Chapter 390: A Traitor Within?
Li Tang was enjoying himself in Brazil.
Since officially investing 100 million magnesium dollars into GX Oil Company, Batista had been taking him around, frequenting bars, restaurants, soccer matches—experiencing Brazil's exuberant local culture through extravagant entertainment.
While immersed in his enjoyment, Dai Yingchi suddenly called with urgent news, forcing Li Tang to catch a flight back to Yanjing that same night.
The following morning, as Li Tang arrived at Yunding Tower, Dai Yingchi met him at the door, accompanied by several individuals. "These gentlemen are from the Energy Bureau."
"My name is Lu Zhengxiang. Mr. Li, please just call me Xiao Lu. We aren't officials, just staff members from the Energy Bureau." A young man politely introduced himself.
Li Tang regarded them curiously, pondering their intentions. He quickly guessed that the Energy Bureau was likely aware of his investment in GX Oil and had come specifically to inquire about it.
Gao Jingjing unlocked the office door. Li Tang courteously invited everyone inside, instructing her to serve good tea.
"What can I do for the Energy Bureau?" Li Tang asked politely.
"Oh no, we wouldn't dare," Lu Zhengxiang quickly protested, nervously raising his hands. Before visiting, his superiors had emphasized the importance of showing great respect to Li Tang. "We're definitely not officials, Mr. Li. You're quite humorous. Actually, we came today because we heard you invested in an oil project in Brazil."
Just as Li Tang expected.
Taking a sip of tea, Li Tang calmly replied, "Yes, I invested in a startup company."
"The Energy Bureau oversees development planning for the petroleum industry," Lu Zhengxiang explained eagerly. "Our leaders said if you're investing in petroleum exploration, or even oilfield development, it would be tremendously beneficial to our petroleum industry. You know, our domestic oil resources are severely limited, and we depend heavily on imports. Additionally, domestic oil exploration has seen little breakthrough recently. If you could help our oil industry, much like you've assisted the steel industry through your investments in Lianying Mining, it would truly be a great service."
Li Tang understood the Bureau's enthusiasm and urgency but felt compelled to temper their expectations. "The petroleum industry is incredibly complex. It's nearly impossible for private enterprises to successfully explore or develop significant oilfields abroad—unless it's on a small scale that draws no attention."
"But Mr. Li, you're not an ordinary person!" Lu Zhengxiang offered a mild compliment.
"I'm afraid not, even for me," Li Tang said frankly, not from modesty but practical realism. "My investment in Brazil's GX Oil is strictly as a minority shareholder with no voice on the board. Moreover, my investment objective isn't to obtain oil at all."
Suddenly, Li Tang considered something unsettling. If the Energy Bureau mistakenly believed that his past successes in mineral exploration and mining development guaranteed success in oil, they might follow him blindly, investing substantial sums into GX Oil, expecting affordable and quality petroleum supplies in return. That would be disastrous.
During GX Oil's startup phase, as a purely financial investment, there was indeed potential for significant returns. However, that was simply a financial product.
Under Batista's management, GX Oil would briefly soar to become an internationally recognized oil company within two years, catapulting Batista himself into the ranks of the world's top ten richest individuals. Batista's exceptional marketing and promotion strategies dramatically inflated GX Oil's value.
Though initially promising, the company's direction and methods under Batista were fundamentally flawed and overly ambitious. Ultimately, GX Oil soared to great heights only to crash spectacularly, resulting in catastrophic losses for countless global investors. As karmic consequence, Batista himself—once spirited and politically connected—was sentenced to thirty years in prison.
If the Energy Bureau assumed Li Tang's involvement indicated GX Oil was a promising venture and urged domestic petroleum companies to heavily invest, the resulting fallout would have profound negative impacts domestically.
"Don't tell me you're considering advising domestic enterprises to invest in this Brazilian oil company?" Li Tang set down his tea, expression grave.
"Currently, there's no definite investment plan. However, since the news of your investment in GX Oil emerged, our leaders have shown significant interest. Honestly, we can't rule out that possibility entirely," Lu Zhengxiang admitted, clearly mirroring Li Tang's concern. "Whenever we identify promising opportunities, we routinely inform domestic oil companies."
"You must not do this!" Li Tang felt immense pressure and a sense of guilt just hearing this.
Li Tang's investment in GX Oil was strategically planned, knowing precisely when to enter and when to exit. Investing solely for the promise of cheap petroleum products from Batista and GX Oil would end in absolute failure.
"Listen carefully: convey this to your superiors—do not entertain such risky thoughts! My investment in GX Oil is purely financial, not related to actual petroleum products or industrial strategy! Please emphasize this clearly to your leaders!"
"Why such strong opposition?" Lu Zhengxiang was baffled. Li Tang had invested a hundred million magnesium dollars himself, yet was strongly advising others against doing so.
"Has Batista already approached your Energy Bureau?" Li Tang, familiar with Batista and GX Oil's promotional tactics, immediately understood the situation. Batista had publicly declared numerous times that once GX Oil began production, most of the output would be sold to Huaxia—echoing the tactics of international iron ore corporations that supplied raw materials to the world's largest consumer markets for enormous profits.
This concept appeared persuasive and highly tempting. But ultimately, dreams were just dreams.
"Yes, Batista previously met with our leaders to discuss his oil company," Lu Zhengxiang confirmed.
"What did your leaders think of the project?"
"They initially felt it was unrealistic. Even if Batista's oil company successfully produced oil, they planned to wait until actual production commenced, ensuring security before purchasing. Investing at this stage was considered overly risky—our leaders would never make such a decision," Lu Zhengxiang explained. "But since you invested recently, our leaders reconsidered, believing earlier investments could secure lower future petroleum prices. They trust your investment instincts."
"I'll reiterate: I absolutely do NOT view GX Oil positively!" Li Tang repeated solemnly. "Please relay my exact words to your leaders without softening the message—this is my firm stance!"
Visibly nervous, Lu Zhengxiang was unsure how to respond, clearly unwilling to offend Li Tang.
"Are you concerned our involvement would disrupt your investment plans?"
"No, this has nothing to do with my investments—I'm worried for you!" Li Tang found it difficult to clearly explain, but strongly discouraged the Energy Bureau from going astray. "If you're determined to invest, then hand the money to me directly—I'll manage it for you personally!"
"I'll certainly relay your message," Lu Zhengxiang, feeling overwhelmed by Li Tang's unexpected intensity, quickly excused himself.
Just after the Energy Bureau representatives left, Li Feiqun and Alice hurriedly entered.
"Hearing you were back, Director Li and I immediately flew from Hong Kong!" Alice appeared tired and rushed.
"What's the matter?" During his time in Brazil, Li Tang had only briefly monitored Gala Aluminum's stock developments.
"We've been following your orders meticulously—regardless of the price, whenever shares appeared on the market, we aggressively purchased them, even submitting bids significantly higher than others to ensure acquisition," Li Feiqun explained, sighing slightly. "Ever since BHP, Rinto, and Saltwater Sea Valley officially declared their intention to bid for Gala Aluminum, the share price surged again, breaking past 80 magnesium dollars and rapidly approaching 85 magnesium dollars. Worse yet, the stock available on the market has drastically diminished!"
Li Tang was traveling around Brazil.
Ever since formally investing one hundred million magnesium dollars in GX Oil Company, Batista had enthusiastically taken him everywhere—from bars and restaurants to football matches—allowing Li Tang to experience firsthand Brazil's famously vibrant culture.
Just when he was thoroughly enjoying himself, Dai Yingchi suddenly called with urgent news, forcing Li Tang to catch a flight back to Yanjing that very night.
The next morning, as Li Tang arrived at Yunding Tower, Dai Yingchi approached him with several men in tow. "These gentlemen are officials from the Energy Bureau."
"My name is Lu Zhengxiang. Mr. Li, you can just call me Xiao Lu. We're not officials, merely staff from the Energy Bureau." A young man greeted Li Tang politely.
Li Tang studied the group with curiosity, guessing the purpose of their visit likely involved his recent investment in GX Oil Company.
Gao Jingjing unlocked his office door, and Li Tang warmly invited everyone inside, instructing her to serve some high-quality tea.
"What can I do for the Energy Bureau's leaders?" Li Tang asked courteously.
"Not at all," Lu Zhengxiang said hurriedly, slightly embarrassed. Before their visit, he'd been explicitly reminded by his superior to treat Li Tang with utmost respect. "We're not leaders at all. Mr. Li, you're being humorous. Actually, we heard you'd invested in an oil project in Brazil."
Exactly as Li Tang had expected.
Slowly sipping his tea, Li Tang replied casually, "That's right, I invested in a startup company there."
"The Energy Bureau is responsible for the development planning of the oil industry," Lu Zhengxiang explained. "Our leadership mentioned that if you're investing in oil exploration or development, it could greatly benefit our national oil industry. As you know, domestic oil resources are very scarce, and we depend heavily on imports. Recent domestic exploration hasn't produced significant breakthroughs. Just like how your investments in Lianying Mining helped the steel industry, your participation in oil projects could similarly help us significantly."
Li Tang understood the excitement and urgency in the Energy Bureau officials' tone but knew he had to temper their expectations. "The petroleum industry is extremely complicated. It's nearly impossible for private enterprises to successfully conduct significant oil exploration and development abroad unless it's small enough to go unnoticed."
"But you, Mr. Li, aren't an ordinary person," Lu Zhengxiang gently flattered.
"Even I can't manage it." Li Tang wasn't being modest—just realistic. "My investment in GX Oil is purely as a minor shareholder. I have no real say on the board. My investment objective isn't to obtain oil either."
A sudden thought crossed Li Tang's mind, making him uneasy. If the Energy Bureau assumed that his track record in mineral exploration guaranteed success in oil as well, they might blindly invest substantial sums into GX Oil, expecting future supplies of cheap, high-quality petroleum.
That would be a disaster.
As an early-stage financial investment, GX Oil did indeed offer a possibility of substantial returns. But ultimately, it was purely a financial instrument.
Under Batista's manipulation, GX Oil would rapidly rise to international prominence within two years, temporarily propelling Batista into the ranks of the world's top billionaires. However, Batista's approach to management and strategy from the outset was fundamentally flawed—his ambitious and reckless promotion inflated the company's valuation far beyond reality.
Eventually, the company would spectacularly collapse, causing enormous losses for countless global investors. Batista himself, once celebrated and politically influential, would end up sentenced to thirty years in prison.
If the Energy Bureau misinterpreted Li Tang's investment as a sign of great potential and urged domestic oil companies to pour significant funds into GX Oil, the fallout when the company inevitably collapsed would profoundly affect them.
"You aren't considering advising domestic enterprises to invest in GX Oil, are you?" Li Tang asked seriously, putting down his teacup.
"We don't have a concrete investment plan yet. However, after news of your investment broke, our leadership has paid considerable attention. Honestly, we can't rule out that possibility in the future," Lu Zhengxiang admitted candidly. "When our bureau finds promising projects, we frequently recommend them to relevant domestic oil companies."
"You absolutely must not do that!" Li Tang instantly felt stressed, burdened with guilt at the mere suggestion.
Li Tang's GX Oil investment had a carefully planned entry and exit strategy. But if investments were made purely for the sake of accessing cheap petroleum products from Batista, they would end in total disaster.
"Let me make this clear: tell your leaders explicitly not to harbor such dangerous thoughts! My investment in GX Oil is purely financial—it has nothing to do with petroleum products or industrial strategy! You must relay my message clearly!"
"Why do you say that?" Lu Zhengxiang was genuinely puzzled. Li Tang had invested a hundred million dollars himself yet now adamantly opposed others doing the same.
"Has Batista been in contact with your Energy Bureau?" Li Tang asked knowingly, fully aware of Batista's promotion tactics. Batista frequently proclaimed that once GX Oil began production, most of its petroleum would be sold to Huaxia, just like international iron ore companies that supplied raw materials to the world's largest market at substantial profits.
The concept was tempting and persuasive—but nothing more than a mirage.
"Yes, Batista previously met our leadership to discuss his oil company," Lu Zhengxiang replied honestly.
"And what did your leaders think about his company?"
"They initially said it was unrealistic. Even if Batista successfully produced oil, our leaders preferred to wait until after production commenced—after ensuring everything was safe—before purchasing. Investing right now seemed excessively risky," Lu Zhengxiang continued. "However, once your investment was made public, our leadership reconsidered, believing an earlier investment might reduce future costs. They trust your investment insight."
"I'll reiterate—I absolutely don't believe GX Oil is a good investment!" Li Tang emphasized firmly. "Convey my exact words to your leaders, without softening or editing. This is my definite stance."
Lu Zhengxiang looked nervous and uncertain. Clearly, he didn't dare offend Li Tang.
"Are you worried our investment might disrupt your plans?"
"It has nothing to do with me—I'm worried about you!" Li Tang couldn't fully explain but urgently wanted to stop the bureau from heading down the wrong path. "If you insist on investing, give the funds to me directly. I'll handle the investment personally for you!"
"I'll definitely relay your message." Overwhelmed by Li Tang's unexpected strong reaction, Lu Zhengxiang quickly excused himself and left.
Just as the Energy Bureau officials departed, Li Feiqun and Alice rushed in hurriedly.
"We heard you'd returned, so Director Li and I immediately flew in from Hong Kong!" Alice looked tired from the journey.
"What's happened?" While in Brazil, Li Tang had only occasionally checked updates on Gala Aluminum's stocks.
"We've been strictly following your orders—buying any available shares on the market at high prices, sometimes offering prices significantly higher than competitors to secure shares," Li Feiqun sighed lightly. "Ever since BHP, Rinto, and Saltwater Sea Valley officially announced their intention to acquire Gala Aluminum, the share price has surged again, breaking past 80 magnesium dollars and quickly approaching 85. Even worse, very few shares are now circulating on the market!"
"Major mining giants might have already submitted their bids to Gala Aluminum. Once officially announced, Gala Aluminum's stock will halt trading. It'll become nearly impossible for us to buy more shares from the open market," Alice said anxiously. "Our current stake remains stuck at 13.3%, and reaching the critical 14% threshold is becoming increasingly difficult!"
"Offer higher bids publicly—100 magnesium dollars per share, even 105 if necessary!" Li Tang suddenly felt desperate.
He knew even Rinto's bid averaged only around 101 magnesium dollars per share. Buying shares at 105 magnesium dollars guaranteed losses. Yet, under current circumstances, he had no choice.
Reaching that 14% holding was crucial!
"105 magnesium dollars?" Li Feiqun was shocked. "At that price, sellers won't be scarce—but isn't this too risky? We'd definitely lose money!"
"We have no choice!" Li Tang glanced at the time anxiously. Gala Aluminum's board was close to officially accepting Rinto's bid, leading to immediate suspension of share trading.
"We don't have much time left. Act quickly!" Li Tang rose impatiently, urging them vigorously. "At any cost, regardless of consequences, keep buying shares! If market transactions become impossible, contact major shareholders directly. Offer 110 magnesium dollars per share if necessary—whatever it takes!"
Li Feiqun thought Li Tang had gone mad.
"Perhaps we should discuss this more carefully and have Jiangda Securities analyze the situation thoroughly."
"No time! Do it immediately—now!" Li Tang rarely behaved this urgently, but now every minute mattered.
"All right, all right. I'll call headquarters immediately!" Li Feiqun rushed outside, already dialing her phone.
Alice grabbed her bag. "I'll return to Hong Kong with Director Li immediately. I'll report as soon as we make progress."
"Keep me updated," Li Tang called after her.
Left alone, Li Tang sighed deeply, feeling enormous pressure.
He'd already realized achieving that critical 14% ownership was nearly impossible now—but he was unwilling to give up without a fight.
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