Chapter 51

The next morning, Gao Yang woke up feeling refreshed and invigorated. After washing up and having a simple breakfast, he got into a camouflaged Hummer, which was protected by a dozen mercenaries, and set off for the oil field.

Three Hummers sped down the newly constructed cement road, kicking up a cloud of dust. People carrying baskets on their heads and driving ox carts hurried to the side of the road, afraid of being hit or brushed by the vehicles.

Gao Yang had funded the construction of this road, initially to cover up the massive amount of cement and construction machinery he had imported from China. The road extended from the mine to a point just a few dozen kilometers away from Libreville, where it connected with the country's main highway. Of course, a couple of hundred kilometers of road didn't require that much cement, but no one bothered to investigate where the excess cement had gone.

Gao Yang and the local government had agreed to upgrade the original dirt road into a wide cement road. Gao Yang would have the right to operate it for 10 years, after which the government would take over. This road had become the main traffic artery of the area.

Both parties agreed that the country's civilians and government could use the road without paying any fees. Normally, such conditions would only be met in international aid projects, but Gao Yang wasn't concerned about the small amount of money. He just needed an excuse. Besides, if he still had to worry about such trivial matters after 10 years, it would mean that fate had truly turned a blind eye to him.

The road was built to a four-lane standard. An interesting incident occurred during construction. Gao Yang had heard that African workers strictly adhered to their working hours, never working a minute more. He never thought he would witness it firsthand.

One evening, after dinner, Gao Yang decided to visit the construction site. Upon arrival, he found no one there, with machinery and materials left unattended. Gao Yang raised an eyebrow but said nothing. That night, he called all the responsible persons and managers to a meeting.

The road was divided into several segments, each a few dozen kilometers long, and contracted to different local construction companies. At the meeting, Gao Yang announced that the first company to complete its segment and pass inspection would receive three times the contract price, the second and third would receive double, and the rest would be paid according to the contract. This decision greatly boosted the enthusiasm of the construction companies!

That night, the entire construction site was filled with the sound of machinery and bustling workers. The fastest company finished nearly a month and a half ahead of schedule! It seemed that the African workers weren't lazy; they just needed the right motivation.

Sitting in the Hummer, Gao Yang watched the dense jungle on both sides of the road fly by, the wind carrying the scent of the forest. Occasionally, the calls of unknown wild animals could be heard, giving him a sense of accomplishment.

The convoy soon arrived at the river crossing, which was already very congested. Since Gao Yang had refused other companies the use of the road, they had to transport their goods by water. This made the small ferry crossing extremely busy, with vehicles, people, and materials crowding together, garbage strewn everywhere, and noise levels as high as those in an Indian market.

The convoy drove to the company's berth, where the mercenaries in charge of the ferry had already prepared the boat. The Hummers drove directly onto the ferry and set off for the other side. The driver was James, the mercenary captain who had accompanied Gao Yang on his first trip to Africa. James had already taken three leaves. Recently, due to Gao Yang's strategy of cutting off the road to other companies in the mine and the discovery of an oil field on the other side of the river, these companies had grown to hate Gao Yang. This time, James was personally responsible for Gao Yang's safety during his inspection of the oil field.

The river wasn't very wide here, and the ferry took less than 10 minutes to reach the other side. There, Gao Yang's company had built a pumping dock, with a pipeline several dozen kilometers long leading from the oil field to this point. The oil was loaded onto small shallow-water oil tankers, which then traveled down the river to Libreville, where it was transferred to Gao Yang's giant ocean-going oil tankers. The volume was small, not exceeding 90,000 barrels per month, serving more as a decorative function. The rest of the oil was transported using Gao Yang's storage space.

Leaving the dock, they drove along the road built specifically for the oil field. This road was much narrower, with no one walking on it, and oil pipelines running alongside. Gao Yang, leaning back in his seat, noticed that James was becoming increasingly tense.

Smiling, Gao Yang took off his sunglasses, put them in his pocket, and turned to James, saying, "Captain, what are you nervous about?" James, eyes fixed on the road ahead, replied seriously, "Boss, you've cut off the road for the other companies in the mine, and you have a highly coveted oil field. As the Chinese say, cutting off someone's means of livelihood is like killing their parents. They will certainly take action against you. As your bodyguard, I must ensure your safety."

"Haha," Gao Yang laughed, leaning back in his seat. "James, your Chinese is pretty good. Where did you learn it?"

"Previously, I worked on a few missions with a guy from China and learned a bit from him. He was an interesting guy, but he went back to China after making some money," James shrugged. "But, boss, why are you going to the oil field now? It's dangerous."

"Yes, it is dangerous. But if someone really wants to harm me, I can't just hide at home, can I?" Gao Yang rested his right hand on the car door, supporting his chin, his gaze distant. "I'd rather they focus all their firepower on me. If they harm my family, I don't know what I might do." His words carried a hint of a mysterious meaning.

Turning to James, he smiled and said, "Don't be so tense. This trip to the oil field was a last-minute decision. Even if someone wants to harm me, they couldn't have set up an ambush in advance. You should be more concerned about the return trip."

James didn't say anything more, composed himself, and turned on the car's music. The melodious tunes filled the quiet forest road. Gao Yang turned to look at the forest, where the dense foliage blocked the sunlight, creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere, like a monster waiting to pounce.

Gao Yang's lips curled up. That morning, while washing up, Origin had told him that many armed personnel hostile to him had appeared in the mining town.

After a detailed investigation, Origin found that these were professionals hired by the other companies in the mine, clearly targeting Gao Yang. After some thought, Gao Yang decided to lure them out and eliminate them all, while also taking action against the remaining companies in the mine.

"This time, we need to do it cleanly," Gao Yang murmured to himself. He was afraid that if he left any loose ends, it could endanger his family. Gao Yang feared nothing, but he was always worried about his family.

As Gao Yang had predicted, the journey to the oil field was calm and uneventful. However, this was the calm before the storm. The information from the simulation robot indicated that the professionals were already crossing the river.

At the oil field, Gao Yang met with Dr. Wells to discuss the latest developments. Dr. Wells, his face tanned and red from the sun, smiled proudly. "Boss, this place is amazing. Recent exploration has shown that the oil reserves here are far more than what we initially thought. This is definitely a major oil field! Boss, I need your financial support. I want to explore deeper into the valley and drill more exploration wells. I will bring you more oil reserves and more dollars!"

Gao Yang smiled, took a bottle of mineral water, and handed it to Dr. Wells. "Money is not a problem. I've seen your work, and I will give you a generous bonus at the end of the year. Now, tell me, what is the current monthly production of the mine?"

Dr. Wells drank half the bottle of water in one go and poured the rest over his head. "This damn weather, it's always so hot! Boss, we currently have 27 commercial oil wells producing, with a monthly output exceeding 90,000 barrels! Recently, we discovered a shallower oil belt in the valley. I've calculated that if we drill about 20 more commercial wells, we can increase production to over 200,000 barrels per month!"

"Good, very good. You're doing a great job," Gao Yang said, patting Dr. Wells on the shoulder and gesturing for him to walk with him.

"Oh, boss, there's one more thing. Recently, some strange people have been seen around the mine, and some employees have reported that they are often asked about the mine's situation," Dr. Wells said, turning to look at Gao Yang seriously.

Gao Yang, walking slowly with his hands behind his back, lowered his head in thought and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry about other things. I will handle it. Tell all the employees that I don't care about money, and I won't mistreat anyone who helps me. Make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut and doesn't lose something important because of loose talk!"

Gao Yang didn't specify what "something important" meant, but Dr. Wells, no longer a rookie, understood. He nodded seriously and said, "I will formally notify all the employees."

Gao Yang wandered around the mine, occasionally asking Dr. Wells a few questions. The morning passed quickly, and after lunch, Gao Yang and the mercenaries returned the same way.

After driving less than 10 kilometers, Gao Yang stopped the vehicles and gathered the mercenaries around him. "Guys, I've received a message. Someone has set up an ambush on the road ahead, targeting me," Gao Yang said, his gaze sweeping over the mercenaries' faces.

The experienced mercenaries showed no obvious reaction, but they all tightened their grip on their weapons. James walked up to Gao Yang and asked seriously, "Boss, is the information reliable?" "Absolutely reliable."

"Boss, what do you want to do? Safely get you out of here, or take them out?" James asked, looking at Gao Yang.

Gao Yang took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep puff. He then looked at the mercenaries and smiled. "I hate trouble, so my plan is..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the mercenaries, and his lips curled up. "To eliminate them all to prevent them from ambushing me again!"

The mercenaries showed no obvious reaction. Dealing with the ambushers was self-defense, and that was what mercenaries did. They had no psychological pressure!

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