The call ended, and the other party quickly sent over the account number.
The police officers conducted a technical analysis and found that the account was opened overseas, linked to a Swiss bank.
Due to technical limitations and various other reasons, they had no jurisdiction.
Once the money was transferred, there would be no possibility of recovery unless they apprehended the perpetrator.
For Zhan Bei Jue, the money was not the priority.
The priority was that it was Switzerland again!
He had almost lost his life there while handling matters in Switzerland previously, and now his mother's life was in danger, with the designated bank again being Swiss.
It was hard not to suspect that the other party had some influence in Switzerland.
Preparing one billion in two hours, although the Zhan Corporation was a large enterprise, it was still difficult to accomplish.
The group had countless projects running daily, and every penny in its accounts had a specific purpose.
It was impossible to mobilize such a sum.
Furthermore, the corporation bore the Zhan name, and while he was a major shareholder, he was not the sole shareholder.
Mobilizing one billion at once without halting other projects and without consulting the board of directors was simply not feasible.
The other party couldn't possibly be so ignorant as to propose such a large sum, it was clearly intended to make things difficult for him.
Just as Zhan Bei Jue was still trying to figure out a solution, Jiang Nan Fang's call came through.
Hearing Ge'er's voice, he didn't have time for further explanations.
Coincidentally, another call came in on his mobile, forcing him to cut off the call with Jiang Nan Fang.
It was the kidnapper again, with fifteen minutes left, asking how his preparations were going.
"Everything is ready on my end, several strong men, they'll surely make your sister's departure comfortable."
"And, her eyes are truly beautiful. I heard that within an hour of a person stopping breathing, all their organs..."
Zhan Bei Jue couldn't help but be provoked by his words, thinking of Min'er.
He felt so much hatred, so much hatred for Switzerland, for all despicable and shameless people!
He forced himself to remain calm, not to fall into the other party's emotional trap.
"Isn't the time not up yet? Let me hear her voice first, to ensure she's alright, and then I'll transfer the money."
The other party hesitated for a moment before handing the phone to Mai Le Di.
Mai Le Di said she was fine, just that her eyes and limbs were covered, and there were many people in the room, it was chaotic, and she was scared.
The other party then took the phone back.
"I'm a gentleman now, but I might not be in ten minutes. You'd better hurry."
Zhan Bei Jue said, "Since there are still ten minutes, let's talk. I have a very good suggestion for you."
"Are you trying to play games with me?"
"No," Zhan Bei Jue replied truthfully.
"It's impossible for me to gather one billion in two hours. Even if I owned a bank, I wouldn't have that much liquid capital on hand at once."
"Give me 24 hours. For every hour of delay, I'll add another 100 million. After 24 hours, I'll pay you 3.4 billion, and you'll safely return her to me. How about that?"
What audacity.
The police officers present were startled by his words.
The other party was clearly also taken aback by his statement, paused for a moment, and then burst into laughter.
"The Zhan Corporation is indeed wealthy. It seems my vision was too narrow; asking you for 1 billion was too little."
"Since you're so generous, why don't you make it a round number? After 24 hours, 4 billion will be credited, and I'll safely return the person to you."
The money seemed like mere numbers to them, spoken as they pleased.
The staff held their breath, all eyes fixed on Zhan Bei Jue.
He remained silent for two seconds before agreeing.
"Alright. But how can I guarantee you'll keep your word once I transfer the money?"
The other party laughed triumphantly, "You can't guarantee it. You're at my mercy now, you're not in a position to negotiate terms with me."
"I'll call again. Hurry up and prepare. I've given you enough chances. Next time, I won't be so patient."
The call was hung up again. The captain rushed to Zhan Bei Jue's side.
"Why didn't you consult us before making such a proposal? Preparing four billion in 24 hours? Is that even possible?"
"And what if the other party doesn't keep their word? Losing the person and the money, no one can bear the consequences!"
Zhan Bei Jue cast a cold glance at him. "Do you have a better solution?"
"..."
Indeed, there wasn't.
Faced with such organized, premeditated high-tech crime, no useful information could be captured. Besides being at the mercy of the perpetrator and waiting for them to slip up, the police officers could do nothing.
An awkward silence fell. After a moment, someone asked, "Captain. What do we do next?"
"Call the hospital and check on Mrs. Zhan's condition, see if she can speak."
"Have you contacted her close relatives? Interview them one by one, and continue to investigate her social circle."
"Mr. Zhan, you need to hurry and raise the money."
With that, everyone went about their tasks.
Zhan Bei Jue called the company's vice president.
"From now on, the corporation, including all its subsidiaries, will be on holiday."
"No projects will proceed, all funds on the books will be frozen. Take a 48-hour break."
The vice president was stunned, not understanding why he had made such a sudden decision.
"Mr. Zhan, you..."
"I don't have a fever, my mind is clear, I'm not being threatened, and you heard correctly. Arrange it immediately."
The vice president was still in shock. "Can I know what's happening? The group has so many enterprises, countless projects running simultaneously. Suddenly halting them..."
Not only would it delay deliveries, causing negative impacts on clients and incurring penalties for breach of contract, but it could also lead to unfavorable news reports.
If the outside world speculated that something major had happened to the Zhan Corporation, and the stock was further impacted, it would be troublesome.
His words were interrupted by Zhan Bei Jue before he could finish.
"Since you know the consequences are severe, find me a plausible excuse that leaves no room for criticism."
"Alright, stop wasting time. Do as I say."
Soon, Zhou Jin Bei called Jiang Nan Fang, saying there was no need to come to work today and asking if she wanted to go for a beauty treatment together.
"My second brother is doing something strange, suddenly giving the entire corporation a holiday, and for two whole days."
"Human resources gave the reason as celebrating the group's KPIs exceeding expectations for three consecutive quarters, showing appreciation for everyone's hard work, but I don't quite believe it."
"Everyone is saying this is the first time the corporation has experienced such a good thing since its establishment. But I always feel something is off."
Jiang Nan Fang was also confused by Zhan Bei Jue's actions.
Without any specific reason, suddenly giving the entire corporation a holiday. If a project was at a critical stage, it would delay the subsequent progress...
Jiang Nan Fang couldn't help but call Ah Zhong.
The phone was off.
At this moment, the unaware Ah Zhong was on a plane to Bei Cheng.
Upon arriving at the hotel, the staff greeted him and escorted him up.
They checked him from head to toe at the door, and only after confirming there was no danger was he allowed inside.
He was surprised to see a room full of equipment and staff members guarding it.
"Mr. Zhan..."
"I'll leave my phone here. You stay here with them and watch. If there's a call, call me immediately. I'm going to the study to handle some matters."