Chapter 125: Useless Effort?

“Is Legion Ant Company’s Chinese Character Programming Language a joke this time?”

“It’s hard to say. I feel Legion Ant Company has more tricks up its sleeve.”

“I think it’s unlikely. If Chinese programming were that easy, it wouldn’t be so hard to really promote it now.”

…

In a newspaper office’s work area, a group of people sat together, eating boxed lunches and discussing recent hot topics. These hot topics were their bread and butter.

Now they went wherever there was news. Getting together for a meal was a luxury.

“Big news, come take a look!” a young man shouted from his computer while the others were talking.

“What news?” The group immediately gathered around him with their lunch boxes.

“Legion Ant released teaching materials and a compiler for the Chinese Character Programming Language, all for free,” said the young man at the computer.

“Legion Ant Company is really hitting back this time. Write an article now. I want to see the draft for this news report within three minutes,” the editor who had rushed over told the reporter holding a lunch box.

“Can’t even eat in peace.” Everyone groaned and returned to their workstations.

Legion Ant released the full set of teaching materials and compiler for the programming language, all for free. This news soon gained attention online.

Within just an hour, it strongly took the top spots on various media platforms.

Just yesterday, some people were criticizing the programming language, saying it was just a few random words, and many mocked it. But today, Legion Ant Company published the full set of teaching books, completely free.

Experts who had mocked Legion Ant Company had their faces slapped hard. Many experts’ Weibo accounts were flooded, all with the same mocking comments.

“Let me tell you a joke: experts! Hahaha!”

“Legion Ant’s slap in the face really stings, but I like it.”

“Legion Ant: Expert, please hold out your face so I can slap it. Expert: I don’t want to lose face!”

“Chen Mo developed the Army Ant System, Artificial Intelligence, and the Chinese Character Programming Language. What right do you, an expert, have to talk?”

…

After the full set of teaching books was released, various experts fell silent. Those netizens who had mocked Legion Ant Company all hid and did not dare to show themselves.

Netizens’ attention soon turned to the books released by Legion Ant Company.

The programming language teaching books and compiler were out, meaning this Chinese Character Programming Language was fully mature. And just like the initial programming language, the author of these books was Chen Mo.

The entire Chinese Character Programming Language system was created by Chen Mo alone. He was the second individual to develop a Chinese programming language after Wu Tao, who created Easy Language.

The news quickly spread abroad. The story that Huaxia had developed its second complete computer programming language rapidly gained traction.

“Second Chinese Programming Language?” — The Washington Post

“Chinese Character Programming Language Not Very Useful!” — The Guardian

“Why Doesn’t the Island Nation Have Its Own Programming Language?” — Asahi Shimbun

Foreign media reports were filled with sour tones, all belittling the Chinese Character Programming Language. Some praised Legion Ant Company, but those voices were soon drowned out by the negative ones.

“E Language was a complete copy of C/C++, with almost identical usage. Now another language pops up. It’s probably copied again. Huaxia really is the kingdom of knockoffs.”

“With the current internet environment, this language can’t be fully promoted. In short, it’s useless.”

“Who would spend time learning a completely unfamiliar programming language with an uncertain future?”

There were many critics. Even though it was fully developed, the prospects for the Chinese Character Programming Language were still not seen as good. The usage habits of current computer programming languages were already set.

Some domestic experts also seized the moment to attack Legion Ant Company over the issue of it not being widely adopted. But their words were automatically ignored. No one cared about these fake experts—they were just clowns seeking attention.

But they didn’t understand: would Chen Mo really put in so much effort for something useless? Absolutely not.

The focus of everyone’s attention was on Chen Mo, the creator of the programming language.

Many people realized that the founding of Legion Ant Company wasn’t just about Zhao Min, the manager. Chen Mo, the Chairman, was the key figure.

Aside from the news about the Chinese Character Programming Language, most media focused on Chen Mo himself.

Various reports about Chen Mo were rampant.

Over the next few days, although the protagonist of the event was not seen in public, his legend was always present.

Chen Mo, who had been hiding in the Laboratory, looked contentedly at the Robot in front of him. During this time, Ink Girl controlled Robots to assemble more Robots. Now the third Robot was taking shape.

In the Laboratory, he was effectively freeing up productivity.

From now on, he wouldn’t have to do many things himself. He could just let Ink Girl control the Robots to produce. They could work non-stop for long periods without getting tired—an efficiency he could never match.

For example, in making the Seismograph, aside from necessary preparations, many tasks could already be handed over to the Robots.

“Brother Mo, Xiaoyu has entered the office area,” Ink Girl said while he was admiring the Robot.

“Time to clock out. Ink Girl, keep assembling Robots while I’m away.”

Chen Mo checked the time, took off his lab coat, put away his tools, and left the Laboratory. As soon as he stepped out, he saw Xiaoyu walking toward him.

“Time to go home.”

“Let’s go.” Chen Mo smiled slightly.

“Today, a publisher contacted us. They want to publish the tutorial for the Chinese Character Programming Language that you released,” Xiaoyu said.

“A publisher? That could work.” Chen Mo nodded. Since he was promoting the Chinese Character Programming Language, having it published was another channel.

Once he decided to release the Chinese Character Programming Language, he didn’t want it to gather dust. Promotion was necessary.

“Since the materials are free online, the price of the physical book will be lower. They proposed a 50-50 split. The publisher takes 50%, and they cover printing and promotion costs.”

“Okay.”

Chen Mo agreed immediately. He wasn’t short on money now, so the royalty amount wasn’t that important. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have released the compiler and teaching materials for free online.

“I remember that Chinese Character Programming Language was something you were working on in the school shop back then, right?” Xiaoyu asked.

“My Xiaoyu has a good memory.” Chen Mo laughed.

“You kept it from me back then, and I was foolishly kept in the dark. Hmph.” Xiaoyu snorted lightly.

“I was punished for keeping it from you. Remember?” Chen Mo looked at her strangely.

Seeing his gaze, Xiaoyu’s cheeks flushed red, and she quickly changed the subject: “Tomorrow is the weekend, no overtime. What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll go buy groceries.”

“That’s a question.” Chen Mo thought seriously for a moment. “We didn’t get to eat fish last time. I feel like having fish tonight.”

Eat fish? Hearing these two words, the hand Xiaoyu was holding trembled violently. The blush on her cheeks spread all the way down to her neck.

“Then I’ll go buy some.” Xiaoyu bit her lip and said with her head down, “For you to eat.”