Chapter 58: You Only Have Thirty Million? I Lent Out One Hundred Million!

Eagle Country, Florida.

Compared to his glorious appearance just over a month ago, Li Batian looked significantly more disheveled now.

"Boss, our last factory in California was raided yesterday, and we didn't even have time to evacuate the stockpiled raw materials!"

Yamayama Ryongjing sighed softly beside him and said helplessly.

Li Batian raised his head, his face extremely haggard, with deep, dark circles around his eyes.

Clearly, his days hadn't been easy these past couple of days either.

He had been operating in Eagle Country for many years, making a name for himself as a notorious drug lord, and dealing exclusively in US dollars!

He had long since accumulated vast wealth, but...

Ever since he lent money to Zhang Youqian a little over a month ago, Li Batian suddenly felt as though his luck had plummeted to rock bottom.

Nothing was going right anymore!

First, several tons of his shipped 'goods' were seized by the FBI, and then all of his manufacturing plants were raided and shut down!

"Damn Zhang Youqian!"

Li Batian cursed under his breath.

Just like Niu Youde, he naturally could no longer get in touch with Zhang Youqian.

Moreover, due to the great distance, news of Zhang Youqian's arrest had not yet reached him.

"Boss, that hundred million you lent to that guy last time—you need to get it back right now! We only have a few million left under our command! We won't even be able to pay the salaries soon!"

Yamayama Ryongjing said with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

Li Batian's face darkened. 'Is it that I don't want to get it back? Right now, damn it, I can't even get in touch with Zhang Youqian!'

"This is simply impossible! That punk would never dare to double-cross me! What on earth has happened?!"

"Boss, no matter what, we have to scrape together some money. If we fail to pay those people on time, they might..."

Yamayama Ryongjing reminded him with a hurried tone.

The subordinates working under them were all ruthless outlaws!

In this line of work in Eagle Country, even the lowest-level street-level dealers faced mortal danger at any moment!

Because when they went out on 'business,' if they happened to be spotted by the police...

White guys had it slightly better, but if they were African American, they might get riddled with bullets on the spot!

Facing such immense pressure every day, if their wages were delayed, those guys were truly capable of anything!

"This..."

Li Batian wore a hesitant look; of course he knew all of this.

But... he genuinely had no cash on hand!

Over the years, he had indeed bought luxury mansions all over the place, but the current scrutiny was too intense. The moment he stepped forward to sell those properties, he would likely attract the attention of the FBI!

"Boss, if we can't come up with the money, then... our only option is to abandon this place and go on the run!"

Yamayama Ryongjing said helplessly.

"No!"

Suddenly, Li Batian thought of someone!

"My second brother is peerless... no, wait! My second brother runs a scam compound in the Golden Triangle."

"Over the years, with organ trafficking, human smuggling, and gambling... he must have stashed away a fortune!"

"I can ask him to borrow money!"

He thought of his second brother, Niu Youde, who ran compounds in the Golden Triangle.

Although Niu Youde's business didn't rake in as much cash as his own drug trade, it had the advantage of stability.

Having operated for so many years, Niu Youde must have made hundreds of millions. Asking him to borrow a few tens of millions should be an absolute breeze, right?

Thinking of this, Li Batian took out his phone, just about to call Niu Youde.

The other party's call came through first!

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Li Batian muttered with a sigh, answering the call.

"Big Brother!"

"Second Brother!"

"Big Brother!"

"Second Brother!"

After some polite pleasantries, just as Li Batian was about to bring up borrowing money, he heard Niu Youde's voice coming through the phone, tinged with a crying tone:

"Big Brother! You've been operating in Eagle Country for so many years, but your little brother is facing a massive crisis right now and I have no money left!"

"You need to lend me ten million first!"

Li Batian's gaze went blank, and he felt like this script was painfully familiar: 'Damn it! Isn't this the exact script I had prepared to say?!'

After a prolonged silence, Li Batian narrowed his eyes, seemingly realizing something, and tentatively asked the person on the other end of the line:

"Second Brother... did you also invest in Zhang Youqian?"

Given that Niu Youde was broke, and connecting it to his own miserable plight, Li Batian instantly figured out where all of his money had gone.

Hearing this, Niu Youde froze for a moment.

Then it dawned on him! He cried out in shock:

"Big Brother, you lent money to that punk too?!"

"As expected!" Li Batian gritted his teeth! Niu Youde's words directly confirmed his earlier suspicion!

Zhang Youqian that little punk had been borrowing from both ends!

He specifically targeted and fleeced his own sworn brothers?!

"How much did you lend him?" Li Batian asked in a muffled voice.

"Thirty million!" Niu Youde replied with extreme regret.

"Thirty million? You only lent thirty million?! I damn well lent that punk a hundred million!"

Li Batian roared in helpless fury!

"Can you still get in touch with that punk?"

"Zhang Youqian was arrested by the Chinese police last night!"

"Oh?" Li Batian frowned deeply, and asked again, "What was he arrested for?"

"This... you probably won't believe it when I tell you."

"Huh?" Li Batian grew even more puzzled, "What on earth did he do?!"

Niu Youde took a deep breath: "Last night, he ordered his subordinates to kidnap the Deputy Director of the Provincial Public Security Department and the Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau within Chinese territory!"

Li Batian's mouth slowly drifted open, his gaze went blank, and his entire face was covered in question marks!

"What? How the hell did he dare?!"

He had thought his second brother was already bold enough, but it turned out... his third brother was even more hardcore!

That is insanely badass!

A moment later, Li Batian finally snapped out of his shock.

Wiping away a non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, he asked in a deep voice:

"What about his money then?"

"It's all been lent out." Niu Youde sighed, spilling everything he knew: "..."

"Most of it was lent to villagers in mainland China from a village called Tazhai and another called Mang Village?"

Li Batian frowned deeply.

That was his money!

Over a hundred million!

Could he just let it go and write it off just because Zhang Youqian got locked up?

"Since we can't get it back from Zhang Youqian, then... we'll go collect it ourselves!"

A cold gleam flashed in Li Batian's eyes as he spoke coldly!

If it were in the past, he probably would have swallowed the bitter pill and clenched his teeth to let it go, after all, those villages were in China, and the risks were far too high.

But things were different now! That one hundred million was his straw to clutch at! No matter how high the risk, he had to figure out a way to get it back!

Death was certain either way, so he might as well take a desperate gamble.

Besides: 'It is only natural to pay back debts!'

'They are merely farmers from two villages, what skills could they possibly have? Victory is on my side!'