After returning to Los Angeles, Lin BaoCheng resumed his routine from before leaving: spending most of his time at New Century Software developing office software, taking some time to guide the development of Tank Battle, and occasionally checking on Rubik's Cube sales.
Rubik's Cube sales were rising daily, showing signs of becoming a craze.
Regarding the acquisition of a home appliance company, Lin instructed Isabella to hire a professional investigation firm to screen and identify suitable target companies.
At Apple, Lin occasionally visited to chat with Steve Jobs and other executives. Because Lin had provided Apple with a US$10 million unsecured loan, the directors and management were now much closer to him, no longer treating him as a passive board member.
It had been over a month since Apple received the loan. By directly acquiring a small factory, they had already set up production lines. Daily output of personal computers had increased significantly, and revenue and profits were steadily rising.
Apple was entering a fast‑growth phase. Lin had little to add — he visited occasionally to understand operations in detail, ensured no major mistakes were being made, and otherwise did not interfere.
At Microsoft, since Lin lent them US$5 million, the company had resumed hiring engineers and begun investing in operating system development.
Developing an operating system was far more complex than office software. Lin's technology was far ahead of the era, but even so, office software was not yet complete, let alone an operating system.
Thus, while Microsoft expanded in other areas, changes were modest. Fortunately, profitability was decent, and operations were stable, so there was no cause for concern.
One day, Goldman Sachs' Wade Thomas invited Lin BaoCheng and Phil Smith for coffee. Lin gladly accepted.
Phil Smith congratulated him: "Allen, congratulations. Donkey Kong is performing excellently in the market. You're going to make another fortune."
"It should be congratulations to both of us," Lin smiled. "With Donkey Kong doing well, you as the exclusive distributor will also make a fortune. So it's mutual."
"Yes, mutual," Phil nodded. As exclusive distributor, he would indeed profit greatly. With the success of Hong Kong Blocks and Pac‑Man, plus Donkey Kong's strong trial run, Phil planned to sell each arcade machine for US$2,500. Even at a discount to sub‑agents, US$2,300 each, he could earn several hundred dollars per unit.
As long as sales did not slump, Donkey Kong could bring Phil tens of millions of dollars, just like Hong Kong Blocks and Pac‑Man.
Lin knew Phil was earning plenty. A quick survey of U.S. arcade prices revealed exactly how much profit Phil was making.
Lin did not change the arrangement. First, because arcade machines were not Galaxy Games' long‑term focus. Second, because leaving sales to distributors meant no hassle and immediate payment.
In every country, arcade operators were often tied to shady groups. For a foreign company, breaking into the market was already difficult, let alone dealing with such people. Lin preferred fewer profits over unnecessary trouble.
Wade Thomas then said: "Really, I should be congratulating both of you. With the game a hit, you'll both make a fortune."
"To make money, the game must be a hit," Lin replied. "In Japan, Donkey Kong performed only modestly. Luckily, in the U.S. and Europe it did very well. Otherwise, we'd have lost money."
"The gaming industry carries real risks," Wade noted. "Take Atari. They bet everything on the Atari VCS console, even sold themselves to Warner for US$100 million. Fortunately, the VCS succeeded, promising huge profits. But if it had failed, Atari and Warner would have suffered greatly."
"High risk, high reward — that's normal," Lin nodded. Atari wasn't yet making massive profits. But early next year, when its biggest competitor, Fairchild Semiconductor, exited the console market, Atari would truly prosper. That US$100 million investment would yield dozens of times in return.
"Allen, have you considered financing for Galaxy Games? Finding a partner?" Wade finally revealed his purpose. With three hit games in a row, Galaxy Games was clearly not just lucky. Goldman Sachs was eager to invest.
Lin shook his head: "Thomas, you should know Galaxy Games doesn't lack money."
Wade pressed: "Allen, even if Galaxy Games doesn't lack money, having more partners is always good. Goldman Sachs can help greatly with financing and listing."
"So Goldman wants to buy into Galaxy Games?" Lin raised an eyebrow, then said: "Thomas, I'll be frank. Galaxy Games will definitely go public in a few years. But before listing, we won't seek financing. We don't need it."
"To put it bluntly, the company is so profitable. Why should I finance and let others take money that should be mine?"
Indeed, Lin planned to list Galaxy Games in the U.S. — necessary to avoid trouble when selling consoles in Western markets. But before listing, he would not dilute his stake. That would cost him too much.
"Allen, you're right," Wade admitted. "But when the company does list, please choose Goldman as an underwriter."
"Of course, I won't forget Goldman then," Lin smiled. He would not choose only one underwriter, but giving Goldman a slot was fine. Their cooperation was extensive, and maintaining good relations with a major investment bank was always beneficial.