Chapter 1016: Achieve
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Li Du had known that many Africans loved to express their emotions through song and dance. They would spontaneously start dancing and singing around a bonfire.
Now, he learned that they also expressed their sorrow and mournfulness using song and dance. Once the party started, the Golden Grass tribe played the drums and some sort of string instrument as they danced around the bonfire.
Initially, they sang in somber tones to praise the deceased as a gesture of mourning.
However, as they continued to sing, their voices became more spirited and their dance moves merrier, losing the earlier melancholy. Li Du found them to be strangely happy.
At first, almost everybody participated in the dancing and singing. As time passed, however, people began to drop off for a hearty drink.
The alcohol lifted their spirits and the men became even more joyous. The drumming became louder, and while some of the men blew the buffalo’s horn, the women danced, the bells on their ankles tinkling. It was a scene of jubilance as everyone sang and danced.
As Li Du sipped on the fruit wine that was a specialty of the Golden Grass tribe, he remarked, “Back in my country, if someone dared to do this after a burial, he would be scolded for a long time.”
Godzilla chimed in, chewing on a piece of grilled chicken, “In my hometown, we actually have a similar custom. After the burial, we also sing and dance.”
Brother Wolf said, “I feel that when a soldier passes on, gunshots should replace the drumming. That would reenact the scene of a battlefield, which is a soldier’s home!”
The tribespeople gave free rein to their love of singing, dancing, and drinking. The party dragged past midnight, and other than the soldiers on duty, every other officer and soldier was there to sing and dance with the tribe.
As the burial procession ended, Li Du was determined to bid farewell to Remonin and to return to South Africa.
Remonin held onto Li Du’s hand, saying, “I hate to part with you so soon, Li. We are not only business partners, but also close allies that had fought together. Are you sure you don’t want to stay for a while?”
Li Du said, “I have other matters to attend to, General. I have overstayed my time here.”
Remonin wanted to keep him and nurture their relationship further. However, he knew he had no choice but to resign himself to say goodbye.
Li Du was happy to work with him. As he left, he would take with him the unrefined raw diamonds that Remonin had harvested.
Since Remonin’s diamonds were considered blood diamonds, though there had been no bloodshed at the mining site, they had not received international credentials. Those diamonds would not be easy to work with.
Li Du’s offer was very low. Remonin had at least five thousand carats of diamonds, some of which were high-quality, but there were also many bits and pieces of melee diamonds.
“The melee diamonds are not valuable. In the international market, one carat of diamond can fetch a few hundred US dollars. I would mainly profit from high-quality diamonds. Regardless, I will give you five million US dollars, how about that?” Li Du asked.
Remonin’s diamond mine was relatively new. Lion-Hunter was the only connection he had in the diamond industry, and Remonin turned to him for advice.
Lion-Hunter nodded, “The price is reasonable, General. Even if they undergo Kimberlite processing and have the Rough Diamonds International Certificate, the price can only fetch up to ten million US dollars.”
His words were only partially true. If the diamonds were all melee diamonds, five thousand carats of them would not be worth more. However, the larger diamonds were the size of green beans and some were even the size of peas. Such diamonds were valuable.
Li Du estimated that if sales were good, those diamonds could fetch up to 50 million US dollars.
Lion-Hunter looked at him and said, “50 million US dollars is too low, Li. I know who you work with. In other places, these diamonds might only be worth ten million. But at Harry Winston, even if they are just melee diamonds, the price can be a few times higher!”
Li Du said patiently, “That’s right, but General, there are other considerations as well.
Harry Winston specializes in luxury goods. The market for melee diamonds is very small. If we bring in a lot of melee jewelry, our clients would look down on us and that would cause the value of our merchandise to fall.”
Nodding his head, Lion-Hunter said, “Harry Winston typically procures high-quality diamonds.”
Remonin showed his displeasure, saying, “My brother, you seem to be siding with my opponent.”
Looking aggrieved, Lion-Hunter said, “How can that be? I’m telling the truth with absolute fairness and objectivity. Besides, how is Li your opponent? We are all friends, planning to get rich together!”
Li Du nodded, “Yes, we will all get rich. But if I can’t make a profit, why would I do
business with you?”
Lion-Hunter was biased in favor of Li Du. He hardly had any choice. He was the cause
of the hardships Li Du had suffered thus far, and so he had to fight for Li Du’s understanding and friendship.
Hence, he sacrificed Remonin’s benefits for his own interests.
Five million US dollars was still a huge amount of money. A tribal leader like Remonin had never seen cash amounting to that sum in his entire life.
He began to hesitate. Then Li Du patted the table and said, “Okay, I will add another million. However, it is not for the diamonds, it is a donation to your army. I hope that your troops can develop and improve further.”
The gift of another million cheered Remonin up. “Oh? Just like that?”
Li Du nodded, “Yes. Good made me realize the terror of evil warlords. I hope that you make use of your strength to protect and help more people.”
Remonin patted his chest and said, “Rest assured, Li, I am the chief of Golden Grass
Tribe. I am not a crazy killer like Good. Besides, I am keen to become a top-ranked official in the country. I will treat people in my territory well!”
“Don’t eat the pygmies’ tintin anymore,” Li Du said mockingly.
Remonin laughed, “I was never going to.. I wanted to let you eat it. That thing has a foul taste, and no one in their right mind would enjoy it.”
Hearing that, Li Du felt his back begin to break out in cold sweat. This guy must have eaten it before, otherwise, he would not have known that.
However, he could not judge the locals with his own standards. Remonin did not kill innocents for no reason or torture people mercilessly. He was already considered an outstanding tribal leader.
He gave Sophie a call and after a short while, the funds were transferred successfully.
Remonin checked his international bank account on his computer. There were six million US dollars added.
Li Du managed to sneak a look at the screen, and saw that the first digit was still 6. It meant that the funds in Remonin’s bank account still amounted to less than seven million US dollars.
That made him sympathize with Remonin. What kind of warlord was he? It was too embarrassing. To know that he just gave Remonin six million US dollars and his account still had less than seven million!
This meant that before Li Du made the payment, Remonin himself did not even have a million. It was no wonder that when someone cheated him of that small amount, he got so mad.
Happy to have received the funds, Remonin smoothly struck up a business arrangement with Li Du. Remonin would continue to mine for diamonds and Li Du would come to collect them once a season.
After that, Li Du gave him another million as a deposit for the next batch of diamonds.
