Chapter 12:
"Any information about Michael's family?"
After strolling outside for a while and ensuring no one was tailing him, Lin Qi entered Mr. Fox's office located on the basement floor.
A hint of pity for the weak adorned his face, signifying the sorrow of individuals like Mr. Fox in this era.
Though wealthy, perhaps not on par with big capitalists, they still outshone ordinary small merchants. Yet, they couldn't even afford a decent office space.
They couldn't see the light; neither their business nor their wealth received legal protection. Instead, it attracted legal scrutiny. Hence, they could only operate in this damp, moldy underground space.
The moldy corners and yellowing dcor almost amused Lin Qi; given such wealth and resources, he'd have soared long ago.
He and Mr. Fox's 'business' were still in the honeymoon phase. Lin Qi, who could provide tens of thousands in change every day, had become Mr. Fox's recent center of attention.
At first, he thought Lin Qi couldn't do it, but as time passed, Lin Qi's speed increased. Now, he could provide change three to four times a day.
While the frequency might have visibly decreased from over ten times on the first day, the quantity of change he provided had been steadily increasing. This tremendously aided Mr. Fox in quickly converting that money into bankable assets.
Every day before leaving work, he proactively declared his income, allowing tax officials to watch as they emptied the coins from every washing machine's coin box, counting them, and then directly depositing the money into the bank.
Large sums of money deposited into the bank required tax documentation to prove that this money was legitimate. Only then would the bank allow them to enter the system.
This also meant that Mr. Fox's money laundering speed was increasing. In a matter of months, he might be able to rent a storefront in the most bustling area of Sabin City, working in a grand and opulent environment.
This also kept their relationship consistently good. Lin Qi made some money while ensuring Mr. Fox remained untroubled by certain issues. It was a very suitable business arrangement.
Today, upon arrival, Lin Qi's first inquiry was about Michael's family. The other party repeatedly caused trouble for him, even punching him once. He couldn't pretend that nothing had happened; he sought revenge.
Mr. Fox frowned momentarily but soon eased, "You shouldn't get into a conflict with him. You know he's a 'licensed' person, and he won't be the one losing out in the end!"
The 'licensed' weren't those with vehicle licenses but federal employees with enforcement powers. They posed complications, viewing each other as a collective. If someone wanted to go after one of them, they would often end up dealing with the whole group.
There was an interesting incident where a lawyer, parked illegally, and received a ticket from a cop. The lawyer told his friends that not only would he not need to pay the fine, but he could also make the officer apologize. But his friends didn't believe him.
Soon enough, the lawyer sued the local police department and, after intense courtroom debates, won the case. Just as he claimed, not only did he not have to pay any fines, but the officer also publicly apologized in court and in front of the media.
But was that the end of the story?
Not quite.
Though triumphant in court, the lawyer's life took a downturn, facing monitoring by law enforcement across seventeen states since the victory.
On the highway, he was forcibly stopped a total of eleven times by different highway divisions and subjected to eleven instances of body searches on the scorching highway ground; they even stripped him naked and took pictures of him every time.
But was that the end of it?
No, even now, he still lived in fear. The police would frequently show up at his door for no apparent reason, citing bizarre excuses like someone hearing screams from his house, or claiming that his residence was broken in...
Every time he fixed the broken door, it wouldn't be long before it was smashed in again. Soon after, a group of mobile police would rush into his house, lift him and his wife from the bed, and throw them into the yard...
So, it was better not to clash with those who had 'licenses' here. In case it infuriated the entire group, Lin Qi's life ahead would be a nightmare, especially when the entity he intended to cause trouble to was the tax bureau.
The tax bureau would scrutinize every transaction he made, encouraging those who trade with him to report him. As long as one accusation was substantiated, they could make Lin Qi spend his life behind bars.
However, Lin Qi just smiled, "I just want to send a gift over to help resolve the conflict. He shouldn't see it as me trying to humiliate him, right?"
Mr. Fox hesitated. He couldn't tell if Lin Qi was being genuine or not, but regardless, he said what he needed to. Even if he didn't tell Lin Qi, Lin Qi would get the information from elsewhere.
Eventually, this would create a gap between them. So it was better to be direct about it here.
Lin Qi earnestly recorded Michael's information and then chatted with Mr. Fox about some other issues. If things went as expected, at the current pace, all of Mr. Fox's money should be in the bank in about two to three months.
This was a good thing, but Mr. Fox had a new problem. "Lin Qi, my friend, I know you're a very clever young man. How do you suggest I legitimize my business?" Saying this, he couldn't help chuckling helplessly, 'I've barely escaped these troubles and don't want to easily get caught up again. Perhaps you have some ideas I haven't thought of?'
In essence, Mr. Fox's operation involved lending money to those in need and charging interest. However, his interest rates exceeded the federal legal maximum by a considerable margin.
Furthermore, some agreements involved illegal compound interest, making his business somewhat problematic. Even if he could recover the money, he couldn't deposit it in the bank.
If transactions were made through the bank, providing agreements and bank statements would directly incriminate Mr. Foxhe was demanding interest that exceeded federal regulations after all.
He would face prosecution from the prosecutor's office and investigation from the tax bureau. Moreover, the money he lent out would be unrecoverable. The law wouldn't recognize agreements as legally binding, and it wouldn't support Mr. Fox in any legitimate means to claim loans and interest.
This was a problem faced by the majority in this industry. If they couldn't resolve these issues, their money, even if laundered, would ultimately turn gray.
Lin Qi didn't reply; he just shrugged. He actually knew how to solve the problem but wouldn't reveal it now.
After chatting with Mr. Fox for a while, Lin Qi left contentedly. He wandered outside for a bit and then arrived at Michael's residence in a high-end community in Sabin City.
Michael's house was in a nice area. He had a decent family.
His wife was quite beautiful and appeared young. She seemed to be a full-time homemaker, spending her days around her husband and children, dedicating the rest of her time to watching TV and socializing within the homemaker community.
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