Chapter 402 Wolf Club
James still had a strong impression of Micah.
When Gerald was gravely ill, Micah had used every trick in the book to seize power. During the Lee family crisis, he took advantage of the situation to force a marriage alliance. Because of this, James had long since blacklisted him.
Now, hearing that Micah was threatening Mary, James naturally had no good feelings toward him.
After hanging up the phone, James turned to Mary. "What's the deal with the Cloud Top Mountain auction?"
"Decades ago, the Cloud Top Mountain project went bankrupt, and the government took back the property rights," Mary said, brushing her hair back and not hiding anything from James.
"Maybe it's because Cloud Top Mountain is too mysterious, or maybe it's due to various power struggles, but the government hasn't put it up for auction all these years."
"Last week, the Department of Land Resources decided to dispose of idle assets, and they included Cloud Top Mountain in the public notice."
"The day after tomorrow afternoon, Cloud Top Mountain will be auctioned at the Glowing Oasis charity event, with a starting bid of one billion dollars."
Mary's eyes sparkled with determination. "You know how much this mountain means to the Smith Family. Whether we win the auction or not, I'll give it my all."
James nodded slightly. "I understand the special significance it holds for you, but why is the Gonzalez Family so determined to get it too?"
To James, it seemed that only the Smith Family, who had once dreamed about it, would be so fixated on Cloud Top Mountain. Other forces shouldn't be so obsessed with it.
First, it would require a massive financial investment with high risks, potentially resulting in a total loss. Second, the Gonzalez Family had no strong foundation in Rosewood City, making it extremely difficult to develop Cloud Top Mountain.
"I don't know their purpose," Mary said, her eyes indifferent.
"After I announced my intention to bid on Cloud Top Mountain, Micah sent a middleman to ask me to withdraw from the auction."
"He said he wanted to secure Cloud Top Mountain for one billion dollars and didn't want to see me driving up the price."
"I refused him on the spot, and since then, he's been warning me in various ways. Today, he even personally threatened me."
"But no matter what methods he uses, I won't back down."
"I'll give it my all in the Cloud Top Mountain auction."
Mary's words were firm. Cloud Top Mountain had once carried Charles's dreams and was also where he had fallen. As his daughter, she felt she had to do her part.
James suddenly asked, "How much money would guarantee winning the bid for Cloud Top Mountain?"
"Starting at one billion dollars, with no upper limit," Mary informed James. "The property value of Cloud Top Mountain is around fifty billion dollars. If the bid exceeds fifty billion, the profit margin for any project would be very small."
"It's a 3,000-foot mountain, not an open space or a residential area for redevelopment. Its value is immense but also comes with many restrictions."
"If you buy it for fifty billion dollars, you'll need to develop it to recoup the investment. If you don't develop it and just sell tickets, it might take several lifetimes to break even."
"And developing a mountain like Cloud Top Mountain would require a colossal investment. Even a hundred billion might only cover the basic infrastructure."
"So, even if it were given away for free, not many would dare to take it."
Despite Mary's determination to win Cloud Top Mountain, her face showed a heavy seriousness when discussing its future. The complexity of the project clearly weighed on her.
James asked, "How much money do you have?"
Charles had once mobilized the entire Smith Clan to develop Cloud Top Mountain. Now, Mary, as the head of the thirteenth branch, dared to bid on it. James was curious about her confidence.
"I know what you're thinking," Mary sighed. "To be honest, the entire thirteenth branch of the Smith Clan has assets worth about a hundred billion dollars. I can only gather and mortgage about twenty billion dollars in cash."
"Twenty billion?" James was shocked. "That might not even be enough to win the bid, let alone for future development."
"I never planned for future development. I just want to win the bid first. There's a ten-year idle period anyway," Mary said, not hiding anything from James.
"If the Smith Family holds the property rights to Cloud Top Mountain, my father would be very happy. It would be a step closer to his dream of revival."
James chuckled. "Spending twenty billion for a ten-year viewing period? You really are extravagant."
Mary took a sip of her coffee. "I don't want to, but it's my father's obsession and a hope for my family."
"In the past, I couldn't do anything about it. But now, as the head of the thirteenth branch, I want to do something for my father."
"Besides, my position as head could be revoked at any time. If I don't seize this opportunity to secure Cloud Top Mountain now, I might never get another chance."
She knew her actions were reckless, but this was the closest the Smith Family had ever been to their dream. She had to take the gamble.
James leaned back in his chair. "Have you consulted your uncle about this auction?"
"I have." Mary nodded. "He didn't explicitly forbid it, but he didn't explicitly support it either."
"He just said that as the head of the thirteenth branch, I have the authority to do what I want, as long as it's legal and doesn't harm the Smith Family's interests."
She added, "Of course, he also reminded me that Cloud Top Mountain is complicated and advised me to act within my means, as I have to be responsible for the six hundred people in the thirteenth branch."
"That's an interestingly ambiguous statement," James smiled. "Do you think that if you win the bid, spending twenty billion on a mountain you can't develop would harm the Smith Clan's interests?"
Mary responded, "If I can secure it for twenty billion, for a property valued at fifty, I'd be making a thirty billion profit."
"For ten years, it would be a huge benefit to the Smith Clan. We could sell tickets or find a buyer. There's a good chance we could recoup the two hundred million."
"After ten years, if we can't develop it, the twenty billion might be wasted. But I might have the funds to start the project by then, fulfilling the Smith Family's dream and reaching my own peak."
"In any case, we'll worry about the uncertainties ten years from now."
Mary had clearly thought it through. "If I can't win the bid with twenty billion, the Smith Clan won't lose anything. It would just be a waste of my time."
James sighed. "You're really gambling here, and your chances are very low."
"Before coming to Glowing Oasis, I thought the same," Mary said with a playful smile. "But now, I think it's a sure win."
James was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Mary laughed. "You have money. When the time comes, you can be my sugar daddy and buy Cloud Top Mountain from me for fifty billion."
James spat out his coffee, spraying it on Mary.
"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help it. But you can't blame me for that," James said, wiping her off and taking the opportunity to touch her a few times.
The feel was excellent.
"Get lost, you jerk. You ruined my clothes," Mary snapped, grabbing James's hand and giving him a hard pinch before heading to the restroom to clean up.
James winced in pain, wanting to say something, but then he saw the café door being pushed open.
A loud noise followed.
A group of over ten men in black suits, flanking a few well-dressed individuals, walked in.
The bustling café suddenly became tense, with everyone turning to look at the uninvited guests.
Soon, the group stood in front of James, their faces showing a superior attitude.
James recognized one of them—the director of the CDC hospital.
He was surprised to see him here.
At that moment, a stylish woman in her late twenties lit a cigarette and sat down comfortably on the sofa opposite James, her presence commanding.
From a distance, someone exclaimed, "The Red Wolf from Wolf Club?"
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