At 3 p.m., an international flight slowly landed at Yaoundé International Airport, the capital of Cameroon.
After the plane came to a complete stop, Chen Ze led his team of geological experts off the plane, followed by more than a hundred Kyushu security personnel.
A large group of people walked out of the airport. Due to the country's poor security, eight bodyguards surrounded Chen Ze, keeping a close eye on the surroundings.
As soon as they stepped out of the airport terminal, Chen Ze saw a familiar figure waving at him; it was Zeng Bojian.
Chen Ze quickly went to greet Zeng Bojian and gave him a hug. "Old Zeng, I'm so glad to see you! How's it going over there?"
Zeng Bojian replied with a smile.
"Not bad, the preliminary work is almost done. However, the security in this area is really bad. There was a robbery and murder case nearby a few days ago."
As they spoke, they arrived at the parking lot, where rows of SUVs were neatly arranged.
Zeng Bojian led everyone into the car, and the convoy headed towards their destination.
Along the way, the scenery outside the window was somewhat dilapidated, and from time to time, some armed soldiers could be seen patrolling.
Suddenly, a group of people appeared at the intersection ahead and blocked the convoy. The leader was a burly man with a fierce face, holding a gun and arrogantly pointing it at them.
The bodyguards quickly got out of the car and surrounded it in a defensive formation, instantly creating a tense atmosphere. Chen Ze remained calm in the car and gestured for Zeng Bojian to go and negotiate.
Zeng Bojian got out of the car and started talking to the big man. He handed the big black man some money, and the big man put away his gun and waved for them to leave.
So that's how it is! These people are actually from the local government! They seem to specifically target foreigners, demanding so-called "tolls" without any hesitation whenever they see one.
Foreigners are often helpless in this situation. After all, they are in a foreign country and don't know anyone. What can they do?
The convoy continued to move slowly forward. Chen Ze knew perfectly well that the Kemeroan region in this era was not peaceful and was far less safe than in later generations.
Therefore, he remained highly vigilant throughout the journey, not daring to relax in the slightest.
Finally, after a period of driving, the convoy arrived safely at its destination—a luxury hotel.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Zeng Bojian couldn't wait to instruct Lao Tian: "Lao Tian, take a hundred men and head to Mora City in the far north, our temporary base. Too many people together will easily attract the attention of the authorities, so it's better to split up."
Old Tian nodded knowingly, then turned and got into a car, leading the hundred people away from the hotel quickly.
After watching them leave, the remaining thirty people followed Chen Ze into the grand hotel.
Upon entering the room, Chen Ze didn't bother to rest. He first took a long, hot shower. The hot water washed over his body, making him feel refreshed and all his fatigue disappear.
Not long after, Chen Ze slowly walked out of the bathroom, still radiating the warmth of his shower. He quickly put on a loose set of pajamas and then dried his wet hair with a towel.
Just then, a soft knock on the door broke the silence of the room.
"Knock knock knock".
Chen Ze frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "Who is it?"
A deep voice came from outside the door: "Boss, it's me, Lao Zeng."
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Chen Ze's face showed a hint of relief. He quickly walked to the door and opened it.
Old Zeng and Wang Zhengang were standing at the door, both smiling and looking excited.
Chen Ze warmly greeted him, "Come in quickly!"
After Lao Zeng and Wang Zhengang entered the room, they closed the door behind them.
Chen Ze pointed to the stool next to him and said with a smile, "Don't stand, sit down and let's talk."
The two did as instructed, pulling over a stool and slowly sitting down.
Wang Zhengang cleared his throat slightly and spoke first: "Boss, after a month of arduous investigation and exploration, we discovered a gold mine and a copper mine in a small village near Mora City. We just don't know how large the reserves are."
His voice revealed a hint of barely concealed excitement.
Upon hearing this
A glint flashed in Chen Ze's eyes. "How big is that village? How many people live there?"
“The village isn’t very big, with about 120 people. They are very poor. They have land but don’t farm it; they rely solely on hunting and fishing for a living,” Wang Zhengang replied.
In general, it's not that Africans are unwilling to farm, but rather that they lack agricultural technology, so their lives are similar to those of primitive people.
Chen Ze thought for a moment and then asked, "How far is that mine from the village? If I have people secretly mining it, will they find out?"
"Sneak mining?" Wang Zhengang looked at him with surprise. "Boss, the mine is only a kilometer away from the village. If we mine secretly, we'll be in big trouble if the government patrols find out."
Chen Ze said seriously.
“We go through the normal procedures with the government to mine copper, but not with gold. If a large reserve is discovered in a gold mine, even the local government will be envious. They will definitely find a reason to drive us away, so it’s better to mine secretly.”
Wang Zhengang and Lao Zeng exchanged a glance, both agreeing that their boss made sense.
At this moment, Wang Zhengang suddenly thought of something and quickly told his boss.
"By the way, boss, there's a French farmer next to our temporary base who's planning to sell his farm, but the price is a bit..."
"Is the price a bit high? Is the land area large?" Chen Ze pressed.
Wang Zhengang hesitated for a moment and said, "The price is a bit high, it's two hundred million US dollars. However, the farm is very large and spacious, with fertile land, an existing irrigation system and some agricultural facilities, as well as a European-style villa and three large warehouses. The key is that it is not far from the gold mine we have discovered, only one kilometer away."
Chen Ze stroked his chin and pondered. Having his own farm in a foreign country would not only solve the team's food supply problem, but also serve as a cover.
“Two hundred million dollars is indeed not cheap, but if the terms are really as good as you say, it’s not something we can’t consider,” Chen Ze said.
He paused for a moment, then said seriously, "How about this, we'll go talk to that farmer tomorrow and see if we can get the price down. Every little bit helps."
Wang Zhengang nodded in agreement.
"Okay, boss."
Chen Ze then looked at Lao Zeng and said, "Lao Zeng, tomorrow you take my secretary to set up a mining company, get the permits and paperwork done, and bribe anyone who gets in the way."
"Yes, boss."
After the conversation ended, Lao Zeng and his companion got up and left the room.
Chen Ze found the business card the old man had given him in his briefcase, intending to call and ask if he could get some weapons for self-defense.
I grabbed my phone and started dialing, only to find that my number was still a domestic number and couldn't be used at all.
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