Chapter 12: Ben Li
Date 19 Mar 2321
Time 11:03
Location – Sky blossom City, East Zone, Zhang financiers Main office
Having my breakfast I hailed a cab to Zhang financiers to solve my money problems.
Zhang financiers are a good bunch of people who like to help the local businesses and families financially without any surety or collateral.
At least that is what they claim to be. But in reality, they are illegal loan sharks, who charge heavy interest rates on the loans they give out.
As for surety and collateral they use the family or life of the debtors as to their collateral and surety.
Zhang financiers are backed by Zhang mercenaries famous for their cruelty and brutality.
Especially their leader Kevin Zhang, silver grimoire holder, his barbarism knows no bounds and is famous throughout the sky blossom city for his viciousness and savagery.
With such savage goons on their beck and call, n.o.body dares to cross Zhang financiers. Taking money from them is equal to selling yourself and your loved ones.
Zhang financier’s main office is a fancy 13 storeys building built by robbing hard-earned money of innocent people.
Walking to the receptionist in the lobby of the building, I pa.s.sed her a business card and said “Tell Ben Li that Wyatt is here to meet him.”
The receptionist after confirming that the card belonged to Ben Li said, “Sir, please follow me.”
Taking the elevator to the seventh floor I followed the receptionist to a fancy meeting room where a shabby man in an expensive suit was waiting for us.
This dude is Ben Li, Kevin Zhang’s nephew and his only living blood relative. He is the CEO and face of Zhang financers in papers.
This guy is the proper definition of a prodigal second-generation rich. As for how I know him, Ben Li is supposedly a victim of a scam similar kind faced by Young Wyatt.
He approached young Wyatt saying he was searching for the scam artist and in his search, he happened to hear about Young Wyatt being scammed so he came to Young Wyatt to see if he had any clues to catching the scam artist.
During this process, Ben Li befriended Young Wyatt and pa.s.sing the card to Wyatt he said if Wyatt ever needed money then Ben Li can hook him up for a loan with a cheap interest rate.
After being scammed for the first time in his life Young Wyatt had already lost trust in society, so he did not trust Ben Li and never considered asking Ben Li’s help.
Neither did I but Ben Li’s card caught my eye yesterday as I was searching for spare change or any neglected money in every corner of the house.
To be precise the logo on the card caught my eye. Because I had seen this logo tattooed on the nape of the two hooligans that came to my flat yesterday morning.
Suddenly it became clearer to me that the people targeting Young Wyatt were none other than Zhang financiers, they scammed all of Young Wyatt’s money, then they staged the fake accident, Ben Li approached Young Wyatt so that he could make Young Wyatt take a loan from Zhang financiers.
They wanted to bury Young Wyatt in their debt, but what for? Of course for the two silver grimoires. Because there is nothing else on Young Wyatt that could catch Zhang financier’s eyes.
It was a good, deep and elaborate plan but alas never would they have imagined that Young Wyatt would attempt suicide writing his property to a children’s trust. Nearly wasting all their efforts if not for me being transmigrated.
And as to why was I here? Even after knowing everything, obviously to get justice for Young Wyatt and make some money while I am at it.
“Student Wyatt welcome, welcome to Zhang financiers. Say what brings you here”
“I am here to meet you brother Ben Li and talk about the offer you made me last time we met.”
“Ah! Where are my manners? come inside, have a seat.. would you like anything to drink. Coffee, tea or cold drinks.”
Seating on the couch I glance at the joyous Ben Li, his att.i.tude took a total 180-degree turn once I mentioned taking a loan.
” No brother Li, maybe next time. Let’s talk about business first, I am in a hurry.”
“It seems Student Wyatt is in urgent need of money. Tell me how much you need, I will see what I can do.”
“Thank you, Brother Li, you’re a saviour. I got into some trouble recently and am urgently in need of money… about 6 million dollars.”
I didn’t need 6 million dollars, I just threw out the first number that popped in my head.
“W- what?! 6 million dollars!”
I put on a very innocent expression similar to that of a naive lamb.
“Student Wyatt 6 million dollars is a huge amount, even our company’s total a.s.set is not worth that much. Sorry, but I can’t lend you that much money even if you had collateral or Surety.”
Putting on a disappointed face I asked “can’t you help me, brother Li, please.”
“This is a huge amount of money our company can’t loan you that much.”
“Okay then I will find some other place to borrow money, thank you Brother Li sorry for the trouble.”
Hearing my response Ben Li was shocking, isn’t the script wrong. Aren’t you supposed to beg and negotiate a deal with me? Where are you going? stop!
“Student Wyatt, wait! That amount of money n.o.body will be willing to loan you without any collateral or surety.”
“Brother Li if you are asking for surety and collateral I might as well go to the bank they have much better interest rates.”
“No student Wyatt I didn’t mean that, what I was going to say is that you could borrow a part of the money from us and the remaining amount from some other financer, What do you think?”
“Sounds good but how much are you going to loan me?”
“How about 500,000$?”
“Too little brother Li, I might as well try some other place.”
“You drive a hard bargain student Wyatt, 1,250,000$ I can’t get more than this.”
I could see that Ben Li was really being sincere this time but not sincere enough because a single silver grimoire can be auctioned for about 4 million dollars. Even if you are willing to pay 4 million dollars one will not be willing to sell a silver grimoire.
Ben Li had a big appet.i.te, he wanted to gobble up 8 million dollars by just paying 1,250,000$.
But I did not care since I was not planning on returning the money in the first place, let this be Zhang’s first small instalment payment to what they owe young Wyatt.
“Okay deal, where do I sign?” I said knowing that Ben Li would rather not make this back deal official by putting this on paper.
Because in this world loaning money to someone with a higher interest rate than the standard and legal interest rate was considered a crime punishable with jail time. In this world, the government took white-collar crime very seriously.
So, Ben Li did not want to leave a paper trail. Because of legal problems and also because he had that much confidence in his uncle and his goons. All they needed was a moral high ground to go after silver grimoires.
” No Student Wyatt there is no need for that I trust you.”
“If you say so.”
Collecting money from Ben Li, I hailed a cab to Guild a.s.sociation mall to stock up on more cards and increase my strength.
The loan due date was one year from today and the interest rates were three times the legal interest rates and if I am unable to pay interest by the end of every month then they will be adding certain late fees and charge interest for the interest to be paid.
This was a trap but I didn’t mind stepping in it as I knew that they are going to come after me one way or the other, I might as well make some money out of it. money is good as in this world money meant strength.
money = good cards = strength, One year was enough for me to grow stronger than Kevin Zhang and his goons.
…
As Wyatt was leaving the building, Ben Li busy directing his goons,
“Speed up the process, I want that brat begging me for more money by the end of this week.”
“But boss what if the brat finds other lenders then things will become complicated.”
“Don’t worry about that, my uncle will take care of that. “
“Okay boss!”
…
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