King of the Wilderness

Chapter 460: Chapter 256: Massive Extortion! (Bonus Chapter for the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the War of Resistance)

”In summary, my client, Mr. Lin Yu’an, remains open to becoming your company’s brand ambassador.”

”The price is not expensive either.”

”You only need to pay for each of the three reasons mentioned above.”

”We think you might want to consider the parent company’s stock, so to compensate for the larger losses you’re going to face, this requires seven million.”

”To fend off your competitors, it also needs seven million. To compensate for the official damage to my client, it requires three million.”

Matty’s voice was calm, as if calculating a simple arithmetic problem.

Matty paused, and calmly announced a number that could make anyone’s heart stop.

”Total, one year, seventeen million US Dollars. Pre-tax.”

”Absurd!!”

This time, the one who shouted was not the Chief Financial Officer, but the Legal Director Helen!

She could no longer maintain professional composure, stood up abruptly, her voice sharp with anger, ”Mr. Singh! This is extortion! Seventeen million?!”

”Do you know what this number means? It is higher than the quarterly marketing budget of our biggest competitor!”

The Chief Financial Officer also added with a pale face, ”This price, the board of directors will absolutely not approve! Marcus, we cannot...”

Marcus raised his hand to stop his words. His expression had returned from previous shock to an almost numb calm. He knew the real battle was just beginning.

”Why is it impossible?” Matty coldly looked at the overexcited Helen, ”I just used your own data evaluation logic for each of the pricing.”

”Seven million, buy out a globally unique hardcore idol image endorsed by Justin Bieber personally, preventing him from choosing the shares of Mountain Rat, do you think it’s expensive?”

”Another seven million, buy out a cultural totem that can leverage the entire Chinese market, preventing him from accepting the Old Man’s Head on that mountain, do you think it’s expensive?”

”Finally three million,” his tone carried a hint of mockery, ”buy back the brand reputation that you almost completely collapsed due to your own foolishness.”

”Protect the stock price of your parent company, and the jobs of everyone present. Frankly, I think this price is too cheap.”

Matty leaned back on the chair, fingers crossed, like a king confident of victory.

”Seventeen million, buy out Mr. Lin’s future commercial value for three years, furthermore buy out Archaeopteryx’s brand reputation for the next ten years. I personally think this price is very fair.”

The meeting room fell into another suffocating silence.

Marcus didn’t speak, he was in the midst of a celestial battle.

He knew that seventeen million was a number deliberately thrown out by Matty, that old fox, impossible to accept, and meant to humiliate them.

But he also knew that he had no leverage left for negotiation. All the conditions held by the opponent were like the sword of Damocles hanging over all their heads.

He began to quickly calculate in his mind, the highest authority given by the board was around ten million.

But the current situation had completely exceeded the scope of conventional business negotiations. This was a war to prevent further losses.

He must secure a seemingly victorious result that he can explain to the board for himself and the entire team.

”...Mr. Singh,” Marcus finally spoke, his voice hoarse and weary, ”Seventeen million is impossible, you and I both know it.”

He raised his head, looking directly into Matty’s eyes, beginning his difficult step-by-step bargaining.

”However, I admit that our previous offer lacked sincerity. I can, within the highest authority of my position, raise the offer to nine million, which is a number I can decide on immediately.”

Matty Singh, upon hearing this, just sneered and was even too lazy to negotiate personally. He signaled to a young lawyer behind him.

”Mr. Weber,” the young lawyer sounded like a precise quoting machine, his voice icy, ”We refuse, the first price we can accept now is sixteen million.”

”Ten million fifty thousand!” Archaeopteryx’s Chief Financial Officer immediately responded, trying to hold the last defense line.

”Fifteen million.” Matty responded without hesitation.

”Moreover, the personnel changes requested by Mr. Lin must be copied to my office via internal email within 24 hours after the contract is signed.”

Marcus’s heart was bleeding! He glanced at the Legal Director Helen beside him, who shook her head at him helplessly.

”...Okay, we agree to the personnel changes condition.” Marcus said painfully, ”But fifteen million is still not possible, we really need to apply to the board...”

”Then go apply.” Matty seemed to feel the timing was right, he slowly stood up, adjusted his suit, and made a posture of preparing to leave.

”It seems our differences are still too big, today’s negotiation can end here. I’m sorry, Mr. Weber. But perhaps this is also a good thing.”

He walked to the door, turned around, and showed a playful smile on his face.

”This way, I’ll have enough time to book a flight to Stockholm.”

Marcus knew this was the final ultimatum!

”Wait!” Marcus suddenly stood up!

He knew, if today Matty Singh walked out of this office, then the brand reputation of Archaeopteryx and the resulting chain reaction would lead to catastrophic stock price drops!

He took a deep breath, almost squeezing out that painful number through gritted teeth.

”...Thirteen million five hundred thousand.”

”Mr. Singh, this is the final and only price I can offer! It has already exceeded all the authorization given to me by the board! I need to assume a great personal risk for this!”

Matty Singh stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at the nearly collapsing German in front of him. He knew the psychological defenses of the other party were stretched to their limits.

Fifteen million, that’s his psychological bottom line.

He slowly walked back to the meeting table, but did not sit down, instead, he looked down at Marcus from above.

”Mr. Weber, I have noticed your efforts.” For the first time, there was a slight softening in his tone, ”Alright, seeing your sincerity, I am willing to take a step back as well.”

”Fourteen million, that’s my final offer. If you agree, we can draft the agreement now. If not...” he pointed towards the door.

The conference room fell into the final suffocating decision-making moment.

Marcus’s mind was racing. Fourteen million... was fifty thousand more than his internal final bottom line of thirteen and a half million, which he would have to bear great risk.

That fifty thousand US Dollar was like an insurmountable celestial chasm.

To preserve everything now, he even had an incredibly crazy and absurd thought, should I... should I personally make up that damn fifty thousand?

This thought flashed by and was quickly extinguished by him. It was not only foolish but also meaningless. It wasn’t a question of money, but of principle and authorization.

But the emergence of this thought was enough to prove how cornered he was.

He needed a reason, a reason that would allow the board to accept this fourteen million. A reason that would spare him and the entire team from being nailed to the pillar of shame.

At this moment, the previously silent Matty Singh seemed to have seen through his thoughts and nonchalantly offered a step like casual chat.

”Of course, Mr. Weber,” he said slowly, ”there’s something I think you have the right to know.”

”My client, Mr. Lin Yu’an, just this morning, officially signed a global exclusive agency contract with CAA.”

Marcus’s pupils contracted sharply!

Matty continued, as if sharing an inconsequential good news: ”CAA has a very clear plan for Mr. Lin’s future development, which includes securing important roles for him in A-level Hollywood productions.”

”So...” Matty’s lips curled into a devilish smile.

”What you are signing today is not just an outdoor influencer. You are potentially signing a future Hollywood star about to appear on the global big screen.”

”Imagine when a global blockbuster grossing several billion US Dollars is released and the tough guy role in it is your global ambassador...”

He didn’t continue, but the explosive commercial value contained in that sentence was like the most powerful shot of adrenaline that penetrated straight into Marcus’s heart!

So that’s it!

Marcus instantly understood! All their previous assessments were limited to the realm of influencer economy. And CAA’s involvement elevated Lin Yu’an’s value to an entirely new dimension!

This information, this Hollywood bargaining chip, was the perfect reason he had been searching for to explain to the board!

”...Deal.”

He almost blurted out the word, his voice carrying a hint of post-calamity relief and joy.

He knew he had lost. Completely defeated.

But from another perspective, he seemed to have won. Not only had he successfully negotiated the absurd seventeen million down to fourteen million.

More importantly, he found a reason for this astronomical contract that could convince anyone!

He was even somewhat grateful to Matty Singh, this old fox, who after completely raiding him, still considerately left him a path home.

And he would never know that thirteen million was the true bottom line Matty Singh had in mind from the moment he sat at the negotiation table.

That evening, in Alaska, Wiseman.

The flames in the fireplace roared, illuminating the whole wooden cabin as warm as spring.

On the large bed in the ground floor bedroom, Lin Yu’an had just celebrated the good news with his family, and the blush on Aliya and Emily’s faces had not yet faded.

The satellite phone rang again, it was Matty Singh.

”Lin, it’s done.” Matty’s voice carried a hint of relief after a victorious battle.

”The final price, three years, fourteen million US Dollars per year, and they agreed to all the personnel transfer requests you made. The final version of the contract has been sent to your email.”

”Fourteen million?” Lin Yu’an’s breath involuntarily paused. This number still exceeded his boldest expectations.

”Thank you, Matty. You’ve completely exceeded my expectations,” Lin Yu’an said sincerely.

”It’s my job,” Matty said, with a hint of a smile in his tone.

”Now, with the farce over, let’s talk about something more interesting, how to legally and reasonably keep as much of this money in your pocket as possible.”

”Of course, now’s when I start charging fees.”

Lin Yu’an immediately felt invigorated; reasonable tax avoidance is always the most valuable lesson.

”No problem, Matty, I’m all ears.”

Matty’s voice turned into that of a teacher guiding a student: ”You must understand a basic principle, the money paid by Archaeopteryx should never be directly transferred to your account in the United States.”