Ch. 1571..1580

Life at the Top Chapter 1571

On the other end of the phone, Celine’s father spoke calmly, “If we promise to help him, then it means that the Maynards will need to mobilize our familial power in Congress in the future to help Sentel Corporation gain more benefits.

“This is a change in our family’s stance. For a political family like us, it is not a trivial matter. Sentel needs to pay a fair price so that Jasper won’t efforts won’t be in vain.”

“You don’t have to say that. I will agree o n his behalf,” Celine said suddenly. Celine’s father was taken aback for a

moment, then he said lightly, “Okay.”

After he finished talking, he hung up the phone.

Celine stood there for a long time whilst listening to the dial tone. She sighed lightly. She was now feeling a little relaxed and lonely.

After some consideration, she called Jasper.

“How did it go?”

Jasper did not expect Celine to receive the news so soon, so he could not help but feel confused.

After all, it was always better, and easier, t o refuse than to agree.

“It’s done.”

Celine’s tone sounded relaxed.

“Do you think I can’t get anything done?”

Jasper was surprised. “That’s all?”

“Yes.”

“What price do I need to pay?”

When Jasper asked this, he was ready to get slaughtered.

After all, he did not think that the Maynards, who were positioned prominently in the United States politics, were a family who were easy to talk to. Nor did they seem like to type to try to be o n good terms with everyone

“Marry me,” Celine said nonchalantly.

“Stop joking.” Jasper rubbed the bridge of his nose. He held his phone and said, “I’m still waiting for concrete news before I fly to Coreana.”

“You saw through me immediately. This i s so boring.”

Celine’s tone sounded even more relaxed.

“You don’t need to pay any price. You should know that a political family values investment in someone like you is obviously in line with the family’s long term interest.

“So, this time it’s all about selling you some goodies. The fee Sentel Corporation will have to pay us still exists, but you’re the one who’s going to personally propose to them this opportunity to cooperate with you.”

Jasper felt relieved. It seemed that he was judging Celine unfairly with his despicable mind.

The Maynards were indeed a good family.

“Okay, convey my gratitude to your

family for me. I know what I should do now,” Jasper said gratefully.

“Okay, go on with your business. I still have a lot of things to take care of. Thank me when everything is done.”

Celine hung up the phone.

Jasper held his phone, and for some reason, he felt empty. It felt as if he had forgotten some very important details.

Then, he shook his head. Perhaps the entire process was fine.

Perhaps he had been too stressed recently and this matter had gone abnormally well, which was why overly cautious.

After he recomposed himself, he got up and called Julian.

“Let’s go to Coreana.”

Life at the Top Chapter 1572

Coreana was not a peaceful place, and since they were going abroad, Jasper naturally wanted to bring Julian with him.

After getting Jasper’s call, in half an hour, Julian had already driven to the company and was waiting for Jasper. After he told Wendy, Jasper went directly to the airport along with Julian.

On the way, Jasper did not forget to call Henry.

“Damn, are you the boss who’s supervising and overseeing me as an employee?”

Henry thought that Jasper was asking him about his progress in tracking down Dean and spat angrily.

Jasper laughed and said, “You won’t get any notable results on this for the moment, so I am not here to ask about that but rather to tell you I am going to Coreana now and I will be back tomorrow if all goes well.”

Henry stomped his feet and said, “F*ck me, I’m working for you for free while you’re going off to have fun? Are you still human?”

“I’m not going off to have fun. I’m going to do business,” Jasper explained.

Henry said unhappily, “Forget it, you don’t even take me along when you go out to have fun anymore.”

Jasper was about to speak, but he heard Henry suddenly say, “I just received a message. Okay, I’m going to hang up now. During this period, I discovered that the dog Dean has many secrets. I’ll wait for you to come back.”

After speaking, Henry hung up the phone.

Jasper shrugged and did not pay it too much attention. Compared with the major events unfolding right now, Dean did not seem so important. It did not matter so long as Henry could continue to have fun on his own.

Jasper called Adele directly, then indicated that he was on his way to Coreana.

“Okay, what time are you going to arrive?” Adele really kept her promise. She did not make any excuse and straightforwardly asked for his arrival time.

“In about three hours.” Jasper checked the time. Although it was a private jet, it still took time to apply for a flight route and arrange for a take-off because they were doing this at the last minute. In reality, the flight itself did not take that long, lasting about an hour or so.

“When you get off the plane, someone from Sentel will be there for you. I will pass the news to them now.”

Adele said. Then, she suddenly asked, “Did you really convince the Maynards in North America? It should not have been that easy.”

“How difficult can it be? It was pretty easy,” Jasper said lightly. He really did not think it was that big a deal.

As Celine said, he was just a long- term investment to them and nothing more.

“Tch.”

Adele rolled her eyes. “What a poser. However, since you can convince the Maynards in such a short period, it proves that you still have a lot of secrets that I don’t know.”

“I originally predicted that you might not have a high chance of succeeding, let alone in such a short period.”

“Want to know the secret? Buy it with money.” Jasper laughed.

“I am not interested in your secrets yet. I will purchase it when there are interested buyers.”

Adele hung up the phone after she finished talking.

Jasper arrived at the airport while they were still speaking.

Someone had already completed the flight application and take-off schedule when Jasper first decided to leave. Jasper waited at the airport for only 20 minutes before being notified that he could board the plane. He took a special passageway, went through customs, and boarded the plane.

Two hours later, Jasper arrived in Coreana.

Now, he was in Coreana again. The smell of pickles in the air was almost intrusive.

As he listened to the foreign language that was being spoken around him, Jasper looked up and saw that a convoy had already stopped on the side of the road. The car window was lowered, and the face of Jasper’s old friend was revealed.

It was the princess from Sentel Corporation, Sylphie.

“My father told me before that I needed to greet a guest from Somerland. I was still wondering who it was, but I didn’t expect it to be you.”

Sylphie looked at Jasper and said with a smile after getting out of the car.

Life at the Top Chapter 1573

“I didn’t expect you to come out to greet me in person too, Princess Sylphie.”

Jasper walked up to Sylphie, smiled, and stretched out his hand. “Long time no see.”

“Long time no see…”

They shook hands lightly. Jasper behaved as per societal norms. He held Sylphie’s four fingers without touching her palm and he loosened his grip immediately after he shook her hand.

This was basic respect toward women in such formal social situations. Jasper would never offend anyone by neglecting thesedetails.

Sylphie looked at Jasper, suddenly sighed, and said, “You have changed a lot from before.”

“What changed?” Jasper asked curiously.

“Back then, you were like a thorn who was so brash. If we were not careful, we would easily get stabbed by you.”

“Interesting. What about now?” Jasper laughed.

“Now you are like a sharp sword that shows off your ability.”

Sylphie looked at Jasper and said sincerely, “I‘m not going to hide this from you. As I watched you approach, I subconsciously ignored all other passers by as if they were merely here to serve as your background as though the meaning of their existence was just to accentuate your presence.

“You were walking with so much aura compared to before. In other words, you’ve grown.”

Jasper laughed and said, “All that aside, it’s an honor to be praised by you, Princess Sylphie. However, I’m overwhelmed by your compliments. This is too much.”

“For someone who can crash the United States stock market, no praise is too much.”

Sylphie turned sideways and gestured at Jasper to get into the car. After Jasper entered the car, Sylphie got in the car fromthe other side.

Julian was arranged to sit in the car behind them.

The convoy started moving slowly and headed for the outskirts.

“I was not the only one who crashed the United States stock market. What’s more, it was far from a crash. It was just a temporary loss at best.

“The symbolic meaning of this loss is much greater than the actual effect. After all, as long as Wall Street capital and the Federal Reserve exist, the United States stock market cannot collapse.”

Jasper was very honest as he sat in the car. He did not brag about himself, nor did he demean himself. He just said the facts as they were.

Sylphie smiled and said, “But many others don’t think so.”

While the two were chatting, Jasper‘s cell phone rang. It was Adele.

“How was it? Did you see the person who picked you up?” Adele’s tone was a little teasing.

“We’re chatting in the car. You even arranged for this?” Jasper was surprised.

“It’s nothing. Sentel‘s princess is pretty, right? She’s au natural,” Adele teased.

“We have known each other a long time ago,” Jasper said helplessly.

Adele was taken aback on the other end of the phone, and then she became quite embarrassed. “Are there any more beautiful women in the world that you don’t know? All of them have impressive backgrounds too. You are such a playboy.”

After speaking, Adele did not even give Jasper a chance to explain before she hung up the phone. Jasper was speechless.

Wendy never complained about this, so who was Adele to pout?

“Your friend?” Sylphie asked softly.

“A business partner at best.” Jasper rubbed his brows and replied.

Life at the Top Chapter 1574

Although Coreana was not big, it was really a long way from the airport to the outskirts where Sentel Corporation was located. Since they were part of a convoy, it was impossible to drive too fast.

Therefore, after the initial greetings and small talk, Jasper, who was extremely tense, fell asleep without even realizing. The cars gentle shaking coupled with the fact that he had continuously stayed up late for the past few days proved too much for him.

They were discussing a topic when Sylphie, who was waiting for Jasper’s response, realized that she did not hear Jasper speak for a long time. Thus, she turned her head and saw that Jasper had fallen asleep whilst leaning against his seat. She could not help feeling quite helpless.

For any woman, the fact that a man could fall asleep while chatting with them was a huge blow to their self-esteem. However, Sylphie was no ordinary woman. She quietly ordered the convoy to drive more slowly. Then, she sat at one side and looked carefully at Jasper. To be honest, Jasper was definitely not the kind of handsome man who would make people feel astonished at first glance.

However, Jasper’ s charm was that the more you looked at him, the more attractive he appeared.

If a woman was only attracted to a man’s appearance, then she could only be described as superficial.

Most of the real charm of a man lay within. If a handsome man was penniless or not ambitious at all, would there be any sensible woman who would want to be with him?

For Sylphie, watching Jasper sleeping in this way was a novel experience. Frankly speaking, this was the first time she had seen a man sleep ever since she became an adult. The last time she had witnessed such a thing was when she saw her father and grandpa take a nap when she was a child. However, there was no comparison between the two. Jasper was a man, or rather, a man of the same age as her.

Like other women, Sylphie could not help being curious. What kind of power was hidden in this man’s seemingly ordinary body that made him reach this point in such a short time?

As he slept, Jasper looked far less aggressive than the memorable impression Sylphie had already formed of him. He had a childlike innocence and calmness to him now, which interested Sylphie.

Forty minutes later, when Jasper awoke, he found that the car had stopped in front of a manor.

Jasper got up and found a thin blanket covering him. He turned his head to Sylphie, who was looking at him, and said apologetically, “I’m sorry, I fell asleep.”

“It’s fine. I can tell that you are tired,” Sylphie said.

“Let’s get out of the car. My father is already waiting.” Jasper got out of the car immediately.

In a country like Coreana with a small land mass but an exceptionally developed economy, there was one obvious feature. There were too many people, which made housing prices outrageously expensive. The manor where Sentel Corporation was located had occupied a decadent amount of floor space.

Jasper got out of the car and went directly into the manor with Sylphie in the lead.

In the living room, a burly middle-aged man who looked somewhat similar to Sylphie greeted him.

“Welcome, guest from Somerland.”

Sylphie’s father and the next head of Sentel Corporation, Emil Lang greeted Jasper in Coreana. Sylphie interpreted next to him so Jasper was not worried about not understanding him.

“Mr. Emil, thank you for your hospitality.”

As he faced someone like Emil, who would take over the entire Sentel Corporation in a few years and also caused a series of earth-shattering events himself, Jasper suddenly became quite alert.

In his previous life, he could only get to know Emil through the media and the Internet, but now that he was standing in front of the man himself, he found that Emil was actually very nice to talk to. Perhaps this was also one of the reasons why he would cause internal conflicts within this plutocratic family in the future.

He was not assertive enough.

After the two exchanged greetings, Emil smiled and said, “My father is already in the study. Why don’t we go straight up?”

“Okay.”

Since he was here to discuss business matters, Jasper did not dilly dally with too much formalities. He simply nodded and agreed.

The three then went to the study upstairs. After knocking on the door, Jasper accompanied Sylphie and followed Emil into the study.

The first thing that caught his eyes was a huge piece of calligraphy.

The decorations in the study were simple, and they did not really fit the style typically demanded by the head of a plutocratic family.

However, Jasper understood that at the level of a big boss like Kit, all antiques and luxury goods became dispensable accessories.

Some people needed expensive luxury goods and antiques to accentuate and flaunt their identity, but for others, even wearing straw sandals gave them a certain energy that normal people dared not look down upon.

Kit, who brought the entire Sentel Corporation to its peak, was definitely one of these leaders.

In the study, Jasper first came into contact with the legendary figure in Coreana, Kit Lang.

This old man was powerful enough to influence who sat in the master seat of the Blue House.

“Mr. Kit, nice to meet you for the first time.”

Jasper took the initiative to greet the ordinary looking old man in front of him.

Kit had been looking at Jasper all this while. After Jasper finished speaking, he nodded with a smile and said, “Hello, Jasper.”

“The way the people in Somerland communicate is very interesting. To bring together the relationship between strangers as quickly as possible, you will say that people from Somerland and the people from Coreana were family five hundred years ago. If that’s the case, we might even be relatives.”

Jasper was surprised when Kit said that. “Mr. Kit, your Somerish is really good and your understanding of Somerland culture is also impressive.”

“Somerland is Coreana’s neighbor. The two countries have a history spanning hundreds of years. Therefore, Somerish is the first foreign language I learned, while I have also been studying Somerland culture for many years.”

Kit invited Jasper to sit down.

Everyone sat down according to their ranks.

Kit asked Jasper with a smile, “Mr. Laine, in truth, the last time you came to Coreana, I told Sylphie that if I ever have the chance, I hoped to invite you to come over and have a good chat.”

“I like to chat with outstanding young people. This allows me to expand my thinking and understand the changes in the world better. However, I didn‘t expect this opportunity to come so soon.”

Sylphie chuckled upon hearing that.

She still remembered that in the past, her grandpa praised Jasper at said he would become the richest man in Somerland. Although the latest reports had not come out yet, Jasper’s wealth was enough to secure this position. Jasper ranked first in Somerland in personal wealth both on the surface level and in private.

“Your business philosophy and skills have always been a model for the younger generation. It is actually an honor to have the opportunity to meet you, Mr. Kit.” Jasper smiled.

Everyone loved to hear nice things about them.

If Kit showed him respect, Jasper would naturally accept it with both hands. Then, they started to speak highly about each other as per the standard of procedure in business.

These were innocuous little things. After this, the real excitement began.

Life at the Top Chapter 1575

“Mr. Laine, I have studied the industry you are involved in and discovered a very interesting phenomenon.”

Kit suddenly brought up a whole new topic.

“I found that Whether it is the real life industry you invest in or the stocks you choose in the stock market, you are more inclined to dabble in the technology and Internet industries.”

“Even when you are involved in manufacturing, your JW Electronics Equipment Manufacturing has only been interested in high-tech equipment so far.”

“As far as I know, most businessmen in Somerland prefer asset heavy industrial investment, in secondary industries such as a factory and mine, but you are completely different. You seem to prefer to invest in the tertiary industries. Can you tell me why?”

When Kit raised this question, both Emil and Sylphie seemed to become interested as well.

Especially Emil, who was looking at Jasper with scorching eyes. He seemed to be looking forward to Jasper’s answer.

Jasper smiled and arranged his thoughts as he drank his tea. Then, he said, “If you ask me this question, Mr. Kit, it means you’re affirming me. I am very grateful and honored. If this is the case, then I will tell you why I did so.”

“The reason is actually very simple. I am really optimistic about the Internet industry and other high-tech industries. I think the entire tertiary industry will be the core industry of Somerland and even the world’s economic development in the future.”

“Among them, the Internet is especially important. Nowadays, the Internet has shown its first glimpses of power, but in the future, this power will become more and more obvious. It will permeate through each and every one of our lives. From national security and military to personal daily life, no one will be able to live without the internet.”

“It is like a door to the new world that is about to open. Whoever can welcome the first ray of sunshine from behind the door will become the master of the future.”

After Jasper finished talking, Emil could not help but say, “We all agree that the Internet does show a good growth trend for the future, but what you just said is an exaggeration, right?”

Jasper looked at Emil and said, “I wonder, does Mr. Emil have a mobile phone?”

Emil heard that and smiled, “Of course. I’ve changed them multiple times.”

“So when the mobile phone first appeared, Mr. Emil, did you believe that this thing would one day become something that everyone would be unable to live without?”

Jasper’s question left Emil speechless.

Kit smiled and nodded. Then, he said, “Very well, I’ve learned a lot of things from what Mr. Laine said.”

Jasper said to Kit, “Sentel has one of the top teams in the world. Whether it’s predicting the future global situation or monitoring the development of social technology, Sentel must possess its own clear viewpoints about all these things. I think you must be aware of this, right, Mr. Kit?”

Jasper’s words made Kit smile. The wrinkles on his face multiplied following his smile. Everyone loved to hear good things. Especially with Jasper’s status and identity, the good words he said carried an extraordinary weight. After all, the current Jasper, with his status and influence, no longer needed to please anyone with words.

For this reason, Jasper’s words sounded particularly pleasant to Kit’s ears.

Jasper chuckled in his heart when he saw how happy Kit was.

Sure enough, no matter how high Coreana soared or how much wealth it accumulated, when it came to this country that had been regarded as a small country for thousands of years and had only developed in the past 100 years, the inferiority complex of its citizens often presented itself.

They loved to listen to good things, and they liked to hear others brag about themselves, especially to foreigners. It would be even better if it was a foreigner with high status because this would greatly satisfy their self-esteem.

Wasn’t this an expression of inferiority?

Still, this had nothing to do with Jasper. Right now, Jasper desperately needed Coreana’s power to enter the arena, so he did not mind feeding their pride with some nice words.

“In fact, it does not matter if they are mobile phones or the Internet, there will be cooperation so long as it is within the business’ interests. This much is true for any business model in any industry in the world. There is no unilateral transaction in this world. Therefore, in my opinion, the current situation represents one of the largest opportunities for cooperation between me and Sentel.”

Jasper finally steered the conversation to the main topic.

Kit smiled slightly, raised his hand, and lowered his head to drink his tea.

Meanwhile, Emil took over the topic and said with a polite smile. “We know your intentions behind coming here, Mr. Laine.”

Jasper also understood after he saw what Kit did. This showed that Kit gave Emil the right to speak in the next negotiation.

There must have been detailed discussions between the father and son.

Moreover, such a choice was indeed very appropriate. After all, as long as Kit was here, he had to be regarded as the real person in charge of Sentel.

If the next negotiation went smoothly, then this would fine.

However, once the talk became unpleasant and Kit no longer spoke, then it would be hard to salvage anything. It was precisely the discovery of this detail that made Jasper not hopeful of gaining any substantial result today.

After all, when Emil and his son played such a game, it would have been done with the intention of slaughtering Jasper.

The business world was full of mutual deception, especially within plutocratic families like the Langs. Now, everything Jasper did or said had to be done with caution. Otherwise, he would be bound to get scammed until he could not even recognize himself.

Small beginnings often showed how events would develop, but from this, it seemed that it was just ordinary.

After suppressing his inner thoughts, Jasper smiled slightly and said, “This is the best way, so I won’t talk too much nonsense. We all know what the current situation is. Frankly, I will admit that there is a lot of pressure on JW Foundation right now. So, does Sentel have any intention of entering the game?”

Emil said calmly, “I will also tell you straightforwardly that I don’t see a reason for Sentel to enter the game.”

“No reason? Since Mr. Emil can’t see the reason, then I will give you one.”

“Is a chance to destroy Softwin and retaliate against Wall Street enough reason?”

Jasper’s words cracked Emil up. He said, “Mr. Laine, we are all businessmen. In the eyes of businessmen, there is no grudge or hatred. As long as there are benefits, we can turn against anyone.”

“Similarly, as long as there are benefits, we can become the best of friends with anyone in the world.”

“Mr. Laine, I don’t think I need to say much about such a simple truth, right?”

Life at the Top Chapter 1576

“That makes sense.”

Jasper did not refute Emil‘s words and even agreed with him.

However, in the next second, Jasper changed the topic. “The question I would like to askis, do Sunrise Land or Wall Street Capital plan to be friends with Sentel Corporation, Mr. Emil?”

An infuriated look appeared on Emil’s face after he heard the question.

Although it disappeared quickly, it was precisely because it disappeared too quickly that it proved that Emil’s reaction was genuine.

Upon seeing this, the corners of Jasper’s mouth rose slightly.

“Different levels of business have different levels of practice. Small businesses are all about harmony. After all, all visitors are potential customers. Small businesses cannot withstand too many enemies. So sometimes we have to swallow our anger because, at the end of the day, we don’t have enough strength to deal with too many issues at once.”

“But if the business gets bigger, others are afraid of you and worry that you will bully them. When that happens, peace is no longer the only option.”

“Most of the time, what we pay attention to is the right to speak. I don’t always have to express my opinion on a matter, but ifI say something, no one is allowed to object. After all, I have enough strength to enforce my will.”

After saying this, Jasper leaned slightly and looked at Emil with an aggressive posture. He continued, “So now, is there any reason for Sentel Corporation to join in?”

Emil looked at the face of the young Somerland man in front of him and suddenly, he felt depressed and out of breath.

A few minutes ago, Jasper was still a traditional Somerland gentleman who looked easy to talk to. However, after a few minutes, Jasper became so overbearing and menacing. He was even so aggressive that even Emil felt a little stifled.

The huge contrast was very uncomfortable.

As the vice president of Sentel Corporation, Emil had been trained by Kit since young to be his successor. He was definitely not like a typical person. Hence, he understood that the Jasper who was behaving like a gentleman before and the Jasper who was behaving aggressively now were both not the real Jaspers.

These personalities were only needed because they were in a business negotiation.

Even though he understood the reason why, now that he was physically sitting opposite of Jasper during this negotiation, Emil realized why this Somerland man who was about the same age as his daughter could reach the pinnacle of Somerland despite his age.

He had such a strong aura! He had previously only seen this aura on his father.

Meanwhile, Kit witnessed this scene unfold.

He lowered his head to drink his tea and the clear tea reflected Kit’s slightly disappointed gaze.

It seemed that he had to live for a few more years as if the huge Sentel family was handed over to Emil now, he was afraid that there would be problems. Kit would not know that his worries at this time truly happened in his previous life.

“Mr. Laine, now Sentel is facing an extremely difficult choice and after this choice is made, Sentel will likely to pay a huge price for it.”

Still, Emil was not a mediocre person. He took a deep breath, adjusted his mood, stared at Jasper, and said, “Mr. Laine, you’re at a very critical juncture now, and we are also very willing to help you as much as we can. But back to that question, what can Sentel get from this?”

“Is the Sunrise Land market enough?” Jasper asked.

Emil raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Mr. Laine, are you kidding me?”

“I seldom make jokes, and even more so at such a time.”

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Jasper shook his head, pointed his finger toward the location of Sunrise Land, and said, “After the Softwin is defeated, the domestic venture capital market of Sunrise Land will be left with a void. Is Sentel not excited to try to capture this huge market?”

“However, Sentel is not involved in venture capital.” Emil frowned.

“When a broken financial market is placed in front of you, even a pickle seller can change careers immediately,” Jasper said.

Emil laughed.

It was unknown if he was amused by Jasper’s words.

“Mr. Laine, you have not come up with any genuine and sincere conditions until now. What you said is based on the distribution of the spoils of war after victory, but what we need to see is your sincerity, Mr. Laine.”

Jasper shrugged after he heard what Emil said. He asked, “So what does Sentel want?”

“It’s very simple, 40% of JW’s stocks,” Emil said directly.

Jasper did not say anything. He squinted at Emil and tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa.

During this time, Emil also picked up the teacup in front of him to drink some tea. It seemed that he did not care about the lack of emotion in Jasper’s eyes.

“Mr. Emil, JW’s stocks are forbidden territory. No one can touch it, no matter who they are. You have looked into me, so you should already be aware of this,” Jasper said lightly.

Emil put down his teacup and said in relax, “I don’t think there is anything in this world that you can’t buy. If there is, I’ll just increase the price.”

“Compared to getting defeated and losing everything in this battle, I think losing 40% of the stocks is a more acceptable choice, Mr. Laine.”

“And I can promise that Sentel Corporation will never interfere with any operational decisions of JW Investment Company and will only participate in the voting on dividends and other major issues. In other words, JW will still belong to you.”

Jasper was amused.

Jasper used this rhetoric to purchase Abbylon and Terizone. but he did not expect that someone would one day use this same rhetoric to persuade him to sell the company’s stocks.

“No way,” Jasper said two words and clearly told them his stance on this.

“Then I am afraid it will be difficult for us to work together.” Emil refused to give in.

The negotiations immediately reached a stalemate.

Jasper realized that this negotiation would not be smooth sailing before he started, but he did not expect it to be so difficult.

Even as he was about to fail, Jasper did not use his hidden trump that he prepared for Sentel. Meanwhile, his opponent had no intention of actively mentioning it either.

This made Jasper somewhat doubt Adele’s business capabilities. If he had spent so much time getting a promise from the Maynards in North America but Sentel did not even need it that much, it would be embarrassing.

Jasper did not speak and Emil was not in a hurry to continue persuading him, so the air was filled with disturbing embarrassment

At this moment, Sylphie, who had never said anything thus far and was only here to accompany and watch the visitor, received a look from her grandfather, Kit.

It was her time to shine.

“Mr. Laine just got off the plane and he should be tired. Why don’t we take a break and talk about it after dinner?”

Sylphie said, chuckled at Jasper, and continue, “There are still a few hours of free time. I will be happy to be your tour guide can take you around to see the beauty of Sela.”

Emil was the assault, Kit was the guarantee, and Sylphie was the lubricant.

These three generations had bestowed such great care for this negotiation.

Jasper stood up and smiled. “Okay, I would like to relax too.”

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Alright, this is negligence on our part. Mr. Laine has just arrived so we should let him rest well. In that case, we shall let Sylphie take you to rest. If you need anything, please tell her.” Emil saw this opportunity to escape the situation. Hence, he stood up and said.

After nodding in agreement, Jasper turned his head and said to Kit, “Mr. Kit, then I will leave first, and will ask you for advice later.”

Kit smiled and said, “Mr. Laine, you should rest first. We’ll talk later.”

With that, the first negotiation between Jasper and Sentel Corporation ended without embarrassment to either party.

Coming out of the study, Sylphie took Jasper to the guest room to rest. She whispered, “Mr. Laine, my father and grandpa both have big concerns surrounding this partnership. After all, this is not a trivial matter, so please understand.”

Jasper waved his hand and said, “It‘s okay, I would be surprised if your father agreed so quickly.”

“It’s just that it’s impossible to ask for JW’s stocks. It‘s like if we were in opposite positions and I were asking Sentel for its stocks in exchange for my services. It’s unrealistic.”

Sylphie nodded when she heard this. Then, she replied, “I understand.”

While they were talking, Sylphie brought Jasper to a guest room and said, “Mr. Laine, you can rest here. I will arrange for a servant to wait at the door. If you need something, you can call the servant at any time and I will come here as soon as possible.”

Jasper smiled. “It’s rare to get such treatment by you, right, Prince Sylphie?”

Sylphie chuckled. “You are the first.”

“Very good, I hope I’m the only one,” Jasper said.

Sylphie pursed her lips and smiled. Then, she watched Jasper enter the guest room.

At this moment, Emil and Kit were still talking in the study.

“Father, I don’t think there’s much hope of obtaining JW’s stocks,” Emil said to Kit.

Kit glanced at Emil and said slowly, “I never thought about getting their stocks. It’s of little value or interest to me.”

Emil was taken aback and asked, “But before this, this was the only condition you gave me, Father.”

“That’s because I know you wouldn’t be able to reach an agreement with him.”

Kit sighed.

Somerland was a vast land with great resources and great talents, but at the same time, all kinds of elites could be found over there.

When he looked at the successor that he had carefully cultivated for many years, he realized that this man was still only as good as Jasper, a grassroots youth from Somerland.

If Jasper were here, he might not have asked such a stupid question.

“Let me ask you, is there any hope that Jasper will win this war now?”

At the end of the day, he was the son whom he had carefully nurtured for decades. Kit did not give up on Emil because of this. Besides, even though Emil was not that great in strategy and big picture situations, his other defensive skills were still decent.

“Not really.”

Emil shook his head. This was something a person with a discerning eye could see.

“Furthermore, even if we join, it most likely won’t change the outcome.”

Kit nodded and said, “Yes, if Jasper loses, then what is the difference between JW’s stocks and waste paper?”

“The funds invested by JW, in addition to the investment raised in Somerland, are mostly from commercial loans and leveraged loans. At that time, JW will not only be penniless, but will also be burdened with sky-high debt.”

“So what should we do with the stocks then? Burn them for warmth?”

Kit was surprised, “Dad, in that case, why should we even negotiate with Jasper?”

“Because Jasper has what we desperately need.”

This was said by Sylphie, who had just opened the door. “Father, do you remember the Somerland intelligence dealer who introduced Jasper to us?”

Emil nodded and said, “Yes, I do. She seems to have a very extensive background in Somerland.”

“That has nothing to do with our transaction this time.”

Sylphie smiled and continued, “She once revealed that Jasper has an important bargaining chip that can change the attitude of the Maynards in North America.”

Emil was surprised. “I thought the intelligence dealer only said this to try persuade us to receive Jasper.”

Shaking her head, Sylphie said, “I have had contact with this intelligence dealer before. It’s not just us, many big families and companies purchased most of the important information relating to Somerland through her channel.”

“The only thing is that she won’t sell national intelligence. Although, I have no doubt that she can obtain it with her ability.”

“Moreover, this person has a very obvious style of doing business, which is that she never exaggerates the role of any piece of intelligence throughout the transaction. She also does not falsify information. This is why a lot of people will deal with her the second time, third time, or even many times after.”

“If that’s the case…” Emil furrowed his brows and said, “If we refuse to cooperate with Jasper, then our hopes of working with North America will be all but lost, but if we agree…”

Emil looked at Kit and continued, “The risk is great.”

“There is no risk-free option in business…”

“What we have to do is to strive for as many benefits as possible.”

Kit said flatly, “You should bring Jasper to my back garden for the second round of negotiations.”

Emil stood up and replied respectfully. “I understand, Father.”

Jasper naturally could not sleep well in Sentel Corporation’s house. He got up after a light sleep of just over two hours.

Even so, it was already early evening by the time Jasper got up.

After he opened the door and walked out, Sylphie happened to walk over from a distance.

At this time, Sylphie had changed her outfit. She was wearing a garnet red dress with a delicate silver corsage on her chest with no other accesories on her. Even so, Sylphie seemed to give off an aura full of extravagance and fastidiousness.

Anyone who saw Sylphie could tell that this woman had definitely grown up in a life of luxury. Otherwise, she would not be able to cultivate this temperament.

“You’re awake. Do you want dinner?” Sylphie asked in consideration.

“Let’s go out for dinner,” Jasper suggested.

“Didn’t you say that you want to bring me to see the beauty of Sela?”

Sylphie chuckled and said, “I thought you’d be very stressed, I didn’t expect you to be in the mood for pleasure.”

“One has to enjoy life while they’re still alive. If not, why should I bother making so much money?”

Jasper grabbed his coat and stood in front of Sylphie. He grinned and asked, “I wonder if I’ll get the honor of touring Sela with you, Princess Sylphie?”

“Of course.” Sylphie bowed slightly and answered.

Life at the Top Chapter 1579

South River Area was where the outstanding rich people of Sela gathered. The building of Sentel Corporation’s headquarters had also been built here.

While sitting in the car, Jasper discovered that Sylphie had taken him to the base of the Sentel Corporation office building. He could not help but ask, “Aren’t we touring Sela?”

Sylphie chuckled and proudly said, “South River Area is the symbol of Sela, and Sentel Corporation is the symbol of South River Area. What better way to appreciate the scenery of Sela than to bring you here?”

All the economically developed cities in the world were basically the same.

Towering skyscrapers and glass walls could be seen everywhere. The streets were very narrow and crowded. Since every inch of land was worth a lot of money in a commercial area, no government would be willing to build roads that were too wide in these places.

The streets were spotless. Impeccably dressed white-collar elites were everywhere and they were either holding coffee or computers, chatting and laughing, or walking about in a hurry.

Jasper did not enter the Sentel Corporation building because it would be boring. Instead, be folded his hands behind his back and went shopping aimlessly along with Sylphie’s company.

Suddenly, Jasper stopped in front of the window of a jewelry store.

When Sylphie saw that Jasper was staring at a swan-shaped brooch made from diamond in the back of the shop window, she asked, “Are you buying a gift for something?”

Jasper nodded and smiled. “My fiancé. I’ve been to so many places, but I rarely bring her any gifts. This brooch will suit her very well.”

As he was talking, Jasper called the salesperson over. “Wrap this for me,” Jasper said, pointing to the brooch in the window.

The salesperson was obviously a little embarrassed. “I’m sorry, sir. This brooch is for exhibit only and is not for sale.”

Jasper could not understand Coreana, so he turned his head to look at Sylphie.

Sylphie did not translate for him but said something to the salesperson.

Soon, the salesperson held the packaged brooch in both hands and handed it to Jasper.

180 thousand US Dollars.

It could only be said that there were always things in this world with values beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

After shopping for a while and buying the gifts that should be bought, Jasper and Sylphie walked into a coffee shop.

They arbitrarily ordered two cups of coffee. The two were talking and laughing, but then, they saw that the huge screen on the street was broadcasting financial news through the glass window.

During this period, every country in the world was the same. All financial news throughout the globe could not detract themselves from the major news about the trading curb in the United States stock market.

This was the first time in history that the Down Jones had reached a trading curb. It was significant enough for the moderate-sized financial circle to talk about it for a long time.

“In a way, you are the number one person in the world.” Sylphie glanced at the news outside and said to Jasper.

Jasper waved his hand and said, “What does it mean to be the number one person? I don’t want to be the number one person if it’s going to be like this.”

“Do you dare to say that you are not at all proud of your achievements?” Sylphie asked curiously.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I’m not. When I am alone in the dead of night, I quietly feel delighted. After all, I’m a man and men are constantly pursuing the feeling of being better than everyone throughout their whole lives.”

“Every one of my actions attracts attention and affects the lives of countless people. This should be how an emperor felt in ancient times,” Jasper said sincerely.

“But this feeling lasts for a very short time. The higher you stand, the stronger the wind you’ll have to face. If you are unsteady, you will fall.”

“In Somerland, we have an old saying that goes ‘the higher you stand, the greater the fall’. This is basically the truth behind the concept of power.”

Sylphie thought for a while and said, “Is it right to say that if you are in a business worth 10 million, you can make a comeback if you fail, and even if you conduct a business worth 100 million, you can still start all over again if you fall, but at this point it’s no longer possible?”

Jasper took a sip of coffee. The bitter and rich taste filled his mouth. He said, “It’s almost the same thing. There are far more people who want me to fall than those who want me to stand firm.”

“But no matter what others think, I have the clearest understanding of my current situation. I can only move onward and upward, and I can’t look back. Once I turn around, it’s all over.”

Sylphie replied apologetically, “I understand the pressure you’re feeling now. As a friend, I am sorry, my influence on my grandpa is limited and I cannot convince him to give you more help.”

“This decision is major and important. Mr. Kit has his own considerations. I believe he will make the right choice.” Jasper smiled.

“Grandpa will talk to you directly in the next negotiation,” Sylphie said suddenly.

Jasper was taken aback for a moment and nodded, “This is for the best because I don’t have much time and I can’t stay in Sela for long. Thank you for the information.”

At this moment, the conversation between the two men on the table next to them caught their attention.

“Haha, I really want to thank the JW Foundation. I followed them and shorted the Nikkei Index. I made quite a lot of money from that!”

A man in a delicate suit said excitedly.

The man on the opposite side was obviously not in a good mood. He cursed, “Joey, stop making cynical remarks. I’ve suffered a miserable loss.”

“You don’t play with stocks anyway. What are you losing?” Joey asked curiously.

“It’s all because of the plunge of the Nikkei Index. The company in Sunrise Land that our company worked with is on the verge of bankruptcy, so our company lost a major customer. The worst thing is that I’m in charge of this customer. Damn, I think JW Foundation can go to hell! ”

Joey sneered and answered, “How can you blame JW Foundation for your company’s lack of strength? But then again, the stock market has been turbulent recently, and it is difficult for entities to do business, especially for foreign trade companies. A lot of my friends in this industry lost their jobs.”

The man sitting opposite Joey gritted his teeth and said, “That’s why I said JW Foundation can go to hell!”

“No matter how you curse them, they’re the upper-class who are high up the social ladder. They can’t hear you no matter how loud you curse.”

Sylphie grinned at Jasper after Joey said that.

Jasper shrugged to hide his embarrassment. Sorry, he heard what the man said.

“I’m curious. Why didn’t any companies from Coreana take part in something so major? Take Sentel Corporation, for example, I don’t think they like to be left out, right?”

“It’ll be great if our country’s Sentel can join so I can make some money.”

When Jasper heard this, he got up and paid the bill with some US Dollars. Then, he said to Sylphie, “Come, let’s go back.”

“Are we going to talk to Grandpa?” Sylphie started to feel nervous for some reason.

“We’re going to give the citizens of Coreana a chance to make money.” Jasper guffawed and answered.

Life at the Top Chapter 1580

After he went back to the manor with Sylphie, Jasper did not waste too much time and directly asked to meet with Kit this time.

Kit did not refuse Jasper’s request and the two met in the back garden of the manor.

“Mr. Kit, I don‘t have much time.”

Sitting across from Kit, Jasper went straight to the point.

Although this meeting was important, he had already wasted a lot of time. The United States stock market would open again in less than 30 hours so Jasper did not have much time to spend time with Kit.

Kit smiled and nodded. Although he was old, he was still energetic. He looked at Jasper and said, “I can understand, so let’s just get to the point.”

As they were talking, Kit poured a cup of tea for Jasper and said slowly, “I’m making my offer.”

“First, you must help Sentel Corporation and the Maynards in North America reach an agreement. In the future, the Maynards will help with Sentel Corporation’s interests in the United States.”

Jasper picked up the hot teacup, took a sip, and waited blankly for Kit’s next request.

“Second, Sentel Corporation can give up the stocks of JW Company, but in the future, Sentel must get a share of JW Company’s patents in the technology, mobile, and Internet industry for free.”

“Third, JW Company needs to pay a total of 5 billion US Dollars. Of course, this fee can be paid in installments within the next five years.”

After he said these three terms, Kit glanced at Jasper, who was drinking tea with his head down. Then, he continued, “In exchange, Sentel Corporation will enter the market when the US stock market opens the day after tomorrow. We’ll help JW Foundation fight Softwin and Wall Street capital at all costs.”

“Preliminary estimates indicate that Sentel Corporation has to invest no less than 50 billion US Dollars.”

After listening to what Kit said, Jasper laughed.

“Mr. Kit, are you kidding me?”

Jasper’s words caused a flicker in Kit’s eyes.

“I seldom make jokes with people during business negotiations.”

“Well…”

Jasper nodded and said, “Then I will also offer my terms.”

“I would like to hear the details,” Kit said.

“First, Sentel Corporation must invest at least 100 billion US Dollars to cooperate with all of JW Foundation’s movements. In other words, JW Foundation is in command of all activity.”

“Second, Sentel Corporation cannot withdraw until the cooperation is officially ended.”

“I only have two terms, and in order to give Sentel Corporation the corresponding benefits, JW Foundation promises to pay Sentel Corporation 2 billion US Dollars as labor expenses within the next five years.”

“Secondly, I can help Sentel Corporation to negotiate with the Maynards in North America, but I do not promise to help you both reach an agreement. In other words, I am just an intermediary. Whether the negotiation can be achieved depends on how much Sentel is willing to pay.”

Having said that, Jasper shrugged and smiled. Then, he said to Kit, “Mr. Kit, see, this is how you sincerely negotiate terms. When I make two requests, I will give two benefits at the same time. I offer sincere treatment to all and fair trade to both young and old alike.”

Kit laughed at the words.

“Mr. Laine, this time it’s your turn to joke with me.”

Jasper said lightly, “You made a joke with me first. If you are sincere and willing to talk, then I can talk. If you are still in a joking mood, thenI think we can have dinner in advance.”

Kit frowned and replied, “Mr. Laine, you have to understand that you need Sentel Corporation to help you now. Sentel Corporation is not begging you to participate.”

“It doesn’t matter ifI ask for it or not, although I admit that I really need the power of Sentel Corporation now, but again, without me, Sentel’s losses elsewhere are also irreparable.”

Watching Kit’s expression change slightly, Jasper continued, “Mr. Kit, this is not a threat, but a frank conversation between smart people.”

Kit looked at Jasper blankly without speaking.

Jasper lowered his head to drink his tea. He did not say anything more.

The atmosphere in the garden became silent.

It seemed that no one was willing to take a step back. Meanwhile, Jasper drank his tea quietly. Kit did not speak even until the cup in his hand turned cold and he could see the bottom of his drink.

Jasper sighed. Then, he stood up and said, “Mr. Kit, since we can’t come to a set of conditions that both you and I are satisfied with, then it seems that I can only return to Somerland for now.”

“You’ll die if you go back,” Kit said lightly.

Jasper calmly said. “Mr. Kit, you are too confident, I am from Somerland.”

Jasper said, pointing to the direction of his country, and said calmly, “I have my motherland behind me.”

Kit was amused and he said, “This sounds very passionate, but it is also very naive.”

“This is not naive.”

Jasper looked serious and said, “The 1.3 billion people of Somerland know what they will face if I fall, and the Somerland government understands this even better. I was indeed just a pawn before, but now, even as a pawn, I was able to crash the market of my opponent. At this point, I’m guessing a pawn like me will no longer be a pawn that can be easily discarded.”

“I am the benchmark, and the benchmark cannot fall.”

Jasper continued, “It‘s just that I hope to continue to increase my value in front of my motherland, so that’s why I stand here to negotiate with you.”

“Mr. Kit, do you dare to have a bet with me? I will leave this place and fly directly to Swallow Capital. On Monday, the Somerland government will definitely enter the game at which point the United States government will no longer sit idly by.”

“By then, the financial war between the East and the West will be ignited. When that times comes, can Coreana, who has a special geographic location and an equally special economic status, and the Sentel plutocrats, who have important interests in many countries around the world, stay out of the matter?”

These words made Kit’s white brows tremble.

Jasper leaned over, got close to Kit, stared at the old man’s face, and said, “At least, for now, this matter is still under the control of us businessmen. However, when this becomes a dispute between countries, you and I will be cannon fodder.”

“Now, Mr. Kit, is Sentel willing to be a chess player or a chess piece?”

Jasper’s words caused Kit to fall into a long silence.

It was unknown how much time had passed. When Jasper was about to lose patience, Kit slowly spoke up. “You must promise to help Sentel realize its interests in the United States. There is no room for compromise on this.”

Jasper suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and calmly replied, “I am confident that I can persuade the Maynards of North America.”