Chapter 287: Big Shot
Noah rolled his eyes in disdain, not even wanting to converse with the hooligans.
"What's going on? Why are these people vandalizing the supermarket?" Noah asked Timothy.
"Hmph! Owing money and not paying it back is a matter of course! This Timothy owes us a billion and hasn't paid. So we came to smash things up. What's wrong with that?"
The hooligan snorted loudly.
"I wasn't talking to you. Shut up."
Noah glared at the hooligan, a chill emanating from him.
His gaze was sharp as a blade, icy and cold, making the hooligan shiver as if he were being stared down by a terrifying beast. He couldn't help but shiver, his spine tingling, and sweat breaking out.
"That gaze... so terrifying."
He opened his mouth but didn't dare to speak again.
"Timothy, after I acquired the supermarket, you should have used the court funds to repay the suppliers. Why is there still debt, and why is it a billion?" Noah asked again.
Timothy's expression changed, and he quickly explained.
"Noah, it's not a billion! It's only thirty million! The extra seventy million is interest!"
"Thirty million in debt with seventy million in interest? Is this a high-interest loan?" Noah frowned.
"Sigh! Noah, here's what happened." Timothy sighed.
"Previously, when Kroger was on the brink of bankruptcy, we owed a supplier named Xu thirty million."
"At that time, I had no means to repay it, and naturally, the supplier couldn't get his money. Later, when you acquired the supermarket and I had the funds, I wanted to repay the thirty million, but I found out that the supplier had outsourced the debt to a big shot in the gray area."
After saying this, Timothy glanced at the hooligan.
"That big shot in the gray area specializes in lending and debt collection, and these hooligans are his lackeys."
He continued.
"After all, the thirty million debt had been outstanding for several months. I thought of repaying thirty-five million, with the extra five million as interest. According to national law, even this five million interest is considered a high-interest loan. If I repay thirty-five million, the big shot wouldn't lose any money."
"But who knew, the big shot demanded seventy million in interest, totaling a hundred million! A hundred million is no small amount. Even if I had the money, I wouldn't repay it. This interest is thousands of times the legal rate! It's outright usury!"
Noah nodded, understanding the situation.
"So, because you didn't repay, the big shot sent his lackeys to vandalize the place?"
"Yes!"
Timothy nodded, his expression bitter. "It's said that the big shot holds a high position in the underworld of Oceanbridge City, someone ordinary people can't mess with. This time, we're in big trouble!"
"Timothy, since you know you can't mess with the big shot behind me, just obediently repay the hundred million!"
The hooligan spoke, having recovered from the fear of Noah's gaze.
"If you don't have the money, sell the supermarket as collateral! Don't you have a daughter? I heard she's very pretty. You can send her to our bar to work as a hostess to repay the debt!"
Hearing this, Timothy's eyes reddened with anger.
"Dream on! I'd rather die than give my daughter to you!"
"Hmph, let me tell you!" The hooligan sneered.
"The gray area of Oceanbridge City is now unified. The entire Oceanbridge City is ours. Taking your daughter quietly and making her work as a hostess to repay the debt is a piece of cake!"
Timothy's face turned pale. He didn't want his precious daughter to get into trouble.
But where could he find a hundred million to repay?
The thirty million debt was his, not Noah's.
The supermarket belonged to Noah, and he had no right to sell it to repay the debt.
Noah might not be willing to help him repay the debt either, as a hundred million was no small amount, even for Noah.
Was this the end for him?
Tears of despair streamed down Timothy's face.
"You have two choices." At this moment, Noah looked at the hooligan and spoke calmly.
"First, take thirty-five million and leave with your people."
"Second, bring your boss here, and I'll ask him which law stipulates that a thirty million principal requires seventy million in interest."
"Kid, if thirty-five million could settle this, we wouldn't be here smashing things up at this hour!" The hooligan sneered.
"As for bringing my boss here... if he comes, things won't be so simple. You've injured so many of us; you'll have to pay at least a million in compensation! Can you afford that? Do you have the money?"
"I can afford it. I have the money."
Noah looked at the hooligan seriously. "Bring him here."
Noah's attitude made the hooligan pause, then he sneered.
"Fine, I'll bring him here!"
With that, the hooligan picked up his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Jack, we've run into some trouble collecting the debt from Timothy."
"What trouble?" A deep voice came from the other end.
"A dozen of our brothers have been injured. And that kid wants to ask you in person which law stipulates seventy million in interest on a thirty million principal." The hooligan explained.
"Ask me in person, huh? I'll come and tell him myself!"
The voice on the other end laughed coldly. "This is my rule! If he doesn't like it, I'll beat him until he does! I'll be there soon!"
Hanging up the phone, the hooligan sneered at Noah.
"Kid, our boss Jack said this is his rule. If you don't like it, he'll beat you until you do."
"Jack..."
Noah's eyes flickered, but he said nothing.
Half an hour later, a black Buick minivan arrived.
The door opened, and seven or eight burly men stepped out.
Leading them was another burly man.
This man had a dragon tattoo on his shoulder and wore earrings, looking fierce and intimidating.
"Jack!"
Seeing the man, the hooligan immediately greeted him with a respectful smile.
"Hmm, where's the kid?"
Jack nodded and asked.
After taking over Edward's territory at the bar that day, Ethan had entrusted Jack with managing Edward's operations.
During this time, his power and status had skyrocketed, with hundreds of underlings under him.
More importantly, besides running the bar, Edward had mainly dealt with high-interest loans.
After subduing Edward, all his loan operations fell into Jack's hands.
All of Edward's accounts were now managed by Jack.
