Capítulo 1541: Chapter 1541: The Platform Operator
In response to Gao Qiang’s question, the old man answered seriously, “In fact, if you calculate strictly, we really can’t compensate much. The unpaid amount we withheld is less than ten thousand, even a hundredfold compensation won’t reach a million, but… what is the basis for the hundredfold compensation?”
This might sound like he is being serious, but in fact, his next words are the main point.
“So, we don’t plan to use your potential loss as the standard. Simply put, we admit to management deficiencies and can offer compensation far exceeding a hundredfold. Of course, there’s a condition for this: I hope my son and daughter-in-law can return home as soon as possible.”
After a pause, he stated more simply, “Name your price, I’ll settle the account!”
Gao Qiang smiled and pointed to the Cancer Care Center ahead, “Old man, do you know how much the monthly turnover of such a center is? More than two billion… I won’t talk about the profit, it might scare you.”
The old man could roughly guess that there’s quite some turnover here, but he wasn’t scared. He looked at Lin Heihu and spoke, “The center is very profitable, I know, but that’s the center’s money, not necessarily yours… Would this friend of the live streamer consider it?”
“No need to consider,” Lin Heihu shook his head, “Whether or not the account gets unblocked doesn’t matter to me, I won’t be going back to Douniu Live. As for money… just give me what I’m owed. I don’t care for homepage recommendations, but I do have a condition…”
Upon hearing this, the old boss got a bit nervous inside. With so many things being overlooked, even the money not being wanted, this condition is probably serious.
But at this point, he couldn’t back down, could he? So, he nodded, “Go ahead, I’m all ears.”
Lin Heihu calmly stated, “I want your son to apologize publicly on the Douniu platform.”
“That’s no problem,” the old boss replied without hesitation, “If he did something wrong, he must apologize. Issuing a public letter is no issue at all. If you don’t mind the gossip, he can even apologize to you specifically.”
He originally planned to have his son apologize publicly. This didn’t need a request; it should be done—on a properly run platform, it would be shut down immediately, and the legal person and relevant responsible parties would be taken away for questioning. Doesn’t the public deserve an answer?
Lin Heihu shook his head, “Listen to me, he doesn’t need to apologize specifically to me. He needs to apologize to every streamer who has been persecuted and publicly admit that the company has such shortcomings, willing to actively rectify and provide corresponding compensation…”
The old boss’s face was already a bit grim upon hearing this, but Lin Heihu continued speaking.
“He also needs to express his willingness to accept public supervision, ensuring fair and transparent handling and announcement of complaints… invite me as a special supervisor, giving me the power to oversee every process.”
The old boss couldn’t help but speak with a pained face, “Friend, in the live streaming industry, there are too many things that can’t be called absolutely true. If it were all laid open, the industry would be finished.”
He could actually choose to deceive the other party, first getting his son out, but upon hearing the other party’s words, he was quite sure that the person sincerely wanted to rectify the “industry chaos.” If he fooled his way through now and couldn’t fulfill it later, it would be a big problem.
A person like this, who loves being serious and has a strong background, once committed to something, will definitely not easily change their mind.
The person gave up the demand for financial compensation. If Douniu can’t meet his demand, then—can’t it be shut down a second time just because it was shut down once?
Maybe the second shutdown duration would be longer.
So the old boss chose to speak the truth. Although live streaming is a new industry, there are plenty of dark corners too.
“Your logic is wrong,” Lin Heihu shook his head and spoke earnestly, “This industry is thriving. As for the dark sides, deal with them and it’s fine. There is no saying the industry would be finished.”
After a pause, he raised his voice a bit, “If an industry must have a dark side to exist, then the very existence of that industry is ridiculous, better not to exist then!”
“Clap, clap,” two light sounds, it was Beauty Lin clapping her hands as she walked over. She spoke with a smile, “What you said, truly resounding and thought-provoking, no wonder you’re a positive energy streamer. If we finish early at noon, how about a casual meal?”
Lin Heihu shook his head, not to mention a casual meal, if the two sat a bit closer, this woman might notice his anomaly, so he replied blandly, “Sorry, I’m not that close with you.”
“We’re both surnamed Lin, what kind of closeness do we need?” Beauty Lin spoke with a grin, “We’re from the same family.”
The old boss’s mouth twitched. Yesterday you extorted me for a million, all stern-faced, now facing a small streamer, actually going up with a smile—why is there such a big gap between people?
Lin Heihu was a bit helpless. He was a soul from two thousand years ago, thus valuing the “family” connection more, so he could only sigh, “Sorry, Elder Feng doesn’t want us to have too much contact with you guys, I don’t want to make the elder unhappy.”
Then he turned his head towards the old man, “I’ll go live now, you can think it over slowly, no rush.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” the old boss tried to call out to him, and Gao Qiang’s face sunk, “Hmm?”
The car slowly drove into the care center, and the old boss stood there dumbfounded.
He sighed softly, “You’re not in a rush, but I am.”
He logged onto the White Whale streaming platform to take a look, and indeed, there was a reaction in the “Cancer No Less Than Tiger” livestream room.
In fact, Lin Heihu was also a bit apprehensive, wondering if his demand was appropriate, so he asked Gao Qiang, “I don’t want money, just for him to apologize, will this harm Elder Feng’s reputation?”
“You’d have to ask the boss about that,” Gao Qiang replied with a laugh, “but to be honest, the boss doesn’t really care much about money.”
Lin Heihu asked again over the walkie-talkie.
Upon hearing this, Feng Jun understood immediately and started laughing, “Your demand is pretty cunning.”
He quickly realized that the Earth Deity was after reputation. On White Whale Live, it didn’t need Dou Niu’s recommendation. Money was a minor issue. The key was making a name for itself on Dou Niu would help it harvest incense offerings.
However, since they were talking over walkie-talkies, it was like shouting with a loudspeaker, so he didn’t spell it out.
Lin Heihu heard this and also laughed, “Boss, you’re joking, I’m just out of options.”
With the collapse of the Six Paths and the absence of the Heavenly Dao, cultivating to ascend through incense offerings isn’t easy for me either.
But Beauty Lin, sitting in the car, was somewhat puzzled, “How is that demand cunning? Out of options…you could ask for money.”
At noon, Lin Heihu and Gao Qiang returned to the manor for lunch but were stopped by the old boss as soon as they left the center.
He spoke with fear and trepidation, “Brother Lin, I’ve considered your request…”
He had already heard from Beauty Lin that her surname was Lin, so this young streamer also had the surname Lin.
“Wait a minute,” Lin Heihu was unhappy, “Do you think you’re qualified to call me ‘brother’?”
I’m over two thousand years older than you, and you dare to call me ‘brother’?
The old boss thought the other party felt that his status wasn’t high enough, so he could only chuckle bitterly, “Alright, Boss Lin, I’ve considered your request and want to discuss it with my son, since it’s his company after all.”
“Then why not just sell his company,” Gao Qiang suggested with a smile, “we’ll buy it.”
Could this be the real intention of the other party? The old boss’s heart skipped a beat, but he replied with a forced smile, “I don’t even have the authority to make such a decision. Regardless, I promised I’d do what I agreed to; now I just want to hear my son’s opinion.”
Lin Heihu hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Then let me ask, your son was invited for tea; it doesn’t really concern me, and we’re in a rule-of-law country, can’t act recklessly.”
At this moment, the old boss was internally cursing but had to maintain a smiling face as he nodded, “Of course, of course…”
For a request like this, Lin Heihu didn’t even need to discuss it with the boss and just mentioned it over the walkie-talkie.
Twenty minutes later, the old boss received a call from his son, who sounded drained, “Dad, they told me to give you a call. Didn’t say much.”
The old man became flustered upon hearing his son’s voice, “Son, where are you?”
The other end of the line went silent, and then a strange voice came through, “This is the first warning and the last one… talk seriously!”
The old man took a deep breath, steadied himself, and spoke, “Do you know why Dou Niu was shut down?”
After about five or six seconds, his son’s weary voice came back, “How would I know? If I knew… would it have happened?”
“I’ve found out,” the old boss said gravely, explaining at length. As for the eavesdroppers possibly overhearing some private matters? He didn’t care—as long as they dared to listen, he dared to speak.
After finishing, he asked, “What’s your opinion on what to do?”
The son’s reaction was slow, “Dad, I don’t quite understand… what do you mean ‘what to do’?”
The old man got anxious, “I’m asking if you should agree to their terms?”
“Of course we should agree,” the son got anxious too, “Their requests are legitimate, not excessive at all, they’re not even asking for compensation… Dad, I need to get out first.”
People who haven’t been locked up don’t understand that feeling of emptiness, solitude, and helplessness, even if they haven’t been harmed, they feel they’ve had enough.
The old man hesitated for a moment, then issued a warning. He knew his son well; this kid loved playing tricks, “I’m warning you, if you agree, you have to do it; otherwise, I won’t have another chance to get you out… I might even end up inside.”
“Don’t worry,” the son replied impatiently, “I’ve been running a platform and know exactly who we can afford to mess with and who we can’t… We can’t afford to mess with this master, whatever he says goes.”
He was too eager to return to normal society, as for those conditions proposed by the other party—they didn’t really matter at all.
The person didn’t want money, just wanted to be a Great Supreme. Fulfilling that would complete it, not to mention considering their background.