Invasion of America

Chapter 12 Redemption of Prizes
Although the lottery prize redemption period is still two months away, Zhou Qingfeng decided not to delay any longer.

If the FBI really had some tricks up its sleeve waiting for him, he would still have to face them in two months. But after two months, it would not be his turn to reap the benefits of Apocalypse Biology.

The biochemical apocalypse will come in a year.

But after two or three months, the first generation of 'X' virus will escape from the laboratory, spread on a small scale, and quickly iterate to become the 'king of viruses'.

If he really wants to reverse his fate, he cannot wait until the crisis breaks out to solve it. It is best to solve it before the crisis occurs.

"Go claim your prize."

Zhou Qingfeng looked up the address, phone number and email address of the Miami District Lottery Office on the Internet in advance.

To ensure that everything went smoothly, he first called the office and asked in detail about the specific details of redeeming the prize.

The voice on the other end of the phone was polite and professional, as if telling him: "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

After separating from Selena, Zhou Qingfeng took a bus and headed straight to downtown Miami.

During the journey, he looked out of the car from time to time, his heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, making him both excited and nervous.

Winning the super-jackpot lottery ticket was his first step in reversing the apocalypse, and it was a success. Now comes the second step.
After two bus rides, he walked to 14621 Lake Oak Road - this place was not a high-rise building, but a very ordinary office building.

The lawn in front of the building was neatly trimmed, and an inconspicuous sign hung at the door that read "Miami District Lottery Office, Florida."

This was not the first time that the office staff received a lucky winner who came to claim the prize, and they were very enthusiastic about Zhou Qingfeng's arrival.

The receptionist smiled and handed him a form, asking him to fill in the basic information.

First, they confirmed his age—nationality wasn't an issue, but age was a hard requirement.

If you are under 18, you cannot claim your prize even if you win.

Zhou Qingfeng handed over his passport. After the staff carefully checked it, they nodded and indicated that he could enter the supervisor's office.

The office manager was a slightly balding, red-faced white man who looked very casual in the office, wearing a floral shirt and large slippers.

There were several lottery posters hanging on the wall, and a computer and several stacks of documents on the table.

Zhou Qingfeng once again submitted his passport and the lottery ticket with his signature on the back.

When the bald manager saw the lottery ticket, he burst into laughter, shook Zhou Qingfeng's hand enthusiastically, and said:

"Victor, you are the lucky winner of the Powerball jackpot exceeding $2.2 billion!
We have been waiting for you for a whole month. You will become the most envied person in America, and even in the world. I hope good luck will always be with you."

Zhou Qingfeng was indifferent to this enthusiasm and even reminded: "No, I didn't buy this lottery ticket, I picked it up."

If you pick up something, you must say 'picked it up'.

Because this lottery was linked to a major crime involving at least four deaths and numerous injuries, the FBI must have checked the surveillance footage at the ticket booth and confirmed that Zhou Qingfeng was not the ticket purchaser.

But it doesn’t matter, this thing recognizes votes, not people.

The office manager was slightly stunned, and then began to explain in detail the details of receiving the award.

"Victor, according to Florida law, you can remain anonymous for ninety days after claiming the prize, after which we will release your name, identity, phone number, and address."

Zhou Qingfeng also looked up the issue of anonymity last night and asked tentatively, "Can't it be completely anonymous?"

The bald executive shook his head. "Some states allow it, but not Florida. We have to be transparent to ensure the fairness of the awards."

Ninety days of buffer period is already very long.

This is enough time to inform family and friends, get financial advice, develop a money plan, put security measures in place, and prepare for eventual public disclosure.”

He paused and continued, “A word of caution: winning the lottery brings with it complex financial and legal issues.

You need experienced attorneys and financial advisors to protect your rights.

At least the bank knows for sure that you have money. They will classify you as the highest level VIP and try their best to provide you with the best service.

In addition, there is the crucial issue of tax filing, which affects how much money you will eventually receive. So you can't be completely anonymous, but you have to learn to keep the information within an appropriate range."

The supervisor smiled and then asked, "If you don't have any connections in this area, I can recommend the lawyer and accountant at the lottery office to you.

By the way, do you choose to receive it in one lump sum or in installments?"

Zhou Qingfeng chose to receive the money in one lump sum. He had already planned this, saying, "Even if the tax is higher, I won't have to wait so long to get the money."

The bald executive went on to explain, “As an expatriate, you need to pay thirty percent federal tax.

Fortunately, state taxes are zero.

After adding in some personal taxes, the final prize amount will be around $1.1 billion.

We will begin disbursing your bonus to your account within ten to fourteen business days from the day you submit your formal application."

When this number was reported, the office manager was quite amazed in his heart - lottery is full of incredible randomness.

Who would have thought that this unprecedented super prize would fall into the hands of a Chinese kid?
In addition, Zhou Qingfeng must find a lawyer to be present and a financial expert to handle tax issues - these are semi-mandatory and costly.

But for the lottery office, these things have long been a fixed process. Soon, an "old white man" lawyer named Richard was introduced to Zhou Qingfeng.

He was in his fifties, with some graying hair, and wore a handmade suit in the style of "old money," complete with tie, boutonniere, pocket square, and cufflinks.

When the two met, Richard glanced at Zhou Qingfeng with sharp eyes. The first question he asked after sitting down was: "Victor, what is your real name?"

This question made Zhou Qingfeng feel very uncomfortable. He felt that the other party's professional and warm smile was particularly fake, and he was as cunning as a cold and smiling tiger.

But he was alone in the United States and didn't know any lawyers at all, so he had no choice but to pay high legal fees to hire this guy.

"My name is on my passport. If you want to be my hired lawyer, you should first familiarize yourself with my information."

Zhou Qingfeng did not respond to the other party's "obedience" test, but instead pointed to the long table in front of him.

There was only a thin piece of paper on the table containing his identity information, but the legal document he had to sign was two fingers thick.

God knows what the hell is hidden in those files?

Richard laughed at Zhou Qingfeng's resistance, and his tone immediately softened: "Victor, as a friend, I must give you a small reminder.

You shouldn't have been so hasty in claiming your prize.

I have a small suggestion - you have enough time to use this lottery ticket to apply for U.S. citizenship, and the federal tax will be reduced to 24%.

"Becoming an American citizen will earn you an extra $120 million in bonuses, which is a great deal. I can help you with this, and it will only take two weeks."

For ordinary people, getting an extra $200 million is an irresistible temptation, and changing their nationality for it is nothing. Zhou Qingfeng shook his head, "No, I'm not planning on changing my nationality. Getting over $1 billion is already a great fortune, so I'll give the $120 million to the federal government."

Richard was slightly surprised, but he exchanged a smile with the bald head of the office to hide his embarrassment - eighteen-year-olds are often too passionate.

If this guy doesn't take the $120 million seriously, it will be difficult to deal with.

"Victor, I see you want anonymity. But you can only remain anonymous for ninety days. If you want long-term anonymity, there's a better way to do it: set up a trust fund.

Maybe you should discuss this with your family elders. This involves the management of funds exceeding one billion US dollars, and you should let them know.

The prize redemption period is still half a year, so there is no need to rush.

If you are concerned about the safety of your lottery ticket, you can deposit it in a bank. If you need money urgently, any financial institution will provide you with ample credit support.

I can recommend it to you and it will definitely reduce the cost to the lowest level." Richard patiently offered advice, seemingly offering it from the bottom of his heart.

But Zhou Qingfeng was wary of Richard, who had thrown out these things upon meeting him. He asked directly, "Do you have an electronic version of the legal documents?"

"Of course."

"send to me."

After Zhou Qingfeng obtained the electronic file, he fed it to an artificial intelligence (AI) specialized in legal affairs. He specifically hired several AIs for this purpose, paying for the highest-level service for each one.

Then all the artificial AIs said that these hundreds of pages of legal documents were too biased towards Party A and completely ignored the interests of Party B.

"I've changed my mind and don't want you to be my legal advisor."

Richard was stunned, mentally cursing the AI ​​for ruining his plans. But his warm smile grew even wider, "Son, of course you can make your own choices."

I'm just trying to help you, and you can't get around me.

Because I'm the legal counsel for the Florida Gaming Commission, and if you want to get your money, you have to deal with me. Choosing me is your best option.

As for those AIs, they are still imperfect, unreliable, incomplete, and cannot replace truly experienced lawyers.

Of course, there is the most important point.”

Richard smiled faintly, his intentions exposed, and said half persuadingly and half threateningly: "I think you should know that this lottery ticket is involved in a widely publicized murder case.

The office has notified the FBI, and federal agents will be arriving soon. You can't leave this office, but you can hire me as your lawyer.

Now is the time
-
A month ago, the FBI notified the Florida Lottery Commission that if anyone came to claim the super jackpot, it must be reported.

When Zhou Qingfeng took the lottery ticket he 'picked up' to claim the prize, the entire lottery committee had actually been waiting for him for a long time.

After all, no one would leave more than $2.2 billion in funds unattended.

As the committee's legal advisor, Richard had already anticipated various possible situations and had response plans.

But Zhou Qingfeng hadn't waited a month in vain; he had also made many preparations. After all, as long as he claimed the prize, the FBI would definitely know his identity.

There is no way to hide this.

After determining that there was something wrong with the "old white man" in front of him, he immediately said he wanted to make a phone call and walked to a corner of the office.

When the boy moved a little further away, Richard's face fell and he whispered to the bald supervisor, "What's this kid's background?"

The bald supervisor in beach casual clothes spread his hands and said, "I just saw him this morning. He's a high school student from China."

This kid's family should have some money, but not too much, otherwise he wouldn't go to a shabby place like Baitan High School to study."

"That guy isn't very friendly to me." Richard asked with a gloomy face, "Does he have any connections in the legal community in the United States?"

"Probably not." The supervisor wasn't sure, "But it's possible. After all, that kid is a lucky guy."

"No, he can't be a lucky guy." Richard stared at Zhou Qingfeng's back with certainty, and said in a low voice with a fierce look in his eyes: "He must be hired by the murderer."
-
Zhou Qingfeng took out his cell phone and slid his fingertips across the address book, finally stopping at the name "Jennifer".

He took a deep breath and without hesitation, pressed the dial button. The phone rang a few times before it was connected.

"Victor!" Jennifer's angry voice came from the other end of the phone, with a hint of blame.

"I just learned that you skipped class. You'd better find a good excuse. Even if you're an international student, you'll be expelled for violating school rules like this."

Zhou Qingfeng didn't respond directly to her question. Instead, he asked in a low voice, "Beautiful lady, remember yesterday when you said you would be my consultant in high society? Is that promise still valid?"

"What?" Jennifer's voice was filled with impatience. "The school might expel you. Are you sure you want to talk to me about this?"

Zhou Qingfeng continued slowly: "I need your help now."

Jennifer was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, as if recalling the conversation that day. Her tone became a little hesitant: "I think I promised, so you..."

"I have a small legal problem and need a reliable lawyer. But I don't have any connections in the United States, so you're the only person I can consult."

Zhou Qingfeng's tone became serious. "I think you or your family should have a good lawyer. Can you introduce him to me?"

"Wait..." Jennifer's voice suddenly rose an octave, with a hint of surprise and vigilance. "Did you hit someone with your car, little brat? Or did you commit a serious crime?"

"Neither. I just have some financial management issues." Zhou Qingfeng remained calm.

"Financial management?" Jennifer laughed, with a hint of ridicule and disapproval in her voice. "My lawyer's fees are not cheap. Talking to him for five minutes costs several hundred dollars.

Only those with assets exceeding tens of millions of dollars are eligible to dine with him. To hire him as a legal advisor, the commission would be at least one million dollars per year.

This is just the commission, and there will be additional fees for specific matters.

Even hiring a trainee lawyer from his law firm to handle the case would still cost a fortune. Are you sure you want to hire a lawyer like that for your financial resources?

"A million dollars a year? That's not expensive." Zhou Qingfeng remained calm. He was only concerned about one thing: "Is your lawyer reliable? Will he cheat us?
I want a lawyer who is capable and considers me personally, not just a lawyer who can only churn out a lot of legal texts."

There was a hint of surprise in Jennifer’s voice, and even a hint of understanding: “Stinky boy, it seems that you really have some money.

But... I don't quite understand why you need a lawyer? If your family is rich, you shouldn't need one."

"Because I haven't received my billions of dollars in assets yet, I need a lawyer to help me now," said Zhou Qingfeng.

"Wait. How much assets did you say?"

"To be exact, it's $2,237,650,000 before taxes."

"Why do I seem to have heard of this number somewhere?"

(End of this chapter)