Chapter 295: Conflict with Bruce Wayne!
The Value of ShowMe
After the millennium, with the popularization of computers, social networks gradually entered the public eye. It was an entirely new business sector, and like stories from the old days, new things always attract attention but also draw skeptical scrutiny.
Most investment institutions held a wait-and-see attitude toward social networking. They wanted the platforms to become more mature and stable before they stepped in to reap the rewards. No one liked unripe fruit; only fruit on the verge of maturity was truly tempting.
Strictly speaking, ShowMe was not the first social network platform—there was a heap of martyrs before it—but it was the fastest and wildest.
In only half a year, it grew from a startup to an industry giant with over twenty million users.
The frenzied expansion rate caught those who wanted to carve up the market completely off guard. By the time they reacted, ShowMe had already grown up. It was no longer a fragile seedling that needed others to shelter it from the wind and rain.
Help in a crisis is always valued more than lavish gifts in times of success.
If, in the beginning, someone had offered a large sum to acquire a stake in ShowMe, Luke might not have refused. However, such a scenario was unlikely to occur in the business world.
As the saying goes, one step late is always late.
Just like now, Luke was openly auctioning off company shares, explicitly stating there were shares only, no voting rights (or equity). 20% of the shares was not a small amount. Given ShowMe's expansion rate, this stake would eventually become a super valuable investment product worth billions or even tens of billions. Yet, many conglomerates were unwilling to settle for that.
They weren't spending that much money just to be outsiders. Their goal was to participate in ShowMe's management, possess decision-making power, and be able to use the massive personal information repository of ShowMe without restraint.
These were the most valuable assets.
Following the initial chaos, the atmosphere in the venue fell silent. Everyone was contemplating. Some hesitated, while others secretly texted their bosses, asking what to do next.
The auctioneer did not immediately start the bidding, giving everyone ample time to prepare. During this interval, dozens of copies of the document were distributed, along with some supplementary agreements. Because the starting price of this auction was so high, participants had to sign a $5 million guarantee agreement to gain bidding privileges. This also maximally deterred those who might intentionally inflate the price or have ulterior motives.
The Showdown
After signing the agreement, Bruce Wayne stared at Luke with a grim expression.
"Mr. Shaw, so this is the surprise you had for me? What a massive surprise!"
He felt completely played, spun around by this seventeen-year-old boy.
Luke said gravely, "I can understand Mr. Wayne's anger, but do you know how many companies offered ShowMe investment contracts before this?"
He held up four fingers.
"Forty companies, including world-class banks like Morgan Bank, Chase Bank, and Citibank; and top global corporations like Sequoia Capital, LuthorCorp and HSBC. Besides those, there's a whole host of investment firms waving cash. Many of them offered higher prices than Wayne Enterprises..."
"Honestly, I never really wanted to cooperate with Wayne Enterprises. You demanded too much equity, and your headquarters is in a place like Gotham City. You know better than I do how rampant the underworld is there. Before clarifying your background, I wouldn't dare cooperate with you."
Bruce took a deep breath, his voice strained.
"If you didn't want to cooperate, why did you send me an invitation?"
The atmosphere turned very tense, like a barrel of oil next to a spark, ready to explode at any moment. Clark and Lois exchanged glances. They decided it was best to remain silent. They had expected a pleasant evening, not for it to escalate to this point.
Luke spoke slowly. "Compared to other investors, the contract from Wayne Enterprises was the most sincere, covering all aspects, and could greatly accelerate ShowMe's development. My management team and I unanimously believed Wayne Enterprises was the best partner. That's why I sent the invitation. I wanted to speak with you face-to-face and then consider whether to proceed with cooperation. Unfortunately..."
Bruce narrowed his eyes.
"My performance disappointed you!"
Luke smiled, placing his hands on the armrests, letting out a long sigh. "Mr. Wayne, we've talked for half an hour. You never once brought up social networking. During that time, I introduced ShowMe's corporate culture to you more than once, but your replies never exceeded fifteen words..." He paused intentionally here.
"It's clear you have little interest in ShowMe and no optimism about the future of social networking."
"I don't understand. If Mr. Wayne doesn't think highly of ShowMe, why spend so much human and financial capital trying to obtain ShowMe's equity?"
"Your actions make me have to question your motives."
Bruce was immediately speechless, unsure how to respond. He couldn't very well say it was because he was Batman and needed to control ShowMe. As for ShowMe's future development, what did he care?
Lois and Clark exchanged glances, both seeing astonishment in the other's eyes. They never imagined that their casual chat had been a premeditated test.
Luke continued, "ShowMe needs partners who share its vision and are willing to work toward the same dream, nothing else."
"Mr. Wayne, I cannot give you the equity."
As his voice fell, the air nearly solidified.
Not only Lois and Clark at the table, but also guests at other tables sensed the tension.
The emotion vanished from Bruce Wayne's face, leaving only cold indifference. His eyes fixed coldly on Luke. Since taking over Wayne Enterprises, no one had dared to "play tricks" on him like this.
Luke's face was equally taut, his calm eyes radiating a subtle, sharp edge.
The two men's auras clashed, filling the air with a sense of electric tension.
Lois was itching to pull out her camera and capture the scene for the front page of the Daily Planet. One was the heir to the multi-billion dollar Wayne Enterprises, and the other was the scion of the Hongmen with unlimited potential. A photograph of their confrontation was bound to be headline news.
The Bidding Begins
Just then, Charlie, who had sensed the impending trouble, walked over and whispered,
"It's ready."
Luke nodded. "Start the bidding."
Charlie gave the auctioneer a signal, and the auction officially began.
After a standardized introduction, the auctioneer tapped his gavel lightly.
"Starting bid: fifty million US dollars. Bidding begins now."
The representative for Datong Bank was the first to raise a paddle. "Sixty million dollars!"
This was quickly followed by bids from Sequoia Capital and Citibank.
"Seventy million dollars!"
"Ninety million dollars!"
The bids increased steadily, reaching one hundred and fifty million dollars before long. According to market projections, ShowMe's current market valuation was around $500 million. $150 million for a 20% share was already an overestimation.
However, the bidding did not stop. For a company with over twenty million total users and a daily user increase exceeding 150,000, a valuation of $600 million was an insult. Everyone present was keenly aware of this.
The maximum limit for most companies was $300 million; exceeding that number would require careful consideration.
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