After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future

Just past seven in the evening, but not yet eight.

Panda's IG Team wrapped up the match with a 3 to 0 score, clean and effortless, claiming the division's first championship.

"That's it?"

"Finished with a 3 to 0?"

"No pressure at all, I'm really curious, how did you manage seven years without a single championship?"

Little Wang was full of excitement, clenching his fists, but before he could let out a roar, he heard Lu Liang's three consecutive questions.

He really wanted to dismiss it arrogantly and rebut that Lu Liang was just a pragmatic businessman who knew nothing about LOL, but the key is that these questions indeed stumped him.

Not defeating the division's old rival LCK Team, nor a tense 3 to 2 score, barely clinching the victory.

This first championship somehow felt less than perfect.

Like the road to success is bound to be winding and rough, if you don't experience hardships, the rainbow won't be so beautiful.

"But the result is ultimately good."

Lu Liang squinted with a smile and shifted the topic because just recently, he received data from Sun Yutao.

Every time IG Team won a match point in the BO5, Panda Stocks' search volume rose exponentially.

Especially just now, at the moment the base crystal exploded, the individual stocks' popularity surged to the top of the hot stock list on Tiger Securities, Tianmei Check, Snowball, and other brokerages, topping the charts with a strong number one position.

In an hour and a half, the US Stock Market will open for trading. Given the current market heat, Panda's stock price is bound to give Lu Liang one big surprise after another.

"This is the division's honor, can't you stop being so opportunistic?" Little Wang said discontentedly, stiffening his neck.

"Then take your time to enjoy this honor, we'll leave for the second half." Lu Liang gave a wry smile, turned to look at Lee Jae-rong and his group, intending to leave then and there.

"How about Tianxing Automobile's naming rights?" Little Wang hurriedly called after Lu Liang.

Now that IG has won the championship, the heat is unprecedented, and long before the semifinals ended, automotive manufacturers had contacted them.

They wanted to acquire the naming rights of IG Team, but he thought the benefits shouldn't go to outsiders, preferring to let Lu Liang's Tianxing Automobile have it, so he kept delaying.

Lu Liang pondered and said, "I'll give Wang Xiaofeng a heads-up then, and while naming IG, we'll let Tianxing Automobile sponsor the entire division, give it some publicity."

Though he didn't understand why a dignified billionaire, son of the former First Rich, would be so excited because his game's team won the championship.

But he looked at the data, and at the global finals held in Incheon, there was a total of 99.6 million unique viewers watching the match.

The peak number of concurrent viewers on major streaming platforms reached 44 million, with an average minute viewership of 19.6 million.

This was a feat Mercedes-Benz naming the division for three years hadn't achieved, and if Tianxing Automobile could intercept it, why would he be polite?

Lu Liang glanced at the young people clinking glasses, then at Feng Xi on the side of the stage, preparing to go on stage for an interview.

He smiled slightly at the latter, indicating they'll contact later, then quietly left with Lee Jae-rong and others amidst high-pitched cheers.

Leaving the venue,

Lee Jae-rong and his companions all let out a long breath.

Lu Liang couldn't help but chuckle, finding it hard for these gentlemen past their fifties, patiently sitting with him for over three hours.

At this moment, Lee Jae-rong appeared melancholic and sighed, "Mr. Lu, you really put us in a tough spot."

Two hours ago, during the first match, he already understood the reason Lu Liang invited them to watch the game.

But since they were already there.

The seed of suspicion had been planted, realizing now was too late, and leaving in anger wouldn't make sense.

It would rather offend Lu Liang, resulting in an unfavorable situation without benefit, so he could only be patient and watch the entire match.

"Chairman Li, what do you mean by that?"

Lu Liang's smile remained, clearly feigning ignorance.

"It's nothing."

Lee Jae-rong knew Lu Liang was playing dumb, but didn't break it because being cheated only meant lack of vigilance, while not being aware of it meant stupidity.

As long as Lu Liang knew he already understood Lu Liang's intention, that's enough, regarding the consequences, he'll handle them himself.

Lee Jae-rong shifted the subject, saying, "Kakao's Chairman Jin is willing to cooperate with Chairman Zheng, Mr. Lu, what's your opinion?"

Lu Liang smiled with a twinkle, looking to Zheng Xuanyi, asking, "Chairman Zheng, I wonder what your thoughts are?"

Although he could make the decision, after all, the holder of XOO (Bitcoin) is the Hyundai Group, it is ultimately Zheng Xuanyi.

"Mr. Lu's thought is my thought, also the thought of the Hyundai Group." Zheng Xuanyi replied without hesitation, not missing any chance to build a closer relationship with Lu Liang.

"Then let's cooperate, cooperation leads to mutual success. After all, I have always loved peace and don't like to fight with others."

Lu Liang wore a smile, suddenly sighing, "What a pity, Mitsui Sumitomo doesn't understand this principle, and they even sent a Crown Prince to talk to me."

Lee Jae-rong's heart skipped a beat, hearing the implicit warning in Lu Liang's words, and he cast a sidelong glance at Jin Beom-ju, signaling him to express his position quickly.

Jin Beom-ju got the hint and said with an accommodating smile, "Our cooperation is a good thing for both parties, so no matter who or what force it is, it cannot change this outcome."

Seeing Lu Liang's smile, both Jin Beom-ju and Lee Jae-rong relaxed, thinking that this cooperation was thus finalized and no further issues would arise.

However, Lu Liang suddenly asked, "Chairman Jin, who is it exactly, and what force is it that can change your side's mind and hinder our cooperation?"

Jin Beom-ju froze, instinctively looking at Lee Jae-rong.

Lee Jae-rong frowned, not understanding the intent behind Lu Liang's question, as it was a typical case of asking the obvious.

Though the Samsung Group is a Korean chaebol, Samsung does not belong to the Li family, nor even to Korea at all.

On the contrary, including the Li family, all Korean financial institutions hold only 19% of Samsung's equity.

The remaining 81% is entirely in the hands of foreign investors, and most of it is still held by American interests.

This was the price Samsung Group had to pay back then to take over the Neon semiconductor industry.

In Chinese terms, it's selling out the country for glory, and Samsung is the biggest traitorous group in Korea.

Lu Liang was clearly touching a sore spot intentionally.

Lee Jae-rong's face suddenly clouded over, visibly trying hard to suppress his anger, "Mr. Lu, if you keep talking like this, then we have no reason to continue this conversation."

He seemed like an honest person facing provocation, backing down again and again, only to have boundaries pushed repeatedly.

Thus, having borne all he could bear, there was no need to endure anymore.

Lu Liang kept smiling, disregarding the murderous look in Lee Jae-rong's eyes, saying matter-of-factly, "As I recall, it's BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street Fund, seems like JPMorgan Chase also has a share, right?"

He lifted his eyes, suddenly meeting Lee Jae-rong's gaze sincerely, earnestly asking, "Chairman Lee, are you truly content with this?"

If he were always a dog for others, it wouldn't matter, but in Korea, Lee Jae-rong is the unrivaled Emperor, even the president avoids crossing his path.

However, once in the United States, he becomes subservient.

This tremendous psychological disparity, Lu Liang didn't believe Lee Jae-rong could endure, nor would he be willing to silently accept it forever.

Lee Jae-rong remained silent, his anger mostly dissipated.

He glanced at the surrounding environment, still at the entrance of a stadium, with people coming and going, not a place to talk.

Jin Beom-ju, who used to be Lee Jae-rong's secretary, understood the context, hurriedly saying, "Mr. Lu, it's too noisy here, why don't we switch to a quieter place?"

"We'll go with Chairman Jin's arrangement." Lu Liang nodded slightly, taking Zheng Xuanyi with him, following Jin Beom-ju and Lee Jae-rong to a manor on the outskirts of Incheon.

Half an hour later, the four reunited in a tea room.

Lee Jae-rong waved his hand, dismissing the service staff inside, suddenly showing an apologetic expression, "Mr. Lu, I was a bit out of line just now, please forgive me."

"I also misspoke, I hope Chairman Lee won't take it to heart." Lu Liang said earnestly, also apologizing sincerely.

"Haha, as the Chinese saying goes, 'a smile can resolve old hatreds,' let's drink this cup and remain good friends."

Zheng Xuanyi laughed heartily, filled everyone's cups, and suddenly ceased his hostility towards Lee Jae-rong.

On the way over, he had been pondering the intent behind Lu Liang's words, and suddenly one phrase surfaced in his mind.

'Unite all forces that can be united.'

Since its inception, Tianxing Finance was destined to have a great battle with Wall Street capital in the future.

With Lu Liang's current strength, it was obviously insufficient to face them.

Though he has consistently won long battles without defeat, his previous identity was a floating capital.

Floating capital can take a shot and run; even if Wall Street capital wants to target, they can't find a specific target.

In contrast now, Tianxing Finance, Tianxing Automobile, Delimei, along with the related Panda, NIO, and industries set up in Neon.

If Wall Street capital wants to target Lu Liang, they can now find accurate targets, and once Lu Liang fails, all his industries will face liquidation.

He must not lose; thus, he must unite all possible forces to collectively counter Wall Street capital.

Controlled by American capital for many years, the Samsung Group certainly had this desire, otherwise, they wouldn't be regrouping now.

Zheng Xuanyi was willing to show goodwill upfront because he had already been marked by Lu Liang and became a target.

Furthermore, if Lu Liang succeeds, the Hyundai Group would no longer need to vie for limited resources with the Samsung Group in Korea.

Afterwards, anywhere Wall Street capital can go, they can also go, and places Wall Street cannot reach, they can still approach.

The whole world would be their hunting ground.