Free Web NovelWhen I returned to the meeting room, I immediately sensed something off.
The atmosphere felt... strange.
For some reason, Zhang Zhidong looked irritated, and Ma Huateng’s expression was equally grim.
“Do you need time to align your opinions?”
I asked from the doorway without ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) entering.
“N-No. Please, let’s continue.”
Zhang Zhidong waved his hands awkwardly, forcing a smile.
“Then I’ll take my seat.”
We sat facing each other again. Manager Ma stood behind me just as before—silent, unmoving, and imposing.
He stared down at Ma Huateng and Zhang Zhidong with a cold, cutting gaze.
It must have bothered them, because Zhang Zhidong subtly suggested:
“Um... the gentleman behind you can sit as well.”
“No. I prefer standing.”
Manager Ma cut him off instantly—his tone sharp enough that even I felt the chill.
Zhang Zhidong’s awkward smile grew even stiffer.
Trying to clear the awkwardness, he asked:
“Did your conversation go well?”
“TJ Soft is currently looking for a partner, and SY Soft is already on the verge of signing with The Nine.” ƒгeewebnovёl.com
“The Nine?”
Zhang Zhidong was visibly startled.
“Yes. It seems negotiations have progressed quite far. They’ve already discussed terms.”
“Then...”
“Don’t worry. Tomorrow, HS Venture Capital’s CEO Park Hyunseong will meet their executives and overturn everything.”
The gloom on Zhang Zhidong’s face vanished instantly.
“That’s a relief. If The Nine is the opponent, the odds are overwhelmingly against us since we haven’t established an ecosystem yet.”
“Come to think of it—the CNNIC that The Nine operates has around ten million users, right?”
“Yes. In China’s online game service sector, they’re the frontrunner. If we enter the market normally, we can’t beat them.”
He was right. Under normal circumstances, neither TJ nor SY would choose Tencent.
The Nine’s performance was already proven, while Tencent still had nothing to show.
“But QQ Messenger’s user base will keep growing. We barely passed one hundred million users, but that number will rise continuously. QQ is Tencent’s greatest weapon.”
Calling one hundred million “barely”...
I snorted inwardly. China really operated on a different scale.
Then again, this was China—without this level of potential, entering the market wouldn’t even be worth considering.
“The key is guiding those users naturally toward gaming. If we can successfully convert them, no one will be able to compete with Tencent. Don’t you agree?”
Zhang Zhidong smiled brightly, inviting agreement.
“Yes. And to do that, we need good games.”
I returned the smile. People who want something are always easy to handle.
“Good. Let’s talk terms.”
With that, the real negotiation began.
After nearly an hour of back-and-forth, we reached a conclusion.
“Tencent Games will be established as a subsidiary, with Tencent Holdings owning 51% and Dreamhigh Investment receiving the remaining 49% at no cost. Correct?”
Zhang Zhidong summarized. I nodded.
“Yes. And the signing fee and royalties for Blood Alliance and Mu Online must exceed the terms offered by The Nine.”
“That much is doable. Simply bringing them over and servicing them practically guarantees a jackpot.”
“Good. Let’s draft the MOU. We’ll prepare the full contract after finalizing deals with TJ and SY.”
Zhang Zhidong, looking tired, nodded vigorously.
“When we draft the contract, I won’t come personally. Someone from Dreamhigh’s Shanghai office will represent us.”
“Understood.”
While Zhang Zhidong and I talked, Ma Huateng stayed absolutely silent.
He wasn’t talkative to begin with, but this level of silence was unusual.
What was wrong with him?
“CEO Ma Huateng, do you have anything to say? It’s obvious you do. Don’t hesitate.”
Zhang Zhidong’s smiling face froze instantly.
Ma Huateng looked at him, and Zhang Zhidong shook his head.
So that’s why the atmosphere was icy when I walked back in.
Despite Zhang Zhidong’s attempt to dissuade him, Ma Huateng seemed torn.
Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and spoke.
“There is a problem.”
“A problem? Something serious happening at Tencent?”
“W-We... might need to accept a new investment.”
His voice was small, almost crawling.
I raised an eyebrow.
“A new investment...? When we bought Tencent shares, we explicitly stated that no new investors could be brought in without our approval. Am I misremembering?”
“No. That was the agreement.”
“Then why suddenly talk about a new investment? Is Tencent short on funds?”
With QQ Show’s success, Tencent’s revenue had skyrocketed.
Unlike QQ Messenger, QQ Show had multiple monetization channels driving substantial profit.
“...No.”
“Then why do you need new investment?”
Ma Huateng faltered, unable to speak.
“CEO Ma. Speak. If you have ulterior motives, say it here and now.”
“Haah... The truth is—we were pressured to accept the investment.”
I had a feeling. Now it was confirmed.
Otherwise, there’d be no reason for Ma Huateng to force things like this.
I hardened my expression on purpose.
“So that’s why you tried to shove me to the front earlier? Is the Shanghai Clique pressuring you?”
“...Yes.”
He lowered his eyes.
Ah. So that was it.
He wanted to hide behind me while the Shanghai Clique and Hu Jintao clashed, avoiding the fallout.
Clever. A survival tactic—I didn’t necessarily blame him.
“It’s not direct investment, is it? Who’s the proxy?”
“Do you... know Naspers?”
Naspers!
Hearing that name felt like inserting the final missing puzzle piece.
So Naspers was the Shanghai Clique’s vault.
I had always wondered why a South African media company acquired 46.5% of Tencent—still unknown and barely growing at that time.
If Naspers handled the Clique’s black funds, everything made sense.
But this time, I got there first—before Naspers could approach.
“They’re the media group in South Africa. Originally publishing, later shifting toward the internet under CEO Koos Bekker. And they’re connected to the Shanghai Clique?”
“I don’t know the details. I only received instructions to accept their investment.”
His gloomy tone was understandable. A business caught between Party factions had little room to breathe.
“Hm... So, CEO Ma, do you want Naspers’ investment?”
“When directives come from the Party, we must obey. Refusal means we can’t do business in China. You know that well.”
That was true.
But I had zero intention of sharing Tencent with anyone—not the Shanghai Clique, not anyone else.
“Why is the Shanghai Clique pushing this investment so hard? Are they planning to—”
I stopped mid-sentence.
A memory flashed through my mind.
Alibaba delayed its IPO as long as possible.
Tencent, meanwhile, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2004—very early.
And now... now I understood why.
“You were preparing an IPO behind our backs, weren’t you, CEO Ma?”
“H-How did you...? How much do you know?”
His eyes widened, his jaw literally dropping.
“If you think a little, it’s obvious. Tencent was preparing for an IPO. The Shanghai Clique intended to profit from the post-IPO price surge.”
“...”
Silence—his clearest admission.
I let out a long breath and stared at him.
I had absolutely no intention of letting Tencent go public yet.
Tencent would keep growing. IPO timing mattered.
“I don’t intend to accept any new investors except the American VC currently holding shares. And I plan to delay the IPO as long as possible. If Tencent needs capital, I will acquire more shares through a paid-in capital increase. That’s why it’s written into our share acquisition contract.”
I hadn’t known Naspers was tied to the Shanghai Clique.
If they intended to invest regardless, even at the cost of diluting me, then I had prepared the contract precisely to prevent that.
Any new investment required Dreamhigh’s consent.
Without it, nothing could proceed.
China was unpredictable. Contracts were the only leash.
“Shanghai Clique, huh...”
My headache deepened.
If they wanted Tencent destroyed, they could make it happen.
Unless...
Unless I aligned with Hu Jintao.
No other option existed.
A long silence passed. Ma Huateng waited for my verdict. Zhang Zhidong watched me anxiously.
At last, I spoke.
“Who contacted you?”
“Minister of Public Security Zhou Yongkang.”
“Zhou Yongkang contacted you personally? For this?”
“Yes.”
Zhou Yongkang—one of the Shanghai Clique’s core members.
Recently appointed Minister of Public Security.
“Is Jiang Zemin directly involved?”
“T-That, I don’t know...”
Whether it was Zhou Yongkang alone or Jiang Zemin himself didn’t matter.
I rubbed my forehead.
“So the IPO frenzy among Chinese IT companies—all driven by the Shanghai Clique.”
God, what a headache.
It was too early to fight the Shanghai Clique.
“CEO Ma.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll give you three options. You choose.”
I decided to place the decision in his hands.
“First: I sell all my shares directly to the Shanghai Clique. For three hundred million dollars. Exactly ten times what we paid for them. No negotiations.”
Tencent’s valuation next year at IPO would be around eight hundred million.
My 46.5% wasn’t worth that much yet—but in a pre-IPO state, three hundred million was steep.
“Second: sever ties with the Shanghai Clique. Side with us and support the Communist Youth League. If so, I will block all of the Shanghai Clique’s attacks.”
They wouldn’t start an all-out war over Tencent alone.
There were many other IT firms preparing IPOs.
And I knew which ones would succeed.
I could redirect the Clique’s interest toward them.
“Lastly: sell all your shares to the person I designate, withdraw completely from Tencent’s management, and never enter the same industry again.”
In other words: take the money and disappear.
This was the one I didn’t want him to choose.
The message beneath it was clear:
If you insist on staying tied to the Shanghai Clique, you and I must part ways entirely.
I looked him directly in the eyes.
“Your decision, CEO Ma. I will act accordingly once you choose.”
