Rise of the Argentine Empire

Saint Hesser's trip to the United States also had a hidden purpose: to see if he could find technology for uranium enrichment using centrifuges. Argentina had no shortage of uranium ore, and Bolivia had plenty as well, but purification was a problem, as it involved relatively advanced scientific technology.

On the official Argentine side, there was the National Atomic Energy Commission, whose purpose was obvious, but Perón didn't understand these things and was taken advantage of by the Germans.

For developing countries, enrichment was the first obstacle to developing nuclear weapons, and Argentina was no exception. If Argentina wanted to become a first-class country—no, a second-class country—it needed at least some nuclear weapons. Moreover, things like launching satellites could share ballistic missile technology. At this time, the United States and Canada both possessed advanced aerospace technology, a benefit of winning World War II.

Furthermore, neither the United States nor the Soviet Union was yet using gas centrifuges to produce enriched uranium; they were using gaseous diffusion, which was a benefit to him. At least hiring some experts wouldn't be as easily blocked, but it required being discreet and even more discreet.

For an ambitious country, nuclear weapons were like underwear: you couldn't tell others you had them, but you absolutely had to have them. Even France and Britain didn't have nuclear weapons yet. Of the so-called five permanent members of the Security Council, only the United States and the Soviet Union were truly worthy of the name.

If Argentina didn't want to be exploited, it had to have its own nuclear weapons. It might even need to help Brazil develop them as well, so that Argentina wouldn't face too much international pressure, just like Pakistan and India in later generations. Of course, this would depend on how much Argentina's strength could expand.

Brazil was also secretly developing nuclear weapons, but later abandoned the effort due to pressure from the United States. Without nuclear weapons, the 'Brazilian threat' wouldn't hold water.

In later generations, most of the raw materials for Argentina's nuclear weapons development came from the United States and Canada. South Africa, the only country that successfully developed and then abandoned nuclear weapons, also relied heavily on the United States for importing purified uranium, using the guise of developing civilian nuclear power plants. South African technology was actually very advanced, and they even developed their own ballistic missile technology. Of course, before 'Saint' Mandela came to power, South Africa crippled itself and went from a second-rate to a third-rate country.

Saint Hesser's recent consolidation of Maya Chemical and the expansion of Thunder Mining, in addition to integrating resources, also took into account the development of nuclear weapons.

The Argentine government was powerless to obtain nuclear weapons development technology, but perhaps civilian power could be feasible, just like the American Manhattan Project.

Uranium metallurgy refers to the process of extracting, concentrating, and purifying natural uranium products from uranium ore. Uranium metallurgy is the foundation of the nuclear industry.

As a high-precision industry, the nuclear industry involves various fields of science, which Saint Hesser couldn't fully grasp. He was also gambling on an attempt.

Enriched uranium refers to uranium metal in which the uranium-235 content exceeds the natural content after isotope separation. The opposite is depleted uranium. Uranium with an abundance greater than 90% is called weapons-grade highly enriched uranium, mainly used for making nuclear weapons.

Currently, the world mainly uses gaseous diffusion to produce enriched uranium, while using centrifuges to produce enriched uranium, that is, gas centrifugation, is more advanced and cost-effective. If he could gather some mechanical, physical, and chemical experts, then perhaps he could take the next step without being held back.

Now Saint Hesser planned to conduct research and development and reserves in his own way, without cooperating with Argentine official institutions, which would be more concealed. Moreover, if Perón really developed nuclear weapons, Saint Hesser estimated that he would never be able to get ahead.

For example, by jointly producing drum washing machines, it would be perfectly reasonable to hire a few physics experts. Companies like Westinghouse Electric also needed to be inquired about, but he couldn't act rashly. Relatively speaking, Canada was a more suitable partner.

Saint Hesser's mind was full of ideas before he returned to reality. Developing nuclear weapons, he could only do some small actions. This required strong strength. He could make some talent reserves and get various equipment in advance.

… …

The next day, Sequoia Investment.

Sequoia Investment was not located in the core area of Wall Street, but in a building on the periphery.

Under Saine's arrangement, the group drove here. This building was 30 stories high, which was quite impressive. Sequoia Investment was located on the 20th and 21st floors. Both the area and the decoration were very good.

It was not very far from the hotel. On the way, they passed some famous districts. The air quality was average, but they had to stop when they arrived. There were many people. Most of the companies on the periphery of Wall Street were not very strong. The real consortiums were in the core of Wall Street.

Saint Hesser changed his clothes and followed behind Saine. Today, he was inspecting his American industry, which was currently the only one.

To be honest, Sequoia Investment didn't have many people, only a little over 190, of which more than 10 were Argentines, of course, members of the Falcon Bureau who entered the country under various guises.

For Saine, managing Sequoia Investment was not complicated. He only needed to follow the boss's plan and buy, buy, buy. But in the eyes of many Americans, this was almost a miracle. Sequoia Investment basically made long-term investments and rarely sold stocks. With the long-term rise of the American stock market, it was just sharing the dividends.

But the stocks that Sequoia Investment bought basically went up, which was very surprising. Moreover, Sequoia Investment basically bought the stocks of large companies, with a large enough volume, but very few investment companies had the amazing rate of return of Sequoia Investment. This was quite remarkable.

Moreover, Sequoia Investment actually recruited very few genius investment stock managers. Most of them could even be said to be quite mediocre, and half of them were Latino. Even if other companies poached people, most of them couldn't reveal any information. There were even people from the Falcon Bureau who were poached and joined Goldman Sachs, but most of them were fired after a few months because they really didn't have any skills.

Saint Hesser adopted a long-term value investment method similar to Buffett's. As long as the company's name was familiar, he would buy it directly, which was often successful.

"Saine, please find more people to register 3 futures companies and 2 investment companies, and transfer these funds into the investment accounts of these companies."

Sequoia Investment was already afraid of being famous and attracting attention. It would definitely not work to use this brand again. Saint Hesser personally came this time to make a quick buck and run, invest in a few small and promising companies, and most importantly, invest in the futures market, because in the second half of '52 and the first half of '53, the American futures market would have big movements, and he planned to make a big profit from it.

He was preparing to use a large leverage, which required remote control. He couldn't guarantee safety.

"Okay, boss."

Saine was not surprised. The boss had amazing insight and was good at cutting in from a point, which made his calm heart a little excited.

"Boss, this name, is it a bit…"

Saine took the paper handed over by Saint Hesser and felt a little strange. The boss seemed to have a thing for colors.

Red, blue, black, green, it always felt a little improper.

"I think it's very good, Blue Origin Futures, Green Agriculture Futures, Black Stone Investment Company…"

Most of the futures in the United States now are agricultural futures, not like the oil and other commodities of later generations.

"Okay, boss, I'll have someone arrange it right away. Do these shell companies still need to be set up in Chicago?"

"Yes, but we'll operate remotely. This time, we won't make long-term investments. We'll just follow behind and speculate. These companies need multiple protections to ensure a certain degree of concealment. Put 2 million US dollars into each account, a total of 6 companies, 12 million US dollars, and later add a leverage of 5 times or more."

"Okay, boss."

Saine wiped his forehead. A leverage of 5 times would be 60 million US dollars. It seemed that the boss's appetite was not just these, which was a bit scary.

"By the way, sell some of the stocks of these companies, sell them in days, I have other uses for them."

Now, the increase in these companies' stock prices won't be too significant in the short term. It's a good time to cash out and diversify investments into some promising future companies.

"In the future, split Sequoia Capital into two parts, while reducing its size. Find a bank to cooperate with, preferably one with branches in Latin America."

Currently, there aren't many banks with branches in Latin America. Saint Hérse assigned a task to Sain. Within the American capital circles, there are also potential partners. These consortia aren't just limited to a single group. Besides the eight major consortia, there are many medium-sized consortia that offer various opportunities for cooperation. Not all capital is the enemy.

"Okay, boss, I'll arrange that. Oh, by the way, boss, I found you an American secretary to take care of your life in America and the basic situation of Sequoia. Would you like me to have her come over later?"

For these capital consortia, as long as there's enough profit margin, they're willing to cooperate with the devil. Saint Hérse also needs to find some backers for Sequoia. A development model like Bilon's, which offends everyone, is doomed to fail sooner or later. This isn't an exaggeration. If Brazil is a positive example, then Argentina is a negative one.

"Sure, I also need an American guide. I still lack a deep understanding of America."

Saint Hérse glanced at the scenery outside the glass window of Sequoia Capital. It's located on the outskirts of Wall Street, which is relatively low-key.

After a while,

"Come in."

Saint Hérse heard a knock on the door and said.

"Hello, Mr. Tom, I'm Anna, Anna Bella."

Saint Hérse used a "real passport" this time in America, issued by Argentina, and didn't use his real name. His name on the passport is Tom Cruise, and all his experiences are fabricated. For the current Saint Hérse, it's a piece of cake.

For safety, the people sent out by the Falcon Bureau in the past basically had their personal information changed. In Argentina, as long as you have enough money, in the era before the internet, getting a real passport is much easier than getting a fake one.

Moreover, Saint Hérse's appearance has also undergone some simple disguises. His current identity is a 26-year-old law master's student from the University of La Plata. This was also approved by Professor Pukins. The persona is somewhat frivolous, but from a very wealthy family.

The Falcon Bureau doesn't send people out all at once. This trip was rushed, and the people from Delta all need to return to Argentina, so they're using their real identities. The information of the Falcon Bureau and Saint Hérse are all fabricated, but actually "real". For Saint Hérse, there's no psychological burden.

"Hello, I'm Tom Cruise. Uncle Sain asked me to familiarize myself with the business. Anna, you're very beautiful, as beautiful as the stars in the sky."

Saint Hérse gently shook hands with Anna, then pretended to casually touch her small hand. It was very smooth and tender.

This time, Saint Hérse also plans to take Sain back to the country, because his identity is actually not very reliable. After all, Sain used his real information at the time, and it's estimated that it has been thoroughly investigated. But it's precisely because Sain's identity information is "clean" enough that many companies think Sequoia is not simple. They unanimously believe that Sain is just a puppet on the stage, and there's someone else behind him.

Saint Hérse plans to send the more capable Little Nix to take over Sequoia next year. The future Sequoia Capital is likely to be split into several companies. "Sain", this person, will also "die accidentally", then change his identity and smuggle back to the country to be responsible for his other businesses, such as the bonds of La Plata and the investment of the Buchen Securities Exchange.

This was his original plan, but he didn't expect Sequoia to be targeted so early. It can only be said that his luck wasn't very good, and Sain wasn't enough to cope with the challenges ahead. Returning to the country is also a good plan. Now, let him exert his remaining value.

Anna is quite good-looking. She just graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York half a year ago. She's of Irish descent. Being able to enter this relatively famous Sequoia Capital on Wall Street is also a cherished opportunity.

She's wearing a well-tailored black uniform, with her hair in a bun, and light gray eyes, looking somewhat capable.

The City University of New York is different from New York University. The former belongs to the public university system, while the latter is a famous private university.

"Mr. Tom, please respect yourself."

Although Saint Hérse looks suave and handsome, for Anna, this is not what she wants, and the aggressiveness that Saint Hérse shows makes her a little scared.

"Okay, that's a pity. Are there any restaurants nearby? Take me there, let's have dinner."

"Okay, Mr. Tom."

"There's a French restaurant that just opened on Seventh Avenue."

Anna replied.

"I heard the food there is excellent."

Anna said with some resignation. She can't give up such a high-paying job and can only submit to Saint Hérse.

Saint Hérse smiled playfully. The two took the elevator downstairs, followed by two burly bodyguards with bulging pockets, looking very intimidating.

Saint Hérse saw a cigarette vending machine on the side of the road and asked the security guard to buy two packs of Camel cigarettes. Saint Hérse lit one directly.

"The taste is barely acceptable, not as good as the Andes Cigarette Factory's."

Saint Hérse compared the taste. The machines on the side of the road sell cheap goods, which are definitely not as good as the custom products given to him by the Eagle Cigarette Factory.

He drove with Anna to the French restaurant. The atmosphere here is very good. The French restaurant has a good style and is quite expensive. Although it is newly opened, it is still crowded with waiting customers. For the wealthy Americans, the French accent is very fulfilling, and the French specialize in slaughtering wealthy Americans.

Anna had already booked a seat there in the name of Sequoia Capital when she was in the company. She is a very qualified secretary.

Saint Hérse dismissed the security personnel and asked them to follow from a distance, and they also had to eat.

Throughout the evening, in the atmosphere of candlelight dinner, he kept hooking up with Anna, saying frivolous love words, completely immersed in his attentiveness to Anna, and gently touching her back. Anna finally fell for it. After all, Tom looks rich, talented, and handsome, completely meeting all her imaginations of a Prince Charming.

Saint Hérse is also releasing his wildness. Anna is his little lamb.

His closeness made Anna a little scared, but also a little happy.

In the end, Saint Hérse didn't let Anna go home, but opened a room next to him. Anna took a shower and put on a new black silk robe, which she bought in a high-end store in the afternoon. The clothes clung to her body, and Anna's figure was very good.

Saint Hérse lay on the big bed and pulled Anna...

Two o'clock in the morning,

"How do you feel, darling?"

Saint Hérse asked with a somewhat hoarse voice.

"Mr. Tom, I hope you won't bother me again in the future."

Anna's face was flushed like a tempting apple. She seemed to have made up her mind, closed her eyes, and said to Saint Hérse next to her.

She now has a complex feeling towards Saint Hérse.

"Well, that's...impossible, at least in America, impossible."

Saint Hérse replied with a chuckle.

"Good night, dear little Anna."

He walked to the bed and leaned over to gently kiss Anna's forehead, looking very gentle, completely different from the roughness just now.

Saint Hérse rarely used his power to oppress people in China, and he behaved quite gently, but after arriving in the United States, he was actually walking on thin ice. The strength and prosperity of the United States gave him great pressure, like a sword of Damocles.

He needs to collect some interest in advance, and Anna just happened to offer herself.

Moreover, some of the characteristics of the previous body have some influence on him to some extent. He can control it very well in China, but it is somewhat difficult to suppress it when he arrives abroad.

...

The third day in New York,

"Boss, I have already had people register the office and the security company."

Sain handed the information to Saint Hérse.