Chapter 48: Profit Sharing

Chapter 48: Profit Sharing

"Don't get too excited just yet," Lin Qingshan glanced at him and said.

"Huh?"

Everyone present was momentarily stunned. They thought the matter was already settled, especially Cai Liqian, who was sure the deal had fallen through. But now, it seemed success was within reach. Just when they thought it was a done deal, Lin Qingshan suddenly uttered, "Don't get too excited," making everyone tense up.

"Mr. Qingshan, do you have any other requirements?" Liang Zhiyuan asked, puzzled.

"If I'm going to be part of the game development, there are certainly conditions," Lin Qingshan scratched his head and replied, "Originally, I was only going to sell you the rights. But now that we're working together to develop the game, having some conditions is normal, right?" He looked at Liang Zhiyuan with surprise. Did this guy really think he'd work for free?

"Yes, yes, of course," Liang Zhiyuan realized. If Lin Qingshan was going to join the development team, even as a partner, he should still be compensated.

"What conditions do you have in mind, Mr. Qingshan? I can offer you a salary of fifty thousand per month, along with the full benefits package we provide our formal employees. How does that sound?" Liang Zhiyuan offered with a smile.

Fifty thousand a month was already a top-tier salary, reserved for senior programmers. It showed his sincere intent. However, Lin Qingshan shook his head and looked at Liang Zhiyuan, saying, "First of all, I don't want a salary. Secondly, I only want a share of the pure profits from the game 'Cyberpunk 2077'."

The people around him were stunned by this statement. Even Liang Zhiyuan was taken aback, frowning. But Lin Qingshan continued, "Is that unreasonable? I only want 10% of the net profit. If the game doesn't make money, I don't need any salary or compensation. Fair enough?"

"I'm not trying to take advantage of you here. If the game doesn't make any profit, I won't take a penny," he added.

Hearing this, Liang Zhiyuan relaxed a bit. After all, what Lin Qingshan was asking for was a share of the net profit, not revenue or sales. This meant that if the game "Cyberpunk 2077" didn't earn a profit after covering all costs, Lin Qingshan wouldn't get anything.

Qingshan went on, "Originally, I planned to offer the 'Edgerunners' copyright for free as my contribution, but since the copyright fee is split with Manjie Company, I decided against it."

His words caused Cai Liqian and the others behind him to breathe a sigh of relief.

"So, let's consider this as a technical equity share," Qingshan said. "As I mentioned before, I can handle all technical challenges."

"And if I can't solve any technical issue within a month, I won't take the profit share," he added.

This confidence made Liang Zhiyuan curious about the source of Lin Qingshan's assurance. Given Qingshan's prior demonstration and the confidence he exuded, Zhiyuan chose to trust him.

But Zhiyuan smiled and said, "You don't have to go that far, Mr. Qingshan. If the game is successful, you deserve the profit share. But don't you think 10% is a bit high?"

Qingshan firmly shook his head and responded, "It's not high at all. We're talking about pure profits, and I'll be helping with major technical issues, game settings, and even modeling. That's more than fair."

[Translator: sauron]

Seeing this, Liang Zhiyuan had no further objections. "Alright, let's discuss a new contract then—two contracts actually: one for the rights acquisition, and one for our cooperation in developing the game 'Cyberpunk 2077'."

The original contract was no longer suitable given the new circumstances, so they needed to draft one with new terms, including the profit-sharing agreement with Lin Qingshan.

"Oh, by the way," Qingshan added, "I'm not planning to be a 9-to-5 worker. I won't be doing overtime either, unless there's a technical issue. So, don't expect me to clock in eight hours a day like an office drone. I'll probably only be in your office one or two hours a day at most."

"But I can work from home, and if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to reach out online."

Qingshan said this casually. He really didn't enjoy the idea of regular work hours, plus his main job was still as a manga artist. Creating the game 'Cyberpunk 2077' was just a temporary interest.

"I see…" Liang Zhiyuan hesitated but then gritted his teeth and agreed, "Fine, as long as the game gets developed, you can work wherever you like, Mr. Qingshan!"

After all, daily development tasks could manage without Qingshan's constant presence. What really mattered were the technical issues and their resolution. If Qingshan could solve those, it would greatly reduce the cost and time required to develop 'Cyberpunk 2077'.

And if he really could, why not let him have some perks?

"Don't worry, you won't regret it."

With that, Lin Qingshan and Liang Zhiyuan's company signed two contracts. These contracts not only covered the collaboration details but also included additional terms and conditions.

For instance, Liang Zhiyuan's company was required to develop a 3D action role-playing game based on the 'Edgerunners' copyright and had to invest over 100 million in the development of 'Cyberpunk 2077'.

On the other hand, Qingshan had his own set of commitments: joining the game's development and working with Manjie to help promote the game.

As for the copyright deal, the 'Edgerunners' intellectual property wasn't highly valued yet. The purchase price for the adaptation rights was under 200,000.

It's almost absurd when you think about it—spending over 100 million to turn a copyright worth less than 200,000 into a game.

"Alright, the contracts are signed."

Qingshan made a bold stroke on the contracts, leaving his signature behind. Liang Zhiyuan glanced at the contracts, finding no issues.

He smiled and said, "Thank you for your trust, Mr. Qingshan. But there's something I've been curious about."

"What is it?" Qingshan asked.

"Well, I'm actually a fan of 'Edgerunners'. I've heard from friends that it might only last up to forty chapters. So, what happens next? Who will be David's enemies?"

(End of the chapter)