"Mr. Zhang, I don't understand what you mean," said Moan, "We in California have always maintained a good relationship with your country and have never interfered with any principled issues. Where does this talk of 'forcing' come from?
"Minister Moan, don't be anxious. You might not be aware of this matter since you are from the economic sector and not the legal system, so it's understandable that you might not be in the know. But, perhaps you could first take a look at the recent news from Huaxia before we continue."
"A few days ago, your country, through connections, rescued a scumbag from Huaxia who had committed some very infuriating acts. However, because he had your country's nationality, some people had him sent back to your country and even got rid of all his responsibilities. This has really upset me!"
"Goddammit, who the hell did this?" Moan cursed to himself in his heart.
The legal system screwed up, and now it's up to those in the economic system to clean up the mess? If he found out who was behind this, he'd skin them alive!
What era is it that people dare to assist someone whom Zhang Menglong is dealing with?
"Mr. Zhang, rest assured, I will certainly coordinate all relationships to deal with this matter. If there truly is such a scumbag, it would be a disgrace to us Californians!"
"You have three days. If I can see a satisfactory result, those factories will be reinstated, and I will use my funds to help you stabilize the bank interest rates, and even solve your inflation problems."
"Really?" For one person to save a country's economy seemed like a joke, but now anyone with a bit of sense wouldn't doubt Zhang Menglong's words.
It had been revealed that he had assets worth 10 trillion US dollars. With assets of such a scale, it was easy to either bring a country to its knees or revive it, depending on his willingness.
"But if I don't see that result," Zhang Menglong sneered, "I'll prepare 10 trillion US dollars in cash and dump it directly into your foreign exchange market. I remember your foreign exchange market only has a little over a trillion US dollars in it, right?"
This was an outright threat.
California's currency market wasn't very active, but what did 10 trillion US dollars mean?
With the right moves, just two to three trillion US dollars could trigger a slaughter on America's Wall Street, taking away a massive amount of capital.
With 10 trillion US dollars, even a third-rate team could easily empty California's currency market.
Their national debt was already worrisome, and if such a scenario occurred, the issue with bank interest rates wouldn't just be about a few percentage points—it would be whether the banks had any money to lend, or if they could even survive.
The average citizen's debt ratio could increase several times overnight, and bankrupting half the country's people and factories in one night wouldn't be impossible!
And all this hung on a single thought from Zhang Menglong!
"10 trillion US dollars in funds, in cash!" Moan was close to tears.
Are the people at Forbes Magazine idiots? Who said Zhang Menglong only had 10 trillion US dollars in total assets? The man could casually throw around 10 trillion US dollars in liquid cash, so tell me, wouldn't his total assets be closer to forty or fifty trillion US dollars, if not more?
"Mr. Zhang, please don't worry, I'll immediately arrange for someone to investigate this matter. Since this person committed the crime in Huaxia, he is a criminal of Huaxia, and thus, a criminal of California—he absolutely should not go unpunished!"
Zhang Menglong almost laughed at this sudden pledge, "You're not even going to investigate if he actually did anything wrong? What if our people made a mistake?"
"No need to investigate; it's definitely his fault. If it's not his fault, then it's California's fault!"
"Such a bootlicker!" Moan's sycophantic attitude left Zhang Menglong truly at a loss for words. What more could he say when the man was being so obsequious?
"Then I will wait for the news from Minister Moan."
"Assistant! Assistant?" Moan called out loudly.
"Minister? Are you off work yet? I'll arrange a car for you."
"Off work? No one is allowed to leave today. I need you to investigate something at top speed," Mo An said, "Has anyone from the judicial system recently used any national resources?"
By the way, who has been deported back to America from Huaxia recently?"
The assistant's face flickered with unease, making sure no one was around before he said, "Minister, are you referring to the incident with Hu Bufen?"
Hu Bufen? A Huaxia national? How could he be deported back to our California?" Mo An was puzzled.
"Hu Bufen is just a name in Huaxia; his real name is Chris, the son of the second-in-command at our Prime Minister's Office," the assistant explained, "It seems he ran into some trouble with his endeavors in Huaxia and was deported back to California and managed to have his charges dropped through some connections."
"Old Chris dares to do such a thing?"
"Shh!" the assistant said, "Minister, even though they are the second-in-command, they are still powerful people from that place. We in the finance department have no dealings with them, and we'd best not provoke them!"
"Idiot, do you know that our country's economy is now in crisis because of those two bastards, big and small?" Mo An said, "Has he also become senile, not realizing the kind of trouble his son has gotten into?"
"Minister, do you know what caused those recent incidents?"
"It was Zhang Menglong's doing!" Mo An said helplessly, "And he said if this matter isn't resolved, he will bring 10 trillion US dollars to sweep our market. Do you think Old Chris has enough heads to take responsibility for this?"
"Is this Zhang Menglong related to those victims?" Mo An asked.
"Not at all," the assistant shook his head. In order not to allow Old Chris's son to be tried in Huaxia, he paid for an entire Huaxia airplane's tickets to prevent him from coming out. It was Old Chris who used his connections to pick him up by plane."
"Idiot! Doesn't he know how stubborn Zhang Menglong is in his dealings?" Mo An slammed the table, "10 trillion US dollars! 10 trillion! It could cripple our national economy from just the impact. This man is a monster, a deep chill!"
"Minister, what should we do?"
"Get all the information together; we're going straight to the Prime Minister tonight! We might not be able to handle Old Chris, but he surely can!"
"What? Zhang Menglong? Him again?" Upon hearing the news, that person in California couldn't stay calm either.
"How should we deal with it?" Mo An sighed, "Zhang Menglong is only giving us three days, or he'll crush us with 10 trillion US dollars. If that money hits, our country's inflation rate would increase by several times in the short term!"
"What three days? It will be too late to deal with it in three days! Clean this up tonight! Can our country afford to offend Zhang Menglong? Who can afford to? Call him back immediately."
"But... what should I say to him?" Mo An asked.
"Old Chris, relieved of his duties and dealt with! Let him reflect in prison!"
"What about Old Chris's son?"
"What charges did Huaxia press against him?"
"Drug trafficking, rape..."
"Whatever charges Huaxia has pressed, we'll press the same here. If Zhang Menglong is still not satisfied, just ask him directly what he wants, and I'll add it on! If these offenses don't carry a sentence in our country, then change the nation's criminal law!"