Slap!
Luo Zheng slapped himself lightly across the face.
The sudden sting helped him suppress the absurd urge rising in his mind.
No matter what, he couldn't ruin such a perfect start for a moment of impulse.
If the option had been becoming the godson of Warner Bros. Discovery's chairman, maybe he would have considered it.
But the Wang brothers of Huayi?
Without Feng Xiaogang, what were they worth?
He had no interest in cleaning up after them in the future.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Zheng forced himself to calm down and looked at the remaining choices.
First, he eliminated all the "illegitimate son" options.
No matter how tempting they were, he had no intention of placing that kind of stain on the memory of this body's deceased father.
That left only three real choices.
Lionsgate. Summit. Marvel.
Choosing any one of them would make him the direct controller of the company.
Summit was the first to be ruled out.
Its future was too limited.
Aside from Twilight, it had no truly explosive franchise value.
In the end, it would simply be absorbed by Lionsgate and disappear from history.
Lionsgate, on the other hand, had solid potential.
In just two years, it would discover James Wan and release the horror masterpiece Saw.
A low-budget film.
Massive returns.
A hundredfold profit.
From that point on, the franchise would become Lionsgate's cash cow.
Its market value would eventually soar into the billions.
If he chose Lionsgate, he could practically lie back and become rich.
But Luo Zheng was not that kind of person.
As a reborn man with future knowledge, how could he settle for merely being rich?
And then there was the final option.
Marvel.
The moment that name appeared, his heart beat faster.
In his previous life, he had struggled from being a background actor to becoming a director, and eventually opened a small film company.
He made web movies, short dramas, and small-scale productions.
It was comfortable.
But it was never his dream.
Now, that dream was right in front of him.
Marvel wasn't just a company.
It was a gold mine of endless possibilities.
Heroes.
Universes.
Blockbusters.
Merchandise.
Global influence.
Most importantly—
a future worth 4.24 billion dollars even if it was simply sold to The Walt Disney Company.
There was no need to hesitate.
Luo Zheng made his choice.
Marvel.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. You are now the controlling shareholder of Marvel.]
[World-line adjustment complete. Minor discrepancies may exist. Please explore independently.]
A stream of information instantly flooded his mind.
Marvel Company
Employees: 20
Departments
Development Department
Responsible for selecting licensable comic IPs and negotiating with Hollywood studios.
Head: Avi Arad
Legal Department
Handles copyright ownership disputes and licensing contracts.
Finance Department
Responsible for revenue, costs, and cash flow.
IP Asset Management Department
Manages thousands of character copyrights and long-term strategy.
Head: Kevin Feige
Looking at the structure, Luo Zheng immediately understood.
The current Marvel was not yet a true studio.
It was essentially an IP licensing company.
Only after Iron Man would it truly evolve into a major film powerhouse.
Before he could think further, the system notification rang again.
[Additional Bonus Unlocked]
When producing IP-based works, once the project becomes profitable, all production costs will be refunded at 2x.
Luo Zheng froze.
Then his eyes widened.
This was insane.
No—
this was completely broken.
As long as the movie made money, not only would he recover the budget—
he would earn double the production cost back.
The more he spent, the more he earned.
As long as the film succeeded.
This reward alone made Marvel the perfect choice.
"Cousin! Hurry up!"
"Mom's coming upstairs!"
Liu Xixi's anxious voice pulled him back to reality.
Luo Zheng barely responded.
His attention was already elsewhere.
He pulled out his phone.
Sure enough, the contact list now contained a new number.
Secretary – Marvel Headquarters
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
He quickly typed a message and sent it.
At that exact moment, hurried footsteps approached.
Then—
the door burst open.
Liu Xiaoli stood there with an angry expression.
"Luo Zheng!"
"You brought another woman home again!"
"And you even made Xixi lie for you?"
Her voice was sharp with anger.
Xixi immediately shrank back.
"Mom, Cousin really didn't—"
"Enough!"
Liu Xiaoli cut her off.
She stepped forward and pointed toward the bedroom.
"Pack your things."
"Take your girlfriend and leave this house immediately."
Before Luo Zheng could answer—
the sound of high heels echoed from the bedroom.
A cool, slightly annoyed female voice followed.
"And who exactly are you calling a questionable woman?"
Everyone turned.
A tall, stunning woman stepped out in nothing but Luo Zheng's oversized white shirt.
Golden-brown hair.
Sharp eyes.
Perfect figure.
The moment Liu Xiaoli saw her face, she froze.
Her expression instantly changed.
Because standing there was none other than Angelina Jolie.
The same woman she had watched in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
For a moment, she thought she was dreaming.
"I… I'm sorry, Ms. Jolie."
"I spoke without thinking."
Even Liu Xiaoli could only apologize awkwardly.
Julie walked forward naturally and looped an arm around Luo Zheng's.
Then she looked at Liu Xiaoli with an unreadable smile.
The room fell silent.
A short while later, after the awkward confrontation ended, Julie prepared to leave.
Before stepping out, she leaned close and kissed Luo Zheng lightly.
"That was the last time I'll be your girlfriend."
Her smile was teasing, but her meaning was clear.
No strings attached.
Luo Zheng smiled back.
"I understand."
Then his eyes narrowed slightly.
"But I have a feeling this isn't the last time we'll meet."
Julie paused.
Then laughed softly.
"Then I'll look forward to it."
Meanwhile, in Midtown Manhattan.
Marvel Headquarters
The board meeting room was tense.
Bang!
Marvel president Bill Jemas slammed his hand on the table.
"I oppose it!"
"How can we let such a young man control Marvel?"
"And he's Chinese!"
A director frowned.
"But he holds 51% of the shares."
Bill Jemas sneered.
"Then let him remain chairman in name only."
"The real decision-making power stays with us."
A moment of silence.
Then another voice spoke.
"A figurehead chairman?"
"That's actually not a bad idea."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
"Seconded."
The boardroom atmosphere instantly turned cold.
At that moment, no one noticed the black Rolls-Royce motorcade slowly stopping outside the building.
The new chairman had arrived.