The man in front of them remained silent the entire time, as if everything happening around him was none of his business.
"Hmm? I won't get involved in your matters," the middle-aged man said, seeming surprised. He smiled and shook his head, then looked around at the others. "They've offered such generous terms. Why do you insist on borrowing from me?"
James, Blank, Mrs. Ziegler, and the others all exuded an almost imperceptible pressure. To some extent, the "Ten Overlords of the US" had taken human potential to its limits. The aura they gave off was naturally different from ordinary people. In a way, they were superhumans. Ordinary people would instinctively feel fear in their presence, even struggling to speak.
It was like a house dog seeing a tiger for the first time—terrified, trembling, and unable to escape once locked in the tiger's gaze.
However, the man in front of them was different. Although he carried an air of superiority, he still looked like an ordinary person. But the fact that he sat next to K.D, the person in charge, meant his status was anything but ordinary.
Even the young heirs of these powerful families had to give him some respect.
"As you said, even if I can provide you with a loan, you will still need to pay interest regularly. This might not be the best deal for you," the man said, smiling.
"True, it's not the best deal, but I trust you... no, I should say, I trust your background," Orson said, his eyes suddenly sharp as if he could see through someone completely.
The others shuddered involuntarily upon hearing this.
Mrs. Ziegler, though rejected, didn't show any anger. Instead, she and the others looked at the seemingly ordinary middle-aged man with renewed interest.
K.D laughed heartily, seemingly pleased, and looked at the man. "Mr. Carter, I told you, didn't I? This little guy is no ordinary person. Sometimes, when he looks at me, I get a little nervous."
"Any industry that can become number one in the world definitely isn't led by an ordinary person. That much is clear," Mr. Carter said, his eyes widening in surprise. He hadn't expected a young man's gaze to be so penetrating.
K.D continued, "Let me formally introduce him. For the special condition he's requesting, Mr. Carter has taken time out of his busy schedule to meet with us."
As Orson had guessed, this middle-aged man was indeed an ordinary person, but his identity was far from ordinary. He was the Deputy Minister of the U.S. Treasury—a high-ranking official!
People like him were so hard to meet that even the heads of the super families had to suck up to him. After all, where does the money come from in this world? It comes from the Treasury, printed and distributed by the government.
In a way, this man represented the will of the country. No matter how powerful or wealthy the families were, living in the U.S. meant they had to obey the state's rules. This was the power of the national machine.
At that moment, both Mr. Carter and Orson were unsettled inside.
Mr. Carter composed himself and asked, "I'd like to know, what is your goal in all of this?"
"I was abandoned by my parents and grew up in an orphanage, so I have benefited from the country. I'm a patriot," Orson said with a sly smile.
Blank shot him a contemptuous glance and said, "Hmph, you can fool others, but you can't fool me. If you were a true patriot, shouldn't you be offering services to Radiant Shuttle for free?"
"I'm not joking. What's wrong with being patriotic? Don't you all love your country?" Orson replied casually, then began to size up the heirs of the families present. Mrs. Ziegler and Mr. Roberts subtly avoided his gaze, their expressions changing.
This little brat! Orson had hit a nerve. Patriotism was the foundation of the U.S., but for these families, their personal interests came first, and they couldn't handle the scrutiny.
"That statement is a bit forced, don't you think?" Mr. Carter chuckled awkwardly, though Orson's righteous demeanor was hard to read.
"No, it's actually quite reasonable. I'm in urgent need of money, so Mr. Carter, please speed up the process," Orson said, raising his hand as if demanding the money right there.
The group was left dumbfounded. Was this really happening? Borrowing money from the government ? He looked like he was about to throw a tantrum if he didn't get what he wanted!
Mr. Carter looked awkward as he was about to speak, but Orson immediately cut him off. "Don't tell me about all the procedures, or how long it's going to take. I want the money within three hours."
Mr. Carter, caught off guard, closed his mouth.
Orson couldn't help but laugh inwardly. It was common knowledge that any government loan involved a mountain of paperwork. By the time all the procedures were done, it could take years.
"Orson, can I speak with you privately?" K.D quickly pulled Orson aside and lowered his voice. "Do you realize this approach might... be inappropriate?"
"No, I think it's very reasonable. As a U.S. citizen, I work for the country, and the country should work for me," Orson said seriously, as if K.D needed to raise his political awareness.
K.D was speechless. He didn't understand what Orson was trying to accomplish.
What Orson had asked for was simple: no private funds, just government money with normal interest repayments. This was also a test for him.
He wanted to gauge how much the U.S. government valued the game Infinite Dimensions, and whether they would place any bets on him, a U.S. player. He also wanted to see if they had already made any special precautions.
Orson knew that if he tried to warn the authorities about the coming apocalypse, they would likely dismiss him as a lunatic. After all, who would believe in Heaven Demon or the gods? Certainly not the U.S. think tank.
After a while, Mr. Carter excused himself, claiming he needed to use the restroom. But as he turned to leave, Orson saw him start making phone calls.
What he was discussing wasn't clear, and Orson didn't care. If the money arrived on time, it would reveal a lot of information.
Mrs. Ziegler stood up and smiled at Orson, saying, "Orson, you wouldn't just abandon me, would you?"
Mr. Roberts spoke up next, "I think we still have room to negotiate. Let's be clear—Infinite Dimensions is an undeveloped gold mine. There's a chance for a win-win partnership here."
As Mr. Carter rose, the heirs of the other families panicked. The loan amounts dropped drastically, and over half of the money turned into non-repayable investments.
Orson smiled slightly, shaking his head and rejecting all offers. "Friendship can be cultivated slowly. As for the investments, I won't accept them."
Once again, the room fell silent, as the group realized they couldn't give away the money they were holding onto.
Orson was very clear-headed. There were no free lunches. Even if they offered him money with no strings attached, accepting it would tie him down later. That wasn't something he wanted.
"Digging your own hole and filling it yourself! Go back and see how your father deals with you!" Blank glared at James in frustration.
The two of them exchanged a few words.
Soon, James, face darkening, approached and said, "Mr. Carter won't set a precedent for you, so you should give up on that idea. The Bruce Family can give you 10 billion in one go!"
Finally, the proud young man had been pushed to the edge.
"Give it to me for free? Is that really happening?" Orson smiled faintly and sighed. "I don't dare to take it, nor do I want to."
Sometimes, not being able to give away money becomes a significant problem. This was quite amusing.
James was furious. "Damn it! You're teasing my sister, are you asking for a beating?" he yelled.
"That money? You're going to take it whether you want to or not!" James shouted, fuming with anger.
Orson was stunned—he had never seen someone force money .
James slammed his hand down on the table with a loud bang, causing one corner of it to break off, sending a shockwave that left Orson's cheek stinging.
Was this a martial arts killing move?
Orson's shock faded quickly, replaced by a cold glare.
But before he could speak, Mrs. Ziegler calmly stood up, her seductive figure turning heads as she smiled at Orson. "How about we start building our relationship from this moment on?"