Chapter 770: Black Skull Pirate

……

It is precisely because of the chaotic environment in Southeast Asia that each of the offshore drilling platforms set up by Unocal here is equipped with 12 heavily armed security personnel! They are all military personnel who have been rigorously trained for one year at the Habayashi Island base of the Internal Guard Force and have actual combat experience. Although it is still much worse than the special forces of various countries, it is much stronger than ordinary soldiers, and as for pirates who have not undergone any rigorous military training, they cannot be compared.

So, it's definitely not an ordinary pirate who can take them down!

"Have you checked the details of this 'Black Skull Pirate Group'?" asked Guo Shouyun.

"I've asked the Indonesian police, and they say that the name has never been heard in the big pirate groups in Southeast Asia!" said Rebecca Mark.

"Haven't heard of it?"

"Yes!"

Guo Shouyun's eyes narrowed, and there was a touch of deep thought on his face.

"That's interesting!"

"One more thing, boss. During the week, Unocal stock suddenly increased its short position by a lot, totaling about $12.5 billion. ”

"A sudden increase?"

"Yes!"

"Have you checked it?"

"I've checked, but most of them are offshore funds, and it's hard to find the real mastermind!" After a pause, Rebecca Mark said in a deep voice, "Boss, I think that the shorts targeting us are intrinsically related to the fact that the pirates hijacked our offshore drilling platform." ”

"Tell me what you think?"

"Unocal has always been in a good financial position, we have ample liquidity, and the oil industry is on the rise, and no fund manager in their right mind and experience would choose to target Unocal. Unless... They have enough confidence! It just so happened that pirates hijacked our rig at this time, and when the news of this thing spreads, our stock price will inevitably fall. Rebecca nodded back.

"Anything else?"

"Boss, the person who shorts Unocal with this means must not be an ordinary short. Rather, it is a deep contradiction with us, even hatred. There are not many such people. So, while we can't track down the bears, it's not hard to guess who the enemy is. ”

Guo Shouyun's eyes flashed, and after a moment of silence, "You don't have to worry about the stock price for the time being." Focus on solving the hostage-taking incident at the drilling rig. There is only one principle: money can be given, and people must guarantee my safety!"

"Yes!"

After hanging up the phone, Guo Shouyun paced in the study for a while. He had already roughly guessed who the enemy was, but he didn't expect their methods to be so aggressive. However, it is also understandable that Americans have always used their fists to solve problems when they do not understand the reason.

"Since you choose to use your fists, then I'll use your fists too!"

Thinking of this, Guo Shouyun turned around and picked up his other mobile phone, found Pire Lee's number and dialed it.

"Boss!"

"Where are you?"

"Dubai!"

"Dubai?"

"Hmm... I've heard that there will be a lot of good things in the Dubai Black Market in May, so I'm here to make a stop. ”

The black market is no stranger to internal security forces with multiple identities such as security personnel and mercenaries. Most of the weapons and ammunition they used were purchased from here, and the seized poisons~ and works of art were also sold here.

The black market and the internal guard have long been inextricably linked. Therefore, Guo Shouyun didn't ask much, and went straight to the point: "Unocal's two offshore drilling platforms in Indonesia were hijacked by a force called the 'Black Skull Pirate Group'. However, I suspect that this Black Skull Pirate Group is a Xibei product, you use our information channels in the Underworld to investigate the true origin of this Black Skull for me!"

"Understood! I'll arrange it right away!" said Piree Lee.

It was the same as Guo Shouyun expected. The next day, the news that Unocal's two offshore drilling rigs in Indonesia were hijacked by pirates and demanded a huge ransom of $200 million was quickly spread throughout the United States under the publicity of CNBC, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and other media. Unocal's stock price fell in response, falling 450 basis points on the first day, and the following week, Unocal, which was originally worth $73.3 billion, fell to $61.7 billion, and the huge assets of $11.6 billion evaporated.

Although the rise and fall of the stock price does not affect the increase or decrease of the company's assets, Guo Shouyun is still very heartbroken to see the company's efforts for more than half a year come to naught.

It's not just him who is heartbroken, but Unocal shareholders are also heartbroken. But no one would have thought of such a black swan event as pirates hijacking a drilling platform. So Unocal didn't get too much blame from the outside world. But there are no less troubles.

"Bruce, now that the Unocal drilling rig has been hijacked by pirates, what are you going to do?" asked Ned Romney, CEO of Vanguard Fund, on the phone.

In addition to Guo Shouyun's Bruce Fund, Vanguard Fund is Unocal's largest institutional investor. As for the Morgan Family Fund, Roosevelt Family Fund, Blackstone Group and other PE institutions that have invested in before, most of them have cashed out after Unocal went public, and have been replaced by mutual funds such as Vanguard Fund and Meisheng Group, as well as private investors.

If it weren't for that, the Schiff family and Citi would not have openly shorted Unocal stock!

"Ned, I have contacted Ambassador Pitch at the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia, and he will cooperate with us in urging the Indonesian police and military to rescue the hostages taken by pirates!"

"What about the $200 million ransom? That's not a small amount!"

"No matter how much ransom you pay, no human life is worth anything! Besides, we don't have any other choice, do we?" Guo Shouyun said.

"Bruce, if you need it, I can connect you with the world's top security companies!" After a moment of silence, Ned Romney suddenly said in a strange tone.

"You want to storm?"

Guo Shouyun instantly understood.

"That would cost us less, wouldn't it?!"

Hearing this, Guo Shouyun's eyes flashed. From an economic point of view, Ned Romney's strategy is indeed correct. Invite a top-notch security team to storm a pirate-controlled rig, even if some of the hostages die. Then the commission and death compensation spent will not cost 200 million dollars, or even 100 million.

"Ned, if this strategy is adopted, we will be exposed to a great moral hazard!"

"Bruce, any strategy has flaws. Moreover, we are already actively rescuing the hostages, and the law and public opinion will not be too harsh! Moreover, now Unocal is facing great difficulties in the stock market, and we need funds to support the market!"

"Ned, the stakes are high. I'll think about it and get back to you!"

“OK！… Bruce, you are the chairman of the board of directors of Unocal, and I support you no matter what decision you make!"

"Thank you!"