Mavi glanced at Leon and Mike Morahan in front of him and noticed that they didn't recognize him. Taking advantage of this, he casually brushed past them and strutted toward the Blizzard Entertainment headquarters.
In this lifetime, Blizzard had been severely squeezed by its parent company, leaving the game studio with fewer than 70 employees instead of the original 150. This vicious cycle made it difficult for the company to produce high-quality games.
Even the development budget for game projects was extremely tight—so much so that it could be described as tightening their belts just to get by.
As the agreed meeting time approached, Mike Morahan grew increasingly uneasy and asked Leon, "Ahem! It's almost 3:30. Why hasn't Mr. Mavi arrived yet? Could he be stuck in traffic?"
Blizzard being transferred to another owner once again left Mike Morahan feeling helpless. As a self-made entrepreneur, he had launched two classic games, yet he still couldn't compete with deep-pocketed investors.
Moreover, the gaming industry was fiercely competitive, and players' expectations kept rising. It wasn't as simple as just releasing any game and hoping to get by.
"Maybe. Should we wait inside?" Leon, a Frenchman standing at an estimated 5'7", sported a meticulously trimmed mustache. With his tailored suit, he was clearly a man who paid attention to details.
Vivendi had sent Leon to negotiate the deal with the same goal Mavi had expected—to sell off Blizzard at a price higher than market value since it was no longer the golden goose it once was.
"Alright, let's head inside," Mike nodded in agreement and turned to enter the building with Leon.
But just as the two were about to step inside, Mike's phone suddenly rang from his suit pocket. Checking the caller ID, he saw that it was from the company's front desk.
"Hello? What's the matter?" Mike answered immediately.
On the other end, the receptionist's anxious voice came through, "Boss! The gentleman you were waiting for, Mr. Mavi, is already at our front desk!"
"He's already at the front desk? Wait for us there, we'll be right over!" Mike quickly hung up and turned to Leon. "Vice President Leon, the receptionist just said that Mr. Mavi has already arrived."
"What? He's here already?" Leon was genuinely baffled about where Mavi had come from. He and Mike had been waiting outside for quite a while and hadn't seen a single trace of him.
As the newly appointed vice president of Vivendi, Leon was eager to make a mark with this negotiation, so he took it very seriously.
"Let's go back," Leon said as he and Mike hurried inside, unaware that a black SUV parked diagonally across the street had been observing their every move.
Inside the SUV sat Mavi's bodyguards and his butler, Ivan. The bodyguards were confused by their young master's actions today.
Why had he refused to take the luxurious convoy? Why had he ignored such an impressive entrance and instead chosen to dress like a nobody and take a taxi to the meeting?
"Why would the young master do this? When he walked in just now, the two men at the entrance didn't even give him a second look," a Russian bodyguard asked the butler, puzzled.
Most Russian strongmen were simple-minded and had little business acumen. Ivan glanced at him but didn't bother explaining—it would take too much effort to make him understand.
This was a classic case of "playing dumb to catch the tiger." By downplaying his financial power, Mavi ensured he wouldn't be extorted for an inflated price. If they knew he was wealthy, they would undoubtedly jack up the asking price since they controlled Blizzard's ownership and weren't obligated to sell.
### Meanwhile, at Blizzard's Reception Area
Mavi sat on the couch, wearing an oversized, drab gray suit and holding a briefcase in his lap. His expression was that of a clueless newcomer.
Two blonde receptionists passing by glanced at him, assuming he was there to sell some kind of product…
When Leon and Mike walked into the company, Leon's eyes immediately locked onto Mavi sitting at the front desk, and he was momentarily stunned.
There was only one unfamiliar person on the couch, so it didn't take a genius to figure out that this plainly dressed young man was the one here to discuss the acquisition!
"Excuse me… are you Mr. Mavi?" Leon hesitantly approached, his face filled with confusion. Having spent years in the corporate world, he had never encountered a potential buyer who looked so… unremarkable.
To be blunt, some of their own employees looked more well-dressed than this young man.
"Yes, that's me," Mavi stood up and shook hands with both Leon and Mike.
Noticing Mavi's youth and seemingly cheap suit, Leon decided to probe cautiously, speaking in a formal tone, "Nice to meet you. Let me introduce myself—I'm Leon, Vice President of Vivendi. This is Mike, President of Blizzard Entertainment… May I ask where you currently work, Mr. Mavi?"
Mavi thought for a moment and casually replied, "Oh, I don't really work anywhere in particular. I just have some spare money and want to invest in a company."
His nonchalant answer left Leon scratching his head. He couldn't tell if Mavi was actually wealthy or just bluffing.
But Leon wasn't the kind of arrogant fool found in bad business novels—he wouldn't dismiss Mavi just because of his plain attire.
Instead, he exchanged a glance with Mike before proceeding with the usual formalities.
"Mr. Mavi, this is our Blizzard Entertainment R&D department. Next door is the Product Department, and over here is the Operations Department… Over the years, we have produced many globally successful games, such as Warcraft and Diablo… The video game industry is still in its early stages, and there is tremendous growth potential…"
As they toured the facility, Leon neither acted overly enthusiastic nor indifferent. He simply followed protocol, painting an optimistic picture of the gaming industry's future to entice Mavi into buying.
Half an Hour Later
After the tour, the three of them arrived at the multimedia conference room. Without wasting time, Vice President Leon got straight to the point.
"Mr. Mavi, by now, you should have a good understanding of Blizzard Entertainment. We sent the company's financials to your email a few days ago, so why don't we discuss the acquisition?"