Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Founding of the Black Gold Empire

It wasn’t long before Yan Donglou appeared again at Xu Wei’s side. Xu Wei was delighted by Yan Donglou’s return, knowing it meant Yan Donglou was fully prepared. The two sat down for another heartfelt conversation, and it was during this discussion that they laid the foundation for their money laundering empire.

Xu Wei still remembered the money laundering cases he had handled in the past. He believed he understood the methods well: manipulating the stock market for arbitrage, fake real estate transactions, trading antiques and calligraphy. If they wanted to move funds abroad, the best method was through underground money houses—using a fake identity to deposit money in foreign banks.

This laundering was not so much about making the money legitimate, but rather about preparing an escape route. If life became untenable at home, one could flee abroad and live comfortably. Xu Wei regarded these money laundering methods as universal, not mysterious; anyone in the business could master them within a few years. The only difference between success and failure was who could attract better clients.

So, upon seeing Yan Donglou again, Xu Wei's first move was to hand him two lists of potential clients. One was a roster of criminals processed by the Mingtan branch—money earned through crime that needed laundering desperately. The other was a list of a handful of cadres in Mingcheng, all familiar faces to Xu Wei. He knew their misdeeds would eventually come to light, so they’d transfer their illicit gains abroad to prepare for the worst.

To Xu Wei, these two groups were his target demographic—prime potential clients. Securing them would guarantee the first pot of gold for their new company.

Xu Wei offered Yan Donglou his assistance in his own way and posed a question: “We have potential clients. How do you plan to operate? Stock market? Real estate? Antiques and paintings? Or do you want to run a money house?”

Yan Donglou shook his head. “None of those. They’re too outdated, too costly. You need at least a thirty percent commission to make a profit. Those methods aren’t competitive anymore—too slow, not secretive enough, high risk. This is the internet age; those approaches are obsolete and unnecessary.”

Xu Wei listened, puzzled. “If not those methods, what else is there?”

Yan Donglou smiled. “Have you heard of a ‘water room’?”

Xu Wei stared at him, completely at a loss—water room? Was it for fetching water? What connection could this have to their new business?

Not wanting to reveal his ignorance, Xu Wei kept his gaze fixed on Yan Donglou, silently waiting.

Yan Donglou saw Xu Wei’s silence and realized he had no concept of a water room. So he explained, “Nowadays, money laundering syndicates are synonymous with water rooms; it’s the most popular method. A complete water room consists of five types of personnel: voice man, machine swiper, number connector, card man, and runner. The voice man handles calls, messages, and client contacts—essentially a salesperson. The machine swiper manages POS machines, transferring funds to online clearing centers. The number connector links voice men and machine swipers, creating an internal shield against crackdowns. The card man buys and sells bank cards used for laundering. The runner withdraws the cash.

“These five roles are connected only by single lines. They don't know each other. If something goes wrong, only the lowest runner gets caught—no significant impact on the company. Just hire a new runner.

“The company adopts a highly coupled, loosely aggregated management model; any position can be replaced at any time. Even if the police are watching, there’s nothing to fear.”

Xu Wei found Yan Donglou’s words refreshing. He suddenly felt like a frog at the bottom of a well, completely ignorant of current trends.

Thinking for a moment, Xu Wei asked, “But doesn’t the online clearing center expose us? Is the money safe?”

Yan Donglou laughed. “Of course not. We build our own fourth-party payment platform, use shell companies for laundering, and from the books, all transactions look legitimate. I’m in finance—this is child’s play.

“As for safety, there’s nothing to worry about. You’ve used Zhibao Pay, right? Or at least heard of it? We start there, recruit a couple of insiders, tap into Zhibao Pay’s third-party channel. Such a massive group has unmatched security. Not just domestically, but globally, their payment channels are the safest.”

At this point, Xu Wei displayed a schoolchild’s curiosity about the unknown. He asked again, “Fourth-party payment platform? What’s that?”

Yan Donglou replied, “It integrates third-party payment interfaces, customizes payment channels for merchants, offers low fees, easy access, high flexibility, and most importantly, isn’t restricted by payment licenses. We can operate as we wish. For large gambling businesses, it’s a must-have.”

Xu Wei asked, “Are insiders easy to find? Zhibao Pay must make a lot of money—would anyone risk it?”

Yan Donglou smiled and explained, “Nobody says no to money. For them, it’s risk-free—if trouble arises, blame it all on the fourth-party platform and walk away clean. Such a good deal, of course someone will take it.”

Xu Wei didn’t fully grasp Yan Donglou’s methods, but seeing his confidence, he too felt reassured.

He laughed, “What you’re saying is too profound for me. I don’t get it. You handle it! If you need anything from me, just ask.”

Yan Donglou smiled. “You don’t need to understand. If people in your field understood, things might not go so smoothly. It’s best if you’re all clueless—then everything will be seamless.”

Xu Wei grinned, “Those under me certainly don’t understand, but there’s always someone smarter. I can’t guarantee no one knows your tricks.”

Yan Donglou nodded, “I get it. In a country this big, with so much talent, there'll always be a few experts. It’s unrealistic to expect total secrecy.”

He continued, “But I’ve worked on Wall Street in the Eagle’s country. I know what to do. If anyone figures out our methods, we just offer them a generous salary—ten times their current pay. Who could refuse?”

Xu Wei applauded, laughing, “You’re right. If those fools had the skills, they wouldn’t be here. You make all the arrangements! If you need me, just reach out.”

He paused, then added, “Of course, best not to contact me during work hours—walls have ears. If others find out, it could be trouble. I still want to advance. The fewer people who know, the better!”

Yan Donglou nodded, “Don’t worry, I know what to do.”

Then Yan Donglou detailed his recent progress for Xu Wei, painting a beautiful blueprint for the future.

Listening to Yan Donglou, Xu Wei felt as if a door to a new world had opened before him. His eyes shone with hope, as if his rise to glory was just around the corner.

After their long conversation, Yan Donglou received the initial startup funds from Xu Wei, launching a massive recruitment and organizational effort.

Yan Donglou truly had a knack for this line of work. In a short time, he found all the people he needed—some old friends, some former business partners, some new acquaintances from the internet. He consolidated all these resources, forming the bedrock of his black gold empire.

Seven stood out among them, seven who would soon change their fate and become the seven most crucial blades of the empire.

Liu Boyue was recruited to manage the number connectors. He had once been an operations director, but ended his career early due to corruption.

Wang Cai, a renowned recruiter from a headhunting firm, was dismissed for sexual assault and now handled recruitment for Yan Donglou.

Dong Wei, a former bank technical contractor, dissatisfied with his paltry wages and unfair treatment, joined Yan Donglou as the machine swiper.

Meng Huai, an employee at a banking regulatory agency, moonlighted under Yan Donglou as the card man, seeking a better income.

Zhang Yu, once a star salesman and former collaborator with Yan Donglou, resigned in anger after being sidelined and now served as the voice man.

Wei Qianji, a former snakehead and childhood friend of Yan Donglou, domineering by nature, took charge as runner.

Yan Maoqing, a poker master and Yan Donglou’s card-playing companion, a real-life gangster, handled enforcement.

Thus, in a short span, Yan Donglou assembled the elite team needed for a successful criminal syndicate. Everything was ready; all that remained was to await the clients.

At this critical moment, Xu Wei played his part, securing the first big deal for their new venture.

Gui E could be considered Xu Wei’s benefactor; Xu Wei’s rise was thanks to his help, and he had invested heavily in Gui E as well.

Gui E’s son was studying in the Eagle’s country, and Gui E was troubled by how to send more money overseas. Hearing this, Xu Wei introduced Gui E to Yan Donglou. Gui E was initially skeptical, but Yan Donglou easily completed the currency exchange.

Impressed by the speed, Gui E casually asked if larger sums could also be exchanged. Yan Donglou, ever astute, immediately sensed opportunity and replied, “Of course, but there’s a handling fee—just ten percent commission. Absolutely safe, absolutely discreet.”

Gui E was tempted. Though not in the laundering business, he knew the going rates. He asked, “I have a friend in foreign trade who needs lots of foreign currency. Can you handle that?”

Yan Donglou understood—the so-called friend was Gui E himself, but he didn’t point it out. “No problem at all. Let him give it a try, and he’ll see our capabilities.”

Gui E nodded, left Yan Donglou his contact, and departed.

Soon after, someone claiming to be Gui E’s friend contacted Yan Donglou, bringing ten million and requesting an exchange.

Yan Donglou did not disappoint. While chatting over tea, he completed the exchange. His subordinate handed him a foreign bank card and a slip of paper. Yan Donglou passed these to the client, explaining the paper contained the password and cardholder details—withdrawals could be made anytime.

The client was amazed and delighted by Yan Donglou’s method. After a brief conversation, he left with the card and slip.

Not long after, Yan Donglou received a call from this so-called friend, expressing satisfaction with the service. Yan Donglou had secured his first major client effortlessly.

Business quickly boomed. Zhang Yu’s abilities came to the fore, bringing in ever more clients, with people even seeking Yan Donglou’s laundering company online.

The elite team Xu Wei recruited for Yan Donglou showcased remarkable professionalism, and before long, the company gained a reputation in the industry.

Internally, Yan Donglou managed everything with meticulous order. He assigned everyone to different regions, with only Yan Maoqing remaining by his side in Mingzhou. The rest were scattered across the country, strangers to each other, eliminating opportunities for betrayal and maximizing stability.

The only regret was the frequent capture of runners, or worse, their vanishing with company funds.

For Yan Donglou, runners getting caught was par for the course—the police needed something to show for their efforts. Catching a few runners was within their capability.

But when runners absconded with funds, Yan Donglou found it far more vexing.

Having Yan Maoqing as enforcer helped, but tracking down rogue runners nationwide wasn’t worth the cost. As an economist, Yan Donglou wouldn’t waste time on such unprofitable pursuits. But letting it go and constantly writing off bad debts gnawed at him.

To solve this, Yan Donglou began searching for new helpers. During his search, he found two promising candidates—one he considered a valuable general, the other a gift for Xu Wei.

Yan Donglou wasn’t just a financial expert; his eye for talent was even keener, though the outcome differed somewhat from his expectations.

The two he chose would soon become indispensable pillars of the money laundering empire, joining Yan Donglou as its three giants.