Chapter 93: It won't be that simple

Fifth Avenue is the most famous central street on the island of Manhattan in New York. It is also known as the Street of Dreams because it is home to all the world's most famous brand stores. The famous Empire State Building is located on this Street of Dreams. The Empire State Building has been the world's tallest skyscraper since its completion in the 1930s, and it was only surpassed by the World Trade Center 18 years ago. Even so, the Empire State Building is still a landmark building on Fifth Avenue and in New York as a whole.

In the meeting room on the 73rd floor of the Empire State Building, a Chinese man in his sixties sat there with a stern expression. If Zhou Ming were here, he would definitely be very surprised, because this old man was none other than Tong Gang.

Tong Gang sat silently on the sofa, drinking tea, when suddenly the door to the room opened. Tong Gang looked up, surprised: 'Mr. Yelbeldov? Why are you here?'

The person who had entered was Irbeldov, the richest man in Northern Russia. He saw Tong Gang and was first taken aback, then smiled helplessly, 'Mr Tong Gang, don't be surprised too soon, because I'm not the only one here.'

Tong Gang was surprised by these words, but before he could ask, he saw someone else enter behind Irbeldov, it was Li Cheng.

Li Cheng sighed as he entered and said to Tong Gang, 'It seems we have been tricked.'

As if to prove it to them, as they all sat down, a white man wearing black-framed glasses walked in and said to them, 'Hello, everyone. Let me introduce myself. My name is Andy. I am a personal butler employed by Mr. Christo. I know that all of you are very busy business tycoons, but I have asked you here today because there is something very important we need to discuss. I hope you will listen to me carefully, okay?'

Andy paused deliberately after he finished speaking, waiting for a response. However, Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov did not say a word. They were not stupid, and after being in Brighton for so many days, they would have gained some understanding of the situation here. Therefore, when the name Christo was mentioned, they immediately understood what was going on.

Since the reason was understood, there was no point in saying more, so they might as well wait and see what conditions the other party wanted to propose.

Andy was a little surprised by the unanimous silence of Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov, but he quickly recovered and said, 'It seems that the three of you have a general understanding of your current situation, so I will get straight to the point. Mr. Christo asked me to invite you all here today, and his goal is to reach an agreement with you.'

'Agreement?' Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov looked at each other, as if they didn't quite understand.

Facing the three men's confusion, Andy nodded with a smile and said, 'That's right, it is an agreement, because Mr. Christo wants to cooperate with you in some business.'

'What kind of cooperation? If possible, I hope that Mr. Andy can be more direct and to the point, as you said yourself, and not talk about all this nonsense that we don't understand. You must remember that you are just a supporting character, and readers hate it when you try to make up the words and plot like this without any integrity, you should be killed!' Tong Gang said to Andy.

Andy shrugged, 'It seems that they are really a bunch of barbaric Chinese people who are hard to please!'

After a moment of reflection, Andy said, 'Okay, to the point. I want to ask you all, are you currently working with someone named Zhou Ming? Are you collaborating on investments in oil futures and arms stocks?'

Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yer Bieduo all felt a sudden pang of fear. They knew it was true, and although they had thought it was a plot by the Adams family when Andy mentioned the name Christo, they still felt powerless when Andy actually said it.

But despite their powerlessness, they still had to say what they had to say, so Tong Gang asked, 'So you want us to give up our cooperation with Zhou Ming, right?'

Andy nodded and said, 'That's right, because Mr. Christo really doesn't like your cooperation, and Mr. Christo is prepared to teach that lawless brat a lesson, he doesn't want to hurt the innocent.'

After a pause, Andy continued, 'Of course, Mr. Christo won't let you suffer. He has prepared a thirty million dollar oil futures contract for you, and this contract is still valid until August 3rd. I believe this is a good compensation for you.'

Tong Gang, Li Cheng, and Yerbedov did not say a word, clenching their teeth and feeling extremely humiliated.

A 30 million dollar oil futures contract is undoubtedly an astronomical contract for ordinary people, but for Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Irbedov, it is just like giving alms to beggars. Even if it is a contract that expires before August 3rd, and even if it will rise to 60 million or even 70 million dollars in the future, after all, the investments they have made with Zhou Ming have already gained several hundred million dollars, which is just a drop in the bucket.

Andy's gaze swept back and forth between the three men, saying, 'Gentlemen, this compensation is already the maximum that Mr. Christo can tolerate, because your actions are very unethical...'

Before Andy could finish, Tong Gang asked, "What if we don't agree?'

'Don't agree?" Andy laughed, 'You guys don't seem to have figured out the situation, because this option is simply not an option in your multiple-choice question.'

Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov all clenched their fists. They were all business tycoons in their respective regions, and even when they travelled abroad, they were treated with courtesy and received according to the standards of high society. When had they ever suffered such humiliation? Andy's words were completely like forcing you to sign an alliance under the city. You have to agree whether you want to or not.

'Mr Andy, does that mean we can leave once we've agreed?' Li Cheng asked, almost gritting his back teeth.

'Of course not. To show our sincerity, you three gentlemen can stay in the Empire State Building for a few more days. You will have all the necessary household appliances, and if you have any special requests, we will try our best to accommodate you,' Andy said.

'So you think that by keeping us under house arrest, you can deal with Zhou Ming?' Tong Gang asked.

Andy smiled and replied, 'I didn't say that. In fact, it won't be that simple.'

...

Tuesday, 11 September, a day that will become famous as a black day 20 years from now, was just an ordinary day in the present era. Zhou Ming arrived at Wharton after class at noon, because Lin Muqing was here.

As if she had a hunch, Lin Muqing had not asked Zhou Ming to go to class with her these past few days, but instead waited for Zhou Ming at the company after class.

'Zhou Ming, from yesterday to today, I have been trying to contact Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov, but I can't get through to them. Their phones are not working, and they haven't replied to any of the messages I sent via pager. Do you think something bad has happened to them? I've always wondered why all their stock accounts had problems at the same time. This is really strange!' As soon as Zhou Ming entered the office, Lin Muqing anxiously asked him about it.

As Lin Muqing said, the stock accounts of the three men, Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov, had all had problems. Tong Gang's was the first to go wrong, followed closely by Yerbedov's, and just yesterday, Li Cheng's stock account was not spared.

In fact, it is very normal for problems to arise in stock accounts, especially when they are linked to offshore accounts. After all, the conversion of funds in offshore accounts, as well as issues with exchange rates and tax rates, are very complicated and not as convenient as simply withdrawing money directly from the bank. Even in the United States, where finance is most developed in this era, no one can guarantee that the intermediate procedures will always be problem-free.

However, the problem now is that the problems that have arisen almost simultaneously in Tong Gang, Li Cheng, and Irbekov cannot help but arouse suspicion.

Zhou Ming was in no hurry to answer, but instead walked over and sat in front of Lin Muqing and asked, 'So Muqing, have you asked the stockbrokers in New York and Chicago?'

Lin Muqing nodded and replied, "Of course I have. They said that the problem with the account was not with them, but with the bank's procedures, and that they had already directed the client to contact the bank.'

'So what did the bank say?" Zhou Ming asked again.

'The bank said that the procedures were with the offshore account and that the person concerned needed to go to the offshore bank to resolve the issue. But when I called the offshore bank, they said they hadn't received any news at all and that it was a problem with the local bank,' said Lin Muqing.

Zhou Ming laughed: "Isn't this just kicking the ball around? One person kicks it to another.'

'They are indeed kicking the ball around, each person passing the buck. No one can really give an answer, as if they have all disappeared into thin air," said Lin Muqing, exasperated.

'I don't think they've disappeared into thin air, but someone should have them under control.'

Zhou Ming said, and Lin Muqing looked at him in surprise. Zhou Ming smiled and said to him, 'Muqing, have you forgotten what you said about the Adams family wanting to get back at us?'

As soon as she heard the name Adams, Lin Muqing immediately became nervous. "Zhou Ming, are you saying that Robert really talked his father into it, and that this is his father getting back at us?'

'I can't think of any other answer," Zhou Ming said.

'These despicable bastards! They must have found out that our money was spread across their accounts for investment, which is why they're having problems at the same time. That Christo is trying to cut off our funding and forcefully sever our investment channels,' Lin Muerqing cursed under her breath.

Zhou Ming, however, shook his head and said, 'Muerqing, if that was the case, it would have been fine, but I don't think Christo, as the head of the Adams family, should only be capable of that.'

After Zhou Ming said this, Lin Muqing also thought that although this approach prevented their investment behaviour from continuing, it did not cause any substantial harm. If Robert's approach was understandable, it was because his thinking was not that mature, but Christo should not have done it. Could it be that a patriarch of the Adams family did not even understand the simple truth that an enemy wanted to be killed directly?

'Zhou Ming, are you saying that the disappearance of Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov is just the beginning?' Lin Muqing asked.

'Obviously,' Zhou Ming said.

As if to prove Zhou Ming's words, as soon as Zhou Ming's words fell, Julie, the administrative director of Wharton, knocked on the door and handed Zhou Ming a document, saying, "This is a faxed document from the bank and our brokerage company, saying that our accounts are suspected of money laundering and other illegal acts, and routine verification of our accounts is required.'

Zhou Ming looked up and asked her, "Does verification mean that our accounts will be frozen?'

Julie nodded in reply, and Zhou Ming helplessly said, 'Okay, I understand. You can go out first.'

After Julie left the room, Lin Muqing said, 'No wonder he is the patriarch of the Adams family, the older generation is still the best. Zhou Ming, all of your accounts are very secret, and he was still able to find them out. It seems that he doesn't want us to have any investment behavior.'

Zhou Ming still shook his head: 'If he just doesn't want me to have any investment behaviour, that would be fine. After all, these are just small tricks. Whether it's Tong Gang, Li Cheng, Yelbeldov, or my accounts, he can't seal them forever. The biggest problem is still with me.'

Zhou Ming said this last sentence pointing to himself as well. Meanwhile, Julie once again pushed open the door to the room, calling out in some panic, 'Mr. Zhou Ming, something bad has happened outside!'