Chapter 903: Five Hundred Million Dollar Deal

"Two hundred and seventy million!" Lin Wanning's assistant Su Mei held her bidding paddle high, and the buzzing commotion at the venue was instantly suppressed by more than half.

On the other end of the line, Emily's voice was cracking with anxiety: "Boss, Lin Wanning has lost her mind; she bid two hundred and seventy million directly! Looking at the situation today, we won't be able to take this tea garden without five hundred million US dollars. What should we do?"

Lukasi was silent for a long time, so long that Emily thought the signal had cut out. Finally, he spoke, his voice so low it sounded like it was being squeezed out from his throat: "Bid four hundred million directly. If it exceeds this amount... then, then just watch how others bid."

He didn't dare say the word "give up."

Because he knew too well—if that batch of tea leaves truly had the legendary miraculous effects, he could not afford to lose.

On the other side, after listening to Xiao Qiao's explanation, Douglas was so angry he nearly smashed his Satellite Phone.

"Boss, it seems the world's five major pharmaceutical groups have all sent people. We can't take this tea garden at a cheap price."

"Damn it! That bitch Ceng Nianci! She ruined my plans!" Douglas was furious.

After Douglas learned that Ceng Nianci had sold the information to several companies, he had sent hitmen to find her.

As it turned out, the woman had vanished into thin air, and the cash in her accounts had been completely withdrawn.

"The headquarters just issued a death order: if the ancient tree tea is truly the key element for the medicine, we must take it at any cost," Douglas said.

The atmosphere at the auction site had reached a boiling point.

Lukasi had just shouted "four hundred million," and before the words had even landed, Xiao Qiao, under Douglas's command, cleanly and decisively raised the paddle—

"Five hundred million!"

The whole room was in an uproar.

The auctioneer was stunned for a moment, then his speaking speed suddenly accelerated, "Five hundred million once!"

The venue was dead silent.

"... Five hundred million twice!"

Still, no one spoke.

Emily covered the microphone, her forehead sweating with anxiety: "Boss, are we still adding more? Boss?"

On Lukasi's end, there was a deathly silence.

"Five hundred million three times—"

"Thump!"

The auction hammer fell heavily, the dull sound like a heavy punch, slamming hard into everyone's heart.

"Sold! Five hundred million US dollars!"

The scene was quiet for a full three seconds, then erupted into a buzz of whispering.

Some widened their eyes, others shook their heads and chuckled; no one could believe it was real—five hundred million US dollars to buy a tea garden?

Several leaders from Hangzhou also looked at each other in dismay.

A Cadre turned his head and said to Xiao Liu beside him: "Xiao Liu, you... you pinch me."

Xiao Liu blankly reached out and really gave him a hard pinch.

"Hiss—!"

The Cadre gasped, stood up abruptly, and let out a long breath, as if to exhale all the shock in his chest.

"Let's go," Leader Xiao straightened his collar, his eyes burning, "I want to meet this Mr. He."

In the hotel lobby, Leader Xiao enthusiastically shook He Yuzhu's hand and didn't let go for a long time.

He Yuzhu smiled: "Leader, do you have something to see me about this time?"

Leader Xiao said: "Old He, I didn't know you were here for an inspection earlier, so we didn't host you properly. Please forgive our lack of hospitality. You must do us the honor today of coming to sit with us and having a good chat."

As soon as He Yuzhu saw this posture, he knew these people were mostly here looking for investment.

He smiled and waved his hand: "Leader, if you have something to say, just say it; we can skip the meal."

Zhou Chaoyang, the Deputy Bureau Chief of the Investment Promotion Bureau, hurriedly took over the conversation: "Mr. He might not know, but a Hong Kong businessman previously said he wanted to invest in a DVD factory here, on the condition that we help them take your family's tea garden. We knew there was something fishy, so we didn't participate, and as a result, they withdrew their investment directly. Our work is not easy to do either..."

After hearing this, He Yuzhu understood where these people were coming from. He pulled Leader Xiao aside and whispered: "Leader, to be honest, this tea garden isn't even worth ten million. We pulled a bait-and-switch; it's not that we wanted to scam those people, it's that they wanted to steal our formula. Although we can get five hundred million US dollars, the consequences we have to bear are also very serious. I hope you can understand..."

Leader Xiao understood the meaning behind this immediately and stated right away: "Old Mr. He, don't misunderstand. We came here this time just to express our good intentions. I happen to know some of your deeds!"

He Yuzhu went along with the flow: "Leader, rest assured. Aside from paying taxes and helping the fellow villagers do some things, not a single cent of the money from selling the tea garden will be taken out of Hangzhou; it will all be invested here."

Leader Xiao's eyes lit up: "Old He, then thank you very much!"

He Yuzhu said: "I am duty-bound to do things that benefit the people."

He Yuzhu was eventually surrounded by a group of leaders and taken to eat.

Xiao Qiao returned to Hong Kong and met with Douglas.

Douglas was so angry he slapped the table and cursed loudly: "It's all that bitch Ceng Nianci, driving the price up to five hundred million US dollars! This is a dereliction of my duty! I must kill this bitch!"

Xiao Qiao said in a low voice: "Boss, she seems to have developed real feelings for that guy named A Long. Could she be hiding with him?"

Douglas grabbed the phone: "Then tie up A Long and ask him where he hid Ceng Nianci!"

Xiao Qiao lowered his voice and said: "Once, when Ceng Nianci was drunk, she told me that A Long has some friendship with Xu Tian of the Brotherhood. Do you think it's possible that Xu Tian hid her?"

Douglas put the phone down again and frowned: "How could he know a gang boss like Xu Tian?"

"Boss, you really have a short memory. A Long is Lin Wanning's godson, and Lin Wanning's relationship with the gangs is not shallow," Xiao Qiao said.

Douglas's face darkened: "Xiao Qiao, do you think the tea garden could be a trap set by Lin Wanning and Ceng Nianci? Once we pay the full amount and discover there's something fake inside, we'll be finished."

"It shouldn't be fake. Ceng Nianci said that kid is very honest; he would give her the stars if she asked. He has no reason to lie to her," Xiao Qiao said.

Douglas sneered: "Ceng Nianci, even if you run to the ends of the earth, I will catch you."

Xiao Qiao added fuel to the fire: "Boss, Ceng Nianci is too hateful. She actually sold the intelligence to six pharmaceutical companies. How much money do you think she made this time?"

Douglas's face was livid, and he immediately picked up the phone to brief several thugs on the situation.

A Hong Kong street food stall.

A Long bought some seafood, whistling as he carried the bag home.

Suddenly, several men in black suits darted out from the side of the street and, without a word, pushed him directly into a car.

In the secret room, A Long was beaten until he was covered in wounds.

However, this guy was truly tough; he didn't reveal a single word about the trap set by Lin Wanning, nor did he disclose the whereabouts of Ceng Nianci.

Over and over, he only said one thing: "That bitch deceived me too, and I'm still looking for her! If you find her, let me know, I want to stab her a few times!"

After beating him all night, A Long was on the verge of death, yet Douglas still hadn't gotten any answers out of him.

In the end, they had no choice but to release A Long.

A Long was brought to Xu Tian's home.

As soon as Ceng Nianci saw his battered appearance, tears fell instantly, and she trembled all over as she wept.

Xu Tian had no other choice but to take out the bottle of refined Spirit Spring Water given by He Yuzhu and feed him half of it.

Half a day later, A Long finally came to, slowly waking up.

Ceng Nianci threw herself at him and held him, sobbing uncontrollably.

This ordeal of A Long being captured, instead, made Douglas completely believe in the effects of the ancient tree tea.

He hesitated for several days, but finally transferred the money to the account of Liushi Trading Company and sent people to take over the tea plantation.