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, nobody 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 passed 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 passing 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 attitude 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 asset 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 nobody 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 appetite, 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 association 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!"
…
Chapter 13: Beast Will Core
19 Mar 2321
Time 12:34
Location Sky Blossom City, Adventure Guild Association, Guild Association Mall.
Since I just made a buttload of money I decided to visit the auction section of the mall where all the good stuff is sold.
This part of the mall is more luxurious with all the fancy lighting and flamboyant decor, after all the people visiting here are big spenders or strong card apprentices who provide the auction house with all the rare materials. So, the mall has to keep up with its appearance.
But for some reason today the auction house seemed to be crowded, so I decided to call a guide,
[ please wait as your assigned sales representative will soon reach you]
[Expected wait time: 70seconds]
As I waited for Susan, I heard a commotion. The commotion had attracted a bunch of watermelon eating spectators.
Susan is the bob cut brunette who helped me yesterday every silver member of the guild association mall members gets assigned with a sales representative of choice. I chose Susan, she seemed professional enough.
"What do you mean you can't put our item in tomorrow's auction?"
"I am sorry sir the catalogue for tomorrow's auction has already been published, we can't add any more items. Now we are only accepting items for next week's auction."
"No! That won't work for us, we need money urgently! Please see if you can somehow squeeze us in tomorrow's auction."
"I am sorry sir I can't help you with this."
A small mercenary group with 6 Bronze Card apprentice upon clearing an E rank dungeon boss got an E rank Common grade dungeon boss core with the beast will. But in the process, one of their members lost an arm.
Not to worry in this world recovery of a limb or reattachment of a limb is no big deal but it's not cheap. No wonder they are in such a hurry.
"Good day sir, how may I help you today?"
Susan greeted me. Impeccable timing, how does she do it? I was impressed with the professionalism of the Guild association mall staffs.
"Susan, how much did you guys offer for the E rank beast will core?"
"Let me check sir." checking her Iron grimoire Susan replied "345,000$, sir"
"So, cheap!" Cores with the beast will within them are very rare and can be used as ingredients to create origin cards. The Mall's asking price was cheap, no wonder they wanted to auction the core.
"Sir even though cores containing beast will are rare ingredients used in the making of origin cards, they usually don't sell because nobody is willing to buy them unless it matches the origin cards they are making."
What Susan said made sense, though beast will core are rare if nobody needs them then they lose their value.
Walking near the booth I used my soul pupils on the beast will core to check what is the difference between a normal core and a core with the beast will within it?
Um, when seeing through the soul pupils a normal core contains a bright mass of light within it, as for the core with the beast will it also has a bright mass of light in it but this mass of light is in the shape of the beast the core belonged to.
In this case, the bright mass of light was shaped in the shape of a Bear, as the core belonged to the Abyssal Giant Bear. Looking at the curled up bear in the core a sudden idea for a new card flashed in my and I decided to buy the core.
But I did not walk to the card apprentice to talk business, I conveyed my intention to Susan and let the professional do the job. Susan wasn't cheap, as the Mall charges a 5% brokerage charge for any deal brokered through it.
Turns out it wasn't just me who showed their intention to buy the core. Many small time merchants wanted to make some profit off the desperation of the card apprentice.
So to get my hands on the beast will core I had to quote a sincere offer. Considering the market price of the beast will core and my need to satisfy my curiosity I quoted a million dollars but the brokerage fees would be shouldered by the other party.
I thought I would have to wait for the other party to make up their minds before answering but the other party readily agreed to my offer.
"Here's your beast will core friend, hope you successfully create your origin card."
"Thank you but I did not buy this core to create an origin card."
"W-what?! then why did you quote such a high offer?"
"I need this core for a card recipe I came up with. So, I thought the core was worth the price."
"Okay that's good, that's good. But aren't you a little young to create your own card recipe?"
"No, I am not."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
117 Power
stone 
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