Empire of Shadows

In the past two days, Mr. Chobaf had figured out many things. He had always felt that the Federals, especially those with a certain status and background, shouldn't be too ugly when they eat.

But in the past few days, he realized that this Federation, from top to bottom, doesn't have anyone who eats gracefully!

Before, he mistakenly thought that those who ate gracefully were not too bad, but that was only because he hadn't been put on the dinner table yet.

Now that he was lying on the plate, seasoned by the chef, and brought to the table, he realized how ridiculous his previous thoughts were.

Just having money is not enough here. You must have the identity of a local, and also have money. This is the most basic guarantee.

Then you must take sides, choose to stand on someone's team, and play the role you should play.

Only by finding a glimmer of opportunity in the long process of being exploited can you possibly enter the real upper class and become someone truly protected by the rules!

But it was too late to understand all of this.

Before, he regarded the chef's cleaning work on him as a benefit of the Federation, just like a pig entering a new environment.

Some people inside will vaccinate it, deworm it, and check its body to make sure it has no diseases. Of course, any diseases will be actively treated.

In short, it will be kept in a very healthy state and live in a highly secure environment.

Every day, there is scientific and reasonable feed, and from time to time, it can take a bath, and sometimes even listen to music.

At this time, the pig will feel that this is the highlight of its pig life!

It will tell others how happy it is here, how sweet the air is, and even the tap water tastes sweet—a taste that can sweeten the heart!

But only when it is sliced and placed on a plate and sent into the oven will it realize that everything it enjoyed before was just to make it healthier and more delicious to be sent into the mouths of those capital tycoons and politicians!

But at this time, understanding this is already too late. It may even regret mocking those pigs who were unwilling to come in or accept such a beautiful life and desperately wanted to escape.

But now, all it can do is lie on the plate and wait for the knives and forks to be applied.

Mr. Chobaf took a deep breath and shook his head slightly, "Let him come up."

Soon, Arthur's arrogant laughter and the tap-dancing sound of his nailed shoes on the floor came in together, "Chobaf, my old friend, long time no see!"

He walked in from the door with a smile on his face. If you didn't consider what he had done before and what he was about to do, it would be difficult for anyone to feel disgusted with a handsome and smiling young man.

But he knew how much of a bastard this person was.

Seeing that Mr. Chobaf didn't seem to have any intention of hugging him, he indifferently retracted his arms, then walked straight to the opposite side of Mr. Chobaf and sat down, looking back at the assistant, "Coffee with whiskey, please."

The assistant glanced at Mr. Chobaf, who nodded slightly before he left.

"Chob, I know you don't like me, because I took a little money from you."

"A little?" Mr. Chobaf couldn't help but ask.

Arthur still looked the same, "Do you want to say a lot to me?"

Seeing Mr. Chobaf falling silent again, he was very satisfied with the other party's reaction, "Precisely because I still owe you a little money, I thought of you when there was a business to make a fortune."

Mr. Chobaf didn't say anything, but Arthur didn't care, "The Prohibition Order will be signed at the end of this month. I plan to hoard a batch of wine."

"You know, it's the same in other states. Once the Prohibition Order is signed, the price of existing alcohol will skyrocket. This is an opportunity."

"Moreover, not many people know about this. We can completely take advantage of the price not rising to eat a big piece."

Chobaf was a little tempted, but reason told him that it was best not to trust this little bastard, but he was ultimately a businessman, a capitalist, and the pursuit of profit was his core demand.

"We are cooperating, not me lending you money."

Arthur frowned slightly. Chobaf explained, "The result is the same. If you plan to repay me this money, then we will cooperate and hoard wine together, and the profits...split evenly."

"I will provide the capital and the venue. You only need to be responsible for the safety of this batch of wine, and we will split the money earned in half."

This was not quite what Arthur had thought. He hadn't even planned to repay the money, which meant that he would lose fifty percent of the actual increase in value of the hoarded wine, as well as the principal of this batch of wine, compared to his original plan.

"No, I don't like doing business with people. You lend me money, and then I give you interest and repay you the principal."

Chobaf shook his head, rarely showing toughness, because he was going to have dinner with the mayor tomorrow night, and he would stand on the mayor's side.

It's the same being slaughtered and put on the dinner table, but being eaten by the mayor and turned into shit in a golden toilet,

is different from being eaten by Arthur and turned into shit on the side of the road. Although it's all shit, at least he's related to the golden toilet.

This gave him some confidence, "You know that's impossible. You haven't repaid the money you owed me before, and I can't possibly lend you more money."

Arthur was already a little angry.

Although he was the most favored at home, everyone knew that his brother was the heir to Congressman Williams' power because he was too stupid.

That damn brother always looked at him with an imbecile's expression, but he was helpless.

The family behind Congressman Williams' first wife has a great influence in this state. Currently, many members of their family are in politics, and the two most powerful ones are the Speaker of the State House of Representatives and a State Senator.

In contrast, Arthur only had a young, good-looking, and busty mother.

Although his father favored him, he never let him enter the core circle of the family, which gave him a particularly twisted desire.

He had been misbehaving since he was a child, which, in a sense, was also a desire to gain Congressman Williams' attention and importance, but he had never achieved the result, and he had gradually lost himself in these misdeeds.

Now, even an honest immigrant is saying no to him, which he cannot accept.

But he wouldn't excessively demand that Chobaf must do something. He thought for a while, and an idea suddenly popped into his dog-shit-filled brain, "What if I have collateral?"

Collateral?

Mr. Chobaf was a little surprised, "What collateral do you have?"

"Wine, worth four hundred thousand in Gold Label Nabowie Whiskey and Delan Gin."

"If I mortgage these things to you, how much money can you give me?"

"We can sign a loan contract. I sincerely want to do business with you, not blackmail you. You have to understand this."

Chobaf fell into deep thought. His days had indeed not been very good these past two days. There had been some rumors circulating in the market that were unfavorable to him.

Although it hadn't really affected him yet, there were already signs of it.

This was also one of the reasons why he wanted to embrace the mayor. He had to stabilize his position in the Federation and his position in the eyes of the Empire immigrants.

But if he could cooperate with old-fashioned powerhouses like Congressman Williams at this time, then some rumors would be self-defeating.

And Arthur said that he was willing to sign a contract.

With a contract, even if the other party reneged on the debt, this contract could become an important bargaining chip, whether to threaten or to trade.

"Where is the wine?"

Arthur looked like he was smiling very happily. Chobaf now knew his little thoughts but didn't expose them. Who doesn't have some little thoughts?

"In the warehouse, near the pier. I can take you to see it now."

"Then let's go now!"

Arthur was stunned for a moment, but considering that these things were related to money, he didn't refuse. This time he was telling the truth!

Soon, the two arrived at the warehouse area and, in the warehouse he contracted, saw the piles of wine like mountains.

Mr. Chobaf didn't trust him and kept taking out some wine boxes and opening them. The ground was indeed full of genuine Gold Label Nabowie Whiskey. This wine sells very well in the middle class and the market with a certain spending power!

If one dollar of Copper Label Nabowie Whiskey is the staple food of the working class, then Gold Label Nabowie Whiskey covers the lower to middle class.

It can be given as a gift, after all, it costs seven or eight dollars a bottle now, which is really not cheap!

But for some middle-class families, it is an affordable wine, and there is still a lot of room for appreciation.

However, its limit is within ten dollars. Any higher and there is no market, and people will choose Silver Label Nabowie Whiskey.

The one that can really sell for a price is actually the Copper Label, but the Copper Label is now almost completely out of stock, and even he has difficulty getting it.

Arthur looked at Mr. Chobaf standing on the mountain of wine, lost in thought, and couldn't help but show a smug smile, "Chob, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

"I told you a long time ago, I'm never a liar, and you didn't believe me!" He even felt wronged.

Mr. Chobaf came down from the mountain of wine and clapped his hands, "I will arrange for someone to..."

A sudden thunder outside interrupted him. The assistant reminded him from the side, "The radio said it will rain heavily these two days."

This is very common by the sea, especially now that the cold air is moving south, and heavy rain and storms are normal under strong convective weather.

"...I will arrange for someone to seal off the warehouse here until the transaction is over."

Some hidden glimmers flashed in Arthur's eyes, "No problem, I will have someone give you the key."

Mr. Chobaf was very satisfied, "How much do you plan to borrow?"

"Four hundred thousand!"

"No, the liquor here isn't worth four hundred thousand. I can only give you two hundred thousand."

"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"

After half a minute, Mr. Chobaf extended his hand. "Alright, two hundred and fifty thousand, with an annual interest rate of twenty-two percent. In addition, I need to sign a supplementary clause: you need to give me an additional ten percent of the principal and interest as a loan condition."

"This is equivalent to us investing together, splitting the profits one-nine, you nine, me one."

Two hundred and fifty thousand would become three hundred and thirty-five thousand five hundred in a year, which complies with the Federal Reserve Bank and the Federal Department of Justice's interpretation of legal interest, and he also gets enough profit.

"Let me remind you, although the gold label is more expensive, the copper label sells better. If you can get the copper label, I suggest you buy all copper label!"

Although Arthur somewhat disdained Mr. Chobaf, he still took his suggestion to heart.

"I will seriously consider it..."

When the two returned to Mr. Chobaf's bank, the dark sky began to pour rain. They signed the mortgage loan contract and put their names on it amidst the thunder.

With this contract, Mr. Chobaf directly transferred two hundred and fifty thousand to Arthur and began arranging for people to guard the warehouse at the port.

He knew Arthur might try something, but this time he certainly wouldn't give Arthur the chance.

At the same time, two trucks had already parked at the entrance of the port area, and many people came to ask the truck drivers if they were taking jobs, but they were all refused.

Because they already had a job—

Awaiting Lance's orders!