Anyone with common sense knows that the value of ore isn’t just about one thing. There are other subsidiary minerals and even the utility of the slag after refining to consider. But whether the full value of the ore can be utilized depends on the company’s technical strength and management capabilities. As we enter the 21st century, most mineral resources can have their value fully utilized. If they can’t, there’s no doubt that the value of the mineral resource would greatly depreciate. In short, having a mine doesn’t necessarily mean you can strike it rich—otherwise all those African chiefs would each be richer than nations, and there wouldn’t be so much turmoil! So when those big companies saw an obscure small company daring to compete with them for a bauxite mine, they were truly infuriated. People shout that everyone is born equal, and no profession is noble or lowly. In reality, everyone knows the truth—even those office workers making three thousand bucks who have to pay off their mortgage and car loan look down on workers earning ten thousand a month! They have no idea the workers are supporting a whole family, while it’s tough enough for them just to support themselves. In the eyes of most who can enter the auction hall, they are top figures in the world. Even if they’re just workers, they’re workers for top companies. At the very least, they consider themselves much more upscale than cow-herding bumpkins... Who would have thought that this small, unimpressive bumpkin company didn’t even have any intention of mining! They just happily spent their account money for fun. Even those self-proclaimed experienced fellows couldn’t read the emotions of these people on the surface—shouldn’t they consider their financial pressure during auctions? At the very least, weigh the future gains and losses? Nobody’s money falls from the sky. Spending billions to buy a mine isn’t the same as spending a few bucks to buy a nail clipper! The guy who looked like the boss was too calm. Because of his calmness, the bidding pace in the entire auction slowed down—everyone was speculating about Boss Yan’s limit. Daniel was initially quite excited, but influenced by the client, he too became expressionless. The only one excited was a little girl, who seemed to be in a supermarket competing with people over a bundle of cabbage for a few dimes—a truly unremarkable sight. Margaret raised the sign again! The entire auction hall suddenly fell silent. The auctioneer was jumping and shouting, hoping someone would continue to bid. But as time ticked away, he had no choice but to drop the hammer in his hand. No one was bidding anymore! Everyone was civilized, and rational too. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ N0velFire.ɴet The value of a mineral, how much needs to be invested to extract a ton, and how much can be earned based on market prices—all these have estimates. Even taking into account the profits after a technical breakthrough, including future demand for the ore in the international market, everyone was aware. Nobody was foolishly and crazily just raising signs. Many people were already calculating in their minds. Once the mineral is in the buyer’s hands, they could wait and watch the buyer make a fool of themselves and then take advantage—if the buyer’s funds are from the bank, once there’s a break in the funding chain during the mining process, that’s an opportunity. While kicking someone when they’re down isn’t nice, in the business world, there are plenty who do so, or how else do people make money? "Mr. Yan, now that you’ve bought two mines, what are your development plans?" "Mr. Yan, as far as I know, your business scope has always been in farming. Could you please explain your decision to bid this time..." Just as he stepped out of the auction house, a swarm of reporters descended on him like flies, as if Boss Yan was a rotten egg left baking in the sun for half a month. Facing these questions, Yan Fei waved with a smile: "No comment." He casually pushed aside the reporters blocking his way and walked straight towards his car with his wife and lawyer. "Mr. Yan, I’m from American Aluminum Mining Company..." "Mr. Yan, I’m from Japan’s Sakata Mining Company..." The business world is ; in the auction hall, they were gnashing their teeth at the disruptors, but now that the auction was over, those big companies were sending people to make contact. In their eyes, at least establish a face familiarity first; there will be many opportunities for collaboration in the future! Be it mining or the subsequent mineral trade, they don’t believe one could buy a mine, then buy a mining company, and then buy a smelting company, and finally buy a metals company... Bauxite isn’t coal; that’s why aluminum companies are mostly large corporations, as small companies can’t handle it. Without tens of billions, wanting to enter this industry is just fooling around. Yan Fei cheerfully accepted the business cards and returned one: "In a little over a month, my ranch will start selling beef, the finest beef. If you’re interested, feel free to attend the auction then..." The ones receiving the cards were completely baffled... "Mr. Daniel, I’ll leave the rest to you!" Yan Fei turned to Daniel and said, "You know my habits..." "Understood, once all the formalities are done, I’ll inform you to sign," Daniel, who’d been out for a while, responded mechanically, still recovering from surprise. "That’s good, I’ll head off first!" Yan Fei waved goodbye. Daniel waved goodbye mechanically, taking a while to come to his senses: "Mary, our client just bought two mines, and there are also several pieces of land, right?" "Yes, what’s wrong with you, Daniel?" Margaret asked curiously. "No..." Daniel didn’t know what to say. "By the way, what should we be doing now?" "Of course, we should represent Mr. Yan in handling the paperwork and further transition procedures," Margaret replied. "But I’m not sure what you meant earlier about knowing Mr. Yan’s habits?" "His habit..." Daniel finally came to, looking at the boss lady’s vehicle fading into the distance with a trail of smoke and silly laughter. "His habit is that we prepare everything, and when all the procedures are done, he comes over to sign and make payments." "Surely a big boss!" Margaret’s face was full of admiration. "This is the Mr. Yan in my heart, so handsome, so decisive, spending money with a fling, loves using the simplest way to..." "Mary!" Daniel looked at Margaret, whose cheeks were now slightly red and said helplessly, "No matter how good he is, he’s a client. If you keep indulging in fantasies , I think I should send you a resignation letter! As a competent attorney, how can you have clients trust you to handle affairs if you act ..." "Clients will trust me more if I act ..." "..." Daniel was speechless. It seemed there was truth to it. Now, not only wasn’t the client worried about her messing up, with just a hint, she might even gladly present herself to the client. With things , what is there not to trust? "Do you still have money?" In the car, Xu Xiaoyan asked with a hint of reproach, "You have to keep some, just in case something comes up!" "Still saved some, don’t worry!" Yan Fei replied nonchalantly. "If not, I’ll save a bit more..." "If you save too much, won’t others notice?" Xu Xiaoyan expressed some concern. "Or, should we sell something?" "Sell whatever’s valuable, like we discussed last time. Dive into the sea to haul some pearls or get something else..." Xu Xiaoyan sat in the car, watching the scenery transition from city to wilderness, pondering. "Do you think coral in the sea is valuable? It’s a pity there aren’t treasures in our dinosaur world... No, why sell things from the dinosaur world? How about you find some treasure in the sea?" "Sunken treasure!" Xu Xiaoyan’s eyes sparkled with gold—she finally thought of a question, for a guy who can transform into all sorts of creatures, even without a dinosaur world, money is meaningless to him. Because he can legitimately make money in one thousand ways. A lot, a lot of money!