Chapter 475: 478. Chapter 471: Ambition and Drowsiness

478. Chapter 471: Ambition and Drowsiness

"Please, sit down. No need to be so polite. This is your home, not mine."

The vice president sat on pins and needles; he had no idea how his family was faring right now.

Even though it had been a long time since he had given his wife any pleasant looks, for some reason, at this moment, he actually began to worry about that woman's safety.

"My wife and children…"

Lans pointed at the room upstairs. "If they aren't too stupid, no one will get hurt. What I want more is to talk about the matter between us."

That sentence put the vice president slightly at ease. After hesitating for a while, he said, "Honestly, my original intention was to support the company fulfilling the contract, but you know, I'm only a vice president."

"Above me there's the CEO, the chairman of the board, and the people on the board of directors."

"What I say doesn't count!" From his humble attitude, one could tell he truly wanted to win Lans's trust; he spoke very sincerely.

Both in expression and in manner.

Lans nodded noncommittally. "Then in your opinion, how can I get the money that belongs to me?"

In reality, Lans now found himself in a very particular situation. It was plain as day that Liji Group was unwilling to give him this money, yet he could not give up, nor could he possibly give up.

Both sides were locked in a contest of strength, both had reasons not to back down, and this brought the situation to a rather awkward position.

But this matter had to be resolved, otherwise he wouldn't feel at ease, and he believed the upper echelons of Liji Group wouldn't feel at ease either. That was the reason he had come to this city.

The vice president's mind began spinning at an unprecedented speed. He licked his lips. "Mr. Lans, honestly, from the very start, you've given us a tough problem."

Lans suddenly felt a little like laughing, and a hint of a smile appeared on his face. "So this is my fault?"

The vice president nodded.

As long as Lans didn't, at the slightest disagreement, pull out a pistol and turn him into pieces too, then he could perfectly well speak some of his true thoughts.

"You made the matter far too obvious, and look, it's already the end of the year."

"The year-end financial report is a very important part. For the company, it determines the development trend of the company's stock over the next three months, or even half a year."

"If the shareholders, the investors, learn that at this time the company has suffered a loss of four million, and that it's because of extortion!"

"Then there's a very high chance it will cause the company's stock to plummet!"

"If you can extort us, then others can extort us too. Our risk exposure in the environment will keep growing."

"They'll become less trusting of us, investment will run into problems, the stock will fall, everything will turn very bad."

Lans also knew a bit about this area; he had heard a certain friend surnamed Lin chat about it inside. He nodded. "So?"

"So we can't be extorted by you. We have to solve this problem!"

"We have to make the shareholders and investors believe that we're no different from before, that no matter what challenge we face, we can solve it!"

"Only this way can the stock price stabilize, and the investors remain optimistic and hopeful about next year."

"Each of us can take a big cut from inside, nothing will get worse, only better and better!"

"So even if it costs something, or requires using certain methods, it's worth it, and something we must do."

"It's not just a question of money, or rather, it's a question of even more money."

Lans thought seriously for a while and found considerable agreement with his view. He also knew that for a Shangshi Company, the stock price was the sole benchmark of wealth.

A slightly disappointed expression appeared on his face. "Then it looks like we can't solve this problem."

His tone carried a certain… disappointment that seemed to want to end everything!

This made the vice president startle. Only at this moment did he remember that someone had just died!

"Mr. Lans, I was talking about normal circumstances, where we have no way out. Isn't there still an abnormal way?"

The smile on his face was very sincere. Lans looked at him and gestured for him to continue.

"If… I'm saying if, we weren't successfully extorted, and we resolved this problem."

"Then the shareholders and investors would still have full confidence in us, next year's stock would still keep climbing, and no one would be in trouble."

"Four million, it may not be a small sum to you…" He noticed the subtle change in expression on the face of the person beside Lans, and quickly added, "Of course, the same goes for me."

"But for our stock, it might only be a price fluctuation of a few thousandths, or even a few ten-thousandths!"

Currently, Liji Group's market capitalization is over one billion. It sounds exaggerated, but in reality this isn't even the company with the highest market cap; even the word "high" is a stretch.

Many years ago, capitalists had already created astonishing wealth through monopolies. Billion-dollar families, two-billion-dollar families—everywhere you looked!

Once stocks began to be opened up more broadly and with lower thresholds to ordinary people, the place became saturated with all kinds of miracles and myths.

For a company with a market cap exceeding one billion, four million is just a price fluctuation of a few thousandths.

A single piece of bad news could instantly evaporate countless sums of money. So, looking at this calmly and objectively, the vice president actually wasn't wrong.

Lans was silent for a while. "I just want to take back what you owe me."

The vice president let out a breath of relief. "Then there's a solution between the two of us."

Lans thought of what Shi Diwen had told him.

The vice president also gave a clear answer. "We'll keep dragging the case out. We'll publicly reveal in the financial report our resolve and confidence in winning the lawsuit."

"Then we'll quietly transfer a sum of money to your account, and the matter ends here."

"The stock won't crash; on the contrary, it might even see unplanned growth because of this."

"And you'll also get what you want."

This was indeed a way.

However, Lans looked at him with eyes that weren't quite trusting. "How do you persuade the board to agree to give me four million?"

That was indeed a troublesome point, but right now the vice president's heart was racing, and even his breathing had grown slightly coarse and heavy.

He swallowed, and in his voice there was a kind of… indescribable madness!

"Mr. Lans, Shi Diwen was only a small player. He did the company's dirty work. His death unsettles people, but it doesn't scare anyone." That's what he said to Lans.

Lans understood his meaning in an instant, and also saw the vice president's ambition in his eyes.

His meaning was that getting rid of a Shi Diwen was not a problem for the company, but actually did the company a favor.

If the company comes to deal with Shi Diwen, it might actually cause some trouble.

After all, Shi Diwen has done so much dirty work for the company; the more bad things he has done, the more worried he becomes about his own fate, and he might even sense something ahead of time.

But once Lans makes a move, he won't have any chance to set up contingencies. By now, the President and the Chairman of the Board may have already sent people to Shi Diwen's home for a thorough sweep!

Shi Diwen's death has nothing to do with the company, which lets them calmly slip on a new pair of gloves. So it's hard to say whether Shi Diwen's death is more a benefit than a drawback for the company, or the other way around.

So if Lans wants to truly intimidate the entire company and make them understand that "we must make a choice," he has to do something big!

Either someone has his back behind the scenes — say, some senator.

Or, a heavyweight has to die. Only then will they truly feel danger arriving.

Lans thought for quite a while before answering noncommittally, "I don't like being used as a weapon."

The Vice President of the Federation waved his hand and said, "That's not what I meant, but this should be the simplest method for you."

"Unless some big shot speaks up for you, the company won't pay you just because a Shi Diwen died."

"He wasn't worth that much when he was alive, let alone after he's dead!"

"Or, make the real decision-makers feel afraid — make them feel that their lives, just like those of the lowly people they look down on, can fade away."

Lans thought for a moment. "I don't much like being led by the nose." He crooked a finger at the Vice President. "Bring your face closer."

The Vice President had no idea what Lans meant and could only lean his head forward.

The next second, Lans suddenly punched him, sending him sprawling to the floor, having lost his balance!

He staggered as he tried to get up, but the punch was heavy and landed on his cheek, and for a short while his body lost the ability to keep its balance.

He stared at Lans in terror, afraid that the next second Lans would pull out a pistol and go bang-bang on him!

Vice President, big shot, status — at this moment, his only thought was to stay alive!

Watching his terrified look, Lans straightened his clothes, and the two stared at each other.

He saw thick fear in the Vice President's eyes, and only then was he somewhat satisfied.

Even if he were to adopt the Vice President's idea, it would be he who held the initiative, not this man.

"Help Mr. Vice President back to his seat." Someone supported the Vice President and settled him back onto the sofa.

At this moment his body trembled slightly once more; he thought Lans was going to deal with him.

But the next second, a single sentence from Lans drove all the fear from his heart, and at the same time gave rise to boundless joy!

"Who do you think is most suited for this role?"

"Let me think about it."

All the people who could keep him under their heel kept flashing through his mind. With lowered eyes and a slightly bowed head, he asked, "Can I pick two?"

Lans stared at him for a moment, then couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"I like your greed, Mr. Vice President!"

As for which two he chose, only he himself knew. Lans didn't agree completely, only saying he'd think about it, but that was already enough to make the Vice President very happy.

In his view, apart from carrying out this plan, Lans simply had no other path to take.

Don't look at how fast Jin Gang City has developed over the last ten years or so — in the eyes of people in New Gold City, it's still a "little fishing village" that has only just started to get somewhere.

What big shot could a gang leader with no real background who came from a place like that possibly know?

After Lans and his group left, his wife and child came downstairs; both of their eyes were full of worry.

"Should we call the police?" his son asked.

The Vice President suddenly widened his eyes. "Call the police?"

"Why would we call the police?"

His son hadn't caught on yet, but his wife had. She hurriedly said to the child, "Those gentlemen just now were your father's friends; they were just playing a little joke…"

His son wasn't a complete fool — he couldn't believe it was true. Just as he was about to say something more, the Vice President's wife took his hand. "Baby, trust us, we won't hurt you."

"Forget about this. Didn't you want that car?"

"You can go pick the color!"

The young man's attention was immediately drawn away by this. His face was full of pleasant surprise. "Really?"

The Vice President smiled and nodded. "Yes, what your mother says goes!"

"Thank you, thank you…"

The husband and wife exchanged a glance, and each of them smiled.

Although he and this woman hadn't been together for a long time, he had to admit that among his female companions, only this woman understood him best!

After finding an excuse to make his son believe nothing unusual had happened, that night the husband and wife, very rarely — practically for the first time in five years — slept in the same bed.

"What on earth was that young man about?" she couldn't help asking.

The Vice President hesitated, then picked out some things he could say. This made his wife unable to help exclaiming, "If they're finished, do you have a big chance of becoming the company President?"

President and Vice President — although both are "Presidents," their status within the company and their status in society are completely different.

The Vice President, suppressing the joy and excitement in his heart, nodded. "Very likely."

His wife's gaze instantly softened. "The Vice President's wife" and "the Lady of the President" — she knew how to choose!

She threw herself onto her husband. She knew her husband had a special fondness for those young girls and was no longer that interested in her body, so what she wanted to happen might not actually happen.

But it didn't matter — she had very good oral skills; she could push all of this forward!

On the other side of the city, Tang Mu (Senator Cleveland's aide) had just finished his social engagements and returned home. He tore off his tie and sat down on the sofa.

He had drunk quite a lot that evening, and his whole body reeked of alcohol.

It's funny, but the Hazardous Materials Investigation Bureau of New Gold City actually knows perfectly well that there are places where every night there are all sorts of alcohol-fueled social gatherings — and yet they simply don't investigate.

Why?

Because they all know that those places are full of big shots!

Senators, Representatives, Cabinet members, heads of various departments, celebrities and dignitaries worth hundreds of millions — there isn't a single one of them they can afford to offend!

It could be said that across the entire Federation, apart from New Gold City, the Hazardous Materials Administration in every region held absolute power — but here, they didn't dare make a move.

As one of Senator Cleveland's aides, Tang Mu also took on a portion of the work.

He only wanted to rest right now, but the phone rang with a particularly jarring shrillness.

Who the hell would call him at this hour?

A lot of people would!

Some people who couldn't contact the senator directly would reach him through Tang Mu; among them, some didn't know when he was free, so they could only call once every so often.

Some people even got this number from who-knows-where to harass him.

But he didn't dare miss a single call, because if he happened to miss an important one, he'd be in trouble.

"This is Tang Mu…"

He had no official title, no badge — only his own name.

"Mr. Tang Mu, this is Lans."

Tang Mu searched his memory for a good while before recalling who this name belonged to. "Ah-ha, Lans, I remember you. What can I do for you?"

"Here's the thing, Mr. Tang Mu — I'm in New Gold City right now, and I've run into a bit of a problem. I'd like to ask your advice in person. Do you have time now?"

Tang Mu roused himself a little. "You're in New Gold City?"

He didn't wait for Lans to answer before speaking again. "Let me check…"

He pulled out a notebook, in which were recorded the things he had to do tomorrow.

Because it was already the end of the year, almost every single day was packed full — and all of it was important scheduling.

Anything unimportant didn't even qualify for a spot in this notebook!

The nearest free slot was still over a week away, and he figured that even if he scheduled it for a week later, there was a high chance something else would eat up that free time.

He rubbed his temples, hesitated for a moment, then said, "How about right now. I don't have that much time at any other point. You'd better make sure whatever you want to discuss with me is worth my taking thirty minutes out for you!"

Lans assured him over the phone, "I can promise you, those thirty minutes will be absolutely worth your while!"

Tang Mu said nothing more and simply gave Lans an address. A little over twenty minutes later, Lans arrived.

Tang Mu also lived alone — the nature of his work made it inconvenient for him to live with family, whether because of middle-of-the-night phone calls or the many confidential materials in daily life.

He knew that even family members sometimes let things slip, even if they didn't mean to.

Before Lans arrived, he had already taken a shower and eaten a little something, but it only made him sleepier.

He had no energy when he opened the door. "If you hadn't come, I'd have almost fallen asleep!"

He glanced at the person outside the door. "Come in alone."

Lans raised a hand in a signal, and the others all stayed outside. Lans entered the house by himself.

They didn't go to any study; they simply sat down in the living room. "If you want something to drink, help yourself," he said, pointing at the bar counter beside the dining area.

He settled back into the sofa himself, looking utterly exhausted. "Go on, what did you want to see me about?"

"But you'd better keep it brief — I'm about to pass out from sleepiness!"