difficult as it was intended for Spirit Beasts–being able to complete it was your own talent, and Tiantong wasn't going to go crazy with you.
It was quite good that Huang Fu Flawless even knew there was such a person and such an issue; she didn't even know the name of the ancient Pill Formula that Changhai Book House wanted to complete, only that it was related to Spirit Beasts.
Listening to Feng Jun speaking confidently, she couldn't help but ask, “Did you really crack the Pill Formula?”
Feng Jun answered proudly, “Whether the Pill Formula has been completed needs a verification process, which you'll know in a day or two…”
After a pause, he smiled mysteriously, “Do you find it unbelievable that Tianxin Platform is recruiting me?”
Huang Fu Flawless thought for a moment and then nodded honestly, “I do find it unbelievable, although it might be presumptuous of me to say so. But as you mentioned, the testing of the Pill Formula isn't over yet… perhaps they will change their mind.”
Feng Jun smiled, lifted his hand, and slapped a white object onto the table, “Take a look at this!”
(Update to Chapter 3001, equivalent to three updates of Chapter 2001; Feng Xiao is working very hard during the double period, loudly calling for support with monthly tickets.)
Chapter end
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