Chapter 42: Please Start Your Performance

Looking at Larson, who looked righteous and as if he were the embodiment of justice, if Li Dongling hadn't checked the background of this litigation stick before coming, he might have truly been deceived by him.

Larson was one of the most famous vulture lawyers in New York. To say his level of fighting lawsuits wasn't necessarily the most powerful, but he was definitely the one with the most underhanded tricks and the least bottom line. In order to win a lawsuit, he was even bold enough to hire private detectives to track and collect black materials on prosecutors and judges, using the media to apply pressure, which could be called daring.

As long as he could win the lawsuit and get dollars, Larson dared to do anything. Here, the bottom line was measured in dollars. As long as the risk wasn't so great that he would be killed, he truly dared to take the job!

Entering Larson's magnificently decorated office, which contained many famous paintings and antiques, plus the receptionist and assistant who clearly didn't have a proper relationship with Larson, Li Dongling could see how extravagant Larson's life was. All of this required dollars to maintain.

"Do you want one? This is authentic Cuban stuff!"

Like the receptionist, after Larson's assistant, whose appearance and figure were quite outstanding, finished pouring coffee for them and left, Larson took out a box of cigars and asked Li Dongling.

Seeing that Li Dongling didn't take it, Larson also put the cigar away and sat in his custom-made luxury boss chair, tentatively asking Li Dongling, "Li, I still don't know where you are from..."

"China!"

"Whoa!"

Larson let out an exclamation, his small eyes spinning around, not knowing what he was calculating again. "That is a mysterious and special country. I have seen it on the Geography Discovery Channel—the Great Wall and pandas..."

Li Dongling didn't have the heart to continue chatting with Larson. Playing logic games with this kind of litigation stick was purely hitting the muzzle of a gun. People were just eating by their mouths. Li Dongling always believed that one shouldn't challenge others' rice bowls with one's own hobbies.

"Dongling High-Tech wants to sue Microsoft. Are you taking this lawsuit or not?"

"Microsoft?!"

Hearing Li Dongling clarify, Larson couldn't pretend anymore and directly exploded with profanity. "Shit, I knew these two million weren't that easy to earn!"

Seeing this scene, the halo of elite lawyers in Yao Luoying's eyes shattered to the ground in an instant. In the past, lawyers in America were always portrayed as elites, representing justice, but now these halos were all gone.

"That's Microsoft! Even suing the New York Police Department or the Municipal Office would have a higher winning rate than suing Microsoft!"

Larson said somewhat depressed, then looked at Li Dongling. "I need to remind you, this lawsuit might not be winnable, although I desperately want these two million USD..."

Saying this to Li Dongling wasn't because Larson had any professional ethics. If it were an ordinary person, he would have started bluffing long ago. But in this era, someone who could take out two million USD to fight a lawsuit, no matter where Li Dongling came from, Larson had to weigh the consequences of blacking out this money.

Being a lawyer was an industry that relied on fame and reputation. If he dared to black out these two million today, it might look like he earned it, but later, Asian and even Asian-American clients, as well as those tycoons in America, would definitely put him on a blacklist.

In addition, lawsuits that looked like they were bound to lose, general lawyers wouldn't take. The bigger the name, the more they cherished their feathers. If they lost once, their value would drop by a large margin.

"This lawsuit must be won, but not necessarily in court!"

Li Dongling looked at Larson and said. He didn't count on Larson being able to tongue-tie the scholars in court and challenge Microsoft's entire legal department alone. If he really had this ability, he could try to see if he could be elected as a federal justice.

Hearing this, Larson's small eyes suddenly shone with light. "It seems, Li, you already have a plan?!"

"I need Larson, you to bring out what you are best at. There isn't much time left for us. Only two months, or even only one month. It doesn't have to be Microsoft admitting defeat; as long as we make Microsoft bow its head, Dongling High-Tech can accept..."

"Out-of-court settlement!"

Larson said excitedly. He already knew what Li Dongling wanted to play. This was also what he was best at: manufacturing black materials, inciting public opinion, applying pressure to Microsoft, and then settling out of court to get compensation. He could think of a pile of tricks for this set of processes with his eyes closed.

"Not enough, not enough. If we only incite the media, it's very difficult to make Microsoft bow its head!" Larson couldn't sit still and stood up, walking back and forth.

"If we also incite IBM, Lotus, and others to join in..."

"That's also not enough," Larson directly interrupted Li Dongling's words. "You don't understand America too well. Do you know how many congressmen on Capitol Hill in Washington are supporting Microsoft? Do you know how much public relations money Microsoft spends every year?!

Without a life-and-death crisis, it will absolutely not admit defeat!"

"Federal Department of Justice!"

Larson suddenly stopped his footsteps, his gaze burning.

Hearing this, Yao Luoying was startled. She didn't expect Larson to be bold enough to have designs on the U. S. Federal Department of Justice.

Laughing a few times, Larson saw Li Dongling thoughtful and Yao Luoying with a worried expression, and said with a smile, "This beautiful lady, please don't worry. It's not that we really need the Federal Department of Justice to take action; we just need to make Microsoft feel the crisis!"

"However, Li..."

Larson became solemn again, with a bit of gnashing of teeth, "We need to renegotiate this lawsuit. If the lawsuit is won, I want 80% of the compensation from this lawsuit. This is the industry rule!"

Just now, Larson calculated that if they really made a big scene, the two million USD Li Dongling gave wouldn't be enough to spend at all. He might even have to pay money out of his own pocket. After a lawsuit, he wouldn't earn a cent and would have to pay a sum. As a vulture lawyer, if this spread, he would be laughed at.

"Impossible!"

Li Dongling came back to his senses. He felt that what Larson said just now might really be realized. Microsoft wasn't afraid of rivals, but was it afraid of an antitrust investigation initiated by the Federal Department of Justice?!

In his mouth, Li Dongling didn't slow down either. "This is impossible. You don't know how much Dongling High-Tech has lost for this lawsuit. If we can't get the compensation, Dongling High-Tech might go bankrupt. If you take away so much of the compensation, Dongling High-Tech might as well not fight this lawsuit at all!"

"70%, not a cent less. You know how many connections I have to use for this lawsuit? Reporters, TV stations, media, the prosecutor's office, the Department of Justice—all need public relations. These aren't things that can be bought with dollars." Larson also counted on his fingers.

After squabbling for a few more minutes, Li Dongling and Larson pulled the compensation to an even split after winning the lawsuit, and neither argued anymore.

"I am now drafting the entrustment agency contract!"

Larson said to Li Dongling, also preparing to do a big job. If this lawsuit could be won, he would not only be able to get a large amount of dollars but also rank among the top-tier lawyers in America!

"This matter also needs your cooperation, Li. After I file the lawsuit with the New York Court, I will arrange for you to accept an interview with a New York TV station. This exclusive interview is crucial and even affects the success or failure of the whole thing!"

After signing the entrustment agreement, Larson immediately discussed with Li Dongling. No matter how Larson manipulated, he needed the "victim" to cooperate.

Sometimes, if the victim sells a wave of misery on the TV station, they can harvest a lot of sympathy and support, forming public opinion pressure, making federal police, federal prosecutors, federal courts, federal congressmen, etc., all face huge pressure. Those powerful figures in America, for the sake of votes, will mostly choose to compromise when facing public opinion.

"I know!"

Li Dongling said. His current identity was different from those companies in America suppressed by Microsoft. To gain public opinion support, he needed to make a performance.

"I formally represent Dongling High-Tech today to initiate a lawsuit against Microsoft. This is a company from Asia. Maybe many people don't understand why I accepted the agency for this lawsuit, but if you understand this company, understand its founder, you will understand the meaning of all this. Microsoft is strangling dreams; it is becoming that evil dragon. There needs to be a warrior to stand up and stop its atrocities..."

Standing at the entrance of the Manhattan Federal Court in New York, in front of a sparse group of reporters, Larson gave a passionate speech. These reporters and media were all invited by him with money.

After this year, the newspapers where these reporters worked would also report it. As for how much effect it would have, he didn't know. Larson didn't expect immediate results; he just needed to spread this matter first and stir up some splashes.

"Dongling High-Tech really sued us?!"

Hearing the news, Spencer and Bonas, knowing that Li Dongling had really traveled thousands of miles across the Pacific to sue Microsoft, were both stunned.

"To be honest, I really want to see the founder of that Dongling High-Tech," Spencer said with a mix of laughter and tears, as if he had heard something unreasonable. "If he came to Seattle to negotiate with us, I might compensate his company with a sum of dollars, enough for him to be a tycoon in that backward and barbaric country for a lifetime. But now..."

Spencer said with a bit of annoyance, "Then let's fight the lawsuit. Let the people from the legal department come over. I want to show him Microsoft's true strength!"

Li Dongling, in a suit and leather shoes, with his hair combed back and rarely applied hair wax, was in the backstage of the New York TV station. Yao Luoying finally tied Li Dongling's tie.

Looking at Li Dongling, who was handsome and elegant in front of her, Yao Luoying's heartbeat couldn't help but accelerate a bit. If someone said Li Dongling was a top elite in America or was going to Hollywood to audition for a crew, no one would doubt there was a problem.

"Li, are you ready? It's almost your turn to go on stage..."

Larson, returning to the backstage, saw Li Dongling in this attire and couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy between men.

"You only have half an hour!" Larson reminded Li Dongling anxiously. ===== CHAPTER 43 =====