In mere moments, Bai Ye's Douyin account received tens of thousands of private messages. Among the usual friendly greetings from fans, most were cooperation applications from corporations and investors.
The most prominent was from ByteDance, the parent company of Douyin. They stated that they could offer the same terms as Jinhua Investment, Ababa, and Penguin Holdings.
The audience, witnessing the direct competition between major conglomerates in Great Xia, were stunned, their jaws nearly hitting the floor. They cheered, finding it exhilarating.
"༼n•́w•̀n༽ As far as I know, celebrities are mere playthings for capitalists! But now, Brother Ye seems to have become the 'father' of the capitalists!"
"I get it now! As long as you are powerful enough, you can make capital bow down!"
"(❤▽❤) Brother Ye is the true national husband!!!"
"Will Brother Ye choose to cooperate? If he cooperates, it will save a lot of trouble. Brother Ye can just sit back and rake in the money. However, it will mean giving up some power..."
"If we cooperate, I think it's best to choose Jinhua, Penguin, or Ababa..."
"Brother, aren't you stating the obvious? Who doesn't know that standing on the shoulders of giants allows for instant takeoff?"
"I guess Brother Ye will choose Jinhua..."
"I think it's Penguin!"
"Ababa..."
...
The fans and viewers engaged in heated discussions, speculating on Bai Ye's choice and analyzing the pros and cons of each company for him.
Xiao Daimei quietly watched Bai Ye. Seeing him ponder for a moment, she asked,
"Brother Ye, are you planning to cooperate with others?"
Bai Ye nodded. Magic live streaming was the long-term plan. Companies and corporations were merely side businesses, undertaken if possible. Even if he could earn a lot of money, he didn't intend to spend a significant amount of his energy on them.
Therefore, cooperating with other companies and units, letting them handle the hard and tedious work while he played the role of a hands-off manager, was the true happiness!
He also planned to recruit staff for the "Shocking Magic Foundation" that was about to be established...
However, Bai Ye felt somewhat uneasy about handing over significant power to these external corporations.
*Beep!*
His phone rang, displaying a familiar mysterious message. Elder Song, representing the high-level officials of Great Xia, had sent a message.
The message was clear: they wanted to cooperate with Bai Ye to develop the lake water project.
At this moment, in the live stream, as Bai Ye nodded, signaling his willingness to cooperate to the outside world, major corporations frantically showered him with virtual gifts, expressing their sincerity, while privately sending messages with various promises and benefits...
Bai Ye briefly and quickly scanned Elder Song's message.
The high-level officials proposed two general plans:
1. The company would be entirely state-owned, a pure state-owned enterprise. Production, sales, and operations would all be managed by state units. The state would provide Bai Ye with a subsidy of 10 billion yuan or more. Bai Ye would be responsible for safety issues during the production process.
2. Each party would hold a 50% stake, making it a semi-state-owned enterprise. All profits generated by the enterprise would go to Bai Ye. Bai Ye would decide on production and operational rights, but sales would be handled entirely by state units. Bai Ye would also be responsible for safety issues during the production process...
Both sides mentioned safety issues during the production process, clearly indicating that the high-level officials did not want the livestock in the pasture to cause trouble, especially Lydia from the lake!
From the two choices, it was evident that the high-level officials were not concerned with profitability but rather with the distribution channels for the lake water.
It was highly probable that the high-level officials would not allow this mineral water, which could beautify the skin and strengthen the body, to flow abroad.
As for the 10 billion yuan or more in the first plan, the "+" sign was significant. Bai Ye estimated that if he asked for 100 billion, the high-level officials would likely agree. However, it held little appeal for him.
Regardless of the number of zeros that followed, it was still just a string of numbers.
After a moment of thought, Bai Ye replied with a "two" to Elder Song.
In the live stream, capital giants and business magnates continued their fierce competition. Schemes that could instantly bestow wealth and fame upon a penniless person, making them rich overnight, filled the screen with a dazzling array of colors.
The audience was becoming numb to it.
"Brother Ye, do you have an idea?"
Seeing a slight smile on Bai Ye's face, Xiao Daimei's beautiful eyes lit up, and she asked curiously.
Bai Ye nodded again. "Yes."
The audience instantly became excited, with the chat area filled with questions about which company Bai Ye had chosen.
Xiao Daimei was also very curious and couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ye, is it convenient to reveal it?"
The audience and the capital giants held their breath, listening intently.
Bai Ye looked at her and smiled mysteriously.
"You'll understand in a while!"
"Damn it!!"
"(*・w・)✄╰ひ╯"
Through the screen, the audience wore expressions of discontent.
"Alright, let's continue our live stream."
Bai Ye changed the subject, taking a few tours around the volcano, occasionally performing lightning magic, and sometimes showcasing fire and ice to entertain.
While not as stunning as before, it was still watchable. Bai Ye only ended the live stream when the crimson setting sun was partially hidden behind the western mountain ranges.
Inside the volcano, Bai Ye, along with Goudan, Xiao Fantuan, and others, returned to the lakeside.
"Lydia!"
Bai Ye called out, and the lake water immediately surged. In a short while, a giant white snake emerged.
"Master~ You're here!!!" Da Feng Xiao Shuo Wang
Lydia looked at Bai Ye, blinking her large eyes repeatedly. Her gaze clearly held a fawning expression, and she appeared very well-behaved.
"Woof woof woof? (Wasn't this guy fierce before? Why does he seem to be fawning over the boss more than us?)"
"Woof woof? (Don't know! It's too strange...)"
Goudan, Quan Yi, and the others barked softly. Xiao Fantuan also looked surprised. She used to be very wary of Lydia.
Bai Ye squinted slightly.
"Is everything alright down there?"
Lydia immediately replied, "Of course! ㄟ(≧◇≦)ㄏ I've been guarding it closely, and I've always kept the Master's orders in mind!"
"Master, please rest assured, ᕙ།◕–◕།ᕗ as long as Lydia is here, your territory will never be in danger!"
Seeing Lydia's confident and motivated demeanor, Bai Ye nodded in satisfaction.
"In the future, some outsiders will come here to collect water. Do not harm them!"
The suspicion in Bai Ye's eyes dissipated, and Lydia breathed a sigh of relief. "Understood! Master~"
In the past, if others came to collect lake water, she would have been extremely unwilling. Even her former subordinates were only allowed a few licks. But now, with Bai Ye's "treasures," she didn't mind.
"However, Master... how do I distinguish between good people and bad people?"
"I will personally bring those people."
"Okay~"
"I'll be going on a long trip in a couple of days. You need to continue watching over the ranch. I'll reward you when I get back!"
Reward! Treasures!
Lydia's eyes lit up. "Master, please rest assured! Lydia will definitely complete the mission! (」▼o▼)」）"
"By the way, where is Master going?"
Bai Ye smiled faintly. He couldn't let her know about the spatial entrance outside for now!
"A business trip, to find more 'treasures'!"
"Mhm! Master, good luck! *⸜(•ᴗ•)⸝*!"