Chapter 409: Egypt

"Have the oil fields been taken back?" Arthur Smith asked Carl Anderson over the phone in the study of his Bel Air villa in Los Angeles.

"Yes, we've taken them back. Currently, Kabila is leading his men in a struggle with the warlords near Gandala for control of that area."

"And the equipment in the oil fields taken back from Bosaso has been destroyed and needs new installations," Carl replied.

Arthur maintained a stoic expression. "Once the situation in Gandala is sorted, have Occidental Petroleum prepare new equipment."

After hanging up the phone, Arthur shook his head. Africa was really chaotic, with wars breaking out everywhere.

The intelligence services from Europe and America were colluding with domestic conglomerates to exploit resources. The CIA provided the intelligence for Somalia.

...

Back in the bedroom, Yu Feihong, who had just taken a bath, was sitting on the bed.

"You're a junior now and will graduate next year. Have you thought about your future plans?" Arthur asked.

Arthur began gently rubbing Yu Feihong's thigh. "If you have ideas, you could try promoting the agent model over there," Arthur suggested.

"An agent model, huh?" Yu Feihong mused for a few seconds. "For movies it won't work. It's mainly in the music industry since the actors are all part of state-run studios."

Arthur laughed, "Then start a record company. You could manage Galaxy Records' album distribution in East Asia. Although Galaxy Records doesn't have many famous artists in Asia right now, we just signed Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson's sister. She's our headline act!"

Yu Feihong spread her hands, "But I'm studying film and TV production. I don't know much about music, and there are a lot of new record companies popping up. The competition is fierce."

"We have money," Arthur said, pulling Yu Feihong into his arms. "We can easily acquire a few small record companies and sign a few artists at high prices. Fame will follow quickly."

"Think of it as practice. It won't cost a lot," Arthur reassured.

Yu Feihong nodded. "Alright, we'll see. I might go back home more often this year."

As she spoke, Arthur laid down on the bed with Yu Feihong, and started kissing her.

He was planning to visit Africa soon. Cristiana Reali had already been notified to go to Egypt ahead of time. While Arthur's safety was assured, he was always cautious, and Egypt was where he'd await further news.

...

Alexandria, evolving from a port city, is Egypt's largest seaport and the gem of the Mediterranean, located on the western edge of the Nile Delta.

Arthur didn't go to Cairo; instead, he met with Cristiana Reali in Alexandria.

At the Windsor Palace Paradise Seaside Resort Hotel in Alexandria, Cristiana looked surprised at Arthur, "You want to go to East Africa? That place isn't safe. How about we go to Morocco or South Africa instead?"

East Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, was quite chaotic at that time.

Even Libya and Algeria, belonging to North Africa just like Egypt, weren't stable back then.

"It will be fine. I'll be staying in Djibouti," Arthur assured Cristiana, holding her close.

Cristiana, in a sensuous low-cut black dress, exuded infinite charm!

"Let's go eat something first. It's my first time in Egypt too," Arthur remarked, stepping for the first time onto African soil.

At the top-floor restaurant of the Windsor Palace Paradise Hotel, they could enjoy delicious food while gazing at the beautiful Mediterranean scenery.

Feeling the sea breeze from the Mediterranean, the night view of Alexandria's port became even more enticing.

"Egypt is in a good location. Even though it's mostly desert, the Nile Delta's fertile plains are rich in resources," Arthur sipped his wine and smiled. "And don't forget, it controls the Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean to the Red Sea!"

Cristiana smiled, "Do you want to see the pyramids in Cairo?"

Arthur shook his head, "Not interested!"

After staying in Alexandria for two more days, Arthur prepared to head to Somalia.

In the hotel bedroom, Arthur lay on top of Cristiana. Their fingers interlocked, filling the room with a fragrant aura.

Shortly after, Cristiana flipped over, lying on top of Arthur, lowering herself further down.

"Tomorrow, I'll head to Djibouti. You can either stay in Alexandria or vacation in other Mediterranean cities," Arthur reminded her while enjoying her services.

"Alright, I'll wait for you in Mallorca, Spain!" Cristiana responded.

"Great," Arthur said, running his hand through Cristiana's hair, prompting her to continue her task.

...

After leaving Alexandria, Arthur took a flight to Djibouti, then drove across Somaliland to reach Bosaso.

Somaliland had declared independence a few years earlier, but it wasn't recognized internationally. Bosaso is situated on the eastern border of Somaliland.

Arthur's car drove along Bosaso's dusty roads, seeing idle people everywhere, a clear contrast to Somaliland.

Northern Somalia included regions like Somaliland and Djibouti, formerly British Somaliland.

Southern Somalia was Italian Somaliland before Britain annexed it. Despite Somaliland's later independence, British and Italian influence persisted.

A large estate east of Bosaso housed a security base, surrounded by local armed black men for outside vigilance.

"Boss, the conditions here are terrible," Carl Anderson remarked helplessly, "Gandara has been taken by Calabi, but it needs some cleaning up."

Arthur took a sip of beer, "I'm not interested in Gandara. Let's visit the oil field tomorrow."

Soon, a bodyguard brought a middle-aged man into the office. He was a CIA agent, ordinary-looking with blonde hair and a lean physique.

"Good evening, Mr. Smith. I'm William Fox, a team leader from East Africa's intelligence agency. I've been operating in Somalia previously," William Fox introduced directly.

Arthur nodded, "The Gandara region must have oil or gas. My investment here isn't small, and I've convinced Western Oil Company to join too!"

William Fox smiled, "Yes, we previously confirmed oil fields here. Drilling should meet Mr. Smith's expectations."

Arthur frowned, "This place is a mess. I heard other forces are involved too. Isn't it hard to share these limited profits with others?"

"We do have rivals. MI6 has deep roots here," William Fox reluctantly admitted.

Why did Arthur come to Africa? Washington informed him this is an oil-rich area of Somalia with CIA's support. But, now, these guys sold land to many business men from many countries, making Arthur feel that everyone was snatching money from his bowl!

*****

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