I was a prince in the Middle East

Chapter 33 The Suffocating Truth! The Girl Group Poster in the Prince's Study—Is It Related to the Fate of the Nation?!

The teasing and mockery on Muhammad's face receded like the tide, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Turki also frowned and his playful smile disappeared.

They were clearly also shocked by the stark data comparisons that Walid had just mentioned.

Although he has never liked politics or economics, this question interests him greatly.

yes……

why?

After a moment of silence, only the low hum of the air conditioner filled the study.

After a long pause, Muhammad finally spoke with difficulty.

“They…are more secular.”

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was full of bitterness.

This conclusion is a tearful indictment of the heavy shackles imposed on Saudi Arabia.

It is also the excruciating pain of being powerless to break free from these shackles.

Muhammad paused, seemingly searching for a more precise word, "Our society..."

The power of tradition, the ropes of doctrine, are too tight.

Conservatism is like a rusty suit of armor, or an invisible, towering wall.

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted to the poster of the South Korean girl group.
"After women were confined to veils and secluded homes."

Their inherent wisdom and work ability are deeply buried, like pearls in the sand, unable to shine with their due brilliance.

The social customs of the entire country strictly adhere to ancient and strict precepts, and no one dares to cross the line.

It was as if even the slightest relaxation would shake the very foundation of the nation.

Thanks to high oil prices and high international demand, we have always lived in a stable society where various domestic forces are self-sufficient.

In fact, our economy is developing; it hasn't stopped or regressed, so there's a lack of motivation to change anything.

His gaze shifted to the window, as if comparing two completely different worlds.
"And Dubai... they tore down the walls and opened the windows."

Let the wind, let the light, let the fresh air from the outside world rush in.

With a more open-minded society, women are no longer confined to the shadows of their homes.

They can study and work freely, demonstrate their value in the sunlight, and become a solid force driving society forward, rather than merely tools for reproduction.

Culture... is as diverse as a vibrant oasis, embracing ideas, habits, and talents from all corners of the world.

It is this openness and inclusiveness that acts like a giant magnet, attracting the world's brightest minds and most abundant capital, flowing there like rivers flowing into the sea!

Furthermore, Dubai... is indeed actively promoting and marketing its country as a commodity...

Muhammad's voice carried a longing he himself was unaware of.

"They made their first fortune from oil, but they didn't want us to lie on it and sleep soundly. Instead, they used it to build a broader and more diverse stage."

"Brother, you're right."

Walid's voice returned to calm, but...

"'Secularization' is the surface, the soil. But it's the core fuel that truly drives Dubai's diversified engine to run at high speed..."

He suddenly raised his hand, no longer pointing at empty data, but with an undeniable force, his index finger precisely pointing at the dancing girls in the Girls' Generation posters on the wall behind Muhammad.

"...It's the entertainment industry!"

Walid's voice was resolute, like a bombshell dropped into the desert: "And we, we don't!"

"Entertainment industry?"

Muhammad repeated the three words in a low voice, his gaze once again falling on the colorful screen filled with "pagan temptations".

The South Korean girl group's enthusiastic stage presence and the fervent cheers of the fans below the stage...

All of this is absolutely taboo in Saudi Arabia, a land that strictly adheres to Wahhabism.

However, at this moment, these three words, spoken by Walid, stirred up an unprecedented and enormous ripple in Muhammad's mind.

He seemed to see countless invisible threads extending out from this poster.

Music, movies, sporting events, theme parks, fashion and consumer goods...

A massive industrial chain, a huge industry that can provide massive employment, attract global tourists, and inject endless vitality!

A powerful engine that can truly pull Saudi Arabia out of the quagmire of a single oil economy!
He remained silent for a longer time, his gaze shifting back and forth between the poster and Walid's face.

He understands the principle, but it's really just a matter of worldly considerations.

However, it seems that the entertainment industry is the key to quickly breaking through the constraints.

Or rather, it is a place of compromise between conservatism and reform.

Muhammad's gaze was fixed on the dancing light and shadow of the girlhood, but deep in his pupils was reflected the image of a young girl in a black robe and mask on the streets of Riyadh.

These girls' smartphone cases are studded with rhinestones, and their lock screens feature images of Western male celebrities...

Walid is right; YouTube and Twitter have long since put the world into the pockets of every Saudi youth.

Teachings can imprison the body, but they cannot contain the desires surging through the screen.

He recalled the complaints from foreign engineers during his inspection of Jeddah Economic City last week—

"There are no bars or cinemas here; all you can do on weekends is count camels!"

Without the lubrication of the entertainment industry, attracting investment is like trying to put sand in a gold plate—it looks glamorous, but it will fall apart at the slightest touch.

No matter how much money you offer, people are only there to make money, not to settle down. After all, settling down requires a woman.

Therefore, Saudi Arabia has built world-class infrastructure with US dollars, but it cannot retain talent.

Walid felt it could be summed up in one sentence: It was like going through all the hardships to get into the Royal Artillery Academy of Xiaolingwei, only to find that there were no cannons to fire.

The girl's short skirt on the poster stung Muhammad's eyes, but it also tore open a deeper fear.

The embers of the Arab Spring are still burning in North Africa. Saudi Arabia has temporarily suppressed the flames with money, but the 23% youth unemployment rate is like dry tinder.

The entertainment industry is the only pressure relief valve that can satisfy the desires of young people without directly impacting the foundation of religious doctrine.

By keeping the old guards at church and letting the youth flock to concerts, the desert kingdom can maintain a precarious balance amidst its divisions.

He finally understood the grand vision in the young man's heart.

The shock of that understanding even surpassed the initial shock of seeing the poster.

Turki listened intently, his eyes shining, rubbing his hands excitedly, looking eager to try it out, as if he could see countless new and fun things beckoning to him.

Muhammad took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

However, just as the serious atmosphere was about to freeze, a mischievous glint suddenly flashed deep in his eyes.
"so……"

Muhammad drew out his words, deliberately using a tone of sudden realization to ask,

"So this is why you... well, His Highness Prince Walid bin Khalid, are so diligently studying these... Korean girl group members'... thighs late at night?"

"To conduct in-depth, firsthand market research and aesthetic appreciation for the future development of the nation's entertainment industry?" "Pfft—cough cough cough!"

Turki couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

He choked on the soda water, coughed violently, his face turned red, and while coughing, he pointed at Walid and laughed so hard he was practically dying.

Walid's face instantly became a kaleidoscope of expressions, like a spilled palette of colors.

The feeling of frustration, like "I'm talking to you about strategies for governing the country and you're trying to pull a fast one on me," shot straight to the top of my head.

His handsome face flushed red, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. He pointed at Muhammad, his lips trembling for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single powerful retort.

In the end, he could only glare at Muhammad and squeeze out a "Damn it!" through gritted teeth.
Seeing Walid's embarrassed expression, Muhammad laughed triumphantly.

Hearty laughter.

Then it abruptly ended.

"Secularization is inevitable!"

Muhammad's smile vanished, his tone becoming resolute and decisive, carrying an unquestionable kingly resolve.
"This is undoubtedly the path forward. But..."

He then changed the subject, saying, "That's a matter for later. We must wait until the dust has completely settled, and our foundations are solid enough to suppress those stubborn voices entrenched in the ancient doctrinal strongholds, before we can make steady progress."

Now is not the time.

Walid's embarrassment quickly faded, and he regained his usual composure.

He nodded, understanding Muhammad's unspoken message.

The transfer of royal power, the suppression of conservative forces, and the establishment of a new order were all carried out with extreme caution, allowing no room for haste.

Playing the entertainment industry card now will only provide ammunition for enemies to attack, causing unnecessary turmoil.

"Understood," Walid replied succinctly.

"We've come to disturb the genius prince's late-night 'studies' tonight,"

Muhammad deliberately emphasized the word "study," and a fleeting smile crossed his eyes as he looked at Walid's face, which had darkened slightly.

His expression turned serious. "It's not about discussing entertainment plans for a few years from now, but about an urgent matter that's pressing at the moment."

Turki also stopped coughing and laughing wildly, his playful smile vanished completely, and he became extremely serious.

He carefully pulled a neatly bound, thick document from the inner pocket of his expensive, custom-made white robe.

The document cover has no fancy markings, only a simple English title and date.

"Give,"

Turki handed the document to Walid with a solemn tone.

"This is a research report that was secretly completed in accordance with your wishes, using some of our special channels and connections in China, and in collaboration with scholars from several top universities in the fields of environmental engineering, petroleum geology, and water resources, as well as top scholars in our country."

Absolutely firsthand, core data.

Muhammad continued Turki's remarks, elaborating on the report's core conclusions.
"The conclusions of the three research groups all point very clearly to the same endpoint:"
The American shale oil revolution is a mirage built on quicksand, a gamble destined to backfire.

Walid pretended to look at the report in his hand, gesturing for Muhammad to continue.

"First, the environmental cost is fatal and irreversible!"

Muhammad raised his first finger.
"Hydraulic fracturing, those chemical mixtures injected underground, are like poison injected into the earth's blood vessels."

They can pollute groundwater, poison soil, and disrupt the fragile ecological balance.

Moreover, this pollution is penetrating and diffuse; once it occurs, there are currently no technological means to completely eliminate it, either now or in the foreseeable future.

This is a time-consuming cancer left to future generations.

The Chinese scholars involved in the research put it even more bluntly.

Their country has the world's largest shale reserves, but they prefer to burn coal rather than use this technology.

why?
Just because they're afraid of bringing disaster upon their descendants!
I'm afraid that in the future, rivers, lakes, and seas will be covered with oil spills, destroying the very foundation of our food and water supply!

American politicians and capitalists, driven by immediate and enormous profits, have selectively ignored this ecological disaster that has lasted for decades, even centuries.

"Secondly, the war of water!"

Turki's tone was full of a sense of crisis.
Do you know how much fresh water is needed to extract a single shale oil well?

It can easily amount to millions of gallons!
This is equivalent to the daily water consumption of tens of thousands of people.

In shale oil-rich areas that are already arid and water-scarce, such as Texas and North Dakota, this predatory exploitation of water resources is rapidly draining rivers, depleting underground aquifers, and creating man-made water shortages.

The local residents' and agricultural water use has been severely strained, and the seeds of conflict have been sown.

This is exchanging the lifeblood of future generations for immediate black gold.

Muhammad continued, “Third, their proud technology has an inherent flaw that cannot be overcome.”

Shale oil wells... are like Kwame Brown, a classic case of 'peaking high right from the start, then plummeting all the way down'.

He made a gesture of a precipitous drop, "After hydraulic fracturing is completed, the initial production of the oil well is astonishingly high, but then it is followed by a catastrophic drop!"

Within one or two years, or even just a few months, production can plummet by 60% to 80%, or even more!

It depletes at a rate more than a hundred times faster than our traditional sandstone oil fields!

Turki added from the side,
"After the crash, production will enter a long and inefficient long tail period, which may last for several years or even ten years, but the daily oil production will remain low."
It's negligible, only a pitiful single-digit percentage remains at its peak!

In order to maintain so-called 'stable production', they have only one choice—to become addicted like a drug addict!
We have to keep investing astronomical sums of money to frantically drill new wells next to old oil wells!

Encrypt! Encrypt again!

It's like a never-ending, costly game of whack-a-mole!
Equipment manufacturers, banking syndicates, and Wall Street speculators made a fortune, but the entire industry is burdened with heavy environmental debt and ever-increasing marginal costs.

This model, in essence, is living beyond one's means and a self-destructive approach!

Walid's gaze swept over the densely packed data charts, the professional terminology analysis, and the shocking photos of pollution cases.

As my fingertips traced those cold, objective descriptions, I could almost feel the silent groans of the earth and the bitterness of polluted water.

In fact, he already knew every key conclusion and every fatal flaw in the report.

The information deluge of the past has already washed away the many flaws hidden beneath the glamorous facade of American shale oil.

He closed the report and lightly tapped it twice with his fingers.

That gesture carried a knowing, playful air and a hint of mockery.

"so……"

Walid raised his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping back and forth between Muhammad and Turki's faces, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"What is your decision, shale oil company?"

His voice was soft, yet it was like a cold scalpel, cutting through all the unspoken pretenses.

The air suddenly became quiet.

……

(End of this chapter)