Chapter 354 It’s the Uncle Who Owes Money These Days (1/2)

Borrow some chips?

"Sorry, I didn't understand what you meant..."

Dulong looked at Luca in astonishment, "Why can we solve the problem by lending you some chips...?"

Aren’t we discussing trade issues?

If it was used as an additional condition for negotiations, he might consider it.

However, the person in front of him said that he only needed to lend them a sum of money to solve the problem.

Dulong even suspected that he had heard wrongly.

With a stunned expression on Dulong's face, Luka cleared his throat and read out the manager's words.

"Aren't you dissatisfied that we didn't spend our chips where we were supposed to spend them? That's because we don't have money. Of course, we have to spend our savings wisely, but if you are willing to lend us a sum, that will be different."

Seeing that the man in front of him still did not understand the wisdom of the administrator, Luka continued patiently.

"We have just liberated Xizhou City, and in order to accommodate the survivors there, we are building Dawn City."

"There needs to be at least 10,000 houses, a lot of food, cotton textiles, soap for cleaning and other consumer goods...Aren't these the things you want us to buy?"

"Of course we have the ability to solve these gaps on our own, but by ourselves, it may take one or two years or even longer to allow the people there to live a self-sufficient life. However... it will be different with you."

Dulong's eyes widened.

"You mean... let us borrow your chips, and then you can use our chips to buy things from us?"

"Yes." Luka nodded matter-of-factly, that's what the manager told him.

"Do you think this is reasonable?" Dulong couldn't help but ask.

"Why is it unreasonable? Your factory gets the order, the workers get their jobs, and the chips we borrowed will be returned to you in the end. This money can be put in your account like you said, and used With book-entry transactions, the chips don’t even need to come out of your bank.”

Dulong was stunned by Luka's reasonable answer.

so……

Nothing seems wrong?

At least he really couldn't think of a reason to refute it for a while.

According to the agreement demanded by the residents, the trade between the two sides will definitely be interrupted, and neither side will benefit.

But if the plan proposed by the city lord of Dawn City is followed, Boulder City will get a huge market.

The profits of the factory and the jobs of the workers will be solved, and the money lent to the new alliance will not disappear out of thin air... No one suffers, it seems that everyone is winning.

But this is too strange!

After holding it in for a while, Dulong finally found a place where he seemed to be able to find fault.

"...but how do you guarantee that you can pay back the money?"

Luka asked.

"Are you questioning our ability to repay the loan?"

Dulong nodded subtly.

"With all due respect... you have only existed for half a year now. Even the Bone Chewing Tribe has existed longer than you."

The interest rates lent by the Bank of Boulder City to merchants are often very high. The bottom line is that many people do business outside the giant wall, and people disappear while they are doing it.

He did have reason to doubt how long this alliance, which looked suspicious from every angle, could survive.

Luka was not surprised by Dulong's doubts.

The manager told him before departure that as long as the other party was not a complete gambler, he would definitely be concerned about risks.

The future is unpredictable, and a person's judgment of risk will not change with a few words.

However, fear of the unknown can be overcome.

The easiest way is to draw cakes!

10% profit is not enough to make them forget the risks, so use 100% profit.

Luca looked at Dulong.

"But they are history."

"What about you?"

"We defeated the waves, the mutants, the legions, and the marauders, gained the friendship of Ideal City, and became a permanent partner of the enterprise. It only took us half a year to develop from a small village to With a settlement of tens of thousands of people, why don’t you imagine what the northern suburbs will look like in one year?”

"Uh-huh." Dulong snorted with his nose noncommittally, but his eyes became a little loose.

Luka didn't stop and continued talking eloquently.

"A long time ago, there was an unknown small village in the northern suburbs called Bate Street. Under the exploitation of slave owners, the survivors there could not use a piece of soap for a year. But now, every household can have it next to the sink. Saw a piece of..."

"This is just a small example, but I think it's representative of our coalition's commitment to making life better for our residents."

"In addition to the people's livelihood industry, we also attach great importance to agriculture. In half a year, we have cultivated 30,000 acres of fertile farmland. In our overall plan, this number will quadruple within two years."

"In addition to agriculture, we also attach great importance to trade. We plan to use a railway to connect Qingquan City and Tianshui tributaries to open up trade routes to the Great Rift Valley. We also plan to build a dock on the south bank of Tianshui so that caravans going to the east will no longer have to hold their hands. Instead, you can look at the mountains on both sides of the river and take a boat down the river to the outlet on the east coast.”

"Why don't you boldly imagine what a huge market this is."

In fact, that last sentence is completely redundant.

Old Luca didn't need to remind him at all.

Dulong, who was sitting at the table, was holding his breath involuntarily.

When he talked about opening up the trade route to the Great Rift Valley, his right hand, which he placed under the table, clenched into a fist and rubbed his thumb and index finger repeatedly. Behind his nervous expression was unconcealable excitement and excitement.

Of course he knew that there was a lot of pie in this sentence, and he also knew that the guy in front of him was bragging a lot.

Even though he is not an accountant who settles accounts, he still has this discernment after being the director of the city hall for so many years.

But honestly, he was moved.

If done correctly, he may become the most outstanding city hall minister in the history of Boulder City!

Without any hesitation, he reached out and took away the list on the table, crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket next to him.

Not only that, his attitude also changed 180 degrees, and the aggressive expression on his face turned into a kind smile.

"I was hasty, dear friend... let's talk again, how much loan do you need?"

"Twenty million."

"Two...how much?!" Dulong's eyes widened when he heard this astonishing number.

"Two hundred million chips."

Luka repeated, looked at the director in front of him in surprise, and said as if talking to himself.

"I thought that after listening to what I just said, you would want me to borrow more."

"Do you know what 200 million chips is?"

Luca: "Of course I know that every decision made by our managers is carefully considered based on the relationship between us. In the words of the adult, this is the only win-win way."

Du Long opened his mouth, and it took a long time before he slowly recovered from his surprise.

He pinched his eyebrows and stood up from the conference table.

"...I need to discuss this with my staff."

I have never encountered such a bizarre thing since I took office.

Not only the staff, he also needed to seek opinions from other factions in the outer city.

Looking at Mr. Director getting up from the table, the expression on Luka's face relaxed slightly.

The manager told him that as long as the other party didn't refuse on the spot, it meant that he was already interested.

"Remember to discuss this with your bank president as well."

"Just saying... giving us this loan can save his client's life."

The meeting is over.

It was shorter than expected.

Looking at the closed door of the reception room, Shuyu, who had been silent from beginning to end, took a deep breath and looked at Luka who was sitting not far away.

"Just in case, let me ask first...Does the administrator really intend to pay back this money?"

"Of course." Old Luca answered without any doubt.

How can a great manager become a deadbeat?

In his memory, every word the adult said came true.

Whether it was abolition of slaves, or putting them in houses with roofs, and keeping them fed and clothed.

As long as it is something he has promised, he has never broken his promise.

Shuyu was stunned for a few seconds and sat there silently.

It's not that he doesn't trust the manager, it's just that he feels that his imagination is not enough.

That's two hundred million...

An assault rifle only costs 150 chips, and most residents in Boulder City's monthly income fluctuates around 100. The trade volume between the two sides last month was less than one million.

A loan of two hundred million chips...

When do you have to go?

…

Shuyu was not the only one who was shocked.

After hearing Chu Guang's plan, Charlie, the president of the Merchant Guild, also had a dumbfounded expression on his face.

He thought the 200 million silver coin infrastructure plan approved last time was crazy enough.

However, what he didn't expect was that within a month, the manager did something crazier than printing money.

200 million chips...

The old mayor of Beit Street has accumulated a lifetime of chips, which only amounts to a hundred thousand.

According to this algorithm, 200 million chips are equivalent to 2,000 Beit Street?

After a long silence, old Charlie cautiously asked almost the same sentence.

"Do you plan to pay this money back?"

His instinctive reaction was that the managers might squander the money.

Reason told him that this was not a good idea.

However, the manager's answer was beyond his expectation.

Chu Guang said matter-of-factly.

"Of course I have to pay it back. Do I look like the kind of person who borrows money and doesn't pay it back?"

Paying back debts is a matter of course.

How else can we borrow more money?

Old Charlie didn't know that Chu Guang, standing in front of him, was already thinking about borrowing another sum.

After opening his mouth for a long time, he finally couldn't help but ask.

"...Then have you considered how to pay it back?"

Chu Guang said unhurriedly.

"This loan will be divided into 80 years, and I will repay them a part every year. This number will not exceed 5 million."

Earning 5 million chips in one year is not difficult for a new league.

"No mortgage?"

"Whatever collateral is needed, we are here and we won't run away."

"Where's the interest?"

"2% at most, I won't talk about more than that."

Hearing this number, old Charlie's eyebrows couldn't help but twist up.

If he just thought Chu Guang was crazy.

So now he has begun to gradually feel that the crazy one might be Boulder City.

"...How could they agree to such conditions?" Chu Guang said as a matter of course. "Of course they would agree, because lending us money is definitely safer than lending to those 'traveling merchants who don't know if they can come back' and 'factories that may go bankrupt at any time', and it is definitely more reliable than those residents who will definitely not be able to repay the loan." "Borrowing 200 million is because we only need this money at this stage. Believe me, after a few months, as long as we ask, they will be eager to send us more money." Can sovereign debt and personal debt be the same? Is the repayment ability of the New Alliance comparable to that of ordinary survivors? It won't be long before the City Hall and banks of Boulder City will find out what a smart decision it is to lend money to the New Alliance! The stimulating effect of flooding the economy is comparable to morphine. This thing not only works quickly, but also has a strong effect. One injection can produce immediate results. The only disadvantage is that it is addictive and will develop drug resistance if used too much. It sounds like opium. And in fact, it is. However, the over-issuance is chips, not silver coins. Does it have much to do with the New Alliance? The exchange rate will definitely be affected, but the purchasing power of the currency will also change at that time. He can only change the exchange rate.

When the chips depreciate, the debt he owes will also shrink. The purchasing power of the 200 million chips in the future may only be equivalent to the current 20 million.

Although this is a win-win solution, Chu Guang has never discussed with the people of Boulder City how many times they have won each other.

Chu Guang did not tell them.

This seemingly win-win solution, in addition to the risk of the debt itself, actually hides a huge hidden danger.

However, he has no obligation to actively remind of the risk.

Who would first point out the shortcomings when introducing their own products?

What's more, this is not something that will definitely happen.

"...How do you plan to use this money?" Old Charlie asked after a moment of silence.

Chu Guang said concisely.

"It's simple. I will use those chips to mobilize the factories in Boulder City to help us build our city-state."

Let those small and medium-sized factories in Boulder City that can't roll, as well as the new business elites with money but no status, come to Dawn City to set up factories with technology, equipment and skilled workers is the first step.

Now the first step has been completed.

The industrial products produced by the New Alliance are not only exported to Boulder City, but also make their condition worse.

The next step is the second step.

He will give up a part of the cake that looks delicious, and at the same time use debt, employment and high-growth markets to tie the banks, city halls and factories in Boulder City firmly to the chariot of the New Alliance.

The best situation is that when the people of Boulder City finally realize that they are crawling from a small puddle to another bottomless pit, the cost of crawling out is so heavy that most people can't accept it.

Of course, it is not easy to complete this task, and it must be done secretly and carefully.

But if it succeeds.

This will be something that guns can't do...

...

On the streets of Boulder City.

The protests continued until the evening.

Fang Chang, who was mixed in the crowd, followed the protesting crowd around the outer city.

After the crowd finally dispersed, he stared at the leaders with the loudest voices and the highest signs, and followed them into a dark alley.

Two burly men stood on the left and right, and in the middle was a well-dressed man who looked quite prestigious.

The reason why Fang Chang could tell that he had some status was because the leaders who had led the most violent riots before completely changed their expressions in front of him.

I saw that those people had a flattering smile on their faces, and took the fist-sized bag from the man with thousands of thanks.

The bulging bag was obviously filled with chips.

"... This is your reward. When I need it, I will naturally call you." After handing out the money, Alec lit a cigarette and said casually.

"Thank you, sir!"

Nodding and bowing to thank him, McCann couldn't wait to open the purse.

However, after counting it carefully, his face immediately became a little unnatural.

"Why are there only twenty..."

It was agreed to be fifty.

This is too much!

"You can get a week's wages for free by walking around the street, what else do you want?"

Alex didn't even bother to look at him, and made an impatient gesture to drive him away.

"Get out of here."

You are the only ones who need money.

Don't I need to make a little money?

Thinking of the graceful dancers in the Queen of the Night bar, Alex's heart couldn't help but get hot.

It's just a small fortune, maybe I can go there for a drink and relax later.

McKen had a face full of frustration, but looking at the two strong men next to the man, he finally swallowed his anger.

The man in front of him is the confidant of the boss of Weijia Trading Company, and he manages more than a dozen thugs.

And he is just a worker in a canning factory, there is no way he can fight such a big man...

Fang Chang, hiding in the shadows, secretly took a picture of this scene with an interested expression on his face.

Although I have already experienced the reality of "Wasteland OL", I didn't expect that even such details were made.

It seems that his speculation is correct.

There is indeed an invisible hand behind the demonstration against the New Alliance.

Almost at the same time as the photo was archived, a line of light blue pop-up windows appeared on the VM screen.

[Mission (side): Track down the mastermind behind the warehouse arson case]

"...Warehouse arson?"

what is that?

There was a trace of confusion in Fang Chang's eyes, followed by excitement.

Unexpectedly, I just followed him out of curiosity and actually triggered a hidden mission.

What an unexpected surprise!

The ringleaders clutching their pockets and sneaking out of the alley.

The three people who handed out the money stayed there for a while, talking and laughing, seeming to be discussing something.

After about a cigarette, they finally reached a consensus and left in another direction.

Fang Chang followed them slowly and followed them all the way to the busiest street near the inner city.

From the moment you enter this street, the style of the entire city changes.

Dazzling neon lights flashed on both sides of the street, and most of the pedestrians passing by were graceful girls, mercenaries wearing expensive bionic prosthetics, or luxuriously dressed businessmen, or even nobles from the inner city.

Their temperament is obviously different from ordinary people.

Compared with the outside world, this place doesn't look like a wasteland at all, but more like a miniature cyberpunk street.

Especially some time ago, the New Alliance's "cultural export" to Boulder City made the originally earthy clothing style here more "fashionable".

Fang Chang is not unfamiliar with this place.

As a professional player, he is expert at exploring maps.

However, what surprised him was that the three men did not take him to the mastermind's lair, but stopped at the door of the Queen of the Night Bar.

Fang Chang's expression was a little strange, but he still followed in.

Loud music filled my ears.

Passing through the swaying lights and crowded crowd, he quickly locked onto the three people again in the booth near the bar.

The table in the middle of the sofa has been placed with beer.

The man who had previously given money to the troublemakers was holding a dancing girl in his arms at the moment.

The two people sitting on the sofa next to him had obvious expressions of envy in their eyes.

But I can only feel envious.

Fang Chang calmly walked to the bar next to him and sat down, ordering a glass of the cheapest wine, pretending to be a guest here to watch the show, but his eyes moved in the direction of the booth unconsciously.

It's noisy here.

He couldn't understand what those people were talking about, but he could record it and listen to it several times.

However, just when he was immersed in listening, a strange voice suddenly came from beside him.

"You came here to drink..."

"Are you here to find someone?"

…

Outside Boulder City.

ghetto.

Lao Bai, who was dressed in disguise, took Shadagger and Dogthing with him, and after some inquiring, they finally found Black's doorstep.

Unlike the surrounding shacks, the entire house is made of bricks and cement.

It seems that even in slums, there are rich and poor, high and low.

"...You must be careful. This is the territory of the Dagger Gang. They do not allow others to cause trouble on their territory."

For the sake of those two chips, the stooped old man said something in a low voice.

"The gang still talks about these rules?" Sha Diao looked at the translator on the VM and raised his eyebrows in surprise.

It's no news that ghetto gangs and predators seem to be indistinguishable, with the two often making guest appearances on each other.

The dog said with a smile.

"Isn't there a saying that if a group of criminals are exiled to an uninhabited island, they will most likely form a new country."

Ignoring the two idiots who had deserted, Lao Bai looked at the old man in front of him and nodded.

"Thank you for reminding me. It's getting late. You should go home quickly."

The old man nodded tremblingly, hunched his back, turned around and walked away.

Looking at the house in front of him, Lao Bai went up and knocked on the door. He thought there would be no one inside, but he didn't expect the sound of footsteps coming from behind the door.

The person who opened the door was a mature woman who still had charm. Her hair was light-colored, her clothes and makeup didn't look like those of a poor person, and her expression was a bit comfortable and lazy.

But after seeing the person standing at the door, the pretty face immediately became alert.

These people were obviously not residents of the neighborhood, or even from Boulder City.

Her first reaction was that these people were here to seek revenge.

"……who are you?"

Lao Bai said politely.

"There's someone we'd like to talk to you about."

The woman said nervously.

"Are you here to see Blake? He's not here."

Lao Bai did not answer her question, but continued to ask.

"Who are you to him?"

The woman hesitated and said cautiously.

"Friends...we just met last week."

Shadagger and Dog, who were fighting next to Lao Bai, looked at each other and whispered to each other.

"Do you believe it?"

"I do not believe!"

I couldn't understand what the two were talking about, and the woman's eyes gradually filled with anxiety and panic.

"...Who are you? What are you doing with that guy?"

"It doesn't matter who we are, as long as you answer my questions truthfully, we won't embarrass you."

As he spoke, Lao Bai took out a chip with a face value of 100 from his pocket and waved it in front of her.

"You'll even be paid."

Seeing this chip, a trace of imperceptible greed flashed through the eyes that were previously filled with panic and fear.

Lao Bai couldn't help but think in his heart, maybe she wasn't lying and they really only met last week.

After glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention, the woman opened the door and her tone became much gentler.

"...Come in and talk."