Chapter 4: How does that saying go, the gears of fate begin

"The most important thing now is to find a way to make that son of a bitch withdraw the case, otherwise Ethan can only hide in the corner forever."

"It will be very troublesome once caught!"

Lan Si has already considered how to deal with this matter; he has seen very clearly this month that Federal people cannot be relied upon.

He is someone without roots, so this group of fellow villagers from the Empire might become a key force.

"Two ways, the first way, we find a way to borrow some money to plug that person's mouth and let him withdraw the case."

"The second way, we can't borrow money, then we have to find a way to persuade him."

After hearing this, Erwin feels it is unlikely, "This is not a good way at all; where can we borrow money, how much can we borrow, these are all problems!"

Having been here for only a month, unfamiliar with the place, and not carrying much money with him.

Most people who have the opportunity to come here have made a great effort at home, almost emptying the foundation of every family.

Now many fishermen don't fish anymore, specializing in transporting people from the shore to the high seas, and then sending them onto smuggling ships.

Smuggling over costs about fifteen hundred dollars, which is a sum of money that is very difficult for ordinary families to bear.

Plus the family in the Empire still needs to live, and still needs some funds to face emergencies, so most people who smuggled over don't have much money on them.

Lan Si had less than five dollars on him when he got off the ship, and others were about the same.

The most, perhaps only a few dozen dollars.

Erwin is a bit annoyed, "The problem is where can we borrow so much money?"

Lan Si tells him to wait a while, returns to the bakery, and talks to the fat owner about asking for leave—

"My fellow villager encountered trouble, I have to go see the situation, so I might not be in the shop in the afternoon."

The fat owner sits behind the counter chewing a pipe; because of obesity, his eyes are squeezed small and pitch black, and only the pupils in the middle can be seen, just like two buttons buckled on a fermented bread.

He looks Lan Si up and down, "Asking for leave is fine, I will fine you one dollar, and you must be back before five o'clock, otherwise it will be two dollars."

"If because of your absence, we sold less than yesterday, you have to make up for this part of the loss, because it was caused by you."

Lan Si looks at the fat owner, who also meets his gaze without fear, "I know you hate me very much, and I also like the way you hate me but have no way to do anything."

He knocks his pipe on the corner of the table and points at Lan Si, "If you run away, or don't come back, I will call the police and say you stole the property in the shop; do you understand what I mean?"

Lan Si always performs very humbly, even with a smile on his face, "I think I understand, Boss."

The fat owner sneers contemptuously, "Then get out, before five o'clock, I want to see you behind the counter."

"By the way, you owe me four dollars now; I'm going to calculate interest for you; if you can't pay this money by the end of this month, it will become four dollars and sixty cents..."

Fifteen percent monthly interest, one hundred and eighty percent annual interest, simply murderous!

Sometimes people standing on the edge of a cliff always have the urge to jump down; it's just that some people will suppress this inexplicable urge, but some people take this step.

Lan Si is silent for a while, not refusing, "I will remember, Boss."

The fat owner cannot find more sense of superiority and the feeling of playing with him from Lan Si, and waves his hand impatiently, "Get out."

Lan Si takes off his apron and leaves with Erwin; the little friends are not far away, and there are twelve or thirteen people in total.

They squat in the shade of the alley; after Lan Si comes, everyone stands up, greeting Lan Si somewhat anxiously.

"I have five dollars here; how much money did we gather in total?"

A guy named Mero takes out a washed-white handkerchief from his pocket, which looks heavy with a lump inside.

After opening it, it is almost all cents; what is surprising is that there are two two-dollar banknotes.

In this strange environment, when encountering a crisis, the unity of these people makes Lan Si see "power"; it is brewing, just like seeds in dark soil, and there will always be a day when it breaks through the soil.

"Adding yours, there are seventy-seven dollars in total."

The young people hear that there is so much money, and their faces reveal some strange expressions.

During this period, the inflation of the Federation is not serious, plus the economy is on the rise, and the purchasing power of the currency is very strong; seventy-seven dollars is indeed not a small amount.

But it is still some distance from two hundred dollars.

"Do you know where the nearest financial company is?"

After careful consideration, Lan Si decides to borrow some money, usury.

Usury is terrible, but if everyone gathers money to pay it back, then calculated by fourteen people, even if it is fifteen percent monthly interest, each person actually bears one percent of one hundred and fifty dollars, and each person's interest is only a little over one dollar and fifty cents.

If they are willing to pay back the principal and interest together, then each person only needs to take out three dollars a month, and they can pay off this debt in less than half a year.

He first talks to the little friends about it, and in the end, everyone thinks it is a suitable choice, although it might cause a shortage of money on hand.

But having worked for a month, they have gradually begun to become familiar with the work and familiar with everything here.

They know where they can have a place to sleep sheltered from the wind and rain, and know when to go where they can receive free relief food that doesn't cost money.

They also know when to go where, and if they are lucky, they can get some old clothes.

As long as they live in the Federation long enough, there will always be a way.

And recently, newspapers and news have been saying that Congress may soon sign a bill related to black immigration.

By then they can go to the immigration bureau to register and get their own work cards.

At that time, the money they earn will all be their own; perhaps it won't take long to pay off all the money.

Lan Si walks in the front, followed by more than a dozen eighteen or nineteen-year-old young people, and they enter a financial company together.

There are many financial companies in the Federation, especially in cities with rapid economic development like New Jincheng.

Ninety-nine percent of Federal people harbor a Federal dream; many people have witnessed some ordinary people similar to them, just because they grasped an opportunity they might also be qualified to touch, quickly jumping from the ordinary class to the middle class, or even capitalists; people are almost crazy!

Miracles are born every day, and the media reports all this extensively, as if miracles and the Federation have become an equation; these born miracles have also created the idea and motivation for Federal people to work hard and start businesses.

Starting a business without money, borrowing from a bank is probably not very convenient.

In order to reduce the risk of loans, banks will require borrowers to have real estate or collateral, and then will only lend according to sixty percent of the market value.

Strict audits and harsh lending conditions have blocked many people's path to starting a business, but financial companies on the roadside will not do this.

As long as they can determine that you have the ability, or you have something worth this money, they dare to lend you money.

Some people did borrow money and didn't pay it back, but these people were eventually put into oil drums and became the foundation of the port.

If someone can trade their life for a few hundred, a few thousand, or tens of thousands of dollars, the financial company can only admit defeat.

The only thing they can do is bear this loss, and then kill you!

Of course, people who can really do this step are still a very small minority; the desire to survive is the strongest desire of human beings, without one.

So during this period, around the port, in the streets and alleys, there are almost all financial companies.

Lan Si finds one that looks larger, and the person responsible for guarding the door blocks them, "This is not a club; if you want to find girls, go to the opposite side."

This guard, facing so many young people, is also not sure what they are coming to do; for the sake of safety and deterrence, his hands are on his waist, and the hem of his clothes, which happens to be lifted, reveals a looming holster and the pistol inside.

The pistol with metallic luster is inserted in the holster; some little friends immediately take a step back, and others are too nervous to speak.

Lan Si appears calm and composed; without hatred, no one will shoot and kill him.

Even if he is a black immigrant.

Victims in murder cases do not exist as black or not black immigrants in the judiciary.

"We want to borrow some money."

The guard looks at Lan Si and feels that he might be more reliable, "You, add one more person to go in, others wait outside."

Lan Si looks back; although most people don't retreat, no one takes the initiative to stand out.

After about three or five seconds, Erwin stands out, "I'll go with you."

Lan Si nods, the guard makes way, and he and Erwin enter the company, while others are required to wait outside the company.

The company's decoration is very luxurious, but the scale is not very large.

As soon as you enter the main door, there is a front desk, and a beautiful little girl is fixing her nails.

She looks up at the people who came in twice, and then focuses on her nails again.

Lan Si walks to the front desk and knocks on the countertop, "I want to borrow some money."

"Go to the end and turn left; there is only one room there," the girl says without raising her head.

Lan Si curls his lips and takes Erwin toward the inside.

Erwin looks a bit nervous, so Lan Si doesn't talk to him; sometimes distracting attention can not only not relieve nervous emotions, but instead become worse.

The corridor is not long, and there are offices on both sides, but the people inside don't look like people working, but more like thugs.

Everyone's gaze stops on the two, and Lan Si can clearly feel that Erwin is following him closely; he is even more nervous.

These guys with tattoos all over their bodies, strong physiques, and looking fierce make Erwin lower his head, but Lan Si doesn't feel there is anything terrible.

Go to the end and turn left; the only door has "Manager's Office" written on it; Lan Si knocks on the door, and an answer comes from inside, "Come in."

He pushes the door and enters; a guy who looks a bit like the real thing, wearing a formal suit and tie, sits behind the desk.

He looks to be thirty-two or thirty-three years old, is stunned for a moment, and then invites the two to sit down.

"Drink something?"

"Water, thank you." ===== CHAPTER 5 =====