Chapter 48: Mutual Greed

Chobov heard from others that Lans had persuaded Mr. Anderson, that stubborn old man, to help Alberto, and he held a favorable impression of Lans, occasionally mentioning it during social gatherings.

He had been keeping tabs on news about Lans, and now that he’d gathered information, he decided to ask today, since he faced similar troubles.

“We are in a cooperative relationship,” Lans said, not acknowledging that he worked for Alberto—though in truth, that was exactly the case.

From a certain perspective, Alberto had helped him secure startup capital and slightly expanded his network in Jincheng City, so even if Alberto’s “orders” paid little, Lans was willing to take them.

Debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay; sometimes Alberto would give extra expenses, and the more he did, the harder it became for Lans to refuse.

Mr. Chobov sipped his wine. “I also have some similar business I’d like to entrust to you.”

“I handle loans too—some people… you know, not everyone who borrows money can pay me back.”

“My approach differs from Mr. Cotti’s, which makes my collection costs extremely high. I’ve been considering a new strategy—you appearing just now gives me more options.”

As an imperial citizen and a successful one, success had not granted him the core benefits he sought in the Federation society.

People respected him for his wealth, but local capitalists did not respect him as a friend—they instead stared at him with greedy eyes!

Of course, what they coveted was not his loose, hairy anus, but the money in his pockets.

Because he was not a Federation citizen, local capitalists were more wary of him and more brazen in coveting his wealth.

He had to be more careful than anyone else, for if he slipped, someone would pounce and tear him apart—capitalism was never gentle.

Now, under politicians’ manipulation, tensions between immigrants and natives had escalated, making him feel his living space shrinking again—more people refused to repay.

They would make excuses, delay payments, and force him to sue.

Suing was expensive; to win a case in a Federation court against a Federation citizen, you had to hire a Federation lawyer—those bloodsucking litigators always demanded exorbitant fees.

Mr. Chobov’s business had already hit serious trouble: the judicial and law enforcement departments would not help him recover debts, but would help debtors evade him.

This self-proclaimed nation of freedom and equality was neither free nor equal!

So he wanted Lans to help him—if Lans could assist him as he had assisted Alberto, his troubles would vanish.

Even if problems arose, they would be Lans’s problems, not his.

Admiration is admiration, but admiration doesn’t become wealth; compared to financial loss, his admiration for Lans was negligible.

“High-interest loans?” Lans asked.

Mr. Chobov nodded. “Some are.” The implication: some weren’t.

He watched Lans, who said nothing, growing anxious but hiding it. “I can offer you… ten percent commission, plus an expense allowance.”

“Lans, I can guarantee no one in the Federation offers more than I do!”

The more he pressed, the more Lans knew these debts were hard to collect—and likely large, not hundreds, but starting at three or five thousand.

Only then would he offer extra expenses.

If the debt were only three or five hundred, he wouldn’t give Lans dozens or hundreds in expenses plus ten percent—that would leave him with no profit.

Lans thought a moment, then declined. “I’m sorry, Mr. Chobov. I must decline your offer.”

“Mr. Cotti helped me when I needed it most. I am a man who knows gratitude, so I do things for him.”

“But that doesn’t mean I’ll keep doing them forever. You may not know—I’ve started my own company, and it’s profitable.”

He smiled. “Currently, I earn four to five thousand a month, and it’s still growing.”

Mr. Chobov tightened his lips. “Twelve percent.”

Ten thousand—twelve hundred in commission—wasn’t small.

But Lans still shook his head. “I can be certain each of these debts is substantial.”

Mr. Chobov didn’t deny it. He assumed Lans was probing how much he could extract. “The largest is fifty thousand.”

Twelve percent of fifty thousand was six thousand; with expenses, Lans could earn no less than six thousand five hundred from this debt.

“Mr. Chobov, who would lend such a large sum—and who would lend it to you? They must be local elites, correct?”

This made Mr. Chobov instantly realize where the problem lay.

It wasn’t just him—whether financial firms or banks, anyone lending such large sums, whether in one go or installments, wouldn’t lend to dockworkers.

They couldn’t even borrow twenty dollars, let alone fifty thousand. To lend such sums meant they believed the borrower could repay.

If someone could borrow tens of thousands and still be trusted to repay, they were either a capitalist or a local elite—and neither was easy to provoke for an immigrant.

Mr. Chobov himself didn’t want to do it—he tried to use small favors to get Lans to do it. Lans wouldn’t be so foolish as to risk angering every local elite and capitalist for a few thousand, or even tens of thousands—

They had friends. They’d complain to those friends, and soon Lans would become the “hated hound” in overlapping circles.

And Mr. Chobov?

He recovered all principal, even made a profit, yet suffered no loss in reputation or social standing.

That was not what Lans wanted.

Disappointment visibly flooded Mr. Chobov’s eyes—he realized he couldn’t persuade Lans. “Fifteen percent,” he said. His final offer.

Lans kept shaking his head, then shifted tone. “I can offer you another way to cooperate.”

“Go on.”

“You package and transfer these debts to me. Whether I recover them, and how much, is none of your concern.”

In Mr. Chobov’s mind, Lans was now labeled “greedy.” He fell silent a moment. “How much will you pay?”

“Ten percent. For the sake of us both being imperial citizens.”

“To anyone else, I’d offer no more than five.”

Since this old man had tried to use him, Lans had never regarded him as a friend—only as a business rival.

If it’s business, and you try to use me, don’t blame me for being greedy with your wealth.

Mr. Chobov immediately refused. “That’s unreasonable. I’d rather keep them myself.”

Lans smiled. “I’ve just made you an offer. You’re free to refuse.”

“Actually, I’d prefer you collect these debts yourself—at least that won’t damage our friendship!” He raised his glass and clinked it against Mr. Chobov’s, who didn’t seem pleased.

“Goodbye!” After drinking, Lans left on his own. Watching Lans’s retreating back, Mr. Chobov frowned deeply.

He had previously spoken to Kamir’s people, wanting them to recover a ten-thousand-dollar debt.

Kamir’s people demanded he pay five thousand upfront, cover all collection costs, and offered no guarantee of recovery.

They were greedier, uglier—he broke off talks with Kamir.

He had to choose: whether to form his own… gang-like organization to recover the debt.

But if he organized it himself, and those people were caught using violence on his orders, he and his bank would be directly implicated.

Over the years, he’d seen many immigrant capitalists stripped bare by Federation citizens—they’d sentence you to a term you couldn’t bear, then force you to choose between “hand over your wealth and leave” or “take your fortune to hell.”

Many ended up leaving their lifetime’s earnings in the Federation and slunk back home.

After all, leaving meant you might return—but going to hell meant true damnation!

Where did the sentence come from?

Federation judicial interpretation includes a provision called “punitive punishment”—its essence is like “beating the buttocks.” I can lightly tap twice, signaling punishment is done, and the matter ends.

But I can also “strike hard.” In the Federation, a man owing a few hundred in taxes was fined over a million because the judge ruled that “without severe punishment, more people would defy the law and neglect taxes.”

Yet a corporation defrauded shareholders of hundreds of millions, and the court called it “reasonable financial risk,” ordering only a few hundred thousand in compensation.

For Federation-native capitalists, judges and courts are always lenient—they provide jobs and increase tax revenue.

But for immigrant capitalists, they are harsh—these foreigners are stealing their taxes and wealth!

When they bring immigrant capitalists to court, these men have no choice but to choose.