Chapter 6

Xiao Yun frowned slightly and asked, "What did you say?"

"Speaking frankly, I went to the UK as an exchange student during my university years and studied market information collection," Nie Zuo answered while eating his boxed lunch. "Young Lin also mentioned that my lecturer at the time happened to be one of the veterans who protected the 911 escort, so I am not unfamiliar with commercial espionage."

"Does he believe you?" Xiao Yun asked.

"I was originally just a friend of Young Lin. He insisted on giving me the title of consultant and providing some financial support because I had taken specialized courses in the UK. I was quite helpless about it," Nie Zuo replied. "The Jade Emperor said that since I have received some training, he asked if I was interested in staying in Dongcheng Escort."

Xiao Yun thought for a moment and asked, "What do you think of the prospects of the escort service?"

"Putting aside my personal relationship with Young Lin, without relying on connections, there are no prospects," Nie Zuo said. "Companies, escorts, and commercial spies—these three are like victims, bodyguards, and thieves. Brother, would you hire a bodyguard to guard against thieves?"

Xiao Yun replied, "Escort 911 should be targeting the high-end market."

"Exactly, this high-end approach is hindering the development of the escort service. The appearance fee is too high. Last year, Young Lin invested in escort equipment, daily expenses, and salaries. After deducting the money he earned from commissions received through his social circle, he lost 12 million yuan. You tell me, how much would Dongcheng Escort need to charge for each commission to break even?"

Xiao Yun said, "Young Lin is not comparable. He is extravagant, with five-star suites, yachts, and helicopters, providing the best conditions possible."

"Because of these conditions, the Jade Emperor was willing to switch from the European Union Escort to Dongcheng Escort," Nie Zuo said. "These are all professionals. For example, the twin brothers, the older one is a computer genius, one of the top 20 on the FBI's blacklist, and has hacked the U.S. Department of Defense. The younger one has an IQ of 170, can read at a glance and never forgets, and has a bachelor's degree in physics. How much salary would you need to offer to match their capabilities?"

Xiao Yun understood: "If you don't elite-ify, others won't take you seriously and won't hire you. If you do elite-ify, others will take you seriously, but they might not be able to afford you. If there is no loss of commercial information, why would anyone spend money on protection? If the information is already lost, why spend money just to die with clarity? Conversely, if it's just for profit, the escort service becomes a predator, and elite commercial spies are like gold mines."

In the age of money, many people's standard of success is the amount of money they have. Many countries have agents and spies, people trained to protect their own intelligence and gather intelligence from other countries. Every year, a batch of such professionals leave their positions, and some, due to boredom or for money, become commercial spies.

These commercial spies are no longer ordinary market information collectors. Market information collectors still have a legal red line to follow, but for professional commercial spies, the law is just a fig leaf. From what Nie Zuo knows about the three teams of Dongcheng Escort, although they don't reach the level of old agents, they are quite promising. If they change roles from escorts to predators, making money would be very easy.

Police always earn less than criminals, a rule that cannot be changed. Unlike traditional crimes, the cost of commercial espionage is low, the returns are high, the activities are hidden, the targets are widespread, and it is difficult to convict. This profession has entered its golden age in the current global economic environment. Many well-known universities abroad have set up relevant courses. Some say that this is just a part of market competition. If others have it and you don't, you are destined to lose. Country A has spies, while Country B doesn't even have security personnel. The competition between the two countries is not on the same level.

Xiao Yun operated his phone for a while: "Last month, the store account had 12 yuan, today it's 22,000 yuan, and 11,000 yuan has been transferred to your account."

"Brother," Nie Zuo said, "This is the money you earned from the store."

"Whether the store is open or not doesn't matter now. Supplying fruit to four yachts in Dongcheng every day is enough to live on." After Young Lin mentioned it casually during a meal with friends, Xiao Yun's store got the business of supplying fruit to eight yachts. Young Lin and his friends don't let the fruit stay overnight and only eat organic food, and they signed a two-year contract. Xiao Yun smiled, "Have you noticed? Connections are important. Although you don't take money directly from Young Lin, one word from him can feed us. I'm happy to be relaxed, and you don't need to be formal with me. At your age, you need to learn how to spend money, and after marriage, you need to learn how to save."

"Alright," Nie Zuo didn't say anything more. He and Xiao Yun didn't need to say such things. After finishing his meal, Nie Zuo boiled water and made tea, asking, "How is your sister-in-law?"

"Why do you ask?" Xiao Yun asked.

"Brother, you haven't closed the store yet."

Xiao Yun sighed, sat down, and drank tea: "Damn TV shows. Your sister-in-law wants to change to a school district house, saying it will help cultivate the child's study habits and provide a good learning environment, which will benefit the child's growth. If you don't strive today, what will your child have to strive for tomorrow? But a regular school district house costs 90,000 yuan per square meter, and the best ones are out of reach, costing at least 150,000 yuan per square meter, and there's no supply! Your sister-in-law plans to sell the current house and borrow some money for a down payment."

Nie Zuo said, "Brother, talk to your sister-in-law. Your niece can be arranged to study abroad in the future. There's no need to compete from infancy in China."

"Does your sister-in-law think it's that easy to go abroad? She still needs to compete to get there. If she doesn't compete now, she won't even have the qualifications to compete in the future," Xiao Yun said. "It's fine. I know her well. The TV shows have affected her, making her a bit hot-headed. If I work later and make myself more tired, she will start to understand me."

"Haha, it seems your sister-in-law isn't ruthless enough." Nie Zuo checked the time and put down his teacup: "I'll leave first."

"Going to pick up your girlfriend? Take my car."

"There's still public transportation." Nie Zuo waved and left.

...

The southern district of City A (the southern district is a harmonious term) is the commercial center of City A. This area is filled with office buildings and skyscrapers, and countless group companies and large financial conglomerates are located here. Here, you can become rich in a day, and here, you can become famous in a day. The headquarters of national leaders in insurance, banks, venture capital, finance, securities, foreign exchange, futures, and other sectors are all concentrated here. This is the financial center of City A and a globally recognized financial center.

When it comes to financial conglomerates, one cannot fail to mention the local leader, Wanlian International. From steel to real estate, from manufacturing to research and development, from media to e-commerce, from markets to luxury goods, Wanlian International has a presence in all these areas. The founder of Wanlian International, Liu Ziping, has a famous saying: "There is no business that cannot make money, only people who cannot make money. As long as there is a business, money can be made." As a first-generation venture capitalist, Liu Ziping had a unique vision and extraordinary courage, always staying ahead of others. After more than 30 years of ups and downs, he built the vast commercial empire of Wanlian International.