Money Keeps Piling Up No Matter How Much I Spend

Chapter 170

Translator: DreamscribeThe Guiana Shield.

It is a massive tectonic plate that spans the northeastern part of South America.

A study revealed that an enormous amount of rare earth elements was buried in that particular location, attracting the attention of many companies.

“But you know. Up until then, there really was no need to go through the trouble of developing rare earths.”

70% of the world's rare earth elements came from China.

From long ago, China had anticipated that rare earths would become the oil of the future, and after a long development period, it had reached the level of technology it possesses today.

“So even when rare earths are extracted, they’re sent back to China. Because they have to be refined there.”

Obtaining rare earth elements didn't mean they could be used right away.

They have to be refined for commercial use.

And that technology also existed in China.

“But China keeps making noise as if that technology is incredibly difficult, when in fact, it’s nothing special. It's not like companies in our country or others can’t do it, it’s just that they don’t.”

China talks as if it's the only one capable of doing it, but in truth, it’s simply that companies have chosen not to do it.

“There’s the environmental issue, and more than anything, rare earths just weren’t expensive enough to justify pouring that much money and manpower into developing them. No matter how much investment you poured in, it wasn’t cost-effective.”

That’s how it had been until now.

“But now that the Chinese government is starting to weaponize rare earths, everyone’s on high alert. Plus, a few years ago, the prices were dirt cheap, but now they've skyrocketed.”

Neodymium.

Dysprosium.

Terbium.

Praseodymium.

These four rare earth elements were essential materials in high-tech industries.

Two years ago, neodymium cost just $60, but now it has risen to $200, and dysprosium has jumped from $300 to $600.

“Terbium is even worse. It used to be $600, and now it’s up to $4,000. Praseodymium has almost tripled too.”

“They really have gone up a lot.”

“Right. Now rare earths are big money. They’re being used in far more applications than before. That’s why China is starting to show its claws. If they take this hostage, they can have quite a bit of fun with it.”

In the past, development had stopped due to cost-effectiveness issues, but now the prices have risen enough to justify full-scale development and production.

“Well, sure, there’s still the environmental destruction issue. But over by the Guiana Shield, there's no need to worry. They already bulldozed the entire area long ago under the excuse of conducting research. And besides, Guyana is rich in mineral veins, and they’ve been mining like crazy. One more mining project won’t make a difference.”

Even the biggest problem, labor, could now be resolved.

Because they could simply hire the local people there.

“And isn’t their biggest headache right now illegal mining? The main culprits of environmental destruction are those guys, right? That’s why Guyana is trying to build up military power with investment from Kwangwoon to drive them out. We’ll pitch in as much as we can with the funding.”

“Hearing you say ‘we’, so it’s not just Kangseong involved in this, is it?”

“That’s right. Lately, rare earths have become so expensive, and with China trying to weaponize them, a lot of places are uneasy, while many companies see it as a new opportunity. But as you know, pulling rare earths out of deposits in other countries and developing them has way too many practical constraints.”

Labor costs, environmental concerns, various regulations, and so on.

Unlike other countries, China had pushed through without considering those issues, so they could proceed, but developed countries were unable to carry out development due to these realistic constraints.

“But it’s different with Guyana. The region was cleared long ago, so we can start development immediately, there are no regulatory laws, we’re continuously investing to build solid infrastructure, and if we transport it through Kwangwoon Shipping, wouldn’t it be just perfect?”

That was exactly why Guyana was drawing attention.

Despite its vast land area, it had a small population, and since several companies had previously attempted development and withdrawn due to cost issues, much of the jungle in the region had already been cut down.

“But are the exploration results certain? I haven’t heard any official confirmation that a large amount of rare earths is buried there.”

“99% certain. But the reason companies haven’t mobilized yet is because of safety concerns. Venezuela is in turmoil, and there are criminal organizations doing illegal mining over there. No matter how profitable rare earths are, there’s nothing we can do right now. The moment development workers are sent in, they’ll all be captured by criminal gangs and sold into human trafficking.”

The military conflict in Venezuela and the issues of kidnapping and looting by criminal organizations.

Because of these problems, companies couldn’t enter the area, even with a treasure trove right in front of them.

“But Kwangwoon is trying to solve that, right? So we’re saying we’ll chip in and enter together. I heard that even though Kwangwoon acquired several mineral veins, they don’t actually have an affiliate capable of operating the sites. That’s where domestic companies come in as subcontractors. Then Kwangwoon just sits back and makes money.”

Rare earth elements weren’t found only in Guyana.

From Venezuela nearby to Suriname.

The deposits were just as vast.

But by spreading investment funds and supporting the military forces of each government, along with our Sentinel providing security, domestic companies that received subcontracting deals would handle the development and mining of rare earths.

“......!”

A pleasant thrill spread through me, as if my intuitions were fully satisfied.

“How is it? Not bad, right?”

“I was already worrying about how to handle all those mines, but Chairman-nim brought a great solution.”

“Hoohoo. Isn’t this one of the guild’s real strengths? Guild members should support each other. Haha.”

I clinked glasses with Chairman Kang Sung-ho for the first time in a while.

As expected, staying close with a major corporation’s chairman had more benefits than drawbacks.

***

The Guyana sea area was bustling today as well, with ships and employees bearing the Jackson Mobil logo busily moving about.

Jackson Mobil had discovered a massive amount of oil here and had begun full-scale drilling operations, which led to active pumping.

They weren’t extracting a large volume yet, but there was anticipation that once development was complete, they would obtain a tremendous amount of crude oil.

“No problems today?”

"No sir. The Venezuelans crossed into our waters again, but they didn't cause any real damage."

"Again? At this point, it's not even surprising."

Venezuela, which had neglected Guyana for over 100 years, suddenly grew greedy when word spread that oil and numerous other minerals were being found there.

With support from Russia and China, they had strengthened their military and began provoking by frequently crossing the border line, but they still didn’t cross the line too far.

Because if they did, there was a possibility that the US military would intervene.

“But I heard the US government is completely broken right now, so even if something happens here, they might not be able to respond?”

“Come on. No matter how much of a mess the country is, would it really be that bad?”

“But from what I’m hearing, it’s seriously bad. They say the government has just completely stopped functioning.”

“It’s still fine. There are US Navy ships patrolling around here, right? The moment those guys cross the line and attack us, that’s when the US military will step in.”

The employees at the Jackson Mobil Guyana Sea Headquarters, who were conducting exploration and pumping oil, had become so used to Venezuela’s provocations that they were now indifferent.

In the past, every time Venezuela crossed the border, there would be a huge fuss, but it happened so often now that they didn’t even bother reacting.

“There’s no issue with the production target, right?”

"Yes. We should be able to meet this month's quota, Chief."

“Good. Development will be complete in about two months, and we’ll have to extract much larger quantities than now, so make sure you’re mentally prepared.”

By then, the amount of oil produced here would be enormous.

So until then, they were living at a relaxed pace...

KWAANG-!!

“Wh-what was that!”

That moment of leisure ended abruptly.

A thunderous explosion shook the ground, and the employees were thrown into confusion.

Before long, emergency alarms rang throughout the entire base.

“Wh-what’s happening?”

“We don’t know. There was an explosion in the drilling equipment, and an armed group arrived by boat and is now firing mercilessly!”

“Wh-what!?”

The chief rushed outside in shock.

Sure enough.

Hellfire was rising above the sea.

***

Oil tycoon Rockgeller.

He had once controlled oil across the entire world, but due to antitrust laws, his company was split into 34 separate entities.

Even though most of the companies had disappeared, Jackson Mobil, the core of the empire that Rockgeller built, had survived until the end.

And now, they were in the midst of acquiring a large number of energy companies in an effort to recreate the age of glory once again.

“Congratulations, Chairman. You’ve successfully completed another deal.”

“This is just the beginning. We’ve still got a long way to go. What’s the reaction from the U.S. government?”

“There doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about there. With the Aiden administration now in shambles, they don’t even have the capacity to enforce antitrust laws against us. Even if they wanted to check us, the government has lost its power and is in no position to act.”

Jackson Mobil had acquired a shale upstream company called Nature Resource for a staggering 60 billion dollars.

With this new acquisition, concerns were growing on Wall Street that Jackson Mobil might be trying to revive Rockgeller’s legacy and once again create the largest oil empire in the U.S.

“We should be thankful to Kwangwoon. If it weren’t for them, we’d be facing a huge amount of government scrutiny by now.”

“Yes. The lobbying costs alone would’ve been astronomical.”

But right now, the government had no strength left to go after large corporations like Jackson Mobil.

Even the Republican Party was so focused on taking down the current administration that they weren’t paying attention to anything else.

In other words, for major corporations like Jackson Mobil, now was the perfect opportunity to grow in size.

“Still, keep a close eye on the government situation. If you sense anything, we need to act first.”

People believed that the Rockgeller family no longer had any involvement in oil companies.

And in fact, not a single member of the Rockgeller family held personal shares in any oil firm.

However, that was only true in terms of personal ownership, reality was different.

They already held shares through various funds and banks, and among them, David Rockgeller, who had great influence in the U.S. financial market, also held shares through a bank.

Jonathan Rockgeller, who currently served as Chairman, similarly held no personal shares, but the fund he was part of owned nearly 10% of the company, giving him control over its operations.

“By the way, I heard that Chamber just acquired two companies in a row. Looks like they see this as an opportunity they can’t miss either. They’re going on the offensive.”

Still, becoming the oil king once more wasn’t going to be easy.

Especially since competitors like Chamber were launching aggressive acquisition campaigns just like Jackson Mobil.

“It’s fine. In the long run, it’s a fight we’re destined to win. If development on the Guyana side wraps up well, we’ll be able to leap far ahead. And there’s only one thing we need to be cautious about.”

“One thing?”

“Yeah. As long as we don’t clash with Kwangwoon, there won’t be any problems.”

There’s a name you’ll inevitably hear when you’re in the fund business.

Kwangwoon Group.

The Kwangwoon virus had already spread worldwide and had grown far more uncontrollably than even COVID.

“The one fortunate thing is that Kwangwoon has no particular interest in oil.”

The only resource Kwangwoon had shown any interest in was natural gas.

There had been some concern that they might expand into oil and start competing, but fortunately, that didn’t happen.

“On top of that, isn’t Kwangwoon helping us? We just need to take advantage of this opportunity and move forward.”

But before long, a shocking report came in.

“What? An... attack!?”

“Yes. Multiple bombs went off, and there was an assault. The headquarters has been devastated. In particular, the drilling platform we invested heavily in has been damaged, and the situation is...”

“Wh-who... who the hell did this! Don’t tell me Venezuela crossed the line?!”

“That part is still unclear. According to the reports coming in, the bombs went off first, and then armed assailants appeared by boat and opened indiscriminate fire...”

Upon hearing the report, Jonathan felt like the blood in his body was surging in reverse.

The reason they had spent as much as 60 billion dollars on the acquisition this time was because of the high expectations placed on Guyana.

The amount already invested there was considerable, and in order to make up for that, they had planned to expand their reach further by acquiring new companies.

But now, Guyana, into which they had poured years of effort, had been breached.

“Wh-what the hell is the U.S. military doing!”

“You know how it is. They’re not in a position to act carelessly right now. A separate authorization is required to conduct military operations, but with the government in its current state…”

Thanks to the collapse of the Aiden administration, Jackson Mobil had been able to take a major leap forward.

But they never imagined a side effect like this would occur.

“Even so, it doesn’t make sense. Even if the U.S. is a mess, why would Venezuela take such a reckless gamble? And of all places, why target our company...?”

Now that he thought about it, it was strange indeed.

Even if the U.S. government was in shambles, would Venezuela really take such an irrational step?

“Didn’t Kwangwoon just sign an investment deal with Guyana?”

“Yes. They’ve established a new PMC base and acquired several mines, according to reports.”

“.......”

It was suspicious timing.

“Don’t tell me… Kwangwoon…”

His hands began to tremble from the unease.

Because the thought flashed through his mind, that Kwangwoon, the one entity in the world he should never make an enemy of, might have chosen Jackson Mobil as their next target.