Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The battle between Feng Yun website and Zhong Dian website had attracted the attention of the entire online novel industry.

Previously, the meteor-like rise of Zhong Dian website had already been seen as a miracle by everyone. Now that Feng Yun website was growing much stronger, these few days, everyone, including novel writers, was paying attention to which party would win and which would lose.

In Zhong Dian website’s Great Gods group chat.

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “I really don’t know what the results of this battle would be. This set of consecutive attacks from Feng Yun side is too strong, I really don’t have any ideas on how to handle it. If worst comes to worst, why don’t we activate our readers and get them to just write some random stories to increase the volume?”

Treasure Slayer: “What the heck, Young Master is such a good person, he’s thrown in one million just in exchange for one contact detail. If he really loses, I won’t be able to bear with this injustice. Why don’t we specially write a chapter to scold them?”

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “Young Master doesn’t want us to do that, in case people say we’re creating hype over it. Sigh, why don’t we wait for a while more? Young Master is always able to create miracles. Anyway, it’s just these few days, we’ll just have to wait…”

Treasure Slayer: “Alright, we can only do that. I’ll wait for two more days, at most. And if things still don’t get better, I’ll activate all my fellow readers to write some random novels. At the very least, I have to do my best.”

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “Mm, OK. By then, I’ll activate some of them as well.”

…

“Manager Zhang, currently Feng Yun website already has 1,000 more novels than us that are updated within three days.” The secretary stared at the documents in his hands with his forehead brimming with sweat, as he anxiously said, “If we still don’t think of a way, Young Master will lose the bet this time!”

“Sigh, the other party obviously has an expert with him, I don’t have any good ideas now.” Manager Zhang Wenyang rubbed his temples as he helplessly said, “They have practically blocked all our routes. We can’t possibly learn from them and hold that so-called writing contest, right?”

“Yes, sigh, Luo Xue’s incident is such a pity. Had we properly created hype using it, the effect would probably be much better than now…” Once he thought about how they might lose in the bet this time, the secretary’s face was full of regret.

After all, Hong Dali was quite caring to the people around him.

Other than usually giving tips whenever he liked to, most importantly, Hong Dali’s personality was also good. If he lost, who would be able to bear with it?

“Sigh, I’m not sure how Young Master thinks about this.” Zhang Wenyang sighed. “Forget it, it’s exactly because of this personality of his that makes us willing to work so hard for him. I’ll go and ask Young Master’s side again about what they’re planning to do about this. If worse comes to worst, we’ll do our best to develop the smartphone reading app. After all, that would mean that we’ve tried our very best.”

“Yes.” Speaking up to this point, someone suddenly frantically ran inside, and once he entered the room, he exclaimed, “Manager Zhang, good news, good news! Young Master’s side has finally done something!”

“Really?!” Zhang Wenyang stood up at once and anxiously said, “What exactly is Young Master planning to do, quickly say it! So that we can do our best to cooperate over here as well!”

“Good news, very good news! This idea is just too great!” That person happily said, “The idea that came from Sister Xiaoyi’s side is to sue Feng Yun website for making a pirated smartphone Feng Yun app! Pirated!”

“What the heck! This is good!” Zhang Wenyang ferociously clapped his hands. “Pirated, haha! Pirated! As long as there’s concrete evidence, we’ll be able to get rid of them with just one slap! Moreover, they’d still need to monetarily compensate us!”

Speaking up to this point, Zhang Wenyang violently slammed the table and said to the secretary in a stern voice, “Listen carefully! You know very well about how strict our nation is towards piracy, right? This time, it’s a great opportunity for us to launch our ultimate counterattack! Throw in money, throw in lots of money into this! Go to the finance department at once to take 10 million, and find me the best team of lawyers! The best one! The greatest one! There mustn’t be any mistakes!”

“OK! I’ll go right away!” Upon hearing this, the secretary was greatly delighted. He was about to leave when he was stopped by Zhang Wenyang again. “Also, announce this piece of news! The wider the scope, the better! The more people who know about this, the better!”

“OK, I’ll do it right away!”

…

Just when the various author group chats were paying attention to the battle this time, there was another huge and drastic twist that turned the tables around.

Zhong Dian website filed a complaint and sued Feng Yun website for making a pirated smartphone reading app.

Once this piece of news was released, the entire online novel industry was shocked!

After all, in this world, Heavenly State placed extreme emphasis over copyright issues. After all, only by protecting the copyrights well could creativity be encouraged. If someone had a good idea and then a big company was to directly copy it and get rid of the original version, who would still go and start up a new project? Everyone could just wait to copy it from others.

On the online novel forum—

Author One: “Feng Yun website, don’t you find yourselves too shameless? The other party thought of all ways and means before they managed to develop a smartphone reading app, and you can just copy it from them so casually. Ah, alright, don’t you think you need to compensate for the money and time taken to develop it?”

Author Two: “Fight fight fight! Fight against Feng Yun website! It previously had the cheek to say that Zhong Dian website was using Luo Xue’s incident to create hype. I think you are the fellows who don’t have any bottom lines of morality. You actually pirated your reading app! Nice game you played there, taking things from others and making them your own because you can’t make them yourself!”

Author Three: “Proud of joining Zhong Dian website, ashamed to associate myself with Feng Yun website!”

Author Four: “Aiya, if piracy is acceptable, then is it legal for me to plagiarize from other novels? What fundamental differences are there between piracy and copying? At least I don’t discover any differences in them. They’re all taking other people’s things to use it as their own. Everyone, am I right?”

Now, the public opinion had all been diverted towards Zhong Dian website. If previously there were still people who doubted Hong Dali’s motive regarding Luo Xue’s incident, then once news of piracy appeared, all the authors became supportive of Hong Dali.

Knockoffs, pirated version, plagiarism—these were the most taboo topics in the online novel industry!

If a hard to come by book written had become popular, and then it was copied and plagiarized, nobody would feel good about it.

Thus, in the online novel industry, you could be immoral and resort to all tricks and means, but you definitely couldn’t plagiarize or commit acts of piracy, or else you’d definitely be criticized by everyone! And it would definitely be impossible for you to survive in the online novel industry in the future.

Of course, when there was support, there would be objections as well.

At times, there would still be people speaking up for Feng Yun website. But once the topic was posted, it would be drowned amidst the strong waves of discussions.

…

In the various authors’ group chats.

Everyone was paying attention to the results of the complaint this time. Countless authors commented countless times in their authors’ group chats, and all the topics were revolving around the big case of the infringement of copyright by Feng Yun website this time.

Everyone was waiting, waiting for the final results. Hong Dali’s supporters were anticipating that Hong Dali would win the final victory. And the authors at Feng Yun website were also looking forward to being able to get to know the final truth.

Knockoffs, piracy, plagiarism, these were all absolutely intolerable by online novel authors.

It was because, in this day and age, creativity was the king!

If a nation wanted to develop and progress, creativity was the most important.

If problems of piracy and plagiarism were not controlled, it would greatly affect the motivation of creative minds. Something that one had painstakingly created being copied by big companies just like that, and then they crushed and attacked the original version instead. Such a thing was scary just thinking about it.

…

In Zhong Dian website’s Great Gods group chat.

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “What the heck, such a thing actually happened. I’d previously really never paid much attention to it. I didn’t think about this, how could I neglect something so important?”

Treasure Slayer: “Hahaha, that group of idiots was so arrogant. This time, they’ve gotten into trouble, right? Damn it, this is called justice has long arms. Serves them right!”

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “Accordingly, the place where the court hearing will be conducted will be at our Tianjing Supreme People’s Court. Are you going?”

Treasure Slayer: “Yes, of course I have to go! But should I activate the readers to come along as well?”

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “This… I suggest you don’t. There’s quite a lot of volatility regarding legal procedures. What if, I’m saying what if, Young Master loses the case?”

Treasure Slayer: “Mm, that’s true. There were some changes in public opinion online again, and many people are saying that it’s groundless accusations. But I think that since Young Master dares to file a complaint, he definitely has vital evidence. Or else he’d definitely not sue them just like that. How about this, let’s go and find some good friends to go and take a look? The minimum level of similarity to be counted as piracy is 60%. I think that even if it doesn’t reach this number, at least it won’t deviate too much from it. This time, it will definitely impact Feng Yun website greatly!”

Dark Dragon of the Universe: “Mm, makes sense! Then we’ll go and activate our friends now. Those staying in Tianjing will all come over! Oh right, also, ask the authors at Feng Yun website that you know to contact the readers to come over as well!”

Treasure Slayer: “OK! I can do this!”

…

Feng Yun website headquarters building.

“Young Master,” GM Liu’s forehead brimmed with sweat as he said, “Our Feng Yun app has been sued by Zhong Dian website! They’re suing us for piracy! Now, many books have stopped updating, and the authors clearly expressed that they would only update and continue writing their books after the results are out! If we lose in this case…”

“Idiot, what are you so scared for!” Ko Gohon ferociously said, “Back when we developed it, we only reproduced at most 51 to 52% of the source code. It has a very big difference from 60%. Damn it, do you think I wouldn’t be aware of the copyright protection act? Look at how anxious you are, you can’t even stay composed, how can you do big things?!”

“This… This… OK, I got it. Then Young Master, how should I make the arrangements?” GM Liu cautiously asked.

“Hire a team of lawyers, hire the best team of lawyers!” Ko Gohon stubbed out his cigarette. “How can we miss such a good opportunity?! We can take this opportunity to hit back and sue them for defamation!”

“OK, Young Master, I got it. I’ll go right away!” GM Liu, soaked in sweat, went to make the arrangements.

“Uncle Kazuma, I’ve done alright with the arrangements this time, right?” After GM Liu had left, Ko Gohon cautiously observed Shiroishi Kazuma’s expression and asked, “Do we need to do anything else?”

“At the moment, it’s fine. We don’t need to do anything else.” Shiroishi Kazuma closed his eyes and insipidly said, “Invite the best lawyer in our Jaban Empire over here. This time, we’ll completely get rid of Hong Dali!”

“OK!”

…

Thus, after a night full of scheming, the next day, at 9:00 AM, the biggest copyright infringement case trial in the decade in Heavenly State started…