"Welcome! You must be Mr. Jiang Chen, the mysterious friend from the East."
As soon as Jiang Chen stepped through the door, a blonde-haired Caucasian man with a broad smile greeted him. He clasped his hands together in a gesture that seemed to be borrowed from some kung fu movie.
Despite being Caucasian, Roberts' complexion wasn't particularly fair. His rough skin looked like it had been through a sandstorm. Still, his clean appearance and polite demeanor left an impression of respect.
"A pleasure to meet you. You must be Mr. Roberts. Mr. Bruce spoke highly of you," Jiang Chen replied, his expression slightly bemused but still friendly as he mirrored the gesture.
To be honest, watching a foreigner greet him with what they thought was a quintessential Chinese gesture was equal parts awkward and comical.
"Bruce is a great guy. Once, he even took a bullet for me in the Middle East. Meeting him here again has been a pleasant surprise. Ha! As the saying goes, 'A friend of a friend is my friend,' isn't that right?" Roberts extended his hand.
"Indeed. And your Mandarin is truly impressive," Jiang Chen said, shaking his hand firmly and sincerely complimenting his effort.
At least, Jiang Chen hoped that was an actual Chinese saying. He wasn't entirely sure.
"Haha, of course! I've always been fascinated by your mysterious Eastern culture. There are opportunities everywhere here." Roberts' eyes sparkled as he gestured for Jiang Chen to step further inside. "Please, come in, my friend. I just happened to have a bottle of Lafite from '82. I've been looking forward to opening it."
"Well, it would be impolite to refuse," Jiang Chen said, bowing slightly.
Unlike the newly stocked wine from the villa, the deep red liquid exuded a rich aroma. Even Jiang Chen, who wasn't much of a wine drinker, had to admit it was excellent.
Standing silently to the side was a tall, imposing man who hadn't moved a muscle. Yet Jiang Chen could sense the feral intensity emanating from him. Beneath the sunglasses, his pronounced brow and high nose bridge made his Slavic features unmistakable. His bearish aura hinted at his formidable background.
"My bodyguard, Nick Kaczynski, from Belarus," Roberts explained with a smile, noticing Jiang Chen's gaze. "We met in Ukraine. He's a reliable guy who handles my security. Although Bruce is a good man, Blackwater can be... less than trustworthy at times. They're too cozy with the FBI, so I switched to a different team."
Even as Roberts spoke about him, the stoic bodyguard remained impassive, like a statue.
"Is your line of work that dangerous?" Jiang Chen asked casually, leaning back in his chair. "Bruce mentioned you're a well-known deal broker in the States. Oil and gold?"
"Exactly. Besides relatively safe commodities like oil and gold, I occasionally have to procure arms or other... sensitive items for clients. That kind of business inevitably makes you a target."
Roberts lit a cigar and courteously offered one to Jiang Chen. "Your country's strict gun control makes this place a paradise for someone like me. It's like a vacation. Unfortunately, all good things must end. For instance, I have a flight to South Africa at 3 PM."
"Will you have enough time?" Jiang Chen glanced at the clock. It was already 11 AM.
"Plenty," Roberts said with a dismissive wave before sitting upright. "I'm very interested in your business, Mr. Jiang. Is there anything I might be able to assist you with?"
Jiang Chen paused, tapping the ash off his cigar, and leaned forward.
"Please don't misunderstand, my friend. I just happened to overhear your conversation with Bruce during the banquet. It was pure coincidence. But isn't it true that opportunities often arise from coincidences? I've always been interested in Far Eastern ventures, though I'm still in the exploratory phase. My instincts tell me we might have room for collaboration."
"Oh?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, intrigued but not offended. "Such as?"
"You conduct business in gold, correct? However, your country's laws and strict regulations on gold transactions are likely to draw government scrutiny, especially for gold without official documentation."
"You seem well-versed in our regulations, Mr. Roberts. But doesn't selling gold in the U.S. pose similar challenges?" Jiang Chen asked with a slight smile.
"It does, but we deal with laws, evidence—not politics. I have a highly specialized team that handles such issues for me. Even though the FBI has been poking around recently, I'm still here, aren't I?" Roberts flicked the ash from his cigar and smiled cryptically. "Let me give you an example. I set up a shell company in Saudi Arabia. I acquired a batch of crude oil from Iran, which, under the embargo, is illegal. However, by routing it through my shell company in Saudi Arabia, that oil re-enters the international market as a legitimate commodity."
Aren't you worried about being bugged, sharing this so openly?
But then it dawned on Jiang Chen. With such a capable bodyguard, Roberts likely had top-notch counter-surveillance measures in place.
Jiang Chen quickly understood the implication.
So this deal broker also specializes in laundering contraband. Interesting.
"In that case, it seems we do have potential for cooperation," Jiang Chen said with a smile.
"I'm an honest businessman," Roberts said, his grin widening as the deal seemed within reach. "No matter the volume, I can handle it. Once your gold passes through my mining company in South Africa, it'll be perfectly legal on the international market. Of course, you don't need to worry about the specifics. You can sell the gold directly to me, and I'll only charge a 9% handling fee."
Jiang Chen pondered for a moment.
A 9% commission wasn't unreasonable, especially since all his gold was essentially a no-cost venture. Selling small amounts might be manageable for regular jewelry shops, but if he started moving tens of tons of gold, no retailer would dare touch it. Even selling it off in batches would draw too much attention and significantly increase the risk. Moreover, this Liu Anshan character gave him an uneasy feeling. The man's hands were probably far from clean, but he hadn't made a move yet, likely because he couldn't gauge Jiang Chen's true depth.
Caution was paramount. While exporting such a large volume of gold privately might border on smuggling, Jiang Chen trusted that Roberts had the connections to smooth out any legal complications.
Roberts, observing Jiang Chen's silence, began to feel uncertain. While a 9% fee might seem steep, he wasn't taking on the deal without risk. Just arranging the necessary funds was going to be a massive effort. If the transaction value exceeded $20 million, even liquidating all his assets wouldn't be enough. To pull this off, he'd have to reach out to contacts and secure a private loan, and the interest alone would be no small matter.
However, if the quantity of gold was substantial enough, there might be room to shave off a percentage or two.
Just as Roberts was about to tentatively lower his price, Jiang Chen finally spoke.
"No problem, but I have one condition."
Roberts blinked, then broke into a smile of surprise.
"The quality of the gold is guaranteed," Jiang Chen began. "It's pure gold—what you'd call 24-karat. I'm sure you have professionals to verify that." As if anything stored in a bank vault could be fake! He coughed and continued, "But transportation? That's on you. I'll deliver the gold to a location within the country. And the exchange—gold for U.S. dollars—must happen on-site. Once the gold leaves my hands, I'm no longer responsible for its safety."
"No problem, my friend," Roberts agreed enthusiastically. "So, do we have a deal?"
"Indeed. A pleasure working with you." Jiang Chen extended his right hand.
"A pleasure indeed." Roberts grinned as he shook Jiang Chen's hand. Both men stood.
"This is my card," Roberts said, handing it over. "Call me when you're ready, and we'll set up a time. Oh, and it'd be best if you set up a Swiss bank account. It'll make things... 'easier.'"
"Of course. Best of luck with your business," Jiang Chen replied, taking the card.
"May I ask for some advance information?" Roberts ventured cautiously. "Just so I can prepare the necessary liquidity—how much gold are we talking about?"
"Oh, no rush. I'll call around July 15th," Jiang Chen said casually. "As for the quantity... let's say a few tons." With that, he left the room, leaving a stunned Roberts behind.
Roberts froze, his expression blank. His expensive cigar fell to the floor unnoticed.
A few tons? How many tons exactly?
Based on the current market rate—$1,350 per ounce—a ton of gold was worth $43,402,500! At a 9% commission, just three tons of gold would net Roberts a cool $10 million!
Nine percent! This deal was pure profit, practically money raining from the sky.
A few tons of gold... Even at a 7% commission, he'd take the deal without hesitation. How wealthy did someone have to be to not even bother haggling? This also reinforced Roberts's suspicion—this gold was undoubtedly off the books.
What kind of operation could procure such a staggering amount of gold? Did he rob the China Gold Exchange?
"God Almighty..." Roberts muttered, finally snapping out of his daze and drawing a sharp breath. "This is insane—absolutely insane."
Selling ten thousand tons of crude oil wouldn't yield more than $500,000 in profit, and that came with the risks of being detained by the U.S. Navy or investigated by the FBI. Yet here was Jiang Chen, casually proposing a billion-dollar deal.
"Nick," Roberts said softly, still dazed, "do you think this man is trustworthy?"
Nick, who wasn't well-versed in business matters, responded as expected, "Sorry, boss, I'm not sure." He paused, then added, "But this man... he's dangerous."
"Oh? Dangerous how? Does he know kung fu?" Roberts chuckled, striking a comical Bruce Lee pose.
Nick, unfazed, shook his head. He knew his boss well enough to recognize that Roberts's eccentric behavior was a sign of excitement.
"From a soldier's perspective," Nick said seriously, "he might be even deadlier than Bruce."
Roberts frowned.
"Are you saying he's not a businessman? No, I'm confident in my judgment," Roberts said, sounding unsure for the first time.
Nick hesitated before continuing. "Perhaps he is a businessman, but his combat skills aren't ordinary. My instincts tell me that with firearms, he wouldn't stand a chance against me. But in hand-to-hand combat, I'd only have a 50% chance of winning."
Roberts was taken aback. He'd witnessed Nick's capabilities firsthand. During a chaotic arms deal in Ukraine, Nick had single-handedly fought off a dozen militia fighters with just nine bullets, ensuring Roberts's escape.
And now Nick was saying Jiang Chen might rival him in close combat?
Suddenly, Roberts burst into laughter.
"The East is truly full of mysteries. How about we visit Egypt next? Hahaha..."
No wonder Jiang Chen didn't hire bodyguards—he didn't need them. In a country like China, where guns were strictly controlled, raw physical ability was often enough.
But Jiang Chen's skills had little to do with their deal.
Roberts prided himself on being an honest businessman. He believed that integrity led to long-term gains, and short-sighted, exploitative behavior wasn't his style.
Even in African refugee camps, when he saw children holding diamonds, he'd trade with candy rather than bullets—after all, a bullet cost far more than a piece of candy.
Roberts didn't doubt Jiang Chen's claim of having tons of gold, nor did he have the means to investigate him in China's unfamiliar landscape.
No risk, no business.
Roberts was willing to gamble. Jiang Chen's unwavering confidence was all the assurance he needed.
And besides, deceiving him wouldn't gain Jiang Chen anything.