Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 164

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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164. Let me give you a one-week deadline.

Seeing the other party’s slight bewilderment at my straightforward question without any sugar-coating, I shrugged my shoulders and spoke with ease.

“Surely you’re not expecting to hand over the exclusive rights for free?”

Jo Jung-gwang, a seasoned businessman who had weathered every storm, quickly composed himself and answered calmly.

“Of course not.”
“Then let me hear your conditions.”

As Jo Jung-gwang turned his head and gestured, Yokouchi Tsuyoshi, who was sitting beside him, pulled out a thin folder from his bag and slid it forward.

“I understand that the Eldorado Fund invested two million dollars in Yahoo. Let’s make the purchase of exclusive rights in the Asia region for the same amount. That way, you’ll recover your initial investment in just a few months, which should be beneficial for your side as well.”

If I accepted the proposal as Jo Jung-gwang suggested, I could recover all the investment funds by selling only the exclusive rights within less than two months while keeping the Yahoo shares intact—not a bad deal at all.
Even Landon Shore, sitting right beside me, didn’t show it openly, but his eyes sparkled with interest.
Instead of responding, I examined the folder with an indifferent expression.

“Excuse us.”

At that moment, with a knock, two female servers opened the sliding door and entered.
As Japanese egg custard, seasonal salad, and pickled side dishes were placed on the table in succession, the group showed no interest in the food and focused entirely on my reaction.
After the female servers left the room shortly after, I closed the folder and set it aside, then spoke to Jo Jung-gwang sitting across from me.

“I had some expectations since you’ve been making bold investments by acquiring Comdex and Ziff Davis in succession, but this is disappointing.”

Jo Jung-gwang’s brow furrowed for a moment, yet he maintained a seasoned demeanor without rushing to respond.

“I think it’s a reasonable proposal. Could you tell me which part doesn’t satisfy you?”

Seeing that he was indeed not an easy opponent, I thought to myself.

‘I would have been genuinely disappointed if he were a pushover.’

As a Korean-heritage individual who became Japan’s wealthiest person through his own efforts and went on to establish and operate the world’s largest venture capital investment fund, he was no easy opponent regardless of his younger years.

‘Of course, that’s all well and good. But they’re nothing more than Sun Wukong resting in the palm of my hand.’

Seok-won, suppressing a subtle smile, replied with an impassive expression.

“First of all, Yahoo’s valuation has changed significantly since we made our initial investment.”
“I understand the Eldorado Fund’s investment in Yahoo was less than two months ago.”

Yokouchi Tsuyoshi interjected immediately, countering the point.

“That’s right. But when SoftBank made their new investment this time, didn’t they value Yahoo at 40 million dollars?”

As Seok-won nodded while speaking, Yokouchi Tsuyoshi’s expression turned crestfallen, and he closed his mouth without another word.
Seok-won picked up a thin slice of raw fish, dipped it in sauce, and brought it to his mouth.

“It wasn’t us who valued a 5-million-dollar company at eight times higher in less than two months—it was you.”

Speaking leisurely, Seok-won tasted the raw fish and let out an appreciative sigh.

“Mmm, this croaker is quite delicious. Everyone should try some.”

Landon Shore was the first to smile at how skillfully Seok-won manipulated the other party, offering his agreement.

“Ha ha, is that so? Then perhaps I’ll have a taste myself.”

Landon Shore picked up a slice of croaker from the plate in front of him with his chopsticks and ate it.
Unlike the two men who exuded such composure, Jo Jung-gwang and Yokouchi Tsuyoshi, seated across from them, had their faces growing rigid.
If they rebutted now, it would be as if they were admitting they had inflated Yahoo’s valuation excessively.
Moreover, it seemed like a subtle mockery that while the Eldorado Fund had acquired 40% of Yahoo’s shares for the same amount, they had only managed to secure a mere 5%, and their faces even flushed slightly with embarrassment.
Seok-won glanced sideways at the two of them and spoke.

“Of course, considering Yahoo’s growth potential and prospects in the internet era that lies ahead, 40 million dollars would honestly be an undervaluation.”
“…!”
“Seeing that, I think Chairman Jo’s insight in recognizing it at once and betting boldly is truly remarkable.”

Rather than feeling pleased by the praise, Jo Jung-gwang felt a sense of threat instead.
It was like facing a seasoned, weathered negotiator across the table.
Jo Jung-gwang, who had been watching Seok-won with cautious eyes, grimaced inwardly at what came next, as expected.

“Of course you understand the value of exclusive rights to dominate the Asian portal market, including Japan, and that’s precisely what you’re after.”
“….”

Seok-won’s smile faded in an instant, his expression turning grave.

“Yet you’re asking me to sell exclusive rights for a mere two million dollars. If you genuinely believed I’d accept such an offer, I’m afraid you’ve underestimated me considerably.”

Jo Jung-gwang straightened his posture and fixed his gaze upon him.

“Then tell me—what figure would you consider?”

Seok-won crossed his arms, stroking his chin thoughtfully with one hand before speaking.

“One hundred million dollars. That’s something I might be willing to consider.”
“What did you say!”
“Hah.”

Both Jo Jung-gwang and Yokouchi Tsuyoshi recoiled in shock, their expressions registering disbelief almost simultaneously.
Landon Shore, who hadn’t been forewarned, managed to conceal his reaction, though inwardly he wondered if the figure was pitched too aggressively.
As Jo Jung-gwang’s face hardened, Yokouchi Tsuyoshi, visibly agitated, raised his voice.

“One hundred million dollars? That’s an utterly absurd price!”

Seok-won lifted his teacup and took a measured sip, responding with perfect composure.

“That’s the price now. By next time, its value will have multiplied several times over.”
“What do you mean by that….”

Ignoring Yokouchi Tsuyoshi’s bewildered expression, he turned his gaze toward Jo Jung-gwang and posed a question.

“Do you also believe the amount is excessive, Chairman Jo?”

Jo Jung-gwang, who had been silent for a moment, responded with a voice heavy and measured.

“And if I do, what will you do?”
“If you won’t pay fair value, there’s no reason to proceed with the transaction.”

Seok-won answered without the slightest hesitation.
Jo Jung-gwang’s eyes narrowed as he spoke with unmistakable gravity.

“Internet portal services aren’t exclusive to Yahoo.”

It was a veiled threat—that if necessary, I could secure exclusive rights from a different portal company and launch services in Japan instead.
But Seok-won didn’t even blink.

“That’s Chairman Jo’s choice to make, so feel free. But I’d appreciate it if you understood that I didn’t acquire these exclusive rights just to keep them in my pocket.”
“…!”

As Jo Jung-gwang’s eyebrows shot up, Seok-won turned to Landon Shore and asked.

“It just occurred to me—the preparations for establishing a subsidiary in Japan are proceeding without any issues, correct?”

Landon Shore, quick to grasp Seok-won’s intent, responded smoothly.

“Of course. All procedures should be completed by the end of this year at the latest.”

Seok-won glanced briefly at Jo Jung-gwang and Yokouchi Tsuyoshi, who were listening with serious expressions, then spoke.

“Let’s name the corporation something anyone can easily understand—Yahoo Japan.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll arrange that.”

Unless someone was a complete fool, there was no way to miss the implication of that exchange.

“Are you threatening me right now?”

Jo Jung-gwang’s face twisted into a snarl.
Now that the other side had shown their hand, Seok-won wiped away his smile entirely, his gaze turning sharp and piercing.

“You were the one who tried to pressure me with a bluff first. Whether it was genuine or not doesn’t matter. If you want a fight, I’m more than willing to oblige.”

Standing firm without yielding an inch, Seok-won met Jo Jung-gwang’s glare as the man’s face flushed crimson with rage.

“And let me make one thing absolutely clear—I’ve had plans from the beginning to establish a corporation and launch portal services throughout Japan and the broader Asian region. It’s SoftBank that’s been interfering and obstructing those plans.”
“Hmm.”

Since there was truth in those words, Jo Jung-gwang couldn’t mount a counterargument and merely let out a low grunt.

“I’ve heard that SoftBank has roughly 200 billion yen in cash on hand from their stock listing on the Tokyo Exchange.”
“What are you getting at?”

Jo Jung-gwang shot him a suspicious glance.

“You’ve spent considerable funds acquiring Comdex and Ziff Davis, but you must still have a substantial amount of cash remaining.”
“….”
“And with the annual revenues SoftBank generates, your coffers must be quite deep indeed.”

Unable to discern what Seok-won was driving at, Jo Jung-gwang furrowed his brow and stared at him.

“For your information, I view the Japanese market very positively, and I’m planning to invest one billion dollars in Yahoo Japan going forward.”

Jo Jung-gwang’s eyes widened considerably, and even Yokouchi Tsuyoshi appeared visibly startled by the staggering investment figure.
Seok-won painted a cold smile across his lips and spoke with unwavering confidence.

“If competition emerges, I’ll naturally pour in even more. There’s one thing I despise above all else—losing a fight.”

Unable to contain himself any longer, Jo Jung-gwang slammed his fist hard against the table.

“Are you saying you want to go head-to-head with me right now!”

In an instant, the atmosphere in the room turned hostile.
Landon Shore tensed, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice, while Yokouchi Tsuyoshi appeared prepared to restrain his superior if necessary.
Amid the tension, Seok-won remained composed, his interlaced fingers resting on his lap as he held Jo Jung-gwang’s gaze.

“However, if we fight like this, all that remains is pyrrhic victory. That’s why I’d like to make a proposal.”
“What proposal?”
“Rather than fighting, we join hands.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Jo Jung-gwang let out a surprised breath.

“You mean a partnership?”
“Precisely. We provide exclusive rights to Asia, including Japan, while SoftBank provides corresponding investment capital. We establish a joint venture with an equal 50-50 equity split. That way, we can both win without conflict—a mutually beneficial arrangement for both sides.”
“A partnership, you say….”

Sensing interest, Seok-won continued his persuasion in a measured tone.

“Surely you don’t believe that only we have recognized the potential of portal services now that the internet boom has begun. Just as SoftBank achieved tremendous growth by partnering with Microsoft, who can guarantee that a second or third SoftBank isn’t being created somewhere unknown to us at this very moment?”

Jo Jung-gwang thought it was a sufficiently plausible proposition.
Surely he couldn’t be the only one who had recognized the infinite growth potential of the internet.
That was precisely why he had flown all the way to Korea—to outpace potential competitors and secure the Japanese market first.

“You understand as well as I do how advantageous it is to plant your flag first and reap the benefits of first-mover advantage in any business. If we were to compete against each other, it would be a grueling battle, but if we join hands instead, we can dominate the Japanese market without much difficulty.”

Jo Jung-gwang sat in silence for a long moment, deliberating, before finally lifting his head to speak to Seok-won.

“Give me a few days to think it over.”

Seok-won nodded and held up a single finger as he spoke.

“I can’t wait too long, so I’ll give you a week.”
“I’ll have an answer for you by then.”

At that, Seok-won’s face broke into a smile once more, as if he had never been the one commanding the conversation with such forceful presence.

“Then let’s set aside this tedious business talk and continue our meal.”

Fortunately, the dishes crafted by the first-rate chef’s hands still retained their pristine freshness.
Unlike Seok-won, who savored each course as it arrived with genuine delight, Jo Jung-gwang and Yokouchi Tsuyoshi—now burdened with weighty concerns—merely picked at their food mechanically, scarcely aware of what they were eating.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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