Chapter 270
There was no reason to wake up early unless there were benefits involved.
Zhang Yapin knew that without enough benefits, even if Jiang Chen recognized their cause, it would be more of a verbal support rather than financial aid.
Compared with the idealists within the organization, Zhang Yapin was a firm believer in the concept of there is no free lunch in the world.
Only with enough potential gain could they tie the businessman onto their ship.
Only if he knew that Johnny International was funded by Jiang Chen and a puppet created by Robert.
“Benefits? For example?” Jiang Chen pretended to be interested. He put the coffee down and waited for Zhang Yapin to continue.
“I heard that Mr. Jiang has 7000 square meters of warehouses on Pannu Islands, as well as an export company right?” Zhang Yapin took a deep breath as his fingers crossed. He spoke quite calmly and collectedly.
“That’s right, it is not a secret.” Jiang Chen smiled.
After he had acquired Xinlong Food Processing Plant, he urged Zheng Hongjie to acquire the rights for export and import. Then Jiang Chen created a shell company with only five employees at Pannu Islands and purchased warehouses totaling 7000 square meters to store goods.
By moving goods from his left hand to his right hand, the company massively purchased canned food from Xinlong. At the same time ordering dairy and grain products from the farms in New Zealand and Australia. Parts of these goods were sold locally while other items were stored waiting for Jiang Chen to transport them back to the apocalypse.
In Pannu Islands, Jiang Chen owned around one million USD in assets.
“Since Mr. Jiang has invested in Pannu Islands, then it must mean you have confidence in Pannu Islands’ future, am I right?” Zhang Yapin gradually advanced his narrative.
“That’s right. Perhaps you can get to your point,” Jiang Chen leaned on his chair and said.
Zhang Yapin scanned the coffee shop. When he saw that other than the two of them, there was only the waitress at the front desk playing with her phone, he proceeded with a mysterious tone.
“We need around one million USD in support. This amount of money will be returned in the form of land to you after we successfully fulfill our political cause.”
“How big is the land?” Jiang Chen smiled.
“One square kilometer of land located on the Coro main island,” Zhang Yapin said in pain.
One square kilometer of land with a cost of one million? It was the equivalent of one dollar per square meter. It was beyond cheap. Almost to the point of being a form of reparation payment.
But to this suggestion, Jiang Chen was still not pleased.
“Unfortunately, although I feel sympathetic to the Pannu people’s situation, I am not interested in your proposal.” Jiang Chen shook his head.
“What! One dollar per square kilometer, this price is not-” Zhang Yapin stood up with his eyes widened.
Jiang Chen raised his hand and quietly pointed to the front desk.
The waitress at the front desk already stopped playing with her phone as she looked in their direction curiously.
Realizing he was too emotional, Zhang Yapin immediately closed his mouth, took a deep breath and sat back down in his chair.
Although they were in New Zealand, and not Pannu, it was better to keep sensitive political movements quiet.
Seeing that Zhang Yapin had calmed down, Jiang Chen nodded, rather pleased.
While the Liberal party was probably an organization formed by a few university students fighting passionately for the citizens, it was considered an amateur group both in size and professionalism. However, it indeed possessed investment value.
Being young was okay. The founding father of Hua, Sun Zhongshan, was also young and he still managed to accomplish greater deeds before it benefited Yuan Shikai.
“What is Mr. Jiang not pleased about? We can discuss,” Zhang Yapin said sincerely.
The waitress not far away saw that there was no more drama to watch, so she looked back down at the table and began to play with her phone again out of boredom.
“First, my total investment value in Pannu Islands is only one million USD, and I am only prepared to invest this amount.” Jiang Chen leaned in his chair as he smiled. “If Johnny International completes the development of Pannu Islands, the value of land would exponentially raise. Therefore, I don’t mind the profitability of my assets. I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but all my assets in Pannu Islands are operating at a loss.”
The average income of Pannu Islands was low. Therefore, buying power was limited. While they have a wealth of tourism, it would be an endless pit to develop all those resources.
“That UA citizen is a scumbag. He is the bloodsucker riding on top of the Pannu people,” Zhang Yapin cursed in a low voice.
“That’s right, but regardless if he is a scumbag or not, he is indeed rich, and spending for Pannu Islands.” Jiang Chen smiled at Zhang Yapin and then paused before he continued, ” Have you considered one problem?”
“What problem?”
“If Johnny International didn’t spend money investing in basic infrastructure and developing tourist resources, do you think the 7000 square meters of land has any upsides?” Jiang Chen said expressionlessly.
Zhang Yapin was shocked as his face began to sour.
If Jiang Chen was waiting for his land to appreciate, there was no reason for him to fund them to get rid of that UA citizen.
From the start, Jiang Chen only said that he was compassionate of their cause, but he never suggested he would fund them for their cause.
There was a difference between ideology and reality. Jiang Chen was only an outsider, he had no reason to pay the bills for Pannu’s suffering.
“Then… we don’t have anything we can talk about.” Zhang Yapin struggled to say. The smile on his face was bitter.
The trip to New Zealand was futile.
But just as he felt disappointed with the uncertain future, Jiang Chen lit up another lamp named hope in front of his eyes.
“It is the complete opposite.” Jiang Chen shook his head and smiled. “I think we have a lot more we can talk about.”
Zhang Yapin’s eyes widened as he looked at Jiang Chen in disbelief.
“But didn’t you say-”
Jiang Chen took a sip of the already cooled coffee and said.
“I am only saying your plan is not enough to attract me, but I never rejected the possibility of a partnership between us. For example, you can tell me, if you had one million in support, what would you do with it?”
When he heard Jiang Chen ask about the specific plan of the Freedom party, Zhang Yapin realized that there may still be a turning point for this as he immediately raised his chest and spoke with confidence.
“We will use this one million to develop members in the Pannu army. At the same time, we will organize citizens unjustly treated as well as farmers with their lands taken away from them to launch a strike and protest to force the current regime to compromise, punish the corrupted officials, and drive away the reckless Johnny International…” To the last bit, Zhang Yapin awkwardly stopped.
If they drove away Johnny International, it didn’t seem to fit Jiang Chen’s interest.
“If you get rid of Johnny International, then what?” Jiang Chen laughed. “Continue to live the poor life? Wait to find a new investor?”
Zhang Yapin shifted his gaze before he promised, “We can transfer Johnny International’s interest to you.”
When he heard the naïve response, Jiang Chen laughed and shook his head.
“Who do you think you are? The current regime? One million USD? Johnny International probably bribed the president more than just that amount! And you are thinking of buying the army? Stop dreaming. Your promise is only an empty promise, it can never be fulfilled.
Jiang Chen was cut throat.
Zhang Yapin held his breath.
He lowered his head as he slowly said.
“Then in your opinion, what kind of partnership would you be satisfied with?”
A smile appeared on Jiang Chen’s face. He was waiting for this sentence.
“Strike? Protest? Those things won’t solve any problems, only the elected government would be fearful of public opinion. I can say with confidence that if the Freedom party still holds the unrealistic thought of solving problems politically, then only cruel suppression awaits you!”
“Our president is elected,” Zhang Yapin tried to rebuke.
“But he has been corrupted!” Jiang Chen stared into his eyes as he used a manipulative tone.
“He is not the president you elected from before.”
“If he, the scum called Edward, is in an election now, would you vote for him?”
“Or, do you think he is willing to give up the interest in his hand now and participate in an election?”
“Presidential republic? Face reality, it is a dictatorship right now!”
“Vote, protest, those won’t save you. The only thing that will save you are bullets!”
Jiang Chen’s words were like hammers as it swung directly into Zhang Yapin’s heart and shattered any remaining hope for the current regime. Before he joined the Liberal party, he was a top student who graduated from New Zealand’s Auckland University, the few that were educated on the Pannu Islands.
When he saw that the current regime had compromised with the foreign capital and worked together to suppress his fellow countrymen, he was furious.
With passion, a few young people with different education backgrounds but the same ideology formed together to create the Pannu Liberal party. The goal was to protect the rights and interests of the citizen and eliminate the current situation where the government and the foreign capital worked together.
It was difficult to fight for their cause, but a lot of Pannu people stood by their side. Because of this, he saw the hope of resolving the problem peacefully.
But as Jiang Chen said, this route was unsuccessful to begin with.
“Military uprising?” Zhang Yapin mustered to himself as another kind of flame lit up in his eyes.
“That’s right, the only solution to change the current circumstance is military resistance. From the opposing party to the anti-government force,” Jiang Chen continued to spread this dangerous thought to the young man.
“But, this is unconstitutional-”
“Your president is unconstitutional, don’t tell me accepting bribes is within the constitution of Pannu.”
“But, people will die in a civil war,” Zhang Yapin gulped as he said with difficulty.
“There is no revolution without bleeding; there is no peace without sacrifice,” Jiang Chen stared straight into his eyes as he said decisively.
“But-”
“There is not but,” Jiang Chen interrupted him.
“You only have one choice. Blood in exchange for freedom, or bleed dry in compromise.”