Chương 333: Chapter 319

After that declaration, the two of them just sat there and stared at each other. Sam's mind was going a mile a second, just trying to work out the ramifications of that statement, while the old man's face looked inscrutable as he sipped his damned tea, while the screens behind him flickered and scrolled by, information streaming uselessly. He didn't know whether the old man's frankness was due to desperation or because he felt that would be most useful with Sam.

They had, no doubt, done several psychological and every other kind of assessment on Sam, so he was sure that the old man knew exactly how to push his buttons. His only 'defense' was his slightly out-of-context knowledge and awareness of the 'tropes', plus his continuously degrading knowledge of the future. Could he trust the old man and the industrial and economic beast behind his back? According to Lara, he could.

According to everything he knew about megacorporations and the type of person this old man in front of him was, he couldn't. They may look friendly and helpful, but sooner or later, there would come a moment when the incentive to help Sam is outweighed by whatever they would gain by going against him. It may not even be personal, just cold, hard mathematics. Granted, he could make himself so indispensable that they couldn't even hire anyone without his own say-so.

Sadly, that would involve actions that would cross lines that he wouldn't want to cross. There was the fact that even if he was willing to cross those lines, the chances it would work were slim at the start, and now that they were aware that he had 'some' kind of knowledge, it was even smaller.

"I feel that is a rather improbable request coming from you," Sam temporized while taking another sip of his drink, his mind going a mile-a-minute. The old man, leader of the Astran family, just smiled.

"Is that so strange, young man? I had a long life to learn my limits and what I was capable of. When an opportunity stands before me, and the only price is telling the truth, then I don't think I should hesitate…" Sam gave the man a small smile, though he thought it came out more as a grimace.

"Truth is…dangerous. It topples palaces and kills kings."

"Yet, it is incontrovertible," the old man replied instantly, his eyes glinting with some kind of emotion.

"Your truth, my truth, or whose truth?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow. The old man nodded a little.

"Preferably a truth that both of us can accept."

"Hmmm."

"Indeed. Hmmm." Once more, both of them fell silent, each of them sipping their own drinks, while Sam's mind was thinking of possibilities, thinking of plans (and almost instantly discarding them), trying to fit the new paradigm into them.

"What…exactly, are you proposing?" he finally asked when his lemonade had run out. The old man put his cup of tea down with a quiet clink before seemingly considering his words.

"I won't insult you by saying that this would be an equal relationship. My resources clearly outclass your own, no matter how much you seem to know …" he began to explain with a serious look on his face.

"But, I feel like there is an opportunity here for everyone to make the best of the situation."

"Big words with no substance," Sam retorted.

"What. Do. You. Want?" he asked, word by word, deciding to cut through all the corporate bullshit. Based on the look on his opponent's face, he seemed to be approving.

"Just as my dear granddaughter has told me. You have a unique way of handling issues…" The old man spoke with a smile, eyes seemingly looking at something beyond Sam.

"Very well, let us get to the meat of the issue." He raised a hand, making a rather unique but unfamiliar motion to Sam, and several screens 'flew' over, hovering between them in such a way that both of them could see the screens clearly. Another wave and a rather familiar logo appeared on one of them.

'Ah… AFK Company,' Sam mused as he leaned closer and read the 'brief' overview of the company Lucy and he had managed to cobble together. However, he had to keep his face straight because whoever put the report together clearly never played a game in their life. Several assets that were high value due to MMO player behavior and gaming tradition were marked as waste or unconfirmed assets. The report continued on the other screens, showcasing all of his holdings. Well, all public holdings.

He saw that several things that he knew Tim was building in the shadows were conspicuously absent from the lists.

"As I stated, you may think yourself talented, but it is nothing against the precision machine I have built over the years!" the old man grinned, bragging a little.

"Sure, sure…old man. Very impressive," he replied with a grin of his own. Fair is fair; it took the old man barely a few seconds to realize that Sam was making fun of the report. He clicked his tongue and began to mutter to himself while looking away. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

"Ahh, youth today…no appreciation for…" Sam just rolled his eyes.

"Was there any point showing me this?" he asked, gesturing toward the screens. The old man returned his heavy gaze toward Sam and nodded, his previous embarrassment simply forgotten.

"Yes. As you know, your company and holdings, while impressive for amateurs, could use the touch of someone with experience. If you would allow the Astran Corporation to support your efforts from the back, I am sure the results would speak for themselves."

'Yeah, and hand the key to the kingdom over on a silver platter…dream on, old man!' Sam thought, but out loud he just asked a simple question.

"And what would be the price for this generous help?" The old man smiled.

"The Astran corporation would have a ready-made foothold and access-point to an emerging market. I doubt even the lack of a degree would prevent one from understanding what that would mean." Sam just sent the man a hooded look.

"That still seems a little vague for me. Providing support is great, but what exactly do you mean by providing support? Manpower? Money? Reputation?"

"Any of them. You and your little friends seem to understand this game better than most people. The support would go where you feel it would do the best. You want number-crunchers handling your books? We have that. You want trainers for your troops? We have entire mercenary legions at our command. You want to know what the enemy is doing? Say the word, and the information is on your desk."

"A bold statement."

"A true statement." Sam once again fell silent, drumming his fingers on the desk in front of him, thinking hard. The offer was tempting. Just accept the help and go play the game. Let those who are interested in politics and economics fight those battles for them. But… he knew where that would lead. A guild led by numbers, not by his intricate knowledge. Always chasing bigger numbers. Always making the numbers go up to satisfy the shareholders.

Less emphasis on talent or hidden gems, more on those who know how to move in those kinds of circles. Then, when everything was wrung out of the guild, it would be discarded as a dried-out husk… Capitalism at its finest. Yet, at the same time, Sam also knew that rejecting the old man and the Astran Corporation would one hundred percent backfire. No matter how good a friend Lara was, no matter how kind and approachable the old man looked, his priority was his own family and corporation, damn everybody else.

Maybe the Astrans would try a more 'direct' approach by removing him and Lucy from the game via physical means. Either imprisonment or death… Or simply go to their enemies and offer them the same, then laugh as they crush Chrysalis with their infinite money and support.

'Two options that suck…' he mused, looking directly in the old man's knowing eyes.

'Which I suppose is the point of this meeting. Man… Lara really owes me a lot… But two can play this game!'

"I'm afraid, as it is, the offer is not something I can accept," he finally stated with a strong voice. The only reaction from the old man was a barely visible widening of his eyes.

"Oh?" Sam nodded sagely.

"Indeed. During the short while Magic Unbound had been online, I witnessed several corporations attempt what you offer. Unfortunately, they all failed. Do you know why?"

"Hohoho, what would that be, young man?"

"They forgot one important thing."

"That is?"

"That, this was, is, and will be a game. People enter it to play a game. Yes, they can make good money and support their families, but if you remove the gaming aspect, it just transforms into another boring job, just with better graphics."

"And you think our support would do that?"

"Let me guess: improved logistic lines, optimized reward system for jobs, accepting marketing contracts, and so on? That's the plan, yes?" The old man blinked.

"Well, shortly summarized and simplified, but yes. We would need to make money, somehow …"

"The money my company is making currently is not enough?" he asked with a smile. The old man just frowned, then huffed a little.

"Well, if you are so knowledgeable about this issue, then what would be your offer?" Sam grinned, leaned forward, and put the tips of his fingers together.

"Why don't we help support you?" Now both eyebrows went up.

"You? Support us?"

"Yes. We – especially my team – understand how the game works, how gamers think. Your family, thanks to Lara, already has several properties in the town I'm building. How about we help you set up there and see how your experts and such would fare in a different environment." Once again, silence filled the room. Sam stared directly into the old man's eyes, while said man stared right back, occasionally glancing at the screens now showing maps and data about Ferabor.

Before the old man could say anything, Sam simply continued.

"Gamers are an odd bunch. You can try to force them do whatever you want, but in nine out of ten cases, they are going to do the exact opposite just to spite you. Getting their trust is not a simple matter. If my company were to accept your help, they would cry 'sellout' the instant the news hit the forum, and all our hard-earned reputation would vanish. Reputation that is incredibly hard to build and maintain in such a volatile environment." He let the other man digest the information before continuing.

"Reputation that one cannot buy. Many tried, but it never worked out. Just ask your eggheads. I'm sure one of them has a corkboard full of statistics and red strings about that topic."

"And in your opinion, that would help us get access to the new market?"

"What would you even be able to sell in-game? Or were you hoping to sell our products?" Sam asked without answering the question.

"Insurance was one that we were considering. Against losing items, putting up items on auction sites, and so on. Calculations show that it would be a viable product if acted on quickly," the old man said with a pointed look.

"And who would trust a new company with insurance?" Sam asked, laughing a little. A thunderous look crossed the old man's face.

"The Astran Corporation has been in business for the last two hundred years –" he began, but Sam interrupted him cheekily.

"In the real world, yes. In the game? No." The old man fell silent as Sam leaned back in his chair, satisfied. He may be forced to be here, making decisions he didn't really want, but at least he could tweak the nose of a powerful person. Finally, after a minute, the old man spoke up.

"New market, new public perception, you say?"

"Yes." For a moment, Sam feared the man would curse him or call over some leg breakers, but instead, he spent a moment looking at Sam, then threw his head back and began to laugh uproariously.

"HAHAHA! What a fascinating young man you are! Teaches me not to underestimate you even after all that I had learned about you!" Then he slammed his hand on the table, rattling the teacup and glass, and grinned.

"Very well! Let's do it your way!" he exclaimed, then holding out his hand for a handshake.