After realizing that Fang Dan was intending to rush up as a competitor for the money, Ronan no longer showed any mercy.
"Director Fang Dan, you claim to be an Arab brother, a member of the Arab community. Aren't you ashamed?" he angrily rebuked. "Exploiting the suffering and sadness of your compatriots to satisfy the Western world's desire to ridicule Arabs, is there such an Arab brother like you?"
Saleh stared at Fang Dan with anger; this man's intentions were despicable!
Mansour's gaze towards Fang Dan was equally unfriendly.
"You're talking nonsense!" Fang Dan retorted.
But Ronan didn't engage with him at all; he continued unabated, "Making it your mission to vilify your compatriots, allowing the West to view our own people as inferior, directors like you are unforgivable and should be eradicated!"
He then turned to Mansour and said, "Mr. Minister, as long as there are such traitors undermining the image of Arabs, it's difficult for the world to have a correct understanding of Arabs."
Mansour nodded slightly at Ronan's words and then looked sharply at Fang Dan.
Would the film "Arab Life" cause harm to Abu Dhabi's image if it appeared at major film festivals? Would it jeopardize his own career prospects?
Fang Dan protested, "Mr. Minister, this is slander! This is..."
"Enough, you don't need to say anymore!" Mansour interrupted Fang Dan directly and asked Saleh beside him, "What do you think?"
Saleh immediately leaned in closer, speaking in a low voice audible only to the two of them. "Mr. Anderson's words make sense. When I was in Los Angeles, I heard people mention certain individuals making films that defame their own people to please Westerners. Mr. Anderson has proven his friendship with us through time and a film project, he is trustworthy. This Frenchman... may have ulterior motives."
After a moment's thought, he added, "I think this Frenchman harbors ill intentions. At this critical moment when my brother is about to be promoted, it's not worth taking such a risk."
Of course, Mansour had his own judgment; Ronan Anderson might not be entirely right, but he had some valid points.
Ronan felt someone tug at his sleeve; turning to look, he saw Robert quietly giving him a thumbs up.
Just like when they first invested in the Sand Sea Entertainment, Mansour was not someone who hesitated. He made a decision immediately, telling the thin man behind him, "Book a flight ticket and send Mr. Fang Dan out of the country as quickly as possible."
Fang Dan looked at Mansour in shock, "Mr. Minister..."
Mansour raised his hand to silence him, "That's it!"
The thin man immediately went over to escort Fang Dan out of the meeting room. As they left, two bodyguards followed to accompany Fang Dan in taking his luggage to the airport.
Inside the meeting room, Mansour's expression improved considerably.
"Thank you for your reminder, Mr. Anderson," he forced a smile, "Otherwise, I might have made a mistake."
Ronan humbly replied, "I just did what I should do."
With one party having been escorted out, Mansour decided not to continue the meeting. He said directly, "Regarding the investment in 'Ace Agent,' I will urge the Investment Bureau to expedite the approval process. Even though it's me, certain procedures still need to be followed despite the two million dollars."
Ronan was patient, "No rush."
Mansour was the first to leave the meeting room. Saleh approached Ronan and said, "I was genuinely worried just now."
Ronan smiled, "That man had malicious intentions; if you study and understand the Western film award mechanisms, it's not difficult to discover."
Saleh sighed, "Thank goodness we have professionals like you."
Ronan invited, "How about lunch later?"
Saleh shook his head, "Can't go, have a prior engagement that I can't cancel."
After a few words, he left the meeting room quickly as well. Ronan and Robert went back to the Chief's Grand Hotel directly.
"That was close," Robert breathed a sigh of relief.
Ronan nodded, "Next time, we need to change targets."
"Yeah, let's not wait for the characters to collapse before we switch," Robert remarked, "Thank goodness you reacted in time."
If Ronan hadn't countered accurately and fatally, it's hard to say if Sand Sea Entertainment would have been able to continue working with the Abu Dhabi Investment Bureau.
Ronan picked up a glass of water, saying before drinking, "With this $25 million investment, our subsequent plans will go much smoother."
Robert interjected, "Hopefully, nothing unexpected happens."
Fortunately, the set-up didn't backfire, and the subsequent proceedings went quite smoothly. In just a day's time, the Abu Dhabi Investment Bureau approved the investment plan for "Ace Agent." The following day, they formally signed the contract with Ronan, representing Sand Sea Entertainment, and the $25 million investment was transferred on the same day.
In some ways, Abu Dhabi's credit was quite good now.
People with good credit should collaborate with those with high credibility, so Ronan felt that reaching a cooperation was quite normal.
With this, the Abu Dhabi trip concluded. Ronan bid farewell to his "Arab brothers" and prepared to leave the UAE.
"The money came in too quickly."
In the VIP lounge at the airport, George Clinton, who was visiting Abu Dhabi for the first time, hadn't yet calmed down from his excitement and casually suggested, "Why don't we just shoot movies in the future and then look for investments around the world?"
Mary glanced at him, "You're thinking too much."
Robert chuckled, "I thought the same way when I came here last time."
"Finding investments is okay, but movies can't be shot casually," Ronan interjected. "Successful movies are the foundation of our fundraising. Without the success of the first part of 'The Human Investment Project,' could we have successfully raised funds this time?"
George sighed and nodded, "Ronan, you're the most level-headed."
Ronan continued, "Growing the company is essential. Without a company of sufficient scale to support us, we might end up as the lowest level of swindlers."
"Yes, yes!" Robert agreed. "We're just soliciting investments now; without a real company and project, that would indeed be swindling."
Ronan changed the subject, instructing, "Mary, you go back and handle the funds and accounts. 'Death Comes' has a $20 million budget, 'Ace Agent' has a $10 million budget, and the remaining $10 million, after deducting our four shares of rewards, I'll figure out a way to turn it into legitimate income for Sand Sea Entertainment."
He looked at the other two, "George, Robert, go back and immediately set up the 'Ace Agent' production team and prepare the corresponding materials. I'll stay in touch with you and send anything I need to Berlin as soon as possible. James Huang has prepared most of the materials for 'Death Comes,' so you can go find him."
Then, Ronan said solemnly, "The most crucial task is to make preliminary contact with the embassy entertainment; especially the major shareholder."
"Got it." Both of them responded.
Ronan concluded, "If everything goes smoothly during this trip to Germany, I'll be back in Los Angeles after the New Year. Let's keep in touch if anything comes up."
After leaving Abu Dhabi, Mary, George, and Robert returned directly to Los Angeles, while Ronan flew to Berlin, Germany.
This trip to Berlin was for two reasons: to meet with Mrs. Anderson's relative, Helen Koch, and also for the projects "Death Comes" and "Ace Agent."
Upon arriving in Berlin, instead of going directly to see Aunt Helen, Ronan first went to a law firm that frequently collaborated with Hollywood to consult with Mueller, a lawyer specializing in relevant business affairs, about specific legal regulations.
Although he had studied many cases in Los Angeles, implementing them still required the assistance of professionals.
This law firm itself acted as an intermediary agent of sorts, and Ronan needed their help to contact German film companies.
After discussing with Lawyer Mueller, Ronan hurried to West Berlin, preparing to meet Helen Koch.