Offering Alms
Richard left in a disheveled state, clutching his little finger, but Lin Qi showed no sign of getting up immediately.
Actually, he had almost figured out the information about this group; they were a fraud gang.
This type of fraud gang is different from traditional fraud gangs. Their methods are more covert, and even if they are discovered, it is difficult to find a way to deal with them.
The four gamblers in the room were all local "entrepreneurs"—entrepreneurs in name only. They gained social recognition by acquiring small and micro-enterprises on the verge of bankruptcy, making people realize that they were indeed real business owners.
They are very active in the local community, frequently attending various banquets and parties, which gives people the impression that they are very capable.
Some newly arrived entrepreneurs and wealthy individuals who want to quickly establish themselves and enter the local business community will definitely need some kind-hearted people to help them.
And these people will show enthusiasm for new friends.
They are willing to chat with new friends and talk about some rules and things in the local business community, but the content of the conversation is limited to the surface.
Those new friends might feel that the other person has some concerns, or perhaps because they are not familiar enough with each other yet, so the other person is unwilling to talk too much. Therefore, the new friends will want to become good friends with these people as soon as possible.
Playing cards is clearly the fastest way to build relationships. From the very first time, people's attention will shift from their own needs to this gambling game, thus becoming deeply addicted and unable to extricate themselves.
There are always some things that are naturally able to attract people's attention and are irresistible.
This game is simple, novel, exciting, and fast-paced; everything about it is designed to stimulate people's sensitive nerves and drive them crazy! Indeed, some people manage to break free, and the gang won't force them to stay, but most are dragged down by them.
Like Richard, he gradually forgot his initial purpose in befriending these people: to gain some business assistance so that he could break free from the constraints of the company and find a way to start his own company.
As a result... he became deeply involved.
People have tried to sue them, but it was to no avail.
Firstly, they do not force people to gamble with them or necessarily lose money to them. All of this is people's spontaneous behavior. You cannot sue someone for losing money playing cards and demand to get your money back. The judge will not support such a claim.
Secondly, most of the victims are newcomers to the area who haven't yet established enough influence and connections to fight these fraud gangs. If the law cannot help them recover their losses, then resorting to private means will also be difficult to undo.
Therefore, these people's fraud is not the same as fraud in the strict sense. As for their dealers cheating, did you catch them cheating on the spot?
This group of people actually live quite well here by doing this. Even today, they still live in villas, smoke high-quality Kolef, wear exquisite clothes to various parties, and sleep with all sorts of girls.
It's not just here; it happens in other places too, including Bu Peien.
Everyone's methods may differ, but their routines and approaches haven't changed much. Ultimately, they still exploit people's eagerness to quickly gain an advantage, luring them into their traps.
But this good thing came to an end, because they ran into Lin Qi.
"My ignorant friend has left, but the game isn't over yet..." He picked up the cards on the table and shuffled them quickly, then split them into several piles. He turned to look at the four pale-faced men in another room.
The bartender and waiters in the room had already been subdued. In fact, when Lin Qi pulled out his National Security Committee badge, they knew that there was no point in resisting.
They sat at the table, their faces ashen, as if their fathers had just died. Lin Qi, with a faint smile on his face, gestured, "You may place your bets now, gentlemen!"
One by one, chips were tossed onto the table, some willingly, some reluctantly. Lin Qi didn't even glance at their cards. "Sorry, I won..."
He took the chips, and the game started again. With each "Sorry, I won" that sounded like a devil's whisper, these people lost everything.
"Mr. Lin Qi, we're out of money..." It was probably the gang leader who spoke Leader. "You see, we've lost all the money in our pockets. I can't continue playing. How about we reschedule the game in a couple of days?"
In a couple of days? No need for two days. As soon as Lin Qi leaves, they'll pack up and move to another place. After all, real estate won't be disposed of as unclaimed property just because they're temporarily away, and the money in the bank won't disappear either.
But his plan didn't work out. Lin Qi paused slightly in dealing the cards, then resumed immediately. "Did you see Richard cut off his finger just now?"
The group exchanged glances, a sudden surge of fear creeping into their eyes. They reluctantly nodded, saying, "Yes, sir."
After dealing the cards, Lin Qi looked at the group and said, "It's not important if you don't have money. One finger is worth ten thousand dollars, one arm is worth one hundred thousand dollars..." He chuckled, "Come on, place your bets, gentlemen!"
Before dinner, Lin Qi squeezed all the cash out of these people and from their bank accounts. Whether they had hidden any more was no longer important; the total came to nearly 300,000.
In fact, this money is not all of these people's assets, and Lin Qi is very clear about this. It includes the house, the luxury cars outside the house, and other real estate and investment products they may own in other places.
Lin Qi wasn't a ruthless gang member; he just wanted to teach these people a lesson, so he let them go.
What a kind-hearted person! He had a casual dinner at the hotel that evening, and just after eight o'clock, the front desk called his room.
About seven or eight minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Lin Qi opened the door and Adelaide, the governor's Chief of Staff and also his relative, entered.
"Mr. Lin Qi, it's nice to see you again!" Adelaide, wearing a blue striped short-sleeved shirt and casual pants, shook hands with Lin Qi and was then invited into the room.
Adelaide's face was always filled with a smile; in fact, it was hard for anyone not to show a fawning smile when facing Lin Qi at that moment.
His rise has been so rapid, almost astonishingly so. Now, it's not just about having money; he has entered the president's circle through various means and become a new elite in a certain sense!
And all of this stems from Adelaide herself!
The mayor of Sabine City wrote a report to the governor's office. Most of the time, the governor doesn't have time to read these reports; he has more important things to do. So, reading these reports and summarizing their contents is what the governor's Think Tank does.
Adelaide compiled some insightful sentences and gave them to the governor. She quoted some of them, which caught the eye of the president, and Lin Qi was invited to attend the president's celebration.
Throughout this entire story, Adelaide plays a role that may seem inconspicuous, but is by no means insignificant; she conveys the idea, and then that idea is accepted by people.
No one would have expected that simply attending the president's celebration would give Lin Qi such an opportunity; sometimes fate really likes to play tricks on people! "The governor knows you're here and wants to talk to you. Do you have time tomorrow?"
Lin Qi nodded. "I have time this afternoon."
"That's great! We can schedule it a little later, and you can even have dinner with the governor!" Adelaide breathed a sigh of relief, and her smile became more genuine. "By the way, there might be reporters taking pictures of you then."
"Can I know in advance what the governor wants to talk to me about?" Lin Qi asked, not feeling he had much in common with the governor, especially since Adelaide had brought up photography. "You know, I rarely come here, and my career isn't here, so..."
"It's alright!" Adelaide said enthusiastically. "Actually, these things don't have much to do with your business, because it's almost the end of the year and next year is an election year."
Adelaide's words made Lin Qi suddenly understand. He was momentarily dazed, but quickly came to his senses. "I think I understand!"
Some things are "just touched upon and left unsaid." Federal gubernatorial elections are scheduled in the first half of the election year. Generally, the gubernatorial campaign starts in October of this year and continues until February of the following year, when State Election its new governor for the next term. Then, the presidential election follows immediately.
The governor of the Bayer Federation wields immense power, practically King of a small kingdom; in some ways, even the president is less favored than the governor.
Because a president can only serve two consecutive terms, while governors in thirteen of the seventeen states (excluding four states with special districts) can serve indefinitely.
As long as they don't become tyrannical and can gain the trust and support of the people, they can remain in the governor's position until they can no longer take care of themselves—this is not some negative, malicious description, but rather what every governor desires most.
However, not all governors can be re-elected. Most governors stop serving for four or eight years, because this is enough time for the people in the state to see whether the governor they elected can bring happiness to the people.
If he's not up to the task, why keep him in the governorship? In previous years, most governors wouldn't have worried, but this time is different. The Federal has just experienced an unprecedented economic recession, and every state is full of people who are unemployed but still have to make a living. People's resentment is boiling over, and if things go wrong, all the governors in the Federal government could be forced to resign and be replaced.
So at this point, the governors started to come up with solutions.
It's not just Lin Qi; other big capitalists and social celebrities in York State will also be talking to the governor soon, and the governor will try to win these people over to him!