116

Chapter 116: Taking the Initiative, Ye Manman—Su Yan Has Connections in Han Country Too!

As Su Yan spoke, Hong Youbin seemed a little taken aback.

What could Smilegate possibly have of value?

There was no doubt—their entire focus was on Battlefield King. It was their last hope, with all the company's funds poured into developing it. Hong Youbin had been pinning his hopes on Battlefield King becoming a hit.

But here was Su Yan, a young man from China, expressing interest in CrossFire instead?

While Hong was surprised at Su Yan's fluency in Korean, he was even more shocked that a major company like Rongyan Investment would come all this way... just for a small, relatively insignificant studio game like CrossFire. No one had shown any interest in it up to this point. It was viewed as a subpar, low-quality game—a project Smilegate had practically written off.

"Young Master Su, are you sure you're talking about CrossFire?" Hong asked, incredulous.

"That's right," Su Yan replied calmly. He understood CrossFire better than anyone. Back when Tencent first partnered with Smilegate, Battlefield King was their main focus, while CrossFire was practically an afterthought, given away as a freebie.

But history had its surprises. Battlefield King faded into obscurity, while the fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping CrossFire skyrocketed to success, becoming the top FPS game in China. Tencent's success with three major titles—CrossFire, Dungeon Fighter, and League of Legends—was well-known.

While Su Yan had missed the boat on Dungeon Fighter, he was determined to get his hands on CrossFire and League of Legends.

Hong's initial skepticism grew. "But CrossFire is just a small, casual game we developed on a whim. It's nothing compared to Battlefield King. We're already negotiating with Tencent to let them handle it as a side project."

Su Yan smiled knowingly. Despite the changes his rebirth had caused, the major points of history remained the same. Tencent was still interested in Battlefield King, but only as a formality. Their real cash cow would be CrossFire, even if they didn't know it yet.

From the sidelines, Ye Manman watched the negotiation unfold, her heart pounding with admiration. At first, she thought Su Yan only knew a bit of Korean—enough to get by, maybe take a taxi or order food. But as he conversed fluently, discussing business terms with the head of Smilegate, she realized just how deep Su Yan's talents ran.

He wasn't just proficient in Korean; he was a true master of it, speaking with the ease and confidence of a native. Ye Manman couldn't help but marvel at how Su Yan seemed to excel in every field. Was there anything he couldn't do?

"For Tencent, whether they get CrossFire or not doesn't matter much," Su Yan said, his voice steady. "But for you, Mr. Hong, I'm sure we can work out a deal. Besides, I'm a major shareholder in Tencent. If I recommend Battlefield King to them, the partnership will be solidified."

Hong's expression shifted. He had momentarily forgotten that Su Yan wasn't just some businessman from China. He was a shareholder in both Tencent and Alibaba—a man with significant power in the tech and gaming world.

If Su Yan decided to pull the strings, Smilegate's Battlefield King could end up with a smaller company or even no publisher at all. If that happened, Smilegate's future prospects would look bleak.

"In that case..." Hong began, his voice more cautious. "What kind of licensing fee are you offering? How will the revenue be split?"

Su Yan waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not interested in a licensing deal. I want to buy CrossFire outright."

Hong's eyes widened. A buyout?

It was true that CrossFire was a minor project—just a small game Smilegate had developed on the side. It hadn't cost them much to make, and honestly, they didn't expect much from it. If Su Yan wanted to buy it outright, Smilegate would likely agree, but the price would be key.

"I'll offer two billion won," Su Yan said without hesitation.

Two billion won—roughly equivalent to 10 million yuan—was a staggering sum for a game like CrossFire, which had cost Smilegate less than half that to develop.

"What?!" Hong nearly jumped out of his chair. "Two billion won?!"

Su Yan nodded, smiling slightly at Hong's shock.

Hong's heart raced. Smilegate desperately needed money, and fast. The development of Battlefield King had drained their resources to the point of desperation. Never in his wildest dreams did Hong expect that CrossFire, a game they had considered little more than a failed experiment, could be sold for such a fortune.

He couldn't sign the contract fast enough. "I agree. Let's finalize the deal right now."

And just like that, after the paperwork was signed, CrossFire officially belonged to Su Yan.

As Hong stared at the two-billion-won payment confirmation, he felt a rush of exhilaration. Smilegate's financial crisis was resolved. Yet, somewhere deep in his heart, a faint sense of loss lingered. It was as though he had just given up something precious—something that would never return.

But the feeling passed quickly. With the money in hand, and Battlefield King poised for release in China, all he needed to do was sit back and collect his rewards.

Later that afternoon, Su Yan took Ye Manman to the luxurious Bulgari Hotel in Seoul. The city's vibrant energy was palpable, and even Ye Manman, who had seen her fair share of wealth, was dazzled by the upscale surroundings.

When they checked into their suite—100,000 yuan per night—Ye Manman headed for a shower. The heat in Seoul was unbearable. Emerging from the bathroom in a bathrobe, she saw Su Yan lounging on the sofa.

Smiling coyly, she walked over and sat on his lap. "Xiaoyan," she purred, "you're incredible. Speaking Korean so fluently, negotiating with them so smoothly—it's unbelievable."

Su Yan chuckled, pulling her closer. "Aunt Ye, we should freshen up. There's a dinner party tonight."

Ye Manman blinked in surprise. "A dinner party? Do you... have connections here in Han Country too?"

After what she had witnessed in Oshima, she knew Su Yan had powerful friends. Even Stanley Ho, the legendary gambling king, had personally met with him. But this? Su Yan's reach extended all the way to Korea?

Su Yan simply smiled. "You'll see."

Ye Manman felt a rush of excitement, but for now, her thoughts couldn't stay on the upcoming party. She had taken the initiative, and Su Yan responded in kind.

As Su Yan's thoughts briefly drifted to the potential meeting with Li Fuzhen that evening, he felt a thrill of anticipation. In his previous life, as an ordinary man, he could never have dreamed of crossing paths with someone like her. But now? Anything was possible.

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