"The beautiful Ms. Matsuhashi, I really didn't expect you to come! Your arrival has made our reception shine with a unique brilliance!"
The FIFA committee members generously praised Matsuhashi's beauty and grace.
To this, Matsuhashi just maintained a very appropriate smile, responding in kind.
"Ms. Matsuhashi, this is Mr. Duncan from our committee. He has always been very impressed with Gamestar Electronic Entertainment."
"Thank you."
"Ms. Matsuhashi…"
Beautiful women do indeed become the center of attention in any occasion.
However, she didn't simply rely on her looks; she just used them as a stepping stone. At this point in the reception, she aimed to make as many people as possible her allies.
At the reception, most of the important figures there were not the kind who would get distracted by beauty. They were instead drawn to Matsuhashi's unique Oriental beauty.
But once Matsuhashi started discussing business matters, the situation would change.
Years of experience in business had made Matsuhashi seem like a seasoned hunter, capturing the attention of those interested in Gamestar Electronic Entertainment. She would entice them by talking about the ample funding Gamestar could provide, or the excellent collaborations they could offer.
In terms of socializing, Matsuhashi was very skilled. Just in one evening at the reception, she managed to win over several FIFA committee members, including a high-ranking official.
She even promised to bring employment and tax benefits to some European regions.
The most obvious example was the U.S. branch of Gamestar Electronic Entertainment.
The governor of the state where the U.S. branch was located had become a partner of Gamestar, and Matsuhashi was a regular guest of that governor, as Gamestar contributed over a billion dollars in taxes every year—truly astonishing.
Now, Matsuhashi no longer had to hide her plans. She directly told these officials that she was preparing to establish Gamestar Electronic Entertainment's European headquarters in a certain region, though the exact location hadn't been decided yet.
This immediately sparked many officials to boast about their cities, hoping to attract such a large taxpayer.
In reality, the city selection had already been decided, but Matsuhashi didn't mind dangling this piece of information to make the officials more cooperative.
At the reception, YOO representatives also attended.
However, compared to Matsuhashi's dazzling presence, YOO's attendees seemed somewhat insignificant.
They could only watch as Matsuhashi gradually took control of the conversation.
By the end of the reception, Matsuhashi had achieved her main goal. She had successfully won over many allies, turning them into partners.
The next day, after the reception, Matsuhashi quickly headed to FIFA's headquarters.
With the previous night's strong impression, the committee members greeted Matsuhashi much more warmly today.
In this regard, YOO couldn't compare.
Both were rapidly growing companies, but YOO still felt like an adolescent, while Gamestar Electronic Entertainment had become an experienced veteran in business.
Sometimes, just relying on words could save Gamestar a huge amount of additional costs. This was Matsuhashi's skill.
"Hello, Ms. Matsuhashi. This should be our seventh meeting, right?"
In the office, the familiar officials stood up and greeted Matsuhashi. The impression from last night was still fresh in their minds, especially how she had built relationships with many government officials in just one evening—a feat not easily accomplished.
This time, they couldn't help but take this seemingly delicate yet incredibly strong and resilient woman seriously.
Matsuhashi took out a stack of documents, placed them on the table, and nodded, saying, "Yes, this is our seventh negotiation."
The official immediately asked with interest, "So, Ms. Matsuhashi, has your company made a decision? Are you considering increasing the authorization fee a bit?"
Matsuhashi immediately shook her head and said, "No, I'm not planning to raise the authorization fee."
The officials became a bit awkward.
"If you're not planning to raise the price, then what are we discussing?"
This world is still very practical—how can they choose to favor someone who isn't offering more money?
Just as they were about to express their confusion, Matsuhashi quickly spoke again, "Please don't rush. I have a piece of information I want to show you. While we aren't planning to raise the authorization fee, we're willing to make certain concessions in other areas."
Matsuhashi picked up a pen and casually wrote down a series of numbers on a blank sheet of paper.
The officials took the new document she handed over and started reading it carefully.
Soon, they showed signs of surprise, followed by disbelief, and looked at Matsuhashi with suspicion.
Matsuhashi patiently waited as they read the document and, once they had finished, she slid the piece of paper with the numbers toward the official across the table.
"After internal discussion, Gamestar Electronic Entertainment is willing to pay the entire authorization fee upfront—$300 million, which is a substantial amount. Even though we at Gamestar Electronic Entertainment are not lacking in funds, this is still a huge investment. All you need to do is accept it."
The officials exchanged glances and saw the shock in each other's eyes.
Paying $300 million in one go? In cash?
That was truly rare.
Top-tier companies usually treasure their liquid funds. If they use too much, it could affect their future growth.
"Do you... have that much money?"
It was hard to imagine this was a company still in the growth phase. They should still be expanding, so they shouldn't have that much cash on hand.
Could it be that video games were really that profitable?
How much liquid capital a company has is a secret, so Matsuhashi couldn't reveal it.
But she casually said, "Let's just say that paying this amount upfront isn't difficult for us."