broker

After a busy week, Milo returned to the Wanyang branch with a thick stack of documents. He took his medicine with warm water and then drank a cup of espresso before he could muster his energy and start working.

Milo first dealt with the transfer of senior executives who had been inspected and screened at the Green Contract Company headquarters, allocated funds, and provided RV shares. He then personally selected about ten high-quality properties.

When it came time to pay, the salesperson, seeing a businessman buying ten or so luxury homes at once for the first time, boldly recommended an exorbitantly priced island villa. The villa was located on Baisha Island, a tourist hotspot with stunning scenery, near Wanyang.

Gazing at the names of the islands on the sand table, Milo was slightly lost in thought, and signed the contract without much hesitation.

Blaise gave him the Bethlehem, and logically, since there was a return gift, he should also give back something.

The monetary value was one thing, and although he knew Blaise might not need his small favor at all, whether he would repay it or not was another matter entirely.

Working late into the night, Milo received a call from Gary reporting on the situation. Milo put his phone on speakerphone, placed it on the table, and listened to the audio while flipping through the heavily annotated document.

Gary reported on Green Contract's recent developments. After finishing his long speech, he didn't hear a response from Milo, so he quickly ended the report and asked, "Is there a problem at the branch office?"

Milo was just waiting for him to speak first.

After acquiring Lianhua Machinery, the team he recruited acted quickly and discovered some anomalies while checking the asset list.

Milo said, "Speaking of which, it's related to the land left by your previous boss. In the financial records of that industrial land, there are some undestroyed international remittance records for the Shengyuansu project. The recipient is a shell company of Gangu. The engineering drawings from back then also show that a dedicated cross-border logistics channel was reserved. What do you think about this?"

Milo had conducted an on-site investigation and found that the industrial park had several underground laboratory entrances sealed with cement. The equipment procurement list he found also did not match the daily chemical production line that had been initially declared. Most importantly, the project was proposed in his father's name, and a group of foreign experts participated at the time, among whom Suma's name was indeed.

After the name Suma Natawa repeatedly came into his view, Milo began to realize the limitations of his thinking. He, like everyone else, had assumed Suma was Tate Dahl's lover, and therefore naturally assumed Blaise, as an illegitimate child, had the right to compete with Miles for Dragon Financial's fortune. But what if Blaise's right to compete wasn't because of Tate Dahl, but because of Suma?

Gary chuckled dryly: "About ten years ago, a team of foreign experts did come in, led by a female PhD. It was just that her status was a bit awkward; she was Tate Daller's lover. I remember she was always accompanied by a little girl, about ten years old, and we all thought they were mother and daughter."

"The little girl?" Milo was taken aback. "What happened to that girl later?"

Gary thought for a moment and said, "I remember she didn't stay long. The girl was sent back to Gan Valley. She cried her heart out when she left, probably because she was reluctant to leave. I remember that the girl was very pretty, with big eyes and a red flower tattoo on her ankle."

Red flower tattoo... Milo suddenly remembered the scene where Nona smiled and told him that the red flower was called Ixora.

Nonai was raised by Suma for a period of time? That's quite a strange discovery.

Milo thought to himself, then turned on the TV and tuned to the news channel.

The screen shows the latest medical device forum, where a man in a suit is invited to give a keynote speech.

In the news report, Miles spoke eloquently and with great composure. Beside him was Kevin, the general manager of a subsidiary of the Daller Group. The two exchanged questions and answers, demonstrating both professional depth and humor, resulting in a surprisingly effective interview.

Miles instigated Glenn to hinder him, forcing him to take action. It was during this two-week period that Miles managed to salvage the situation from Dale's scandal, preventing a complete collapse. Furthermore, with Glenn's resignation, Miles also took the opportunity to sabotage any potential collaboration between Sigon and Greengrass, sending a clear signal to Sigon that Greengrass was now an enemy, not a friend, to Gan Valley. Currently, if Sigon still wants to use that medical patent to start manufacturing pharmaceuticals, Miles is the only partner he can cooperate with.

Gary, who was on the other end of the phone, had obviously heard the news and speculated, "Miles has been making public appearances these days, and given his good reputation, the situation has improved a lot. At this point, it's not a good time for you to make a move against him."

Milo stared at the TV screen: "Who said I was going to do anything to him?"

In the signature column at the bottom right of the pile of drawings on the table, Kevin's name was heavily underlined with a diagonal line in pen.

*

Wanyang Charity Gala.

The crystal chandelier illuminated the banquet hall with a golden glow, and the air was filled with the subtle aroma of champagne and the rich scent of fine perfumes.

Kevin, with his arm around his wife's waist, moved with ease through the inner room, a perfectly timed smile on his face, occasionally nodding to the guests who raised their glasses in greeting.

Tonight's auction item is an old mine glass-type jadeite brooch with such a lustrous sheen that it almost drips with emerald green. It was a fine piece he brought back from a business trip to Tengbang, and it attracted the attention of many celebrities present.

Once the charity gala was successfully organized, the money would naturally flow to the poor, but behind the scenes, it would be circulated among various parties, with the powerful taking a cut and further enhancing Miles's image as a philanthropist. As for him, he wouldn't get a single penny; not only that, but he would also have to be extremely careful. Kevin was exhausted inside, but he still had to put on a happy smile on his face.

As they chatted and laughed, a slender hand gently rested on his shoulder. Kevin turned to the side, his smile still lingering, and met the gaze of a handsome young man in a well-tailored gray suit.

Kevin's smile froze, and his palms suddenly turned cold.

“Mr. Kevin,” Milo’s voice was clear and cheerful, with a hint of amusement, “jewelry suits a beautiful woman.” As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter behind him silently stepped forward and respectfully handed a dark blue velvet gift box to Mrs. Kevin.

As the box lid is gently opened, the shimmering, vibrant jade brooch, nestled on a velvet lining, reflects a breathtaking glow under the dazzling lights.

The woman covered her lips slightly in surprise and looked at Kevin with some hesitation.

Kevin tried his best to maintain a smile: "Mr. Milo, what's going on?"

"May I ask for a moment of your time, Madam, so that Mr. Kevin may speak with me?"

Inside the venue, a VIP box separated the lively atmosphere from the outside world. A man in a suit personally came forward to hand over the drink menu.

Kevin glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and saw the English word "manager" on his name tag, and his heart skipped a beat.

This international hotel is known for its high-class atmosphere, and he had been on the waiting list for a while. When his assistant said he was just about to get in, he remarked on his good luck. But now it seems someone gave him special treatment.

Kevin flipped through the list, his mind already racing with speculation. He had only known this man as Miles's mistress before; the idea of ​​his mistress suddenly becoming the president of a foreign company was already absurd enough, but now, he could come and go freely in Wanyang, with even the management giving him face. This seemed to be something beyond what ordinary wealth could achieve.

Just who is this person?

"This will do." Kevin casually ordered a dish, then his gaze fell on Milo in front of him.

Gary's defection not only allowed him to gracefully withdraw from the acquisition of Lianhua Machinery, but he also followed Milo to Green Contract Company to start a new business. Kevin knew how cunning Gary was, but he had managed to subdue such a person completely, so he didn't dare underestimate the man in front of him.

But what frightened him even more was hearing that Milo had encountered a terrorist attack upon his return home. Arian Thornton had somehow managed to leak information, saying nothing openly but subtly suggesting he was on Milo's side. This made Kevin, who had a grudge against Milo, even more apprehensive.

“Mr. Milo, I can’t explain what happened before. Just tell me, and I’ll tell you what I can do for you.”

“Then I’ll get straight to the point, Mr. Kevin.” Milo pushed a photocopy of a document toward Kevin.

The gentle "Mr. Kevin" sent shivers down Kevin's spine. He instinctively tugged at his tie, took a breath, but had no choice but to reach for the documents.

It was all in English, a full stack of pages. As I turned the pages, the content was roughly Kangtai Company's risk report on the Gan Valley.

Kevin's face stiffened. Was this a threat?

Milo smiled and said, "I guess this is probably something Miles asked you to do. Is he planning to cooperate with Gan Valley to develop and promote new medical products?"

Kevin didn't say anything.

Milo pushed forward the second contract: "Let me be frank, Miles has put you on a dangerous strait. Do you know that the last person to open a factory in Gangu was Xigong's own sister? But even so, her factory never really opened. Once the factory is restarted, it's assumed there will be a transport line. You may not realize that building a road can trigger a three-way conflict between the Tengbang government, the Gangu forces, and even the drug lords. Your branch company is just a decoy that Miles gave to Xigong to direct the attack. When the time comes, they'll discard you after you've served your purpose, and you'll probably end up like me—a plane crash? An assassination? Or some other new way to die? But I just don't know if you'll have the luck to escape unscathed with your family?"

These words made Kevin take off his glasses and rub his eyes.

Milo said calmly, “But I can give you a way out. This is the Green Contract Healthcare Industry Fund GP share transfer agreement, and I’ve reserved a considerable amount of points for you. I heard that your wife’s health hasn’t been very good, and Lanman is not a safe place to recuperate. If you go to Frostraven, I can arrange a hospital for you there. As for Miles, you don’t need to worry about him; he can’t reach that far.”

Kevin remained silent.

Milo continued, "You don't need to give me an answer now. You can go back and think about it. If you really don't trust me, you can check how Gary is doing."

"You've got me cornered." Kevin placed his hands on the documents. "Why me?"

“Without you, Miles will have a second or a third Kevin. What I need is for you to undermine things and mess up the factory. Of course, you won’t face any risks. You can give him small, gradual blows, and by the time he finds out, you’ll already be gone from Lanman.”

"You went to all that trouble to pave this road for me, just for this?"

“Of course, that’s not all.” Milo pondered for a moment. “I need you to find a way to set up a connection for me. I need to obtain the armed escort rights within Tenbang so that I can bypass the Gangu and Chila Mountains and go directly to the Tenbang capital, Taran.”

“That’s impossible! That document was handled by Miles; it’s not something I could handle!” Kevin was already terrified by Milo’s words. He gritted his teeth, glanced at the document on the table, and then carefully changed the subject, saying, “Unless… you can get in touch with Pomlason.”

Milo pondered quietly for a moment, then replied, "How so?"

Kevin picked up his glass and drank half of it down. He couldn't taste anything on his tongue, but he did manage to muster a bit of courage.

“Pong Rason’s father was once a general in the Third Military Region of Tengbang. Twenty years ago, he was purged by the current prime minister’s faction during a coup, and his family completely withdrew from politics. Pong Rason is now a businessman. His holding group effectively controls six dams on the upper reaches of the Chira River. Last year, he acquired Dashin Freight, and now more than half of the cold chain logistics in Talang goes through his channels. If you want to achieve your goal without alarming the political and military circles, only Pong Rason can do it in the entire Tengbang.”

Milo thought for a moment and decided to listen: "Continue."

“Because of Pong Rasom’s special background, the Tengbang Political Review Committee has placed many inspectors around him. All political and business banquets must be registered in advance, and you can’t contact him through formal channels. He has been politically suppressed, so it’s hard for him to trust others. Although he is just a businessman, he is different from people in our country. Pong Rasom is very dangerous.”

Kevin said cautiously, "I don't know how much sincerity you can offer in negotiations, but if you want to see Pom Rasong, you have to find someone to give you access, that is, a middleman. You have to find this person to give you access before we can talk any further."

broker?

Milo fell into deep thought.

In other words, he wanted to find a local who was familiar with the entire Tenbang region.

Kevin downed another full glass of wine, sweating profusely, and said, "I can only tell you the solution; I really can't do this myself."

“I told you, I won’t force you.” Milo smiled slightly. “You just need to do what you can do.”

*

Seven o'clock in the morning.

The main city of Tenbuntaran was shrouded in layers of sandalwood mist, with the gray-blue skyline intersecting with the golden spires. The long chimes of bells echoed through the streets and alleys. Monks in orange robes walked barefoot on the dew-kissed cobblestones, and the sound of roller shutters being pulled up echoed from the shops along the street.

A car sped away, running over the wet palm leaves. After its afterimage, a dessert shop opened its doors to welcome customers.

Milo, wearing sunglasses, sat quietly in the dining area of ​​the dessert shop.

Twenty meters away, a coconut vendor squatted down, brandishing a machete, while a tricycle driver tossed a towel over his shoulder and they both busied themselves with their work.

Milo looked away. These plainclothes bodyguards hadn't been a waste of his money; they were practically invisible hiding in the crowd.

Female students carrying backpacks would occasionally stop and shove each other, curiously watching Milo sitting upright.

A figure walked through the morning light, and Milo immediately got up to greet him.

The man smiled and said, "We meet again."