Great Power Industry: You're a private company building an aircraft carrier?

At their peak, companies like Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton had market capitalizations in the hundreds of billions. A billion US dollars would only get you a 1% stake. But now, with their stock prices plummeting, their market capitalization is less than 10 billion US dollars. A billion US dollars investment would get you a 10% stake in these companies!

Because the shares are very dispersed, this 10% stake is enough to secure her position as the largest shareholder, and Sophia holds the top position on the board of directors!

This billion dollars was nothing to Sofia at this point, given the explosive growth of Bitcoin and its enormous profits! Moreover, this billion dollars was only temporarily held in the accounts of these two companies; it would soon enter Angola, and then…

In Angola, Lorenzo watched Louis enter for the second time, his face beaming: "Mr. Louis, has your company made its choice?"

“Yes, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, each holding half the shares, have jointly formed the Angolan Mining Group to participate in the bidding here,” Luis said. “Our group has strong capabilities and will certainly make outstanding contributions to Angola’s economic development.”

"Okay, on behalf of Angola, I welcome you!"

After they left, the inner door opened, and Antonina appeared inside.

“Ms. Antonina, you heard it all, they’ve taken the bait!”

"Well, next, we'll drive up the bid. They'll win the bid with a billion dollars, and then all that money will go to our musician mercenaries to settle our hiring fees."

The Angolan civil war ended not because of UN peacekeeping, but because of the musician mercenaries! Over the years, they had accumulated a debt of up to one billion US dollars in mercenary fees, and they originally thought the other party would use this as an excuse to seize Angolan mines.

As it turns out, the musician mercenaries were quite trustworthy. They didn't ask for diamonds, nor were they interested in oil and gas. They simply dug a hole and asked others to help Angola fill it. What more could be said? We must fully support them!

“Yes, yes, that’s for sure, Ms. Antonina. If it weren’t for your proposal, we would still be worried about not being able to pay your wages. Settling the wages now is just the beginning, and then…”

“We will continue to provide you with protection, and we will also help you train your army to be as elite as those in Guinea, so that you can control your regime in peace and stability in the future.”

"Yes, thank you for your support!"

"Small idea."

This billion dollars was nothing more than a transfer from one hand to the other! It went from Sofia's hands to Antonina's, but it actually circulated within the Laiyang Group. In the process, 10 percent of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto's shares ended up in Sofia's hands!

"By the way, we also hope to purchase a batch of modern equipment..."

“No problem, we’ll get on board once this bidding process is over.”

"Ah."

A few days later, at the Alvalade Hotel in Angola's capital.

The hotel is located in the city center. The main building is a twelve-story building with a golden exterior, which looks very luxurious.

The largest conference room on the first floor of the hotel was already packed with people, with countless heads moving about. Cameras and video cameras were set up in the best positions, facing the stage.

The bidding process for mining operations in the eastern part of Angola's capital is about to begin!

After the civil war ended, all Angolans hoped to live a better life. Mining could bring more jobs and provide employment opportunities for people around the mining areas. They were full of expectations. As for environmental pollution, that was something to consider after economic development. They hadn't even filled their stomachs, so why would they care about whether the sky above them was blue or the river under their feet was clear?

Many Western journalists are also full of expectations. If they can win the bid, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton's stocks should rise, and these two mining giants with centuries of history can be revitalized.

Suddenly, a small commotion broke out at the entrance. They immediately turned the camera to see a group of people. Under the heavy protection of bodyguards, a couple walked over. The man had an Asian face, was not very old, and had a smile on his face, making him seem approachable. The woman was very beautiful, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and long legs—the kind of woman that would make anyone drool.

This is... Mr. Wang, the head of Pacific Company, which developed mines in Guinea, and his wife Antonina!

When the two walked in, Ander and Paul, who were already in place, also looked over. The other party's business had expanded throughout Africa, making them their biggest rival in this bidding process. As for the other mining companies, they were just there to make up the numbers!

Wang Hui and Antonina sat down in their seats, turned their heads to look around, and nodded frequently, behaving like gentlemen.

"Alright, everyone, now that everyone is here, let's begin the bidding. First, let's introduce the specific details of the eastern iron ore veins." On the platform, Lorenzo stood in front of the map, speaking eloquently.

The three mineral veins have proven reserves of over 20 billion tons, and all are open-pit mines. Like Guinea, Angola has a network of waterways throughout the country, so water transport can be used first during mining, and then land transport can be used later. A railway line must be built.

The entire development model is almost identical to that of the Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea.

Ander and Paul stared intently at the top, knowing that this bidding process was a life-or-death battle for their company!

"Three mineral veins, twenty-year mining rights, starting bid of twenty million US dollars. Each bid increment is two million US dollars," Lorenzo said. "The bidding now officially begins!"

Five hundred million US dollars.

The moment the sound was heard, everyone was shocked. They looked in the direction from which the sound came, and realized that President Wang was indeed wealthy and powerful!

The bid jumped from 20 million to 500 million! They're using absolute strength to drive out the other bidding companies. The other smaller companies are clearly just there to make up the numbers.

It all depends on Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton; will they follow suit?

“Six hundred million dollars!” Louis held up his bidding paddle.

They need to demonstrate their substantial financial resources so that the stock market can also rise!

The reporters were in an uproar. Who said Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were going to collapse? They are still very powerful! You know, you can't just shout out a price like that. If you do, you have to have that much money. Otherwise, you will not only face lawsuits, but also lose credibility globally.