Luo Maoyuan came to the door to apologise, but since Liu Yong didn't like him, he arranged the meeting in the hotel far from Universal Company.

"Boss, the groups from Risheng company are waiting at the hotel for meeting"

Qiu Yang said.

Liu Yong replied slowly: "Let them wait, we will go there in half an hour."

"Since they are here to apologise, they must have known they should wait patiently. No matter what or how much time it takes," Liu Yong arrogantly said it.

After half an hour, Liu Yong took his time, read two documents, looked at his phone for a while, and then went to the Magnolia Hotel.

At the Magnolia Hotel, a group of business executives, including Luo Maoyuan, anxiously awaited the arrival of Liu Yong, a high-level executive from the Universal Company.

Time ticked by slowly as they sat in the conference room, growing increasingly impatient by the minute.

Finally, one of the executives couldn't contain his frustration any longer and vented his irritation, "Liu Yong's arrogance is too much! We agreed to meet at 9 AM, and now over 20 minutes have passed."

As the tension in the room rose, one of the more level-headed individuals let out a soft sigh, reminding the others that they were there to apologise, not to engage in heated discussions.

Despite the mounting pressure, Luo Maoyuan kept a severe face and remained silent, knowing that all they could do was wait.

Meanwhile, outside the office building, Liu Yong, accompanied by Hu Shijun, Qiu Yang, and several other individuals, including several middle-level backbones, had gathered by several small cars.

Liu Yong led the group, and they set off towards the hotel.

Footsteps could be heard inside the conference room, and Luo Maoyuan coughed to signal the group to adjust their demeanours quickly.

All eyes were on the Risheng Group's president, wondering why his expression had changed so quickly. From a previously cloudy and tense word, Luo Maoyuan's face had suddenly turned bright and cheerful, catching everyone off guard.

Suddenly, there was movement outside the door, and Liu Yong and his entourage walked in.

The Risheng Group members were stunned as they took in the sight of Liu Yong in person. It was no wonder he was late! The realisation dawned on them as they quickly adjusted their attitudes, standing up enthusiastically to greet their guests.

Some were still in a daze and had difficulty processing the situation, but gentle nudges from those beside them eventually helped them snap out of their confusion.

Liu Yong and his group entered the room as the Risheng Group members greeted them with politeness and even some fawning and flattering expressions.

It was important to note that the Risheng Group had come to apologise to the Universal Company and not to engage in any significant business dealings. Nevertheless, they were eager to make amends and start on the right foot.

Luo Maoyuan, in a complete transformation from his previous demeanour, approached Liu Yong and extended his hand in greeting. However, Liu Yong ignored the gesture, merely nodding briefly before sitting with his group.

The tension in the room had eased somewhat, but it was clear that the Risheng Group members still had much work to do to mend the strained relationship between their companies.

In the conference room of the luxurious building, a long and imposing conference table dominated the space.

The high-ranking executives of Universal Corporation occupied one side of the table, while the top brass of Risheng Group occupied the other side.

Both parties sat silently, each brimming with anticipation for what would come.

Liu Yong, the CEO of Universal Corporation, broke the silence calmly, "I heard about the recent sinking of three large ships belonging to the Risheng Group within just two days. We extend our deepest condolences."

The corners of Luo Maoyuan's mouth twitched as he heard Liu's words. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of resentment towards the Universal Corporation. He knew it was their doing and that their actions had resulted in his company's severe losses.

Despite this, Luo Maoyuan maintained a fa?ade of gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Liu, for your kind words. We appreciate your sympathy."

Liu Yong simply acknowledged the sinking of the ships before swiftly steering the conversation towards the more pressing matter at hand, "We are here today to discuss the recent ship collision incident."

Luo Maoyuan nodded in agreement, "Of course, Mr. Liu. We the Risheng Group take full responsibility for the incident, and we are willing to compensate for all losses incurred."

Luo Maoyuan couldn't help but feel humiliated at the thought of bowing down to Liu Yong. However, he knew he had to be careful not to provoke him further.

Liu Yong was surprised at Luo Maoyuan's willingness to take full responsibility and compensate for all losses. He thought,

"This man is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He may seem docile, but he is not to be underestimated."

Liu Yong knew that he had to be firm with such a man. He had to show him who was in charge, or else he might try to seek revenge in the future.

"Since you are willing to compensate for all losses, then we can easily reach a settlement," Liu Yong said sternly.

The chill in the air was palpable, and Luo Maoyuan shivered involuntarily. His body was coated with a thin layer of cold sweat that glistened in the dim light of the conference room. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his forehead carefully. The atmosphere was tense, and he knew he was in hot water.historical

"I regretted it to death," he muttered under his breath, feeling the weight of his mistake heavy on his shoulders.

If he had just apologised to Liu Yong within 24 hours, he could have gotten away with paying only 1 billion yuan. But now, 2 billion seemed like a paltry sum compared to the looming disaster that awaited the Risheng Group.

Luo Maoyuan felt the urge to turn tail and flee, but he knew he couldn't. The Risheng Group was hanging by a thread, and if he gave in to his fear, the company would be ruined beyond repair.

He had no choice but to grit his teeth and face the music.

"Mr. Liu, we don't have that much cash on hand. Can we have a little more time to arrange the payment?" he said, his voice trembling slightly.

The Risheng Group executives hung their heads low, knowing their company was in dire straits.

Luo Maoyuan's eyes flashed with a warning as he scanned the room, daring anyone to speak out of turn. He knew any misstep could result in Liu Yong raising higher stakes.

Liu Yong's gaze was cold and unyielding, and his response was swift.

"Three days. You have three days to remit one billion yuan to our company's account. The remaining one billion yuan can be offset by your ships. I know you have some good ones - 'Jintai', 'Jinfeng', and 'Jin Xi' are all viable options."

Luo Maoyuan's heart sank. He knew those three ships were worth more than one billion yuan combined, even after accounting for depreciation.

Heuld have never said they needed more funds if he had known this earlier. He could have just remitted the 2 billion yuan within three days.

Liu Yong's cold voice cut through the silence, "Don't you want to do business with us, Mr. Luo?"

He continued, "Our calculations show that the loss from one of the large ships, which was fully loaded with coal, amounts to almost 100 million yuan. However, this is not the main issue. Our reputation has been severely damaged, and our crew have been traumatized by the incident."

Liu Yong leaned forward and looked at Luo Maoyuan, "Therefore, we demand compensation of 2 billion yuan. Not a single penny less."

Luo Maoyuan and the other executives from Risheng Group were stunned. They had expected a hefty price, but this was beyond their wildest imaginations.

"Two billion yuan?" Luo Maoyuan couldn't help but blurt out, "But you said one billion just three days ago."

Liu Yong waved dismissively, "That was then. This is now. Two billion yuan, take it or leave it."

The entire conference room was filled with an icy silence. Luo Maoyuan's face contorted in anger and humiliation. He knew he had been outplayed but couldn't do anything about it.

...................