Chapter 37: When Li Kui Meets Li Gui

Bonus walked into the exhibition hall, which was packed with people. There were locals, fellow foreigners like himself, and even a few acquaintances from the industry, including representatives from IBM, Lotus, and Sun Microsystems.

Bonus was the domestic manager of the hardware division Microsoft had established in the country in 1982. Compared to the software division, Microsoft's hardware branch had not been particularly stellar over the years, yet this was a field Microsoft had been eager to enter ever since its public listing.

As for his software industry peers attending the event, it was clear they were also looking to tap into the mainland market. Bonus didn't pay them much mind; that was a concern for Microsoft’s software division, which had nothing to do with him.

Despite being part of the same company, there were factions within Microsoft—including the camps of founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen, as well as the rivalry between the software and hardware divisions. In Microsoft, the hardware division was constantly overshadowed by the software side, so Bonus had no interest in meddling in their affairs.

Upon entering the exhibition hall, Bonus headed straight for the booths of computer companies like IBM, HP, Apple, Dell, Xerox, and Toshiba.

Once at these booths, Bonus raised his camera and began snapping away. Microsoft wasn't ready to enter the complete computer system market, but components like monitors, mice, keyboards, data cables, and even motherboards and chips were items that interested them.

The reason Microsoft hadn't launched its own computer brand—and was focusing only on accessories—was not a lack of interest or funds, but rather a wariness of its relationship with major computer manufacturers. If Microsoft were to launch a computer, it would immediately become a mortal enemy to IBM, HP, Apple, and Dell. If these companies stopped collaborating with Microsoft and refused to pre-install its operating system, it would be a catastrophe.

While Microsoft had achieved a dominant position in the operating system market, it still faced rivals like Lotus, IBM, Sun, and Apple, leaving Microsoft afraid to break ties with the entire hardware industry.

They dared not launch a full PC, but they could "boil the frog in warm water." Microsoft would periodically release computer accessories, claiming it was to help users better experience the Microsoft system.

This "boiling the frog" tactic annoyed the computer brands, but there was little they could do to stop Microsoft from researching these accessories. It was a step-by-step process; once they mastered accessories, motherboards, and chips, launching a full computer would be a trivial matter.

Bonus photographed every product at each booth, recording the latest offerings from these companies. However, after visiting a few, his interest waned. Most of these companies were exhibiting old models, some even relics from three or four years prior.

While these models were still comparable in performance to domestic brands—and perhaps even more expensive due to their brand names—this obvious act of clearing out inventory felt tedious to Bonus. He had come to see new products, not to observe antiques.

After finishing with the computer brands, Bonus moved on to peripheral companies like Logitech, Cherry, Filco, and Japan’s ALPS. These were Microsoft's main competitors and the "low-hanging fruit" they could afford to challenge.

To his disappointment, these companies were also using the domestic market as a dumping ground, exhibiting outdated products rather than bringing anything new.

After circling the hall, Bonus found it lively, with dealers closing deals on foreign computer brands, but he had lost interest. As he put away his camera and prepared to leave, he passed a booth and stopped. It was a mouse display, surrounded by a few people. The brand, which he had never seen before, was labeled in both Chinese and English as "Mechanical Silver Marten" (Yin Diao), and the manufacturer was listed as Hanxi Dongling High-Tech.

Bonus hesitated but walked to the booth. He held no hope that a domestic manufacturer could develop anything worthwhile, but since he was already there, a quick look wouldn't hurt.

In a few days, Bonus was due to return to Microsoft headquarters in the United States to report on the state of the domestic hardware market. Getting a sense of the current level of local accessory companies wouldn't be a bad thing.

Bonus stood before the Silver Marten keyboard display. He took a casual glance, then his eyes widened, locking onto the mouse set out for demonstration.

As he looked at the Mechanical Silver Marten mouse, his breathing grew heavy. It felt similar to an ergonomic mouse Microsoft was currently developing, yet the details were entirely different.

"May I try this out?"

Gao Peng, who was manning the booth, heard the awkward accent and looked up. Seeing Bonus, he felt a spark of excitement, assuming he had encountered a representative from a foreign computer company.

"Of course, no problem!" Gao Peng replied, then signaled to an English-major student he had hired from a local university, "Please explain the Silver Marten mouse to him."

Throughout the exhibition, Gao Peng had been trying to promote the mouse to various manufacturers, but the results were poor. Representatives from the industry giants wouldn't even give it a look once they heard it was developed by a domestic firm.

Domestic computer brands were also hesitant. They had tried it and admitted it was more comfortable and effective than standard square mice, but they feared whether users would accept the new design.

A few regional accessory retailers were willing to buy a batch to test the waters. At 150 yuan—about 20 US dollars—it was significantly cheaper than the foreign counterparts that cost 80 or 90 dollars.

In this day and age, selling computers was highly profitable. A single assembled unit could net thousands, not to mention the parts. Some brands claimed their parts had to be imported, pushing prices to absurd levels. At 150 yuan, the Silver Marten was a bargain.

As Bonus tested the mouse, his alarm grew. He realized the technology and tactile feel of the Mechanical Silver Marten far surpassed the prototype Microsoft was developing.

"Is this mouse developed independently by your company?" Bonus revealed his Microsoft credentials to probe Gao Peng.

After hearing that Dongling High-Tech was just a startup based in the obscure city of Pingyang with no overseas partners, Bonus breathed a sigh of relief. A look of greed flashed in his eyes as he looked at the mouse. "Mr. Gao, may I take a few photos? I am very interested in this product, but I need to consult with headquarters. If they agree, we could potentially collaborate with Dongling High-Tech on this!"

Having learned from the university students what Microsoft was, Gao Peng had no reason to doubt him. Someone who had never been swindled would never imagine the depths of the schemes in this world.

Bonus took many photos and asked for technical data before leaving, glancing back several times. Once outside the hall, he headed straight for the airport to book the first flight back to the United States.

Gao Peng excitedly called Li Dongling. "Brother Li, Microsoft wants to collaborate with us! Their representative tried our product and promised a partnership!"

Li Dongling was stunned, but he didn't suspect anything. Although he felt a company of Microsoft's stature might not notice a small firm like Dongling High-Tech, the gap between them was immense. Yet, if they could partner with Microsoft—even if they were just manufacturing mice with a Microsoft label—it would be a massive win for Dongling High-Tech.

If they could ride Microsoft's coattails, the Silver Marten would surely sell.

"Manager Spencer, I have found the future of the Microsoft mouse. We must launch it—immediately!"

Back in Seattle, Bonus rushed to find Spencer, the manager of the hardware division.

"What?" Spencer laughed. Finding the future of the mouse industry in a place with so few computer users sounded like a joke.

But when he saw the photos, he stopped smiling. He picked up his desk phone. "Lab? I want this mouse ready for Microsoft's presentation at the Las Vegas computer trade show next week. Use any means necessary, at any cost!"

Hearing this, Bonus felt a pang of guilt. "What about patent issues? This mouse was developed by that company in Hanxi..."

"Bonus, in this world, it isn't always about who invents something first," Spencer laughed. "We are Microsoft. Believe me, this mouse will be much more useful in Microsoft's hands than in theirs. We are leading the world's technological trends and contributing to human civilization!"

Bonus wanted to say more but held back. It was clear Spencer had no intention of dealing with Dongling High-Tech. If Microsoft "borrowed" the design, so what? They had been "borrowing" from others for years, from operating systems to office software.

If even Xerox and Apple couldn't stop Microsoft, why would they fear an unknown Asian company?

It was like an elephant stepping on an ant. Spencer believed anyone who dared to block their path would simply be crushed.

Inside the offices of the *New Tech Express*, Lin Shiman was browsing news from America. Since computer magazines had become a hit, many had popped up, and *New Tech Express* was a leader, known for tracking the latest American tech trends.

They didn't have the budget to station reporters in the US; they hired students to translate and email or fax reports from overseas media. Through this, they often broke the latest tech news.

That day, when Lin Shiman saw that Microsoft had released a new ergonomic mouse in Las Vegas, she prepared to record it for the next issue. As she looked at the photos of the Microsoft mouse, she felt a sense of familiarity.

She frantically flipped through a stack of newspapers until she found a promotional advertisement for the Mechanical Silver Marten. After comparing the two, Lin Shiman rushed into the editor-in-chief's office. "Editor, big news!"

"Technological innovation should not be plagiarism; being less skilled is no excuse for theft. The Silver Marten mouse plagiarizes Microsoft's latest product!"

The latest issue of *New Tech Express* used a bold, heavy headline to expose the scandal, dropping a bombshell on the domestic tech industry.