Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 51

51. Invitation from the Saudi Royal Family (3)

Tae-soo was relaxed.

It was the opposite of Rahman’s anxiety.

[You don’t have to worry about losing face. I’m here to finish the road construction on time.]

[Impossible with the current state.]

[I can do it. Korea also judged it possible, so they sent me here. There’s still time left on the construction deadline, and construction has resumed. No one can pressure Rahman with this as an excuse.]

[···Hmm.]

Rahman stares intently at Tae-soo to understand his words.

Tae-soo did not avoid Rahman’s gaze.

[The western city development will not stop because of such a small matter, and the highway, which will be the logistics artery of the western city as Rahman planned, will be opened on time. I will light the way for Rahman.]

Naturally, Rahman scoffed.

[Hmph, I can’t trust you anymore. Han Cheong-ho of Cheongil also made big promises to me at first. But what about now? They cut off my hand like a lizard’s tail.]

Rahman mimes cutting his arm with the edge of his hand.

Tae-soo smiled and extended his hand.

[I’m not Han Cheong-ho. And I’m reaching out to you first. I promise to pull you up. I promise that the road construction will be completed no matter what.]

Rahman only glares at Tae-soo’s hand.

He doesn’t readily take it, but he doesn’t push it away either.

Tae-soo laughed.

[It’s difficult to force trust at first meeting. But what I say is true. So, I want to ask Rahman. Would you like to make a bet with me?]

It is difficult to persuade someone who is distrustful.

Because they completely block their ears and only look for opportunities to find fault.

So, Tae-soo chose a different method instead of persuasion.

That is betting.

[A bet? Are you daring to suggest a bet to me now?]

At the sound of betting, Rahman’s eyes widened.

His expression is confident.

‘He’s still the same. He has to respond head-on when someone provokes him.’

It’s because he has a strong sense of pride and a competitive spirit.

It’s because he is talented and has many resources.

He was a man with the guts to bet everything if he thought he could win by calculating shrewdly.

‘He likes betting. Because he can crush the other person’s pride head-on while simultaneously gaining profit.’

So, he suggested a bet.

Because he was sure it would work.

‘You will never be able to refuse this bet. Because everything will sound favorable to you.’

Tae-soo said.

[If I fail to complete the road construction within the deadline, I will give up 70% of the $12.5 million that Samwon Construction still has to pay, which is $8.75 million.]

[What did you say?]

Rahman was startled and widened his eyes.

[You’re saying you’ll complete the construction without receiving a single penny? Are you out of your mind?]

Tae-soo shrugged.

[That’s what betting is all about. Winner takes all.]

Rahman looks at Tae-soo with an interesting expression.

The anger from before has completely disappeared, and he focuses only on Tae-soo’s proposal.

That’s how unconventional Tae-soo’s proposal was.

[I promise. If I lose the bet, I will return to Korea without receiving a single penny. Of course, I won’t file an international lawsuit, so don’t worry.]

Rahman looked at Tae-soo with confused eyes.

[Okay, so what if you win? What do I have to do for you?]

[Pay the construction cost with oil.]

It’s no exaggeration to say that he came here for oil.

He volunteered for this hardship to make a fortune during the oil shock.

So, he must extract a lot of oil from those who can provide it.

[You must unconditionally give me $8.75 million worth of oil at the current oil price when I request it.]

[8.75 million dollars worth of oil at the current price? How much would that be?]

[I know the current oil price is about $2.8 to $2.9 per barrel.]

[Then······.]

[It would be about 3.02 to 3.12 million barrels. Please exclude tariffs and fees. I already have a stomachache because I’m going to be doing construction without getting a penny until completion.]

Tae-soo smiled.

[Would that be possible?]

Paying with goods instead of money, is it just possible?

[Hmm… I quite like the part about paying with oil?]

What Saudi Arabia has plenty of is oil, and what it lacks is dollars.

The buildings to be built and the goods to be bought are all paid for in dollars.

So, Tae-soo’s proposal to pay in oil instead of dollars was a very favorable proposal from Rahman’s perspective.

‘Very good. I like it.’

Rahman felt good.

[If I can finish the construction on time and pay the price with oil, I’ll be generous and add to the back to make it 3.5 million barrels.]

[I would appreciate that.]

[That’s something I can manage with my power.]

Only then did Rahman stroke his chin and smile with satisfaction.

[But why are you only proposing things that are unilaterally favorable to me in a bet?]

[What else could it be?]

[Favor, lobbying, bribery, connections, tribute? Haha, you’re a friend who knows something. If that’s the case, it worked very cheaply and properly.]

Rahman laughed happily.

Tae-soo smiled.

‘You’re laughing now because you think you’re at an advantage. But there are only about six months left until the Middle East war. When the first oil shock in the world breaks out, the oil price will jump four times in three months. Will you still be able to laugh then?’

But no one knows that an oil shock will come in just six months.

Only Tae-soo knew this fact.

‘I took on everything and flew from Korea to make this proposal.’

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest oil-producing country in the Middle East.

The oil shock is due to the oil-producing countries banning oil exports due to the Middle East war.

Therefore, a promise to provide oil at any time must be secured.

[What do you think? Would you like to make a bet with me?]

[Of course. I will gladly accept such a bet, hahaha.]

Rahman’s eyes sparkled.

[Okay, can we write that bet as a contract? It has to be certain.]

Tae-soo is not unaware of his shallow trick to hold onto a favorable bet.

[A contract? Sure, let’s do it. A man can’t say two things with one mouth.]

[I like it. Okay, let’s write it right away.]

Tae-soo smiled inwardly.

‘I’m grateful that you’re going to do something I should have asked for first. What if there is no contract during the oil shock? Even if I ask you to give me oil, you will close your mouths and swallow it.’

Rahman ordered a guard to bring paper and pen.

Then, the betting contract was written in English, and each of them decided to have one copy.

Tae-soo stopped writing the contract and raised his head.

[Let’s make the game bigger.]

It’s a provocative look.

Rahman didn’t back down either.

[That’s fine, but what more can you give me? If you run away to your home country empty-handed and abandon the road construction, I’ll be in trouble. Are you telling me to file an international lawsuit?]

Tae-soo smiled and took out a few documents from his pocket.

[Do you know what this is?]

[Limestone mine rights? Did you also have a cement factory? That’s also officially certified by the Saudi royal family, and even the royal family’s seal is stamped on it?]

Tae-soo glanced at Chief Corino, who was standing far away.

[Chiefs Corino and Harkonnen used some power.]

He didn’t know that he would use the freshly received official certification documents for betting like this.

He was planning to use it well when needed, and when he completely finished his Middle East business and left, he would hand it all over to them and leave.

Rahman laughed loudly.

[You’re really resourceful. You’re saying you swallowed our Saudi land and resources?]

[I didn’t eat it for free.]

Tae-soo pointed to the Bedouins working at the port over there.

[Do you know whose money is being used to build waterways and roads?]

It’s all done with Tae-soo’s money.

Moreover, Tae-soo was paying the Bedouins generously.

Tae-soo’s belief was that the wages of those who work should be raised, not cut by a single penny.

[If you are building a western city, you should know roughly how much this construction costs?]

Of course.

Rahman was the one who personally calculated the total amount of this construction under the orders of the Saudi King.

Rahman closed his eyes and cut it in half.

[It’s more expensive than a road worth at least $12.5 million.]

[Do you think no one knows you’re cutting it in half? It’s a $25 million construction.]

Tae-soo was not easy.

Rahman looked at Tae-soo with new eyes.

‘He’s a great man in many ways. He’s a completely different kind of tycoon than Han Cheong-ho.’

Rahman nodded readily.

[Then I’ll raise the oil more.]

[It’s a limestone mine and a cement factory. You can get at least 10 times more than the road construction amount.]

Tae-soo smiled.

[Then let’s see. That’s 35 million barrels.]

[Ugh. That’s a more burdensome amount than I thought.]

Provocation is the best in times like this.

[Quit if you’re scared.]

[Don’t be ridiculous. That’s nothing.]

Rahman is already cornered.

Winner takes all.

It’s a word that perfectly matches Rahman’s current situation.

‘I must finish the road construction no matter what the cost. Otherwise, there will be no place for me in the Saudi royal family. I have to go back as a triumphant general.’

There is no turning back.

Rahman nodded and signed the contract.

[Your guts are truly amazing. I can’t follow you at all. I have to finish an impossible construction, so I can’t interfere with you under the pretext of betting.]

[Think positively. Shouldn’t you have guts like me to finish the construction in such a short period of time?]

That’s right.

[Didn’t you say that Rahman’s face, pride, reputation, future, and western city development plan all depend on my road construction? Although we made a bet, you have to help me a lot.]

[Yes, you’re all right.]

Rahman sighed deeply.

[I hope you can finish the construction within the deadline as you boasted. I’ve bet everything on this construction. I have nowhere to retreat now. Keep that in mind.]

[I’m the same.]

[That’s right. You’ve been wandering around here from a distant land without receiving any money so far.]

In fact, he is making a lot of money these days by exclusively selling cement.

But Tae-soo pretended not to know.

[Then please give me some support.]

[Wait a little bit. It seems like the Saudi royal family won’t just let this go. It seems like they’re going to subsidize the construction.]

It was good news.

[How do you know so well? It’s like you’re the one who directly calculated the construction cost.]

Rahman raised both hands and feet.

[Oh my, I was completely in your hands. Yes, I directly calculated the construction cost. The total construction cost is exactly as you said. Exactly $24.05 million.]

Tae-soo’s eyes narrowed.

[You knew that exactly, but you cut it down to $12.5 million earlier?]

[Did you forget the words in front? I said it would cost ‘at least’ $12.5 million.]

[Hahaha, that’s right.]

[You seem to have dozens of water snakes in your stomach. Or hundreds of scorpions.]

Rahman reached out his hand first and asked for a handshake.

[It will be the last chance. Please don’t disappoint me this time. You must finish the road construction within the deadline.]

Tae-soo grabbed Rahman’s hand and shook it.

[You won’t be disappointed.]

Tae-soo smiled.

[Actually, Rahman, you know it too, right? We’re actually in an alliance, even though we’re wearing the mask of a bet.]

Rahman changed back to his usual relaxed and leisurely attitude.

[Betting and alliance are clearly different.]

[Of course, they are different. The winner takes all in betting, but the alliance shares the glory of victory together.]

Rahman smiles with satisfaction.

[Are you suggesting that we share the glory with me now? An alliance proposal······.]

[As you can see, we are on the same boat now. That’s undeniable.]

Tae-soo pointed to the cruiser.

[Our goals are the same in that we must complete the road construction. The bet was about the timing of completion, not whether the road construction would be successful.]

That’s true.

What if the success of the road construction was the subject of the bet?

Rahman would never have accepted the bet.

[So, is there any reason why we can’t be allies? Let’s join forces.]

Why does this guy always make irresistible proposals?