Armstrong nodded and stood up to say his goodbyes. Just before Li departed, he paused thoughtfully and said, "If you truly want to excel in intelligence work in the future, you should consider bringing more people on board. There are plenty of skilled intelligence operatives in the army, including many retired professionals, both men and women."
"I'll think about it," Li replied, "but I can't afford to pay that many salaries right now, especially as the company is still growing."
"Understood. I'll head out to prepare the materials." With that, Armstrong turned and left.
"Is it really that simple?" Jonas asked, raising an eyebrow with a smile.
Sean responded with a mysterious smile, "Let's finish the information first."
Meanwhile, the bank data was still being compiled, and the five Sean Fitness Clubs that had recently opened were beginning to attract attention.
Sean had invested considerable effort in marketing this time. Given the success of their previous endeavors, he poured substantial funds into advertisements and press releases.
While the four cities outside Jersey City had small populations and smaller storefronts, the pre-sale outcomes exceeded expectations due to enhanced experience from earlier launches.
After a successful pre-sale campaign, the five clubs generated over $3.8 million in revenue within a month. This figure, combined with additional income from Sean's strategic moves, brought the total to over $5 million.
Sean Fitness Club had firmly established its reputation. According to Lamb Willie's calculations, the company's current valuation had reached $10 million.
Sean felt a mix of surprise and validation at this figure. Lamb explained that the largest chain fitness brand in eastern New Jersey had been experiencing rapid growth, and with a savvy operations team, the brand had great potential for further development.
"What kind of developments are we talking about?" Sean asked, genuinely curious. His background as a counterfeit wine maker left him feeling out of his depth in the business world.
"We could approach this from two angles," Lamb suggested. "First, consider merging with local gyms to expand our market share. Second, we could host local sports events—basketball, rugby, baseball—and sponsor various activities to increase brand awareness. While the impact may not be immediate, over time, this awareness is crucial. It can help a community fully embrace our brand as its own."
Sean contemplated Lamb's ideas. As his influence spread throughout New Jersey, the fitness brand would likely grow alongside him, but he recognized the need for skilled brand management.
Moreover, if the fitness brand continued to thrive, it could eventually branch into the sports industry. Sean recalled that a certain individual, Xiaobu, had become the general manager of the Texas Rangers baseball team in 1989 and later won the Texas governor's election in 1994, largely due to his sports management success.
While many say sports and politics are distinct, the reality is that they have always been intertwined.
Sean asked Lamb to help find a suitable candidate for a sports brand operations role. In the meantime, he focused on managing the six stores, which now boasted over 4,000 members and more than 150 employees. He recognized that it was time to stabilize the company's internal structure and train the staff, laying the groundwork for the next phase of expansion.
As he wrapped up his work at the gym, the information from the banks in Newark and surrounding areas had nearly all come in and was sent to Sean.
The next step was to develop a security requirements plan.
In the dead of night, the "Veterinarian" reluctantly opened the door to Bill's car. The surroundings were desolate, and the veterinarian's face grew pale as they drove toward the sea.
The car came to a stop, and Bill instructed, "Get out."
"Let's take our time discussing this. I haven't done anything to offend you," the veterinarian stammered, feeling the chill of the ocean breeze and confronting unsettling memories of past violence.
"Enough with the nonsense. I need to see you," Bill sneered, his earlier bravado evaporating.
Bill yanked the veterinarian from the car and dragged him toward the shore.
As they approached a second vehicle parked by the water, the veterinarian felt a sense of relief upon spotting Sean sitting inside with the door open.
Internally cursing the choice of location for their meeting, he thought, It's not exactly reassuring to meet like this in the dead of night.
Once in the car, Sean greeted him with a smile. "Sir, what can I do for you?"
"I know your industry has its own networks, and I need you to find a group of capable individuals for a task," Sean said, his demeanor bright.
The veterinarian felt a shiver. "Can we skip the pleasantries?"
"I need to find a team that's ruthless, courageous, and daring. We're planning a bank robbery."
"What? A bank robbery?" The veterinarian was taken aback.
"What's the big deal? It's quite common in the U.S.—part of everyday life," Sean replied nonchalantly.
He handed the veterinarian a video tape. "This contains the entire robbery plan. Remember, I need someone intelligent for this job. I can't afford to have people who can't even follow instructions."
The veterinarian accepted the tape, feeling confused yet compelled.
"That's all for now. I expect your results soon. The basic commission for this task is $10,000, but if I'm satisfied with your work, I'll increase it to $50,000."
The prospect of $50,000 sent a chill down the veterinarian's spine. He knew that those who worked in his line of business understood one thing: the greater the risk, the greater the reward.
However, he realized that $50,000 might just be the agency fee for locating the right individuals. Many small banks might not even have that amount in cash available.
"I understand. I'll do my best to get this done as soon as possible," the veterinarian replied, feeling trapped but knowing he had no choice but to comply.
After Bill dropped him off, the veterinarian lay awake in bed, clutching the video tape close. According to the rules of his world, he shouldn't have looked at it. Knowing too much could be dangerous. It wasn't that Sean would necessarily kill him; rather, the more one knew, the more fear could cloud judgment, leading to mistakes.
The best course was blissful ignorance. As long as you remained unaware, you could approach any situation without fear, even if it spiraled into a courtroom drama.
But the truth was that everyone is aware of the risks. Mistakes happen, and for those who misjudge the gravity of their situation, a single error can lead to dire consequences.
The veterinarian found himself caught between fear and the undeniable truth: he was now entangled in a web of danger, with no way to escape.