Chapter 114: His offer of goodwill
Louis frowned as soon as he heard this.
A slight anger showed in his eyes, but it didn't go any further than that.
The fact that one of the members of HIS organization was supporting and speaking out in favor of a bastard from the enemy region who only came to impose his beliefs passively, in addition to intimidating local businessmen, was an insult to him.
In addition, they were causing problems in local factories, which translated into a show of weakness in the southern region against the northern region.
'Hmph. These guys are getting more and more gutsy. Fine. Let me see you act then.' He didn't move immediately.
He wanted to see how they would act and what they would say, but that guy simply gave Paul a few more words of praise and then got off.
After that, the party began to unfold peacefully.
Paul greeted everyone present one by one while he was with the other members of the 12.
At times, he would linger talking to people, displaying a rather calm and friendly demeanor.
Even so, it was a facade.
Occasionally, words and actions would slip out in response to jokes made by those present, revealing that he was actually arrogant and was only doing this for appearances' sake.
Perhaps not even appearances. Maybe he simply had a plan to win over everyone present, because his attitude was:
"I'm going to put up with this bunch of idiots so they can see that I'm the good guy."
Even so, Louis only paid attention to him at certain moments. He spent the rest of the time talking to Dimash and eating around the room.
He knew what was going on after listening to their first conversations.
Basically, Paul had a lot of money and promised them a heavy investment in their companies, with the help of White Lotus.
Now, being that kind of clandestine organization, it was obvious where all that money came from, making him the richest of the 12 current businessmen.
It came from illicit sources.
While Paul was greeting several people, Dimash's other brother separated from the group and went to see him.
"Little brother, how are your companies doing? Have you managed to get the contacts?" he asked, showing real concern.
Dimash stared at him for several seconds before looking away.
"Contacts don't grow on trees, big brother," he replied flatly.
"Heh," his brother scoffed and turned to look at the group of people moving around the room.
"Money moves and attracts contacts. Don't you see? Even good contacts attract more contacts," he said, handing him a small piece of paper.
Dimash stared at him, and he smiled.
"It's a good contact I made recently. You shouldn't blindly follow those who can give you contacts; just take advantage of them to get them."
Dimash then looked at the paper and looked up at his brother to return it to him.
"You know? It took me a long time to achieve the status I have now. But I did it because of a piece of advice my father once gave me: The entrepreneur's path is not forged by contacts and money, but by discipline, seized opportunities, and a little bit of good luck. Contacts and money will come after that," he said, placing the paper back in his brother's hand.
"I'm not interested in the contacts you get from a guy who opposes what our father taught us. Much less from someone who wants to take credit for what he achieved. Remember, he who laughs last, laughs best."
Dimash was firm, which left his brother slightly stunned.
He stared at him and crumpled the paper before putting it in his pocket.
"That's why you are where you are right now," he replied and left.
Dimash remained silent, and Louis, standing beside him, didn't ask any questions about it. He had already seen it all.
In a way, both of them were right in what they said. But one had guts, and the other wanted to strike it rich faster to achieve greater success quickly.
Both were right. But their paths were slightly opposite.
As this was happening, there were soon not many people left to greet.
Paul came up to Dimash.
Everyone present knew him; he was a man worthy of respect. But... no one spoke for him.
No, rather, no one spoke to him.
Paul simply looked at him as if he were air and went straight to talk to those beside him.
He either wanted to leave him until last or simply wouldn't take him into account.
Dimash already knew this, so he wasn't surprised or angry. He didn't come here to talk to his enemy. If it weren't for Louis, he wouldn't have come today, as he had no interest in having contact with these people he already knew.
He preferred to spend his time trying to devise an escape plan from everything that had come his way. That's why he was so isolated in that building today.
But seeing him so close and having heard enough, Louis didn't want to waste any more time.
He decided to speak.
"Paul Borne, right?" he asked.
Paul stopped and turned to look at him. "And who are you?" he asked.
".--" Louis couldn't answer; someone else did before he could.
"He's a guest of my brother Dimash, Mr. Paul," he said. "A son, perhaps?"
It was Dimash's brother who had just spoken to him.
Louis felt slightly annoyed at being interrupted. How disrespectful.
"The son?" Paul looked him up and down, seeming to feel... disgust?
Louis's eyebrows twitched slightly.
'I'll make you feel disgusted by what's left of you,' he thought, but he didn't show it on the outside.
He smiled.
"Haha, those who speak without knowing and interrupt a conversation between two people are the first to go bankrupt. So don't pay attention to idiots," he replied, with a clear mockery toward Dimash's brother.
Then he spoke again.
"I just wanted to verify that it was you. Founder of Sasha Textile Industries and the Mantra Group, right?"
His previous eloquence made Paul pay some attention to him, so he smiled.
"Indeed, it is me," he said, puffing out his chest with pride and arrogance.
Louis then smiled. "Very well. Then I have an offer for you that you won't be able to refuse."
"Oh?" Finally, Paul's feet pointed toward Louis, showing his interest in listening to him.
"Go ahead, young man. Let me hear what you have to offer."
"Haha, very well." Louis finally stopped eating and stared at him. "I am a generous person, Mr. Paul Borne. I generally don't like conflict, unless someone draws me into it and won't let go."
"That's why, after someone asked me for help, I decided to help him. Besides being a generous person, I also have to take care of my territory, don't I?" Louis then took out a few money cards from his inventory.
"300 million. I'll give you 300 million Jens for the Mantra Group and your textile industry, in cash. That will end the problem. What do you say?"
Despite his sarcastic tone, Paul frowned intensely. He was surprised, but also angry.
He wasn't the only one.
Several of them felt the same way.
"Bastard, who do you think you are?" roared Dimash's brother, Dewey, who had just been insulted by him.
For him, this was not only an insult to a "friend," but also to himself.
Well, if that rich man's companies were worth 300 million, what were his worth? 100?
"Do you know that's an insult to our status?" he roared and then looked at Dimash. "Control your guest or son, whatever he is!"
But Dimash was just as surprised as he was. Well, even Jessy was, even though she knew that was Louis's way of doing things when he was angry.
Those present immediately began to make a fuss about this.
"How could this child be so disrespectful? Even my youngest son, who knows nothing about the world, is more respectful than him!"
"Maybe he was prepared to sabotage the party a little."
"You're right..."
As the conversations around him took place, Paul recovered from his initial shock and sneered.
"Do you know how much Sasha Textile Industries is worth? Let's not talk about the Mantra Group, just my new company," he asked.
"I don't know," Louis replied. "And I don't care. Do you accept my goodwill or not?"
Paul's face darkened.
"The estimated value of my textile industry is currently one billion..."
"As I already said." Louis interrupted him. "I'm not interested in its price."
Paul clenched his fists tightly and remained silent for a few seconds.
"Who do you think you are? Do you think that I can't make you eat your words just because you're the son of a renowned businessman?"
Louis smiled mockingly. If this guy knew who his father was, he would literally be worshipping him.
But of course, he wasn't going to say that.
"Do you accept or not?"