"That's right!" Chen Fan nodded.
"Well…" Chen Shuguang glanced at Zhang Xueyang, not knowing whether to continue or not.
"Bro Chen, I'll make a move first. Let's catch up again soon!" How would Zhang Xueyang who grew up among businessmen not know what this guy was thinking. He just wanted Chen Fan to help him smuggle.
"Umm, we'll catch up soon!" Chen Fan waved his hand and then turned to Chen Shuguang. "Speak your mind!"
"Let's find a tea house. I feel uneasy standing in front of the police station." Chen Shuguang looked around and then pointed at a tea house a distance away. "Bro Chen, let me treat you to tea, and we can have a chat?" This guy was like Chen Fan. He felt uneasy seeing police even though he did nothing. They were probably harboring evil thoughts.
"Let's go." Chen Fan gave a faint smile and gestured for him to go first. Although this guy dressed decently, there was an air of villainy around him.
At the teahouse, Chen Shuguang asked for a small private room with 60 RMB. After tea was served, he said with a treacherous smile, "Bro, which routes do you do?"
"Usually just the nearby countries, unless it's a huge business. Things become unpredictable when the journey is too long."
"How about Vietnam?" Chen Shuguang quickly poured them tea. "I need to deliver some goods from there urgently, but the ship owner who I contacted has been detained by the marine police. Then, when I got invited to the police station just now, I overheard that you have a company doing maritime transportation."
"Vietnam?" Chen Fan knitted his brows and gave it some thought. Vietnam was much further than Japan. He didn't want to take it up unless the profit was really good.
"How is it, bro?" Chen Shuguang stared at Chen Fan. "I'll be honest with you. The goods are definitely illegal, but don't treat me as an outsider. I know your company's in this trade from hearing about it. Your company only has four people including yourself, but you have an incredible bodyguard who even the armed police lieutenant colonel addresses him as coach. I guess that you do big scale business."
"Haha, it's not that I don't do Vietnam. If your price is right, I can even go to South Africa." Chen Fan put down his cup. "Even if the price is right, I still need to see what kind of goods you're transporting. I don't touch drugs. If it's other stuff, I can still work things out if caught. But if it's drugs, even just a little will cost me my life."
"Don't worry, bro. How could I come out from the police station alive if I traffick drugs? I would have been dead long ago." After some hesitation, Chen Shuguang said, "As you can see, my business card states that I'm in the medical drug business. On the surface it looks as though I'm selling stuff like notoginseng, angelica and white peony root, but how much can I earn from those things?"
Chen Fan got interested, "Then what business do you do?"
Chen Shuguang looked around before whispering, "What's abundant in Vietnam? Mountains and forests of course. Do you know what those villages have hidden in the deep in the mountains to make money?"
"What?"
"You'll get a fright after I tell you. Those people rear neither pigs nor cows, but expensive stuff such as tigers, bears and pythons."
"What? Tigers, bears and pythons?" Chen Fan was stunned. "Don't tell me you traffic wild animals?"
"Haha, what would I want those live animals for?" Chen Shuguang gave a hollow laugh and squinted his eyes. "Tiger bone, tiger's whip, bear gall, snake gall, have all been considered high-grade goods since ancient times. These wild beasts were difficult to catch in ancient times and are difficult to find in modern days."
"There's almost no one rearing tigers in our country. There are people keeping bears and pythons, but they are all caged up and fed with hormones. In the eyes of truly rich people, only the nouveaux rich will buy this stuff. The real high-grade items are produced in places like Vietnam, Bengal and Myanmar."
"These?" Chen Fan rubbed his head and said after a long while, "So how much do you intend to bring over, and at what price?" Other than tiger bone wine which was harder to get, things like bear gall powder and snake gall powder wasn't exactly rare stuff. Packaged ones were readily available at major medical stores, but the quantities were a little diluted. Although it was illegal to transport such stuff, it wouldn't cause too much trouble.
"These are all high-grade goods, weighing around 500 kilos including the packaging. The price should be a few tens of millions RMB. If you're agreeable, we can build a long-term partnership."
"I'm asking how much transportation fee you're willing to pay me."
"Transportation fee…" At the mention of money, Chen Shuguang completely lost his forthrightness. After faltering for a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Bro, since this is our first partnership, I'll let out a bigger share. Let's do a 90/10 split?"
"90/10?" Chen Fan pointed at his own nose and said angrily, "I'm bearing the highest risk and you're giving me only ten percent? What do you take me for?" With this, Chen Fan stood up from his chair and wanted to leave. Making this trip would earn him around 1 million RMB. Although it was almost a hundred percent safe, he still had 3 million RMB and was in no need for this 1 million as of now.
"Hey, come on, we can discuss!" Chen Shuguang quickly stood up to stop Chen Fan. "Bro, let's discuss further!"
"What's there to discuss? Vietnam is so far away. The fuel alone will cost me a few tens of thousands RMB, and there are other shipping expenses, my workers' pay, and also money to be given to facilitate the transportation."
"Then...then, let's do 80/20!" Chen Shuguang gave a painful expression, "My ancestors were in the medical drugs business, and we have a secret recipe for making tiger bone wine. I'll give you an additional few bottles if we work together. I'm not bragging, but even an eighty-year-old man will regain his vitality once he drinks my wine. I saw that you landed yourself up in the police station because of fighting over girls, so I guess you have great interest in this area and you definitely won't wanna miss this great stuff."
"Really, so amazing!" Whenever Chen Fan watched western movies, he couldn't help but compare sizes. The result was demoralizing every single time. As time went by, this cast a cloud over him. It was only occasionally in Japanese movies that he was able to find back his dignity as a man.
"Heh heh…" Chen Shuguang gave a "you understood me" expression and then gave a sinister smile. "So how, bro? 80/20?"
"I don't want a 80/20 split. What if you get something that's only worth 10 RMB? Wouldn't I just get 2 RMB? Chen Fan sat down and refilled his own cup. After taking a sip, he said, "One price! 3 million RMB, take it or leave it."
"Th-three million…" Chen Shuguang thought about it for a long while before making up his mind. "Three million RMB it shall be, but I have to do the unloading personally."
"You?" Chen Fan curled his lip. "If I really wanna take your things, it'll be useless even if a hundred people like you come. Don't you know the rules of my trade? We'll take full responsibility if anything happens, but our whereabouts have to be confidential, otherwise if you're caught, wouldn't our livelihood be gone too?"
"Well...well…" Chen Shuguang scratched his head hard. "My goods are worth more than ten million RMB, don't you have to give me some form of guarantee? After all, this is our first time working together."
"Guarantee? Go find Ma Rongtao and ask about me, Chen Fan. You know the guy who drove the Bentley just now? He's also a significant figure in Zhongyun. I've worked with them many times. Is this enough guarantee? Moreover, you think I'm really keen to take up this deal? Usually I wouldn't be bothered unless it's a referral from close friends." Chen Fan gave an ambiguous laugh.
"You do make sense. A cheater won't be driving a BMW and bringing an incredible bodyguard. You don't look like you set up a trap for me, since I'm the one who initiated." Chen Shuguang gave it a thought before saying, "How about I don't pay you any deposit? I'll pay after the goods arrive?"
"Sure, I'll also give in a little for our first partnership! But I have a few rules. We tie the goods to the bottom of the ship like submarines during the transportation. You have to seal the goods tightly, otherwise they'll be soaked with seawater by the time they reach Zhongyun. Also, during the delivery you have to deposit the goods at the location I specified at night and your guys have to leave after that. It's not easy to get someone out after being caught in other countries, so my subordinates are more rash. They will open fire if there's anything not right."
"So fierce! No wonder you need a bodyguard." Chen Shuguang gave a fearful look before saying, "I have no issues with all this. I'll personally go to Vietnam to settle this, and then take the plane back the next day. How long do you guys need to reach there?"
"Vietnam...about ten days for both ways! Take down my mobile number." Chen Fan said out a string of numbers. After the two discussed some other details, they went separate ways.
Chen Fan hailed a cab at the entrance of the tea house to Sports Road and bought another high water-resistant GPS. He got it fully charged after getting home, and set it to Vietnam's Thanh Thuy District in Quang Ngai Province. When the sky turned dark, he found a deserted beach and secretly placed the GPS on the electric eel's front claw.
"Argh, my world's gonna be turned upside down again!" Back in his bedroom, Chen Fan exclaimed as he shifted his thoughts onto the electric eel once again.
"That's right!" Chen Fan nodded.
"Well…" Chen Shuguang glanced at Zhang Xueyang, not knowing whether to continue or not.
"Bro Chen, I'll make a move first. Let's catch up again soon!" How would Zhang Xueyang who grew up among businessmen not know what this guy was thinking. He just wanted Chen Fan to help him smuggle.
"Umm, we'll catch up soon!" Chen Fan waved his hand and then turned to Chen Shuguang. "Speak your mind!"
"Let's find a tea house. I feel uneasy standing in front of the police station." Chen Shuguang looked around and then pointed at a tea house a distance away. "Bro Chen, let me treat you to tea, and we can have a chat?" This guy was like Chen Fan. He felt uneasy seeing police even though he did nothing. They were probably harboring evil thoughts.
"Let's go." Chen Fan gave a faint smile and gestured for him to go first. Although this guy dressed decently, there was an air of villainy around him.
At the teahouse, Chen Shuguang asked for a small private room with 60 RMB. After tea was served, he said with a treacherous smile, "Bro, which routes do you do?"
"Usually just the nearby countries, unless it's a huge business. Things become unpredictable when the journey is too long."
"How about Vietnam?" Chen Shuguang quickly poured them tea. "I need to deliver some goods from there urgently, but the ship owner who I contacted has been detained by the marine police. Then, when I got invited to the police station just now, I overheard that you have a company doing maritime transportation."
"Vietnam?" Chen Fan knitted his brows and gave it some thought. Vietnam was much further than Japan. He didn't want to take it up unless the profit was really good.
"How is it, bro?" Chen Shuguang stared at Chen Fan. "I'll be honest with you. The goods are definitely illegal, but don't treat me as an outsider. I know your company's in this trade from hearing about it. Your company only has four people including yourself, but you have an incredible bodyguard who even the armed police lieutenant colonel addresses him as coach. I guess that you do big scale business."
"Haha, it's not that I don't do Vietnam. If your price is right, I can even go to South Africa." Chen Fan put down his cup. "Even if the price is right, I still need to see what kind of goods you're transporting. I don't touch drugs. If it's other stuff, I can still work things out if caught. But if it's drugs, even just a little will cost me my life."
"Don't worry, bro. How could I come out from the police station alive if I traffick drugs? I would have been dead long ago." After some hesitation, Chen Shuguang said, "As you can see, my business card states that I'm in the medical drug business. On the surface it looks as though I'm selling stuff like notoginseng, angelica and white peony root, but how much can I earn from those things?"
Chen Fan got interested, "Then what business do you do?"
Chen Shuguang looked around before whispering, "What's abundant in Vietnam? Mountains and forests of course. Do you know what those villages have hidden in the deep in the mountains to make money?"
"What?"
"You'll get a fright after I tell you. Those people rear neither pigs nor cows, but expensive stuff such as tigers, bears and pythons."
"What? Tigers, bears and pythons?" Chen Fan was stunned. "Don't tell me you traffic wild animals?"
"Haha, what would I want those live animals for?" Chen Shuguang gave a hollow laugh and squinted his eyes. "Tiger bone, tiger's whip, bear gall, snake gall, have all been considered high-grade goods since ancient times. These wild beasts were difficult to catch in ancient times and are difficult to find in modern days."
"There's almost no one rearing tigers in our country. There are people keeping bears and pythons, but they are all caged up and fed with hormones. In the eyes of truly rich people, only the nouveaux rich will buy this stuff. The real high-grade items are produced in places like Vietnam, Bengal and Myanmar."
"These?" Chen Fan rubbed his head and said after a long while, "So how much do you intend to bring over, and at what price?" Other than tiger bone wine which was harder to get, things like bear gall powder and snake gall powder wasn't exactly rare stuff. Packaged ones were readily available at major medical stores, but the quantities were a little diluted. Although it was illegal to transport such stuff, it wouldn't cause too much trouble.
"These are all high-grade goods, weighing around 500 kilos including the packaging. The price should be a few tens of millions RMB. If you're agreeable, we can build a long-term partnership."
"I'm asking how much transportation fee you're willing to pay me."
"Transportation fee…" At the mention of money, Chen Shuguang completely lost his forthrightness. After faltering for a while, he gritted his teeth and said, "Bro, since this is our first partnership, I'll let out a bigger share. Let's do a 90/10 split?"
"90/10?" Chen Fan pointed at his own nose and said angrily, "I'm bearing the highest risk and you're giving me only ten percent? What do you take me for?" With this, Chen Fan stood up from his chair and wanted to leave. Making this trip would earn him around 1 million RMB. Although it was almost a hundred percent safe, he still had 3 million RMB and was in no need for this 1 million as of now.
"Hey, come on, we can discuss!" Chen Shuguang quickly stood up to stop Chen Fan. "Bro, let's discuss further!"
"What's there to discuss? Vietnam is so far away. The fuel alone will cost me a few tens of thousands RMB, and there are other shipping expenses, my workers' pay, and also money to be given to facilitate the transportation."
"Then...then, let's do 80/20!" Chen Shuguang gave a painful expression, "My ancestors were in the medical drugs business, and we have a secret recipe for making tiger bone wine. I'll give you an additional few bottles if we work together. I'm not bragging, but even an eighty-year-old man will regain his vitality once he drinks my wine. I saw that you landed yourself up in the police station because of fighting over girls, so I guess you have great interest in this area and you definitely won't wanna miss this great stuff."
"Really, so amazing!" Whenever Chen Fan watched western movies, he couldn't help but compare sizes. The result was demoralizing every single time. As time went by, this cast a cloud over him. It was only occasionally in Japanese movies that he was able to find back his dignity as a man.
"Heh heh…" Chen Shuguang gave a "you understood me" expression and then gave a sinister smile. "So how, bro? 80/20?"
"I don't want a 80/20 split. What if you get something that's only worth 10 RMB? Wouldn't I just get 2 RMB? Chen Fan sat down and refilled his own cup. After taking a sip, he said, "One price! 3 million RMB, take it or leave it."
"Th-three million…" Chen Shuguang thought about it for a long while before making up his mind. "Three million RMB it shall be, but I have to do the unloading personally."
"You?" Chen Fan curled his lip. "If I really wanna take your things, it'll be useless even if a hundred people like you come. Don't you know the rules of my trade? We'll take full responsibility if anything happens, but our whereabouts have to be confidential, otherwise if you're caught, wouldn't our livelihood be gone too?"
"Well...well…" Chen Shuguang scratched his head hard. "My goods are worth more than ten million RMB, don't you have to give me some form of guarantee? After all, this is our first time working together."
"Guarantee? Go find Ma Rongtao and ask about me, Chen Fan. You know the guy who drove the Bentley just now? He's also a significant figure in Zhongyun. I've worked with them many times. Is this enough guarantee? Moreover, you think I'm really keen to take up this deal? Usually I wouldn't be bothered unless it's a referral from close friends." Chen Fan gave an ambiguous laugh.
"You do make sense. A cheater won't be driving a BMW and bringing an incredible bodyguard. You don't look like you set up a trap for me, since I'm the one who initiated." Chen Shuguang gave it a thought before saying, "How about I don't pay you any deposit? I'll pay after the goods arrive?"
"Sure, I'll also give in a little for our first partnership! But I have a few rules. We tie the goods to the bottom of the ship like submarines during the transportation. You have to seal the goods tightly, otherwise they'll be soaked with seawater by the time they reach Zhongyun. Also, during the delivery you have to deposit the goods at the location I specified at night and your guys have to leave after that. It's not easy to get someone out after being caught in other countries, so my subordinates are more rash. They will open fire if there's anything not right."
"So fierce! No wonder you need a bodyguard." Chen Shuguang gave a fearful look before saying, "I have no issues with all this. I'll personally go to Vietnam to settle this, and then take the plane back the next day. How long do you guys need to reach there?"
"Vietnam...about ten days for both ways! Take down my mobile number." Chen Fan said out a string of numbers. After the two discussed some other details, they went separate ways.
Chen Fan hailed a cab at the entrance of the tea house to Sports Road and bought another high water-resistant GPS. He got it fully charged after getting home, and set it to Vietnam's Thanh Thuy District in Quang Ngai Province. When the sky turned dark, he found a deserted beach and secretly placed the GPS on the electric eel's front claw.
"Argh, my world's gonna be turned upside down again!" Back in his bedroom, Chen Fan exclaimed as he shifted his thoughts onto the electric eel once again.
