Chapter 16: Financial War Begins

Leon Carter stared at his phone screen, the words of Langford still fresh in his mind.

"Money isn't power. Control is."

Langford thought he could buy control.

But control was only as strong as the people who submitted to it.

And Leon?

Leon wasn't planning to submit.

The Hale Deal – A Risky Gamble

Leon wasted no time. He called Jonathan Hale immediately.

The call connected.

"Leon, we need to talk," Hale said, his voice tense.

Leon smirked. "Let me guess—Langford called?"

A pause. Then Hale sighed.

"He did. And he's offering way more money than what we agreed on. Enough that I'd be stupid to ignore it."

Leon expected this.

Langford wasn't just pressuring his business partners—he was outbidding them.

But Leon wasn't about to let this slip away.

"Hale, listen to me," Leon said. "You can take Langford's money, but you know what happens next. You lose control."

"Control?" Hale asked, sounding skeptical.

Leon leaned forward.

"Langford doesn't buy properties—he buys people. If you take his deal, say goodbye to your 40% stake. He'll rewrite the terms, box you out, and in six months, you'll be lucky if he lets you keep your name on the contract."

Hale hesitated. "That's… possible."

Leon pushed harder.

"You and I both know Langford doesn't do fair business. You sign with him, and you're just another pawn in his empire."

Hale didn't respond immediately.

Leon could tell he was considering it.

But money spoke the loudest.

And Langford had more of it.

Hale sighed.

"You make a good point, Leon. But Langford's offer is cash upfront. Unless you can match that… I don't see how we move forward."

Leon exhaled slowly.

He needed cash. Fast.

And there was only one way to get it.

The Emergency Plan – High-Risk, High-Reward

Leon checked his Financial System.

• Cash on Hand: $125,000

• Stock Portfolio: $180,000

• Loan Availability: $500,000

He needed at least $400,000 to beat Langford's offer.

His stocks were performing well, but selling them now would mean losing future profits.

That meant leveraging debt.

Leon opened the system's loan panel.

• Loan Amount Requested: $400,000

• Interest Rate: 6.5%

• Repayment Period: 24 Months

The system flashed a warning.

⚠ Warning: High debt load detected. Ensure repayment strategy is in place.

Leon's fingers hovered over the confirmation button.

This was a dangerous move.

But safe moves wouldn't take him to the top.

He pressed confirm.

The Counteroffer – Striking Back at Langford

Two hours later, Leon sat across from Hale once again.

This time, he had everything prepared.

Leon placed a contract folder on the table.

"Here's the new deal," Leon said smoothly. "My investors match Langford's offer—plus a 5% bonus upfront."

Hale's eyes widened.

"You're serious?"

Leon nodded. "100%. The funds are already secured."

Hale hesitated for a long moment.

Then, slowly, he reached for a pen.

A signature later, the deal was done.

Leon smirked.

Langford thought he could buy control.

Leon just bought it back.

Langford's Response – A Dangerous Shift

The next morning, Leon received a text.

• Unknown Number: "Enjoy your victory while it lasts."

Leon chuckled.

Langford was not the type to back down.

Leon expected more financial blockades.

More pressure on his deals.

But Langford was about to take things to another level.

A Sudden Problem – Bank Account Frozen?

Later that afternoon, Leon received a notification.

• Bank Alert: "Your account has been temporarily frozen due to suspicious transactions. Please contact customer service."

Leon's eyes narrowed.

He immediately called his bank.

After a long wait, a customer service agent answered.

"Mr. Carter, it seems that your recent large transactions have triggered our security protocols," the agent said politely.

Leon's jaw tightened.

Bullshit.

This wasn't security protocols.

This was Langford.

Langford had connections in the banking sector.

And now, he was weaponizing them.

Leon forced a calm tone.

"This freeze is a mistake. I have full documentation for every transaction."

"Of course, Mr. Carter," the agent replied. "However, our compliance team will need up to seven business days to review your case."

Seven days?

Leon didn't have seven days.

His mind raced.

He needed a way to bypass this freeze.

And that's when he thought of crypto.

A New Financial Weapon – Going Off the Grid

Leon opened his Financial System.

• New Unlock: Crypto Trading (Beta)

His eyes narrowed.

The system had just unlocked a new feature.

A potential lifeline.

He clicked on it.

• Current Crypto Wallet Balance: $0

• Available Coins: Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT

• Conversion Limit: $250,000 per day

Leon quickly transferred $100,000 into USDT.

Within minutes, his funds were outside the traditional banking system.

Safe from Langford's interference.

Leon smirked.

Langford thought he had Leon trapped.

But Leon had just found a way out.

The Bigger Picture – Preparing for War

Leon sat back, fingers tapping against the desk.

This wasn't just about one deal.

Langford was making his move.

A financial war had started.

And Leon needed to be ready.

• He had secured the Hale deal.

• He had circumvented the bank freeze.

• He had new financial tools at his disposal.

But Langford wouldn't stop here.

This was just the first battle.

Leon needed to strike harder.

Faster.

Before Langford had the chance to cripple his momentum.

Leon opened his laptop.

A new strategy was forming in his mind.

A dangerous but necessary one.

He wasn't just going to fight Langford's influence.

He was going to dismantle it.

Piece by piece.