The moment the conference room doors closed, a strange silence settled over everyone present.
Every executive, every shareholder, every department head had the same thought in mind.
Luo Zheng had only been gone for a few days.
So why did he feel… different?
The young man who had left for Berlin as an ambitious chairman had returned with an aura that made the entire room unconsciously sit straighter. It wasn't just confidence anymore. It was pressure. The kind of pressure only someone used to controlling the outcome of every conversation could create.
At just twenty-one, he now carried himself like a man who had spent decades standing at the top of boardrooms, crushing opposition and directing capital flows with a single sentence.
Even the older executives found themselves instinctively lowering their voices.
Luo Zheng slowly swept his gaze across the long conference table.
No one dared speak first.
Very good.
He rested both hands on the polished wooden surface and spoke in a calm, commanding tone.
"Since no one has questions, I'll begin."
His voice was not loud, but it carried enough weight to fill the entire room.
"First, regarding the internal restructuring and layoffs, I believe everyone is already aware of the plan."
His eyes shifted toward Bill.
"Bill, this matter will be handled by you. I want the implementation process accelerated. No unnecessary delays."
Bill's back instantly straightened.
The moment Luo Zheng looked at him, he felt an invisible pressure settle on his shoulders.
"Yes, Chairman."
He nodded heavily.
"I will handle it with full effort."
"Good."
Luo Zheng gave a slight nod, clearly satisfied.
Then he turned his attention toward Allen, the executive vice president.
"Now tell me," he said evenly, "what is the status of the publication for Pirates of the Caribbean?"
Allen almost jumped to his feet.
He stood so quickly that the chair legs scraped sharply against the floor.
The sound made Bill's expression instantly darken.
He glanced sideways at Allen with annoyance.
What the hell is this guy doing?
Standing up to report?
Trying to show me up in front of the chairman?
Allen, however, had no time to care about Bill's pride.
He cleared his throat and answered respectfully.
"Chairman, the publication agreement has already been negotiated with Random House under your personal name. The legal department has completed its review, and it is currently only awaiting your signature."
As he spoke, he opened the folder in his hands.
"The contract uses a progressive royalty system."
He paused for emphasis.
"If total sales remain within three hundred thousand copies over two years, the royalty is seven percent."
"At five hundred thousand copies, it rises to eight percent."
"The percentage continues increasing with volume."
He looked up, unable to hide the admiration in his voice.
"And if sales exceed one point five million copies, the maximum royalty rate reaches fifteen percent."
The moment those words fell, several executives visibly inhaled.
Even Luo Zheng's eyes flickered with surprise.
Fifteen percent.
That was not beginner treatment.
That was first-tier author treatment.
Even in North America, only established bestselling writers usually received that kind of royalty bracket.
For a first-time author?
For a newcomer?
That was extraordinary.
A slow smile appeared on Luo Zheng's face.
"Excellent."
He looked directly at Allen.
"You handled this beautifully."
The praise instantly made Allen's face light up.
"You flatter me, Chairman."
He gave a slight bow, humility written all over his face.
At that moment, Luo Zheng suddenly found the scene rather amusing.
So this was what power looked like.
The same arrogant executives who once treated him like a reckless kid now stood in front of him like model employees.
When your position rises high enough, everyone around you suddenly becomes polite.
Bill, sitting nearby, felt increasingly uncomfortable.
The more he watched Allen perform, the more he felt heat rising on his own face.
Had he really been president for too long?
Had he forgotten the most important corporate survival skill?
Maybe I really need to relearn how to flatter my boss…
Otherwise, this seat might not remain mine much longer.
Just as the room was settling, Old Karl suddenly raised his hand.
His expression remained as sharp as ever.
"Mr. Chairman."
His voice carried obvious doubt.
"I don't understand."
He leaned forward.
"What does publishing a novel have to do with Marvel's future development?"
The question instantly resonated with several others.
Many executives had been wondering the same thing.
Why discuss a personal publishing contract in a corporate strategy meeting?
Luo Zheng smiled.
But instead of answering directly, he simply turned his gaze toward Allen.
The signal was obvious.
Perform.
Allen's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
He had barely sat down for a minute before springing back up.
This time, he loosened his tie dramatically, cleared his throat, and spoke with theatrical confidence.
"Allow me," he said loudly, "to explain the Chairman's god-level move."
The room immediately fell silent.
Allen let the suspense build before continuing.
"Does the title Pirates of the Caribbean sound familiar to everyone?"
Several executives exchanged glances.
Of course it did.
Disney.
The water park attraction.
Allen nodded as if answering their thoughts.
"Exactly."
"It is the same public-domain attraction concept Disney has been building around."
He smiled.
"But that is precisely where the Chairman's brilliance lies."
"The attraction itself is public IP."
"Anyone can use the concept."
He lifted the contract folder.
"But the Chairman transformed that public concept into an original novel."
"And not just that—he has already adapted it into a film-ready screenplay."
He paused dramatically.
"Both protected under copyright."
The room instantly began buzzing.
Allen's voice rose with excitement.
"Now think about it."
"If the novel becomes a bestseller…"
"If the screenplay proves commercially viable…"
"Do you think Disney will stay calm?"
Old Karl's eyes widened.
Then suddenly—
Bang!
He slapped the table.
"That old fox Roy will definitely bite!"
The room turned toward him.
Karl leaned back, suddenly energized.
"Roy Disney is currently fighting for internal control."
"If he can secure this project…"
"If he can use it to boost Disney's park division and film department…"
"He gains enormous leverage with the shareholders."
His eyes shone.
"This project could become a political weapon inside Disney."
The room instantly erupted.
Everyone now understood.
This was no ordinary publishing deal.
This was a trap.
A perfectly baited commercial trap.
Use a public-domain concept.
Create proprietary value.
Force Disney to approach Marvel for collaboration.
Monetize through negotiation.
It was brilliant.
One executive gave a thumbs-up.
Another immediately followed.
Soon the entire room was filled with praise.
"Chairman is a genius!"
"This strategy is unbelievable!"
"Absolute business masterstroke!"
A few executives even awkwardly attempted recently learned Chinese compliments.
"Chairman… very niu bi!"
"Tai… tai li hai!"
The awkward pronunciation almost made Luo Zheng laugh.
But he kept a composed expression and simply nodded.
"Enough."
He clapped once.
The room instantly fell silent.
The execution speed made him even more satisfied.
Very good.
This was beginning to look like his company.
He leaned forward slightly.
"Now, the third major task."
Every eye locked onto him.
Even Old Karl was fully attentive.
"Pirates of the Caribbean is a long-term strategy."
"The capital recovery cycle is too slow."
He paused.
"For Marvel's cinematic universe strategy, we need fast cash flow."
His gaze shifted toward Avi Arad.
"I am launching another low-cost, high-return film project."
Avi instantly stood up, eyes shining.
Finally.
His turn had come.
He nearly looked ready to go on stage.
Bill, meanwhile, kept his head lowered, his expression darker than ever.
At this rate, he was already mentally drafting a resignation letter.
Avi pressed the remote in his hand.
The projector lit up.
The lights dimmed.
Then four blood-red letters slowly appeared on the screen.
SAW
Behind the title was an eerie image of twisted hands stained in crimson shadows.
A horrifying soundtrack began to play.
The room temperature seemed to drop instantly.
Several executives felt goosebumps rise on their arms.
Luo Zheng frowned.
"Avi."
He rubbed his temple.
"Turn off the music and get to the point."
"Yes, Chairman!"
Avi immediately shut it off.
He straightened his tie and began explaining the story structure.
The serial-killer premise.
The psychological horror.
The twisted morality games.
The grotesque deaths.
The philosophical undertone about life and survival.
Most importantly—
the franchise potential.
"One film per year."
"Low budget."
"Massive box office return."
"Repeatable IP structure."
As Avi continued speaking, the room grew more and more absorbed.
Even the shareholders had forgotten to interrupt.
The horrifying concept alone was enough to send chills down their spines.
A killer who punished people through terrifying moral traps.
Brutal violence mixed with psychological suspense.
Bloody spectacle layered with disturbing philosophical questions.
This…
This was exactly the kind of film the American market would devour.
One executive muttered under his breath,
"This is genius…"
Another swallowed hard.
"Chairman really understands Hollywood."
Luo Zheng leaned back in his chair.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Of course he understood.
Because this was only the beginning.
Marvel's future wasn't comics anymore.
It was cinema.
And from this moment onward—
the Marvel empire was truly starting to move.