Chapter 282: …Me?

Appraiser Li Zifeng revised the appraisal report according to Chairman Zhen Weiliang’s instructions.

To protect himself just in case, he prominently emphasized in the document that the figures given were his personal opinion.

After reading the revised report, Politburo member Liu Peiqi expressed strong dissatisfaction.

“Appraiser Li, why did you make the statement that this is your personal opinion so conspicuous?”

Li Zifeng had added that disclaimer because of lab-grown diamonds.

If the market for lab-grown diamonds began to grow rapidly, the market for natural stones would inevitably decline.

In that case, the price of natural diamonds would inevitably fall as well.

However, he had absolutely no desire to share those thoughts with Liu Peiqi.

“Diamond prices are constantly fluctuating. It will take at least five years to cut all six hundred and ten rough diamonds. No one can know the future, which is why I stated that this is merely my personal opinion.”

“Politburo member Liu, a diamond’s value can change dramatically depending on who cuts it and what cut they choose.”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang spoke up to help Appraiser Li Zifeng, who had found himself in a difficult position.

“Hmm, I see.”

“Now transfer the remaining amount.”

However, Liu Peiqi had no intention of immediately accepting Chairman Zhen’s proposal.

“I believe we should inspect the diamonds themselves first.”

“You’re right, Politburo member Liu. Appraiser Li, bring in the jewels.”

“Yes, sir.”

After replying briefly, Li Zifeng opened the reception room door and left.

Soon, several people carried in five large cases and carefully placed them on the floor.

They opened the lids, took out small transparent containers, lined them up on the table, and promptly withdrew.

The Liu brothers began taking the diamonds out of the transparent containers and examining them.

The multicolored stones of all shapes and sizes were breathtakingly magnificent.

Li Zifeng respectfully compared each stone with the appraisal report and explained the appraisal results in detail.

Because there were so many jewels, the examination dragged on for more than an hour.

As soon as he finished explaining the results, Li Zifeng called in the people waiting outside.

They carefully packed the small containers from the table back into the large cases.

Watching them work, Chairman Zhen Weiliang curiously asked Liu Peiqi,

“How do you plan to transport the diamonds?”

“I called a van to take them to the airport.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

Liu Peiqi suddenly came to his senses.

Colonel General Tang Guochang and several other people knew that Chairman Zhen had the diamonds.

It was only a matter of time before word reached them that Liu Peiqi had bought the stones from Zhen Weiliang.

Therefore, they might very well attempt to seize the jewels by force.

And if the stones were taken from him, he could forget about ever securing a seat on the Politburo Standing Committee.

Yet in such a serious situation, he had been planning to simply load them into an ordinary van!

“Damn, that was almost a disaster.”

“We’ll provide an escort for your van all the way to the airport.”

“I sincerely appreciate your kindness, Chairman Zhen.”

“There’s no need to thank me. Now transfer the remaining amount.”

Liu Peiqi nodded, and Vice President Liu Shen took a laptop from his briefcase.

He quickly turned it on and handed it to Liu Peiqi.

After operating the laptop for a moment, Liu Peiqi transferred the remaining amount to the account specified in the contract.

“Chairman Zhen, I’ve just transferred the remaining twelve billion dollars.”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang briefly spoke to someone over the intercom and hung up.

“Politburo member Liu, I confirm receipt of the twelve billion dollars. Thank you very much.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one thanking you?”

“Haha, what difference does it make who says it? I’ll pray that you secure a seat on the Standing Committee.”

“Of course. I will.”

Liu Peiqi clenched his fists, displaying complete confidence.

***

Chairman Zhen Weiliang escorted Liu Peiqi all the way downstairs before returning to the reception room.

By then, Cha Jiham, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan, and the others had already taken the seats vacated by the departing guests.

“Chairman Zhen, you did an excellent job.”

“I merely acted according to Department Director Cha’s instructions.”

“No matter how brilliant a writer’s script may be, a masterpiece can’t be born if the actor can’t perform it properly.”

“Hahahaha!”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang laughed contentedly and sat at the head of the table.

We took the empty sofas after him.

He used the intercom to instruct his secretary to serve tea.

After moistening his throat with tea, he curiously addressed Vice Chairman Wei Chen.

“What are we going to do if Liu Peiqi digs in his heels and refuses to repay the money he borrowed?”

“We’ll take over the management rights to MGM Macau that Vice President Liu Shen provided as collateral. As for the real estate pledged as security, we’ll seize it and put it up for auction.”

“But to do that, we first need to place a lien on the property, right?”

“The promissory note clearly states that the real estate remains under lien until the debt is repaid in full.”

At that moment, Chairman Zhen Weiliang noticed Cha Jiham shaking his head in puzzlement.

He couldn’t simply ignore it and addressed him.

“Department Director Cha, I suppose you have a different opinion on this matter. Am I right?”

“You are, Chairman Zhen.”

“Tell us what you think.”

“I don’t believe there’s any need to auction off the real estate provided by Liu Shen.”

“But if we don’t, how am I supposed to recover the three billion dollars I lent Liu Peiqi?”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen spoke before Chairman Zhen could.

Feeling the need to dispel his concerns, I answered without delay.

“Politburo member Liu will be eliminated by Vice Chairman Tang Guochang before he can ever be elected to the Standing Committee. When that happens, Liu Shen will be like a kite with its string cut. If he wants to survive, he’ll have no choice but to repay Liu Peiqi’s debt.”

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean, Department Director Cha.”

“If you hint to Liu Shen who Vice Chairman Wei really is, what do you think will happen?”

“Hahahaha!”

As though he had only just deciphered my plan, Vice Chairman Wei Chen burst into loud laughter.

I waited until his laughter subsided before continuing.

“I don’t think there’s any need to place a lien on Liu Shen’s real estate.”

“And I assume there’s a reason for that?”

“Liu Shen firmly believes that Liu Peiqi will be elected to the Standing Committee. Vice Chairman Wei, you need to play on that confidence.”

“Ah, now I understand what you mean.”

“Why not put him in a good mood?”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen immediately caught the implication behind Cha Jiham’s words.

It meant he needed to call Vice President Liu Shen right now.

However, I stopped him before he could put the plan into action.

“Department Director Cha, is there something else you want me to do?”

“Ask Liu Shen exactly who stole the cryptocurrency.”

“Hahaha. Understood.”

Chuckling softly, Vice Chairman Wei Chen dialed Liu Shen’s number.

After several rings, his puzzled voice came through.

[Vice Chairman Wei, did something happen?]

“I was thinking that there’s no need to place a lien on the real estate you provided as collateral.”

[Do you have a reason for thinking that?]

“I’m absolutely certain that Liu Peiqi will be elected to the Standing Committee.”

Vice Chairman Wei Chen conveyed Cha Jiham’s reasoning to Liu Shen in his own words.

“...And you’ll repay the money I lent you as soon as he’s elected.”

[Ah, now I understand what you mean.]

Everything up until now had merely been the appetizer.

Now came the main course.

“I have a question for you, Liu Shen. May I ask it?”

[Of course. Ask me anything.]

“What bastard stole Liu Peiqi’s cryptocurrency?”

[I can tell you if you promise to keep it secret.]

“To work in the hotel business, you need to know how to keep your mouth shut.”

[That’s true... Now that I think about it, you’re right. We suspect Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan.]

At that moment, Cha Jiham’s prediction was confirmed with absolute accuracy.

“Deputy Secretary Zhang?”

[He knows that my brother has cryptocurrency.]

“Then how did he get Liu Peiqi’s wallet address and password?”

[There was a man named Go Yeongjun who was close to my brother. There’s a possibility that he knew both the wallet address and the password.]

Vice Chairman Wei Chen barely managed to suppress his laughter.

And no wonder.

Former CEO Go Yeongjun had long since been resting at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

How could someone who had become fish food possibly have passed information to Deputy Secretary Zhang Jinan?

Struggling to hold back his laughter, Wei Chen continued his conversation with Liu Shen.

“So you’re saying Go Yeongjun leaked the information to Deputy Secretary Zhang?”

[That’s exactly what I think.]

“Then why don’t you use that as an excuse to tear Deputy Secretary Zhang to pieces?” ℯℯ𝑙.

[My hands are itching to do exactly that, but there’s one crucial problem.]

“And what problem is that?”

[We need to prove that he was the one who did it.]

“Can’t you simply catch Go Yeongjun and interrogate him?”

[That’s exactly what we’re planning to do.]

In other words, they intended to send a pursuit team to the Philippines to capture Go Yeongjun.

After extracting a wealth of useful information from Liu Shen, Vice Chairman Wei Chen ended the call.

He then recounted the entire conversation to Chairman Zhen and the others in detail.

“...It looks like Liu Shen is going to personally lead the pursuit team.”

“I can already picture that bastard getting put through hell in the Philippines.”

“Hahahaha! You can say that again.”

Leaving the laughing Wei Chen alone, Chairman Zhen Weiliang turned to me.

“Department Director Cha, what should we do with the money we received from selling the diamonds to Liu Peiqi?”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang had bought the diamonds from me for seven billion dollars and then sold them to Liu Peiqi for fifteen billion.

He had promised to pay me one billion dollars and Vice Chairman Wei Chen five hundred million dollars for our efforts.

That left him with an enormous net profit of six and a half billion dollars.

I had played the decisive role in the deal with Liu Peiqi.

Therefore, I had every right to demand an additional share of the profits.

But unless you were completely shameless, how could you ask for even more money?

“The diamonds belonged to you, Chairman Zhen.”

“If it hadn’t been for you and Vice Chairman Wei Chen, I never would have been able to skin Liu Peiqi alive.”

“It’s enough for you to simply pay Vice Chairman Wei Chen and me the amounts you already promised us for our efforts.”

“I’m telling you, that’s too little! That’s why I want to give you more!”

At that moment, Chief Secretary Kang Inhan asked to speak, indicating that he had something to say.

“Chairman Zhen, may I offer my opinion?”

“Of course. Say whatever you think.”

“Vice Chairman Tang Guochang will require a great deal of military funding to carry out his grand plan. With that in mind, I have a suggestion. What if the additional profit you intended to give Department Director Cha were instead given to Vice Chairman Tang?”

“I fully support Chief Secretary Kang’s proposal.”

I spoke up in support of Kang Inhan.

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea.”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang nodded and asked Vice Chairman Wei Chen for his opinion.

“I’m perfectly satisfied with my five hundred million dollars for my efforts.”

“Hmm...”

Chairman Zhen Weiliang hesitated, stroking his chin as he sank into thought.

We sat silently, giving him time to think.

After a while, as though he had finally reached a decision, he spoke.

“Department Director Cha, how much do you think we should contribute to support Vice Chairman Tang?”

“He’s the kind of man who’ll definitely repay those who helped him once he achieves his goal.”

“I understand. Then let’s support him generously with five billion dollars.”

“He’ll be delighted with your decision, Chairman.”

“Department Director Cha, give him the good news.”

“...Me?”