Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm

News of oil production at Martin's Sertan Oilfield quickly reached the North American media.

"Reports indicate that the Sertan Oilfield, wholly owned by Martin's Campbell Oil Company, confirmed oil production three days ago. The first well has a daily production rate of 50,000 barrels with excellent oil quality that requires no pre-treatment for processing..."

"The single-well production rate is a critical economic metric, governed by a complex set of functions. From the initial daily output, we can deduce whether the oilfield is profitable or not. Of course, this analysis also depends on current costs, local tax policies, and the relationship between drilling and platform construction expenses."

"A daily output of 50,000 barrels far exceeds this economic benchmark. Based on this figure, the oilfield is projected to generate over $2.6 billion annually, with estimated reserves exceeding 2 billion barrels. This calculation suggests Martin's net worth has surpassed $50 billion, potentially ranking him among the top five wealthiest individuals globally."

Martin's title as an oil and energy tycoon was now firmly established.

"Martin, with the oilfield now producing, I believe this is an excellent opportunity for promotion. I'm planning to organize an oil equipment trade fair in Abu Dhabi. We can invite oil equipment companies from around the world. Based on the Sertan Oilfield's production capacity, we could offer at least $1 billion in contracts, which would undoubtedly attract major companies."

"Additionally, we should consider building a petrochemical base. Selling crude oil as-is would be too wasteful. We also need to find channels to sell the accompanying natural gas."

David Scott passionately outlined his vision for the future of the Sertan Oilfield.

Martin nodded decisively and said, "I agree with your plan. Handle it as you see fit."

Trusting Scott's competence and loyalty, Martin saw no need to micromanage and was content to let him take the reins.

In Washington, President "Little Bush" was once again furious.

The exceptional performance of the Sertan Oilfield led to more criticism from the shareholders of the Texas Oil Group.

"Motherf***ers! Damn it, your failure to win the bid has nothing to do with me. It's your own incompetence."

"Motherf***ers! How could the Sertan Oilfield reserves be this high? Why did I even leak such crucial intelligence to Martin back then? What the hell was I thinking?"

Lately, the more Little Bush thought about it, the more unnerved he felt. A creeping fear of Martin began to take root in his heart.

"Motherf***ers! War—there must be war. If not, my approval ratings will hit rock bottom. Iraq also has oilfields—large ones. At least that will appease those old bastards."

The Bush family had always been a spokesperson for the Texas Oil Group. Though he cursed them internally, Little Bush had no choice but to act in their interests.

When Martin returned to Abu Dhabi, he was warmly welcomed by the Emirati royal family and officials.

Around the world, not every company that secured an oilfield through bidding managed to extract oil. Many spent large sums only to fail in finding oil during the exploration phase, leading to bankruptcy.

Even in the oil-rich Arab world, several companies annually folded after acquiring unproductive oilfields.

Martin's Sertan Oilfield broke this trend, producing gas within two months of exploration and oil shortly after. This achievement set a record in Arab oilfield history.

In the Arab world, where oil wealth reigns supreme, the mantra is clear:

"Only oil-producing companies are worth associating with."

Initially, Emirati officials only extended their warmth to Martin because of his close ties with the royal family. Now, they genuinely sought to build connections.

Invitations to banquets and galas poured in, and Martin had to engage in social diplomacy. With the oilfield set to operate for at least two decades, cultivating local relationships was vital.

For an entire week, Martin was either at a banquet or en route to one, dealing with Emirati officials, technical service companies, and downstream chemical executives, all eager for a slice of the pie.

If it weren't for the nightly company of beautiful companions, Martin would have longed to escape.

One morning, Martin dragged himself out of bed. A week of relentless socializing had left him mentally drained, even with his seemingly boundless energy.

As he rubbed his temples and prepared for the day, he decided to return to the oil platform later.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang!"

At 10:30, a knock came at the door.

Martin gestured for Gordon to answer it. Standing outside were an elated David Scott and two middle-aged men with distinctly Chinese features.

Gordon asked curiously, "Who are they?"

Scott explained, "Apologies for the sudden visit. These gentlemen are staff from the Chinese Embassy in the UAE. We bumped into them on the way up, and they said they needed to speak with Mr. Martin."

Hearing this, Martin stood from the sofa and looked toward the door.

In the hallway stood two Chinese men, likely in their thirties or forties, dressed in finely tailored navy-blue suits. One wore gold-rimmed glasses.

Their expressions were cordial. Upon seeing Martin, they immediately introduced themselves.

"I'm Li Donglai, Commercial Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in the UAE, and this is my colleague, Zhang Shu. Apologies for the intrusion, Mr. Martin."

"Hello," Martin greeted them in fluent Mandarin before Gordon could respond.

Li Donglai's face lit up. He had heard of this American prodigy's fascination with Chinese culture and his proficiency in the language—it seemed the rumors were true.

"Mr. Martin, we were hoping to speak with you privately," Li Donglai said smoothly, exuding the practiced ease of a seasoned diplomat.

Martin smiled. "Come in," he said, gesturing for them to enter.

After a polite exchange, Li Donglai sat down and glanced around before saying, "Mr. Martin, you must be quite busy lately."

"Gordon, prepare some tea," Martin instructed before turning back to his guests.

He chuckled and replied, "Yes, it's been hectic, but it's almost over. I've met with everyone I needed to. I was planning to return to the drilling platform later today. If you'd come a day later, you'd have missed me."

Li Donglai smiled. "It seems we've arrived just in time."

After exchanging a brief look with Zhang Shu, Li Donglai got straight to the point. "Since Mr. Martin is so busy, we won't waste time. We're here to invite Campbell Oil to invest in China."

"Invest?" Martin raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. We've heard about your plans to establish a petrochemical base. Would it be possible to set it up in China? We can guarantee a range of preferential policies to ensure your satisfaction."

Hearing this, David Scott, who had followed them inside, immediately straightened up, his interest piqued.

[GodOfReader: Sigh, i want to remove these dialogue but i can't since it would leave a plothole. Fuck you author.]