RBCT Chapter 4 Capital Makes its Debut
Chapter 4 Capital Makes its Debut
Lin Chen was dragged out of bed.
To be precise, he was pulled out by his phone vibrating. He squinted and reached for his phone on the bedside table. The screen showed an unfamiliar number, registered in the same city, and it had been dialed three times in a row.
When the call connected for the third time, before he could even speak, an arrogant voice came from the other end: "Is this Mr. Lin Chen? We are from the legal department of Hengyuan Real Estate Group. We would like to discuss the development rights of Huaguo Mountain with you."
Lin Chen was stunned for three seconds.
The development rights for Huaguo Mountain? They're still waiting for the Great Sage's signature on the plan, they haven't even fenced off a single stone, so where would the development rights come from?
"You've dialed the wrong number." He hung up the phone decisively, turned over, and prepared to go back to sleep.
The phone rang again.
This time it was a text message from the same number: "Mr. Lin Chen, a bunch of monkeys have surrounded us and insist that we talk to you! We are currently at Huaguo Mountain. If you are also interested in participating in this project, we suggest you come to the site so we can communicate in person."
Lin Chen stared at the text message for a full ten seconds before he was completely awake.
Hengyuan Real Estate... Of course he knew this company. It was a real estate giant in the province, owned by a man surnamed Chen. His son, Chen Shaojie, was a notorious playboy, constantly appearing on the negative pages of local news. He was involved in everything from forced demolitions and illegal development to defaulting on construction payments; nothing good ever came out of the news about him.
The key question is, why would these people target Flower Fruit Mountain?
Huaguo Mountain is abandoned, left barren for over a decade. It was designated a nature reserve years ago, though the protection level isn't high; it's not something that can be developed casually. Normal real estate companies wouldn't even consider such a place, unless... they've caught wind of something.
Lin Chen got out of bed, finished washing up in three minutes, put on a sweatshirt and went out.
He has to go and take a look.
At the foot of Huaguo Mountain, the Rolls-Royce was parked on the cement road leading into the mountain, which was extremely conspicuous.
The car body was black, but the emblem was gold, gleaming in the morning sunlight as if afraid people wouldn't know it was a luxury car. Seven or eight people stood next to the car, the young man at the head wearing a white suit, sunglasses, and an unlit cigar in his mouth, looking every bit the stereotypical "rich kid was here" type.
Behind him stood three lawyers in black suits, briefcases in hand, their expressions serious as if they were about to sign a multi-billion dollar contract. Further back were four bodyguards, each burly and with bulging temples, clearly trained in martial arts.
Lin Chen stood far away, not too close, took out his phone and pretended to make a call, but actually had already turned on the recording function.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the methods of capital manipulation, but this level of blatant arrogance... was a first for him!
There isn't even a decent road in the mountains. The sports car's chassis was almost scraping against the rocks. With this condition, they still want to acquire Huaguo Mountain? What else can this desolate place do besides develop into a tourist resort?
He chose a secluded spot, hiding behind a large banyan tree, where he could hear the conversation of the group of people in front of him.
The young man in the white suit must be Chen Shaojie! He took off his sunglasses, glanced around at his surroundings, and his disdain was practically overflowing.
"This lousy place?" He turned to a middle-aged man next to him and asked, "Old Zhou, are you sure this is a geomantically auspicious location?"
The man called Old Zhou was dressed in a traditional Chinese-style jacket with knotted buttons, and held a compass in his hand, looking like a feng shui master. He nodded with a smile on his face: "Young Master Chen, I've examined this for you three times. This mountain faces south, backed by other mountains and facing a river. It's an extremely rare place where auspicious energy gathers and is stored away. Moreover, as far as I know, there's a hidden vein beneath this mountain. If it can be developed, its value will be immeasurable."
Chen Shaojie glanced around with a skeptical look: "What value could these broken trees and rocks possibly have?"
"Young Master Chen, you're unaware of this," Old Zhou lowered his voice, "I've heard that there's an ancient spiritual vein beneath this mountain. Although it's damaged, with a little modification, it can attract spiritual energy. What is spiritual energy? Spiritual energy is money. Rich people are willing to spend any amount of money for health and longevity. If you develop this mountain into a high-end villa area, selling it for 500,000 per square meter would be cheap."
Chen Shaojie's eyes lit up.
Lin Chen heard it clearly from behind the banyan tree, and his heart skipped a beat.
An ancient spiritual vein... This person actually knows there's a spiritual vein beneath Flower Fruit Mountain? Although it's damaged, it definitely exists. According to the Heavenly Realm, Flower Fruit Mountain was originally the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents and the source of the Three Islands, its spiritual energy unparalleled in the mortal world. Later, the Heavenly Court reduced its resources, causing the spiritual vein to dry up, but its foundation remained. The reason he dared to make the Flower Fruit Mountain development plan was because of this damaged vein; with proper management, it could potentially be restored.
However, if real estate developers use it to build villa areas and engage in reckless digging and construction, this spiritual vein will be completely ruined. Not only will it be ruined, but its spiritual energy will also leak and cause backlash, bringing bad luck to the residents, or even worse, disaster to their entire families.
These people have no idea what they're doing.
Chen Shaojie was clearly tempted and swaggered up the mountain. Several bodyguards led the way, followed by a lawyer, with the feng shui master Lao Zhou pointing the way. The group headed towards the Water Curtain Cave in a grand procession.
Lin Chen peeked out from behind the banyan tree, preparing to follow, when his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a red figure crouching on a boulder diagonally above, staring motionlessly down below.
It's Sun Wukong.
The Great Sage wasn't wearing his golden armor today; he was dressed in a plain red hoodie, the hood pulled up over his head, obscuring most of his face. But Lin Chen recognized those eyes all too well—golden pupils filled with suppressed rage!
He squatted on the boulder, looking down at Chen Shaojie and his group as they entered the Water Curtain Cave, clutching a wild grass twisted into a rope in his hand.
Lin Chen went around in a circle and climbed up the boulder from the other side.
"Great Sage," he called softly.
Sun Wukong didn't turn around, but just gave a soft "hmm".
Lin Chen squatted down next to him and looked in the direction he was looking. At the entrance of the Water Curtain Cave, Chen Shaojie was standing there pointing and gesturing. Old Zhou next to him was holding a compass and gesturing around, and occasionally he would bend down to dig up the dirt on the ground.
"He just said he was going to drive all the monkeys away." Sun Wukong's voice was calm, but unnaturally so. "I, Old Sun, heard it."
Lin Chen didn't say anything.
"He said that these monkeys are a nuisance and should all be driven away. If they don't leave, he'll use a stun gun to scare them away." Sun Wukong turned to look at him, his golden pupils flashing. "He also said that this piece of land is the only thing that can be sold for money, and these monkeys are a burden. It would be best to get rid of them all."
Lin Chen's gaze fell on Sun Wukong's hand, tightly clutching the wild grass! If this were a person, they probably would have twisted their head off!
What caught his attention even more was that the golden cudgel at Sun Wukong's waist was trembling slightly!
"Great Sage," Lin Chen said in a low voice, "calm down."
"I'm very calm." Sun Wukong said this with a smile on his lips, but the smile was chilling no matter how you looked at it. "I haven't fought anyone for a thousand years. I am a Buddha now, not a monkey."
He kept saying "Buddha," but the wild grass in his hand had already been broken into three pieces.
Lin Chen took a deep breath and didn't try to persuade him further. He knew all too well that nothing he said would make a difference at a time like this. Sun Wukong wasn't the kind of person who could be calmed down with words. He was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the monkey who once smashed the entire Heavenly Palace with a single blow. The more you tried to calm him down, the more he felt you were underestimating him.
But the golden cudgel trembled, which was not a good omen.
Legend has it that the Golden Cudgel is a magical staff that stabilizes the seas and can sense its master's emotions. When the Great Sage is angry, the cudgel moves; when the Great Sage harbors murderous intent, the cudgel rises. Now, the Golden Cudgel is getting a little restless!
If Chen Shaojie were to continue...
"These monkeys are so annoying," Chen Shaojie's voice came from the direction of the Water Curtain Cave, tinged with obvious impatience. "Old Zhou, are you sure there's nothing wrong with this place? I feel like this place is eerie, and those monkeys around me keep staring at me, making me feel really uncomfortable."
"Young Master Chen, this just proves that this place is full of spiritual energy," Old Zhou quickly explained. "The more spiritual energy a place has, the more intelligent the animals are. The fact that these monkeys can survive in this mountain speaks for itself."
"What's the use of having a spirit? You can't sell them for money." Chen Shaojie scoffed. "I don't care. The first thing I'll do when I get this land is to fence off this mountain and not let a single monkey in. If anyone dares to stop me, I'll catch them with a net and send them to the zoo. I can make a profit from that."
Several bodyguards laughed along.
Laughter drifted on the mountain breeze and clearly reached Sun Wukong's ears.
Lin Chen saw it.
He saw Sun Wukong's eyes turn blood red in an instant, as if flames were burning from the depths of his eyes. The golden cudgel at his waist emitted a soft "hum," and its surface temperature suddenly increased, so much so that even Lin Chen, who was standing next to him, could feel the scorching heat.
Sun Wukong suddenly stood up.
Lin Chen grabbed his arm: "Great Sage!"
Sun Wukong didn't break free, but he didn't turn around to look at him either. He stared intently in the direction of the Water Curtain Cave, his chest heaving violently, like a volcano about to erupt.
"I, Old Sun, can't stand it." His voice was low and hoarse, as if squeezed out from his throat. "I can be poor, I can be hungry, but I can't stand them trying to harm my monkeys."
Lin Chen gripped his arm tightly: "I know. I can't stand it either."
He paused, his voice unusually calm for the situation: "But what if you rush out now, knock them all down the mountain with one blow, and then what?"
Sun Wukong turned his head, a dangerous flame flickering in his golden pupils: "Then I, Old Sun, will be sued, expelled from the Heavenly Court, and then arrested and sentenced by some lousy organization in your mortal realm. I know."
"Are you still going?"
"I can't stand it!" Sun Wukong practically roared, his voice echoing through the valley and startling a flock of birds.
Over at the Water Curtain Cave, Chen Shaojie and his group had obviously heard the commotion and looked up in their direction.
Lin Chen's heart tightened, but he didn't show any panic on his face. He released Sun Wukong's arm, took a step forward, and stood in front of the Great Sage.
"Do you feel wronged? Do you feel stifled?" He looked into Sun Wukong's eyes and said, word by word, "Do you think these mortals are unworthy to set foot on your Flower Fruit Mountain, unworthy to point fingers at your monkey?"
Sun Wukong didn't speak, but his clenched fists said it all.
"Then don't hold back," Lin Chen said, "but you have to hold back until I can make a move."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is," Lin Chen turned around, looking at the Rolls-Royce below the mountain, a dangerous smile playing on his lips, "Didn't I tell you last night? I'm contacting investors, trying to secure the first round of financing for the Huaguo Mountain project. Once the contract is signed and we get the government approval, the development rights for this mountain will be in the hands of Sanjie Cultural Tourism. When that happens, if these people want to mess with your monkey or our project, plenty of people will deal with them!"
Sun Wukong was taken aback: "How can I deal with a mere mortal?"
"Great Sage," Lin Chen smiled, but his eyes were as cold as ice, "Have you forgotten what I did before I met you? I know their methods better than you do. If they want to fight a lawsuit, I'll fight it with them; if they want to play the game of capital, I'll play it with them. No matter how big Hengyuan Real Estate is, it's not without its flaws."
He paused, then lowered his voice: "But I need a signed land contract, and the invincible, internet-famous Brother Sun to help me!"
The mountain wind blew, fluttering the hem of their clothes.
He glanced in the direction of the Water Curtain Cave. Chen Shaojie was already impatient and was signaling his men to turn back. The monkeys were still perched in the trees, watching the uninvited guests from afar, their eyes filled with unease.
A little monkey, only a few months old, poked half its head out from a tree branch, watching the group of people curiously. It didn't know what was happening; it just instinctively sensed danger, its tiny eyes filled with confusion.
Sun Wukong's gaze fell on the little monkey, and the bloodshot color in his pupils gradually faded.
"...Okay," he said in a hoarse voice.
Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief and patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, I'll definitely bring the investment contract up within three days. You should go find the land god these next couple of days and sign the land lease contract for thirty years! As for these people, I can't show my face yet; I can't let them know what's going on behind the scenes!"
"Alright, what if they come again tomorrow? If they dare to touch my monkeys and their offspring, I won't tolerate it!"
"Then let them come," Lin Chen's gaze swept over the Rolls-Royce below the mountain, a hint of coldness in his eyes. "I have a hundred ways to make sure they can't even get through the door."
Sun Wukong didn't speak again, but simply raised his hand and patted the golden cudgel. The cudgel seemed to sense its master's emotion and slowly stopped moving!
Lin Chen turned around and headed down the mountain first.
After taking a few steps, he heard Sun Wukong's low voice behind him: "Lin Chen."
"Um?"
"If you dare to lie to me, Old Sun..."
"Don't worry," Lin Chen waved his hand without turning his head, "I don't have many good points, just one: I keep my word."
On his way down the mountain, he ran into Chen Shaojie and his group. The group was grumbling and cursing as they walked down. Chen Shaojie kept complaining that this godforsaken place didn't even have a signal, while Lao Zhou stood by and smiled apologetically, trying to explain.
Lin Chen stepped aside to let him pass, then quickly walked past with his head down.
As they passed each other, he heard Chen Shaojie's voice drifting on the wind: "Get the construction team here tomorrow to fix the road up the mountain. Also, send a professional surveying team; I need detailed data on this land. As for those monkeys, Lao Zhou, go find someone to deal with them tomorrow."
"Don't worry, Mr. Chen, I've already made the contact."
Lin Chen paused for a moment, but did not stop.
He walked quickly down the mountain, got into the car, and only after closing the door did he let out a long sigh of relief.
He took out his phone and found a number he hadn't contacted in a long time—his former employer, Mr. Zhang, the CEO of Mingguang Real Estate. This man was considered his mentor in the real estate industry, and although they hadn't been in touch for several years, their friendship remained.
The call connected, and a familiar voice came from the other end: "Hey, Mr. Lin? What brings you here to call me?"
"Brother Zhang, I have something to ask you."
"explain."
Do you know Chen Shaojie from Hengyuan Real Estate?
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, then the voice turned serious: "You have dealings with him? That kid's a troublemaker, spoiled rotten by his dad, and has a terrible reputation in the industry. What, did he give you trouble?"
"Not yet," Lin Chen smiled, "but soon."
He briefly recounted the events at Flower Fruit Mountain, without mentioning Sun Wukong, only saying that he was preparing to develop the mountain and wanted to acquire it before Hengyuan.
After listening, General Manager Zhang remained silent for a long while: "General Manager Lin, are you sure you want to compete with Hengyuan for this land? You know that the Chen family father and son have an unusual relationship in the Three Realms."
"I know."
"Then you're still going to rob it?"
Lin Chen looked out the window. The outline of Huaguo Mountain was as clear as a painting in the sunlight. A red figure could be faintly seen on the mountaintop, squatting on the tallest tree, like an old soldier guarding the land.
"Brother Zhang," he said, "there are some things I have to seize! In business, it's all about being first to the opportunity!"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone: "Okay, I'll ask around for you. Hengyuan is indeed raising some money recently, apparently planning a big project, and their cash flow is a bit tight. If that's the case, they probably don't have enough cash on hand. Do you have any financing channels?"
"Yes, we're in talks."
"Then hurry up. These guys are really quick when they're craving something."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Chen leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and paused for a couple of seconds to catch his breath.
Then he started the car and drove towards the city center.
In his rearview mirror, Flower Fruit Mountain was getting farther and farther away.
Three days.
He only had three days, but he took Flower Fruit Mountain! No one can take it away from him!