novellhall Chapter 9: The Final Ultimatum of Billions in Debt
Chapter 9: The Final Ultimatum of Billions in Debt
Today should have been the day that "Yunnan Jade" was officially listed and established, and also the day that Lin Yu announced to all creditors that "the Lin family is making a comeback".
"Mr. Lin, the accounts have been reconciled." The CFO held up a report, his hands trembling with excitement. "After deducting operating funds and taxes, we currently have 102 million in available working capital. This doesn't even include those few prized possessions we've been hoarding."
"Okay." Lin Yu nodded, a hint of weariness in his eyes, but more so a sense of relief. "Pass the word: a press conference will be held in half an hour. I want to announce publicly that the Lin Group's first 1 billion yuan debt will be repaid today, 100 million yuan of which will be paid off."
"That's fantastic! Young Master Lin, you've really blown the sky out of the Ruili jade gambling industry!" Several veteran jade merchants nearby gave a thumbs up. "With this 100 million as a safety net, the remaining 900 million can be paid off slowly. Nobody will dare to pressure us anymore."
Lin Yu smiled and was about to speak when the office door was suddenly kicked open.
"Pay back debts? Pay back what debts?"
A group of men dressed in black suits, their faces menacing, stormed in. The bald man in the lead twirled a golf club in his hand, his cold eyes sweeping over the group before finally settling on Lin Yu.
"Zhao Long?" Lin Yu frowned slightly. This was Zhao Kun's older brother, and also the real mastermind behind that billion-dollar loan.
"Lin Yu, long time no see." Zhao Long sneered, slamming a document onto the champagne-strewn table. "Where's my brother? Didn't he go to Myanmar with you to make a fortune?"
A sense of foreboding rose in Lin Yu's heart: "Zhao Kun? He's not with you? He's wanted by Interpol in Myanmar for smuggling cultural relics and illegal detention. What, you, as his older brother, didn't know?"
"Bullshit!" Zhao Long slammed his fist on the table, his face contorted with rage. "My brother's phone has been switched off for three days! And we just received news from the bank that the 500 million yuan in cash that was held as collateral in a Swiss bank was transferred out overnight! The recipient... is a shell company overseas!"
The office fell into a deathly silence.
Su Yuqing gasped, "You mean... Zhao Kun ran off with the money?"
"This couldn't possibly be Zhao Kunqian's," Lin Yu calmly analyzed. "He's already been arrested in Myanmar, how could he possibly use overseas funds?"
"Hmph, you'll find out soon enough whether you're behind this or not." Zhao Long grinned maliciously and pulled out another document from his pocket. "Since Zhao Kun has run away, you, as the guarantor, will have to bear the full amount of this 1 billion debt contract! According to the contract, the interest doubles for every day overdue. Today is the deadline."
Lin Yu took the document and quickly scanned it. His expression grew increasingly grim.
[Ding! Host is facing a debt crisis.]
[Task Status: Failed.]
[Reason: Major creditor Zhao Kun has gone missing, leading to a break in the debt chain.]
[System determination: Task not fully performed.]
[Penalty: Debt doubled. Current total outstanding amount updated to—2 billion.]
"Two billion..." Lin Yu looked at the bright red number on the system panel and felt a chill run straight to the top of his head.
"What? Can't come up with it?" Zhao Long smiled smugly, waving his hand. The men in black behind him immediately surrounded him. "Lin Yu, I know you scraped together a hundred million today. But what good is that? Either pay me back now, or... this shop, and this Miss Su beside you, will be our collateral."
"Stop!" Lin Yu suddenly raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "I will pay back the money. But not now, and not in this way."
"Oh? Still being stubborn even when death is imminent?" Zhao Long swung his club. "Smash him! Let's see how long he can keep up this act!"
"Wait a minute."
Lin Yu suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.
He walked up to Zhao Long, looking him straight in the eye: "Zhao Long, Zhao Kun absconded with the money, so your Zhao family's cash flow has dried up too, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be in such a hurry to collect the debt. You're even more short of money than I am now, aren't you?"
Zhao Long's pupils contracted, and his expression changed slightly: "What nonsense are you talking about!"
"I'm not lying." Lin Yu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Since you're in such a hurry for money, let's gamble big. There are still three months until the Myanmar jade auction opens. If I can win the 'top bid' at the auction, I'll pay back the 2 billion yuan, principal and interest, all at once. If I don't... Yunnan jade is yours, and I'll do whatever I want with it."
"The top bidder at the Myanmar jade auction?" Zhao Long exclaimed as if he'd heard the biggest joke in the world. "Lin Yu, are you crazy? That's where the world's top jade gamblers gather! Many established jewelers wouldn't dare claim to be the top bidder, so what makes you think you can?"
"Based on this."
Lin Yu pointed to his eyes.
[Ding! Host has initiated a high-risk bet, activating special mission: King of the Myanmar Auction.]
[Task: Win the most valuable jadeite rough stone (the top lot) at the Myanmar jadeite auction three months later.]
[Reward: Debt cleared (2 billion), unlocks the "Grandmaster Treasure Appraisal" skill, and begins the "Emerald Empire" chapter.]
[Failure Penalty: The host will be eliminated by the system, and the Yunnan Jadeite will be transferred to someone else's name.]
"So? Dare to bet?" Lin Yu pressed on, "Even if you smash up my shop now, you won't get much money. This gamble gives you a chance to win back your losses, maybe even more. Zhao Kun ran away; someone has to take the blame for this, right?"
Zhao Long's expression was uncertain. He desperately needed funds to fill the hole left by Zhao Kun. If he could win the top bid in the public auction, he could not only recover his losses but also wash away the Zhao family's shame.
"Fine!" Zhao Long gritted his teeth. "Lin Yu, you've asked for it! See you at the Myanmar jade auction in three months. If you don't win the top bid, you can expect to disappear from this industry completely!"
Zhao Long and his men left in anger.
Silence returned to the office, but the atmosphere was even more oppressive than before.
"Lin Yu, you're being too impulsive!" Su Yuqing's eyes reddened with anxiety. "The top bids at the Myanmar jade auctions often involve hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars going unsold, and the risks are extremely high. How are we supposed to prepare for these three months?"
Lin Yu looked at the gloomy sky outside the window and clenched his fist.
"If we don't take this gamble, we're finished today." Lin Yu turned around, his eyes burning with fierce fire. "Since the system has set a hurdle of two billion for me, let's use that two billion as the stake. News has come from Acha that although Zhao Kun has been arrested, there are clues about where the money went—it's in Myanmar."
He picked up the car keys from the table, turned around, and walked towards the door.
"Let's go, pack our things. We can't stay in Ruili any longer. Starting today, everyone's heading to Myanmar! We're going to take back everything we've lost, with interest, on that crazy land!"