Zhao Tianyi smiled as he looked at Chu Junlin. "Young Master Chu, don't be impatient. We're not done yet."
He pulled out another document. "This here is about how you sent people to pressure Zhou Ran into withdrawing from the competition, forcing the production crew to adjust their filming schedule at the last minute and incurring an extra twenty million in production costs. Zhou Ran also suffered online harassment because of it—five million in emotional distress damages."
"In addition, your company Star Media has a long history of financial fraud and tax evasion, seriously disrupting order in the financial markets. My client, as an investor in Hong Kong stocks, suffered massive losses because of your fraudulent activities... Let's call that a hundred million."
"And... thirty million."
"Eight million..."
"..."
Finally, Zhao Tianyi pulled out a calculator and started tapping away, the relentless sound of numbers adding up making Chu Junlin's heart sink with dread.
After quickly tallying everything up, he said to Chu Junlin, "After the final calculation, the total amount you need to compensate comes to roughly one billion seven hundred forty-three million. That number doesn't sound very nice, so let me just shave off the odd bits—you can pay eighteen billion instead."
Chu Junlin: "???"
That's what he calls shaving off the odd bits? He just added over fifty million to the total!
Why don't you just go rob a bank?!
"You... this is blackmail and extortion! I'll call the police! I'll have you arrested!"
Zhao Tianyi stood up, walked over to Chu Junlin, and patted him on the shoulder, whispering in his ear, "Young Master Chu, at your age, you're still talking like a child. Don't you know you need evidence to back up your words? Blackmail and extortion? My claims are all well-documented and justified. This is called exercising one's legal rights, understand?"
Then he pulled his lawyer's license from his pocket and flashed it in front of Chu Junlin's face. "Take a good look. Official, fully licensed, issued by the Ministry of Justice."
Chu Junlin: "..."
I'm not blind, dammit!
"Young Master Chu, I'll say it again—if you really don't accept this, we can take it to court."
"But let me warn you: once this goes to court, some things won't have any room for negotiation anymore. At that point, it won't just be eighteen billion you owe. Your Star Media will be forced into bankruptcy and liquidation, and you personally could face criminal charges."
"Oh, and I almost forgot—you still owe our Young Lady a hundred billion from that bet, plus the hole of nearly a hundred billion you've dug yourself. That adds up to about two hundred billion, doesn't it? Can you even fill that?"
"The Young Lady doesn't want to take things too far. As long as you pay the eighteen billion, she might consider letting you off the hook."
"Think it over carefully. I'll be going now."
With that, Zhao Tianyi stood up, straightened his suit, and turned to leave.
Just as he reached the door, he stopped and looked back. "Oh, right—the men you sent to grab Lin Ya are all in my custody. Under the law, they're looking at charges of illegal detention and picking quarrels and provoking trouble... I can absolutely send them away for a few years. But Miss Liu is generous. As long as you pay up, we'll release them."
"Also, Ma Qingliu and several other senior executives at your company are already under our control. They're facing charges of financial fraud, tax evasion, and coercing artists... Add all that up, and it's enough to put them behind bars for over a decade. If you want to bail them out, that's not impossible..."
He paused, then added three final words: "It'll cost extra."
Chu Junlin almost spat out blood at those last words.
Extra?
Are you a lawyer or a kidnapper?
After Zhao Tianyi left, the office fell into a deathly silence.
Chu Junlin, as if drained of all strength, collapsed onto the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling with lifeless eyes.
Eighteen billion!
He'd already lost nearly a hundred billion today just defending his stock price, and now he had to pay another eighteen billion.
The funds raised by the Junlin Association were almost completely gone—money he still had to repay. Add to that the collapse of his company's stock price, and he'd gone from being a billionaire to being a hundred billion in debt.
And then there was still that hundred billion bet.
What was he supposed to pay with? His life?
Just as he closed his eyes in despair, his assistant came back with another piece of devastating news.
"Mr. Chu... Mr. Chu... it's over... it's all over!"
"Mr. Chu, the CSRC is here. They say they want to investigate our company for financial fraud."
Chu Junlin sat bolt upright.
The CSRC.
How did they get here so fast?
"Also... the tax bureau sent people too. They're here to audit our company's taxes."
"And the Hong Kong Stock Exchange sent a letter of inquiry demanding we explain the abnormal fluctuations in our stock price, and whether the evidence Lin Ya exposed is true."
CSRC, tax bureau, Stock Exchange...
They're trying to crush him completely!
"And... and..." The assistant stammered, not daring to continue.
Chu Junlin closed his eyes again. After about ten seconds, he slowly opened them.
This time, he didn't lose his temper. He just waved his hand and told the assistant to leave.
Then he got up, pulled a backup phone from his drawer, and with trembling hands dialed the number he least wanted to call but had no choice but to call.
It was his father—the current head of the Chu family.
..........
At Cloud Mountain Capital's trading room in the Southern City.
Liu Yutong hadn't yet received a message back from Zhao Tianyi when she got a call from Lin Yi instead.
"Lin Yi, what made you think to call me?"
"Yutong, you've had your fun, haven't you? People up top have spoken. That's enough—don't push him completely into a corner. The Chu family head has found someone to intercede. They want both sides to each take a step back and let this matter be laid to rest."
Hearing this result, Liu Yutong wasn't surprised in the least.
Everything was going exactly as she'd predicted.
No matter how useless Chu Junlin was, he was still a member of the Chu family. And the Chu family, after all, was one of the deeply entrenched top-tier aristocratic families in the capital.
If she truly pushed Chu Junlin to the edge, the Chu family could not stand by and do nothing.
But then again, her goal had never been to completely destroy Chu Junlin.
Just to beat him into submission. That was enough.
"Fine, I understand."
"Since the higher-ups have spoken, I'll give them that face."
"But pass along my terms, Lin Yi—compensation has to be paid, no question. And Chu Junlin needs to come here, admit defeat in front of me, and apologize."
"Alright."
