Chapter 354 These days, the one who owes money is the boss
Chapter 354 The one who owes money is the boss these days.
Lend me some bargaining chips?
”Sorry, I don’t quite understand what you mean…”
Du Long looked at Luca in astonishment, “Why can we lend you some bargaining chips… solve the problem?”
Aren’t we discussing the issue of trade?
If it is an additional condition for negotiation, he can consider it.
However, the man in front of him said that he only needed to lend them some money to solve the problem.
Du Long even suspected that he had heard it wrong.
With a look of astonishment on Du Long’s face, Luca cleared his throat and quoted the words of the manager.
”Aren’t you disgusted that we didn’t spend the chips where ‘it should be spent’? That’s because we have no money, and of course we have to spend our savings carefully, but if you are willing to lend us some money, it will be different.”
Seeing that the man in front of him still didn’t understand the wisdom of the manager, Luca continued patiently.
”We have just liberated Xizhou City. We are building Dawn City to accommodate the survivors there.”
”There needs to be at least 10,000 houses, a large amount of food, cotton textiles, soap for cleaning and other consumer goods… Aren’t these exactly what you want us to buy?”
”We are certainly capable of solving these gaps by ourselves, but relying on ourselves alone, it may take one or two years or even longer to allow the people there to live a self-sufficient life. However… it will be different with you.”
Du Long’s eyes widened.
”You mean… let us lend you chips, and then you use our chips to buy things from us?”
”Yes.” Luca nodded as a matter of course. This is what the manager told him.
”Do you think this is reasonable?” Du Long couldn’t help but say.
”Why is it unreasonable? Your factory gets orders, the workers get jobs, and the chips we borrow will be returned to you in the end. This money can be placed in your account as you said, using book-entry transactions, and the chips don’t even need to come out of your bank.”
Luca’s well-reasoned answer stunned Du Long.
So…
it seems to be okay?
At least he really couldn’t think of a reason to refute it for a while.
According to the agreement requested by the residents, the trade between the two sides will definitely be interrupted, and neither side will benefit.
But if the plan proposed by the Lord of Dawn City is followed, Boulder City will get a huge market.
The profits of the factory and the jobs of the workers can be solved, and the money lent to the new alliance will not disappear out of thin air… No one is at a disadvantage, it seems that everyone is winning.
But this is too strange!
After holding it in for a while, Du Long finally found a place that seemed to be able to find fault.
”… But how can you guarantee that you can pay back the money?”
Luca asked.
”Are you questioning our repayment ability?”
Du Long nodded with a subtle expression.
”Excuse me… You have only existed for half a year, even the Bone Chewing Tribe has existed longer than you.” The
interest rate of the money lent to the merchants by the Boulder City Bank is often very high. In the final analysis, it is because many people do business outside the giant wall and disappear while doing business.
He does have reason to doubt how long this alliance, which is suspicious from any perspective, can last.
Luca was not surprised by Dulong’s doubts.
Before setting off, the manager told him that as long as the other party was not a complete gambler, he would definitely consider the risks.
The future is unpredictable, and a person’s judgment of risk will not change because of a few words.
However, the fear of the unknown can be overcome.
The simplest way is to paint a pie in the sky! If
10% profit is not enough to make them forget the risk, then use 100% profit.
Luca looked at Dulong.
”But they have become history.”
”What about you?”
”We defeated the tide, defeated the mutants, defeated the legion, defeated the predators, won the friendship of the ideal city, and became a permanent partner of the enterprise. It took us only half a year to develop from a small village to a settlement of 10,000 people. Why don’t you imagine what the northern suburbs will look like in a year?”
”Hmm.” Dulong snorted lightly with his nose without comment, but his eyes showed a little relaxation.
Luca did not stop and continued to talk.
”A long time ago, there was an unknown small village called Beth Street in the northern suburbs. Under the exploitation of slave owners, the survivors there could not use a piece of soap in a year. But now, you can see a piece of soap next to the pool of every household…”
”This is just a small example, but I think it is representative enough. Our alliance is committed to making our residents live a better life.”
”In addition to the livelihood industry, we also attach importance to agriculture. In half a year, we have reclaimed 30,000 acres of fertile land. And in our overall plan, this number will double within two years.”
”In addition to agriculture, we also attach importance to trade. We plan to use railways to connect Qingquan City with the Tianshui tributary to open up a trade route to the Great Rift Valley. We also plan to build a wharf on the south bank of Tianshui. In the future, the caravans going to the east will no longer have to lead two-headed cows, but can look at the mountains on both sides and take a boat down the river to the east coast. The estuary.”
”Why don’t you imagine boldly how huge this market is.”
In fact, the last sentence was completely redundant.
Old Luca didn’t need to remind him at all.
Du Long, who was sitting at the table, couldn’t help but hold his breath.
From the moment he talked about opening up a trade route to the Great Rift Valley, he clenched his right hand under the table into a fist, rubbing his thumb and index finger repeatedly. Behind his nervous expression was an unconcealable excitement.
Of course, he knew that there were a lot of pie in the sky in this sentence, and he also knew that the guy in front of him was bragging a lot.
Even if he is not an accountant, he has been the mayor of the city hall for so many years, and he still has this kind of vision.
But to be honest, he was moved.
If handled properly, he might become the most outstanding mayor of the city hall in the history of Boulder City!
Without any hesitation, he reached out and took back the list on the table, crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the trash can next to him.
Not only that, his attitude also changed 180 degrees, and the aggressive expression on his face turned into a kind smile.
”I was careless, dear friend… Let’s talk about it again. How much loan do you need?”
”Two hundred million.”
”Two… how much?!” Hearing this astonishing number, Du Long’s eyes widened.
”Two hundred million chips.”
Luca repeated, looking at the director in front of him in surprise, and said to himself.
”I thought you would be eager for me to lend you more after listening to what I just said.”
”Do you know what two hundred million chips mean?!”
Luca: “Of course I know, every decision made by our manager is carefully considered based on the relationship between us. In the words of that adult, this is the only win-win solution.”
Du Long opened his mouth, and it took a long time for him to slowly recover from his surprise.
He pinched his eyebrows and stood up from the conference table.
”…I need to discuss it with my staff.”
Since taking office, he has never encountered such a bizarre thing.
Not only the staff, he also needs to seek the opinions of other factions in the outer city.
Looking at the director who stood up from the table, Luca’s expression relaxed slightly.
The manager told him that as long as the other party did not refuse on the spot, it meant that he had been moved.
”Remember to discuss this with your bank president as well.”
”Just say…giving us this loan can save his client’s life.”
The meeting was over.
It was shorter than expected.
Looking at the closed door of the reception room, Shuyu, who had been silent from beginning to end, took a deep breath and looked at Luca, who was sitting not far away.
”Just in case, let me ask…Does the administrator really plan to pay back the money?”
”Of course.” Old Luca answered without any doubt.
How could a great administrator be a deadbeat?
In his memory, every word that the adult said was fulfilled.
Whether it was abolishing slavery, or letting them live in a house with a roof, and letting them have enough food and clothes.
As long as it was something he promised, he had never broken his promise.
Shuyu was stunned for a few seconds and sat there in silence.
It’s not that he didn’t believe the administrator, but he felt that his imagination was a little insufficient.
That’s 200 million…
an assault rifle only costs 150 chips, and most residents in Boulder City have a monthly income of around 100. Last month, the trade volume between the two sides was less than one million.
A loan of 200 million chips…
When will it be repaid?
…
It wasn’t just Shu Yu who was shocked.
After listening to Chu Guang’s plan, Old Charlie, the president of the Merchants Guild, was also stunned.
He thought the 200 million silver coins infrastructure plan approved last time was crazy enough.
However, what he didn’t expect was that in less than a month, the manager did something even crazier than printing money.
200 million chips…
The old mayor of Better Street has saved up chips for his entire life, which is only about 100,000.
According to this calculation, 200 million chips are equivalent to 2,000 Better Streets?
After a long silence, Old Charlie cautiously asked almost the same question.
”Do you plan to pay this money back?”
His instinctive reaction was that the manager might default on the money.
Reason told him that this was not a good idea.
However, the manager’s answer was beyond his expectations.
Chu Guang said as a matter of course.
”Of course I have to pay it back. Do I look like the kind of person who borrows money and doesn’t pay it back?”
It is natural to pay back debts.
Otherwise, how can you borrow more money?
Old Charlie didn’t know that Chu Guang, who was standing in front of him, had already started thinking about borrowing another sum.
After opening his mouth for a long time, he finally couldn’t help asking.
”…Have you considered how to pay it back?”
Chu Guang said slowly.
”This loan will be divided into 80 years. I will pay them back a part every year. The number will not exceed 5 million.” It
is not difficult for the New Alliance to earn 5 million chips within a year.
”No collateral?”
”What collateral do you need? We are here and we won’t run away.”
”What about the interest?”
”At most 2%, I don’t plan to talk about more.”
Hearing this number, Old Charlie’s eyebrows twisted up.
If he just thought Chu Guang was crazy just now,
then now he has begun to gradually think that it might be the Stone City that is crazy.
”…How could they agree to such conditions?”
Chu Guang said as a matter of course.
”Of course they will agree, because lending us money is definitely safer than lending to those ‘traveling merchants who don’t know if they can come back’ and ‘factories that may go bankrupt at any time’, and it is definitely more reliable than those residents who will definitely not be able to repay the loan.”
”Borrowing 200 million is because we only need this money at this stage. Believe me, after a few months, as long as we ask, they will be eager to send us more money.” Can
sovereign debt be the same as personal debt?
Is the repayment ability of the New Alliance comparable to that of ordinary survivors?
It won’t be long before the City Hall and banks of Boulder City will find out what a smart decision it is to lend money to the New Alliance!
The stimulating effect of flooding the economy is comparable to morphine.
This thing not only works quickly, but also has a strong effect. One injection can produce immediate results. The only disadvantage is that it is addictive and will develop drug resistance if used too much.
This sounds like opium.
And in fact, it is.
However, the over-issuance is chips, not silver coins. Does it have much to do with the New Alliance?
The exchange rate will definitely be affected, but the purchasing power of the currency will also change at that time. He can only change the exchange rate.
When the chips depreciate, the debt he owes will also shrink. The purchasing power of 200 million chips in the future may only be equivalent to 20 million now.
Although this is a win-win solution, Chu Guang has never discussed with the people of Giant Stone City how many times they have won.
Chu Guang did not tell them.
This seemingly win-win solution, in addition to the risk of the debt itself, actually hides a huge hidden danger.
However, he had no obligation to proactively warn of the risks.
Who would mention the shortcomings of their own products first when introducing them?
Moreover, this was not something that would necessarily happen.
”…How do you plan to use the money?” Old Charlie asked after a moment of silence.
Chu Guang said concisely.
”It’s very simple. I will use those chips to mobilize the factories in Boulder City to help us build our city-state.” The first step is
to let those small and medium-sized factories in Boulder City that cannot be rolled up, as well as the new business elites with money but no status, come to Dawn City with technology, equipment and skilled workers to set up factories.
Now the first step has been taken.
The industrial products produced by the New Alliance are not only exported to Boulder City in reverse, but also make their condition worse.
Next is the second step.
He will give up a part of the cake that looks delicious, and at the same time use debt, employment and high-growth markets to firmly tie the banks, city halls and factories in Boulder City to the chariot of the New Alliance.
The ideal situation is that when the people of Boulder City finally realize that they are crawling from a small puddle to another bottomless pit, the cost of climbing out is so heavy that most people cannot accept it.
Of course, it is not easy to complete this task, and it must be done secretly and carefully.
However, if it succeeds.
This will be something that guns and cannons cannot do…
…
On the streets of Boulder City.
The protests continued until the evening.
Fang Chang, who was mixed in the crowd, followed the protesting crowd around the outer city.
After the crowd finally dispersed, he stared at the leaders with the loudest voices and the highest signs, and followed them into a dark alley.
Two burly men stood on the left and right, and in the middle was a well-dressed man who looked quite prestigious.
The reason why Fang Chang could tell that he had some status was because the leaders who had led the most violent riots before completely changed their expressions in front of him.
I saw that the faces of those people were wearing flattering smiles, and they took the fist-sized bags from the man with thousands of thanks.
The bulging bag was obviously filled with chips.
”…This is your reward. I will call you when I need you.” After handing out the money, Alec lit a cigarette and said casually.
”Thank you, sir!”
Nodding and bowing, McCann couldn’t wait to open the purse.
However, after counting them carefully, his face immediately became a little unnatural.
”Why are there only twenty pieces…”
It was clearly agreed to be fifty.
This is too much!
”You can get a week’s salary for free just by walking around the street. What else do you want?”
Alec didn’t even bother to look at him, and made an impatient gesture to drive him away.
”Get out of here.”
You are the only ones who need money.
Don’t I need to make a little money?
Thinking of the graceful dancers in the Queen of the Night bar, Alec’s heart couldn’t help but get hot.
It’s just a small fortune. Maybe I can go there for a drink and relax.
McCann looked embarrassed, but looking at the two strong men next to the man, he finally swallowed his anger.
The man in front of him is a close confidant of the boss of Weijia Trading Company, and he has more than a dozen thugs under his command.
And he is just a worker in a cannery, there is no way he can fight against such a big man…
Fang Chang, hiding in the shadows, secretly took a photo of this scene with an interested expression on his face.
Although he has long experienced the reality of “Wasteland OL”, he didn’t expect that even such details were made.
It seems that his speculation is correct.
There is indeed an invisible hand behind the demonstration against the New Alliance.
Almost at the same time as the photo was archived, a line of light blue pop-up windows appeared on VM’s screen.
[Mission (side quest): Track down the mastermind behind the warehouse arson case]
”…Warehouse arson case?”
What is that?
A trace of confusion appeared in Fang Chang’s eyes, followed by excitement.
I didn’t expect that I just followed here out of curiosity, but I actually triggered a hidden mission.
This is really a pleasant surprise!
The leaders who led the riots covered their pockets tightly and left the alley stealthily.
The three people who distributed the money stayed there for a while, talking and laughing, as if they were discussing something.
After about a cigarette, they finally reached a consensus and left from another direction.
Fang Chang followed them slowly, following them all the way to the most prosperous street near the inner city.
From the moment he entered this street, the style of the entire city changed.
Dazzling neon lights flashed on both sides of the street. Most of the pedestrians were graceful girls, mercenaries wearing expensive bionic prostheses, or businessmen in luxurious clothes, and even nobles in the inner city.
Their temperament was obviously different from that of ordinary people.
Compared with the outside world, this place is not like a wasteland at all, but more like a smaller version of a cyberpunk street.
Especially some time ago, the “cultural export” of the New Alliance to Boulder City made the original rustic clothing style here more “fashionable”.
Fang Chang is not unfamiliar with this place.
As a professional player, he is professional in exploring the map.
However, to his surprise, the three men did not take him to the lair of the mastermind, but stopped at the door of the Queen of the Night bar.
Fang Chang had a strange expression on his face, but he followed him in anyway.
Noisy music filled his ears.
Passing through the swaying lights and the crowded crowd, he quickly locked onto the three men at the booth near the bar.
Beer had been placed on the table in the middle of the sofa.
The man who had given money to the troublemakers was now holding a laughing dancer in his arms.
The two people sitting on the sofa next to him had obvious envy in their eyes.
But they could only envy him.
Fang Chang calmly walked to the bar next to him and sat down, ordered a glass of the cheapest wine, pretending to be a guest who came here to watch the show, but his eyes unconsciously moved towards the booth.
The noise here was noisy.
He couldn’t understand what those people were talking about, but he could record it and listen to it several times.
However, just when he was listening attentively, a strange voice suddenly came from the side.
”Are you here to drink…”
”Or are you here to find someone?”
…
Outside the Stone City.
Slums.
Old White, who was in disguise, took Killing Dagger and Dog Thing, and after some inquiries, they finally found the door of Blake’s house.
Unlike the shacks around, the whole house was made of bricks and cement.
It seems that even in the slums, there are rich and poor.
”…You must be careful, this is the territory of the Dagger Gang, and they don’t allow others to make trouble on their territory.”
For the sake of the two chips, the hunchbacked old man whispered something.
”Gangs still follow these rules?” Killing Dagger looked at the translation on the VM and raised his eyebrows in surprise.
There seems to be no difference between the gangs in the slums and the predators. The two often guest-starred in each other, which is no longer news.
Dog Thing said with a smile.
”Isn’t there a saying that if a group of criminals are exiled to an uninhabited island, they will most likely form a new country.”
Ignoring the two idiots who deserted, Lao Bai looked at the old man in front of him and nodded.
”Thank you for reminding me. It’s getting late. You should go home quickly.”
The old man nodded tremblingly, hunched his back, and turned away.
Looking at the house in front of him, Lao Bai went up and knocked on the door. He thought there would be no one inside, but he didn’t expect to hear footsteps behind the door. The person who
opened the door was a mature woman with a charming temperament. Her hair was light-colored, her clothes and makeup didn’t look like those of a poor person, and her expression was a little comfortable and lazy.
However, after seeing the people standing at the door, the pretty face immediately became alert.
These people were obviously not nearby residents, and they didn’t even look like people from Boulder City.
Her first reaction was that these people were here to seek revenge.
”…Who are you?”
Lao Bai said politely.
”We want to ask you about someone.”
The woman said nervously.
”Are you here to find Blake? He’s not here.”
Old White did not answer her question, but continued to ask.
”Who are you to him?”
The woman hesitated and said cautiously.
”Friend… We just met last week.”
Sha Bi and Gou Shiwu, who were fighting next to Old White, looked at each other and whispered to each other.
”Do you believe it?”
”I don’t believe it!”
Unable to understand what the two were talking about, the woman’s eyes gradually showed uneasiness and fear.
”… Who are you? What are you looking for that guy for?”
”It doesn’t matter who we are. As long as you answer my questions truthfully, we won’t embarrass you.”
As he said that, Old White took out a chip with a face value of 100 from his pocket and shook it in front of her.
”We will even pay you.”
Seeing this chip, the eyes that were previously filled with panic and fear now flashed a trace of unnoticeable greed.
Old White couldn’t help but think in his heart, maybe she was not lying, they really just met last week.
Looking around to make sure that no one noticed this place, the woman opened the door and her tone became much gentler.
”…Come in and talk.”
(End of this chapter)
