Chapter 253: Disarming the Invisible Threat

So, now it’s necessary to consider how to deal with the protests! Given Xiao Ran’s personality, this task is actually quite simple. Since Hollywood wants to hold a parade, he can just organize one as well. Los Angeles is a hub for Chinese Americans, and on the second day of his arrival, Xiao Ran visited the local Chinese business associations and leaders. Planning a protest against racial discrimination would be easy.

But now he is the boss of Phantom, responsible for the livelihoods of thousands of employees and the survival of the entire Phantom Empire. He certainly can’t act solely on his impulses. If he stages a protest against racial discrimination and turns it into a broader issue, it could lead to unnecessary trouble or even political complications.

Therefore, the best way to deal with this tricky situation is to ally with a few parties to engage in confrontation. If they have three major companies, then Xiao Ran will also bring in three major companies to see which side is stronger. As for the racial discrimination tactic, it can be used later—by leaving the U.S., he can still make Hollywood infamous.

That day, he first visited Lei Shidong. Lei Shidong’s office was elegantly furnished, making it easy to relax. After introducing themselves, Lei Shidong stared at the young man in front of him with confusion. This guy’s sudden interference had ruined his plan to acquire Blockbuster to raise funds for buying Paramount. Now he was struggling to figure out how to win this competition.

Xiao Ran had a clear grasp of Lei Shidong. As he said, as long as you can understand and control someone’s psychology, you can conquer them. Although Lei Shidong was a formidable figure, he still hadn’t expected Xiao Ran to be acting with a plan.

“Mr. Lei Shidong, I’m sure you’re aware of Universal’s difficulties, right?” Xiao Ran saw no need to hide this—much couldn’t be concealed within the industry. “I’m sure you understand that I need allies.”

Lei Shidong’s eyes lit up slightly. He hadn’t expected Xiao Ran to be so straightforward. Admittedly, if he took control of Paramount, he would surely be one of the key players targeting Universal. But right now, he was still competing with Barry—where would he find the energy? “Mr. Xiao, I appreciate your confidence, but you know very well that Barry always opposes me. As long as I don’t get Paramount, I can’t do anything!”

Xiao Ran smiled calmly, then stood up and walked to the window. Through the glass, he could see the countless cars and pedestrians on the street below. “Mr. Lei Shidong, do you know why we can stand here and speak? Because we’ve both worked hard and succeeded. And those who succeed often face countless choices on their path to success, each choice potentially leading to different outcomes.”

Lei Shidong’s eyes shone again, and a smile appeared on his face. He thought this was an interesting young man. Xiao Ran turned to look at Lei Shidong and continued, “Before we fall, we’ll never know if we can win in the end. So, we’ve made countless correct choices in the past, and we must continue to make the right choices in the future.”

He slowly walked over and sat down on the sofa opposite Lei Shidong. Xiao Ran’s composed demeanor really pleased Lei Shidong: “And partnering with Universal is the right choice—it will show us the path to success!”
Lei Shidong wasn’t surprised at all. He knew Xiao Ran needed local support, and he was one of the local tycoons. With his backing, there wouldn’t be much of a problem. After hesitating for a moment, he smiled kindly: “Mr. Xiao, why do you think I would support you?”
“Very simple. Because no one other than me can give you Paramount!” Xiao Ran said firmly to Lei Shidong. “In this acquisition, your chances aren’t equal to Barry’s. It’s like God’s choice—once chosen by God, one can receive extraordinary rewards!”
“I’m curious. Why do you say my chances aren’t equal to Barry’s? After all, he might not succeed either!” Lei Shidong shifted slightly and smiled. “Besides, you’re not God. As long as I want to, I can raise funds anytime!”
Xiao Ran couldn’t help but laugh. This businessman really knew how to tell blatant lies. About half of Lei Shidong’s funds originally came from Wall Street, but his wife was now asking for a divorce, putting his assets at risk of being divided. By then, not only would he fail to complete the acquisition, but whether he could even keep control of the company would be in doubt. So, this “paradise marriage” wasn’t as wonderful as imagined.
The facts were clear: Lei Shidong had finally dealt with his wife, but Wall Street had lost confidence in him and couldn’t raise more funds. At this point, if someone were willing to provide financing, it would be a lifeline for him.
So Xiao Ran admired Americans’ ability to bluff without preparation. He thought it might be necessary to learn from them. Thus, he smiled broadly, though not arrogantly: “Mr. Lei Shidong, you know your situation better than I do. Obviously, I trust your abilities, which is why I’ve chosen you as Universal’s ally—though the cost is quite high!”
Lei Shidong liked this young man, but he was reluctant to show it, as it might harm his negotiating position: “Of course, I’m aware of that. But before that, I’d really like to hear your proposal!”
Xiao Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the deal was basically settled: “For this acquisition, I’m willing to offer two billion dollars. If you don’t like that, I can definitely choose Barry. I’m sure he’ll agree to my terms!”
“Wait…” Upon hearing that figure, Lei Shidong saw golden lights flashing before his eyes. After calculating, he realized two billion dollars would be enough to complete the acquisition. He believed Barry certainly couldn’t come up with such a large sum. Without much hesitation, he agreed: “But I’m sure you still have some conditions left unmentioned!”

“Of course, these two billion also include a 20% controlling stake!” A faint smile appeared on Xiao Ran’s face. Westerners didn’t like full ownership as much as he did. “I think such terms are enough to enable Universal and Paramount to form a strategic alliance!”
“I agree, but 20% is too much. 15%!” Lei Shidong could also be quite decisive in his actions and quickly agreed, with only minor disputes over the shareholding figure.
“At least 18%. Otherwise, I’d rather talk to Barry. You know he’d definitely be happy to offer such terms!” Xiao Ran smiled lightly. Based on the proportion of investment, Universal indeed deserved 20%, but this wasn’t a regular share acquisition deal—it was about forming an alliance, so sacrificing a bit was normal.
If Phantom’s headquarters didn’t raise funds from its subsidiaries, it definitely wouldn’t have enough money. Fortunately, Xiao Ran had anticipated all this earlier and had already raised ten billion. After acquiring Blockbuster, twelve billion was left, so raising some more from Blockbuster wouldn’t be a problem.
Next, he needed to meet up with that old guy Murdoch. Xiao Ran admired this old fox for his skill at adapting to circumstances. As soon as he saw the three major companies teaming up, he immediately tried to win over Warner, hoping to gain some benefits.
Murdoch looked at Xiao Ran with an innocent expression. If not for Xiao Ran’s good temper, he would have couldn’t resist slapping him. Still, he smiled amiably and said, “Mr. Murdoch, I think it’s very necessary for us to discuss forming an alliance now!”
“Is that so? But…” Murdoch looked disappointed, almost making Xiao Ran think the old guy was truly sorry. “But don’t you know? Warner is planning to bring Fox into the fold too!”
“Is that so? Then I really must congratulate you. Perhaps you think working with Warner is more advantageous for you!” Xiao Ran’s smile gradually turned into a sneer. Murdoch really thought he was a fool. The moment he entered, Xiao Ran had figured out why Murdoch was acting this way.
Murdoch wanted Xiao Ran to come and negotiate in person, using his potential joining of Warner’s camp to pressure him into giving up more benefits. Truly, a businessman who pursued maximum profit! Xiao Ran’s sneer grew deeper, especially with that faint, endless mockery at the corners of his mouth.
This displeased Murdoch, who felt as if he had been seen through. In fact, as Xiao Ran had predicted, Murdoch indeed intended to seize the opportunity for the greatest possible gain, and he hadn’t even considered joining Warner’s so-called camp. If Warner could team up to deal with Universal, they could surely team up to deal with Fox too. How could he not see that?
Standing up to leave, Murdoch silently watched as Xiao Ran showed no sign of stopping. It wasn’t until Xiao Ran was almost at the door that he gritted his teeth in frustration and called out, “Wait, President Xiao! I think we can discuss this in more detail!”

“Do you think it’s necessary to talk?” Xiao Ran smiled calmly and turned to look at Murdoch, whose expression remained unchanged though his heart was filled with a sense of failure. If possible, he would definitely like to undermine Murdoch’s influence in the film industry at this moment, but it seemed that this dictator could make Warner accept his presence. Instead of fighting against him, it might be better to help him and strengthen one’s own power at the same time.
“Of course it’s necessary!” Murdoch felt utterly defeated. He had never experienced such a feeling in front of so many people. He was sure that Xiao Ran had seen through his plans, but he didn’t know how Xiao Ran had done it.
He had underestimated Xiao Ran. When it came to scheming, Xiao Ran was definitely among the best. Every development of Shadow Group involved Xiao Ran’s cunning plans. If he couldn’t even see that, he didn’t deserve to be here.
The next day, Fox announced that it would collaborate with Universal to pursue strategic partnerships. On the same day, Lei Shidong, who had received financing from Universal, raised the price to 10 billion. In the afternoon, Paramount’s board members could no longer hold back and finally decided to sell to Lei Shidong. On the fourth day, the acquisition was approved, officially declared a success! Lei Shidong successfully took control of Paramount.
Warner and Disney, who had been shocked by Fox’s actions earlier, finally couldn’t hold back. Just as they were planning to organize protests, Lei Shidong announced the same terms Fox had previously proposed and declared that Universal would hold an 18% controlling stake in Paramount.
This shock took Turner and his old classmates by surprise. The alliance between Fox and Universal was one thing, but Paramount’s joining was different. Lei Shidong was already a tycoon in the entertainment media industry, highly respected in the industry. His alliance with Xiao Ran meant something obvious.
It was precisely because of Lei Shidong’s involvement that associations such as the Actors’ Guild and Directors’ Guild hesitated. Just as Shadow Group was powerless against Hai Le after gaining the support of three companies under Jiahe, having Lei Shidong on their side meant that even if Shadow Group’s existence wasn’t fully confirmed, it was still a signal—a signal that shook all associations and everyone involved.
The protest ultimately never happened, being stifled in its infancy by Xiao Ran’s well-planned tactics. But this didn’t mean Warner and Disney would let Universal off easily…
The next day, Xiao Ran was leisurely drinking tea at a teahouse in Chinatown. Here, no one dared to deceive him; only the finest teas were served. Xiao Ran took a gentle sip, licked his lips, and couldn’t help but praise, “Good, truly excellent tea. Worth collecting!”
“Then President Xiao must also be an expert. Please!” Across from Xiao Ran was an elderly Chinese man who appeared kind and gentle. If one hadn’t seen the several burly men behind him, they would have thought this old man was just an ordinary person.
But Xiao Ran knew very well that this old man was a famous figure in Los Angeles—the leader of the Qing Gang! The term “Qing” evolved from “Qing,” so the connection between them was self-evident.

This time, Xiao Ran didn’t drink tea. Instead, he leisurely admired the elegant tea house. He had thought that gangsters were all just people who knew how to fight, but it was clearly not the case—there were also refined individuals among gangsters.
“Elder Jin, ever since I met you a few days ago, I’ve been wondering why we Chinese are always bullied abroad, while those in Los Angeles can enjoy a relatively safe environment!” Xiao Ran smiled faintly. “Now I know—it’s because the Chinese here are united.”
“That’s right. It’s not easy to make a living abroad. As the saying goes, one loses status when leaving home!” The elder had been in the U.S. for a long time, yet his accent remained strong. If not for Xiao Ran having traveled across much of China, he might not have understood. “So, we have to stick together—then our brothers won’t be bullied.”
Clapping sounds came as Xiao Ran laughed and applauded. “Exactly! Unity is important. Only by uniting can we make big money. But now I’ve run into a small problem. You know, MGM is controlled by a gang of mobsters, and that’s a terrible situation. I hate gangsters—they make me feel insecure!”
Elder Jin chuckled. “Those foreigners rely on some high-level influence; otherwise, we wouldn’t have to fear them. But if you need help, just ask us. We’re all Chinese—we’ll definitely help you!”
“Very generous. I guess only someone like you can lead such a large group of brothers!” Xiao Ran praised with a thumbs up. He had come this time to prepare for future dealings with MGM. He didn’t like to fight battles he wasn’t sure about, nor did he like to take action without preparation.
However, just a few words clearly wouldn’t be enough to turn the local Chinese gangsters into his backers. For this, Xiao Ran had to pay a price—of course, in money. Talking about money and emotions was necessary. Without interests, it was hard to get help.
Just then, Huang Ling came over with a phone and said beside Xiao Ran, “President Xiao, we’re in trouble…”
Xiao Ran remained calm, stood up, and said to the elder, “I’m sorry, Elder Jin. There’s an issue with the business. I need to go back right away!”
Elder Jin clearly appreciated such a polite young man. He nodded and said, “Go ahead. Don’t forget to come see me if you need anything!” Then he turned his gaze to Xiao Ran’s bodyguard, who followed closely behind. He thought the bodyguard was very capable and wondered where Xiao Ran had gotten him.
Once in the car, Xiao Ran waved for Yang Guang to drive, and then Huang Ling continued, “The release of ‘Jurassic Park’ has been blocked. The five major theaters have united to reject Universal. Moreover, our new projects are also facing obstacles—no decent stars or staff want to take them on!”
“As I thought…” Xiao Ran smiled at Monkey. As his bodyguard, Monkey knew that Xiao Ran had been prepared all along and smiled knowingly. But Xiao Ran was somewhat puzzled: “Why would the five major theaters refuse to show it? Universal must have contracts with three of them, right?”

Huang Ling sighed and said, “Actually, Universal does have long-term partnerships with three theater chains. But in Hollywood, generally no one wants to sign long-term leases, as that would result in a lack of films to show. So usually, it’s short-term leases. Of course, each of the seven major companies has its own prime showing times.”