Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 378-376: Meeting with the Three Major Conglomerates, Signing Agreements in Paris, and a Major European Purchase
Two cars are driving on a street in Paris.

With Christmas approaching, the most important Western holiday, preparations are underway on the streets.

On the Champs-Élysées, shop windows are meticulously decorated to resemble fairytale scenes, with lifelike statues of Santa Claus and reindeer illuminated by colorful lights, attracting the curious and excited gazes of children.

Silver and warm colors slowly spread across the streets, and people could be seen carrying gifts and groceries home, as well as beautiful Christmas trees loaded onto trucks and transported to customers' homes.

Fang Wen was involuntarily infected by this peaceful happiness, but the image of his motherland floated into his mind, and he lost interest.

He drove east along the Champs-Élysées without looking to the side, then turned into Place Vendôme.

The Ritz Hotel, located northwest of Place Vendôme in the heart of Paris, is a renowned upscale hotel that has been in operation for 40 years.

It can be said to be the oldest and most famous luxury hotel in Paris, and the people who came to sign the $1 million contract are all of high status. Holding the signing ceremony here shows the importance that both parties attach to it.

The car stopped outside the hotel, and after handing the keys to the doorman, Fang Wen and his party entered the hotel lobby, greeted by Whitney and Oliver.

This signing was done very quietly, without any public announcement.

This was Fang Wen's special request, since he was already being targeted by the Special Higher Police, and such a large loan would definitely attract the attention of the Japanese army.

The group took the elevator to the top floor of the hotel.

A private banquet was taking place there.

Gentlemen and ladies, dressed in their finest attire, formed small groups and chatted amongst themselves.

The band's melodious music filled the room, along with the aroma of burning firewood and the sweet scent of mulled wine cake.

A smiling waitress wearing pantyhose and a white bra walked among the guests carrying a wine tray. One of her approached Fang Wen and his companions and asked in French with a smile, "Gentlemen, would you like a drink?"

This was the first time Gong Xiuneng had ever seen a woman dressed so scantily, and he was particularly startled by the sight of her fair and tender skin on her lower abdomen, causing him to avert his gaze in a panic.

Upon seeing this, Fang Wen chuckled inwardly and replied in French, "Thank you, but no need."

He then pulled the dazed Gong Xiu Neng aside and continued on with Whitney and the others.

Gong Xiuneng, who had recovered, caught up and swallowed hard: "Commander, what's going on?"

Fang Wen replied, "They're more open here. There might be something even more... in a bit. If you can't handle it, don't watch. We need to focus on business right now."

By this time, they had walked through the banquet hall and entered another room.

Something indescribable is happening.

Such boldness and unrestrained behavior, completely disregarding outsiders, yet no one seems to care; it appears everyone has become accustomed to these things.

Gong Xiuneng's face flushed red, and he suddenly began to recite in a low voice.

"A pure heart is like a mirror, clear and flawless, untouched by the turmoil of the world. A tranquil lake is like a mirror, its ripples calm and still, with all sounds fading away except for the gentle breeze. Sitting quietly in the secluded bamboo grove, with the sparse moonlight and the melodious sound of the zither, one can cleanse the heart of worldly cares. The way of Zen lies in a pure heart, as cold and pure as ice and jade, unburdened by material possessions."

It seemed to be some kind of scripture. Fang Wen asked in a low voice, "What is this?"

“My master taught me the Heart-Clearing Mantra. He said that when external demons disturb the mind, one should recite it a few times to calm the mind and focus the spirit.”

Fang Wen thought it sounded good, so he let Gong Xiu continue. He planned to memorize the entire Heart-Clearing Mantra and try reciting it whenever he encountered troubles in the future.

The journey was accompanied by Gong Xiuneng's calming mantras.

"The world is vast, my heart is at ease, I forget myself and the world, and return to the primordial chaos. Flowers dance lightly, leaves fall gently, I am humble and open-minded, embracing all things. Worldly thoughts are like dust, easily brushed away, my heart is free and unfettered. Life is like a dream, ever-changing, but my heart is as firm as a rock, unmoved."

"Unlock the heart's chains, release the spirit's shackles, be serene and soulless, and unite with the world. With a clear and empty mind, all worries vanish, and the heart is like a clear mirror, reflecting all things. Troubles are like silk threads, gradually unraveling and shedding, brows unfurrowing, and smiles blooming like flowers. The Taoist heart is pure, empty, and natural, where all things are one, and heaven and earth are in harmony with spring."

The sound grew louder and louder as Gong Xiu got into the zone.

Then they came to another room, where people dressed in black robes and pointed hats were gathered together, seemingly performing some kind of special ritual.

The unique chanting rhythm of the Taoist Heart-Cleansing Mantra, mixed with bizarre Western religious rituals, creates a peculiar conflict.

Those in black robes and pointed hats turned around, their faces obscured, and stared at Fang Wen and his group.

Whitney said, "Gentlemen, these are the people who brought the sacred objects. Please welcome them."

Immediately, the men in black robes and pointed hats raised their arms and applauded.

Amidst applause, the group continued on their way and finally arrived at the signing hall.

There were contract representatives from three conglomerates there, all of whom were elderly men.

Whitney introduced them one by one. "Mr. Edmund Morgan, the current chairman of Morgan Stanley." "Mr. Alexander Rockefeller, the head of the Rockefeller family." "Ms. Victoria Mellon, the chairman of Mellon National Bank."

Fang Wen shook hands with each of the three men, neither humble nor arrogant.

However, they did not sign the contract immediately. Instead, the four of them sat around the fireplace in the room and began to talk, while Gong Xiuneng and his two lawyers waited on the other side.

Edmund Morgan said, “Mr. Fang, I think you should understand why we agreed to this loan.”

Fang Wen smiled but remained silent; at this moment, saying more would be counterproductive.

He had a feeling that the initiative was in his hands this time.

His hunch was right.

Faced with Fang Wen's feigned profundity, Alexander Rockefeller took the initiative to respond.

“When I was young, I also loved to travel the world. I heard a lot of interesting things back then, but I never saw them with my own eyes. For so many years, I’ve always thought that if the world is so monotonous and everything can be explained by so-called science, wouldn’t it be too boring? Until now, you have brought those mysteries to us, which is a whole new world for us.”

Fang Wen smiled and nodded: "Perhaps I'm just lucky. I always manage to discover something interesting."

Victoria Mellon seemed thoughtful, then asked, "If your luck continues, will you find even more interesting things?"

"Maybe." Fang Wen beckoned Gong Xiuneng over and took the suitcase.

He placed the suitcase on the table, opened it, and took out two items from inside.

“I think you all want to experience the effects of these two treasures for yourselves. Let me explain. The amber cross, or as we'll call it for now, its true name has been lost to history. The only known effect is that it creates a mysterious connection with certain beliefs. But it will have no effect on people who don't have those beliefs.”

The three received the amber cross from Fang Wen and experienced it one by one.

Although they all appeared to be praying devoutly, it was impossible to discern any difference between the three.

Fang Wen didn't even know if they had established a connection with the amber cross. It could be said that these three were indeed very shrewd and unpredictable people.

But that's not important, because all three of them are already quite old. As they age, their physical functions decline, and various diseases inevitably appear in their bodies. They must have an even more urgent expectation for the second treasure.

This expectation doesn't even need to be hidden.

Victoria Mellon looked at the four golden Buddha statues: "You don't need to explain. We already know their origin and effects through Oliver. I've had rheumatism for years. Can these four golden Buddha statues cure it?"

Rheumatism is a difficult disease to cure, especially for the elderly, who suffer from many inconveniences and pains.

This is also why Victoria Mellon is so eager.

Fang Wen replied, "It can make you feel comfortable for a period of time, free from the pain. We don't know how long it will last, but it takes effect very quickly. You can achieve this as soon as you activate it. Would you like to try it?" "Sure, let's start now." Victoria Mellon sat up straight excitedly, waiting.

Fang Wen picked up the four-faced golden Buddha statue and explained its usage while operating it.

"Unlike the cross, it needs to be activated to be effective. When using it, align the compassionate face among the four sides with the healer, and then press the small raised dot on the Buddha's head."

As Fang Wen manipulated things, an invisible force enveloped Victoria Mellon, who revealed a comfortable expression.

A few minutes later, she opened her eyes.

He stood up in surprise, touching various parts of his body.

"It's amazing. The muscle soreness is gone, and the fatigue is gone too. My hand joints are no longer as stiff as before. And here, the swelling is gone."

The other two were stunned by Victoria Mellon's sudden outburst and lost their composure, standing up to ask her questions.

"Is it really that amazing?"

"Yes, I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time."

"Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

“Yes, I feel very hungry,” Victoria Mellon said, gesturing for someone to bring her food.

Alexander Rockefeller and Edmund Morgan couldn't help but feel envious as they watched this elderly woman, who was over sixty, enjoying her food with gusto.

The two looked at Fang Wen simultaneously and said in unison.

"I'd like to try it too." "I have a heart condition."

Fang Wen smiled and said, "No problem. We'll take it one at a time."

He then performed the same mysterious treatment on both of them, and it produced very good results.

The three were quite amazed and summoned their private doctors.

Private doctors have never seen anything like this before.

These were all illnesses that were difficult to cure, yet they suddenly disappeared.

In other words, even though the source of the disease is still in the body, the person is no longer affected by it and thus becomes healthy.

This inexplicable phenomenon further convinced the three of the functions of the two treasures.

They immediately decided to sign a mortgage loan agreement with Fang Wen.

A thick mortgage loan agreement was brought out and carefully examined by two French lawyers.

After all, it's a $1 million loan agreement with many terms and conditions, and it's difficult to avoid various contractual pitfalls without a professional lawyer.

After spending more than an hour reviewing the mortgage agreement, the two lawyers reported back to Fang Wen.

"No problems were found with the contract terms. The contract stipulated that the first phase would provide a $2000 million loan. If your military industry could develop new weapons, you would receive a second $2000 million loan. Once the weapons were mass-produced and tested by the arms purchasers they had found, you would receive a third $2000 million loan. If your weapons were validated on the battlefield and possessed superior or unique deterrent capabilities compared to similar weapons, you would receive a fourth $4000 million loan. If the above conditions were not met, the loan disbursement would be delayed until the conditions were met."

Fang Wen pondered as he listened to his lawyer's explanation.

The three-party consortium did not relax its constraints because of the treasure being used as collateral, after all, it was a major mortgage loan of $1 million.

Such restrictions are actually normal practice to prevent loan funds from being misappropriated or squandered.

Fang Wen would certainly not do that; he was confident that he could use the money to create a groundbreaking military industry.

However, these clauses are mostly restrictive to himself and do not align with Fang Wen's interests.

He wanted to include his own requirements in the terms to bind the three-party consortium.

He added, "Add one more condition: the collateral must be returned to me once a year."

The lawyer previously spoke with the opposing lawyer to negotiate additional clauses.

The opposing lawyer immediately reported the situation, and the three heads of the conglomerate negotiated with Fang Wen about it.

"Why do we need to send it back to you every year? Don't you trust us?" Edmund Morgan asked.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, but it’s necessary,” Fang Wen explained calmly. “As I just said, the four-faced golden Buddha doesn’t have much energy left, and it will lose its effectiveness after a certain number of uses. I have a way to restore the energy to the four-faced golden Buddha so that it can be used again. Don’t you want that?”

So that's how it is. After experiencing the healing effects of the Four-Faced Golden Buddha, the three of them naturally wanted to.

Once this miraculous healing effect wears off, they will definitely continue to use it. What if the golden Buddha becomes ineffective after multiple uses?

Fang Wen's ability to recharge the golden Buddha would be the best outcome.

This also became Fang Wen's unique constraint method in mortgage loans.

As long as he can recharge the four golden Buddhas, there will be no unexpected problems with the mortgage loan, and the two parties will continue to cooperate smoothly.

As for bringing back the amber cross every year as a side effect, that was also Fang Wen's little scheme.

Based on his understanding of the two treasures.

Amber crosses are actually tools for collecting spiritual energy.

It can actively attract believers of similar religions, thereby accumulating this spiritual energy.

When he came in, he saw those people in black robes and pointed hats performing a strange religious ceremony, and he guessed that this amber cross would have a special purpose.

If you absorb a certain amount of faith energy during this process, and it returns to you once a year, wouldn't that be perfect for you to absorb?

The four-faced golden Buddha is different; it needs to be infused with energy and faith to function in healing ailments.

Therefore, Fang Wen absorbed the energy of the four-faced golden Buddha, but it did not show any effect until Fang Wen re-injected the energy.

This thing must return to Fang Wen's hands before it can be effective again.

Ultimately, the additional terms were accepted by the three-party consortium, and the mortgage loan agreement was officially signed.

After the contract was signed, Fang Wen handed the briefcase containing the two treasures to Edmund Morgan, and at the same time accepted the leather suitcase handed to him by the other party.

Fang Wen opened it on the spot, and of course, it didn't contain $2000 million in banknotes.

Instead, it was $1500 million in bonds and $500 million in Morgan Stanley-backed securities.

It weighs less than 5 kilograms in total.

US dollar bonds are widely accepted in various trading venues, while the 500 million Morgan Bank special cover note is a special note used in European interbank transactions. This note can be exchanged for an equivalent amount of local currency, which is perfect for purchasing in Europe.

Now that he has $2000 million, Fang Wen is not going to take that money back with him.

He wants to spend the money in Europe and then use the resources and talent he has acquired to bring back to Asia.

(End of this chapter)