Chapter 392: An Offer Hard to Refuse
Seeing Basalt wide-eyed, Abdullah smiled and settled onto the sofa with an air of natural ease, exuding the demeanor of a major figure.
Abdullah was the vice-captain of the Saffron University team. Thanks to his background as a Middle Eastern magnate, his team lineup was exceptionally luxurious and powerful. Basalt recalled encountering Abdullah once in the Battle Tower during his first visit to Saffron City, and Abdullah's Jangmo-o had left a deep impression on him.
Behind Abdullah stood a competent blonde, blue-eyed woman in OL attire and high heels, who appeared to be his secretary. At the stairwell, a pair of black and white bodyguards, wearing suits and sunglasses, stood with serious expressions.
The "big spender" was indeed a big spender; his mere presence crushed the competition's attempts at intimidation.
"Basalt, long time no see." Abdullah greeted Zhou Yuan with a smile, then addressed Basalt in broken Mandarin: "Didn't expect to see me here, did you?"
"I certainly didn't!" Basalt scratched his head, curious. "Senior Abdullah, what brings you here this time?"
"To invite you to join my club, of course!"
Abdullah stated matter-of-factly, then explained: "You know the Sanctuary Club, right? My friends and I recently decided to buy a club just for fun, so we spent some money and bought it..."
Abdullah explained slowly in broken Mandarin, while Basalt's eyes widened.
Bought a club... just for fun?
Listen, listen. Is that a human thing to say? Basalt's mouth twitched slightly.
The Sanctuary Club might not have been famous in the First Division League, and its ranking was relatively low, but it was a First Division club nonetheless, holding significant value. Yet, in Abdullah's mouth, it was no different from buying a toy.
Taking advantage of a pause in Abdullah's explanation, Basalt quickly used his Pokédex to search for news about the "Sanctuary Club." The top result was the news about the club being purchased for 3.3 billion by a mysterious tycoon.
3.3 Billion!!!
Basalt felt a little numb. Is this what the life of the wealthy is like—simple, unadorned, and boring?
"Wait a moment!" Basalt suddenly recalled something and remarked, "Senior Abdullah, I remember you were a member of the Warlord Club, right? Since you're so rich, why didn't you just buy the Warlord Club?"
Abdullah was strong, handsome, and wealthy, making him quite famous in the First Division League. He himself was a member of the powerhouse Warlord Club.
"I wish I could, but your Alliance rules don't allow it!" Abdullah sighed dramatically.
The Warlord Club was a powerhouse, valued at an astonishing 30 billion or more. If he could genuinely buy it for 30 billion, Abdullah would be laughing in his sleep; it would be a surefire bargain. After all, Warlord was a powerhouse with terrifying profitability. Unfortunately, the Alliance had strict control over certain assets, and foreign capital couldn't touch them, regardless of wealth.
Even the Sanctuary Club was only acquired after Abdullah and a few Chinese friends bought it together, costing immense time and effort. Even so, his share did not exceed fifty percent. China was indeed strict on this matter.
Hearing this, Basalt and Zhou Yuan exchanged glances, speechless for a long time. Anyone who didn't know better would think this man was just trying to show off his wealth.
"Basalt, I'm here with great sincerity to invite you to join. Whatever demands you have, feel free to make them, and I will do my best to satisfy you!" Abdullah smiled.
Although the Sanctuary Club's performance last season was poor, thanks to his recent "money offensive," he had already planned the transfer of a batch of excellent trainers. He believed the club would perform very well this season. Basalt, however, was an investment in the future. Given Basalt's potential, he would be at least Abdullah's level in three years. With a bit of luck, there might even be a massive surprise.
Abdullah, being from the Saudi Alliance, was rich but only had average strength. Therefore, his studies in China were not merely academic; he intended to build connections with high-ranking Chinese officials. If he couldn't connect with the current high-ranking officials, then the future ones would do. After all, China was one of the five major alliances, powerful and full of potential. Abdullah believed Basalt possessed that potential.
"Regarding the annual salary..." Basalt rubbed his hands, wondering if he should ask for an exorbitant amount. The big spender must be indifferent to money, right?
But glancing at the competent female secretary behind Abdullah, Basalt backed down. The big spender was generous, but not foolish, and he had a professional team overseeing everything!
"How about 20 million annual salary?" Abdullah looked at Basalt and smiled. "My Saudi investment group owns shares in many large enterprises. If you need more money, I can also facilitate endorsements for brands under my group. I have a lot of say in that area."
"20 million?"
Basalt and Zhou Yuan exchanged glances, both shocked. The Divine Club's 12 million was already high, but the "big spender" raised the price to another level without even batting an eye.
Brave and bold!
As for TM secrets and resources, Abdullah's offer was also higher than the other clubs'. Furthermore, Abdullah had heavily invested in experienced coaches, including a head coach and assistants, and had updated all the club's training facilities. Money, in many cases, truly allowed one to do whatever one wanted!
In addition, the Sanctuary Club's constraints were not as restrictive as those of the powerhouse clubs; it was relatively free.
In short, this was an offer Basalt found hard to refuse.
"Also, I don't like things to stay the same; I like surprises. So, I have prepared an incentive for you."
Abdullah looked at Basalt and smiled. "If you can win the 'Best Trainer' title in the Second Division League this season, I will give you a big reward."
"What kind of reward?" Basalt's eyes lit up. If even Abdullah was so serious about it, the reward must be excellent.
"A pseudo-legendary Pokémon cub!" Abdullah smiled.
"What? A pseudo-legendary?" Basalt and Zhou Yuan both widened their eyes, exclaiming in surprise.
"That's right! A pseudo-legendary! But it will be a cub!" Abdullah nodded, then continued: "Our Saudi Alliance cultivates three types of pseudo-legendary Pokémon—Metagross, Garchomp, and Kommo-o—all of which can be compatible with your Sandstorm team."
Saudi Arabia was a desert alliance, where most of the land was desert. Coupled with their expertise in using "money to clear the way," the number of pseudo-legendaries they cultivated, though not massive, was not small either. These pseudo-legendary Pokémon were sometimes used as bargaining chips to establish connections with powerful forces.
If Basalt could win the Best Trainer title within a year, his potential to become a high-ranking official in the Alliance in the future would be significant. Abdullah naturally wanted to build a good relationship with him.
And if Basalt failed to meet the requirement, Abdullah would suffer no loss. It was a win-win scenario, no matter how he looked at it.
"Then it's settled!"
Basalt stood up abruptly, stating firmly, "I want to join the Sanctuary Club. Where is the contract? I'll sign it now!"
Clap!
Abdullah snapped his fingers, and the blonde, blue-eyed secretary quickly produced the prepared contract.
Basalt glanced at it. Since there were no major discrepancies from their discussion, he immediately signed his name.
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