Chapter 537: Light Speed ​​Slide

"What did you say? The trip to America fell through? Are you kidding me?!
And what do you mean, 'We seem to have to go to Xia Country'?"
Messi felt like his brain was being repeatedly trampled by a legion of ten thousand alpacas, a deafening roar, a complete blank.
One second he was still immersed in the dream of rejecting a Saudi tycoon's fortune—enough money for several lifetimes—and about to head to Miami to enjoy the sun and beaches;
The next second, this bucket of cold water from the East poured over him, chilling him to the bone.
His agent's voice was as dry as Sahara sand:
"Miami Inter... has unilaterally torn up the agreement.
They sent a statement saying that our relationship is over..."
"Why?! Have those bastards gone mad?" Messi's voice cracked.
“Because of a name… Fang Huan.”
The agent’s voice carried a deep-seated awe and fear.
“They extended an olive branch to us that we couldn’t refuse, and that no one dared to refuse.”
Fang Huan?
Messi’s mind went blank. He vaguely remembered the name.
It seemed… to be that legendary behemoth that used money as a carpet, its influence so inflated it was practically on the verge of ruling the world?
“Those guys extended an invitation to you to join the Chinese Super League, and then… Inter Miami immediately slid to their knees at lightning speed, crying out that they were giving up.”
“Wait, aren’t the Hobbs family, the owners of Miami, supposed to be pretty powerful?
How could Fang Huan’s words have scared them so much?”
Messi was completely baffled.
The Hobbs family, those were the tycoons of the US construction industry, formidable figures with annual revenue exceeding 20 billion US dollars. They didn’t seem like pushovers at all.
“Ha,” the agent gave a bitter laugh, filled with helplessness.
“Compared to Fang Huan, that colossal behemoth that seems to stretch across the heavens and earth, the Hobbes family's size is nothing more than a sliver of meat between his teeth, at best an insignificant sesame seed.”
Messi's mouth formed an “O” shape.
“Fang Huan…has he really become that terrifying?”
“Terrifying? More than terrifying!” The agent lowered his voice, as if recounting some forbidden tale.
"In the global business world, the mere mention of Fang Huan's name sends shivers down everyone's spine!
And you, a football star who only lives on the pitch, probably don't know that the bloody legends surrounding Fang Huan are enough to fill a *Classic of Mountains and Seas*!
Rumor has it that this behemoth, in his quest to expand his empire, has trampled countless companies and entrepreneurs underfoot. A film about him would scare even the best Hollywood horror directors to death!"
Messi felt his throat go dry: "So… the Hobbs family was scared out of their wits and voluntarily left?"
"That's right." The agent nodded, his eyes filled with apprehension.
"But that's not the most outrageous part.
While we were negotiating with Miami, several other clubs were lining up to offer us deals, each more tempting than the last.
But, the instant news of Fang Huan's contact with us leaked out, do you know what happened?
Those offers, *whoosh*, all retracted. Faster than if they'd seen a ghost!"
The implication behind those words caused Messi's mind to freeze once more.
In other words, those elite clubs waving their checkbooks, who just a moment ago treated him like royalty, upon hearing the name "Fang Huan"...
they were like mice before a cat, terrified and fleeing in the dead of night!
Has this "Fang Huan," its reputation, or rather... its fearsome reputation, reached the point where it could stop children from crying at night and make the world's financial giants tremble?
"Then... what do we do now?" For the first time, the football king's voice carried a hint of confusion and trembling.
The agent paused for a moment, as if making a difficult decision, and cautiously began:
"How about... we seriously consider the possibility of playing in the Scottish Premier League in China?"
"Are you crazy!" Messi almost jumped up.
"We chose Miami for our children's education, for the safety and living conditions there, have you forgotten?"
"Safety?" The agent raised an eyebrow. "Dude, wake up. Guns aren't strictly prohibited in the US; you'd be embarrassed to greet people without a bulletproof vest.
In terms of safety, China is miles ahead!
As for infrastructure... do you think the nickname 'Infrastructure Maniac' is just for show?"
Of course, besides those high-sounding reasons, the most important factor in Messi's choice of Miami was its mature business environment and large Latino community, which would allow him to seamlessly integrate.
Moreover—
"Furthermore, Miami promised me club shares, a share of broadcasting rights, and even a commitment to build my personal brand, to follow in Beckham's footsteps!"
That's right, that's the core reason; he made this decision for his post-retirement commercial empire.
After Beckham retired, his commercial value didn't decline but rather increased, becoming the ultimate dream for all footballers.
What Messi covets is precisely this glittering road to success, the perfect transformation from a football star to a business tycoon.
“You don’t need to worry about any of that,” the agent breathed a sigh of relief.
“Fang Huan’s offers are far more ‘insane’ than Miami’s!
They’ve not only promised a higher percentage of shares and profit sharing, but they’re also planning to buy all your old teammates from Barcelona—Busquets, Alba, Suarez…
every single one of them—into the Scottish Premiership, to build you an ‘Old Boys Dream Team’!
Their ambition is to transform the Scottish Premiership into a super league that leaves the MLS in the dust!”
Messi’s heart skipped a beat.
His post-retirement life was now his top priority.
Beckham was the perfect role model, his commercial value soaring after retirement.
Messi wanted to replicate, or even surpass, that path.
But he never dreamed that Fang Huan, such an unreasonable disruptor, would appear out of nowhere and shatter his life plans in one fell swoop.
"...Can we trust what they say?"
"If we're talking about developing commercial value, believe me, there's no better platform on Earth than Fang Huan."
The agent's tone became fervent.
"Do you know how vast Fang Huan's business empire is?"
The world's largest short video platform, 'Picpic'; the social networking giant 'FaceWeb'; the streaming kings 'Netflix' and 'Disney'...
They practically control every sector of the internet and entertainment industry!
Now, this behemoth is extending its tentacles into the sports industry, and you are the banner they've chosen!
They will use the group's resources to make you a unique commercial legend in sports history!"
These words struck Messi like a hammer blow.