Chapter 478: The Chess Game of God

"Disney headquarters, CEO's office.
'Congratulations, Mr. Iger, welcome back!'
Netflix CEO Rod Westins, beaming, warmly shook hands with Robert Iger.
'I watched your return speech, it was brilliant!
'Disney's creators had lost their way, we will reclaim our former glory…'
That line really got my blood pumping, haha.'
However, Iger's face showed no joy, instead, it was ashen.
'Now… what exactly is our situation?' he asked bluntly.
'Hmm?'
'Actually, Fanghuan Investment acquired us, didn't it?'"
"The name 'Disney' will probably disappear soon."
"Oh, you can rest assured then." Rhodes smiled and waved his hand.
"The 'Disney' brand will never disappear.
It's just... its influence will be less than before.
After all, everything in the future will revolve around Netflix."
These words, like a sharp thorn, pierced deeply into Iger's heart.
On the surface, Disney was still Disney.
But in reality, its soul had been extracted, turning it into a magnificent puppet being manipulated.
"Don't look at me like that, friend." Rhodes shrugged, looking innocent.
"To be honest, I never dreamed Fang Huan would play such a big game.
I, like you, am just an executor following orders from 'above'."
"Look on the bright side, the investment coming into Disney will be astronomical; just wait and see."
Netflix's success myth is built on its financial power.
Fang Huan Investment's reckless, all-consuming investments are the fundamental reason for their continuous stream of masterpieces.
"What's your secret?" Iger finally asked the question that had long plagued the industry.
"Secret?"
"Netflix, almost every work you release becomes a global sensation!
That godlike planning ability has allowed you to reach the top of the world in just a few years.
There must be some unknown secret behind that, right?"
"Secret... "
Rhodes chuckled and shook his head.
"You might not believe it, but Netflix actually... has no secret."
"All we did was send Fang Huan a list of projects, then only produce the ones they circled, discarding the rest."
Aig was stunned.
"Wait...you mean, all the successful projects so far were..."
"Yes," Rod's smile held a hint of something sinister, "all of them were chosen for us by Fang Huan's investment."
"No...this...how is that possible?!"
"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.
Of course, Fang Huan also gave us a lot of freedom. Occasionally, we'd get carried away and film something we wanted to film ourselves.
The result...nine out of ten lost everything.
From then on, we made an ironclad rule: we absolutely wouldn't touch any project that Fang Huan hadn't approved!"
Aig felt his worldview crumbling.
This was utterly unbelievable!
Fanghuan Investment…how did they do it?
How could they possibly predict a film's success based on just a single project proposal?
This isn't business analysis; it's theology!
“I don’t know why either,” Rod shrugged.
“However, I’ve heard that Fanghuan Investment has a supreme motto called—‘Abandon Yourself.’”
“What kind of nonsense is that!”
“It means, don’t use your pathetic brain to think; just execute.
And it turns out, since adhering to this motto, we’ve never lost money.
Believe me, Mr. Iger, you’ll get used to it soon.”
To be honest, Iger didn’t believe a word of it.
It was utterly absurd.
How could anyone in this world predict a film’s box office and critical reception with 100% certainty just by looking at a few pages of a story outline?
Rod must be exaggerating and creating a mystery.
“But there’s still one thing I don’t understand.” Iger stared intently at Rhodes.
“What is Fang Huan Investment’s real purpose in meticulously planning and acquiring Disney?
Frankly, given Fang Huan’s size, they have everything they need. Why go to such lengths?”
“We didn’t ‘acquire’ anything,” Rhodes corrected.
“Don’t treat me like a fool!” Iger’s emotions were rising.
“It’s all over Wall Street! Fang Huan secretly helped the Communist Party win the election, and in exchange, they got Disney!
But I just can’t understand it. They already have Netflix as their trump card. Why go through all that trouble to get Disney?”
Hearing this, the corners of Rhodes’s mouth finally curled into a chilling smile.
“I’ve thought about this for a long time,” he said softly. “Now I finally understand why Fang Huan wants to control Disney.”
“Because of our theme parks?”
“No, they don’t care about those things.
Behind this is a grand scheme by Fang Huan, one you can’t even imagine!
Mr. Iger, think about it, what is Disney?
Even though it gets a lot of criticism now, it’s still a brand that hundreds of millions of children around the world watch and love every day.
That’s Fang Huan’s real purpose!”
Iger looked blank.
What does that mean?
"Fang Huan's goal has never been simply to create a few good works.
What they want is the children who are currently growing up watching Disney, and all the children who will be born into this world in the future!"
Rhodes lowered his voice, like a devil's whisper,
"Imagine that scene, Mr. Iger.
In the future, all works created by Fang Huan's will will, through the golden brand of 'Disney,' permeate every family in the world like air!
What does that mean?
It means that the ideas they instill, the values ​​they define, will seep into the minds of every child!
Those children, without even realizing it, will be branded with the ideological imprint of 'Fang Huan,' becoming the most devout believers in their new world!"
"Wh...what did you say?!"
Aiger abruptly stood up from his chair, his expression furious.
"What...what nonsense are you spouting? If this is true, I will never cooperate!"
He was enraged and turned to leave.
"Mr. Aiger," Rod's voice suddenly turned cold,
"Think carefully. Once you step out that door, I can't guarantee your future."
"Are you threatening me?"
"It's not me threatening you, it's Fang Huan." Rod's tone was terrifyingly calm,
"A group that can overthrow the arrogant Democratic Party and render the current US government a vegetable by acquiring a mere game company...
Do you think it would hesitate to let a disobedient person disappear from this world completely?"
"!?!"
At that moment, Aiger was struck dumb, his hands and feet trembling uncontrollably.
Those conspiracy theories he had once scoffed at about Fang Huan's investment now screamed in his mind like vengeful ghosts, stringing together incredibly terrifying images!
“Learn from me, my friend, relax, accept it.” Rhodes stepped forward and patted his stiff shoulder like an old friend.
“It might be difficult at first, but once you accept it, you’ll find everything becomes very simple.
Even being a member of Fang Huan’s new empire… will feel a sense of honor.”
Rhodes gazed at Aiger’s pale face and smiled.
“I believe you won’t make the wrong choice.
Going with the tide is the destiny of people like us, isn’t it?
After all, only by keeping up with the ‘trend’ can you create good works.”
Leaving these words, Rhodes smiled and turned to leave.
The door closed, and long after he was gone, Aiger’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.
Only at this moment did he finally realize.
Unbeknownst to him, he had stepped into a terrifying, magnificent blueprint.
It was a blueprint capable of overturning the world and reshaping civilization…
The Chess Game of God!