My capital is quite large.

Chapter 129 Get on the bus first, pay the ticket later

Seeing Zhang Xinyu's charmingly anxious expression about the company's tight cash flow, Li Feng chuckled.

"Xinyu, when doing big business, you need to have a long-term vision. Don't be intimidated by the accounts in front of you."

"We can't come up with that 3 billion yuan all at once right now. But who told you the payment for this deal is due tomorrow?"

Zhang Xinyu was stunned for a moment, somewhat bewildered: "Boss, since they're in a hurry to cash out and recoup their losses, it's definitely a matter of the highest bidder winning, cash on delivery."

"Do you think this kind of large-scale cross-border equity transaction is like going to the market to buy vegetables?"

Li Feng shook his head, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes.

"Vivendi is just releasing information to test the market's reaction and floor price."

"From sending our team to make initial contact, signing confidentiality agreements, conducting multiple rounds of financial and legal due diligence, to the bargaining between the two sides at the negotiating table, and finally going through the lengthy anti-monopoly review and foreign exchange supervision processes in both countries."

"With this series of cross-border acquisitions, the actual equity transfer and fund disbursement will likely be delayed for at least another year!"

"That means it won't be until the end of next year at the earliest that this money actually leaves our account."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xinyu's captivating eyes lit up!

A one-year time difference?!

If it's a shortfall of 1.5 billion right now, Haofeng would indeed be in a bit of a bind.

However, if Haofeng is given a year to buffer, with the current net inflow of 20 to 30 million US dollars per month from its overseas game matrix, plus the revenue-generating capacity of its various domestic businesses, it will be able to achieve its goals.

In a year, let alone a shortfall of 1.5 billion, even if it doubles, Haofeng Network can squeeze it out from between its fingers!

"Not only that."

Li Feng surprisingly revealed his true intentions.

"Do you really think that by spending 3 billion to buy this 3% stake, I intend to hold it long-term and become a hands-off mascot minority shareholder for Blizzard?"

"Acoustic Blizzard is too big. The stock price of such an established giant on Nasdaq rises at a snail's pace. Holding its stock long-term results in an appallingly low capital utilization rate. It is not a worthwhile investment."

Zhang Xinyu was confused: "If you don't want to hold it long-term, why did you spend 3 billion to buy it?"

"For that key that lets me in!"

Li Feng stood up, a sly glint in his eyes.

"Blizzard's management team has always treated their intellectual property as sacred and inviolable works of art."

"Since they won't open the door when I knock, I'll just buy these 3% of the shares and sit on their board of directors!"

"Once I have internal say and the right to make proposals with shareholders, I'll see if those executives still have the confidence to refuse my proposal for IP adaptation rights!" Li Feng added, as if he had just thought of something.

"Moreover, Vivendi wants to sell its shares to cash out, while Blizzard's management dreams of buying back the shares to redeem themselves and achieve true independence."

"Once I get the authorization, I can easily sell this 3% stake to Blizzard's management at the original price or even a premium!"

"Where else in the world can you find a deal like this where you get something for nothing?"

Using 3 billion as a stake, you can not only get what you want for free, but also take back your principal and interest when you leave, and even skin the other party alive!

"Boss, what's wrong with your brain...?" Zhang Xinyu looked at Li Feng with starry eyes.

"Alright, stop flattering me."

Li Feng waved his hand. "Immediately notify the overseas investment department to assemble a multinational M&A team and fly to Paris, France and California, USA to make contact with Vivendi and Activision Blizzard!"

"Remember, adopt a strong stance and tell them that Haofeng Network is determined to get that 3% stake! Secure your position first and squeeze out the other competitors!"

"Yes! I'll arrange it right away!" Zhang Xinyu accepted the order and quickly walked out of the office.

……

Immediately afterwards, Li Feng pressed the internal phone button.

"Old Chen, come to my office right away."

A few minutes later, Lao Chen, the technical director of the game department, walked in carrying several reports.

"Mr. Li, you wanted to see me?"

"The card game project that I asked you to stop before can now be restarted," Li Feng said bluntly.

Old Chen paused for a moment, then scratched his head somewhat awkwardly: "Mr. Li, are you talking about that card game that wants to use the World of Warcraft IP for its character skins? But... didn't Blizzard just sternly reject our licensing application a few months ago? Without their permission, if we use those art assets and names, Blizzard's legal department will definitely sue us into bankruptcy!"

"You don't need to worry about the authorization. I'll handle it myself." Li Feng's tone was full of confidence.

"Old Chen, when developing a product, don't always wait until everything is perfect before taking action. In the internet age, it's all about timing!"

"I want you to set up a dedicated R&D team right now and recreate the world of World of Warcraft, its heroes, and card stats, in this game codenamed Hearthstone, in its original form!"

Old Chen was horrified; this was blatant copyright infringement!

"Mr. Li, what if Blizzard finds out about this..."

"So what if I know?"

Li Feng interrupted him, "We call this 'get on the bus first, buy the ticket later'!"

"By the time you guys have polished the game to a near-perfect finish, my deal to buy Blizzard shares will have been finalized long ago."

"I'll personally negotiate with Mike Mohan and his old fogies! They'll have to sign the licensing agreement, whether they like it or not!"

With the boss's strong and confident backing, Old Chen's concerns vanished!

If the boss can even force his way into Blizzard's board of directors, what do the tech guys below him have to be afraid of?

"Understood! Mr. Li! With your word, the brothers will start the project tonight! We will definitely create this masterpiece of card games for you!" Old Chen excitedly made a pledge.

……

Just as Haofeng Network in Jinling was sharpening its knives, preparing to launch a "base raid" against Blizzard across the ocean.

Fiyta Building, Nanshan District, Shenzhen.

The atmosphere inside the highest-level conference room at Penguin headquarters was somewhat somber.

Rumors of Vivendi's plans to sell a 3% stake in Blizzard have naturally reached Tencent, the dominant gaming company in China.

"Mr. Ma, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

The Senior Vice President of Tencent Investment Department enthusiastically proposed, "Blizzard is the absolute icon of PC games worldwide! If Tencent can seize this opportunity to acquire this 3% stake, it will not only greatly enhance our prestige in the international capital market, but also allow us to penetrate the internal ecosystem of a top-tier company!"

However, Pony Ma, sitting in the main seat, only gave a cold sneer when he heard the suggestion.

"Exploring the internal ecosystem? Elevating its sophistication?"

Pony Ma looked at the vice president as if he were an idiot, and poured a bucket of cold water on him:

"Spending nearly 3 billion RMB to buy a 3% stake that even the board of directors can't influence? Do you think Tencent's money grows on trees?!"

"Mr. Ma, but that's Blizzard's IP after all..." the vice president tried to argue.

"IP? What use would you have for that IP?!"

Pony Ma slammed his fist on the table. "The most profitable PC game distribution rights for World of Warcraft in China are held by Ding Lei of NetEase! We've spent 3 billion, and at best we can only get a verbal IP license!"

"Do you really expect that after obtaining this license, our various studios at Tencent will have to spend another three to five years developing a large-scale 3D Chinese-style PC game to compete with NetEase's original World of Warcraft?!"

"Unless Vivendi is willing to sell absolute control of Blizzard to Tencent, whoever wants to be a sucker spending 3 billion to buy a hollow title can have it!"

After decisively rejecting the proposal to invest in Blizzard, Pony Ma stood up and swept his sharp gaze across the room.

After the devastating defeats in the "3Q War" and Tencent Weibo, this internet giant is experiencing an unprecedented crisis.

He knew very well that on the PC-based social networking platform, Tencent had already lost to Haofeng's Weibo.

If it cannot find a breakthrough weapon in the next era, Tencent's social foundation will sooner or later be completely devoured by Li Feng's ecosystem matrix!

"Get your attention back on those cumbersome, overseas PC games!"

Pony Ma placed his hands on the conference table and unveiled a strategy that would determine the life or death of penguins over the next decade.

"Our top priority isn't buying shares, but solidifying our social media foundation!"

"The era of mobile internet is just around the corner, and we must secure that crucial ticket before Haofeng Networks does!"

Pony Ma's gaze was fixed on Zhang Xiaolong, the head of the Guangzhou R&D Center, who was sitting in the corner.

"In Guangzhou, there's that 'minimalist instant messaging software' project you previously submitted, which is based on mobile smartphones."

"Starting today, the entire organization's resources will be prioritized for you!"

"This project will be codenamed—[WeChat]!"