"Can you take the call?"
After answering the phone and listening for a few moments, Maria turned around and handed over her cell phone.
"Me?"
Song Heping was stunned.
"Yes, you."
Maria was very certain.
Nura urged from the side, "We don't have time to waste with this white girl; we need to leave, or we won't make it."
Song Heping was well aware of the time pressure.
But he still reached out and took the phone.
"Give her a chance."
Nura was obviously unconvinced by this reasoning, fixating on Maria with a vigilant gaze.
"Who is this?"
Curious, Song Heping asked about the caller's identity.
"I am Maria's father."
The voice on the line was deep, slightly hoarse, with a sense of maturity—a man with many stories.
"Ah... Mister Maria?"
"My daughter is named Maria, but our family name is Nicholas. You can call me Nicholas."
"Ah, Mr. Nicholas." Song Heping couldn't help but glance at his watch. "I'm very pressed for time. If you're calling just to express a father's concern, I can tell you I've promised your daughter to keep her safe and get her to a secure place. She saved a friend of a friend of mine, but now she insists on taking over 200 villagers with her. I'm afraid I can't manage that."
"You're looking for $35 million US dollars, aren't you?"
Nicholas cut directly to the money.
"You can call and have your people check the account. Hasn't it increased by $35 million?"
"So soon?!"
Song Heping was astonished.
Transferring such a large sum into an offshore bank account isn't easy.
It had been less than ten minutes since Maria named the price and made the call.
Is the money in?
Song Heping immediately picked up his phone and called Ferrari.
"Ferrari, check if our No. 3 offshore account has increased by $35 million US dollars."
"Did you wire $35 million?"
Ferrari was surprised too.
"I found it was transferred by an Eastern European trading company. I thought it was a mistake; we don't have any dealings with that company. But Henry reminded me, the company's name seems linked to the Eastern European mafia."
"Mafia?"
Song Heping was stunned.
He received $35 million from the Eastern European mafia?
What a crazy situation.
He suddenly felt like he couldn't wash himself clean even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
A mafia that could instantly produce $35 million US dollars was no ordinary mafia.
Great.
Previously, he was a radical, drug lord, and now linked to the mafia. Will he get the title of mafia boss?
The CIA guys wouldn't need to frame him; they would have solid evidence.
This is...
"Yes, I am part of the mafia."
Nicholas heard the conversation between Song Heping and Ferrari.
He was quite honest, directly admitting it.
"But now I have a legitimate identity, I'm a businessman."
"Ah..." Song Heping ended the call with Ferrari and turned to Nicholas. "Every successful washed-up mafia boss says that, businessman..."
Song Heping muttered to himself, darn, I'm still a radical, a big drug lord...
What kind of constitution do I have?
I've been educated to be a good person since I was little.
Now look.