Chapter 73

I slung my bag over my shoulder and stepped out of my studio apartment.

While I waited for the elevator—just a brief pause as I pressed the button—Zero’s voice sounded in my head.

“As Master instructed, I have created an official Moment account for Another Technology and uploaded a post.”

Mm.

“By adjusting the algorithm, I will ensure that every Moment user is exposed to the post at least twice.”

So when Zero said “every Moment user,” that meant not only users in the United States and Europe, but also in South America, and even the still-small user base in Asia.

In other words, I was about to show 16 million people around the world a side-by-side comparison of Facebook and Moment.

That was the power of owning the platform.

That should be enough, right?

“Yes. It will be a fatal blow to Facebook.”

Ding.

The elevator doors opened with the arrival chime.

I’m looking forward to it.

I nodded in satisfaction and stepped inside.

* * *

Paris Hilton, heiress to one of the most famous and wealthy hotel chains in the world, lay propped at an angle on her bed late that night.

An Apple phone rested in her hand, and on the screen was the familiar black-background app, Moment.

“This photo’s getting a great reaction.”

She skimmed the comments under a party photo she had posted earlier.

In the past, she used to kill time on Facebook, but these days were different.

Whether she was alone, resting, or on the move, her fingers would unconsciously tap the Moment icon.

I don’t even know how it does it, but it understands my taste way too well.

It was uncanny.

She hadn’t even searched for anything, yet as she scrolled, posts kept appearing—restaurants she liked, hot clubs, cute dog photos, all the things she was into.

She was drifting through that endless loop of attention, scrolling without noticing how much time had passed, when—

“...Huh?”

Paris stopped moving her finger.

Something in the feed, which she had almost swiped past without thinking, had caught her eye.

The photo background was a building she recognized from an online article she’d once seen: Facebook headquarters.

But the image had been split in two.

The left side was drab and reddish, as if someone had spilled paint over it; cheap-looking, ugly, and off-putting.

The right side, by contrast, had the polished mood and stylish color grading of a movie poster.

Beneath it was a short caption.

[Left: Facebook’s new filter]

[Right: Moment auto filter]

“Facebook made a filter too?”

Paris zoomed in on the left photo.

She hadn’t been paying any attention to Facebook lately, so she’d missed the update news, but apparently they really had made one.

Only the quality was…

“Ugh… that’s way too tacky.”

Was that really what they were calling a filter?

It looked worse than the original photo.

By contrast, the Moment filter on the right was perfect.

It even turned the building’s old bricks into vintage charm.

“I’m telling you, Moment filters are the best.”

Amused, she swiped to the next post.

The post was made up of several photos.

Landscape, people, food.

In every comparison, Moment’s filter utterly crushed Facebook’s.

The difference was painfully obvious.

And then the last image.

No photo at all—just white typography on a black background.

[Catch me if you can.]

(If you can follow, then come try.)

[We are 'Another Technology' with different technology.]

(We’re “Another Technology,” after all, with different technology.)

“Oh!”

A brief exclamation burst from Paris’s lips.

She understood immediately.

She hadn’t been on Facebook lately, so she’d missed it, but Facebook had rolled out a filter that copied Moment, and Moment had responded with a very public smackdown.

“That’s funny.”

Wasn’t the best thing in the world supposed to be watching a fight?

People always had this image that IT companies were full of nerds who only knew how to study, so she’d assumed they’d be boring—but apparently they could throw out a fun fight too.

But Paris had something even more entertaining than just watching.

...Should I post something like this too?

Mischief sparked to life.

Lately, the most fun thing in the world for her was posting photos on Moment and watching the likes roll in.

Until now she’d tolerated blurry photo quality just to use SNS, but thanks to Moment, she could share her daily life like a glossy magazine spread, and her satisfaction level was at its peak.

So naturally, she wanted to take Moment’s side.

And judging by the comments, the whole thing was already blowing up.

─ Seriously? Facebook’s filter looks like it’s from the 90s.

─ Moment really does look prettier.

─ But comparing Facebook’s filter with Moment’s is kind of fun lol.

─ I should post one too. A comparison shot.

The response was hot.

Seeing that, Paris’s instincts kicked in.

This was going to be a trend.

But who posted such a bold photo?

Paris checked the profile at the top of the post.

The ID was “AnotherTechnology.”

And beside it sat a white Official Verification Mark.

Official verification?

She didn’t know exactly what it meant yet, but it was enough to stir her possessiveness.

A badge she didn’t have, something that looked important.

I want it.

At the very least, if it was an official account for Another Technology, she had to follow it.

She was an ardent fan of Moment, after all.

Without hesitation, she followed Moment, then immediately opened her gallery.

“Let’s see…”

She had a mirror selfie from her dressing room she’d been saving to post tomorrow morning.

Paris uploaded the photo to Moment.

Once the automatic filter applied, the image turned elegant, like a fashion editorial spread.

Upload complete!

The moment it was uploaded, she opened the Facebook app.

Then she loaded the exact same original photo into Facebook.

And applied the “filter” Facebook had so ambitiously introduced.

“...I’m not even sure this is the kind of filter you’re supposed to use to post a photo.”

Her face in the screen looked sickly yellow.

She looked like she’d come down with jaundice.

“This is what they made it for? Seriously?”

It was absurd.

The difference was just too extreme.

I was going to post a comparison shot with the Moment filter for fun... but this filter doesn’t even suit my beauty.

There’s no way I can post my face like this, so maybe I should use a back shot~

Thinking that, Paris uploaded the Facebook-filtered photo together with the one she had posted on Moment.

Then she added a short message beneath it for all her followers around the world to see.

* * *

“...And that concludes today’s lecture. Don’t forget to submit the assignment I gave you by email by next Thursday, and I’ll see you in next week’s class.”

With Professor Ahn Su-yeon’s words, Monday’s first period came to an end.

I gathered my things and stood up from my seat.

─ Ugh, this is insane. Seriously.

─ We just finished midterms, and now they’re already dumping more assignments on us?

─ My friend at another university says they barely get any homework... why is our school so brutal?

─ And I’ve got a mountain of assignments for my other major too...

All around me, my classmates’ sighs and complaints drifted through the room.

They might be students at Korea’s most prestigious university, but in front of assignments, they were just ordinary college kids.

As I listened to their grumbling and headed out of the lecture hall, Zero’s voice sounded in my ear.

“The post comparing Facebook’s filter to Moment’s filter, as instructed by Master, is becoming quite popular.”

Is that so?

A faint smile touched my lips.

“And right now, on Facebook, posts mocking Facebook’s clumsy filter in a style similar to Master’s post are spreading like a trend.”

People are already posting stuff like that? Isn’t it late night in America and Europe right now?

“Heavy SNS users burn brightest at night, after all.”

That was true.

The midnight mood really was the most dangerous, and that was also prime time for keyboard warriors.

I stepped into the hallway outside the classroom and pulled my smartphone, the Galleon, from my pocket.

Then, with practiced ease, I swiped the screen and launched the Facebook app.

Like Facebook spying on me, I’d also downloaded Facebook onto the Galleon so I could keep tabs on the enemy.

Let’s see.

I didn’t even need to scroll through the timeline.

When I opened Paris Hilton’s page, there at the very top was a post that was chillingly, eerily similar to what I’d imagined.

The post showed two mirror selfies of Paris Hilton side by side.

One was the yellowed Facebook-filter version.

The other was the polished, editorial-looking Moment filter version.

And what she wrote underneath was even better.

[Paris Hilton]

...Facebook, what the hell are you doing?

You made this filter in high definition...? It looks like you’re trying to copy Moment, but all it does is make the comparison worse.

You said it was a high-definition update, so I was expecting something good, but Moment looks prettier, and I wanted to show just how shabby Facebook is.

I can’t even post a face shot, so here’s just my back.

Facebook is so tacky I’m done with it.

#Paris

#TackyFacebook

#EvenMyDadWouldntUseIt

#GoodbyeFacebook

#FollowMeToMoment

When I opened the comments, the reaction was explosive.

Most people agreed with Paris and were mocking Facebook’s latest update.

I didn’t expect Paris Hilton to back me this hard.

Honestly, I was grateful.

I hadn’t even asked her, and she was fighting on my side simply because she genuinely liked Moment.

Zero, can I send Paris Hilton a message or email through FreeChat?

“Both are possible.”

Then offer Paris Hilton the official verification mark too.

Up until now, the Official Verification Mark had only been issued to organizations like Real Madrid.

We still hadn’t opened it up to individuals.

But she did help us a lot this time...

Sure, she’d probably just been acting out of affection for Moment, but the fact remained that I’d gained a tremendous advantage from it.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Then it was only right that I give her something in return.

Business is give and take.

And if I gave an official verification badge to a superstar like Paris Hilton?

She’d be over the moon and keep promoting Moment all over the place.

She’d become a walking advertisement for Moment.

How many followers does Paris Hilton have on Moment right now?

“Approximately 890,000. She is by far the leading individual user.”

That made sense. She had been active since Moment’s earliest days, and as one of the hottest stars on earth, her follower count was huge.

Then tell her we’ll send the official verification mark and a trophy too. Mention the contract as well.

* * *

Paris Hilton, who had posted on Facebook for the first time in ages, was checking the reactions to her post in real time.

“Yep, just as expected.”

The comments were unfolding exactly the way she’d predicted.

─ Paris is right. Facebook’s filter is seriously awful.

─ So they called it a high-definition update just so we could see a nasty filter in HD.

─ “Tacky” is the perfect word for it. I’m only using Moment from now on.

─ If Paris ditched Facebook, that’s the end of it. I’m unfollowing too.

─ I posted a comparison shot just like my girl and the reaction is insane lol.

─ Paris is amazing for still looking gorgeous even with a filter like that.

Everyone was enthusiastically agreeing with her.

And more and more fans were following her lead, posting comparison shots between Facebook’s clumsy filter and Moment’s polished one.

Paris Hilton curved her lips into a smile.

As expected, I’m the one setting the trend.

There was nothing happier for a star than this.

The public responding to her words, agreeing with her, following her actions.

That was the very reason she lived the way she did.

“Anyway... I really can’t use Facebook anymore.”

She clicked her tongue at the app icon on her screen.

What was the point of higher resolution?

With this update, Facebook had suddenly been branded as an ugly SNS.

It felt uncool, tacky, and hopelessly behind the times.

And on top of that, they blatantly copied Moment this time, and they didn’t even do a good job of it.

A cheap knockoff of the original.

For someone who lived a life like luxury itself, there was nothing more disgusting than a fake.

I can’t use an SNS that copies others—especially one that copies them badly.

She long-pressed the Facebook app, ready to delete it, when—

Ping~.

A familiar logo appeared in the notification bar at the top.

A FreeChat message.

In fact, her FreeChat inbox already had dozens of unread messages piled up.

Hollywood stars, famous bands, singers, designers—people looking for her were never in short supply.

Most of them she simply left unread.

If you replied too quickly, you looked easy.

Keeping people at a respectful distance was one of her rules.

But the message that had just arrived was enough to make even Paris Hilton check it immediately.

The sender name was different.

[Moment Official]

“...Moment official account?”

She tapped the notification on reflex.

It was a fairly long message.

Paris read on with brightening eyes.

Attached beneath the message was an example image—blurred in shadow for some reason—of a shimmering gold badge and a luxurious trophy.

Without meaning to, Paris broke into a radiant smile.

...They offered me official verification first? Only me?

First ahead of everyone else.

That was her favorite phrase in the world.

“Of course... Moment really gets it.”

She kicked her feet excitedly on the bed.

FreeChat, Clear Cam—which made photos look beautiful—and now Moment too.

The company called Another Technology really was to her liking.

Even that game I play whenever I’m bored and not on Moment—Crazy Bird—was made by them.

Their sense was no joke.

If the chance comes, I’d love to invite Another Technology’s CEO to my home party and treat him properly. As a VVIP.

Well, that was for later.

I should do it right now!

There was no reason not to accept if they were offering her, and not just her, but the very first personal verification badge ahead of everyone else.

Just imagining the shining badge next to her profile already made her feel giddy.

But the word “contract” in the message gave her pause.

Even she couldn’t just rush through a legal contract on her own. This was an entertainment-related matter, after all.

Paris cooled her excitement and typed out a reply.

“[Me: I use Moment so much already, and I’m really thankful you’d offer me official verification first too!

I want to do it right away, but I can’t handle the contract myself, so I’ll leave my manager’s contact info. Please reach out there! ]”

Thud.

After pressing send, she collapsed onto the bed, clutching her Apple phone to her chest.

The superstar living the most dazzling life in America was feeling this worked up over a single app’s official verification badge.

That was how far Moment had already risen—far beyond being just an app.

* * *

At the very moment Paris Hilton was getting excited over her Moment verification message.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was glaring at his monitor, running a hand roughly through his hair.

...We’re screwed.

He had braced himself for this much.

Even to his own eyes, Facebook’s hastily built filter and Moment’s filter had a massive quality gap.

But he’d still believed it would be fine. That had been Facebook’s growth model up to now.

Launch features quickly, gather user feedback, and improve them over time.

That was the whole point of showing that “we have a filter too,” to prevent user defection.

And yet... even if the reaction was bad, this was too bad.

...At this hour, the comparison posts are already flooding the feed.

Even in the middle of the night, Facebook’s timeline was filling with posts comparing Moment and Facebook’s filters.

It wasn’t just comparison.

Mocking Facebook’s filter was becoming a trend.

And the one pouring gasoline on that fire was none other than Paris Hilton.

Paris Hilton...

Clench.

Zuckerberg ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ground his teeth.

He was a woman he truly couldn’t stand.

There was a time when he’d even been grateful for the party photos she uploaded, since they had helped drive Facebook’s early traffic.

But after Moment launched, she had become a traitor—one who plunged a knife into Facebook’s back.

“Haa...”

But this wasn’t the time to react emotionally.

He had to turn the situation around somehow.

If we lose momentum here, we’re done.

Otherwise Facebook would fall from an icon of innovation into just another third-rate SNS.

The problem was that there was no solution in sight.

The emergency high-definition upload feature had already driven server costs through the roof.

And now, if the filter patch was getting slaughtered like this, then rather than defending traffic, they were basically pushing users over to Moment.

How am I supposed to convince investors tomorrow?

They had promised additional funding for this emergency update and rushed through a contract, and this was what they got in return.

By morning, his investors were going to be ringing his phone off the hook.

Technology wouldn’t save him, and sentiment wouldn’t save him either.

That left only one solution.

...It’s acquisition time for real now.

Buy the competitor and make it his own.

But the wall in front of him was too high.

Facebook didn’t have the massive cash reserves needed to acquire Another Technology, the developer of Moment.

Apple offered one billion dollars and got rejected. That means we’d have to go at least higher than that...

One billion dollars was manageable if he scraped hard enough.

But any more than that, and the current Facebook simply couldn’t do it.

Zuckerberg buried his face in his hands.

Was this the end?

I wanted power—the power to show the world what I wanted it to see...

Then, suddenly—

“...Ah.”

A good idea flashed through Zuckerberg’s mind.

Wait. There’s no reason I have to use only Facebook’s money for this acquisition, is there?

Apple had tried to acquire Another Technology before.

Which meant there was definitely something in Another Technology’s technology or services that Apple wanted.

Then what if...

What if I propose this to Apple? We’ll pay one billion dollars, and Apple can combine its funds with ours so we can acquire Another Technology together.

Zuckerberg’s mind spun fast.

Facebook only needed one thing from the deal: the Moment SNS platform.

He didn’t know exactly what technology Apple wanted, but he didn’t care if Apple shared the rest or owned part of some other service.

Right now, all that mattered was wiping out Moment or bringing it into his hands.

With Apple’s enormous financial power... we could definitely pull this off.

He could see a path now. No—this was his only lifeline.

There was just one fatal problem~.

...Steve Jobs at Apple really hates me.

Zuckerberg clicked his tongue bitterly.

From the start, Facebook had preached “connection” and “openness” since its founding.

Apple’s Steve Jobs, on the other hand, had built a perfect ecosystem through absolute “closedness” and “monopoly.”

Their philosophies were as different as oil and water.

Hadn’t Jobs once called him a “hypocrite” in an interview?

Convincing a guy like that to work with me... not easy. Especially since he’s a total asshole with a huge ego.

Still, Zuckerberg’s eyes glinted.

But Jobs is a ruthless businessman too. The type who’d shake hands with anyone if it meant getting what he wanted.

Case in point: Apple had Google’s search engine—one Jobs supposedly despised—built right into the iPhone.

In business, sometimes you sleep with the enemy.

So this proposal can work too.

Cornered as he was, Zuckerberg was certain this was a genius solution.

But even he, who proudly considered himself a genius, had no idea about two things.

One: that high-and-mighty Steve Jobs was a fervent fan of Another Technology’s secret CEO, Zero.

And two: that Apple was already preparing to ditch Google and switch to Another Technology’s Search before long.

On the morning of May 4th, at Apple headquarters.

Steve Jobs’s office.

So tomorrow is finally the day we enter Korea.

Jobs was reviewing materials for an upcoming meeting when his secretary came into the office and said,

“Steve, Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook is on the phone.”

“Zuckerberg?”

Jobs looked up from the papers in his hand, tilting his head.

Unexpected. He couldn’t think of any reason that man would be calling him.

We don’t exactly have any connection.

There were only a handful of CEOs in the world he got along with, and Zuckerberg was one of the ones he least cared for.

Not only was his management philosophy the opposite of Jobs’s, but he was also fairly close to Microsoft, one of Apple’s potential competitors.

If this had been before, I would’ve ignored him.

Hmm.

Jobs thought for a moment.

The old him would have said, “Why should I talk to that punk?” and refused flatly.

But the current Jobs was a little different—just a little, but different.

After having been brought to the brink of death by pancreatic cancer, and after the incident in which the doctors and Zero had saved him from that crisis, he had come to accept that sometimes it was better to at least hear people out.

I’ve still got time before the meeting, so a quick call won’t hurt.

“Put it through. I’ll hear what he has to say.”

“Understood.”

Click.

The secretary left, closing the office door behind her.

Not long after, the phone rang, breaking the silence.

Ring ring~.

Jobs picked up, and the secretary’s voice came through.

[This is Mr. Zuckerberg’s call. I’ll connect you now.]

“Go ahead.”

With a click, the line connected.

[...Hello, Steve. I think this is the first time we’ve spoken directly like this.]

A young voice, but clearly tense, drifted through the receiver.

“Mark Zuckerberg?”

[Yes. I hear Apple phone sales have been rising lately—congratulations... ]

Jobs cut him off.

“We’re both busy people, so let’s skip the useless chatter. What’s the matter? Why did you call?”

[Haha... I heard you don’t care much for small talk, and the rumors seem true.]

“Some people are worth small talk. Others aren’t.”

Zero would be worth it.

Only thinking it to himself, Jobs asked again.

“So why did you call?”

[Because I’d like to join forces.]

“Join forces? You and me? Or Facebook and Apple?”

Jobs asked, genuinely puzzled.

“I’m not sure what kind of joining forces you mean, but I’m not following. You and I have very different ideas about management philosophy and business direction.”

[I know. But I thought it might be possible if we have a common goal, so I reached out.]

“A common goal?”

[Yes.]

Zuckerberg paused briefly, then continued as though he’d made up his mind.

[A proposal to acquire Another Technology together.]

“...What?”

For a moment Jobs thought he’d misheard.

He had never imagined Zuckerberg would call him to propose a merger and acquisition deal, much less one involving Another Technology.

But that shock only lasted an instant.

Jobs quickly solved the mystery in his head.

So Moment’s download growth has been that frightening... it must really be threatening Facebook.

Another Technology’s new SNS, Moment.

From the moment Another Technology submitted it to the App Store review, Jobs had seen its potential.

Intuitive UI, flawless optimization, and most of all, attention to detail that touched people’s emotions.

Every part of it, even by his standards, was superior to Facebook.

That’s why I even created an “Apple certification” that didn’t exist before and recommended it.

Of course, that favor wasn’t granted simply because Moment was excellent.

It was both an expression of respect and gratitude toward Zero, his lifesaving benefactor, and a cold calculation.

He had wanted to plant the idea that if Moment was later released to the Android camp, people would still remember, “That app was originally Apple’s idea,” and “Apple was the first to recognize it.”

And yet now that app was squeezing Facebook.

So Facebook decided on acquisition rather than competition. Or is it admitting defeat?

In a way, it was disappointing, but at the same time there was a strange satisfaction in knowing his own eye for quality hadn’t been wrong.

Google, Facebook—they all talk about openness, cooperation, and sharing. But in the end, they all want to monopolize the market.

It was the natural principle of capitalism.

Companies wanted monopoly, not competition.

But pretending to be good, pretending to be enlightened, while quietly carrying a pile of cash to buy out the competition—that was awfully hypocritical.

In some ways, he’s a junior in the IT world, so I could give him a few pointers... but hmm.

Jobs rubbed his hands together, thinking briefly.

For now, he wanted to hear just how desperate Zuckerberg was—and how prepared.

Not that he had the slightest intention of acquiring Another Technology together with him.

“Let me ask you this first. If Facebook and Apple joined hands to acquire a promising startup like Another Technology, the FTC and the regulators wouldn’t sit still. How are you planning to handle antitrust issues?”

[Lobbying and... indirect methods.]

“Indirect methods?”

[Yes. In reality, we’d acquire Another Technology, but on paper we’d first shut the company down, then buy its assets and IP as a defunct company. If we wrap it as talent acquisition, we can avoid antitrust law and other regulations. We’ve already had a major law firm review it, so there’s no legal issue.]

“...”

Jobs’s eyes widened slightly.

Given how specifically the plan had been laid out, Facebook really must have been in dire straits.

No, it was obvious Zuckerberg was desperate to get his hands on Moment no matter what.

“Then one more question. How much money can Facebook put up?”

[One billion dollars.]

“One billion dollars, huh...”

Jobs chuckled softly.

“So you came to me because you think that isn’t enough.”

[That’s right. I heard Apple already once offered Another Technology a one-billion-dollar acquisition deal and got rejected.]

Zuckerberg’s voice was careful.

[So if we want to secure it now, I think we’d need to pay double that... maybe triple.]

“Hmm.”

Jobs leaned back in his chair.

Triple one billion dollars—three billion.

For a startup acquisition, it was an astronomical figure.

But—

That still isn’t nearly enough, Zuckerberg.

After a moment’s thought, Jobs spoke again.

“Half right, half wrong.”

[What do you mean?]

“It’s true that Apple made an acquisition offer, and it’s wrong that three times the amount would be enough to buy the current Another Technology.”

[Then... you’re saying we’d need to pay more?]

“Much more. More than you’re thinking.”

Jobs fell silent for a moment, then continued coldly.

“And to be honest, no matter how much money you have, you won’t be able to acquire Another Technology through ‘talent acquisition’ alone. You don’t have the kind of vessel that company fits into.”

At that, Zuckerberg reacted with obvious irritation even through the receiver.

[...What do you mean, I don’t have the vessel? If money is lacking, then money is lacking. What’s this about a vessel?]

“When I once tried to acquire Another Technology, do you know what their CEO said when I offered one billion dollars?”

[What did he say?]

“He said, ‘I wouldn’t sell it even if you gave me the Statue of Liberty.’”

[... ]

“The one trying to buy a competitor with money, and the one who wouldn’t sell to a competitor ‘even for the Statue of Liberty.’ Do you understand now what I mean when I say the two of you are different in terms of vessel?”

For a long while, nothing came from the other end of the line.

The silence was so complete it sounded as though even breathing had stopped.

When Zuckerberg still said nothing, Jobs went on calmly.

“I’m not criticizing your business strategy. Buying out competitors with cash is a very smart strategy for a large company. And for some startups, a person like you could be a big help.”

As he searched his memory, Jobs added,

“For example, the founder of PayPal—someone who started it, sold it, and cashed out, then went on to do another business... was it SpaceX and a car company called Tesla? The guy who wants to go to Mars. For someone like that, who starts a money-making startup, sells it to raise capital, and then pursues the dream business they really want, a CEO like you could be useful.”

[...I’ve heard the PayPal founder sold the company and exited, but he was doing other businesses too?]

“So I hear. I also heard those two newer businesses are doing terribly, though.”

[... ]

“Anyway, the CEO I know at Another Technology doesn’t look like someone who intends to sell his business. And let me tell you one more thing...”

Jobs let the sentence trail off, then lowered his voice like a warning.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t try to acquire Another Technology just because it’s a ‘competitor.’ No need to pull the whiskers of a sleeping lion unless you absolutely have to. Unless, like me, you were genuinely curious about and tempted by the company’s technology itself.”

[... ]

“And one final thing: I’m on fairly good terms with Another Technology’s CEO. We’re close enough to call each other friends. So when you suggest bulldozing that company with money and taking it over... honestly, I find that rather offensive and unpleasant.”

Zuckerberg still couldn’t say anything.

It was a clear rejection—and an insult.

And to drive the nail in, Jobs left him with one final line.

“Zuckerberg. If Facebook can’t compete with Moment, then maybe the smart move is to sell while Facebook is still valued. Even the Titanic could have been sold for scrap before it sank completely.”

[... ]

“And one more thing—not as a businessman, but as a personal piece of advice. Unless you’re aiming for something bigger than your own life’s work, you really ought to stop trying to compete with Another Technology.”

Jobs’s eyes flashed.

“A company with ‘different technology,’ true to its name, might just be exactly that. You’re a genius who attended Harvard, sure—but people like that are more common in the world than you think.”

With Zuckerberg still silent on the other end, Jobs finished the call.

“That’s all. Good luck.”

Click.

Jobs set down the receiver without hesitation.

The call ended, and silence returned to the office.

Jobs turned his chair toward the window and fell into thought.

So this is the fate of a company that succeeded through ideas rather than technology...

Facebook was undeniably an incredible service and an incredible company.

It was a business that had gathered hundreds of millions of users worldwide in a short span of time—one that would go down in history.

But now that an equally similar yet superior service had appeared, it was faltering.

The emperor of SNS, shaking this helplessly... it makes one think, doesn’t it?

He had already known the importance of technology down to his bones, but this incident strengthened his conviction even more.

They had to build technology so overwhelming that no one could even dream of challenging it.

That way, companies like Seongsam Electronics wouldn’t keep chasing us. And there may be other companies preparing under the surface besides Seongsam Electronics.

Jobs checked the time and rose from his seat.

It’s already this late.

He was due in a meeting soon with key engineers and executives.

Tomorrow, May 5th.

The final review meeting for the Apple phone’s launch in Korea.

* * *

At the same time, at Facebook headquarters.

Thud.

Mark Zuckerberg slammed the receiver down and bit his lip.

“...”

Throughout the whole call, Jobs hadn’t openly mocked him or attacked him.

In fact, his tone had been so calm that it almost sounded gentle—contrary to the rumors—and he’d even offered what he called “advice.”

But that advice, and the content of the call, were humiliations Zuckerberg could not accept.

So there are plenty of geniuses like me? And...

Jobs’s voice seemed to echo in his ears like a hallucination.

[...Selling while you still think your company has value is one option.]

[...If it’s about to go down completely, even the Titanic would have been worth its scrap value.]

Which meant—

The current Facebook was like a Titanic on the verge of sinking, destined to become nothing more than a pile of scrap metal.

“...”

Clench.

Zuckerberg ground his teeth.

He wasn’t merely irritated.

Hot anger was rising from the pit of his stomach.

Who do I think I am...

He was the man who had practically defined and successfully popularized the idea of “SNS” in a world where it hadn’t existed before.

Sure, there may have been something similar somewhere in the world before Facebook.

But globally, on an international scale, Facebook was the first and only one to make it a success.

And yet Jobs had treated him like some ordinary, generic genius you could find anywhere, while dismissing the company he built as a sinking ship.

...I’m not going down like this.

Most people only ever saw the smiling version of him on TV and online.

And at the company, he was known as a “friendly-looking CEO.”

But he wasn’t just a nice guy.

Of course, he had to admit the facts.

Right now, Moment was sucking up users and traffic at an astonishing speed.

But Facebook still had the overwhelming lead in total users.

So if he had more time—and more money—he could improve Facebook and make a service better than Moment.

But the problem was—

...I don’t have the time or the money.

If Moment stopped growing here and remained at its current user level, Facebook would still have a chance.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

Moment’s insane growth would not stop.

So no matter how hard he thought, the conclusion was always the same.

The only answer is acquisition.

Devour the competition.

That was the only way to survive.

But he didn’t have the money to acquire them.

His investors were already furious over the failure of the filter update, and were pressuring him to return their money rather than watch their investment become the laughingstock of the internet—

That was when it happened.

Knock, knock.

The office door opened, and his secretary came in cautiously.

“Um... Mark, you told us not to disturb you, but I thought I should mention this...”

“What is it?”

“Investor Mr. Peter and Mr. Anderson are in the lobby on the first floor.”

Peter and Anderson.

Among his early investors, they were the real heavy hitters who had put in a significant amount of money.

Now they had moved beyond phone calls and come to the company itself to confront him.

Haa...

At that, Zuckerberg let out a deep sigh and forced himself to speak calmly.

“Turn them away. That’s what I pay you for.”

“Ah... yes, understood.”

“And if I tell you not to disturb me, then don’t disturb me. Hurry up and get out.”

His voice had come out sharper than intended, given the situation.

“Yes. I-I’m sorry.”

Click.

As the secretary hurriedly shut the door and left, Zuckerberg picked up the scattered documents on his desk again.

They were the materials he had personally researched and organized about Another Technology.

He skimmed them quickly and muttered,

There’s definitely some other company besides Facebook that’s getting a headache over Another Technology. If Another Technology is growing this fast, there must be companies annoyed by it.

If it wasn’t Apple, then he could join hands with some other company and acquire Another Technology.

Jobs had warned him not to try to acquire it.

He’d spouted that romantic nonsense about not selling it “even for the Statue of Liberty.”

But Zuckerberg didn’t see it that way.

I’ve seen the data from Facebook. What people love most in this world is nothing but money.

Fame, power, love—even convictions and ideology.

Anything could be sold for money, and anything could be bought with money.

Over the past several years, Zuckerberg had seen human desire laid bare through Facebook’s data.

So the CEO of Another Technology would be the same.

For the right amount of money—enough to let him have everything he wanted—the man would surely be satisfied and hand over the company.

Especially in the IT industry, where no one knew what could happen next, if you offered enough value, they would sell unless they somehow knew the future.

So I just need to find another company. A backer to put money down with me...

Then.

A word printed in the corner of a document caught Zuckerberg’s eye.

[Search engine, Search]

Search, the search engine made by Another Technology.

...Come to think of it.

Zuckerberg froze.

He thought back on his own internet habits.

I don’t think I’ve been using Google lately. I’ve been searching with Search instead.

At some point, he had started doing it naturally.

Using Search, which was faster than Google, showed fewer ads, and returned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠far more accurate results.

He had really been using it as a habit from “some point” onward.

Search still wasn’t as famous as Google, but when he looked at how employees at the company worked, they used Search a lot.

And this was happening first in the IT industry, which was supposedly the most sensitive to trends.

If that was the case—

Isn’t Google in a similar situation to mine right now?

Just as Facebook was bleeding because Moment had stolen its traffic, Google might be suffering because search traffic was being siphoned off by Search.

The thought hit him and—

“...There was another one. Someone to team up with.”

Zuckerberg’s eyes flashed.

* * *

Google headquarters, large conference room.

The freewheeling, lighthearted meeting atmosphere Google had once been proud of was gone.

In the cold room, Google’s senior vice president pointed at the screen and spoke.

“So... to put it simply,”

His voice was trembling slightly.

“We’ve lost 17% of our PC web search traffic—the very bloodstream and main front line of our business—to Search.”

The vice president advanced to the next slide.

“And the traffic flowing to Google Search inside Android smartphones... has dropped by a staggering 39%.”

─ ...

“In the Android we made, a search engine other than Google is being used.”

With every word emphasized by the vice president, the executives gathered in the conference room said nothing.

─ ...

─ ...

─ ...

─ ...

─ ...

Silence.

PC search share down 17%.

Converted into revenue, that meant hundreds of millions of dollars had vanished into thin air.

But the mobile figures were even more terrifying.

As the vice president had said, half of the Android OS they themselves had made was using Search instead of Google.

That meant Google was losing the future of mobile altogether.

“...Are we just going to keep getting hit like this? Don’t you even have any pride?”

Bang!

The vice president slammed the table and shouted.

“Don’t we have any solution?! At this rate, Google might end up as just a company that runs YouTube and nothing else!”

Even after that cry, no one in the room could speak.

Not even the bosses and founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Given the situation, everyone wanted to blame the man who had caused this mess.

But Andy Rubin, the one who had allowed Search into Android, had already been fired long ago.

─ ...

─ ...

─ ...

─ ...

─ ...

Just then, while the heavy silence still hung over the room,

Knock, knock.

The conference room door opened carefully, breaking the icy stillness.

It was the head of the executive office.

The vice president, already in a foul mood, frowned at the uninvited interruption.

“Can’t you see we’re in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an important meeting? Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry, Vice President. And... Mr. Sergey.”

The secretary looked awkwardly toward Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, who sat in the seat of honor and had remained silent.

“This call is so important I felt I had to tell you myself, so I came in.”

“An important call?”

Sergey adjusted his glasses and asked casually,

“Who is it?”

“It’s Mark Zuckerberg from Facebook.”

“Zuckerberg?”

Sergey tilted his head, puzzled.

Facebook and Google.

Of course the titans of IT knew each other, but this wasn’t the kind of time for a personal call.

Besides, Google was in emergency mode right now.

“Tell him we’re busy and I’ll call back later.”

“Well... Mr. Zuckerberg insisted that he needs to speak right now. He says he wants to talk about Search.”

“...?”

The moment those words were spoken, Sergey’s expression changed.

Every other executive in the room turned to the secretary at once.

About Search?

Sergey’s mind raced.

Why was Zuckerberg from Facebook bringing up Google’s competitor, Search?

Could it be...?

Come to think of it, he’d heard rumors.

That Facebook was taking a beating because of Moment, the SNS released by Another Technology.

He’d also vaguely heard that it had lately become a laughingstock over some filter disaster or another.

Is that what this is?

* * *

At the same time, in another conference room at Google headquarters, the conversation was just beginning to move in a dangerous direction.