er, as Su Cen and Tang Wu walked down the school slope together, Xue Yiyang even forgot to call out to Su Cen.Next to him, a brash basketball player who was close to Wang Haoran's Grade 2 clique snick...Chapter 142: Liberation

Sean Parker was at a lavish party in the west of California when he received a call from Zack. At this moment, he was among the young elites of California, discussing the direction of their respective companies, which involved millions and tens of millions of dollars in business transactions. The event also featured models from the famous lingerie brand "Victoria's Secret," wearing tight-fitting clothing that accentuated their fiery figures, flirting with a few noble youth from California.

One woman was playing with the necktie of a young man with sapphire blue eyes; their gaze held an irresistible allure. Such provocative scenes were plentiful here.

Sean Parker thought to himself that as Facebook grew, fame, status, and even beautiful women like these would come his way. If Zack had followed his advice, he and Zack might have become the talk of all American girls.

Seeing that it was a call from Zack, Sean walked to a corner of the club party where it was relatively quiet and answered the phone: "Zack, you should attend this gathering; the models here have talked about you. Do you know Victoria's Secret The models there are what every shut-in like yourself would dream of in all America. Maybe today will be a wonderful night if you join us."

But instead, Sean heard a slightly subdued tone on the other end: "Sean, I'm sorry."

This tone made Sean's heart sink; his sharp instincts picked up an unusual scent, "What happened"

"Sean, after we reached an agreement, I never told you that The Washington Post Group offered me a higher bid. Today they personally came to our company in Palo Alto, offering $16 million to acquire the 5% equity share in my and Su Cun's hands. I don't know how to handle this situation; I am caught between a moral dilemma."

Sean Parker sucked in a breath over the phone, narrowing his eyes. "The Washington Post Group Five percent… Hold on for a moment, I'll call you back."

He temporarily hung up and dialed a number from his contacts.

Jian Hua was in Las Vegas, gambling with an official from the mainland in a VIP room of one of the biggest casinos there. In this VIP room, chips were not exchanged for dollars but settled directly in RMB, with each session's stakes ranging around 100,000 to 200,000 yuan. Such sums would make any ordinary family back home gasp in awe. Even before reincarnation, a household like Su Can’s would be crushed under the weight of such amounts. But for Jian Hua, these were nothing.

Behind this VIP room, there were four Japanese maids dressed in kimonos, looking alluring and beautiful, with figures and faces that could only be found by picking them out from a thousand miles away in Japan. If Jian Hua and his guests wished to do so, they could turn around at any moment and take these four Japanese attendants wherever they pleased.

The phone rang, and during a brief pause in the game, Jian Hua picked it up. As he listened, his expression turned cold and stern. "Are you telling me that Mark Zuckerberg and Su Can accepted an investment from The Washington Post Has this group really invested so much for five percent equity"

But in the next moment, as if a dam had burst open, his expression froze, then shone with intelligence, and he smiled slightly. "Is that so… When did capitalists in Silicon Valley and Washington become so generous If it was only Zuck… He accepted an investment, this might be true. But what about that brat… Huh huh… Is he deliberately spreading confusion to make us lose our composure"

"If you’re so confident, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed," Sean Parker thought deeply. "Based on my observations, it’s very likely this is real. Perhaps The Washington Post Group has really accepted their offer."

"Sean, you haven't interacted with Su Cun in China, so you don't understand his mind. Never mention disappointment in front of me. This is just a smokescreen he's putting out there. Do you believe that a group which has controlled the Washington Post for nearly a century would offer such a price for a company like this one, with its small scale and short time in operation Believe me, these are not thrill-seeking venture capitalists; typically, they invest more cautiously, backed by countless analysts' opinions. The probability of them making such an offer is extremely low."

Sean continued, "Mr. Zhan, you don't often stay in America and aren't aware of the current situation regarding Facebook's influence on American campuses..."

"I have no interest in discussing any information about these websites. What I know is enough. All I know is that it isn't worth as much money as they claim. And when can you secure it for me"

Zhan Hua paused before saying, "Sit tight and wait. As long as we don't intervene, their inflated bubble will burst on its own. I'm looking forward to seeing the smart-aleck having to come crawling to me in a bind. At that time, I'll personally host a grand banquet at the top floor of Treasure Island Hotel for the signing ceremony, welcoming Facebook's two founders... Haha..."

After hanging up the phone, Zhan Hua, standing beside a vice-minister-level official in his mid-forties, smiled faintly. "Business"

"It could be considered as such," replied Zhan Hua, lighting up a cigar and exhaling smoke through the window at Las Vegas which looked like an earthly street market. "Does Minister Wang know why there hasn't been any truly meaningful or sizable mafia presence in Las Vegas since the 1970s"

"Oh Tell me more."

"The rise of casinos in Las Vegas occurred after World War II, when property prices skyrocketed and population grew. However, due to banks refusing loans for gambling operations, there was a rampant spread of organized crime here during the 1950s, financing dirty nightclubs, hotels, and casinos. Later on, in the sixties, Nevada passed legislation allowing casino operators to raise money through stock exchanges. This allowed entrepreneurs to extensively reconstruct or replace the outdated nightclubs and hotels, while the mafia couldn't compete with the financial power of these companies. By the late seventies, they were forced out of Las Vegas by Wall Street's immense capital."

Zhan Hua pinched the cigar in his hand and said, "Capital has a power that can break through anything. In this era where capital is king and cash rules, those two youngsters will inevitably feel the overwhelming force of funding and bow before me."

Sean had a different perspective from Zhan Hua; he knew Zack quite well and was aware that this matter was highly likely to be true. This made him subconsciously think of Su Cen's face, and he couldn't help but smile wryly. It seemed like he still lost by one move.

Sean called Zack again, and Zack's voice came through the phone. However, this time there were no sobs, only a very low tone, "Sean, are you disappointed"

"No, Zack. You're only twenty years old. When you call me, it's not to tell me that you've decided to accept The Washington Post’s investment; instead, you want to discuss this matter with me. This is quite rare among the venture capitalists I deal with and my former website partners. Zack, this is great. I hope you continue to uphold this quality. Regarding that $16 million for 5% equity investment, does this money mean a lot to you"

"Yes, The Washington Post’s investment will prevent me and Su from facing losses or being forced into debt."

"Then I’ll help you out of your moral dilemma," Sean smiled beneath his usual curly hair. At that moment, it was irrelevant whether he believed in anything, the venture capitalists weighing on him, or all those harsh stories.

“Go ahead with it. Accept the investment and grow this company. I used to have a dream about my music website; yes, this dream ultimately failed. But from you, I see even greater potential and an even brighter future. I hope you don't fall into the trap of partners and venture capitalists like me did. I wish you all the best for further success. Someday, wherever I am, people will talk about your ideals and your partnership."

"Finally," Sean said with a sense of release, "please tell Su that he is indeed very capable; I concede defeat."ngcheng—this would seem monstrous.Especially considering Tang Wu’s mother's background in judicial and procuratorial systems; Su Can’s revealed strength wouldn’t be easy to hide from her. But this was...