novelslam Chapter 84 Taking advantage of a crisis
Chapter 84 Taking advantage of a crisis
The backdrop that read "Shao's Fisheries, Setting Sail" was torn down by a supplier who was demanding payment and trampled on as scrap.
"That old swindler Shao Kun, he just took him away like that?"
"So what if they take it away? What about the money? My payment for the fish fry, three million. Who's going to give it to me?"
"And me. I paid for the equipment for him, and he said he'd settle the payment today, but where is he?"
Yesterday, he was toasting Shao Kun and calling him "President Shao" so affectionately, but now his face is contorted with rage.
Shao Kun's secretary was surrounded by several burly men, his suit torn to a distorted shape. He looked miserable and repeated the same thing over and over.
"Bosses, calm down, we...we'll take legal action..."
"I'll follow your mother's procedure."
A farm owner slapped him across the face, knocking him to the ground.
"My money is all hard-earned, and you're talking to me about procedures?"
In the chaos, no one noticed that several of Shao Kun's local cronies, who had previously followed him, had already quietly slipped into the crowd and disappeared without a trace.
The fishermen of Huangni Village watched this farce from afar, their expressions numb.
Zhang Cuihua stopped eating sunflower seeds, her mouth agape, unable to close for a long time.
……
Dozens of nautical miles away, the sea was calm.
Inside the bridge of the Poseidon, the low hum of the equipment could be heard in the quiet.
On the holographic screen, the chaotic scene at Huangni Village Wharf was broadcast live via satellite signal, and even the spittle on the face of the farm owner was clearly visible.
Zhou Dazhuang held a large enamel mug, watching with great interest.
"Hey, Brother Chen, this old guy's done for? He's too weak."
"It's not that he's weak."
Lin Chen spoke.
"He was in the wrong place from the very beginning."
As soon as he finished speaking, the system light screen, visible only to him, unfolded before his eyes.
[Business forecasting module activated...]
[Detection indicates that the target individual 'Shao Kun' has had his commercial value reduced to zero, and all his assets are about to enter bankruptcy liquidation proceedings.]
[Warning: Offshore financial capital from Southeast Asia has been detected acquiring Shaw Fisheries' debt portfolio at extremely low prices through multiple shell companies.]
[Target identified: Shen Man.]
[Preliminary analysis: The intention behind this funding is not to collect debts, but rather to legally acquire the fishing operation rights covering 300 nautical miles around the provincial capital, which were mortgaged to the bank by Shao's Fisheries Group, through debt swap.]
[Risk Assessment: The new entrant's modus operandi is unknown; potential threat level: high.]
Lin Chen's fingers gently caressed the rim of the teacup.
Shen Man?
interesting.
Having just dealt with Shao Kun, an even more troublesome opponent has arrived.
He had thought that with Shao Kun gone, there would be a vacuum in the provincial capital's market, giving him enough time to reap the rewards.
It now seems that someone wants to steal the meat directly from his pot.
……
The provincial capital, Marriott Hotel.
Top floor, General Manager's office.
Tang Zhen swept the documents off the table, leaving a mess on the carpet.
"Still no news about Lin Chen?"
His eyes were bloodshot, and this was the fifth time he had asked the same question in an hour.
Executive Chef Luo Yi stood to the side, his face grim.
"Mr. Tang, your phone is switched off, and all contact methods have been cut off. It's not just us; the entire high-end restaurant circle in the provincial capital is going crazy."
Luo Yi's voice was hoarse.
"On the black market, a dead farmed grouper weighing less than two pounds is already being sold for 12,000 yuan. Even then, there's no market for it."
The office door was flung open, and a purchasing manager stumbled in, his face deathly pale.
"President Tang. Chef Luo. Something's happened."
"explain."
Tang Zhen has a very bad temper.
"Last...at the banquet, that Mr. Li from Beijing...smashed his chopsticks."
Tang Zhen's body stiffened.
"He...he didn't say anything, he just tasted the soup, put his chopsticks on the plate, said 'truly deserving of the name,' and then left with his men."
True to its name.
These four words made Tang Zhen's face burn.
For tonight's banquet, at Luo Yi's suggestion, they had no choice but to use frozen products from the cold storage.
They thought they had handled it well, but the notoriously picky diner still managed to spot the flaw.
"Lin Chen..."
Tang Zhen squeezed out the name through gritted teeth.
This young man always appears when needed, and disappears when needed again.
Now, the whole city is looking for him.
The owner of a newly established private restaurant announced in the industry that he would pay one million yuan in cash to anyone who could provide Lin Chen's phone number.
Even more outrageous, some people started spreading rumors that Lin Chen's fleet encountered a red tide in the deep sea and that both the crew and the ships were fed to fish.
At this moment, Lin Chen, who was being searched for throughout the city and even rumored to have perished at sea, was ordering his fleet to shut down all external communications and enter a state of complete radio silence.
He stood in front of the enormous hibernation pod and ordered it to be activated.
A cold mist billowed out, and a marine scent wafted over.
Inside the cabin, countless large, golden yellow croakers floated quietly in a pale blue active preservation solution, their scales reflecting a golden luster under the light.
Lin Jianguo looked at the cargo hold full of gold, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Xiao Chen, let's go back now. We can sell these fish for whatever price we want."
"Dad, that's not enough."
Lin Chen's eyes were frighteningly calm.
"The market is currently in a state of panic, not despair."
He would wait, until Tang Zhen's cold storage was empty, until those big shots who were used to delicacies went crazy just to get a bite of live fish.
What he wants is not a one-time high price, but the pricing power of the entire provincial capital's seafood market for the next ten years.
……
three days later.
The provincial capital's international convention and exhibition center.
An event called the Provincial Capital Seafood Supply Joint Conference attracted the heads of all the high-end restaurants in the city.
Tang Zhen straightened his tie and led Luo Yi into the venue.
A woman sat in the main seat of the meeting room.
She looked to be in her early thirties, wearing a white suit, her long hair piled up behind her head, and her eyes sharp.
She is Shen Man, representing a large ocean trading group in Southeast Asia, a giant corporation.
Following the red tide, she entered the provincial capital with a large number of live seafood airlifted from Southeast Asia, displaying a powerful presence.
"Everyone."
Shen Man spoke.
"I know everyone is going through a tough time right now. My fleet can guarantee a stable supply of live seafood for the next ten years."
The business owners in the audience stirred, their faces lighting up with hope.
Shen Man smiled slightly and pressed the remote control.
A contract template appeared on the large screen behind her.
When you read the terms above, you will find that it is an exclusive supply for ten years.
Prices are set unilaterally by Giant Capital on a quarterly basis.
The penalty for breach of contract is three times the hotel's annual turnover.
"Miss Shen, you..."
A hotel owner couldn't help but stand up.
"You're taking advantage of someone's misfortune."
"I prefer to call it market rules."
Shen Man picked up a glass of red wine and gently swirled it.
"Sign up or wait to close down."
"Mr. Tang, Marriott is the benchmark in the provincial capital. You should set an example first."
Everyone's eyes were on Tang Zhen.
Tang Zhen clenched his fists under the table.
With this agreement signed, Marriott will become Shen Man's money-making tool for the next ten years.
If they don't sign, Marriott will have to close its doors to customers tomorrow.