The Rise Of A Billionaire 1943-Chapter 66 - 74: Steel Mill, Do You Want It?

Where the fool came from didn’t matter. What mattered was that among these jungle predators, none would ever let a valuable prey slip away.

"Did you buy the ship?"

Mickey once again ran up to Pierre and asked in a low voice.

"Alcat Shipping Company of Spain, Alfonso... he’s your employee, isn’t he?"

Faced with Mickey’s barrage of questions, Pierre neither confirmed nor denied it.

"My God, how could you spend so much money on ships? Those ships are all money pits, you know?"

Mickey seemed a bit agitated. And who could blame him? After all, his future, his fate, depended on this guy making the right moves. Yet here he was, wasting precious funds on those old wrecks.

Was it really worth getting so worked up about?

Looking at Mickey, Pierre replied bluntly.

"I need those ships!"

Ships were Pierre’s main goal on this trip. After all, ships would be indispensable for the future development of North Borneo—whether for transporting immigrants or goods, ships were essential. Never mind tens of thousands of tons; if funds allowed, he might even buy up a million tons’ worth of merchant vessels.

After all, whether you look at the postwar shipping industry’s development or the demand for immigration, investing in shipping is a business with guaranteed returns.

That simple "I need them" left Mickey dumbfounded. He stared, mouth agape, and after a moment said,

"Alright, sir, so you’re not interested in banks? What about factories?"

"Factories?"

Pierre raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Yes, factories. Italian factories may not be as good as American ones, but they’re still decent. Quite a few can’t operate due to shortages of raw materials or capital. But most importantly, what those businesses are really worried about is the future!"

Factories...

Besides ships, Italian industrial enterprises seemed like a good option. Unlike postwar German factories, which were included in war reparations and thus always under Allied control, Italy, as a semi-Allied country, did not have its factories seized by the Allies. Even so, many business owners had still lost their factories.

Take Fiat, for example. During the war, it made a fortune producing military supplies for the army. Although it wasn’t placed under Allied control after the war, it was confiscated by the Italian National Liberation Committee, and it wasn’t until 1966 that the company was returned to the Agnelli family.

Originally, Pierre hadn’t dared to hope for a shot at Fiat—it was Italy’s largest industrial enterprise, after all. But now, with Mickey’s appearance, he saw an opportunity.

An opportunity to take a big bite out of Fiat. Even if he couldn’t swallow the company whole, he could at least get a good chunk!

"In the future, as everyone knows, those enterprises were all supporters of Mussolini. If the Allies decide to settle old scores and include their companies as part of war reparations? If that happens, they’ll be left with nothing. So, compared to an uncertain future, they’d rather sell now, while they still have a say. We can buy them up at rock-bottom prices!"

This was pure opportunism!

If you get a chance to profit from a crisis and don’t take it, how could you face your ancestors?

Pierre replied calmly,

"Indeed, it’s an opportunity. But what can you do?"

"I represent Morgan, Li!"

Mickey said directly.

"No one in Europe truly understands the relationship between the Morgan Group and the government, but trust me, nobody wants to risk offending Morgan. They’re afraid that offending the company means offending the government. Here, Morgan—or any big American company—is a passport, a shield."

Lighting a cigarette with a smug expression, Mickey continued,

"That’s what I can offer you. In Italy, I can represent Morgan, and I can represent you!"

Taking a drag, having laid his cards on the table, Mickey continued slowly,

"I can acquire banks for Morgan, and I can also, in Morgan’s name, help you realize your ambitions. Right now, all of Italy is like a treasure trove waiting for us to dig in, and me? I only ask for a small reward."

But what Mickey wanted wasn’t just a small reward—this was his first pot of gold. He needed, just like those big companies, to grab a tiny bit of the leftovers from this feast. But that required money!

Money!

And the millionaire in front of him had money. Anyone who could spend two million dollars on a pile of junk obviously wasn’t short of cash.

"That sounds reasonable."

Pierre smiled, took a puff of his cigarette, thought for a moment, and said,

"Do you have any good recommendations?"

"There’s a steel company in Taranto, a subsidiary of Fiat..."

...better than falling into the hands of the British or Americans. As long as you don’t use them to transport military supplies directly to the Allies, we can turn a blind eye. Of course, this is just a verbal agreement. If you’re interested, we can discuss the details."

Pierre looked at him, a little surprised by the German’s frankness. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

He smiled and said, "So, what do you want in return?"

Berlin replied calmly, "We need some things, which only someone like you can help us get. For example, rubber, tungsten, tin, or even food. Of course, we’ll pay a reasonable price."

Pierre was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"I see. You want a trading channel that can bypass the blockade and sanctions, and you want to use my ships to transport these goods."

Berlin smiled. "You’re very smart, Mr. Li. That’s exactly what I mean. We can cooperate. You help us transport what we need, and we guarantee the safety of your fleet in the Mediterranean. It’s a win-win."

Pierre thought for a moment, then said, "I’ll consider it."

Berlin raised his glass. "I look forward to working with you."

After the meal, Berlin left quietly, blending into the crowd as if he had never appeared.

Pierre sat in the restaurant, lost in thought.

In a country on the verge of collapse, opportunities were everywhere.

Not just opportunities, but also risks.

And he was ready to seize them all.

"...being bought by someone else."

Berlin’s answer was somewhat baffling. Pierre frowned and said,

"Oh? Why is that?"

"It’s simple. There is no conflict between us."

Berlin replied with deeper meaning.

"And precisely because of this, I believe that at some point in the future, we might be able to cooperate in some capacity. By then, your ship... might be exactly what we need, Mr. Li."

What did he mean by that?

Was he planning an escape route in case of defeat?

Berlin’s explanation made Pierre raise his eyebrows. In his previous life, he had read about this: tens of thousands of German officers, scientists, and technical personnel escaped overseas through various channels to avoid postwar punishment.

But... it’s only January 1944 now!

And already, someone is planning for this!

Sensing the change in Pierre’s gaze, Berlin said helplessly,

"The Allies have already gained a foothold in Italy. This fact cannot be changed. And as for the Russians, the current situation is very unfavorable for us. Perhaps we still have a chance, but sometimes, we must make plans in advance. I remember there’s a Chinese saying: ’If a man has no long-term worries, he will surely have near-term concerns.’"

Berlin actually said the last sentence in Chinese—this guy could speak Chinese!

"Before the war, I went to China and worked there for four years. I can communicate with you in Chinese."

Berlin then switched directly to Chinese.

"In short, this is just a contingency plan. Your timing is perfect. Your ship is likely to be one of the few we could use after the war. Of course, at that time, we would definitely pay you a handsome reward. What do you think?"

Sometimes, things are just so strange. Pierre had never thought of seeking out spies or secret agents, but who would have thought that one day he would come into contact with a spy in this way—and a German one at that.

The real reason they were reaching out to him was... to secure a future escape route!

Isn’t this a case of "sending a pillow when one is sleepy"?

It really is!

You know, Pierre had long set his sights on this group of fleeing Germans. Never mind the scientists—even someone like the man in front of him was exactly the kind of talent he urgently needed.

Spies... are talent too!

The intelligence agencies of South American countries such as Argentina, Peru, and Chile were all established with the help of former German intelligence personnel who had fled there. If others could do it, why couldn’t he follow the same model?

"Actually, I think we can establish a deeper level of cooperation."

Pierre picked up the conversation.

"I know you are preparing for certain possibilities in the future. Perhaps, the help I can offer far exceeds your imagination."

"What?"

Berlin asked in surprise.

"What kind of help?"

"If certain possibilities do occur in the future, you will definitely need a place to go. This place shouldn’t just be somewhere far from Europe—it should also offer you some kind of protection. And as it happens, I can provide such a place for you, Mr. Berlin."

With a sincere smile on his face, Pierre continued to explain as Berlin looked on in confusion.

"...In short, what I can provide goes far beyond what anyone else can offer. It’s not just a destination—it’s real protection! I can offer a full-service package, from the ship to the destination, and comprehensive protection!"

Berlin looked at the man in front of him in astonishment. Was he telling the truth?

"You? How is that possible? What is this place you’re talking about?"

Facing Berlin’s skepticism, Pierre replied earnestly,

"Have you heard of the North Borneo Company?"