Chapter 77: Second Thought (Part 3)

Lunch was over, and Zhou Minglin Muqing, Tong Gang Li Cheng, and Irbeldov all returned to the conference room at Wharton.

Since everyone had been sitting there since 6am, Ming Zhou cut to the chase: 'It's now 1:25pm, and we've spent more than an hour and a half on lunch. During that time, I'm sure you've all been doing more than just eating. I wonder if you have any new ideas about the second way of thinking I proposed?'

Faced with Zhou Ming's directness, Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov looked at each other, and in the end Tong Gang asked, 'Actually, before asking us, I think we need to know first whether you will change your mind?'

'Of course not,' Zhou Ming answered very directly.

Tong Gang was stunned for a moment. Obviously, Zhou Ming's answer was both unexpected and at the same time expected. He smiled helplessly and said, 'I have to say, Zhou Ming, you are really a very headstrong young man!'

'I don't understand why you say that, Chairman Tong. Is it because my ideas are different from yours?' Zhou Ming asked.

'Of course not,' Tong Gang said. 'But as I said this morning, what you are saying, young Zhou Ming, is just your own speculation. But with respect, it is very unconvincing.'

'The same goes the other way around,' Zhou Ming said. 'Chairman Tong, aren't your ideas just guesses? Or are all ideas just guesses until the market actually gives the results? If we don't do anything just because it's just an idea, then we really won't be able to do anything, because the result won't come before the idea. Besides, if we don't act just because it's a guess, then won't we miss a lot of opportunities?'

Tong Gang wanted to say something else, but Zhou Ming raised his hand and spoke before him, 'Okay, Chairman Tong, I'm not here to discuss with you. I just need to know if you will invest with me next, that's all.'

Zhou Ming looked at Li Cheng and Ildar Beldyev and added, 'And Li Ge and Mr. Ildar Beldyev, what do you think?'

The three men looked at each other, and finally Li Cheng asked, "Zhou Ming, do we really have to make a decision so quickly?'

'Not necessarily, but the market is changing rapidly, and we need to focus our resources in advance, because I don't want to wait until we notice the changes in the market and then notify you," Zhou Ming said.

In front of Ming Zhou were the world's second-ranked shipping magnate, the future richest Chinese, and the richest man in Northern Russia, a country that had inherited the mantle of the former Soviet Union. For them, if someone else spoke to them like that, they would spit in that person's face. After all, in their lifetimes, what kind of storms had they not seen? But it was Zhou Ming, and there was nothing wrong with what he had said.

Tong Gang nodded silently, and then asked Zhou Ming again, 'So you want to leave oil futures and invest in other fields?'

Zhou Ming smiled slightly and replied confidently, 'That's right. If we say that the current situation in the Middle East is very chaotic due to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, which has directly caused a sharp rise in global oil prices, and that international crude oil futures, which all capital is eyeing, are the first idea, then giving up oil and investing in other fields is our best second idea at the moment.'

'I would think this way. On the one hand, I am worried about possible retaliation by Robert using the power of the Adams family. In addition, the current international oil price has become the target of everyone, and it is a gladiatorial arena for various giant consortia.'

Zhou Ming couldn't help but laugh when he said this: 'More than 100 million US dollars is considered a large company, and that is true for us and other ordinary people in society, but in fact, I believe that under the wings of each family or consortium, there must be a lot of companies like ours that have over 100 million.'

'The reason why major consortia have become major consortia is that I believe there are certainly many financial talents of various kinds in these consortia. Many people say that I am amazing because I have a financial class to help me, but I think that in those consortia, with their financial resources and control, it would not be surprising to have five, ten or even more financial classes.'

After saying this, Zhou Ming paused for a moment and then said, 'Then this oil futures has undoubtedly become a very large gambling table where all kinds of gambling heroes, gambling gods and gambling saints will gather to compete.'

Zhou Ming looked up at Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov and asked, 'Facing this big gambling table, what advantages do you think we still have?'

Facing Zhou Ming's question, Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov all lowered their heads, because they all understood very well that they did not have the slightest advantage. Perhaps in Gangcheng or Northern Russia, they were all well-known upper class people, but when faced with the deep-rooted large consortia in the West, they did not have any confidence, especially when they now knew that someone was manipulating the situation.

Of course, if they could relax a little more, they could think that the Gulf War had already started, and the Gulf War would definitely expand in the future, and oil prices would definitely rise further. Then as long as this general trend did not change, they would definitely make money. Could those gambling gods and saints change this trend? Wouldn't that ruin their own business?

However, Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov could not possibly be so broad-minded, because as financial oligarchs in their respective regions, they were well aware that this so-called general trend was actually dividing the interests of the bookmakers, which no bookmaker would allow.

Since it is not allowed, then a way must be found.

As Zhou Ming said before, although the general trend of the Gulf plan will not change, the war will not start immediately. If, during this period of preparation, the banker initiates a few repeated futures market fluctuations at random, causing the price of crude oil futures to rise and fall, according to the financial characteristics of losing money regardless of whether it goes up or down first, it will take no more than a month to wipe out the funds of those who want to speculate, including them.

There is no increase in wealth in the financial market, only a transfer of wealth. The banker uses various means to guide the financial market to operate according to their own ideas, so the wealth lost by these other people will be concentrated in the hands of the banker, which is the banker's secret to making money.

And if you want to avoid losses in this financial game, you must follow the banker's every move. However, they are not the banker's mind reader, so how do they know what the banker is thinking? Therefore, the best way is to follow the banker and make a profit before withdrawing.

But this is easier said than done. It is hard to convince oneself to do so, because no one can remain indifferent in the face of a possible 300% profit.

'Since the Gulf is a big casino, and we are already here, we have enough chips in our hands, and we have also won a lot in the first round of the game at the table, so why not continue to gamble? Especially since we already know the bottom card, we still have the capital to gamble.' Zhou Ming said, changing the subject, "But don't forget, we may be out of the game in the middle of the whole game, and that bottom card may also be deliberately shown to us by the dealer.'

Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Yerbedov thought about it for a while, and finally Tong Gang said, "I understand, so I'm curious. What makes you think that the second way of thinking you're talking about is definitely right?'

'It's very simple, it's two words - the general trend,' said Zhou Ming. "Think about it. The two major consortia, Brighton and Rockefeller, went to such great lengths to provoke the Gulf War, and they would never give up halfway. No matter what fluctuations occurred in the middle, this ultimate goal would always remain the same. Then we can invest according to this ultimate goal, but no longer in oil futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange.'

'Then what direction do you intend to invest in, Mr. Zhou Ming?" Irbedov asked subconsciously.

Zhou Ming lightly said two words: 'stocks.'

Tong Gang, Li Cheng, and Ilbedov were all very surprised and a little puzzled. Zhou Ming added: 'It's stocks in the military industry, for example, Bell and Phoenix.'

No one in the meeting room was stupid, so when Zhou Ming mentioned the names of these two companies, they immediately understood what he was thinking: to avoid the difficult and take the easy.

Just as Zhou Ming had thought before, they didn't know each other's thoughts anyway, and that market was also full of giants, so they shouldn't get involved. Since they knew that a war would definitely break out in the future, there was no need to rush, because wars required a lot of money to support, and the more modern and sophisticated the technology war, the more money it would cost.

Therefore, under the influence of war, the Ministry of Defence will definitely place a huge arms order, and this order will undoubtedly stimulate the stocks of the arms sector, especially those companies that can receive orders from the Ministry of Defence.

Judging from the long-planned Gulf plan of the Brighton and Rockefeller consortia, they will definitely not let go of this order from the Ministry of Defence easily. As companies controlled by the Brighton consortium, Bell produces fighter jets and armed helicopters, and Phoenix produces missiles and optoelectronic equipment, so they will definitely get the largest order.

'In my opinion, as long as we invest our funds in the stocks of several major arms manufacturers such as Bell and Phoenix, we will definitely make a profit, and with the continuous rise in stock prices, it may even be more than the crude oil futures market.' Zhou Ming said.

Tong Gang nodded: 'I believe this very much, but I am a little curious. Since stocks are also so profitable, won't people be eyeing them?'

Zhou Ming shook his head: 'I never said that. I think not only the Adams family, but also the world's major financial groups, they all understand, but understanding does not mean they will participate.'

'Why?' Tong Gang asked.

'One is disdain and the other is infeasible,' Zhou Ming replied, 'Disdain is easy to understand, the money is too little, only oil is their dish; and infeasible is due to the fact that compared to international crude oil futures, the stock market's ability to bear is really poor. In the international crude oil futures market, maybe you smash billions or even tens of billions of dollars, and you may only make a splash, but in the stock market, you can directly acquire a company.'

'Because the stock market has a limited capacity, those large consortia will play in the big casino of international crude oil futures, and only we will come to the stock market to seize opportunities. And our capital here is really a huge sum.'

Zhou Ming laughed as he continued, 'In addition, both Bell and Fenix are part of the Brighton consortium, and I don't think they would maliciously speculate in their own company's stock for no reason.'

After listening to Zhou Ming's explanation, the three of them, Tong Gang, Li Cheng and Il'yev, looked at each other. Finally, Tong Gang spoke on behalf of the others and said, 'I see. We fully accept your second idea, Zhou Ming. Withdraw the funds from the international crude oil futures market and invest them in the securities market. I just have one question. I'm curious when you plan to start, Zhou Ming.'

'The sooner the better, preferably all executed within three days, because I have a feeling that changes are coming soon,' said Zhou Ming.

'Is it a secret sell-off?' Li Cheng asked again.

'Of course it is. We have to go in quietly and avoid drawing attention to ourselves,' said Zhou Ming.