"What? The world's richest man, Huang He, has come to Europe, and he's at Arlanda Airport in Sweden?" This news struck all the European journalists like a bolt from the blue.
After all, Huang He had not left China for a full seven years.
Ever since that inexplicable incident of his plane being detained, Huang He's wealth had continued to grow, but he seemed to have lost his taste for travel. Unlike those wealthy individuals who constantly jetted off abroad to establish businesses, Mr. Huang, despite his ever-increasing overseas ventures, never went to see them and never left the borders of China.
In those seven years, apart from a trip to Russia, he hadn't visited any other country. This naturally became a topic of discussion among the global media, with much speculation surrounding why Huang He wasn't traveling abroad.
However, the most prevalent speculation wasn't that Mr. Huang feared being detained by the Americans, as the Americans hadn't engaged in such acts at that time. Instead, the most common guess was that Mr. Huang was prohibited from leaving the country, for reasons that need not be elaborated upon but are understood.
Now, with Mr. Huang's sudden appearance in Europe, people couldn't help but speculate: could it be that Mr. Huang had finally found an opportunity to escape?
Meanwhile, some American agencies were caught off guard. Although they had dreamed of having more intimate contact with Mr. Huang and had devised hundreds of foolproof plans to ensure they could control this super-rich tycoon, the most crucial and strategically significant part of all these plans involved proactively finding ways to lure Mr. Huang out of China. Once he was out, capturing him would be a simple matter, as if a few people could handle it.
They had never imagined that Huang He would leave China voluntarily, let alone in a surprise move, appearing in Europe without anyone knowing. This put them in a rather awkward position.
Firstly, in all their plans, the subsequent "easy capture" by a few individuals was predicated on getting Mr. Huang to the United States, to their own territory.
But if he were in Europe, the situation would be different. Even Americans couldn't act arbitrarily and would have to request European countries to take action.
While it was generally true that a request from the US would lead to success, the process would involve complex procedures, especially in bureaucratic European nations. The paperwork would be incredibly tedious, and by the time it was completed, Mr. Huang might have already left.
For instance, in the current situation, it would take Americans ten to fifteen days just to process the various procedures, which was far too late.
Of course, the Americans could also act first and report later, directly dispatching their own forces. However, when they further investigated Huang He's whereabouts, they were informed that while Mr. Huang had arrived, he was still at the airport, or rather, he had no intention of leaving the airport directly!
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"Mr. Huang, our minister has arranged reception and accommodation for you. Please come with us!" said an airport official with a smile to Huang He on the tarmac.
It had been over half an hour since Huang He's plane landed, but he hadn't even left the tarmac, remaining inside his aircraft.
"Alas, though I would love to experience Sweden's cuisine and culture, I really cannot accept the invitation this time!" Mr. Huang said regretfully.
"Why can't you accept? Are you perhaps worried that our reception is too hasty? Please rest assured, we will treat you with the utmost courtesy as a state guest. Please don't be so formal with us!" The airport official's smile was almost stiff.
"I appreciate your kindness, but I really cannot leave the airport!" Mr. Huang sighed.
"And why is that? Since you have already come to Sweden, why are you not leaving the airport? It makes no sense!" the airport official said helplessly.
"I don't want to be like this, but the problem is that after I departed, I realized I made a very terrible mistake!" Huang He said.
"What mistake?"
"I didn't obtain a Swedish visa!" Mr. Huang said with great regret, delivering an answer that completely bewildered the airport official.
"No visa?" The airport official had considered countless possibilities but had never expected such a seemingly absurd answer. The world's richest man being unable to leave the airport due to visa issues was simply comical!
Upon further reflection, this reason was indeed unassailable and had no easy solution.
Firstly, according to Swedish and European Union laws, travelers without a visa are absolutely forbidden from entering Sweden through its border crossings. This was a law that even the King of Sweden could not violate. If Huang He truly lacked a visa, he would genuinely be unable to leave the airport.
Even he, as an airport official, could do nothing unless he directly broke the law and faced legal repercussions later.
Therefore, according to laws and regulations, Mr. Huang, without a visa, could only remain on one side of the airport or within his aircraft and be repatriated to China. The logic was very clear and complete; this was the only path available.
Thus, even if he persuaded Huang He, the airport would not be able to allow Huang He to pass through customs.
Thinking of this, the airport official could only sigh and close his mouth. At the same time, he mentally grumbled that the staff of Jiangnan Group were too unreliable, having overlooked such a basic matter as obtaining a visa for their boss.
This then raises the question: could the staff of Jiangnan Group really forget to apply for their boss's visa?
If that were the case, from the ground staff of Jiangnan Group to HR and even senior management, Huang He would likely give them a severe dressing-down. Moreover, Mr. Huang would not be chatting with the airport official with such a pleasant expression right now.
Soon, the airport official left the aircraft. Simultaneously, the news that Mr. Huang could not enter Sweden due to an invalid visa quickly spread throughout the media circles, followed by frantic reposting and coverage from various media outlets.
After all, such news was too interesting and eye-catching. Not reporting such news would be a disservice to their journalistic profession.
As this news spread, the entire internet erupted in laughter. The world's richest man being held up at the airport due to visa issues – could there be anything more amusing than this?
It could be imagined that for a considerable time to come, even for one or two hundred years, this would become the most famous anecdote and joke surrounding Mr. Huang, passed down through the ages.
However, while ordinary people rejoiced, those truly astute individuals, or perhaps some Americans, upon hearing this news, could only sneer and exclaim, "This cunning fellow!"
In their view, this incredibly amusing blunder was actually an extremely cunning and intelligent move.
Could Jiangnan Group possibly forget to apply for their boss's visa?
That was naturally impossible. Therefore, this must have been deliberate on Huang He's part. He intentionally didn't obtain a visa so that he could legitimately stay at the airport and not leave.
This way, if any problem arose, Huang He could board his plane immediately, and the plane could take off directly. Unless Europe deployed fighter jets to intercept, no one could stop Mr. Huang's escape.
Once Mr. Huang left the airport and entered the city of Sweden, he would truly disappear into thin air. The Swedish authorities could easily find an excuse to detain him.
Although they would likely not harm Mr. Huang's life, Jiangnan Group would probably have to pay an immense price to get their boss back.
Therefore, this was a rather clever move, placing Mr. Huang in a highly flexible position, capable of advancing or retreating, with no one able to get the better of him.
However, this also presented a puzzling question: why would Huang He do something like this?
Thus, staying at the airport was a position of both offense and defense. However, the sky above was still European sky. If the Europeans were to become truly ruthless, Huang He would still be in danger. If he didn't have an absolutely critical matter to attend to, there was no reason for him to put himself in such a perilous situation.
Conversely, did Huang He's sudden arrival signify that he had something critically important to do?
As these individuals pondered Huang He's intentions, a motorcade finally arrived at the airport, quickly passed through the departure channel, and reached the tarmac.
Then, they saw Mr. Huang, his face etched with a hint of sadness and solemnity, standing quietly there, awaiting their arrival.
"Boss, why are you here!" Seeing their boss appear, both Yang Yunhe and the other members of the research team looked at Huang He with disbelief.
They had anticipated that Huang He might come to meet them, but they had never imagined he would come to Arlanda Airport in Sweden to greet them.
"Everyone, I've come to bring Professor Zhao and all of you home!" Seeing his people, Mr. Huang spread his arms and said emotionally. In an instant, almost everyone felt a lump in their throat and their eyes welled up.
These words, "bring you home," broke through everyone's composure!
"Is Professor Zhao here?" Following this, Huang He shook hands with everyone until he reached Professor Zhao's coffin, and asked with a grim expression.
"Yes, Boss Huang, Old Zhao is here!" Professor Zhao's wife cried tearfully. Only Professor Zhao, standing beside her, had a smile on his face, as happy as a child.
"Come, I will personally escort the professor home!" With that, Huang He stood directly beside the coffin and, together, they carried Professor Zhao towards his private jet.
"Boss, we chartered a plane, and the Swedes also wouldn't let us use our company's private jet..." Yang Yunhe quickly said.
"That chartered plane might have issues!" Huang He said with a grim expression. "I'll arrange for people to switch it out later. The one accompanying you onto the private jet will be an empty coffin. I will take Professor Zhao on my private jet and fly directly back to the country."
"However, this will inconvenience you. You might be stranded in the US. Is that okay?"
"No problem!" Yang Yunhe replied without hesitation.