Chapter 555 - 327: Alias, National Gift Porcelain, Hard Currency, Chips, Bait

Chapter 555: Chapter 327: Alias, National Gift Porcelain, Hard Currency, Chips, Bait

"Alright, I’ll leave this to you. Contact Lu Ming and have him figure out how to make it happen. See if the other party is willing. If they are, make an offer. I’ll pay whatever it costs."

With that, Lin Chu assigned him the task.

The process itself wasn’t difficult. The hard part was convincing the other party to sell.

It was a channel worth exploring, at any rate.

"Okay, I’ll handle it. Just give me Brother Ming’s contact information."

Liu Chenhui smiled, nodded, and agreed.

...

Lin Chu browsed the dark web for a while longer. It was eye-catching and explosive, but ultimately, it held no value for him.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the view outside the window—blue skies, white clouds, and a blood-red sunset.

The fiery clouds over the sea were truly magnificent.

At that moment, as he reviewed everything he had done from the beginning, Lin Chu had a vague feeling that his path and overall strategy had strayed a bit.

’Just look at the businesses I bought back in China. What a load of crap!’

’A golf course!’

’A live-streaming company!’

’A luxury retail store!’

’Besides the security company, which was somewhat useful, the rest were all just for my personal pleasure.’

’It’s... pretty pathetic, really.’

’To be honest, if I had gone into industry—high-tech factories, aerospace, satellites, something like what Musk does—I would be a guest of honor wherever I went, someone of immense prestige.’

’Because the intrinsic value would have been substantial enough.’

’Even in my current situation, I wouldn’t be worried at all.’

’I did have some ideas in that direction before.’

’The low-altitude aircraft I was planning to build was, in fact, a piece of core technology.’

’But there were too many obstacles, too much resistance.’

’Although I’d completed some of the preliminary work and the test site is still under construction, I can’t see any results yet, and it’s no help to me at the moment.’

’These kinds of disruptive technological achievements are measured in units of five or ten years.’

’Greatness is forged through perseverance.’

’I’m twenty-four this year. My youth is both an advantage and a disadvantage.’

’However...’

’I wonder if Liszt’s Genius Club has any hard assets in the technology sector?’

’If it does, that would be an opportunity for me.’

As he considered this, an idea began to take shape in Lin Chu’s mind. He sent an email to his contact, Li Jingxian.

He had been given his contact information when they parted ways.

From the perspective of the "test," he was his liaison.

Lin Chu didn’t trust him completely. There was a possibility that he could betray his location, especially since, according to Liszt, there were other "competitors" if he accepted the club’s test.

But for now, it was an acceptable risk.

’After all, considering his loyalty to Liszt, and the fact that Liszt isn’t dead yet...’

’I’m now a part of the game he set up. As an "important piece," where competition and cooperation coexist, I won’t be taken out that easily.’

"Mr. Li, this is Lin Chu. I would like to know the general list of assets currently held by the Genius Club. Awaiting your reply."

Lin Chu sent him a short email, not revealing his true intentions, just adopting a casual, inquisitive tone.

He’d made it sound incredible before. Of course, Lin Chu believed what he said, but he needed to know more of the specifics.

Then, he went back to browsing other things and waited patiently.

「About half an hour later.」

Lin Chu received a reply from Li Jingxian.

He hadn’t refused, instead sending a detailed file.

To Li Jingxian, a request like this was nothing. Showcasing the club’s power could also strengthen Lin Chu’s resolve. After all, Lin Chu was someone Mr. Liszt held in high regard.

Lin Chu quickly began to read it carefully.

Liszt’s business empire was divided into two core sectors.

One sector was its "proprietary" operations, which mainly existed in the form of laboratories.

There were five laboratories in total, corresponding to the fields of: aerospace engineering, genetic engineering, exotic life, unknown forces, and information storage.

In the email, Li Jingxian only mentioned the names of the laboratories and their main research areas. He didn’t provide any specific details, locations, or research progress.

But this information was more or less enough.

’To put it bluntly, these five labs are Liszt’s prized possessions, the apple of his eye. They’re what he considers the core of his legacy.’

’The business empire is merely there to provide resources for these laboratories.’

Lin Chu didn’t have many thoughts on these cutting-edge fields at the moment. He even found them a little absurd. But he also thought, ’If I were in Liszt’s shoes, having been wealthy for so many years, everything on Earth would probably seem meaningless... If it were me, I’d most likely choose to do these things too. Perhaps the specific direction would be different, but the general idea would be more or less the same.’

’A person needs a purpose to live.’

The second part of the email was a list of assets from the club’s business empire. The list was long, with over a hundred companies in which they held a controlling or minority stake.

Looking at the long list, Lin Chu licked his lips, a sense of shock in his eyes.

’So... this is "old money"?’

The asset list covered banks, insurance, investment institutions, as well as oil, grain, and numerous other companies invested in for financial returns. They were spread all over the globe: the United States, China, Europe...

Looking at this list, Lin Chu felt his heart pound violently.

PNC Financial Services Group, equity stake: 42.4%.

A top-ten bank on the other side of the ocean.

Citibank, equity stake: 6.7%.

’The stake is low, but... it’s Citibank.’

First Capital, stake: 19.4%.

’Another financial institution.’

Bremmer Bank, stake: 67.3%.

’Yet another bank.’

ConocoPhillips, stake: 38.7%.

A top-ten global oil giant.

Bunge Grain, stake: 17.1%.

One of the world’s four largest grain traders.

...

Lin Chu: ...

He was speechless.

He felt the blood rush to his head.

Suddenly, he completely accepted his current situation. ’If this is the case, then that old geezer Liszt really does have the right to "test" me.’

’The man is on another level!’

’Besides, if his promise can actually be fulfilled, then for me... Hiss... I don’t dare to think about it. I really don’t.’

These were stakes that money absolutely could not buy. They represented the world’s prime assets, directly or indirectly controlling countless people.

’Compared to these, what is Louis Vuitton?’

’Garbage!’

On this list, company after company—some he’d heard of, some he hadn’t—formed a luxury aircraft carrier with finance, oil, and grain at its core.

The resources and wealth possessed by a giant conglomerate that had been developing for nearly forty years were almost unimaginable.

’This old man rode the wave of nearly all the developments of the industrial revolution, and everything he holds is hard currency!’

’Finance!’

’Oil!’

’Grain!’

The smile on Lin Chu’s lips grew wider and brighter.

For now, these weren’t his chips yet, but since he was already participating in this test, then theoretically, they could become chips he could win in the future.

’Even now...’

’These unrealized chips can become part of my capital.’

’At the very least, I have a seat at this table.’

’Though it’s like walking a tightrope, nerve-wracking and precarious, from another perspective, you could say I can play both sides. If I show this grand vision to others, who wouldn’t be dazzled?’

At that moment, Lin Chu even thought of that old internet scam meme: "I am Emperor Qin. Send me money! When I’m resurrected, I’ll make you the general of a 100,000-man army!"

"Email received. Mr. Li, I have a question. Could you provide me with a bank account?"

"I need a channel to move funds in and out."

A thought sparked in Lin Chu’s mind, and he sent another email.

The confrontation had reached its peak. Liszt had placed him in what was almost a no-win situation, but it wasn’t entirely non-negotiable. There was still room to maneuver.

’Come on, give me an account.’

’Let me show you guys what I’m made of!’

Before long, Lin Chu received another reply from Li Jingxian: "Mr. Lin, for this request, I will need to consult the boss first. Please wait. I will give you a reply within twenty-four hours."

He couldn’t make a decision on this request himself.

Seeing this reply, a smile once again appeared on Lin Chu’s lips.

’Isn’t Liszt curious about my secret? Although the man has a lot of self-control—he didn’t even ask during our chat on the mountain—now I’m giving him a chance to get closer to it... Consider it the bait I’m casting...’

At this point, Lin Chu didn’t care so much anymore... ’Curious about the unknown? Then I’ll make you curious enough to kill you!’

...

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