Abortion's plan to kill the two police officers presented Yang Jian with an almost unsolvable dilemma. He had even considered taking Abortion hostage to make him abandon his plan.
However, that was clearly out of the question. Not only were there his men outside the office, but Yang Jian himself might not be able to handle Abortion alone. Abortion had a gun, and he was also a skilled fighter. Even if Yang Jian could defeat him, it wouldn't be a quick affair.
Seeing that Yang Jian was flustered, Abortion suddenly said, "Little Yang, this matter isn't without a solution. It depends on whether you can accept it."
Yang Jian seized upon this like a drowning man grabbing a straw. "Brother Bao, tell me quickly, what's the solution?"
"Two conditions. First, we'll take a set of photos of these two cops soliciting prostitutes and gambling. If we are targeted and arrested by the Chinese and Burmese police, these photos will appear online and on the desks of the Seoul Police Internal Affairs Division."
This sordid method left Yang Jian dumbfounded. "If we do this, won't those two officers be under your control long-term?"
"Little Yang, this is self-preservation. If they don't report us, why would we control them? A mere policeman like him can't squeeze much money out of us, and we don't care about their meager salaries. Besides, you're their guarantor."
"I need to discuss this with them."
"No need to discuss. As long as you agree, they can't refuse. I've already said they're under our control. Their lives or deaths are in your hands."
"Alright, what's the second condition?"
At this point, there seemed to be no room for negotiation. Compared to being killed, Yang Jian felt the two officers would choose to be photographed.
"The second condition is for you. Since we'll be here for a long time, to ensure our safety, you must partner with us to invest in a casino and sign an agreement. If we are pursued by the Chinese police, this agreement will also be sent to them."
"Invest in a casino? What kind of bizarre condition is this? How much money do I have to invest?"
Yang Jian's mind was reeling. Was his life destined to be intertwined with casinos?
Abortion smiled. "The investment amount shall not be less than ten million. The specific investment amount and shares will be discussed with you after Master and Uncle have finalized their arrangements."
"You mean the online gambling you mentioned?"
"Yes. Of course, we can also buy a casino floor here, but the casinos here are a bit bloody, and your personality might not suit it."
"Bloody? What do you mean?"
"Casinos here are different from those in the mainland. Besides exchanging cash or transferring funds for chips, gamblers can also sign for credit. This means they can get chips even if they don't have money, just by signing. However, the interest rates are high.
After obtaining chips, if a gambler wins, they can exchange them for cash and leave. If they lose, they are notified to have their family or friends transfer money to settle the debt. If they have no money, their fate is grim; they might never be able to leave."
Abortion explained it simply, but Yang Jian understood the implication: gamblers who couldn't repay would suffer inhuman torture, possibly even be beaten to death. This model was indeed unacceptable to him.
"What are the risks of running an online casino?"
Opening a casino was no small matter, and Yang Jian needed to understand it clearly.
"Running an online casino carries no risk. Not to mention compared to China, it's safer than here. While casinos here are protected by the local military government, accidents are frequent.
For example, when gamblers are pushed to desperation, they might retaliate with explosives and firearms. Such cases occur a few times every year. Last year, a casino owner was blown up and killed.
Furthermore, casinos here not only have to pay substantial fees to the local military government but also rely on powerful officials for protection. These officials all receive dividends from the casinos.
Additionally, conflicts can arise between casinos due to customer sources, and these conflicts sometimes result in deaths.
In short, the profits from opening a casino here are not as large as in the mainland, but at least it won't be shut down by the government."
Abortion refilled Yang Jian's tea and continued his explanation.
"Running an online casino avoids all these problems. The gambling companies are based in the Philippines. You only need to hire handsome and beautiful dealers to deal cards via video.
Gamblers don't need to go to the site; they can participate in gambling anytime, anywhere, whether at home, at the company, in an internet cafe, or even while traveling. It's highly discreet and very safe. The police won't be able to track it.
The casinos are also safe. Online casinos have servers located overseas, making them untraceable by cyber police. The casino owners operate behind the scenes, and no one knows who they are."
"Online gambling, is it only targeted at our countrymen? How does the casino collect money?"
"Online casinos cater to gamblers worldwide. As for how to collect money, that involves technical issues, which will be explained by professionals later."
With this explanation, Yang Jian had a general understanding of the situation. It seemed he had no choice but to agree.
"Brother Bao, investing in a casino is fine, but I'd like to know why Brother Fan and Brother Zheng want me involved. If they need money, I can give them ten million."
Abortion laughed heartily. "Do you think my Master and Uncle are people who lack money? There are two reasons for bringing you into the casino business.
First, your bringing the cops here is a huge threat to them. Simply taking photos of the cops isn't enough to guarantee they won't report us. As their guarantor, you should also have some leverage in our hands. By bringing you into the casino business, you'll be sharing the same fate as Master and Uncle.
Second, Uncle says you have exceptionally good luck in the gambling world. Any casino you participate in becomes very profitable. Once you withdraw, the casino declines or even faces major issues. Therefore, we must tie you to the casino business. Master also agrees with this view.
You know that people in the underworld are very superstitious. Master and Uncle both say you are their benefactor. As long as they partner with you, they are safe. They will overcome misfortunes and emerge from dangers unscathed."
Yang Jian was speechless. What absurd reasons these were! But Yang Fan and Bai Zheng were indeed that superstitious, and there was no way to refuse.
"Brother Bao, I'll go discuss it with Brother Zhang and the others."
"Alright, I'll take you there."
Abortion led Yang Jian to the fifth floor. Zhang Hui and Qin Feiyang were locked in the same room, guarded by six burly men. Four held handguns, and the other two were surprisingly armed with submachine guns. The display of force was quite intimidating.
"Little Yang, what's going on? They confiscated our phones and are holding us at gunpoint. What does this mean?"
As soon as Yang Jian entered the room, Zhang Hui, who was sitting on the bed, stood up emotionally.
"Captain Zhang, I apologize. I've implicated you. The situation is quite dire, but it's not without a solution, though it will require you two to endure some hardship."
Yang Jian didn't beat around the bush. He recounted the conversation he had just had with Abortion without any concealment. Knowing that they would find being photographed under duress difficult to accept, he could only try to persuade them slowly.