Steve Jobs never liked wasting time on meaningless formalities.
The moment he opened his mouth, both Luo Zheng and Roy Disney were caught completely off guard.
"William," Jobs said calmly while adjusting his glasses, "are you interested in Pixar's shares?"
The room instantly fell silent.
Even Roy Disney, who had been smiling leisurely on the sofa moments ago, froze completely.
Pixar.
Those few words alone carried astonishing weight.
Although Pixar had not yet reached the terrifying valuation it would one day possess, anyone with eyes could already see its future potential after the explosive success of Toy Story and Monsters, Inc.
And now—
Jobs was actually offering shares directly to Luo Zheng.
For a brief moment, even Luo Zheng was stunned.
But his reaction speed was extremely fast.
He immediately smiled and extended his hand again.
"Of course I'm interested, Mr. Jobs."
Then he added jokingly:
"As long as it's something you're willing to sell, I'll gladly buy it."
The sentence sounded casual, but it instantly made Roy Disney anxious.
He hurriedly stood up from the sofa and interrupted before the conversation could continue.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" Roy forced a laugh onto his face. "How can we discuss such an important matter standing around like this? Sit first. Sit first."
As he spoke, he directly pulled the two toward the lounge area.
"I personally brewed the coffee today. You two must try it."
The topic was forcefully interrupted just like that.
Luo Zheng glanced at Roy and instantly understood his thoughts.
Roy was genuinely afraid.
Not afraid that Jobs would sell shares—
But afraid that Jobs would really sell them cheaply.
Others might not know how much cash Luo Zheng currently controlled, but Roy had a rough estimate.
Spider-Man's explosive success had already brought Marvel enormous profits.
On top of that, Luo Zheng still held large amounts of Apple stock and multiple investments across Hollywood.
This young man's financial reserves were becoming increasingly terrifying.
If Jobs truly intended to sell Pixar at a discounted price…
Roy feared Luo Zheng might actually swallow a massive portion of Pixar outright.
After everyone sat down, Roy deliberately changed the subject.
"William," he said while handing over coffee, "calling you here so urgently naturally means there's good news."
Luo Zheng took the cup and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Good news?"
"This morning I was still discussing food with Angelina before being dragged here by your phone call."
Hearing that, Roy laughed loudly.
"Young people really do have energy."
Then his expression gradually became serious.
"You know I've always supported Disney's animation department."
"Finding Nemo is nearly finished production."
"So now… we need to prepare the next project."
Luo Zheng instantly understood.
No wonder Jobs was here too.
Clearly, today's real purpose revolved around Pixar and Disney's future cooperation.
Still, Luo Zheng deliberately reminded him:
"Don't forget our Pirates of the Caribbean."
"Of course not!"
Roy immediately waved his hand.
"That film is Disney's most important live-action project this year."
Although he said that confidently, Luo Zheng could still see the hidden regret deep inside Roy's eyes.
Because Pirates of the Caribbean might make Disney huge profits—
But the biggest winner would definitely be Luo Zheng himself.
Roy still regretted agreeing to such an outrageously high box-office split contract.
Especially because it was calculated using gross box office.
There was almost no room for accounting manipulation.
In other words—
If the movie exploded, Luo Zheng would earn terrifying amounts of money.
Naturally, Luo Zheng noticed Roy's thoughts clearly.
But he only smiled and said nothing.
After all…
He was the one benefiting.
Soon, the conversation returned to animation again.
"So," Luo Zheng asked calmly, "what ideas do you two have?"
Roy immediately spread his hands helplessly.
"Please, William, I'm only the company president."
Then he pointed directly at Jobs.
"The creative side is Pixar's territory."
Jobs remained calm as always.
"I do have an idea," he said slowly.
"But before that…"
His gaze suddenly locked onto Luo Zheng.
Roy's heart immediately tightened again.
"What is it?" Roy asked quickly.
Jobs ignored him completely.
Instead, he looked straight at Luo Zheng.
"William, I know you have extraordinary talent in storytelling and visual creativity."
"How about a competition?"
This time, even Luo Zheng was genuinely confused.
Animation talent?
Where exactly had Jobs gotten that impression from?
Did the timeline modifications created by the system somehow make him appear like an all-around genius in other people's minds?
Still, Luo Zheng naturally couldn't deny it now.
He leaned back slightly and smiled.
"What kind of competition?"
Jobs finally revealed his true intention.
"You provide the concept."
"Pixar and Disney will jointly produce the film."
"If the final box office surpasses Finding Nemo…"
Jobs paused briefly.
Then he dropped another bombshell.
"I'll sell you forty percent of Pixar's shares at a discounted price."
Roy nearly choked on his coffee.
"Forty percent?!"
Even Luo Zheng was surprised.
He originally thought Jobs only wanted to test him casually.
But this was clearly serious.
Very serious.
Luo Zheng's mind began calculating instantly.
Pixar's future value was absolutely monstrous.
If he could truly obtain forty percent now…
The future returns would become unimaginable.
But Roy immediately noticed the loophole.
"What if the movie doesn't beat Finding Nemo?"
Jobs finally turned toward him.
"Then I'll sell the shares to Disney instead."
Roy instinctively asked:
"At a discount too?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Roy himself became embarrassed.
Even Luo Zheng laughed.
Who in Hollywood didn't know Jobs' personality?
Selling Pixar shares to Disney without intentionally inflating the price already counted as friendship.
A discount?
That was pure fantasy.
After a few seconds of silence, Luo Zheng finally nodded.
"Fine."
"I accept."
Then he smiled slightly.
"But we'll discuss the animation concept after Saw's premiere."
"Of course."
Jobs and Roy agreed immediately.
Neither of them doubted Luo Zheng's creative abilities anymore.
After all, Pirates of the Caribbean alone had already proven his terrifying imagination.
The atmosphere relaxed afterward.
Coffee gradually became red wine.
The three began discussing Apple's future development, digital entertainment, online media, and film technology trends.
Jobs clearly appreciated Luo Zheng more and more during the conversation.
After all, among Apple's major shareholders, Luo Zheng was the only one who almost never interfered with management while continuing to increase his holdings steadily.
That level of trust naturally earned Jobs' goodwill.
Time passed quickly.
Soon, it was already afternoon.
The three left Disney headquarters together and headed toward the premiere venue for Saw.
Outside the theater, the entire street was already packed.
Media reporters crowded both sides of the red carpet.
Fans screamed excitedly behind security barriers.
Luxury cars continuously stopped at the entrance as celebrities stepped out one after another.
Flashlights exploded nonstop.
The atmosphere was incredibly lively.
Then—
A black Rolls-Royce slowly arrived.
The moment Luo Zheng stepped out alongside Angelina Jolie, the crowd instantly erupted.
Especially Jolie.
Her long legs and stunning figure immediately became the center of attention.
The reporters nearly went crazy.
Camera shutters clicked wildly.
Even Luo Zheng, whose fame in Hollywood mainly existed inside industry circles, became the focus of countless lenses tonight because of his connection with Jolie and Marvel.
The two slowly walked down the red carpet.
Jolie naturally hooked her arm around Luo Zheng's.
The intimate gesture caused another wave of screams.
Soon afterward, director James Wan personally came forward to greet them.
His eyes were obviously nervous.
This was his first true Hollywood battle.
Success or failure would be decided tonight.
"Relax," Luo Zheng said while patting his shoulder lightly.
"You already won."
James Wan forced a smile.
But his hands were still trembling slightly.
Inside the theater, guests gradually took their seats.
Not long afterward, the premiere officially began.
The host briefly introduced the cast and crew before dimming the lights directly.
No lengthy speeches.
No excessive promotion.
Everything depended on the movie itself.
The screen lit up.
Saw officially began.
More than an hour later.
The film ended.
The lights slowly turned back on.
But strangely—
The entire theater remained silent.
Not a single sound could be heard.
The oppressive atmosphere from the movie still lingered heavily in everyone's minds.
Many audience members were still frozen in their seats.
Some clutched the armrests so tightly their knuckles turned white.
Others stared blankly at the screen as if unable to recover from the final twist.
Ten seconds passed.
Then suddenly—
Thunderous applause exploded across the theater like a dam collapsing.
The cheers became deafening.
"Oh my God!"
"That ending was insane!"
"My heart nearly stopped!"
"This movie is completely crazy!"
"It's not just horror—it's psychological torture!"
Excited discussions erupted everywhere.
Some younger viewers were practically screaming while discussing the final reveal with their friends.
Others rushed toward the restroom to calm themselves.
The reactions were overwhelming.
And for horror films—
Such reactions represented the greatest possible success.
Watching the audience lose control emotionally, James Wan's eyes immediately turned red.
He knew.
Saw had succeeded.
Completely.
At that moment, the host quickly stepped back onto the stage and began controlling the excited crowd again.
Then, with an energized voice, he shouted:
"Let's welcome tonight's creators!"
"Director James Wan!"
"And Marvel chairman—William Luo!"
The reporters instantly became energized again.
Countless hands shot upward.
Everyone wanted answers.
Everyone wanted interviews.
Everyone wanted the young Asian producer who had suddenly shaken Hollywood again.
At almost the exact same time—
Another premiere was also taking place elsewhere in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros.' horror-comedy Eight Legged Freaks officially held its opening event that same evening.
Although the atmosphere there was nowhere near as explosive as Saw's premiere, Warner Bros.' brand alone still attracted huge media attention.
However—
What Luo Zheng didn't know yet…
Was that because of previous small conflicts and growing competition—
Warner Bros. had already begun quietly targeting him behind the scenes.