Qiu Yang eagerly reported to his superior, Liu Yong, with a bright smile. "Boss, I have two pieces of great news to share with you," he said.
"The first one is that our long-awaited 100,000-ton tanker is finally ready and will be delivered to us in just one week's time. This means that we will have our very first tanker to begin transporting our cargo."
Liu Yong's face lit up with excitement upon hearing this news.
The tanker's arrival marked a significant milestone for their shipping company and promised substantial growth and success to their operations.
With the ability to transport more significant amounts of cargo, they could expand their reach and establish themselves as an essential player in the industry.
Global Ocean Services had placed an order for oil tankers at a large shipyard approximately 20 days ago.
The shipyard had been working tirelessly to complete two 100,000-ton oil tankers, almost ready to deliver.
With one scheduled for delivery in just a week, the company was on the verge of launching its oil transportation operations in the Middle East.
This news brought about a sense of excitement and anticipation for the company's executives.
The Middle East was a region with vast oil reserves and high demand for transportation services.
By entering this market, Global Ocean Services had the potential to reap significant financial rewards.
However, the decision to transport oil also came with its fair share of risks.
Compared to transporting containers to RB or Europe or even iron ore from Australia, the potential profits in the oil transportation market were much more significant.
But this also meant that any setbacks or issues along the way could result in equally substantial losses.
Therefore, the company's executives knew they must tread carefully and make calculated decisions to ensure success in this new venture.
Despite the potential for high profits in the oil transportation market in the Middle East, the region was known for its unstable political situation and proximity to the Gulf of Aden, where piracy was a persistent threat.
However, Liu Yong, the head of Global Ocean Services, remained undeterred by these risks.
He firmly believed that where there was money to be made, the potential profits outweighed any potential risks.
With the delivery of the first 100,000-ton giant oil tanker just around the corner, Liu Yong was excited and eager to launch their operations in the Middle East.
The tanker promised to be a game-changer for the company, opening up new opportunities and revenue streams.
Liu Yong's expression lit up as he exclaimed, "That's fantastic news! And what's the second piece of good news?"
Qiu Yanghui relayed the information, "Recently, the largest bulk carrier of the Proton Group, named 'Fortune,' was riddled with 20 to 30 holes, causing chaos throughout the entire company."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yong couldn't help but grin, thoroughly pleased with both pieces of news.
"Two pieces of good news indeed! Especially the part where the Proton Group's ship was turned into a sieve. How could I not be thrilled?"
Qiu Yang chimed in, "I'm on the same page. It definitely brings me joy to hear about their ship being punctured like that."
Inquisitively, Liu Yong asked, "Do you have any idea who might be responsible?"
Qiu Yang couldn't help but wonder if his boss had something to do with the incident.
However, Liu Yong's question caught him off guard, making him speculate that it may not have been related to him. Otherwise, why would he ask?
Qiu Yang responded with a shake of his head, "I have no idea who could have done something like that. It takes incredible power to puncture a massive ship like that."
He couldn't help but feel amazed at the sheer force used. It was truly remarkable, almost invincible.
With such a tactic at their disposal, they had nothing to fear. Especially in the ocean transportation industry, they could take down opponents simply by puncturing a few holes in their ships.
Qiu Yang couldn't help but feel disappointed that the incident had nothing to do with their boss.
He thought it would be fantastic if he had such a powerful method at his disposal.
Meanwhile, Liu Yong ignored Qiu Yang's thoughts and waved his hand dismissively, "The Proton Group must be wondering who's behind these incidents."
"In order to avoid any suspicion towards us, we should release a statement on behalf of our company, explicitly stating that we are not responsible for these two events and have no involvement with them."
Qiu Yang was utterly taken aback by Liu Yong's suggestion, and it took him some time to gather his thoughts.
He couldn't help but be impressed by the idea. It was truly remarkable!
Once the statement got released, he imagined that people within the Proton Group would be angry.
It was at this moment that Qiu Yang began to harbor some suspicions. Could the boss be secretly behind the two incidents that happened in succession?
The idea had excited Qiu Yang, and he couldn't help but feel thrilled at the prospect of the boss having such a powerful means at his disposal.
If this was the case, he could already envision the company's bright future.
With enthusiasm, Qiu Yang declared,
"Boss, I'll send the statement right away."
"Alright, go ahead," Liu Yong nodded in agreement.
Sitting alone in his office, Shi Lijun was deep in thought, puffing on a cigarette. The two incidents were constantly on his mind.
"Perhaps it was Mostly Universal, but there's no concrete evidence..." he muttered, increasingly anxious.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that if Universal was behind the incidents and had such formidable power, the game was not worth playing anymore.
Overwhelmed by fear, Shi Lijun realized that he had hit a steel plate this time and couldn't afford to take it lightly.
As he pondered his next move, a knock on his door abruptly interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," he said in a deep voice.
Yuan Guanghui entered, holding something in his hand, and said, "My lord, Universal has just released a statement."
Shi Lijun took it over and took a look. At first, he was so angry that he almost vomited blood, and gradually, cold sweat came down.
The statement was concise, with only a few lines, and these few lines made Shi Lijun sweat.
Scared!
He was terrified!!
Despite his anger and frustration, Shi Lijun couldn't ignore the clear message in the statement.
Universal denied any involvement in the two incidents. Still, the brevity and directness of the information made it clear to Shi Lijun that Universal was behind the attacks.
He realized that Universal was sending him a warning and that he had to tread carefully from now on.
If Shi Lijun were to contact the authorities and accuse Universal of being responsible for the incident, it would not hold up as there is no concrete evidence.
Only he possesses the knowledge that Universal executed the event.
This confirms without a doubt why he was fearful, as Universal has the potential to carry out such an act.
One can only wonder if they will continue to target additional Proton Group vessels.
If only two or three more ships were attacked, the Proton Group could avoid bankruptcy and remain somewhat stable.
After being lost in thought for a prolonged period, Shi Lijun eventually spoke up: "Manager Yuan, please schedule a meeting with Qiu Yang of Universal. I wish to discuss matters with him."
It was clear that he intended to submit and negotiate for peace.
Initially, Qiu Yang had requested a meeting with him, but Shi Lijun and Gao Gao had only sent Yuan Guanghui to attend.
This time, however, Shi Lijun was frightened and sought out Qiu Yang to make peace.
The question remains, will Qiu Yang agree to the meeting?
Global Marine Services, Inc. sent an invitation letter to Qiu Yang, who received it and smiled coldly to himself, having anticipated this development.
However, it was more complex than just meeting with him. Qiu Yang sent two recruits to attend the meeting in his place.
Despite Shi Lijun's preparations and eagerness to meet with Qiu Yang, only the two young Universal Company representatives arrived.
Though they were inexperienced, Shi Lijun concealed his disappointment and entertained them warmly, expressing his desire to meet with Mr. Qiu.
The two newcomers reported the situation to Qiu Yang upon their return.
Soon after, Shi Lijun extended another invitation to Qiu Yang. This time, Qiu Yang sought the advice of Liu Yong before making his decision.
"Boss, Shi Lijun has extended an invitation for the second time to meet with me. Do you think I should accept?" Qiu Yang asked.
Liu Yong took a moment to consider before responding: "Yes, you should. When you meet with him, tell him that we are interested in Proton Group's largest container ship, the Jinniu. It's an impressive vessel with a displacement of over 200,000 tons, and it's relatively new, having been purchased less than a year ago."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Yang's eyes lit up with excitement.
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