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1.61% I have a Mansion in the Post-apocalyptic World / Chapter 26: The Middleman

Chapter 26: The Middleman

Editor: Lis_, Rainystars

"Welcome, you must be Mr. Jiang. My friend from the mysterious East."

After Jiang Chen had entered the room, he saw a white male with blond curly hair approach him with an amiable smile. He used a hand gesture that he learned from one of the kungfu movies and greeted Jiang Chen.

Although he was white, Mr. Robert’s face was nowhere close to white. His skin looked as coarse as sandpaper. However, his composure and clean appearance made Jiang Chen sense his respect.

"Nice to meet you, you must be Mr. Robert. Mr. Bruce introduced you to me." Jiang Chen felt a little weird but returned the same hand gesture.

To be honest, it was awkward using the foreigner's way to greet others. The idea was simply a bit confusing, but that was what happened.

"Bruce is a nice guy. He took a bullet for me in the Middle East. It was a pleasure to meet him again, and as the famous Han proverb goes, a friend’s friend is my friend. Am I right?" Mr. Robert extended his hand.

"Of course. Your Han is remarkable." Jiang Chen held onto Mr. Robert’s hand and firmly shook it as he expressed his shock.

Although, Jiang Chen didn’t know if what Mr. Robert said was truly a proverb.

"Haha, of course. I always had a keen interest in this mysterious eastern kingdom. There are opportunities everywhere." Mr. Robert’s eyes rested on Jiang Chen, and then he gestured gracefully. "Please come in, my friend. I have a Lafitte from 1982. I wanted to try it for a long a time."

"I can’t say no to this invite."

The wine tasted different than the wine provided by the hotel. The bloody red liquid expelled an exquisite fragrance of time. Even for someone like Jiang Chen, who had no experience in wine tasting, he still tasted the difference.

The man who stood by Mr. Robert’s side was as silent as a rock. However, Jiang Chen sensed the monstrous nature from his stature. He had a pair of shades on, but his protruding nose indicated that he was a Slav. His bear-like vibe perhaps indicated that he came from a Soviet country.

"My bodyguard, Nick Belarusian. We met in Kane. He’s also a good guy and responsible for my safety." Mr. Robert noticed Jiang Chen staring. "Bruce is a good guy, but Black Water International sometimes does shady business. They are also a bit too close to the FBA, so I had to find a different partner."

Despite the conversation revolving around him, the statue-like bodyguard did not show any reactions.

"Is your business dangerous?" Jiang Chen sat on the chair and casually changed the topic. "I heard from Bruce that you are a renowned middleman in the UA. Crude oil and gold?"

"Absolutely. Apart from the relatively safe crude oil and gold, I have to sometimes obtain firearms for my employer. If I get my hands on those, there will always be someone after my life."

Mr. Robert lit up a cigar. He offered Jiang Chen one as well. "Your country has strict gun control, which makes it feel like heaven to me. However, good times are always short lasting. I have a flight to South Africa at 3 o’clock."

"You sure you have enough time?" Jiang Chen glanced at the clock, it was 11 already.

"Don’t worry," Mr. Robert waved his hand and smiled. He then sat straight up. "I am very interested in Mr. Jiang’s business. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Jiang Chen paused for a brief moment. He dusted the cigar and sat up as well.

"I hope there is no confusion here, my friend. I accidently overheard your conversation with Bruce last night. It was an accident, but business always sprouts from occasions. I have been looking for opportunities here in the Far East, and I am still exploring. My instinct tells me that we can be great partners."

"Hmm?" Jiang Chen didn’t make a fuzz about eavesdropping. With a slight interest, he continued the conversation, "For example?"

"Mr. Jiang, businesses are paid in gold right? However, to my knowledge, your country's law prohibits the large sell-off of gold because it would attract the government's attention. Especially, gold without the proof of ownership."

"Looks like Mr. Robert is extremely knowledgeable about our country’s laws. However, is there no issues with selling gold in the UA?" Jiang Chen nodded without disagreeing with his comment.

"Of course there are problems. Though in the UA, we speak with the law and with evidence, not with politics. I have a professional team to deal those kinds of issues. Even if I have a little problem with the FBA right now, I am still here chatting with you, right?" With a mysterious smile, he continued, "How I do this? Let me give you an example. I incorporated a shell company in Saudi. I received a batch of crude oil from Iran. According to the sanction, my action is against the law. However, if the crude oil is sold through my shell company in Saudi, then the crude oil will be legal to sell within the international market."

[If you already told me this, are you not afraid?] Jiang Chen immediately understood why. With such a strong bodyguard, he must have a strong security team.

He now has a clear understanding of Mr. Robert’s business. This middleman has the ability to access the black market.

"It looks like we do have a partnership opportunity." Jiang Chen smiled.

"I am an honest businessman," Mr. Robert saw that his deal was made and a delighted smile appeared on his face. "I’ll accept the gold regardless of the amount. As long as your gold is sold through my mining company in South Africa, it will be legal once it enters the international market. You don’t have to worry about the specifics. You can just sell the gold to me. I’ll take a 9% processing fee."

Jiang Chen considered it.

9% was not a lot to begin with. All of his gold had no costs associated with it. It would be okay to sell a small amount to the gold shop but if he did offer ten tons of gold, not a lot of gold shops would dare to accept it. Even if he sold it in smaller batches, there was a high chance he would be suspected. The Liu Anshan guy also gave him a weary feeling. He probably wasn't that clean either.

It’s always better to be careful. Although selling gold to foreigners is considered smuggling, Mr. Robert probably has it figured out.

Mr. Robert saw that Jiang Chen was silent. He wasn’t sure either if the 9% is too high. However, this business was not risk-free. The capital to purchase the gold would be a problematic amount. If the amount was over 20 million USD, then he must take a private loan to fund the deal. The interest would not be a small number.

However, if Jiang Chen possessed a large amount of gold, he could lower the fee by a percentage.

Just as Mr. Robert was about to lower the price, Jiang Chen suddenly opened his mouth.

"No problem, but I have a condition."

Jiang Chen words surprised Mr. Robert at first, but a joyful smile ensued.

"I can guarantee the quality of the gold. It’s the 24K gold you guys commonly refer to. I believe you have the expertise to determine that as well." Of course, the gold in the bank would be authentic. "However, you have to be responsible for the transportation. I will only transport the gold to a location within the country. Also, you must pay in USD, on the spot. I will take no further responsibility once the transaction is complete."

"No problem, my friend!" Mr. Robert agreed without hesitation. "Looks like we have a deal?"

"Of course, cheers." Jiang Chen gladly extended his hand.

"Cheers." Mr. Robert cheerfully held onto Jiang Chen’s hand as they both stood up.

"Here’s my card. If you are ready, why don’t we arrange a time in the future? Also, it would be best to prepare a Swiss bank account, it is the most convenient."

"Absolutely, I wish you the best of luck."

"Can I learn a little more about your background? How much are you going to sell, Mr. Jiang? I’ll have to prepare enough liquidity." Mr. Robert asked this slightly intruding question to prepare for the worst.

"Oh, there's no rush. I’ll give you a call on July 15th. The amount is probably a few tons." Jiang Chen exited the room and left a stunned Mr. Robert.

His face was completely blank. He didn’t even realize he dropped his expensive cigar.

A few tons?

With the current market condition, an ounce of gold traded at 1,350 USD. One ton of gold would be 43,402,500 USD. At a processing fee of 9%, he would make 10 million with just three tons of gold.

This is ridiculous. 9%?!

Easiest money of his life.

A few tons of gold?! He would have done it with 7%. How wealthy was Jiang Chen to not even negotiate. It also strengthened Mr. Robert’s assumption that the gold was definitely from illegal sources.

[What kind of business is he doing? Did he rob the central bank?]

"Oh God." It took Mr. Robert a while to recollect his thoughts. Then he gasped, "Oh my, I am going to be rich."

He only made half a million selling 10,000 barrels of crude oil with the risk that the UA military may detain the shipment. However, Jiang Chen decided the fate of a billion dollar deal in a few minutes.

"Nick, do you think our friend from the Far East is reliable?" Mr. Robert murmured as if he was still dreaming. He knew Nick has no understanding of business, but he needed someone to tell him that this was not a dream.

"Sorry boss, I don’t know a whole lot." Bruce expected Nick’s response. He was silent, before he continued, "However, I know this man is dangerous."

"Really? Does he know martial arts?" Mr. Robert laughed at the statement. He made a funny pose as if he was Bruce Lee.

Nick stared at the pretentious boss and shook his head. He knew his boss quite well. Whenever Bruce was excited, he would always make some funny poses to express his excitement.

"From a soldier’s instinct, this guy is stronger than Bruce." It was his job to ensure his safety. Therefore, he gave his honest opinion.

Mr. Robert was surprised by the comment. "He is not a merchant? No way, my instincts are usually right."

Nick hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Maybe he is a merchant, but his combat technique is quite strong. My instincts tell me that even if he can’t beat me with firearms, we are a 50/50 split in close combat."

Mr. Robert took a while to process the comment. He has seen Nick’s ability before. In Kane, when he sold firearms to the government forces under the permission of the UA government, the civil forces attacked him. Nick immediately pulled out the gun of the wounded government official and used the remaining 9 bullets to bring him back to safety. He killed more 10 civil militants during the exchange.

Now Nick is saying Jiang Chen’s close combat power is comparable to his?

Mr. Robert, all of the sudden, burst into laughter.

"No wonder the Far East is a mysterious kingdom. Why don’t we head to Egypt next time? Hahaha."

No wonder Jiang Chen didn’t hire any bodyguards. His prowess in fighting is enough in this gun prohibited country. However, it had nothing to do with their agreement.

Mr. Robert is an honest merchant. He always believed that honoring agreements would bring him long term returns. He never did things that killed the egg laying chicken.

Even if he saw diamonds in a refugee camp in Africa in the hand of a starving kid, he would only exchange it with candy, not bullets. After all, a bullet is much more expensive than candy.

Mr. Robert never doubted Jiang Chen’s ability to provide the few ton of gold, nor did he have the ability to investigate his background on this mysterious piece of land. What is business without the proper risk?

Mr. Robert was willing to make a bet. Jiang Chen’s decisive attitude was definitely backed by tons of gold.

Plus, there was nothing to gain for him in the end if it was a lie.


Chapter 27: Enjoying Life

Editor: Lis_, Rainystars

Jiang Chen was delighted. He acted calm and collected during the meeting, but he had a spring in his step as soon as he walked out of the door.

Ecstatic, was the only way he could describe his mood.

He managed to sell off several tons of gold, which was something he had never imagined.

His previous plan was to separate the gold into small amounts and sell it off to gold shops. Although it was inefficient and prone to be spotted by the local gangs, it was the safest way. A large amount would attract the attention of the authority, and they may force Jiang Chen to turn all of the gold in. They are always looking for ways to make money from regular people.

What? This is your gold? How do you prove this gold belongs to you?

Of course, Jiang Chen couldn't prove it since the gold really didn’t belong to him.

Jiang Chen was sure that the government would release a statement to say that even though the gold doesn’t belong to the government, it doesn’t belong to Jiang Chen either.

He thought he would be able to sell off a hundred million dollars worth of gold before getting found, but now it seems like it would no longer be an issue. If this foreign friend helped him to find the means to sell, everything would be easy. He just needed to create a Swedish Bank account, and the gold worth hundreds of millions would no longer be a problem.

Transporting gold was not difficult at all. A ton of gold was only 0.5 cubic meters which only would cost half a crystal in energy to store.

When he left the main hotel building, Jiang Chen chose to return to the mansion. Liu Yao was probably still waiting for him.

He got to the front of the mansion and saw Liu Yao under the shade of the trees.

Liu Yao wasn't wearing a bikini like the first time he saw her. Instead, she changed into a beige dress with a laced floppy hat. Her presence could be felt miles away.

She knew exactly how she attracted people, with the combination of her purity and seduction.

“Why did you take so long? I am starving,” Liu Yao gave him a coquetry as she swayed her slender waist. Her coquetry didn’t feel staged at all.

“Haha, I’ll take you out for food.” Jiang Chen opened the mansion door, and chivalrously took over Liu Yao’s bag. “What do you want to eat? Don’t be shy!”

“Yay! I want to eat at the Glacier Ocean Restaurant.” Liu Yao adorably clung onto Jiang Chen’s arm like a loving girlfriend.

“Ok! I’ll take you there.”

A bright smile appeared on her face as she was pleased with the way Jiang Chen responded. She hugged Jiang Chen’s arm as they walked towards the restaurant.

Perhaps she was acting, or maybe she was just following her heart.

The division between the two was too faint to distinguish.

Glacier Ocean Restaurant is a renowned restaurant in Sheraton and extending its influence to the rest of the Sanya.

The water-themed restaurant was surrounded by the mixture of the pristine sky and the mysterious sea. Arrays of palm and coconut trees showcased nature’s vibrant energy. The vast collection of wine displayed at the entrance of the hotel left all the diners dazed. Then the customers were quickly captivated by the sophistication and class of the restaurant.

The private room in the middle of the restaurant was even more intricate. The aquarium-like design transformed the dinner into a unique experience as if they were in the midst of the ocean. There was no need for extra decorations, as the reflection of the water's waves created the perfect atmosphere.

Jiang Chen and Liu Yao sat in the private room.

“I heard the view at night is even better, but the view at noon is also remarkable.” Jiang Chen savored the fresh taste of salmon meat and took a sip from the delicious Wen Chang chicken soup. Delicacies filled the table, and he was even dazzled by all the choices.

“This Boston lobster is delicious!” Liu Yao playfully stuck out her tongue. She skillfully used her graceful finger to dissect the lobster in front of her.

“Beauty is something one can truly enjoy.” Jiang Chen picked up a piece of clam. The way Liu Yao ate was extremely pleasing to the eyes.

“Hehe, pretty right?” She pouted as she continued to struggle with the lobster.

“I was talking about the lobster.” Liu Yao’s cute look didn’t stop Jiang Chen from teasing her.

“Screw you!”

Liu Yao didn’t have a big appetite, so she chose all the light but fine dishes. The majority of the food went into Jiang Chen’s stomach. He had an appetite comparable to two adult males.

“Looks like you are ecstatic today.” She rubbed the corner of her mouse with a napkin as she looked at Jiang Chen's lively eyes.

“Indeed, I signed a big deal.” He didn’t hide anything.

“Eh? I thought it was because of me.” She joked.

With a mischievous smile, Jiang Chen approached Liu Yao. “How big do you think the deal is?”

“One million? USD?” With her red lips open, she took a sip of wine. She didn’t care how much Jiang Chen made as it had nothing to do with her. However, she understood a male’s ego as Jiang Chen wasn’t keeping this from her. She pretended to be curious.

“One million? That’s pocket change.” With his back leaned against the chair, Jiang Chen smiled.

“Pocket change?” Liu Yao shockingly stared at Jiang Chen.

“At least one hundred million,” Jiang Chen replied. He pretended it was not a big deal.

“Ahem.” Liu Yao covered her chest as she ruefully looked at Jiang Chen. She accidentally spat out her wine out.

“I can’t believe you are so skillful, this is such a pity.” Liu Yao pouted as she took another sip of wine. Jiang Chen knew what she meant by pity, but he would not change his mind.

“No way, I remember I used my real skill last night.” Jiang Chen emphasized the words “skill” as he smirkingly looked at Liu Yao’s facial expression.

Liu Yao paused slightly before she understood the meaning behind Jiang Chen’s words. Her face turned burning red like the sky at dawn.

“Pervert.”

Her gentle fist striking Jiang Chen's did not bother him at all.

After the meal, Jiang Chen took Liu Yao’s hand and strolled along the swimming pool. It was a beautifully decorated pool of water. The palm trees along the side added a sense of nature to the swimming pool. Under the white umbrella were deck chair of the same color for the tourists that needed rest.

“I thought you don’t like crowded places?” Liu Yao accompanied Jiang Chen as her crystal eyes observed his face.

“You are right, but it would be disappointing if we just stayed at the mansion. This swimming pool is a famous attraction at Sanya.”

“Oh? I thought you were someone who was always busy,” Liu Yao asked curiously.

“Busy people may not like crowded places, but I am quite pleased with this scene. For example, the blonde European beauty right there.” Jiang Chen changed the topic with a smirk.

“Does my bikini not look attractive?” Liu Yao defiantly raised her D cup chest.

“It’s not the same. Everyone is different.” Jiang Chen tried to explain his reasoning. If it were his girlfriend, he would not praise other women, but since that was not the case, it didn’t matter.

Jiang Chen’s playboy look made Liu Yao want to yell and laugh at the same time. She pouted like an attached girlfriend, as she used her finger to squeeze his waist. She controlled the force just enough so that Jiang Chen would not get hurt.

“I am a D cup Don’t you think I am bigger compared to that woman?” After teasing Jiang Chen for a moment, Liu Yao fixed her hair as she lifted her chest up again with a seductive look.

“Who knows if these are real or not?” Jiang Chen ridiculed as he sneakily touched her chest.

“Then how do you know mine are fake, and hers are real?” Liu Yao persisted the question.

“Hmm? So they are real.” Jiang Chen pretended to be happy.

In this day and age, everything could be fake. So, Jiang Chen didn’t think it was real.

“Fool. You didn’t notice it after touching it for so long?” Liu Yao blushed as she vexed him with her eyes rolled.

The coquettish look made Jiang Chen hard.

Liu Yao became flushed as she noticed Jiang Chen’s invasive stare. Although Jiang Chen’s techniques were still lacking, with some guidance and his long lasting stamina and recovery time, it was easy to enjoy the heaven like feeling.

Liu Yao, of course, didn’t reject Jiang Chen’s intimate invitatio.

She defiantly stared at Jiang Chen as she used a finger to hook onto his collar. Then they walked towards a secluded washroom on the first floor.

“Here?” Although it was a question, Jiang Chen’s hands already grasped onto Liu Yao’s thin waist.

“Pervert, I’ll scream for help.” She seemingly blamed Jiang Chen with her words but then swiftly locked the door behind her.

There was not a lot of traffic in the area. Most of the people were either in their rooms or on the beach. Since it was the washroom, there were no cameras as well.

The unique environment made Jiang Chen feel a particular kind of sensation. Liu Yao’s blushing face indicated that she probably felt the same thing.

“You’ll have to keep quiet,” Jiang Chen smirked as he whispered into Liu Yao’s ear. He grabbed her smooth legs and entered into her.

Two hours later, the two of them came out of the washroom. Liu Yao's legs felt weak as she half hanged onto Jiang Chen’s shoulder.

“You pervert, couldn’t you have been more gentle.”

“Haha, the way you held onto the wall and covered your mouth was quite cute.” Jiang Chen laughed as he dodged and grabbed onto the hands coming at him.

From a bystander, the two looked like a couple displaying affection without a care in the world.

She didn’t know why, but she felt tears in her eyes.

“If I…”

“What? Why don’t you tell me about it?” Jiang Chen smiled at Liu Yao who wanted to stay something but stopped.

“It’s okay.” Liu Yao turned his face around as she flashed him a smile. The cheerful smile even dazzled Jiang Chen for a moment.

It was not because of her beauty.

That smile reminded him of his high school time.

At the naïve age, free of trouble. A time where studying hard would deserve recognition. A time where being good at basketball would receive praise.

Jiang Chen remembered that smile belonged to Chen Lele in the movie; the careless and free girl. The smile left the supporting actress with an endless amount of regret and despair.

Am I sinking into the plot? What am I thinking?

“I am a woman who loves money, and I know men like you dislike woman like me. One with no self-respect.” Liu Yao faintly opened her mouth. She still held onto Jiang Chen’s hand but walked one step ahead of him so he couldn't see her expression.

“This is only a life choice, I never disliked you.” Jiang Chen gently answered. He didn’t lie.

“But unable to accept right?” Liu Yao suddenly turned around.

Jiang Chen noticed her eyes were slightly red.

Is she acting?

However, Jiang Chen was unwilling to change his opinion. He sighed wanting to explain himself.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Liu Yao turned around with a bright smile and pecked him on the lips. After seeing Jiang Chen’s confused look, she jumped in front of him and began walking by herself. “I know, and I understand. A girl like me is not good enough for you. I just haven’t completely given up yet.”

With her back towards him, Jiang Chen couldn’t see her expression. Liu Yao had to force a smile before she spoke again.

“What if, I mean, what if we met two years earlier? When I didn’t debut yet. Would you have fallen in love with me?”

“If I fell in love with you at that time, would you have chosen me?” Jiang Chen thought about the person who watched <That year> with him.

Too similar.

Jiang Chen's calm and direct rhetoric question made Liu Yao feel his uncertainty. She turned around as she forced another smile.

She understood what Jiang Chen meant.

“Probably not.”

An honest response.

Liu Yao somehow remembered her university time. She remembered the boy that used 99 candles to write out “Liu Yao I love you” under her dorm room window. She was moved for a brief second but still rejected him because he couldn’t provide the life she wanted. Liu Yao gave her first time to a director whose name she didn't even want to remember. She did it in exchange for the supporting actress role. She had no regrets because she received eighty thousand dollars in pay along with a ticket into the entertainment industry.

However, at this moment, she regretted.

For some reason, in her eyes, Jiang Chen began to coincide with the boy she rejected.

If the poor Jiang Chen asked her out two years ago, she would probably not even look at him.

It was not a question of right or wrong, but only a matter of choice.

“Since this is a hard earned vacation, why think about these bothersome questions?” Jiang Chen said faintly as it disrupted Liu Yao’s thoughts.

“Mhmm you are right, let’s enjoy the bench.”

A relieved smile bloomed on Liu Yao’s face.

The smile was beautiful.

Except for a bright jewel hanging at the corner of her eye. Silently, it rolled down and mixed in with the sand.

Among the waves and tides of the southern county, it was negligible and minuscule.


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