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The financial report was quickly generated, and Wang Qi handed it to Wu Weide. Wu Weide grew increasingly astonished as he read it. The figures were undeniable, leaving no room for disbelief. "Mr. Wang, we'll need to reassess the acquisition price, but you should also give us a number. How much are you willing to sell for?" With the financial report in hand, Wu Weide realized that offering a million was too low and even somewhat insulting. "15 million. That's the lowest I'll go. Not a penny less. That's my bottom line," Wang Qi said calmly. "Mr. Wang, don't you think you're asking for a bit much? 15 million for a private server is unprecedented," Wu Weide said, taken aback. Even with a reevaluation, a fifteen-fold increase seemed excessive. "Heh, the math is straightforward, isn't it? My average daily revenue is between 30,000 and 50,000, which easily exceeds 10 million a year. Plus, I have minimal costs, so it's essentially pure profit," Wang Qi said with a smirk. "Your gaming company has deep pockets, so this amount shouldn't be a big deal. Besides, you could expand the private server, increasing revenue and profits even more." Wang Qi's logic was clear, and his asking price of 15 million was not unreasonable. "This isn't something I can decide on my own. The board will have to discuss it," Wu Weide admitted. While he represented the company, he didn't have the authority to make such a decision on his own, especially with the increased price. "Hurry up. If you don't make a move soon, don't blame me for selling it to someone else." Wang Qi had no doubt that his private server was a hot commodity right now. "Goodbye." Wu Weide shook hands with Wang Qi, then with Liu Chao, and hurriedly left. "Heh heh. Heh heh."

"But don't you think we're selling it too cheap? After all, the annual net profit is over a million," Liu Chao said, quickly shifting the conversation. "What do you know? Sure, the private server is hot right now, but games aren't irreplaceable. Once a new online game craze hits, our server won't be worth much. If we don't sell it for a good price now, when will we? Better to cash in while we can. Besides, there wasn't much cost involved," Wang Qi said. He shrugged, knowing the future belonged to mobile games. Whoever dominated the mobile platform would be the real winner. Of course, that would have to wait until smartphones became more widespread. Right now, he did not even have a semi-smartphone. In less than three days, Wu Weide came back to Wang Qi, saying the company was willing to accept the price Wang Qi proposed and asking him to come in to sign the contract. At the Blue Sky Game Company headquarters, Wang Qi met the company’s CEO, Chen Tianlong. Chen was bald, a bit on the hefty side, dressed in a sharp suit, and exuded an air of wealth and confidence. These gaming company CEOs did not necessarily understand games; they just had a good eye for business. "Mr. Wang, you’re quite accomplished for someone so young," Chen Tianlong said, surprised. This guy was really young, definitely a tech talent, but a bit naive, creating a private server without knowing how to capitalize on it. "All right, let’s skip the pleasantries. You pay, I hand over the private server, and we’re done. It’s a simple deal, and I don’t want to waste time," Wang Qi said.

Wang Qi handed over the code to Chen Tianlong, and his involvement ended there. "All right, I've got things to do, so I won't be joining you for a meal. Goodbye." Wang Qi was ready to leave; he still had to return to school. "Mr. Wang, why rush? Come work at my company. I'll offer you $3 million a year," Chen Tianlong said, eager to recruit Wang Qi after recognizing his technical prowess in creating the Private Server. "I don't have the time. I need to attend college. I can't work for you," Wang Qi said firmly. Although a $3 million annual salary was astronomical in 2003, he would not be swayed by immediate gains. Signing an employment contract could mean wasting years of his youth there. Wang Qi then left. As soon as he exited Blue Sky Game Company, he headed straight to a nearby bank. At the ATM, he checked his account balance: $12,380,000. Wang Qi's heart was racing; he had just made his first significant profit, which would serve as his initial investment fund. Of course, he did not forget about Liu Chao's share. He went to the bank, transferred the money to Liu Chao, and then returned to school. With finals approaching, the atmosphere in the classroom was tense. Wang Qi returned to his seat and started reviewing a book. At this point, it was all about revising since most of the material had been covered in the previous year. Senior year was mainly about reinforcing and memorizing. After the evening study session, Wang Qi pulled Liu Chao aside and suggested they go out for a meal to celebrate properly. "I've transferred the money to you. After taxes, we made $1.2 million, so your share is $120,000," Wang Qi explained, making sure Liu Chao understood the breakdown and did not mistakenly think he was owed $150,000. The two headed to a street food stall for some skewers. It was late, and Wang Qi was not in the mood for a fancy restaurant. He had wanted to invite Menghan, but unfortunately, she was staying on campus and could not leave without a permission slip. As they enjoyed their beer and skewers, Liu Chao said, "Qi, we need to find another way to make money soon. We can't just sit around doing nothing." "Let's talk about it after the finals," Wang Qi replied. He had considered this, but with everything going on, he did not have the time. Besides, he was not sure what venture to pursue next.

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