Chapter 497 - 326: Li Wei Cheating?

Chapter 497: Chapter 326: Li Wei Cheating?

Fernando’s enthusiasm was genuine—at least for the first half hour.

Like a tour guide, he led Li Wei, Don Quixote, Jin Heon, and Chen Haisheng through the entire Notek Group factory complex.

Jin Heon took photos and videos while using a recording pen to document everything. After all, no one present was an expert in the field. She would need to have someone review the materials later, and a dedicated team would have to conduct a proper investigation for the follow-up coordination.

The aseptic filling workshop, the FDA-standard quality inspection lab, the loading docks for the cold chain logistics... At every stop, Fernando would pause to give a thorough explanation.

"These five lines are all ready for you," Fernando said, pushing open the door to Workshop No. 3 and pointing at the brand-new filling equipment inside. "The last contract just ended. If our partnership is successful, they can be put into use at any time."

Li Wei nodded. ’Not bad at all,’ he thought.

Once these five lines were up and running, with a monthly output of 20 million bottles, the product would enter the United States of America’s market through USMCA tariff channels. The net profit alone would soar to 100 million USD every month.

"Come, come," Fernando said, making an inviting gesture. "Let’s go to my office, have some coffee, and discuss the specific details."

Once in the office, Fernando poured a cup of coffee for everyone.

For himself, he poured a latte.

"Where’s the letter of intent?" Jin Heon asked impatiently after taking a small sip of her coffee and setting the cup down.

"Well..." Fernando looked troubled. "Actually, before we sign the letter of intent, there’s someone who would like to meet Mr. Li Wei first."

"Who?"

"He... he’s a very prominent local entrepreneur."

"But from your expression," Li Wei said, "he doesn’t seem like an ordinary entrepreneur. Just say it, Mr. Fernando."

"He... he is Kuchilo."

The moment he said that, Don Quixote shot to his feet.

"Why does he want to see Li Wei?" he demanded, staring at Fernando. "And why did you tell him that Li Wei was here?"

"Mr. Kuchilo is one of Mr. Li Wei’s die-hard fans," Fernando said, forcing a smile. "He specifically instructed me to inform him if Mr. Li Wei ever came in person."

"Does Kuchilo have anything to do with our partnership?" Li Wei asked after a moment of thought.

"Not... not really," Fernando said. "It’s just that no one in Monterey can defy Mr. Kuchilo’s will."

The [Ring of All Things Smooth] on Li Wei’s hand suddenly flashed.

He glanced at the ring impassively, then, after a moment’s thought, released the [Chattering Jester’s Skull].

As soon as the [Jester’s Skull] appeared, it began to fly up and down around the entire room.

"So, you’re saying that if I don’t go see Kuchilo, this deal is off?" Li Wei’s gaze returned to Fernando. "Are you his godson? Does he have to approve everything you do?"

"I’m not so fortunate—no, no, I’m not," Fernando said instinctively, then shook his head. "It’s just that if Mr. Kuchilo finds out Mr. Li Wei is unwilling to see him, it would probably be best not to sign this letter of intent... It could cause a lot of trouble for both Mr. Li Wei and us in the future."

This was a polite refusal.

"Why?" Li Wei pressed.

"Because..." Fernando grit his teeth. "He might use this production line to transport drugs for them, and... he also wants to use your influence to break into the high-end cocaine circles in the United States of America."

"Understood," Li Wei nodded. "If I don’t see him, will he stop me from leaving Mexico alive?"

Fernando waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no, that’s too extreme. You’re a huge superstar now; your safety is guaranteed in Monterey. I think Mr. Kuchilo just wants to meet you for a meal."

"A meal won’t be necessary," Li Wei refused decisively. "It’s a shame, but it looks like we won’t be able to work together this time."

The [Jester’s Skull] flew back, its Ruby eyes spinning around.

[GAHAHAHA... Where did this country bumpkin Witch Demon come from?]

[This city is beyond saving, my Master! A Witch Demon has taken root here, and its Skeleton Soldiers actually dare to provoke you and meddle in your wine business!]

"I’m truly sorry. It’s such a pity," Fernando said, standing up. "Let me see you out."

[This merchant has the stench of a skeleton on him... Not mine! Though I am also a skeleton... Why can I smell the stench of a skeleton? I don’t have a nose!]

[He knows far more than he’s letting on. He’s going to tell the Witch Demon’s minions about your refusal!]

[This damned, lowly Witch Demon!]

It suddenly grew agitated.

[A lesser undead creature dares to disrespect my Master! Purge them!]

Immediately after, the system panel actually issued a new quest:

[You have encountered a side quest: Purge the Witch Demon]

[Quest Description: A self-proclaimed Witch Demon King looms over this small city. Its army of Skeleton Soldiers sends a plague along the northern trade routes into the heart of the Kingdom day and night. The guards, magistrates, and merchants of this city have all become its puppets and minions. As a Knight, you must purify the plague and purge the Witch Demon.]

[Quest Reward: Variable. For every 20 Skeleton Soldiers eliminated, you will receive +0.1 free attribute points. Killing the Witch Demon itself will grant 1.0 free attribute points.]

[Hint: The Witch Demon possesses the strength of a peak-tier silver. Please proceed with caution.]

On the way back to the hotel, Jin Heon was constantly on the phone, trying to contact other contract manufacturers in Mexico. However, nearly all the factories around Monterey either gave outrageous quotes or, like before, had no free production lines available.

"It seems Mexico and the rest of Latin America are a no-go," she said, hanging up the phone and biting her nails. "Looks like we’ll have to think of another way."

Don Quixote gazed at the scenery outside the window and, after a few seconds of silence, said, "Let’s change our flights. We’ll wait two more days. If there’s no new progress, we’ll leave the day after tomorrow."

"Back to New York?" Jin Heon asked, unwilling to give up. This was the only company she had managed to potentially connect with after weeks of effort.

"How about a few days of vacation in Cancún?" Don Quixote looked at Li Wei. "There’s no rush with the production line. We can take our time. It’s not often we get to come to Mexico, so we should have some fun."

Jin Heon also looked at Li Wei. "Boss, I’m sorry," she said. "I should have done more thorough research beforehand." She apologized instinctively.

"Why are you apologizing?" Li Wei smiled. "It’s clearly not your fault."

"I..." Jin Heon paused.

’So you don’t have to apologize when you haven’t done anything wrong?’ She’d never learned that lesson in the environment she grew up in.

"Don’t worry," Li Wei shrugged. "Let’s wait a few days and see. Who knows? The problem might just solve itself."

"Aren’t you disappointed, Boss?" Jin Heon asked, a little deflated.

"What’s there to be afraid of?" Li Wei said with unruffled confidence. "Things always work themselves out."

"Amazing. That’s my boss for you." Jin Heon chimed in with some praise.

She was actually quite susceptible to Li Wei’s charms. She felt that her boss was someone who could solve any problem, which she found incredibly charismatic.

After returning to the hotel and having dinner, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.

As midnight approached, the [Jester’s Skull], which Li Wei had not put back into his inventory, suddenly spoke:

[I smell it. The cunning merchant is about to meet with the Witch Demon’s familiar!]

"Do you know where they are?" Li Wei asked as he got up and started to get dressed.

[JIE JIE JIE... Of course. That Witch Demon is merely silver-tier. It cannot hide from my sight...]

After getting dressed, Li Wei took a Batman mask out of his bag.

Even though he had [Veil of Sight], Li Wei was a man who seemed as steady as a rock but was, in fact, even steadier.

Although it was highly unlikely that a place like Monterey would have high-tech infrared cameras, what if?

Besides, there was another minor point for Li Wei: if he ever needed to look badass and deactivated [Veil of Sight], he could still look badass with the mask on.

He slid open the room’s window and stepped out onto the balcony.

He vaulted over the railing, his feet landing on the exterior wall, and made his way down the vertical surface.

The Monterey night breeze, carrying the scent of diesel and dry dust, brushed against his face.

He landed.

"Lead the way," he ordered the [Jester’s Skull].

[JIE JIE JIE! The Knight marches forth!]

The Jester’s Skull’s Ruby eyes flashed, its upper and lower jawbones clacking together.

It floated ahead like a bizarre firefly, sometimes speeding up, sometimes slowing down.

Li Wei followed behind, moving through the late-night streets and alleys of Monterey.

Flickering neon lights, locked roll-down shutters, the flowers of bullet holes on the walls, and layer upon layer of missing person posters at a bus stop.

About twenty minutes later, the Jester’s Skull came to a halt.

Li Wei looked up and scanned his surroundings.

It was an unnamed side street in the northern part of the city, with only two streetlights.

An unremarkable roadside stall was giving off smoke and the smell of cooking.

A canopy made of sheet metal, a dozen or so plastic stools, and a greasy charcoal grill sizzling with roasting beef and green peppers. A stout auntie was using a pair of metal tongs to flip the meat constantly, the smoke from the grill appearing like a flickering cloud of fog under the streetlights.

’Smells amazing,’ Li Wei thought, his eyes lighting up.

The stout auntie watched the meat sizzle and render its fat over the fire, then picked up a large piece, chopped it into small bits with a series of THUMPS, and spread it over a corn tortilla.

She sprinkled on some chopped onions, cilantro, and salsa, then squeezed a small lime over it, letting the juice mingle with the beef. A charcoal-grilled beef taco was ready.

Li Wei reluctantly tore his gaze away from the stall, scanned the area, and found Fernando, whom he had seen earlier that day, along with a man covered in tattoos.

They were sitting together, drinking and chatting, completely unaware that an invisible Dragon Blood Knight was sitting on a plastic stool right next to them.

"...so that’s how it is," Fernando said in a low voice. "He rejected me, straight up."

"Damn it, showing Kuchilo no respect at all," the tattooed man said, cracking his neck impatiently. "If he weren’t such a big star with so much influence, we would’ve grabbed him already. None of this bullshit."

Like a fat quail, Fernando shrank his neck and said nothing, only letting out a couple of awkward laughs.

Just then, the auntie walked over carrying a platter of small beef tacos. It looked like there were more than a dozen of them.

The aroma was irresistible.

The tattooed man couldn’t resist any longer. He picked up a taco and took a huge bite, finishing half of it.

"Fernando, even though that football star won’t cooperate, your business is still the same," he said indistinctly, chewing the meat. "Next Monday, same as always."

"How much this time?" Fernando asked cautiously.

"Five bags," the tattooed man said, grabbing another taco. "Pack them into your refrigerated trucks heading to Laredo. They’ll cross with the bottled water."

"Is it the same route as last time?" Fernando asked.

"No. Aren’t you sending a shipment of mineral water to the distribution warehouse in Laredo next Wednesday?" the tattooed man said. "Our guy at customs has already been briefed. Take Interstate 35, and after you reach the Laredo port of entry, use the commercial lane on the World Trade Bridge."

"The World Trade Bridge?" Fernando asked in a low voice. "Didn’t they do a check there last month?"

"That was a check on the channel from Colombia," the tattooed man said with a wave of his hand. "The team leader at the United States of America customs took our money. What are you afraid of?"

He took another bite of his taco and said while chewing, "We’re just borrowing a spot in your truck, not asking you to carry the bags yourself. We’ve done this so many times—here, eat up, have some more."

Fernando picked one up perfunctorily and took a small bite.

Li Wei saw the seven or eight tacos left on the platter. His right hand suddenly shot out and, while neither of the men was paying attention, he pinched the edge of a tortilla and lifted one up.

He stuffed the entire taco into his mouth.

Mmm.

The corn tortilla on the outside was slightly crispy from the charcoal grill. The smoky flavor of the beef mingled with the tartness of the lime juice, and the salsa was spicy with a hint of sweetness...

This was possibly the best taco he had ever eaten in his life.

’One is definitely not enough.’