The scene he just witnessed seemed somewhat different from what he had sensed on Pirate Island. The spiritual energy within the golden luster he sensed earlier appeared to be purer than that of the gold coins on Pirate Island, so Zhuang Rui couldn't be certain that those objects were indeed gold.
Myanmar is a country rich in mineral resources, with extremely abundant underground mineral resources. It not only has the world's only jadeite mine, but also a large number of gold and silver mines with very substantial reserves.
If it weren't for the entanglements of local powers, the complex geographical environment leading to huge investments, and the incompetence of the military government and the weakening of national strength, Myanmar could have become a very wealthy country.
The direction Zhuang Rui was looking in was adjacent to the Savage Mountain, which has always been a forbidden area for humans. It's not impossible that there might be an unexploited gold mine there.
"What's wrong? Zhuang Rui, come on, let's go downstairs..."
Hu Rong wandered around the mountaintop for a while, then walked to Zhuang Rui's side. This jade mine had been in operation for two years, which had helped the Hu family escape the predicament of having no mines to mine. Hu Rong still had a lot of affection for this place.
"Yes, Brother Hu..."
Zhuang Rui agreed, but after calling out to Hu Rong, he didn't know what to say next.
"What's up?"
Hu Rong had already stepped onto the railcar. He turned to Zhuang Rui and said, "Since you've also decided to sell this mine, let's go back later. You still have half of the raw stones in the stockpile in Chinatown..."
In recent years, Hu Rong has not participated much in the jade auctions organized by the Myanmar military government. Of the jade rough stones mined from this mine, one-third were smuggled to China, another third were consumed within Myanmar, and the remaining third were kept by Hu Rong.
The reason why Zhuang Rui didn't care much about this public auction was precisely this: the amount of raw stones mined from this rich mine over the past two years was absolutely astronomical. Even if the quality wasn't high, it was enough to support Zhuang Rui's jewelry store for one or two decades without worrying about jadeite raw materials.
“Brother Hu, it’s a rare opportunity to come to Myanmar. I’d like to take Peng Fei and the others to the edge of the Savage Mountain, maybe do some hunting. You know, there aren’t any good places like this back home…”
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment. He couldn't very well say that he suspected there was a gold mine there, so he could only come up with this excuse.
"Huh? Drive us out..."
Hu Rong was taken aback upon hearing this. He first used the walkie-talkie to instruct his men to start the railcar, then looked at Zhuang Rui and said, "Brother, didn't Dajun tell you yesterday? The situation in Myanmar isn't good right now. Several drug lords who fled from the Golden Triangle are now concentrated in the Hpakant area..."
It's important to understand that drug traffickers in the Golden Triangle are different from those in China; they are almost all armed drug traffickers. Whoever has the best weapons and the most men is the boss. The armed drug traffickers under a major drug lord could easily be called an army.
Like Khun Sa, if it weren't for infighting within his own army, even the combined forces of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos wouldn't have been able to do much against him.
So normally, going out hunting wouldn't be a big deal, but now Hu Rong doesn't dare let Zhuang Rui get close to the Savage Mountain.
Even this mine is usually under strict security to prevent attacks by drug lords. Now that they are diversifying their operations, the drug lords may not be unaware of the value of jade. If they can take advantage of the situation, they would definitely not mind fighting with Hu Rong's security team.
"Brother Hu, let's not go into the Savage Mountain. Let's just hunt some small animals on the edge. Besides, those drug dealers won't kill everyone they see, will they?"
The location, suspected to be a gold mine, piqued Zhuang Rui's interest. It wasn't entirely about the money; he wanted to see for himself what kind of place it was.
"No, hunting definitely involves shooting, they'll misunderstand..."
Hu Rong shook his head and rejected Zhuang Rui's words. These drug lords were already frightened. They had always been pampered and had come to hide in the Savage Mountain. If they were to be provoked any further, they would definitely fight desperately.
Zhuang Rui suddenly coughed and lowered his voice, saying, "Ahem, Brother Hu, this time my older brother said he's here to find some... you know..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui acting so mysteriously, Hu Rong paused for a moment and asked, "Big brother, which big brother? What do you want? Why are you talking so hesitantly?"
"Hey, it's that older brother in the army... Ouyang Lei..."
Zhuang Rui continued without batting an eye, "My older brother is over forty, and lately... well, when it comes to sex, he's been feeling a bit weak. He used that tiger penis last time and thought it worked well, so he wants me to get some more..."
Zhuang Rui was just talking nonsense. Of course, if Ouyang Jun hadn't had to rush back to China on his first day in Myanmar, he wouldn't have dared to say such a thing. If it reached Ouyang Lei's ears, his brother would definitely grab a gun and... well, you know.
Standing next to Zhuang Rui, Peng Fei couldn't help but show a strange expression after hearing Zhuang Rui's words. Being able to eavesdrop on the private affairs of high-ranking military leaders was something he could never have imagined under normal circumstances.
Zhuang Rui glared at Peng Fei and said, "Go away, go away, stand back. Don't listen to things you shouldn't hear..."
But the track car was only so big, it was hard not to hear it. Peng Fei and Li Zhen suppressed their laughter and turned their faces to the side.
You mean that thing?
Hu Rong looked troubled. The tiger penis and tiger bones he had given Zhuang Rui last time were family heirlooms that had been passed down for hundreds of years, and he had no more in stock.
However, upon hearing that it was Ouyang Lei who wanted it, Hu Rong thought for a moment and then said, "How about this, I'll go and find some more for you from somewhere else. You can stay in Hpakant for another three to five days, and that should be enough..."
The Hpakant area is close to the Savage Mountain. Although most people dare not go into the Savage Mountain, some veteran hunters still go in to hunt, and those people usually keep a stock of their catch at home.
"Brother Hu, I've already guaranteed Brother Lei that tiger penis is most effective when it's fresh. If I go back with the whole thing dried up, I'll lose face, won't I?"
Now that the lie had already been told, Zhuang Rui simply continued to fabricate it. Given Ouyang Lei's status in the domestic military, Hu Rong would normally have no way to curry favor with him. He believed that by raising this banner, Hu Rong would definitely give it serious consideration.
"Achoo! Who's talking about me? Could it be Grandpa? Let's drive, not home, to Yuquan Mountain..."
While far away in Beijing, Ouyang Lei couldn't help but sneeze several times, making his bodyguard think that his leader had caught a cold. Upon arriving at Yuquan Mountain, the bodyguard immediately reported this to the medical team there, forcing Ouyang Lei to undergo a medical check-up in a rather unfortunate situation. ...
"This matter... is not easy to handle..."
While the two were talking, the railcar had already arrived at the foot of the mountain. Hu Rong frowned as he got off the car, looked at the dense jungle of the Savage Mountain in the distance, and said, "In recent years, there haven't been many tigers in the Savage Mountain. Although I've heard of people killing them every year, it depends on luck. Even if you climb the mountain, you might not be able to see one... How about this, you go back to China first, and if I can get one in a while, I'll send it to you?"
Hunting a tiger in Myanmar is not uncommon. Tiger skins, bear bile, tiger bones, and other items smuggled from China mostly come from here. However, these things depend on luck; you can't just find them whenever you want.
"Brother Hu, you should at least try your best. If you can't find it, then you can say so. To be honest, even if you asked me to go into the Savage Mountain, I wouldn't dare. I'd just wander around the edge for a bit..."
Seeing Zhang Guojun approaching, Zhuang Rui quickly pointed at him and said, "Let's go to that ravine Brother Zhang mentioned last time. There's a water source there, and animals often go there to drink. We might even run into wild beasts like tigers or leopards..."
"Hey bro, what's up?"
As soon as Zhang Guojun arrived, he heard Zhuang Rui's seemingly random words and said, "Hey, didn't I tell you yesterday that it's not very safe over there? Who knows if anyone lives in that ravine?"
Animals need water, and so do humans. The Wild Man Mountain is rife with miasma and much of the sewage is undrinkable, so most people would probably choose to set up camp where there is a water source.
"Dajun, do you know what kind of forces have entered this area?"
When Hu Rong heard Zhuang Rui say that he wouldn't go into the mountains, he was somewhat tempted.
After all, the Hu family is the real local power in Hpakant. Even if a powerful force from the Golden Triangle comes in, they have to stay put. Having operated in Hpakant for generations, Hu Rong is not without confidence.
"I heard that some drug traffickers from Black Scar, Shan State, and Kachin have come over. As for the general, he's in Hpakant; he doesn't need to hide..."
Zhang Guojun was in charge of security matters in the Chinese city and was very familiar with these situations. The armed forces in Myanmar were complex and intertwined, and Hu Rong even knew the general that Zhang Guojun mentioned.
Chapter 994 Old Feud
"Kachin?"
Upon hearing Zhang Guojun's words, Peng Fei and Li Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly, flashing a chilling light.
Zhuang Rui noticed that Peng Fei and Li Zhen looked a little off and asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's alright, Brother Dajun. Could you tell me about these drug trafficking organizations? What's the name of the Kachin leader?"
Peng Fei did not answer Zhuang Rui's question, but looked at Zhang Guojun instead. As for Li Zhen, he lowered his head and remained silent, seemingly not wanting anyone to see his expression.
"Alright, then I'll tell you, you guys better not even think about going to the Savage Mountain again, this is no joke..."
Zhang Guojun didn't go up the mountain with them and didn't know about the excuse Zhuang Rui had just given. He thought these people from China just wanted to go hunting and have some fun with guns.
The man Zhang Guojun referred to as "Black Scar" was probably in his forties. He was originally a subordinate of the notorious drug lord Khun Sa. After Khun Sa surrendered, Black Scar refused to be controlled by the Burmese government and went into business on his own. However, as a Chinese, he was ostracized in the Golden Triangle and was no longer as successful as he had been when he followed Khun Sa.
As for the drug traffickers in Shan State and Kachin State, they are all native Burmese. The Kachin leaders are also former chieftains called Duwa. In fact, they were originally under Khun Sa's command, but later, due to Khun Sa's emphasis on Chinese, they all broke away from Khun Sa's organization.
Although these two local Burmese forces were somewhat inferior in weaponry, they had the advantage of location and popular support, and were doing very well in the Golden Triangle, controlling a large area of opium plantations.
However, they have little contact with the outside world, do not have their own drug production factories, and do not earn as much profit as Black Scar. Moreover, most of their drugs are dumped in China.
Because of their considerable power, these three organizations naturally became key targets of the Burmese military government. They all suffered heavy losses this time, and some even dared not go to Hpakant City, instead taking a group of men to hide in the Savage Mountain.
As for the general Zhang Guojun mentioned, he was different from the other three forces. The general did not control opium plantations, nor did he possess a strong armed force; he simply operated behind the scenes in drug trafficking, thus suffering the least impact this time.
After listening to Zhang Guojun's explanation, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but look at Peng Fei and Li Zhen. The two of them had changed their expressions immediately when they heard about the Kachin leader, Duwa, so they must have had dealings with him before.
"Brother Dajun, what are the characteristics of the Kachin people?"
Zhuang Rui asked.
Before Zhang Guojun could return, Hu Rong interjected, "Actually, the black scar isn't a big deal, but the Kachin people are ruthless and don't recognize even their own family, so this is a bit troublesome..."
Hu Rong and Black Scar had some connection, and Black Scar had previously borrowed some of Hu Rong's help when he fled to Hpakant.
Drug dealers are always suspicious. Although they were both Chinese, Black Scar never contacted Hu Rong again after entering the Savage Mountain.
The Kachin people were an uncivilized group of indigenous people decades ago. They were incorporated into Khun Sa's organization, but later the Kachin people were the first to rebel against Khun Sa's organization and form their own army, known for their ruthless methods.
Black Scar's drug trafficking organization has supply channels left by Khun Sa, and mainly dumps drugs to Europe and the United States, so it poses relatively little threat to China. It also has some dealings with Chinese organizations in Myanmar.
The Kachin people are familiar with the primeval forests along the border between Myanmar and China. Their armed drug trafficking forces mostly cross these forests to trade with Chinese drug traffickers along the border. In this process, they kill any living people they encounter without exception.
It must be said that Hu Rong had some grudges against these drug traffickers. His smuggling team of raw jade stones had encountered Kachin drug traffickers in the border forest, and a firefight broke out, resulting in the deaths of several people on Hu Rong's side.
Later, Hu Rong persuaded many people in both the legitimate and underworld circles of Myanmar to put pressure on Duwa. Duwa paid a large sum of money to compensate Hu Rong for his manpower losses, thus ending the matter.
Li Zhen, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly looked up at Zhang Guojun and asked, "Brother Dajun, how many of them came in?"
Zhang Guojun thought for a moment and said, "The Black Scar organization has the most members, more than eighty in total. As for the Kachin people and Shan State drug traffickers, there are probably only about forty or fifty people in total."
The Kachin and Shan people are few in number, mainly because they are native to Myanmar and are very familiar with the terrain. Many of them were scattered and hid in the local jungles, so not many people came to Hpakant.
"Has Duva arrived?"
Peng Fei pressed for an answer.
"I heard that Duwa has arrived. He's no longer a proper chieftain; his men have all been dismissed, and he's almost left with no one. That's why he doesn't dare hide in Hpakant..."
After answering Peng Fei's question, Zhang Guojun seemed to sense something. His eyes widened as he looked at the two men and said, "Hey, I'm telling you, don't even think about it. Those drug dealers all have blood on their hands; they've been through countless battles. My men are no match for them..."
Peng Fei and Li Zhen pressed Zhang Guojun for details about the Kachin people. Even though Zhang Guojun eventually realized what was going on, he was unwilling to get involved for his own and Hu Rong's sake.
The armed forces in the Chinese city, though numbering over a thousand, including several hundred in the mines, and equipped with sophisticated weapons, appeared quite powerful at first glance.
However, most of these able-bodied men of Chinese descent have never seen bloodshed. At most, they have received some military training and practiced target shooting. They have never experienced the cruel test of war. Imagine sending a flock of sheep to hunt down a lion; the sheep would surely be wiped out.
"Brother Dajun, don't worry, I won't let your men go. They're no match for those people..."
Li Zhen shook his head. He had no hope for the security guards at these mines. They were good at defending themselves based on the terrain and their weapons, but they were no match for the drug traffickers if it came to a direct assault.
Seeing that Li Zhen and Peng Fei's expressions were a bit off, Zhuang Rui immediately said, "Forget it, let's not go. It's just hunting, we can come anytime once the situation stabilizes..."
Even if there was a gold mine in the place he sensed earlier, Zhuang Rui didn't want Peng Fei and Li Zhen to take the risk. He couldn't let his curiosity put the people around him in danger, could he?
After all, Zhuang Rui wasn't short of money. If something happened to the two brothers, Zhuang Rui wouldn't be able to explain it to Peng Fei's pregnant wife.
As for that place filled with golden spiritual energy, it is located on the edge of the Savage Mountain. Few survey teams have found it. It's fine to come back in a few years. There's no need to risk encountering drug dealers and force a survey there.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui no longer insisted on hunting, Hu Rong was overjoyed and quickly said, "Yes, yes, Zhuang Rui, about the tiger penis you mentioned, I'll ask some experienced hunters and bring it to you when I go to China. Don't worry, someone always manages to hunt a tiger every year..."
"Tiger penis? Young man, you want to go tiger hunting? You're so young..."
Upon hearing the words "tiger whip," Zhang Guojun finally understood why Zhuang Rui was going to the Savage Mountain. His gaze towards Zhuang Rui became somewhat strange. How could someone so young have such an unspeakable problem?
"Hey, Brother Dajun, it's not that I need it, it's that someone in my family needs it..."