"Alright, I get it." After listening to Thackeray Eddie's story, Jiang Hai waved his hand, motioning for him to stop.
Just as Jiang Hai had expected, the incident had nothing to do with Thackeray himself. If anything, his family had simply fallen prey to a trap set by Carlett and Christian Edis. A man who had never gambled before losing $800,000 in a single night—there was no way that wasn't suspicious.
He had likely been drugged and manipulated, barely aware of what was happening.
But at this point, Jiang Hai's judgment didn't matter. The debt was on paper—$800,000 in black and white. There was no point in debating it.
"I have two offers for you," Jiang Hai said after thinking for a moment. "First, sell me your ranch at the original price. I'll lend you $300,000—interest-free, payable over ten years. Second, sell me everything: horses, cattle, sheep, machinery—everything. I'll give you $850,000. After all, you still need to make a living."
He glanced at Thackeray Eddie calmly.
After all, this mess had begun because of Jiang Hai's own conflict with the Carlett Company. He could bear the loss.
"The livestock and machinery here are only worth a few hundred thousand… and you're giving me an extra $350,000? That's too much," Thackeray said, guilt rising in his voice. He knew he'd been set up—but he hadn't expected Jiang Hai to be so generous.
"Don't worry about it. Just tell me—are you selling or not?" Jiang Hai asked plainly.
"...I'll sell." Though he felt embarrassed, this was America—business had to move forward. Since Jiang Hai said not to worry about the money, Thackeray hesitated briefly before agreeing. Deep down, he knew this was a favor he might never be able to repay.
As soon as Thackeray gave his answer, the others around them perked up. Selling to Jiang Hai had never been the issue—they were just holding out for better prices.
But seeing Thackeray's situation laid bare made them uneasy. Would the Carlett Company show the same consideration? Would they care about hometown connections?
Unlikely.
Carlett was playing dirty. With Jiang Hai here, there was still a chance to cash out and even get a bit extra. But if he wasn't around next time? Their ranches might disappear overnight.
That single realization tipped the balance.
"Jiang, I'll sell you my ranch too—$450,000, just like you originally offered," said Kerry Clarke after a long pause. He looked at Jiang Hai with a firm resolve.
"No problem at all," Jiang Hai replied with a warm smile.
That was all it took. The other ranchers stopped hesitating. These pastures had become hot potatoes, and Jiang Hai was their only safety net. Within a short time, nearly all the ranchers had sold their land to him.
By Jiang Hai's estimate, he had just acquired over 8,000 acres—a purchase worth $19.2 million.
He could afford it. Only Cotton Harris's 4,500-acre property remained.
If he bought that too, his total holdings would reach nearly 25,000 acres.
He originally owned 11,200 acres. With this new acquisition and a few other medium-sized and small ranches, he was now in control of a vast estate.
With that much land, he could theoretically raise 50,000 head of cattle. But more isn't always better. Right now, he had relatively few cattle, providing high-end beef exclusively for executives—and making a solid profit.
But if he expanded too aggressively, it could impact the U.S. beef market and draw unwanted attention.
Americans wouldn't just sit back and let a Chinese man dominate their agricultural profits.
To avoid becoming a target, Jiang Hai decided to cap his herd at 30,000, including 10,000 cows for breeding purposes. As for the excess grass, he could just sell it. With two massive sales channels at his disposal, grass alone could earn him hundreds of millions—possibly even over a billion dollars annually.
Not a bad deal.
"Alright then. We're heading to Boston anyway, so let's get the contracts signed first. I'll transfer the money directly into your accounts," Jiang Hai said cheerfully, now that everyone had agreed to the sale.
They got into their cars and drove to Boston, stopping at Moses Adams's law office. Upon hearing their reason for visiting, Moses couldn't help but give Jiang Hai a discreet thumbs-up.
Twenty million dollars, negotiated just like that. Jiang Hai really was a business genius.
Moses knew this land would appreciate soon. Tourism was booming, and land that cost $2,400 an acre now might be worth $3,000 in just a few years. It was a smart investment.
Even if Jiang Hai wasn't in real estate, he was a grass mogul. Just planting grass on those 8,000 acres could earn him over a billion annually. After taxes, that still left several hundred million—comparable to his cattle profits.
Following Jiang Hai's lead was starting to look like the best move Moses had ever made.
In just over an hour, the contracts were signed. Jiang Hai gave the sellers one month to move out—a generous timeframe. Usually, one week was the norm, but Jiang Hai gave them four. That allowed them time to sell excess cattle, sheep, and machinery.
Of course, Jiang Hai would take any strong young calves, but not breeding bulls or older cattle. His beef products required cattle raised on his estate for at least six months.
But it was already late May. Cattle raised now wouldn't be ready for market until December—an awkward time. If they waited until next year, the cattle would be too old.
Beef in America is typically graded for cattle under 30 months. Once they're older than 2.5 years, the value drops significantly. Most are slaughtered at two years old. These animals were already one year old. Waiting another year would make them unsellable, so Jiang Hai passed on them.
After the contracts were signed, he made the full payments.
Next, he called Thackeray Eddie, and they contacted the bank.
In both China and the U.S., large withdrawals require prior notice—but Jiang Hai had a Centurion Card. Not just $800,000, even $8 million could be withdrawn at a moment's notice.
With a simple call, Jiang Hai withdrew $800,000 in cash. It was his first time seeing so much money in person.
Eighty stacks of ten thousand each. It filled two boxes. While movies often show a briefcase stuffed with millions, that's only possible with high-denomination euros or checks. U.S. bills take up space.
They stuffed the cash into a large duffel bag. Thackeray Eddie was nervous about handling it, afraid something might go wrong. Jiang Hai was willing to carry it himself, but ultimately, Bell handled the task.
With the money secured, they set out in several cars toward Christian Edis's casino.
As they arrived, their presence quickly drew attention. Some guests, sensing trouble, quietly left. The security guards stiffened, blocking the entrance. One of them, clearly alert, went inside to report.
"Hold it. What are you here for?" asked the lead guard, raising a hand to stop Jiang Hai while sizing him up.
Jiang Hai sized him up in return. The man was likely mixed-race, with skin similar in tone to NBA star Tim Duncan. His hair was styled into a sharp mohawk, his face tattooed and pierced—ears, nose, even tongue.
Though he said "please," his posture was anything but polite.
"We're here to pay the ransom," Jiang Hai replied with a smirk, waving to Bell. Bell stepped forward and cracked open the bag, revealing stacks of green bills.
The man's eyes lit up at the sight.
"Alright, go in. But don't cause any trouble," he warned, flashing the pistol on his hip.
Jiang Hai didn't even look. Everyone in his group was armed, too.
"Wait outside. Thackeray, come with me," Jiang Hai said firmly. He didn't want too many people inside—more people meant more chaos.
Bob George hesitated, then retreated to his pickup truck, prepared to act if anything went wrong.
Jiang Hai entered the casino with Thackeray and four trusted companions.
Upstairs, in a private room, casino owner Christian Edis was laughing and chatting with three guests.
If Jiang Hai had been present, he would've recognized one immediately—Roslin Carlett, the young Carlett executive. The other two were strangers: an Asian man in a kimono, clearly Japanese, and a Caucasian man.
As they talked, one of the guards came in and whispered something into Christian's ear.
"Boss, Thackeray Eddie's here… and Jiang Hai came with him."
The mood shifted.
Two of the four stopped laughing—Christian Edis and Roslin Carlett. Their expressions darkened. They knew all too well what kind of man Jiang Hai was. This wasn't good.
The other two men kept smiling and sipping their wine.
"Mr. Akita, Mr. Smith…" Christian Edis began nervously.
"What's the matter? Getting cold feet?" Smith chuckled.
"I admit it—yes, I'm a little scared. Jiang Hai's influence here is massive. If anything happens to him, the politicians in Massachusetts will come down hard. They won't spare anyone."
Edis smiled bitterly. Opening a casino required serious backing—but even his contacts had warned him: Jiang Hai is untouchable.
He was the golden goose of Massachusetts. No one dared ruffle his feathers.
"Tsk, just a Chinese guy. No matter how rich he is, he's still Chinese," Smith scoffed. "Don't worry, Mr. Edis. If anything happens, we've got your back."
What he didn't say aloud was clear: Jiang Hai was their real target from the start.
To be continued...