NOVEL NEXT Chapter 482: Splitting Hairs
Whether Mountain Eagle would regret or not, he didn't know, but he admitted that he was indeed a little tempted...
But just a little!
Watching Miranda and the others come out of the forest after cleaning up the aftermath, gasping out the contents of their stomachs, Mountain Eagle, with a smile, said, "Miss Li, you mentioned so many advantages, but I couldn't make out what I would gain?"
On the other end of the phone, Li Chengji was taken aback and then said with a laugh: "You are a greedy bastard. Isn't what I've done for you enough?"
Mountain Eagle watched Miranda and the others finish their retching, he stimulated the two giant wolves with the controller, and instantly, two painful roars echoed through the woods...
Miranda, who was supporting her knees and vomiting, heard the giant wolves' howls, wiped the filth from the corner of her mouth, and called out loudly to Red Sparrow to grab their shotguns and rush into the woods.
Hearing the chaotic sounds of people and gunshots from the woods, Mountain Eagle, holding the phone and lounging in a chair, said with a laugh, "No matter how much you do for Snowden, it's got nothing to do with me..."
Li Chengji curiously asked, "Do you know the threats you may face?
Are you that confident in yourself?"
Mountain Eagle nodded as a matter of course, saying, "Of course, otherwise things wouldn't have progressed to today!
I don't mind someone coming in for a share, because after all, they're not taking the food from my bowl.
But what I do mind is when someone clearly wants to take advantage, yet claims they're helping me!"
After speaking, Mountain Eagle paused for a moment, then continued, "Every successful person's most important quality is risk awareness, just like every successful tycoon needs an ironclad prenuptial agreement.
You must have assessed the risks and deemed them controllable, which is why you put the International Intermediary Company on the negotiation table as a chip.
Miss Li, it's fine for you to hitch a ride on Shunfeng for some added benefits, but it's not so great if you take the captain for a fool."
Li Chengji fell silent for a long time, admitting to herself that she had underestimated Mountain Eagle...
Even though she had seen firsthand how this guy escalated a cruise hijacking incident, managed to extort Pirate King Fays, and propped up the regional tourism in Kamui...
But she still hadn't truly seen Mountain Eagle for what he was!
This guy's mind was unbelievably clear!
She said so much, even switched concepts, putting the intelligence agencies of the US and Russia aside, ignoring their role, and then amplified the crisis.
The result was, Mountain Eagle simply wasn't buying it!
Li Chengji now greatly regretted mentioning Beverly Hills and an elite squad...
Because that combination of forces represented her, on behalf of the International Intermediary Company, the actual investment made on Mountain Eagle aside from openly siding with Snowden for insurance.
The investment was too low!
This cost exposed her risk expectations, diminishing the effects of all her previous risk discussions with Mountain Eagle.
Li Chengji wasn't regretful for being caught out by Mountain Eagle, after all the cost was not hers to pay personally...
But what made her regretful was that she hadn't prepared more comprehensively, and despite having the upper hand, she was still outmaneuvered by Mountain Eagle.
From the start of her meeting with Mountain Eagle, she had never held the slightest advantage.
That competitive nature deep in her bones made her feel just like when playing Werewolf and inadvertently revealing herself as a Werewolf - frustrated and uncomfortable.
Li Chengji fell silent for almost a minute before she finally said somewhat helplessly, "OK, what do you want?"
Mountain Eagle, with a beaming smile, said: "I also want a Revenge Fund of 80 million US Dollars...
I've heard that with this Revenge Fund, one becomes a Super VIP of the International Intermediary Company, with the policyholder and their family included in the insurance of the Revenge Fund.
Of course, I certainly don't want the annual returns of this 80 million...
But I do need the privilege of not being targeted by the International Intermediary Company like other Super VIPs, and when necessary, I need you to provide me with some degree of intelligence funding."
Li Chengji was amused despite herself and said displeasedly: "Are you listening to what you're saying?
80 million US Dollars, do you know what that number represents?
I can establish a Revenge Fund for Snowden because I can convince the board that protecting Snowden can yield enough profit for us.
But you, protecting you, what do we stand to gain?"
As Li Chengji spoke, her tone shifted, saying, "However, if you are willing to put in 40 million US Dollars yourself, I can persuade the board to establish an 80 million US Dollar Revenge Fund for you, with the services exactly the same as for other VIPs.
Managing a fund of 80 million US Dollars in Thailand and allocating forty million to the International Intermediary Company as a Revenge Fund shouldn't be difficult for you.
Moreover, we can offer you the highest rate, providing 6.5% annual return, and if you want to reclaim your capital, just notify me three months in advance."
"I can tell you clearly that the normal returns of a Revenge Fund only range from 0.3% to 1.5% per year."
Mountain Eagle was amused by Li Chengji's words...
This model sounded like some ponzi scheme for illegal fundraising, except the International Intermediary Company had a really big pool, and those top tycoons really had such needs.
Think of it as buying a low-yield fund, while also purchasing a privilege and warning service against being targeted by the International Intermediary Company.
You should know that the International Intermediary Company is currently the largest human resources platform in the Underworld, and those Super VIPs, unless they disclose it themselves, their identity information is confidential...
For instance, if billionaire A is full of evil deeds, someone spends their entire fortune to hire an Assassin on the platform to eliminate him...
But then A purchases the highest level of Revenge Fund, so the platform doesn't take the order and also warns A that someone is after his life.
Of course, to maintain their reputation, they wouldn't disclose the identity of the person who placed the order.
But there is a core logic here: to make those tycoons feel a sense of crisis, so the platform can earn more money, or rather, raise more funds.
In fact, it all comes down to this: the International Intermediary Company couldn't become this big just by earning intermediary fees, the real profit targets are those wealthy tycoons.
There has to be a huge capital pool behind the International Intermediary Company, and this capital pool allows their shareholders to earn sufficient returns in the present globalized and decentralized financial trend.
It's like setting up a labor market and mastering the information of tens of thousands of migrant workers, relying on job introductions not only earns slow but also incurs high management costs.
But if you leverage this labor market to get companies to invest under the pretext of assisting in managing labor, after raising sufficient funds, you could engage in more profitable financial investments.
Many companies in the world are taking this approach now; some use their own money while others use other people's money.
Because the real industry really doesn't make money, finance is too profitable!
A simple forex arbitrage transaction with annual returns of 3~6% can crush the profits of most physical businesses.
And the best part, this guy doesn't even pay taxes!
Faced with Li Chengji's bluff, Mountain Eagle decisively refused: "Then there's nothing to talk about!
You want to hitch a ride but don't want to buy a ticket, that won't work with me!"
After saying that, Mountain Eagle immediately hung up the phone, then stretched lazily...
Ever since he took over Snowden's commission, he had been working to build his own brand.
Initially, his thought was to utilize bundling with Snowden to create a premium for his brand, then inflate his own bargaining chips to negotiate with multiple parties.
That was a choice of necessity at the time because if you are a nobody, no one would even bother with you, let alone have a basis for negotiation.
But now things have changed...
Clearly, with Middleman Mori making connections in the United States, the impact of Snowden's mess has been amplified many times over.
The value of Mountain Eagle as a spokesperson has also been amplified manyfold, so much so that someone of Li Chengji's caliber also wanted to get a piece of the action.
Just when Mountain Eagle was about to signal Daria to get him a drink to celebrate, his cell phone received a message: 2.5 million US Dollars in commission had been deposited...
Feeling great, Mountain Eagle looked at Daria, who had been squatting beside him, eavesdropping, and said with a smile, "If you want to listen, do it openly. Go get me something to drink, and then ask Butcher when they'll be back.
Tell Little Ruby to prepare the plane, we have to safely get the two unfortunate hostages to Fairbanks Airport."
Daria quickly brought Mountain Eagle a glass of whiskey, and after watching the boss drink half a glass in one gulp, she cautiously said, "Boss, why didn't you agree to their suggestion?
We have few people on hand, and if someone really wants to target you, it could indeed be dangerous.
Your health is not good now; if something happens..."
Mountain Eagle waved his hand smilingly and said, "The International Intermediary Company wants to ride the Shunfeng boat, what they offered doesn't solve my core needs.
But what I could agree to could solve Li Chengji's core needs, and although I don't know exactly how they will proceed, I'm sure International Intermediary Company could make a lot.
It's like venture capital, the pricing for the first, second, and third rounds of financing is different!
If she came to me with a similar proposition in Moscow, I definitely wouldn't hesitate, but now..."
Daria listened and nodded hesitantly...
Mountain Eagle didn't feel like explaining more, he watched his phone light up again, smilingly answered it, and then handed the phone to Daria, deliberately saying, "Tell her I'm too busy right now, and I might not be free tomorrow either..."
Daria was startled for a moment, took the phone, hesitated, and said, "Hello, my boss said he's very busy, and he might not be free tomorrow either..."
After finishing, she heard the other party hang up heavily, then she patted her chest, a bit nervous, and said, "This is what it feels like to hang up on important people, very thrilling!"
Mountain Eagle smilingly said, "There will be more thrilling moments in the future!"
As soon as Mountain Eagle's words fell, Daria's work cell phone rang, she answered it, listened for a few seconds, then looked at her boss in surprise, covering the mouthpiece, and said, "Boss, the more thrilling has arrived…"