258 Fly (1/2)
This was definitely the spring of King Rachi, as well as Argyll's big break! If Argyll made full use of this opportunity, he could soar to fame easily, just like the carp, which transformed into a dragon upon jumping over the dragon's gate!
Argyll, who had seized control of the finances, was like an athlete who had been injected with 50 amphetamines. The immediate unleashing of his potential was so great, even the lord would be astonished.
Regarding any need for sleep, as a Magic Caster of great ability, Argyll thought he could pull three all-nighters without any problem. Gold ingots were readily available, but not silver ingots. As such, he could get the goldsmiths to immediately melt all the silver coins and command the local skilled trade caravans to go out and collect silver coins of other tribes.
In just two days, Argyll re-entered the command center of the hovercraft transport ship. In the open-air warehouse behind him, there were already at least 203 tons of metal.
...
Just as Zhang Xueyang had predicted, since the madness that was the European Union and South Africa alliance had occurred three days ago, the price of non-ferrous metals in the country changed by the day. As of this day, the price of palladium had inflated by 35 percent per gram. This caused much anxiety in the country, especially among the people in the metal processing line of work. Because of this, they desperately went around buying palladium.
”Begging your pardon Professor Zhang, will the latest policy limiting the export of metals adversely affect our country's high-technology industries?” Qin Qiaozi, the CCTV-2 news anchor, who was sitting upright before the interview desk, questioned Zhang according to the prompted script on the display screen.
”Of course, the effect would be huge, but you can't say it would necessarily be adverse!”
The special guest, Professor Zhang, who had been involved in the research of precious metals at the Precious Metal Research Center of the Beijing General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals for 20 years, pondered for two seconds before answering, ”Our country is rich in resources, and of the five precious metals that are involved in the restriction of trade, palladium is the only one that we import from other countries the most, as its source is the most concentrated.”
”Currently, figures given by South Africa show that a hundred tons of palladium would be supplied every quarter year. This figure would not be at all sufficient for the use of our industries. Where there is demand, there will be an equal need of supply. In this era of globalization, the prospect of huge returns would surely cause the opening of alternative routes for palladium to be brought into our country.”
”Does this not mean that the price of precious metals would increase drastically, thus causing a drastic increase in the price of irrigation ditches, and thereby affecting the development of the entire industry?”
”That is unavoidable, just like how the average price of rare earth elements drastically increased by six times the original price from the first half of last year until now, ever since our country limited the export of rare earth elements. This European Union-South Africa alliance to reduce the export of palladium occurred to protest our country's limiting the export of rare earth elements.”
”Professor Zhang, you believe that this incident was in protest of our country's rare earth element policy. I'm sure that all our viewers have one same question in mind. As rare earth elements are extremely valuable resources for our country, and limiting the exploitation of such rare earth elements is merely a measure to better protect these resources, why would this cause such a vehement backlash from other countries? Aren't they perhaps overstepping their bounds?”
”This backlash is because the importance of rare earth elements in the electronics industry is comparable to the importance of petroleum in the industries.” The corners of Professor Zhang's mouth curled up slightly, as he posed an extremely interesting question, ”What would happen if the Middle East limited their export of petroleum?”
”South Africa's limiting the export of precious metals is the same as our country limiting the export of rare earth elements, as well as the Middle East's Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)'s limiting the export of petroleum. They all use such resources as leverage, ensuring their international right to speak. For example, I'm sure you've all heard of last year's incident, where Japanese authorities detained our country's fishing boat. At the time, the Japanese authorities behaved rashly. Our Department of Foreign Affairs gave a statement warning Japan that, if they persisted in this course and added insult to injury, our country would have to take extreme measures and all consequences would be on Japan's shoulders. This counterattack was not just empty words, as from that day forth, our country cut off all exports of rare earth elements to Japan. This immediately humbled Japan, who stopped their false bravado because rare earth elements are the heart of their electronics industry.”
He added, ”The use of palladium in the industry is equally important, so we'll have to see what kind of mentality South Africa holds in starting this 'war of metals' with our country.”
”War of metals?” Sitting in front of his big screen TV, Chen Fan randomly switched the channel once the economy broadcast ended.
Was South Africa so powerful, or were they just the figurehead of the various European countries?
Just then, Chen Fan sensed a suppressed restlessness behind him. His vision darkened, as his eyes were covered by a slightly cold and soft object.
The touch could only be attributed to a woman's beautiful skin. Without a doubt, the hands covering Chen Fan's vision were those of a delicate and magical being.
”You're back from school?” Chen Fan used both hands to lightly pinch the hands, which were as gentle as water. He knew it must be Yun Meng.
”Yep!” Yun Meng replied cheerfully, as she circled the couch to sit down. ”You haven't been back in a while, leaving me alone at home everyday with no one to talk to!”
”You're no longer a child, yet you still want to be coaxed?” Chen Fan very naturally took her into his arms. In his arms, her gentle fragrance wafted towards him.