Chapter 820: Bitten by a Snake
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Blanchett was still as efficient as before. After the agreement was signed, and the payment was transferred from Blanchett to Li Du, the transaction was completed in the lobby of a federal building. The building housed governmental departments such as the Department of Lands, and the Department of Resources and Energy. With the signatures of both parties on the new agreement, the land lease for Li Du"s mine was no longer effective.
After obtaining the new lease, Blanchett did not know whether to feel happy or sad.
The number 115 mine, which initially belonged to him, was sold to Li Du for 550,000 dollars. At that point in time, he thought that he was the one profiting from Li Du and that he managed to get rid of a problematic mine while earning a profit.
However, from the looks of it now, he had spent more money buying the number 115 mine. In total, he had spent 450,000 dollars!
Furthermore, the large number of gemstones that had been dug out from the number 115 mine originally belonged to him!
Thinking of this made Blanchett"s heart ache.
Despite that, after thinking about having regained the mine, which contained a gemstone vein, he became elated again.
It was a pity that Li Du was the one who discovered the gemstone vein and not him. If he had discovered the gemstone vein, would he have needed to go to all this trouble and spend so much extra money?
After spending the entire afternoon rus.h.i.+ng about, Li Du seemed to have more or less sobered up. With a dazed look on his face, Li Du was basking in the sun on the balcony of the lobby where the transaction took place.
Having scammed Li Du twice, Blanchett really wanted to ask Li Du to go to the hospital to check on his brain and see if he was r.e.t.a.r.ded. However, as he was afraid that doing so would agitate Li Du, he only imagined doing it and did not actually say the words out loud.
With the lease in hand, he walked over next to Li Du and said, "Mate, we have to quickly go back to the mine and stop your subordinates from mining."
Li Du responded calmly, "Not to worry, they have already stopped mining."
"Not to worry? That mine belongs to me now. All the gemstones in the mine belong to me. You guys no longer have the rights to mine them," Blanchett said with a frown.
At this moment, there were miners pa.s.sing through the lobby. After a miner spotted Li Du sitting in the lobby, he greeted him saying, "Hey, lucky mine owner. What are you doing here?"
Li Du replied, "Selling the mine. Blanchett has bought back the number 115 mine."
Hearing his words, the miners who were nearby walked over. A miner exclaimed, "Are you a madman? That mine contains a gemstone vein, why would you sell it back?"
Blanchett pushed the miner away and said sternly, "Cole, there"s nothing here that concerns you. Move along."
He turned back and told Li Du, "Hey, Li, let"s quickly go back. We have to tell your subordinates to stop work immediately. We can"t let them harvest my gemstones any longer!"
Li Du responded, "They have already stopped. I gave them a call earlier and told them to take the tools and leave."
After heaving a sigh of relief, Blanchett said, "Really? That"s great. Oh, you have finally sobered up?"
When he looked strangely at Li Du, he realized that Li Du no longer looked as dazed and looked more alert instead.
Li Du stood up and smiled, "What do you mean sobered up? Since I was never drunk, how could I sober up?"
Seeing Li Du"s smile, Blanchett felt that something was amiss and said in a confused manner, "You weren"t drunk? You drank so much vodka earlier…"
Li Du smiled, "You should go to America and find out more. I"m a person who will not get drunk even after 1000 cups. That vodka was like the c.o.c.ktails that ladies drink. How could that possibly make me drunk?"
A Hummer off-road vehicle drove over. Lu Guan got out of the vehicle and said, "Boss, the lady boss sent me to pick you up."
Li Du asked, "Have you guys taken everything away?"
Lu Guan nodded. "Yes, Brother Wolf and G.o.dzilla have packed all the machines, rented a truck, and transported them to town."
Blanchett grabbed hold of Li Du and asked, "What"s going on?"
Li Du beamed. "Nothing much, just that what you did initially was indeed very clever. Selling me a dogsh*t mine. However, it"s ok as I have sold the dogsh*t mine back to you and earned 450,000 dollars at the same time."
He patted Blanchett on his shoulder and added, "This 450,000 is my labor fee for the past few days. In order to sell the dogsh*t mine back to you, I have spent quite a bit of effort."
After hearing all that Li Du had said, Blanchett suddenly became anxious and exclaimed, "What dogsh*t mine? The number 115 mine has produced so many gemstones…"
Li Du replied, "Wrong, those gemstones were from me and not from the number 115 mine. That"s a dogsh*t mine. Also, your number 114 mine is a dogsh*t mine as well!"
Dumbfounded, Blanchett stared straight at Li Du, and vigorously and speedily inhaled through his nostrils. Only after a good while had pa.s.sed did he shout, "No, this isn"t possible. There"s a gemstone vein in the number 115 mine!"
Li Du interrupted him and laughed. "Go take a look and you will know. Go into the tunnel that we used and have a look, see what"s in there."
After anxiously getting into his pickup truck and driving haphazardly, Blanchett arrived at the number 115 mine.
The previously prosperous mine had become cold and empty. Other than the pot, which had been used to braise the small lobsters the previous afternoon, there were no machines or people left in the mine.
When Blanchett was about to enter the tunnel where Brother Wolf and G.o.dzilla had found gemstones, one of his workers handed him a safety helmet and said, "Boss, take note of safety."
"Scram!" Blanchett pushed his worker away. Still take note of safety… what bullsh*t at a time like this!
After going down into the tunnel by following its handle, Blanchett was greeted by a s.p.a.cious tunnel.
The tunnel had no traces of any recent activity. On the floor of the tunnel was an inflatable mattress that had food, beer bottles, and a messy pile of magazines on it.
After seeing these items, Blanchett vaguely imagined a scene. Brother Wolf and G.o.dzilla took turns going down into the tunnel every day. Instead of doing work, they laid on the inflatable mattress and read magazines...
They had food when they were hungry and beer when they were thirsty. After they had stayed in the tunnel long enough, they could swap with another person to continue staying in the tunnel...
As for digging for gemstones? They had definitely never dug for gemstones in this tunnel before!
"F*ck!" An anguished cry resonated from within the tunnel.
The cry sent s.h.i.+vers down the spines of the miners above. One of the miners asked anxiously, "D*mn it. Boss, is there a poisonous snake in there?"
In addition, there was a miner who laughed at Blanchett"s comeuppance. "If there"s a poisonous snake, hopefully, it will bite that idiot. F*ck, I have disliked him since a long time ago."
A miner from behind gave him a shove and said, "It"s you who is the idiot. Where in the entire Lightning Ridge is there still a mine owner who is offering such high pay? At least earn enough money from him before letting a poisonous snake bite him."
"Haha..." A few miners began laughing.
In a dejected manner, Blanchett climbed back up from the tunnel. Although the top of his head was glistening, he felt that his life was gloomy and without hope.
Four hundred and fifty thousand gone!
He had earned 550,000 dollars, initially. In the end, the tables had turned, and the sum of money was lost even before earning a few dollars of interest for him.
Blanchett was close to breaking down. While trembling, he walked over to the pot that contained the small lobsters and looked inside it. The sight of the small, bright red lobsters made him feel like he was looking at Li Du"s evil face again.
Like a volcanic eruption, rage and despair erupted from the bottom of his heart. When he kicked the pot, a snake emerged from underneath it, opened its mouth, and bit him on his wrist.
Seeing this, the miners who were looking at the commotion from behind became anxious and exclaimed, "Boss, you have really been bitten by a snake!"