Chapter 297: Supergirl and the Banshee
Luke Halts the Auction
As the saying goes, "When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits!"
But Luke, the fisherman, was not happy at all.
The reason he made the 20% shares the grand finale of the auction was twofold: to create excitement and to avoid the series of headaches that accompany traditional fundraising.
He never intended to simply use this opportunity to make a huge profit.
Yet, the situation had spun out of control. Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor were fighting tooth and nail. While others watched the spectacle, Luke, as the party involved, found the situation extremely tricky.
Business operates on rules, and stock trading is no exception. Recklessly pursuing an extremely high premium would likely lead to chaos and trouble down the road.
Unbeknownst to them, the bidding had already reached $1.7 billion.
Neither side showed any intention of stopping. Luke narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing both men. When the bidding hit $2 billion, he stood up, walked to the podium, and called the auctioneer over for a whispered conversation. Whatever he said, the auctioneer's face immediately changed, and he stammered, refusing to agree.
"This... this won't do. I can't do that. It will ruin my reputation."
Luke held up three fingers.
"If you agree, the money is yours. If you don't, you're out of this business forever."
The auctioneer looked miserable. After a moment's thought, he gritted his teeth and nodded.
"Fine, Mr. Shaw. This is a one-time thing, no next time."
With that, he returned to the platform, grabbed his gavel, and slammed it down hard.
"Ladies and gentlemen, as the bidding amount has far exceeded the maximum limit stipulated in the contract, I must suspend the auction. Mr. Wayne and Mr. Luthor, if you are still interested, you may speak directly with Mr. Shaw to discuss terms before considering whether to restart the auction."
The crowd immediately erupted in dissatisfaction. The show had just started and hadn't even reached its climax; now it was being shut down? They were all waiting to see who the final winner would be!
The auctioneer ignored the shouting, offered a brief apology, and quickly departed.
The farce ended in this manner. Those who loved the drama were disgruntled but helpless. The socialites and business elites, however, looked at Luke with meaningful expressions. They initially thought this seventeen-year-old boy was just a scientifically brilliant orphan, but they realized he had considerable skill in handling people and situations.
Both Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor were super-rich, with resources beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Watching them compete was exciting, but that excitement carried extreme danger.
In business, one strives for a win-win. If Luke had simply ignored them and let them fight to the death, the only outcome would have been: not only would he not get the money, but he would also offend both parties.
That was a major business faux pas.
The Final Deal
Luke called Charlie over, gave him a few quiet instructions, then stood up and extended an invitation.
"Please, Mr. Wayne, we must talk now."
Bruce glanced at Lex Luthor, who was standing not far away. Luthor returned the look, said nothing, and also rose to head for the second floor.
With the three main players gone, Charlie took charge of entertaining the remaining guests.
Lois Lane nudged her boyfriend.
"Can you tell me what they're discussing?"
Clark shook his head. "I can't do that. Eavesdropping is unethical."
"Fine, forget I asked."
Lois turned away in annoyance, then suddenly remembered something and turned back.
"Where's your cousin? I haven't seen her all night. Where did she go?"
The conversation between the three quickly concluded. Judging from their expressions, some kind of agreement seemed to have been reached, though the content remained unknown.
With the auction over, it was now 9:40 PM, and the banquet was winding down. People began leaving in droves.
For the guests, the exhibition tonight was truly an incredible journey. Setting aside the high-tech products like the mechanical bird, the energy vehicle, and the exoskeleton armor, even the small gadgets on display felt refreshing and innovative.
And then there was the sensational Clash of the Titans.
The news that Gotham's playboy Bruce Wayne and Metropolis's genius boss Lex Luthor fought tooth and nail over 20% of the shares would certainly become the hottest news story of the near future.
After seeing off the last wave of guests, a somewhat tired Luke sat on a sofa, lit a cigarette, and smoked absently.
Charlie hurried over.
"Young Master, did you... close the deal?"
Luke nodded slightly.
Charlie excitedly gestured with his fingers. "Did you reach this figure?"
Luke exhaled a smoke ring, saying calmly, "Don't take them for fools. They fought hard verbally, but they both know their limits. No one wants to be the biggest sucker."
"Then how much? Tell me quickly, I'm dying of curiosity!"
Luke stubbed out his cigarette. Under Charlie's expectant gaze, he spread his thumb and forefinger.
"Eight hundred million dollars for 24% of the shares, split evenly between the two of them."
Charlie gasped, his whole body becoming euphoric.
$800 million!
My God!
It far exceeded expectations.
With this money, the company could double its size. They wouldn't have to squeeze onto the 13th floor of the ShowMe Headquarters building; they could rent the entire building. And the data center construction could be accelerated and put into full gear.
He felt it: a bright future was beckoning. The name Charlie Well would definitely be etched into the future of the internet industry.
Luke continued,
"ShowMe's affairs are now your responsibility. I will transfer some shares to you later, increasing your stake to 10%. Work hard; this job won't be easy."
"Don't worry, Young Master. I won't disappoint you. I will make ShowMe a world-class internet company."
Luke smiled and waved his hand. "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Things must be taken step by step. By the way, where is Linda? I haven't seen her. Where did she run off to?"
"Billy said she left a long time ago."
"Left?"
Luke was full of confusion. They had agreed to go back together, so why the sudden departure? Could it be that some blind idiot had managed to anger her again?
A Fateful Encounter on the Outskirts
Meanwhile, in the western district of Metropolis, the ill-tempered Kryptonian girl was aimlessly wandering the streets. She unknowingly walked out of the city and into the suburbs. As she passed a bonfire, a group of thugs was gathered, drinking. Two brightly dressed young men noticed Linda and quickly approached. One teased her from the front while the other skulked behind.
Linda couldn't be bothered with small talk. She lashed out with a kick. Accompanied by a shrill scream and the sound of cracking bones, the unlucky man in front was sent flying. Like a bowling pin struck by a train, he knocked over two oil drums before embedding himself in an earthen wall, his condition unknown.
His accomplices were startled, then furious. Fueled by alcohol, they didn't flee. Instead, they drew their weapons, yelling and opening fire.
A rain of bullets flew toward her, but Linda stood still, allowing the rounds to hit her body. She was starting to get annoyed. Just as she was contemplating how to punish the thugs, a woman with silver-white hair descended from the sky and killed everyone present in a few moves.
Linda looked at her curiously. When she saw the woman's terrifying, skull-like face, she immediately frowned.
"What kind of monster are you?"
The woman turned her head and said coldly,
"I'm not a monster. Also, I just saved your life."
Linda sneered. "Looking like that and you're not a monster? Another self-deceiving idiot!"
The woman was enraged. She stomped her foot and charged straight at Linda.
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