Chapter Five: Buying Upstream with Orders

“I bought your due date.” Tang checked inventory through the night. It could support twelve days at most. Ma proposed dumping finished nickel plate for cash. Shen refused. A distress sale would fetch sixty percent of value and announce Dongrui’s collapse to every customer. Su Wanqing arrived from the archives with records from Dongrui’s predecessor. After listening, she asked the simplest question. “Why would the overseas miner rather kill its customer than grant seven days?” Shen used his final daily appraisal on the minimum-purchase agreement. [Apparent Contract Claim: ¥8,700,000.] [Creditor’s actual performance cost: ¥11,400,000.] [Hidden Condition: Seller must register sufficient export quota before payment. Current quota is insufficient.]