Chapter 007: The Meridian Conference

This story is purely a work of fiction.

In the scene, a woman in her early forties, with the face of a movie star, has just risen from bed. Her eyebrows curve like crescent moons, her expression still drowsy with sleep. Her skin is smooth and radiant, glowing with a soft blush. Her eyes are clear and bright, her nose elegantly straight, her lips full of vitality. She wears a fashionable, sheer nightgown that reveals the black three-piece lingerie beneath. Exquisite earrings dangle from her ears, and her temple hair—dyed a deep coffee shade and softly curled into S-shapes—frames her face. Silky, flowing black hair drapes over her shoulders, lending her an air of unique sophistication. Standing there, she looks every bit like a goddess descended to earth.

Gao Yating glanced at the clock on the wall—already ten in the morning. After freshening up, she sat at her vanity to carefully apply her makeup. Suddenly, the computer chimed: "You have unread mail." She hurriedly opened her inbox to find an email from MC Headquarters.

"Esteemed Ms. Gao Yating: The Nth World Football Tournament, a globally anticipated event, is about to commence—a grand festival for fans everywhere. To make the most of this World Cup, you are cordially invited to join the player planning session for this tournament. The meeting will last two days and be held at MC Jingwei International Hotel in City A."

As she read the email from MC Headquarters, Gao Yating picked up the phone and dialed her hotel manager, Leng Junfeng. "Mr. Leng, I received an email from headquarters today. Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to City A to attend the World Football Tournament’s player planning session. I've arranged everything at the Music Bar. Aside from managing hotel affairs, please visit the bar frequently these next few days. If anything comes up, contact me immediately."

Watching the scene unfold, Zhao Ming asked, "Wow, what a stunning woman! Who is she?"

"That's her—she's the owner of the Supreme Music Club. Her name is Gao Yating," Da Cheng replied. "But being the owner is just her legitimate front; her real identity is as a regional liaison for outside players in the HZ area."

March 15, 2006. Presidential conference room, MC Jingwei International Hotel.

At the entrance, two or three security guards stood watch. Everyone entering or leaving the venue wore a delegate badge. More than five hundred outside players from across mainland China, including H City and T City, gathered in the hotel's presidential conference room.

The room buzzed with lively chatter. The male players were dressed in sharp suits, while the women sparkled with jewels. Under the lights, diamonds on their bodies sent dazzling beams across the room. The ladies wore the latest fashions—some baring their shoulders and backs, others flaunting their beauty with flamboyant flair. Each held a tall glass of red wine, weaving through the crowd as though hunting for their own prey. Glasses clinked and, amidst whispered conversations, the guests seemed like old friends awaiting the grand event's beginning.

A banner hung above the stage: "2006 D Country World Football Tournament Player Planning Session." As a man in dark sunglasses mounted the stage, flanked by three men and one woman, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall.

"This session features two main topics," the host announced crisply. "First, a review of player achievements over the past four years; second, group discussions on planning for the 2006 D Country World Football Tournament. Now, please welcome Mr. Smith Will, CEO Assistant of MC Players, to deliver the keynote speech."

Smith Will, with his natural curls and rugged beard, exuded a certain steely charisma. His eyes were piercing and held a hint of coolness. With his hairy hand, he gently adjusted the microphone. The speakers echoed his clearing throat, then he addressed the crowd in fluent Mandarin.

"Honored guests, before the session begins, let me present the keynote," Will began. "Today, as we gather here, it serves as a mobilization before the World Football Tournament. What is our current situation? In the coming month, our company and the players will engage in a fierce contest. Last tournament, many players suffered heavy losses—what you might call 'biting the dust.' Now, with renewed confidence, they aim to turn the tables and profit handsomely through their analyses. Yet, the World Cup is both a rare opportunity and a stern test. As a company, we must take every precaution, counter every move, and, together, stage a decisive battle beyond the green field of football.

Given the vast turnover each match day, it's truly a case of winner takes all, loser falls hard. The slightest misstep could spell disaster—this is no exaggeration. We must be well prepared to secure the profits we seek.

This year’s tournament is expected to attract immense underground betting interest, with OR and YR regions likely to break all previous records. In view of this, we’ve reached an agreement with the OR Region Player Company: once the tournament begins, our players will follow their lead. Our MC platform may well become the standout player. True, we may differ in some of our assessments, and even display a certain dominance, but we must remain closely aligned with OR odds to minimize and control risk.

Over the past few years, our MC company has made valuable explorations in risk aversion and profit maximization, gaining crucial experience—our most precious asset and the foundation of our survival. We must continue to build on these strengths to ensure we remain undefeated.

To stay undefeated, we must engineer outcomes that defy most expectations—preferably in abundance. One method is to select certain teams as dark horses. Every tournament has its upsets, but which teams are chosen is key. We deliberately avoid the favorites, or those widely seen as potential upsets, so that when a dark horse emerges, it’s unexpected yet not too shocking.

In the previous tournament, thanks to our arrangements and the influence of referees—the so-called twelfth man—the results speak for themselves. However, we must be wary: some OR countries still resent being eliminated early by our manipulation of referees, so unexpected incidents are not out of the question.

Looking back, last tournament’s performance was outstanding. In the YR region alone, we earned an impressive five hundred billion, and everyone here shared in the profits." At this, satisfied smiles broke out across the audience, accompanied by another round of thunderous applause.

"The 2006 D Country World Football Tournament presents another lucrative opportunity. Some players won’t let this chance slip by. With more sophisticated bettors, the differences between odds will be narrower, but even with balanced betting, our share of the profits will be considerable. Still, we won’t stop there—we’ll continue to create upsets and introduce dark horses as appetite dictates. As a Chinese saying goes, 'The bolder the man, the richer the land.' So let’s be bold, lower our guard a bit more," he said with a hearty laugh, which the audience echoed.

The laughter filled the entire conference hall, as if a bloody battle was about to commence.

After the laughter subsided, Will continued his speech.

Following a review of past betting successes, the meeting turned to an analysis of the 2006 D Country World Football Tournament. The World Cup, held every four years, is a festival for fans and, even more so, a profit point for us. The last tournament was a showcase of upsets—truly breathtaking!

For this year, each attendee must carefully consider the prospects of the third-tier teams, analyze them thoroughly, and propose practical operational strategies. I entrust this task to all of you. The conference lasted a full two days.

(To be continued)