Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 315 - 301: Smash, smash it ruthlessly.

Chapter 315: Chapter 301: Smash, smash it ruthlessly.

Gao Yi was reflecting on his own mistakes; he was introspecting.

The main issue was that he had been too indirect with Joelson.

Americans simply don’t understand subtlety, nor do they grasp overly veiled speech, but Gao Yi felt that as a person on the intelligence network, Joelson should act and speak with some level of subtlety.

Still, it was better to speak more clearly. A promise is a promise, but such a promise comes with conditions—I make you a promise only if you’re one of us, and if you don’t show me something, I won’t guarantee to protect you.

Once he spoke plainly, Joelson immediately understood, and then he immediately began to reveal his cards.

So, it would have been much better to have been straightforward from the start, saving everyone the trouble.

"Crawford feels he’s lost the hope of promotion. He might not even be able to keep his current position, so he wants to make money now. That’s one of the two main reasons we can work together; the other one is that someone wants to use you to take down Freedom Wind."

Joelson needed to make a move to show his commitment; the first thing he did was to completely sell out his boss, Crawford.

Gao Yi said with interest, "Oh, he wants to make money now?"

Gao Yi wasn’t very interested in taking down Freedom Wind because the one who wanted to take him down wasn’t Freedom Wind, it was the CIA.

Freedom Wind was the CIA’s most sharp-edged tool at the moment. What was the point of breaking the blade? The CIA would just find someone else to continue to hunt down Sky Garden.

So Gao Yi was more concerned about Crawford wanting to make money. As for taking down Freedom Wind, it didn’t concern Gao Yi; he would consider it based on his mood.

"My judgment is that Crawford found a deputy director with real power, told them about my situation first, and then they devised the plan to use you to take down Freedom Wind. Because of this, Crawford obtained permission to contact you through me. However, Crawford is not very interested in taking down Freedom Wind—he only wants to use this to gain the support of a deputy director with real power. As for making money, that is secondary."

Joelson didn’t know everything, some things he was guessing, but he was familiar with the internal situation of the CIA, and his inference was at least much more reliable than Gao Yi’s.

Gao Yi nodded and said, "Hmm, making money is just secondary, huh? Go on."

Joelson whispered, "There’s always been a saying among the senior ranks of the CIA that there’s a mole in the CIA leaking information to you. But Crawford says he knows that there’s no mole at all. It’s just everyone covering up their incompetence—there’s no mole, but they have to pretend there is. Now I want to know, is there really a mole?"

Gao Yi thought for a moment and said, "That, I can’t say right now."

There definitely wasn’t a mole tipping off Gao Yi, but what if Joelson was a double agent? Gao Yi still had some caution, and he couldn’t tell the truth.

Joelson whispered, "Crawford says that we could be the mole."

Gao Yi was shocked.

"He also said, he could give you detailed information about Freedom Wind, so you could better deal with him."

Gao Yi said gravely, "What good does dealing with Freedom Wind do for me? If I take down Freedom Wind, the CIA can just send another ’unfree’ wind to continue hunting me."

"Yes, I know. But taking down Freedom Wind is key to reaching cooperation with the CIA because many in the CIA don’t want to see the existence of Freedom Wind."

Joelson wanted to keep talking about Freedom Wind, but Gao Yi waved his hand and said, "Let’s not talk about Freedom Wind for now. Let’s talk about money."

Joelson was taken aback and said, "Money, I specifically asked for Crawford’s bottom line. He hopes to get at least ten million dollars, or annual revenue of more than three million dollars."

After he finished, Joelson suddenly said, "That really is Crawford’s bottom line. I didn’t mark it up. But Crawford also said, you could start by offering 12 million USD, or annual revenue of 3.5 million dollars, leaving some room for negotiation. But it can’t be any less—if it’s less, we need to seriously consider whether it’s worth cooperating."

Gao Yi was dumbstruck.

Joelson sighed, spoke softly, "I think giving him a one-time payment of eight million could settle it, and as for annual revenue, giving him two million a year would certainly be accepted."

Gao Yi still looked astonished, and Joelson was at a loss. He whispered, "It really can’t be any less. I can’t negotiate that on my behalf. After all, I’ve been given a bottom line, and if I go too far below that, it’s not good to say..."

Suddenly, Gao Yi said, "Wait a moment."

With that, Gao Yi stood up and quickly walked toward the inner room.

A few people moved aside; if the boss was discussing highly confidential matters, it was better not to listen if one wasn’t supposed to know.

Gao Yi pushed open the door and urgently said to Luca, "How much money do I have? How much do we have?"

Luca responded without hesitation, "You still have 18,340,821 yuan, not including the change."

"That’s enough for change; so the total money is 18 million, not enough... Can we put together twenty million?"

Luca frowned and said, "I can put in a part; twenty million definitely won’t be a problem, but..."

Gao Yi turned and left, while Luca said furiously behind him, "It’s supposed to accrue interest, hey, my money always accrues interest..."

Luca couldn’t shout it out loud, so Gao Yi did not hear, but of course, even if Gao Yi did hear, he would pretend not to.

Lin Xianghua whispered, "I can contribute. I don’t need interest."

Gao Yi had already returned to the living room.

Then, Gao Yi said to Joelson in a very serious tone, "Do you think this offer is an insult to me?"

Joelson did not know why Gao Yi had suddenly left his seat. He thought Gao Yi was angry, but he did not expect that upon his return, Gao Yi would abruptly say such things.

"An insult? That wasn’t my intention."

Joelson didn’t know how to explain. Then, he heard Gao Yi continue with the utmost seriousness, "Let’s do it this way, ten million dollars as a welcoming gift for Crawford, and he doesn’t need to do anything. It’s just a small token."

That’s ten million!

Dollars!

Joelson’s post-tax annual salary was US$ 100,000, which was already a high income. Excluding his childhood, even if he kept earning this much, and even if he neither ate nor spent anything, it would still take him a hundred years to save up ten million dollars.

Has the dollar devalued so much?

Who on earth gives ten million dollars as a welcoming gift?

Joelson was stunned for a moment, and finally asked with a very puzzled tone, "Dollars?"

"Of course, dollars. Not rubles, not liras, and definitely not Zimbabwean dollars."

Regarding matters of gift-giving and money, the main purpose seemed to be to buy people’s favor, and Gao Yi had a knack for it.

Within his capability, he’d make a big impression in one hit. If others gave ten thousand, he’d give a hundred thousand; if they gave a hundred thousand, he’d give ten million.

He aimed to create a sufficient shock factor so that, even if it was just a one-time gift, it would leave a significant and lasting, positive impression on the recipient. He would make the recipient aware that no one else but by following Gao Yi could they receive such a benefit.

In fact, Gao Yi had learned this tactic from his very first and most respected elder brother Harold, but Gao Yi had been quite generous and magnanimous with his money even before crystalizing this approach.

Someone else, like an Iron Rooster such as Luca, would never learn to use money to influence people, even if it killed him.

As for the effects, one could see the profound devotion Lin Xianghua and Feng Biao had towards Gao Yi; even witnessing the heavy losses suffered by Khalid’s arm, not a single word of complaint was heard.

Gao Yi believed that the ten-million-dollar welcoming gift would absolutely stupefy Crawford.

At any rate, Joelson was already bewildered.

"You’re not joking? Ten million, for doing nothing, just like that?"

"Yes, just like that."

Joelson couldn’t believe it. After a pause, he said, "Well, in that case, I really am at a loss for words. But, but... is ten million really necessary?"

Leaving ten million dollars invested in Khalid’s arm, and then giving another ten million to Crawford while having to pool resources from others, Gao Yi didn’t actually have that much cash on hand.

But if he believed in the investment, that’s when he needed to place a heavy bet; that was Gao Yi’s personality.

"It’s necessary, very necessary. Doing business, at the start, you don’t know how much money you’ll make. So profits aside, but this benefit is separate, go back and tell Crawford that I’ll present him with a ten-million-dollar welcoming gift first, and how we’ll split the profits later can be discussed then."

Joelson nodded emphatically.

Gao Yi continued, "Right now, we have established a beachhead in Libya. The business hasn’t officially started, but I plan to sell arms there. Khalid’s arm will handle distribution, France will provide the merchandise, and the Pentagon is in charge of transportation and security along the way. So what can the CIA do, and what percentage should you have in this business? That’s for you all to consider."

Joelson said urgently, "The CIA can expand the market! So many anti-government arms are supported by the CIA. We can use the US’s aid to buy weapons. We can also sell arms to those opposed to the United States. In short, we can find customers, and you shouldn’t restrict your vision to Libya only. Wherever your transport lines can reach, I guarantee people will buy weapons!"

"This makes five parties involved. Only when the business is big enough can everyone make enough money."

After saying that, Gao Yi smiled at Joelson, "You control the CIA’s share. I don’t trust others, and if Crawford ever decides to act against you, well, then he won’t get his share of the money anymore. And I don’t believe he’s the only one getting money. The most crucial point, buddy, aren’t you getting a share too?"

Joelson nodded vigorously, then continued, "We were talking about Freedom Wind..."

"Freedom Wind isn’t important."

"No, Freedom Wind is very important."

Joelson cut off Gao Yi, saying very seriously, "If it’s about dealing with Freedom Wind, the CIA is willing to help you create a cover. Crawford said, as long as you deal with Freedom Wind, he can help you establish a new identity that the CIA will never be able to trace again. How do you feel about that condition?"

Gao Yi was astounded.

Just like Gao Yi’s casual mention of ten million could throw Joelson off, Crawford, in the interest of cooperation, and for the sake of dealing with Freedom Wind more conveniently, offered Gao Yi a favorable condition on the fly that completely bewildered him.

Is there really such a good deal?

At that moment, Gao Yi couldn’t contain his composure. He swallowed hard and asked with a quivering voice, "How will this work? Tell me more."