227: Chapter 227 The Spark in the Desert

The family banquet in the backyard dispersed as the night grew deeper.

Chen Fan sat alone in his study, tapping his fingertips to bring up the in-depth analysis report on the new mineral vein in the Northwest.

On the holographic light screen, a faint blue 3D geological model rotated slowly. The final analysis conclusion from Zhou Ming's team was highlighted next to it in bold red font.

The newly discovered unknown ore, once refined into metallic material, could not only perfectly support the grand concept of an interstellar defense array, but its unique internal energy structure could also cause an exponential leap in existing battery energy storage technology.

This meant that once full-scale mining began, it would be enough to completely overturn the world's existing energy landscape.

The study door was pushed open silently, and Chen Haoyu's figure appeared at the entrance without knocking.

“Boss.” Chen Haoyu's voice was kept very low, carrying a hint of urgency, “Something has happened.”

Chen Fan waved his hand to dismiss the light screen and leaned back in his chair: “Speak.”

“Top-secret information has been leaked.” Chen Haoyu walked quickly to the desk, “The raw data from early exploration stayed on the provincial geological database server for seven minutes. It was copied by someone using a back door program with highest-level permissions.”

He handed over an encrypted tablet, the screen showing a dynamic map.

“Currently, at least twelve top global capital groups and over thirty corporate spy teams with complex backgrounds are disguised as ‘joint scientific expeditions’ and ‘extreme off-road adventure teams,’ flooding into the heart of the Taklamakan Desert from all directions.” Chen Haoyu traced a red circle on the map with his finger, “Their target is our new mining area.”

Chen Fan took the tablet, his eyes calm.

“Not only that.” Chen Haoyu gritted his teeth, “Several overseas energy consortiums led by Morgan and Goldman Sachs reacted the fastest. They have jointly cited an International Convention for the Protection of Endangered Landscapes that hasn't been mentioned in years, and are applying massive international public opinion pressure on local and relevant departments.”

“Just now, our submitted application for special mining permits was temporarily shelved.” Chen Haoyu’s fist clenched tightly, “These bastards want to use tedious international hearings and environmental reviews to completely stall the entire mining plan in its cradle!”

“Hearings?” Chen Fan repeated the word, his tone unreadable.

He tossed the tablet back onto the desk.

“Connect me to Muyang.”

Chen Haoyu immediately dialed the video call. Chen Muyang's figure appeared on the wall screen, with the top-floor office of the Huihuang Group headquarters in the background; he was clearly still working overtime.

“Dad.”

“Muyang, abandon all special permit application channels,” Chen Fan ordered directly.

Chen Muyang was stunned for a moment but didn't question it, only nodding: “Understood.”

“How much mobile cash is left in the Huihuang Group's accounts?”

“One point two trillion can be mobilized at any time,” Chen Muyang reported the figure without hesitation.

“That's enough.” Chen Fan stood up and walked to the window, looking at the brilliant night view of the Imperial Capital, “Notify the Legal Department and the Finance Department to organize a team of a hundred people. I want you to use this money to undergo the highest-level regional development total buyout procedure.”

A sharp light flashed in Chen Muyang's eyes as he instantly understood his father's intention.

“Buy out the exclusive land development rights, mineral mining rights, and airspace no-fly rights for the next hundred years within a five-hundred-kilometer radius surrounding the core area of the Taklamakan Desert.” Chen Fan's tone left no room for doubt, “Don't leave anyone any room for lawsuits or environmental review gossip.”

“I want absolute property rights over that desert.”

The next morning.

Northwest General Bureau of Natural Resources Management.

Several Caucasian representatives from overseas consortiums were sitting in the reception room, leisurely drinking coffee and discussing their speeches for the afternoon hearing. In their view, using a set of international rules to stall a project of the Huihuang Group was as easy as turning over a hand.

Suddenly, a series of orderly and heavy footsteps came from the corridor outside.

The door to the reception room was pushed open.

Over a hundred men and women in black suits with sharp temperaments flooded into the General Bureau building. They headed straight for the Director's office, crowding all the passages along the way.

The leading Legal Director of Huihuang placed a thick stack of documents on the desk.

Immediately after, over a dozen silver metal briefcases were opened.

One trillion RMB in cash vouchers, like a pile of scrap paper, were neatly stacked on the desk, forming a small mountain.

Three hours later.

All compliance and capital verification procedures were completed with maximum efficiency.

A red-headed document stamped with the highest-level seal was urgently issued.

When the consortium representatives learned from their translators that the Huihuang Group had used one trillion in cash to directly purchase all rights to the entire disputed area for the next hundred years, the arrogance on their faces froze.

The coffee cups in their hands slipped, crashing to the floor and shattering into pieces.

The mining area crisis was resolved in the most unreasonable way possible.

The moment he obtained the legal property rights, Chen Fan's orders were transmitted to the front line via an encrypted line.

“Clear the area.”

On the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, the 'joint scientific expedition' composed of spies from multiple countries had just set up camp. They raised the flag of a certain international organization as a protective talisman and were using satellite equipment to detect the distant mining area.

The leader was a blonde, blue-eyed retired special forces soldier. He puffed on a cigar and said arrogantly to those around him: “That land is now an internationally disputed zone. Chen Fan's security team won't dare touch us. We'll just stay here and wait them out until they cough up the shares.”

Before his voice had even faded...

The massive roar of engines came from the sky.

A formation of over a dozen heavy transport helicopters blotted out the sun, their massive rotors kicking up clouds of yellow sand.

Over a thousand fully armed members of the Shadow Guard in black combat uniforms descended from the sky, quickly setting up a cordon around the camp.

A commander held a megaphone, his voice as cold as ice.

“This is the private territory of the Huihuang Group. You have three minutes to get out and stay thirty kilometers away. Repeat, this is not a drill.”

The blonde leader was stunned for a moment, then became furious. He rushed forward, pointing at the helicopters in the sky and shouting: “Are you crazy? We are an international scientific expedition! Attacking us will cause a diplomatic incident!”

Responding to him was the roar of heavy anti-riot armored vehicle engines.

The three-minute limit expired.

Over a dozen armored vehicles coated in matte black paint, like steel behemoths, charged into the camp without hesitation. Tall tents, precision satellite antennas, and expensive off-road vehicles were easily crushed into scrap metal under the treads.

Resisters were knocked down by high-pressure water cannons, and the vocal ones were left disoriented by non-lethal flashbangs.

Shadow Guard members, holding riot shields and zip ties, bound these so-called ‘experts’ and ‘explorers’ one by one, throwing them onto trucks like dead dogs to be directly escorted out of the border.

The iron-fisted methods, which left no room for compromise, completely shattered all fantasies of laying a finger on the mineral vein.

When the news reached the Imperial Capital, Chen Fan decided to personally make a trip to the Northwest.

Longwan No. 1 Villa, bedroom.

Su Wanqing asked nothing, silently helping Chen Fan pack his suitcase. A windproof jacket, a few changes of underwear, and a box of stomach medicine.

She folded the clothes, turned around, and straightened Chen Fan's collar.

“Come back early.”

“Okay.”

Chen Fan gave his wife a hug and turned to leave.

Three hours later.

The Huihuang Group's gulfstream g700 private jet landed at the emergency front-line airport built at the Northwest mining area.

Chen Fan walked down the stairs, the cold wind whipping sand against his face.

He stepped into the temporary command center built from shipping containers. On the large electronic sand table, the location of the core mining pit flickered with red light.

“Boss.” Chen Haoyu handed him a cup of hot tea.

Just as Chen Fan took the cup, a piercing alarm sounded throughout the entire base.

“Warning! A super sandstorm is detected approaching! Wind force level twelve!”

Outside the window, the sky darkened at a visible speed. A massive wall of yellow sand covered the sky and earth, swallowing the sunlight and plunging the world into a dim, yellowish chaos.

On the base's external defense radar screen, dense red dots suddenly began to flicker frantically.

The outer sentry post sent back the final thermal imaging footage.

Dozens of unmarked off-road vehicles equipped with heavy weapons were using the cover of the violent sandstorm to approach the base's core mining pit at full speed in a standard combat assault formation.