Upon hearing Wenren's explanation, the rascal almost popped his eyes out. Compared to the nine-out-of-ten-out interest calculation method currently practiced by Hong Kong loan sharks, these Thailand weren't lending money at exorbitant interest rates at all; they were throwing money around like water!
The saying "nine out, thirteen back" refers to borrowing 10,000 yuan but only receiving 9,000 yuan, while being required to repay 13,000 yuan in principal and interest a month later. It's an outrageous, predatory practice. This is why loan sharks in Hong Kong are also known as "thunderbolts." Poor people, desperate to solve their immediate problems, have no choice but to borrow money from these bloodsuckers. When it comes time to repay, they often end up bankrupt, forced to sell their children, and in their hatred and helplessness, can only pray to the Thunder God to strike these loan sharks down.
These Thailand who borrow 10,000 actually receive 9,500, and the monthly interest is only 510. Compared to local Hong Kong loan sharks, it's practically charity.
"Is it really true? Is it really that cheap?" The rascal swallowed hard and asked tentatively.
This time, it wasn't Wenren's turn to speak. Nai Khun stepped forward, patted the rascal on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Boss, why don't you come in and see for yourself if it's real or fake? We've come all this way just to make a living. We'll have to rely on you to bring your friends and take care of us in the future."
The boy, bewildered, followed Nai Khun through the curtain into the back room. A short while later, the two emerged again, the boy now carrying a bundle of brand-new Hong Kong dollars.
"This boss borrowed 20,000 yuan. It's his first time here, so I'll give him the full 20,000 yuan." Nai Khun called out to Wenren, who was in charge of keeping accounts at the counter, then turned to the rascal who still had an incredulous expression on his face and said with a smile, "Boss, if you don't mind, our people would like to take you home, so it's not safe for you to be carrying so much money alone on the street."
Escorting the other party home was clearly a pretext; the real purpose was to find out where this guy lived and how many people lived in his family, so that they wouldn't be left without a place to go if they couldn't collect the debt later.
Although the money was all counterfeit currency shipped in boxes from Kondo Kohei, the cost also needed to be considered. Nai Khun was doing now was to ensure that the counterfeit currency circulated in Hong Kong while converting it into real currency and putting it into his own pocket.
As for the tiny bit of interest charged when the other party borrowed the money, it was purely an extra charge added under the guise of usury. If the other party can't even afford to pay that little bit of interest, that's fine, as long as they can repay the principal.
Of course, if counterfeit money is lent out, the principal returned must be genuine money.
"Of course, of course!" The rascal was clearly very well-versed in the rules and immediately nodded in agreement to Nai Khun's request.
Nai Khun called out from behind the curtain in Thai, and two Thailand men, who were responsible for accompanying guests home, came out from the back room and approached the rascal on either side, their manner respectful. "Boss, please."
The rascal looked down, his pupils contracting slightly as he noticed that both Thailand men had bulging lower backs, clearly concealing weapons.
"Okay, thank you both." The rascal forced a smile and walked out first, followed closely by the two Thailand men, as they left the amulet shop together.
Wenren wrote down the amount in the ledger, closed it, and watched the three leave. Then he turned to look at Nai Khun, and they both saw the smile in each other's eyes.
Chapter 543 Official-prefix gangs
"What? You borrow 10,000 yuan but only receive 9,500, and you only charge 10 yuan in interest per month? Do Thailand guys have too much money to spend?"
Outside the Tai Wong Hung Shing Temple, located next to Queen's Road Hill, a group of people surrounded a thug who had previously borrowed 20,000 baht in high-interest loans from Siam Buddha Residence.
Tung San Wo Hua, the White Paper Fan Scribe Hua of Tongxinhe, heard what the rascal said, his eyes widened as if he had heard the most unbelievable thing in the world.
Surrounding him were Lai Li Bing from Wo Hop To and Lan Kou Zha from Wo Shing Yee. These three men came from three different gangs, all of them loan sharks. Normally, the three of them would never gather together; if they met, they might even fight and accuse each other of stealing their business.
However, ever since Lou Fengyun instructed her Scribe Hui to use the British Forces in Hong Kong to arrest more than twenty triad Big Brother in the Peninsula Hotel conference hall, the landscape of Hong Kong's triads has changed. Although it's not as exaggerated as what Wo Shing Yee's boss, Yanqiang Wei, had said, that Lou Fengyun had unified the underworld and created a "Yun" brand, there is indeed a sense that many triads in Hong Kong are now banding together. This banding together is naturally for mutual support, just to cope with the current turbulent changes in various forces. And now, with the addition of a Thailand man who seems to have appeared out of nowhere and is like a generous benefactor, it's finally the case that the three guys who are usually at odds, Scribe Hua, Lai Li Bing, and Lan Kou Zha, have gathered together.
Upon hearing the news brought back by the underlings, all three parties were incredulous.
But the facts were right in front of them: the thug pulled out a bundle of brand-new Hong Kong dollars, tied with rubber bands, all in denominations of five hundred dollars each, totaling twenty thousand Hong Kong dollars. The three loan sharks had no choice but to believe it.
"Brother Bing, it's true." The scoundrel handed over Hong Kong dollars 20,000 and added, "And the Thailand guy said that since this is my first time here, he gave me the full HK$20,000, and I only need to pay back HK$20 more next month."
Lai Li Bing took the Hong Kong dollars from the scoundrel's hand and examined them carefully. From the outside, there was absolutely no clue whatsoever.
"Fuck your mother! No wonder there have been fewer and fewer customers lately, these Thailand are trying to wipe us out!" Lai Li Bing looked up at his Scribe Hua and his Lan Kou Zha, his eyes filled with a hint of coldness.
Scribe Hua stroked his few whiskers and clicked his tongue. "If things continue like this, nobody will be able to make a living. In the future, the loan sharking business in Hong Kong will definitely be dominated by the Thailand."
"Setting up a secret money pit without even a word? Do they think we local gang leaders are dead?" Lan Kou Zha, indignantly shouting, "Shit-eating devils! You're a damn bastard! No need to say anything more, my gang is out of the question. Tomorrow I'll lead my men to burn down the Thailand's shop!"
Lai Li Bing and his Scribe Hua coldly watched the Lan Kou Zha and smiled disdainfully.