Chapter 170: The True Meaning of the Iron Law!

Du Yuanhang felt like a puppet, doing something utterly incomprehensible.
Following Fang Huan Investment's top-secret directive—
"For any decision made by Director Su Hao, no understanding is needed, execute it resolutely"—
he drained the company's entire cash flow, converting it all into this pile of unwanted marine fuel oil.
Twenty-two million barrels!
A super-large container ship consumes approximately 1,500 barrels of fuel oil per day.
This means that this batch of oil alone would be enough to power a single ship for a full fifty years!
Even if the company had ten such giant ships, it would be enough to fuel them for five years!
This quantity is simply terrifying.
"I bet you can't find another company in the world right now that would spend six billion on so much fuel oil."
"Thanks to him, our company probably won't have to worry about fuel for years to come.
But the problem is, we can't even get any work right now, and our ships are practically rusting at the dock!
Who knows how long this pile of oil will sit in the warehouse?"
"And the price of oil is falling every day… This operation is practically 'creating losses' while sitting at home!"
"The company's accounts are almost empty now, and all our business has been snatched away.
If this continues, we'll end up just like that 'Xiahua Shipping' that went bankrupt back then—nothing but snowballing debt!"
The employees' whispers and questioning glances felt like needles pricking Du Yuanhang's back.
In their eyes, this newly appointed general manager, who didn't dare utter a single word about that outrageous order from above and blindly followed it, must have had his brain squeezed by a door.
...
Dazed and confused, Du Yuanhang sat listlessly in his office chair until the end of the workday.
His eyes were fixed blankly on the ceiling, feeling like a puppet whose soul had been ripped out.
What had he done in the past few days since taking office?
Nothing at all, except buy oil, and more damn oil!
He tried to attract business, but the market was too competitive. All the orders were snatched up by international competitors engaged in cutthroat price wars.
And right at this critical juncture, he had personally squandered the company's last remaining funds.
The five billion yuan from selling bonds, plus the company's meager ten billion yuan in the books, was all gone, exchanged for piles of ever-depreciating fuel oil.
Why did that director named Su Hao give such an order...?
"President Du!!!"
Just then, the vice president, like a bull with its tail on fire, burst through the office door with a bang and tumbled in.
"Old Zhang?...What's wrong? Why are you so flustered?"
"Sorry! President Du, but...something terrible has happened!"
"What happened? Is the sky falling?"
"Just now...OPEC just issued an emergency statement. They said that in order to boost oil prices, they've decided...to implement an unprecedented large-scale production cut!"
Hearing this, Du Yuanhang didn't react much, even almost laughing.
Production cut?
The same old trick. They've done it before, always all bark and no bite, at most making oil prices jump symbolically.
"No! Mr. Du! This time is completely different!"
The vice president was flushed with excitement, spitting as he spoke.
"This production cut is unprecedented!
OPEC's official goal is to push crude oil prices directly to sixty dollars a barrel!"
"...What did you say?!"
This time, Du Yuanhang was truly shocked.
No, this wasn't just "shocked," it was like being struck by lightning.
He jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide as saucers.
"Sixty dollars?! How much is it now?"
"It was hovering between thirty-eight and forty dollars before...this is equivalent to a direct jump of fifty percent!"
"Wait...to reach that level...how much will they have to cut production?!"
"The market generally predicts...at least thirty percent!"
At least thirty percent!
This is the largest production cut in world history!
Even more terrifying is that this is only the "minimum"!
"The moment the news broke, international oil prices went crazy! They skyrocketed like a rocket! In just a short while, they've already broken through $50!"
"...!"
In the shipping industry, fuel costs typically account for 50-60% of total operating costs.
The higher the oil price, the harder it is for shipping companies.
Previously, when oil prices were low, everyone's operating costs were low.
But international competitors were even more ruthless. To seize market share, they played a double game, willing to lose money themselves to snatch customers with prices lower than cost.
"But... if oil prices rise to this level...
Even the deep-pocketed foreign companies absolutely can't withstand it!
This wave of oil prices might actually reach $60!"
International shipping giants have been rampant in this "cash-burning war," relying on their deep pockets.
But now, the most crucial element in their cost structure—oil prices—has suddenly erupted like a volcano!
"On the other hand... what we have in abundance right now is oil, right?"
A bolt of lightning cleaved through the chaos in Du Yuanhang's mind.
He felt as if he'd been injected with high-purity adrenaline; his thoughts instantly became crystal clear!
"Old Zhang!" His voice trembled slightly with excitement,
"Immediately! Call all the top executives back!
Whether they're eating at home or drinking out, even if they die out there, they'd better be carried back on stretchers!
They must be in the conference room within fifteen minutes!
Our counterattack horn... has sounded!
Our era has arrived!
Open all our shipping routes!
Use the lowest, most unbelievable prices on the market to snatch back all the orders!"
"Yes, yes!"
Du Yuanhang felt his blood boiling.
He thought he was backed into a corner, one step away from utter ruin.
Who could have imagined that such a breathtaking reversal was hidden in this desperate situation!
OPEC's near-mad decision was something no analyst or think tank in the world had anticipated.
No, it should be said, except for one person.
Su Hao.
'Just what kind of monster is that guy?'
How could he possibly have foreseen this situation?
Even if he truly did foresee it, how many people have the audacity to, under such circumstances, order billions of dollars to be exchanged for a pile of unwanted oil?
‘So that's how it is… so that's the true meaning of those two “ironclad rules”!’
Rule Number One: Director Su Hao's investment opinions must be executed unconditionally and 100%. No questions allowed!
Rule Number Two: If any doubt arises, immediately copy Rule Number One one hundred times!
‘From this day forward, I, Du Yuanhang, will never have the slightest doubt again!’
Du Yuanhang branded these two ironclad rules deep and forever onto his soul with a scorching hot iron!