Financial freedom starts with smiling at life

Zhao Wei, the new hegemon of the Golden Triangle, was very direct from the start, offering a 165.08-carat Sri Lankan sapphire rough as a congratulatory gift and also inviting Jiang Beicheng to participate in the development of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos.

He felt he had shown sincerity.

But Jiangbei City seems to look down on it.

The article made no mention of the changes in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, nor of local public security... these visible development achievements. Instead, it mentioned the shady businesses under the Golden Cotton Group.

It's obvious that people feel his role as chairman of the special economic zone isn't as clean as it appears on the surface.

He, Jiang Beicheng, was unwilling to associate with unclean people.

Zhao Wei suddenly smiled, picked up his teacup, leaned back on the sofa, crossed his legs, and his eyes changed. He looked at Jiang Beicheng with a sidelong glance and questioned him, "Mr. Jiang, can you take responsibility for the deaths of the Korean crew?"

The implication is that Jiangbei City shouldn't set its sights too high, or it might collapse.

Jiang Beicheng could feel the aura of the Golden Triangle overlord at this moment. He was very polite from the moment he entered the house, which made him mistakenly think that he had come to the wrong place.

"Mr. Zhao, you can put it on my tab."

Jiang Beicheng chimed in, "It can also be attributed to General Min, and also to Rama X."

What punishment do you think we should receive?

Zhao Wei frowned.

There's no way to refute Jiangbei City.

The person was dealt with by Afu from the park. If we want to investigate the people involved, the high-ranking officials in Myanmar and Thailand cannot escape responsibility.

As a result, no one dared to associate this matter with Jiangbei City.

Before Zhao Wei could reply, Jiang Beicheng continued, "Or rather, you feel that among the three of us, you can't afford to offend the other two, only me..."

Zhao Wei immediately raised his hand: "President Jiang, the information I received must be incorrect."

Very sensible.

I dare not mention this matter again.

Of the five major powers in Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, Thailand is undoubtedly the dominant power. It can be said that the Thai royal family has the ability to influence the situation in the Golden Triangle region, especially in northern Myanmar.

Zhao Wei is someone you can't afford to offend.

They don't even dare to cross the Mekong River.

He also has unresolved issues in Myanmar, because he started his career in northern Myanmar. It was Commander Lin of the Mongla Alliance Army who supported him, which is why he is where he is today.

Commander Lin just left last year, and he dares not cause trouble in northern Myanmar at this critical juncture, otherwise he will be branded as an "ungrateful wretch" and hated by everyone.

Moreover, General Min's regular army was no longer a mere morpheme.

Jiang Beicheng's answer immediately shut him up.

His mouth was gagged, but Jiang Beicheng didn't appreciate it.

Zhao Wei actually threatened me with several lives.

He put down his teacup and said in a deep voice, "Shall we add another clause?"

Zhao Wei's teacup trembled a few times, and the tea spilled out, scalding his hand.

He guessed that the life Jiang Beicheng mentioned referred to was his.

Is Jiang Beicheng planning to fight him to the death?

"Mr. Jiang, is there any need to make the atmosphere so tense at our first meeting?" Zhao Wei said with a smile.

A smile played on his lips.

But his eyes were very sharp.

Jiang Beicheng looked directly into Zhao Wei's eyes, a smile also appearing on his lips. "How old are you, Mr. Zhao?"

Zhao Wei: "Born in 52."

"You're 73!" Jiang Beichen nodded. "It's about time you retired!"

Zhao Wei understood the meaning behind Jiang Beicheng's words; this was the only way out Jiang Beicheng had left him.

He now only has two choices.

He can either retire and relinquish power, handing over the chairmanship of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone to Jiang Beicheng.

Jiangbei City will naturally take care of relations with the central government and military of Myanmar.

There is no doubt that he will develop the Golden Triangle even better after taking office.

After all, his status as a Dongda entrepreneur is legitimate, and he has extensive connections.

Unlike his "unorthodox" approach.

This is a way out.

Fortunately, one road is a dead end, so we'll just have to fight it out.

To be honest, Zhao Wei was not confident.

He has money.

He also had military personnel.

He has connections with high-ranking officials in Laos, connections in northern Myanmar...

But Jiang Beicheng, sitting right in front of him, has more money, stronger armed forces, and a deeper network of connections than him.

He wasn't confident of winning if war broke out.

Moreover, if war breaks out, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, the city he has built up over 16 years, may be reduced to ashes, which is something he cannot accept.

We cannot say that when we finally leave, our possessions are empty.

He was no longer worthy of the title of a powerful figure of his generation.

It will also become a laughing stock in the Golden Triangle.

Zhao Wei's gaze towards Jiang Beicheng changed again, becoming somewhat fierce.

However, it didn't fully reveal its bloodthirsty fangs; it was well hidden.

He was weighing something in his mind: should he quietly deal with Jiang Beicheng on his own turf, within the Golden Cotton Group?

He also needs to carefully consider the consequences of doing so.

The reason for his hesitation is that today may be his only chance.

"Chairman Zhao."

The confidant suddenly walked to the door and knocked.

Zhao Wei turned around and nodded to him.

The confidant walked in, glanced at Jiang Beicheng, and then whispered in Zhao Wei's ear, "Commander Miao called."

Zhao Wei frowned slightly.

His gaze returned to Jiangbei City. Had he managed to establish connections with the military so quickly?

"Mr. Jiang, I have some urgent business to attend to, please excuse me for a moment."

Zhao Wei got up to answer the phone.

Neither the Lao military nor high-ranking officials would contact him directly by phone, as it would affect the country's image.

Commander Myo is the commander of the Northern Military Region of Laos. The troops in the Northern Military Region, including the border guards in the Golden Triangle, are under Commander Myo's command.

When the Lao central government conferred the honor of Chairman of the Special Economic Zone upon him, it was Commander Myo who attended on behalf of the government to present him with the certificate.

In other words, Commander Miao is his new backer.

Of course, this is the most direct relationship.

He also has connections with the Ministry of National Defense.

He also had dealings with the Party Secretary.

They just don't have any overt dealings, after all, they represent the image of a country.

Commander Miao had no choice but to answer the phone.

"commander!"

"Is President Jiang visiting the special economic zone?"

Commander Miao immediately asked about Jiang Beicheng, which made Zhao Wei even more certain that Jiang Beicheng had already taken care of the military's relations.

Zhao Wei replied, "Yes, Commander, I am having tea with Mr. Jiang."

I humbly seek your guidance, hoping to learn advanced thinking from outstanding entrepreneurs like Mr. Jiang and make the special economic zone even better.

We also discussed the possibility of cooperation.

Speak human language to people.

However, the idea that had just crossed his mind—to launch a sneak attack on Jiangbei City at the Golden Cotton Hotel—vanished instantly; he dared not even think about it. "I was overthinking it," Commander Miao still reminded him. "Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Dongda University arrived in Vientiane this afternoon, and the Secretary and Minister Zhan came to greet them."

You know what I mean, right?

Consider the consequences before you act.

Zhao Wei broke out in a cold sweat.

Even the University of Tokyo has personally intervened?

Was the visit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the University of Tokyo a coincidence?

That's too much of a coincidence.

"I understand, Commander. Please explain to the Secretary and Minister Zhan that everything in the Special Economic Zone is as usual," Zhao Wei stated.

After finishing the call, I rushed back to my office to greet Jiang Beicheng and instructed the hotel to make arrangements for food, drinks, and entertainment.

When he returned to his office, he did not see Jiang Beicheng.

Where has Mr. Jiang gone?

"The entertainment club downstairs."

After hearing this, Zhao Wei slapped his subordinate across the face, yelling, "What the hell is your brain for?"

He hurriedly went downstairs to find Jiang Beicheng.

I saw Jiangbei City in a party room.

"Handsome, don't be so aloof, okay? If you're here to have fun, at least have some fun."

Several girls, out of their minds, went to Jiang Beicheng and acted provocatively in front of him, even performing a striptease.

"Chairman Zhao is here!"

The beverage manager offered a quiet reminder.

The girls who were having sex instantly sobered up.

These are people who could take their lives at any moment; even drugs cannot numb their consciousness.

"President!"

Several girls, trembling, addressed him respectfully.

His gaze darted away.

After addressing him, he dared not utter a sound.

Jiang Beicheng said, "Mr. Zhao, I didn't know you really had a 'high-octane' room here."

Zhao Wei smiled at Jiang Beicheng, walked over to a few girls, and slapped three of them across the face. The first one to be slapped passed out immediately.

“Mr. Jiang, why are you doing this? Bringing this up won't benefit either of us,” Zhao Wei said bluntly. “Commander Miao of the Northern Military Region just called and asked me to take good care of you. This…”

"Commander Miao?"

"You don't know Commander Miao? Didn't you give him advance notice and use him to scare me?"

Jiang Beicheng stood up and walked towards Zhao Wei, patting him on the shoulder. "I generally don't bother others with matters that involve lives."

Of course, I can only accept my friend's offer to help.

Zhao Wei's eyes were glazed over.

Did Jiangbei City not cultivate relationships with the Lao military?
So, for whom did Commander Miao make that phone call today?
Judging from his tone, he might be a friend of his.

This friend must be a high-ranking official in some country's political circles.

What chilled Zhao Wei to the bone was that once he reached Jiangbei City's level, he no longer needed to personally make arrangements; it seemed that all the powerful figures were revolving around him.

Before Zhao Wei could react, Jiang Beicheng gave him one last reminder: "Before you retire, take charge of dealing with telecom fraud and gambling."

The Lao government allows the gambling industry, and I won't interfere, but you must move all the casinos out of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

Mr. Zhao, this is the biggest favor I can do for you.

If you don't want more people to die, think about this carefully.

After saying that, Jiang Beicheng left the Golden Cotton Hotel.

Zhao Wei stood in the party room for a moment, stunned.

I'm still wondering who made that call to Commander Miao.

……

"President Zhao, we've found out that the call to Commander Miao was made by Minister Zhan."

His subordinates informed Zhao Wei.

Zhao Wei was even more puzzled. Minister Zhan was the Minister of National Defense, and judging from Jiang Beicheng's tone, it seemed that he had not yet started to cultivate relationships with high-ranking officials.

So, who was Minister Zhan entrusted with this task?

What amazed him even more was that Jiang Beicheng didn't bother to cultivate relationships with higher-ups; he simply led a small team across the Mekong River and dared to speak arrogantly and disrespectfully in his base.

If it weren't for Commander Miao's phone call, he might have actually taken action against Jiangbei City.

Is Jiangbei City committing suicide?
This doesn't seem like the behavior of a smart person.

Doesn't he understand the principle that a wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall?
Is it just to put on a show of power?
"Commander, we just received news from the outpost that a large number of howitzers and rocket launchers have been deployed in the jungles north of Tachileik."

The subordinate in charge of border defense rushed into the office to report.

Zhao Wei was startled again.

The first thing that came to mind was the "cluster bomb" tactic.

The furthest distance from Tachileik to here is no more than 100 kilometers, and the closest is only a few kilometers. Within this distance, howitzer and rocket artillery fire can cover the area and deliver a devastating blow.

Tachileik has been occupied by the SSG and is now under the jurisdiction of Jiangbei City.

Without a doubt, it was arranged by Jiang Beicheng.

If he fails to return safely to Thailand today, the Tachileik region in northern Myanmar will immediately launch a barrage of fire against the Golden Triangle Special Region.

Zhao Wei was glad that Commander Miao's call came in time.

However, there was still one thing he couldn't understand. If the SSG really did follow Jiang Beicheng's orders and carried out indiscriminate firepower against the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos, it wasn't just targeting Zhao Wei and his family members, but rather declaring war on the Lao government.

Because the residents of the special economic zone are all Lao citizens.

With the title of "Dongda Entrepreneur" on his head, does Jiang Beicheng really dare to do this?

Do they completely disregard international relations and the international situation?

"Chairman Zhao, it's Minister Zhan on the phone."

Zhao Wei immediately went to pick it up.

"Minister! The reception of the guest has been successfully completed, and President Jiang has returned safely to Thailand," Zhao Wei reported truthfully.

Minister Zhan said, "I already know the attitude that you asked Commander Miao to convey."

Having just hosted the diplomats from Dongda University, we also discussed Mr. Jiang's investments in the Golden Triangle region.

Mr. Jiang is now a rising star supported by Southeast University, and has also gained recognition and support from high-level officials in both Thailand and Myanmar. We must also show our support.

Zhao Wei vaguely sensed that Minister Zhan was giving him a hint.

The so-called "attitude" is nothing more than doing things according to Jiang Beicheng's wishes.

"Understood, I will handle it," Zhao Wei replied.

"Yes, you've always been very clever. To be honest, the moment President Jiang stepped into your territory, the Thai royal family contacted us..."

Zhao Wei immediately realized that it was King Rama X who contacted the Lao leadership to seek asylum for Jiang Beicheng.

"We, as friendly neighbors, will certainly give face to the Thai royal family," Minister Chan continued. "But what worries me and the secretary the most is that our reconnaissance system has discovered that SSG missile launchers are frequently moving around the border."

Based on known information, it is speculated that SSG Military Security Company may possess tactical ballistic missiles.

We cannot rule out the possibility that our intelligence is incorrect and that SSG is deliberately misleading us.

This matter cannot be determined.

It's good that you're being cautious on your end.

Zhao Wei has lost his soul.

Is Jiangbei City really going to play this big game?

Is SSG a military security company?
Their individual soldier equipment and land-based gear are already very advanced, and they even have tactical cruise missiles.

This means that if the SSG were to launch a full-scale attack on the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and declare war on Laos, the capital Vientiane would become the next target, using tactical cruise missiles!
Whether it's misleading the Lao military or whether the SSG really exists, Jiang Beicheng doesn't need to personally handle relations with the Lao high-level officials.

He dared to come and go freely in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

Zhao Wei suddenly realized that this seventy-something-year-old warlord, who had spent half his life in the "world-famous" filthy Golden Triangle, was completely bewildered in front of this thirty-year-old youth from Jiangbei City, like a headless fly. (End of Chapter)