While the internet buzzed with praise for Samsung's new phones, CS Technologies quietly made a move of their own.
On Weibo, they posted a short update that instantly caught attention.
It had been a rough September for CS. Interest in their products had cooled, and the hype they once enjoyed was now focused elsewhere.
But hardcore fans hadn't gone anywhere.
These loyalists watched every post and teaser and jumped when they saw CS's new Weibo message.
"Strongest phone this year? We disagree. The second-generation Harmony X is faster, smarter, and loaded with more next-gen tech."
The post didn't name Samsung directly. But it didn't have to.
Everyone knew exactly who they were talking about.
The internet exploded.
Keyboard warriors descended on CS like flies.
"You think your Harmony phone can beat the Galaxy S6?"
"CS is getting cocky. Look at the gap between you and Samsung. Delusional."
"Try being a little self-aware next time."
The backlash was immediate and ruthless.
But that was the point.
Haifeng sat at his desk, scrolling through the trending comments on his phone, sipping tea from a cup poured by his secretary Xiao Ai.
He chuckled to himself.
"Well… that saves us a lot in ad spend."
It was classic bait marketing—cheap, efficient, and guaranteed to trend.
"Picking fights with big brands," he mused, "is still the cheapest form of PR."
Across the office, Zhao Lan, head of PR, came rushing in.
"President Lu, there's a wave of online criticism slamming us. Should we issue a response?"
Zhao looked deeply concerned. She knew how long they'd spent building CS's image—and how fast a tone-deaf post could unravel it.
The company looked arrogant, self-important, and out of touch.
If they didn't respond carefully, that perception could stick.
Haifeng paused, then said:
"Don't worry about the noise. This kind of attention is good for the Harmony X2."
"Go ahead and update our website with a few teasers. We want to keep the heat up."
Zhao hesitated but nodded.
She could see where this was going.
The next day, CS posted again.
This time, it was simple: a single image.
A close-up shot of a mobile processor, with one line printed clearly on the chip:
Kunpeng A2-8
In bold black letters above the image, one word: "Power."
Fans who followed CS closely knew precisely what they were looking at.
The Kunpeng A series was CS Semiconductor's custom chip line—homegrown, in-house, and designed for CS products only.
The "A2-8" designation meant an 8-core chip from the second-gen architecture.
It was not just any 8-core setup—this processor was optimized for graphics acceleration and gaming performance.
The moment fans saw it, reactions exploded.
"No way. They put this in the Harmony X2?"
"That explains the confidence. This isn't a bluff."
"Custom chip, custom OS… if this works, CS will stomp."
The keyboard warriors quieted down.
Suddenly, CS didn't seem so arrogant anymore.
By the third day, the anticipation had fully flipped.
Weibo was on fire. Netizens refreshed CS's page constantly, waiting for the next post.
And when it came… they were furious.
Why?
Because CS's new update only said:
"For more black-tech features, see you at the launch event: October 10th."
That was it.
No specs. No leaks. No more photos.
Just a date.
But even that was enough.
The tide had turned.
The narrative had shifted from mockery to anticipation.
Now, everyone wanted to know:
Could the Harmony X2 take down the Galaxy S6?
And Haifeng?
He'd already won—without spending a cent on marketing.