CHAPTER 525: CHAPTER 489: BIG BUSINESS

Mountain Eagle was taken aback by Li Chengji’s request...

"Arctic Fox? What do you want Arctic Fox for?"

As he spoke, Mountain Eagle himself realized that International Intermediary Company is a platform company, where high-level power is not solely determined by position, but sometimes also by support from suppliers.

In today’s world, producing a product isn’t something a company can do on its own...

When internal power struggles within a company reach a certain level, support from suppliers can become an important chip in the game.

The simplest case: if A can get cheaper raw materials from a supplier that B can’t, then A will gain more power than B.

The internal power play within International Intermediary Company cannot be more complicated than those public companies out there, except in the aspect of brutality.

Compared to the delivery guys on food delivery platforms, the people on International Intermediary Company’s platform are obviously much more volatile, so much so that they dare not switch concepts...

Mercenaries are indeed employees and must endure exploitation from the platform, but their status has always been ’platform clients’, and from the platform’s point of view, both sides should be equal.

And Arctic Fox is a superstar client who can create enormous benefits!

Seeing Li Chengji’s expectant expression, Mountain Eagle helplessly shook his head, saying, "What else do you know, anyway?

Why do I feel like I have no privacy with you?"

Li Chengji frowned and looked at Mountain Eagle, saying, "Privacy?

Blood Fox is a very famous retired mercenary of Arctic Fox. The recent airdrop of the Arctic Fox into Thailand to rescue you wasn’t hidden from anyone...

Anyone who follows you could make the same judgment as I did without having to deliberately learn about it."

Li Chengji, perceiving something with her sharp senses, curiously said, "Is it a conflict with Arctic Fox, or is there a problem within Arctic Fox itself?"

Mountain Eagle couldn’t possibly reveal the truth, so he muttered, "I’ve had some differences with them regarding development issues..."

Li Chengji nodded and said, "The new leader of Arctic Fox must be very stubborn. They should listen to you...

I’ve looked into Arctic Fox, and in fact, they’ve been on the decline in recent years. Their volume of business is shrinking, and they don’t seem as brave as before."

Mountain Eagle scoffed, saying, "They just aren’t willing to die needlessly anymore, it has nothing to do with bravery."

Li Chengji, still frowning, said to Mountain Eagle, "Risk and commission are directly proportional!

Shooting at people is actually the simplest job, but ’risk’ is what makes mercenaries valuable.

If Arctic Fox no longer wants to take risks, their value will be greatly diminished!"

Mountain Eagle shook his head at Li Chengji’s slavemaster-like statements...

Her logic was undoubtedly correct, but she didn’t care for human life at all from beginning to end.

However, it was caused by her profession, not by her character.

Just like the back-end managers of those food delivery platforms keep pushing for faster delivery, they don’t care about the well-being of the tools; as long as they generate benefits.

Li Chengji seemed to know what Mountain Eagle was thinking, and with a wry smile, she said, "The platform hasn’t oppressed anyone; they are all volunteers. In fact, we have created a lot of job opportunities."

Li Chengji’s capitalist-style statement made Mountain Eagle feel uncomfortable. He shook his head and said, "Platforms that suck the lifeblood of people shouldn’t carry themselves too high.

We are collaborators now. I don’t mind helping you, but if you want me to pull Arctic Fox in, you need to give me a chip that will satisfy me.

If you want the world’s number one Arctic Fox to support you, it must mean you have quite a troublesome opponent...

As you said, risk and reward are directly proportional; the greater the risk, the greater the reward, right?"

Li Chengji wasn’t sure what bothered Mountain Eagle enough to make him suddenly uncomfortable. Looking at Mountain Eagle, who turned his head towards the cabin window, she said helplessly, "What do you, or Arctic Fox, want?

Cost-effective business? Or simply commission?"

Mountain Eagle shook his head and said, "I can’t make commitments on their behalf, and first you need to tell me, your thoughts about Arctic Fox...

Getting Arctic Fox to support you in high-profile parties is not difficult, but if there is no corresponding action afterward, it will soon be apparent to others the reality of the relationship.

That’s meaningless!

What do you want Arctic Fox to do? What can they gain?

That’s the key!"

Mountain Eagle’s use of ’I’ and ’they’ in his talk made Li Chengji feel his stance and position were somewhat awkward...

Not close enough, yet deeply involved, able to take charge, yet with reservations.

Li Chengji was not the kind who lacked subtlety, but on the matter of Arctic Fox, aside from Mountain Eagle, she really couldn’t find a better mediator in the short term.

Because what she needed was deep cooperation, not a simple employment!

After a few minutes of thought, Li Chengji spoke frankly: "I need a star team for support to boost the performance in the Asian Region and to drive the development of other businesses.

In return, the platform will reduce the commission rate and provide support in resources and intelligence."

Mountain Eagle understood immediately. He sighed lightly and said, "Understood. You need a strong team to complete assignments that ordinary teams can’t...

But I’ve only heard your needs; I don’t see any benefits for Arctic Fox!"

Commissions that can’t be completed are either due to insufficient fees or because the enemy is too strong...

Being a mercenary star isn’t easy...""

Li Chengji knew that Mountain Eagle was using a bait-and-switch tactic to inflate his own costs...

And this just goes to show—he’s interested!

Watching this guy handle negotiations with ease, Li Chengji sighed with emotion and said, "If you have a better way, just say it...

Or you could first arrange for Arctic Fox’s people to join me in Los Angeles to get the job done, and then we can slowly discuss what you want.

Personally, I’m inclined to build Arctic Fox into a team capable of breaking into new realms...

Central Asia is quite unstable right now, we don’t have to assign them high-risk tasks; in fact, we could raise Arctic Fox’s profile by selecting the right missions with news value.

With sufficient fame, we could monopolize business within a certain region."

Mountain Eagle squinted at Li Chengji and said with a smile, "If I didn’t know you were North Korean, I’d think you came from one of those South Korean companies that specialize in developing pretty boys.

Right now, the biggest mess is probably in Syria—whose side do you want to take? Or who is your target client?

ISIS are all madmen, and they probably don’t have much money; they’re out of the question.

The Syrian Assad government? Neither do they have money.

Russia would find it cheaper to use their own people!

So who exactly is your target?"

Li Chengji thought for a moment and said straightforwardly, "You should pay attention to international news. ISIS is currently squeezing the Kurds hard in the northern regions of Syria and Iraq.

Those Kurdish female soldiers have attracted a lot of attention, with many NGOs focusing on them and seeking funds and personnel to assist their fight.

That money needs a good outlet, and there’s none better than International Intermediary Company.

As long as Arctic Fox can establish a foothold in Syria, a stream of funding will follow."

Speaking of which, Li Chengji gave Mountain Eagle a meaningful look and said, "Arctic Fox is itself a VIP client of the International Intermediary Company!

In the past, we adhered to a double standard for VIPs who spent money and those who made money, but in reality, our rules are not such..."

Mountain Eagle nodded in admiration after listening and said, "This means you can use your position as the rotating chairperson and Arctic Fox’s VIP status to turn that region into a one-way battlefield.

You plan to use ISIS as a target, Arctic Fox as the brand, to attract NGO funds to the International Intermediary Company.

You’re looking to create a super lucrative blood grinder..."

Mountain Eagle, looking at a slightly nodding Li Chengji, laughed and said, "This kind of business makes a big splash but isn’t particularly profitable.

Let me guess...

You had me kill that Danet, huh, that guy is into money laundering, and he is a Malaysian MSL.

When he was running for election, to get help from Pirate King Fayiz, he transferred part of his money laundering network in Southeast Asia to Fayiz.

Such a person is unlikely to put their all into a life-threatening fight, I guess his laundering focus has already shifted to the Middle East, hmm, Dubai, UAE, Qatar, Oman—all good places...

This guy controls the money-laundering channels, which means he holds a lot of big clients.

Eliminating him means one less competitor for you, but you can’t take over his network...

You’re at a disadvantage when it comes to money, so even for something as important as taking out Danet, you can only offer me $200,000 to help...

But you still want those big clients..."

At first, Li Chengji was calm, but as Mountain Eagle’s deductions deepened, her expression changed slightly.

Mountain Eagle looked at Li Chengji, now without a smile on her face, shook his head and sighed, "War economy, war economy...

Most people only know that war means selling arms, looting goods, inflating prices, and trading lives, but they don’t realize that war can create lawless lands, giving black money an outlet.

Finance is the closest to money and the most profitable industry!

Carve out a battle zone, find an enemy, a bunch of people in need of help, a bunch of charity-abundant NGOs with money but nowhere to spend it, and a bunch of guys with too much money to spend...

Impressive!

Create a land of lawlessness, build a money laundering machine, and you’ll be able to lure those big clients that used to belong to Danet.

Are you planning to mix black money with those NGO funds or use something akin to forex hedging to help those black money owners transfer funds?"

As he spoke, Mountain Eagle looked at Li Chengji, whose face had turned a bit ugly. He sighed and said, "This is the industry you’ve prepared for yourself!

It looks like you’ve really spent all your resources and connections for this position...

Count me in. I’ll convince Arctic Fox to collaborate with you and be that battlefield star, and if necessary, I could even persuade the world’s third-ranked Round Table Knight..."

Li Chengji, with a complex expression, looked at Mountain Eagle and said, "I underestimated you!"

Then, Li Chengji curiously asked, "You were so resistant before; why have you agreed now?"

Mountain Eagle touched his nose and said, "Maybe it’s because you’ve shown me that even the president of International Intermediary Company is just a human being...

Or maybe it’s because you’ve picked the right enemy..."