Chapter 38 - 15: Maid

Before Zhou Qingfeng left the lottery office, FBI Chief Inspector Karl had already placed two heavy restrictions on him in a desperate measure to make up for lost time. He called the Miami District Attorney, firmly and urgently demanding, "I need to impose a travel ban on a foreign suspect. Ensure this kid can't leave the United States during the investigation, and ideally, he should not be able to step out of Miami-Dade County." He even proposed a stricter measure - putting an electronic ankle bracelet on Zhou Qingfeng to monitor his movements at all times. As his opponent made a move, the four million US Dollar legal fee Zhou Qingfeng had prepaid immediately proved to be a great asset. Old Beck, a seasoned lawyer with half a century of experience in the legal field, immediately stood up in protest. He also called the District Attorney: "My client is innocent and very willing to cooperate with the investigation. But the FBI can't produce any evidence, can't prove any illegal activity, treating him as a suspect is absolutely unjust." Karl was unwilling to give up, so he immediately applied to freeze Zhou Qingfeng's lottery winnings, attempting to cut off his financial resources - with no money, the kid couldn't stir up much trouble. Old Beck stepped up again, appealing to the District Attorney, "The Power Ball is an unregistered lottery; possession equals ownership after purchase. The lottery committee can't refuse payment for any reason, otherwise, it violates the principle of fairness. The FBI can't use public authority to infringe on private rights." The key to this game lay in the attitude of the District Attorney. The enforcement of the ban depended entirely on the power and connections behind each side. The United States is actually a society of personal connections, with a very flexible line of law enforcement. Though Old Beck was quite advanced in age, his network within the judicial system was far deeper than Chief Inspector Karl's. He picked up the phone, and with a few simple calls, managed to smooth out numerous key points rapidly, catching Karl, who followed procedure step by step, off guard. But Zhou Qingfeng's foreigner status put him at a disadvantage. In the end, both sides reached a delicate balance in this backstage contest. Until the investigation was clear, Zhou Qingfeng couldn't leave Miami-Dade County, or his lottery redemption would be terminated, and his account frozen. Additionally, the lottery redemption would proceed normally, and his funds would be under FBI supervision, temporarily unable to be transferred out of the United States, but usable within the country without restriction. The two parties glanced at each other and sighed in relief. Chief Inspector Karl thought to himself, "As long as this kid can't leave the country, we have the chance and time to investigate him." Zhou Qingfeng was also delighted, "As long as the money can be redeemed, I can make a living here in the United States." For Old Beck, as long as the lottery could be redeemed, he was willing to serve Zhou Qingfeng. If the FBI forcibly removed him, as an elite litigator, he would be thrilled to death. ----------------- Leaving the Miami lottery office, Zhou Qingfeng boarded Old Beck's helicopter and returned to his law firm in the city center. The rotor whipped up a strong wind, lifting everyone off the ground, ascending several hundred meters, and landing on the rooftop of a fifty-story financial building. Standing on the rooftop helipad, Zhou Qingfeng could overlook the city of Miami, Biscayne Bay, and the vast Atlantic Ocean, feeling a sense of grandeur as if the world were at his feet. The 'Smith & Beck' law firm was situated within the building. Zhou Qingfeng needed to sign a few more authorization forms. For instance, once he claimed the grand prize, he would donate 320 million US Dollars to the newly established "Holy Light Foundation", and serve as the permanent director with veto power. Through the operations of the 'Smith & Beck' law firm, this massive donation would offset his personal income tax. The foundation's daily work would include handling matters on Zhou Qingfeng's behalf, such as claiming prizes, managing donations, and so on. Zhou Qingfeng himself would be employed by the foundation, receiving a multi-million-dollar annual salary. Additionally, he would pledge donations to Florida, and a few local political figures and charitable organizations in Miami. The amounts would vary, from a few thousand to tens of thousands of US Dollars - as per Old Beck's suggestion, not too much at first, giving too much could make people insatiable. Of course, the 320 million US Dollar donation from the foundation was just a small part; the real bulk was the over 1.2 billion US Dollar winnings themselves. "Victor, choose a bank to serve you." Old Beck detailedly listed the names of several large financial institutions, "Morgan, Citibank, USB, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Mellon..." The most snobbish among service industries must be the finance sector. To please big clients, banks, insurance companies, and investment banks would go to great lengths, bowing and scraping daily just to provide the finest service. These banks' names reverberated in Zhou Qingfeng's ears, as if beckoning to him, hoping to offer endless resources and possibilities. However, true billionaires wouldn't condescend to use the same products as ordinary people. They required unique services to demonstrate their distinction and exceptional status. In this regard, the finance industry spared no effort, employing every trick imaginable. When Old Beck took on Zhou Qingfeng's lottery case, he reminded the young billionaire-to-be: "Victor, you need to get in good with the banks. Or more accurately, many banks will attempt to get in good with you. With just one call, you'll become a super VIP at these major banks, enjoying privileges unimaginable to ordinary people." Zhou Qingfeng knew nothing about this. For him, a bank was just a place to deposit and withdraw money; he never thought it could offer any special services.