<h4>Chapter 1111: Chapter 971: Lion’s Big Ask</h4><h4></h4>


    Since there was no press conference,


    it was just a letter from the Company.


    Thus,


    only a handful of people knew about Tang Qing’s proposed acquisition of ARM,


    and most of those in the know thought Tang Qing was overconfident, wanting to "bring glory to Huaxia," and didn’t take it seriously. Tang Qing’s stock market acquisition moves, however, piqued the interest of many.


    They believed Tang Qing couldn’t possibly take over ARM


    because it was a Huaxia enterprise.


    Regardless of Western countries’ technology embargoes against Huaxia, the major semiconductor giants alone would never agree.


    Should the acquisition fail,


    or should Tang Qing think it impossible to seed,


    he would definitely sell off his stocks and exit the market. Therefore, this rising stock trend had no real support and was merely incidental. With that being the case, why not make a profit while one can?


    This analysis result


    was exactly what Tang Qing wanted.


    After all, the less spent the better. With ARM’s stock price now inted, the acquisition for ERV would be wasteful, and Tang Qing was to y the role of a passionate acquirer.


    Thus,


    with this general consensus,


    institutional investors didn’t push further, and ARM’s stock price rally came to a halt. But that massive buy order was still hanging every day; the stock had risen fifteen percent that week, and thetest day’s price drop stimted many.


    Just like that,


    in everyone’s almost joking trading,


    Tang Qing’spany kept absorbing chips and repeatedly submitted acquisition proposals to ARM, with the offer climbing from two billion to now twenty-five billion dors, which greatly irritated ARM.


    They said they were not selling anymore.


    Yet the offers kepting.


    Even if they were to sell,


    they wouldn’t sell to a Huaxiapany. However, despite the annoyance, it was a nice problem to have, as Tang Qing’s increasing offers also meant an increasing valuation for theirpany.


    The stock price had risen by more than ten percent.


    So,


    it was a pleasant nuisance. From a different perspective, ARM found Tang Qing’s maneuvers beneficial to theirpany’s interests and didn’t hold as much resentment anymore.


    But as for acquisition,


    forget about it.


    ...


    September 14th.


    United States.


    New York.


    The strategic financing negotiations for ERV began.


    Unlike Tang Qing’s low-key approach to acquiring ARM,


    ERV made a high-profile announcement to the media about this strategic financing n, which was reported by media from various countries.


    "ERV announces the initiation of its first round of strategic financing, with participating intepanies and investment banks. Earlier, Sequoia Capital’s five-billion-dor offer for fifty percent of ERV shares was rejected." ---Associated Press.


    "Apple Inc. will participate in this round of ERV strategic financing, preparing to invest two billion dors. ERV’s chairman expressed interest. Apple Inc.’s stock price rose by 1.7 percent at the opening, stimted by this positive news." ---Reuters.


    "Warren Buffett stated that if ERV goes public, he wouldmit one billion dors to stock investment." ---The Times.


    "ERV has opened the road to financing - will the next inte legend be born from this?" ---Xinhua News Agency.


    "......."


    Strategic financing.


    Different from regr financing,


    strategic financing takes ce when apany is in no shortage of operating capital and seeks to develop by selling shares or engaging in share swaps to introduce new shareholders.


    It’s financing aimed at achieving strategic coboration.


    To put it inly,


    it means "I don’tck money,


    but I think you as a shareholder could be beneficial to mypany, so I’m willing to allow you to engage in certain stock transactions with me. Under the premise of mutual benefit, both parties can establish strategic cooperation."


    With the news out,


    all sorts of creatures emerged from the woodwork.


    And the rumors were flying everywhere.


    Some said ERV’s chairman was preparing to cash out eighty percent of his shares. Others suggested the introduction of strategic investors was a result of threats from major giants, culminating in apromise.


    There were even rumors that ERV had inted its ounts, and its profits weren’t as high as imed.


    Whether these statements were true or false remained unknown.


    But.


    Everyone knew one thing.


    That was that ERV had finally taken that step, possessing the powerful golden source of "Warfire," along with their pioneering live broadcast software business model, plus their own excellent Inte technology, they were bound to be a behemoth in the future.


    Just like that.


    ERV dominated the global financial news of the day.


    Many journalists were waiting outside ERV’s doors for thetest news.


    ...


    But at ERV’s headquarters.


    The first phase of negotiation had reached a ’deadlock.’


    "This is impossible. If we calcte it your way, ERV’s valuation has already surpassed fifty billion dors. Before this, Sequoia Capital’s valuation was also around twelve billion dors."


    After hearing the fighter’s financing n, the person in charge at Sequoia Capital became instantly anxious.


    At first.


    When they heard the strategic financing scale of ten billion dors.


    Many people were all smiles.


    Because it meant that ERV was willing to part with a significant portion of its shares for financing, a prospect they had long coveted. But the reality was far from what they had expected—the other party was only willing to part with twenty percent of the shares.


    This meant.


    ERV’s self-valuation had reached fifty billion dors, a clear case of intense demand, and the amount was so staggering, it waspletely uneptable to them, especially since the dor was very valuable at that moment.


    "Sir, wee with sincere intentions for coboration, but your asking price, we cannot see any sincerity in it," Samsung’s representative was the second to oppose.


    "That’s right, this is outright extortion," SoftBank’s representative spoke third.


    "If that’s the case, there’s no need to continue our negotiations," Apple fourth.


    ...


    At the negotiation table, ’excessivenguage’ has always been a strategy or rather, a necessary ’lubricant.’ In such critical negotiations, it’s unlikely to just walk away after a few words.


    Inside the conference room.


    Everyone was verbally criticizing the fighter for his excessive appetite.


    But they remained seated quite firmly.


    The fighter, unfazed.


    ying the psychological game.


    These so-called experienced folks were simply no match; a fifty-billion-dor valuation clearly was wide of the mark, but it was not without foundation—in fact, it might just be a slight premium.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please hear me out."


    The fighter pressed his hand down, his powerful presence and gaze instantly making the representatives of eachpany stop.


    Especially the manager from IDG Group.


    He had experienced this fighter’s negotiation skills firsthand.


    Originally, IDG wanted to invest in ERV. In the end, though, they formed a joint technologypany, which now has a modest reputation in the industry and carries out several confidential software projects for the U.S. military.


    "Our valuation, which some of you may find exaggerated, I ask you to look at this document beforementing. These are some of ERV’s secrets, which we ask you not to disclose. We will make them public at the right time."


    Having said that.


    The fighter signaled to a deputy general manager with his eyes.


    That fighter began distributing documents to the representatives of eachpany. Momentster, the conference room was filled with continuous exmations as they caught sight of ERV’s asset summary.


    That long list.


    A catalog of thirty-fivepanies made them gasp. They were not surprised by the number ofpanies, as that had been investigated before and held no surprise.


    What surprised them was.


    After eachpany’s name in the catalogue, a high valuation was added, ranging from a billion or two to several tens of billions, with ERV’s gamepany ranked first.


    That was the sole game they operated, "Warfire."


    Valued at twenty billion dors.


    After seeing the third-quarter financial report in advance, they felt this was a fair price and not a case of excessive demands. If the profits for "Warfire" after taxes in ’06 were to exceed 1.8 billion dors, as stated.


    Such a profit margin.


    For apany established just over a year.


    freewēbnove?


    Was nothing short of insane.


    And ranked second was the live broadcasting software, which had been separated from the gamepany for independent operation. Though it had beenunched shortly, its monthly profits had already broken twenty million dors.


    If everything went as nned, ERV estimated, the annual profits wouldn’t be less than five hundred million dors. Therefore, thepany was valued at eighty billion dors, which seemed a bit inted, but with good prospects, it wasn’t too much to ask.


    As for the third-ranked U.S. United Technology Company, also in coboration with IDG, was valued at seventy billion dors. After reading the introduction, it seemed... not too outrageous.


    Because ERV ounted for the Optimization Algorithm.


    It was transferred to thispany, after so long in cooperation, ERV authorized them to use this algorithm to optimize their games and programs, as well as other optimization projects, which could also generate a profit of a hundred million dors a year.


    Considering the value of the algorithm.


    And taking into ount the many highly profitable military projects they undertook, calcting this way... was simply damn outrageous.


    They found their thoughts were following the text.


    They came to push down the price, not to nod and hand over money. After swiftly finishing their reading, suppressing the shock in their hearts, they were ready to ’argue’ with the fighter, but s, their momentum was shattered by the data and could not be restored.