91: Recruiting another general

Inside the office of the Liuhe Textile Mill, smoke curled through the air.

Chen Liting's face was a mixture of ecstasy and extreme shock. He didn't snap out of it until the cigarette in his hand burned his fingers.

He stubbed out the cigarette, pointed at the massive warehouse area outside the window, and asked in a trembling voice, "How... how did you do it?!"

"Brother, that's... that's five thousand tons of cotton, good lord! It... it just appeared in the warehouse out of thin air."

"I just finished clearing the warehouse this afternoon, and in just a moment, it's been filled with your cotton."

"I didn't see any vehicles, let alone people. It was just... just 'placed' in there without anyone noticing?!"

Chen Liting's words were slightly incoherent. If the person involved hadn't been standing right there, he would have suspected he'd seen a ghost.

"Basic operation, nothing to get excited about."

Lu Fan handed him a cigarette. Instead of explaining the source, he asked, "The cotton is in place. Boss Chen, the factory can start running now, right?"

"Absolutely. We'll start work first thing tomorrow morning," Chen Liting promised, standing straight as a ramrod.

He looked at Lu Fan, his eyes filled with disbelief and deep awe. "Mr. Lu, your methods... are truly extraordinary. I've certainly had my eyes opened today."

Lu Fan smiled and continued to change the subject. "I've looked over the plan carefully. Regarding the cotton futures, when do you want to make your move?"

At the mention of business, Chen Liting took several deep breaths to force down the shock in his heart. His gaze instantly became as sharp as an eagle's.

He sat back behind his desk with a solemn expression. "Those Japanese at the Youxin Foreign Firm and that group of Traitors and compradors have been making big moves lately."

"They've hyped up the cotton futures prices to terrifyingly high levels. Logically, we could intervene at any time."

"However, our physical cotton supply is limited. Excluding what the factory needs, we have at most four thousand tons available."

"A premature attack would easily alert them, so we need to find the perfect timing."

"Are the manpower and accounts ready?" Lu Fan didn't follow the previous line of thought, instead approaching the topic from a different angle.

Chen Liting paused, then patted his chest in assurance. "Don't worry about that; everything is arranged."

"They're all old comrades who have been with me for years and hate the Japanese to the bone!"

"The key brokers at the exchange have also been taken care of. They're tight-lipped."

"Good." Lu Fan pulled a prepared check from his inner pocket and pushed it toward Chen Liting. "This is five million US dollars."

"This is for the initial margin and operating funds. If more is needed later, I'll add to it."

Chen Liting picked up the massive check, his hands trembling slightly.

Five million US dollars—the figure was incredibly impactful.

But he quickly steadied his nerves. "Brother, the funds aren't the main issue. The most important thing is the cotton..."

Lu Fan raised a hand to interrupt Chen Liting and said calmly, "I have another five thousand tons of physical cotton prepared as a backup."

"It can be delivered whenever you need it. Now, what other concerns do you have?"

Hearing this, Chen Liting became radiant, his eyes shining. "Brother, you are truly a god!"

"With this money and your five thousand tons of physical cotton as backing, I'll make my move tomorrow."

"Good, I was waiting for those words." Lu Fan took out a document and said solemnly, "This is the agent contract. Sign it."

"You will be in full charge of the specific operations in the futures market. I will only provide the funding and physical support."

"You decide how to build positions, when to strike, and how to utilize physical delivery based on the situation."

"The goal is to completely crush them and leave them with nothing!"

Chen Liting took the contract and, without even looking at it, flipped straight to the last page.

He picked up a fountain pen from the desk, signed his name with a flourish, and solemnly pressed his thumbprint onto it.

"Mr. Lu, just you wait and see!"

Chen Liting promised forcefully, "The days of these scumbags stirring up trouble in the futures market are over!"

"This time, I, Chen Liuzi, will use this mountain of cotton and these US dollars to bury them in the depths of hell."

A cotton war, devoid of smoke but vital to the future, thus began.

After signing the futures agency contract and putting away the check, the murderous atmosphere of financial warfare in the office softened slightly.

Lu Fan picked up his teacup and changed the subject. "The industrial zone is set for New Port in the northern suburbs of Changsha. Commander Tang provided the land."

"Excellent!" Chen Liting's spirits lifted at the news, and a look of genuine joy appeared on his face. "Now that the location is set, my heart is mostly at ease."

"Brother, your efficiency is beyond words."

He rubbed his hands together, appearing even more excited than when they were discussing millions of dollars.

Real industry was his root.

He stood up, walked quickly to an old camphor wood chest in the corner of the office, and skillfully opened several locks.

From the very bottom, he carefully pulled out a long cylinder tightly wrapped in oilcloth.

Unwrapping the oilcloth revealed a thick cardboard tube.

"Mr. Lu, take a look at this!" Chen Liting spread the contents of the tube out on the large desk.

Inside was a roll of large-scale design blueprints that were slightly yellowed but still had clear lines.

"Five years ago, when I was starting a factory in Qingniao, I hired designers from a German firm to plan this."

"At the time, because of... changes in the situation, the factory was never built, but I've kept these plans."

Lu Fan examined the blueprints carefully. Although the style was slightly old-fashioned, the basic framework was very solid.

He nodded. "We'll use this as the foundational blueprint."

"Haha, I'm glad they can be used! They didn't go to waste after all!" Chen Liting patted the blueprints happily.

He then turned serious again. "Brother, the first shot of infrastructure is crucial."

"I'd like to take the liberty of recommending someone to be the general coordinator for the initial infrastructure construction!"

"Oh?" Lu Fan was currently so rich he had nothing but money. Hearing a recommendation for talent, he quickly asked, "Who?"

"Bai Jinbiao!" Chen Liting said with certainty. "The bearded man who just led you in."

Lu Fan remembered the steady, capable security captain with the sharp gaze. "Him? A security guard knows about infrastructure?"

"He does! And he's very reliable!" Chen Liting said with conviction. "Old Bai has a military background. In his early years, he served as an engineering battalion commander under the Warlord."

"Building bridges, paving roads, digging trenches, laying lines, and constructing barracks—that's his original trade."

"Later, when the world became chaotic, he worked in a dye factory. After the fall of the Northeast, he fled to Qingniao as a refugee and I took him in."

"He's an honest man with relevant experience and a strong sense of responsibility. Leaving him in charge of infrastructure will be no problem at all."

"Besides, he can hold his own. He can also handle the security side of things simultaneously!"

To prove he wasn't exaggerating, Chen Liting shouted for Bai Jinbiao to come over.

Lu Fan sized up Bai Jinbiao and took an immediate liking to the big man from the Northeast.

He nodded and made the decision on the spot. "Alright, if Boss Chen recommends him, I trust him."

"The initial infrastructure of the New Port Industrial Zone will be handed over to him."

After finalizing the decision, Lu Fan said to Bai Jinbiao, "Brother Bai, report to Seventh Miss Sheng tomorrow."

"Make a copy of the blueprints and arrange for recruitment immediately. The more workers, the better. Don't worry about the cost."

"There is only one requirement: fast, stable, and high quality."

Bai Jinbiao's eyes lit up, and his back straightened even more. Without any hesitation, he replied resolutely, "Rest assured, Mr. Lu!"

"I guarantee the mission will be completed. I won't let you or Boss Chen down."

Amidst the conversation, the construction of the industrial zone gained its first experienced and trustworthy field general.