In this world, strong military force is the most effective way to protect one's rights. Although all parties have reached an agreement, China still dispatched a military force to safeguard its interests in that region.
"Zhuang Rui, those African women rarely wear clothes, don't get overwhelmed by the sights..."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui had agreed, Song Jun was in a great mood and started joking with Zhuang Rui. In many parts of Africa, women never wear tops, but Song Jun didn't have such a strong taste.
"Get lost, I don't have that kind of hobby..."
Zhuang Rui replied irritably, "Perhaps King Kong would be interested in people like him."
After deciding to go to Central Africa, Zhuang Rui immediately communicated with Professor Meng. Fortunately, the main tomb of Genghis Khan had been excavated, so the archaeological task was not too heavy. Professor Meng agreed to Zhuang Rui's request. However, this archaeological project was estimated to take at least half a year, so Zhuang Rui's title of deputy commander-in-chief was retained.
Now that Zhuang Rui is leaving Beijing, it's not just a matter for him alone. He has to go to Yuquan Mountain, and before leaving, he needs to help his grandfather get better. He also needs to visit some ancient sites. In the next few days, Zhuang Rui became exceptionally busy.
However, after dealing with domestic matters, Zhuang Rui started scratching his head again. Whether or not to bring back any of the items from this trip to Central Africa was a problem facing Zhuang Rui. Although Zhuang Rui's popularity in China had declined somewhat, reporters still occasionally staked out outside the manor, which annoyed Qin Xuanbing. So when she heard that Zhuang Rui was going to Central Africa, she asked to go with him.
However, Zhuang Rui dared not agree to this request because he had a very bad impression of Africa and was not comfortable with his wife and children going on a dangerous trip together.
In addition, Zhuang Rui also needs to consider whether to take King Kong with him as the last survival base for the gorillas. If King Kong still can't find a companion there, then there may be no suitable place for him on Earth.
"Brother Hu, is something the matter? I'm in a real bind..."
Just as Zhuang Rui was trying to persuade Qin Xuanbing, Hu Rong, who was far away in Myanmar, suddenly made a phone call.
"Haha, what's wrong? You're quite famous now..."
Hu Rong's cheerful voice came through the phone, and he sounded to be in a good mood.
In the past two years, Hu Rong listened to Zhuang Rui's advice and invested nearly one billion US dollars in China. He built a large industrial city on the border of Yunnan. The local government was very supportive and allocated almost half of the county's land to him.
Around the industrial city, Hu Rong built a large number of residential communities, but he was not doing so to develop real estate; rather, he was preparing for a large-scale immigration in the future.
Having established a foothold in China, Hu Rong gradually began to transfer his industries from Myanmar out of the country.
However, due to concerns about the domestic political environment, Hu Rong did not put all his eggs in one basket. He also invested heavily in Western countries, and the domestic situation was merely the most important base for the Hu family.
Hearing Hu Rong's words, Zhuang Rui gave a wry smile, "Brother Hu, I'm almost driven crazy by those reporters. They harass my family all day long. That's why... I was thinking of going out to hide for a while..."
"Go away to hide? That's perfect! The infrastructure on your island in the Caribbean is all finished now. Why don't you take your younger siblings there and stay for a while?"
Knowing that Zhuang Rui disliked crowds, Hu Rong immediately gave him an idea.
"Is it safe for people to live here now?"
Zhuang Rui's heart stirred upon hearing this.
Hu Rong laughed upon hearing this, "Of course! The airport and port are already built. Except for the original primeval forest on the west side of the island, everything else has been renovated. I'm sure you'll be satisfied..."
Zhuang Rui's private island was purchased by that swindler in his early days. Both its size and surrounding environment are superior to the islands that are currently for sale, and it is almost impossible to buy one even if you have the money.
Of course, the larger the island, the more investment is required. Zhuang Rui invested most of the money he earned from the gold mine in Myanmar into the island's infrastructure. After nearly two years of construction, it is now finally completed.
"Can you guarantee safety? There aren't any pirates there, are there?"
After hearing Hu Rong's words, Zhuang Rui had an idea. He wanted to send Qin Xuanbing and their children to live on his private property for a while before going to Central Africa himself, so that his wife and children wouldn't have to risk their lives with him.
"What era do you think we live in? Caribbean pirates are long gone, and your island is part of the Bahamas, so it's very safe. I've been thinking of buying a small island nearby recently, so I can live there when I get old..."
Hu Rong was very concerned about Zhuang Rui's matter. He had been to that island three times already, and he was also tempted by that kind of paradise.
After much deliberation, Zhuang Rui finally made up his mind and said, "Okay, Brother Hu, I'll be there the day after tomorrow. If you have time, you should come too. I'll entrust the supplies for living on the island to you..."
"No problem, the island's current reserves are enough to feed your family for several years. I'll go over tomorrow and get things ready for you..."
Hu Rong agreed on the other end of the phone.
After finalizing the itinerary, Zhuang Rui first sent Jin Gang to the Xuan Rui. He then decided to split up into two groups: he would first send Qin Xuanbing and their children to the Caribbean, and then take a plane to the Central African Republic.
Meanwhile, the Xuanrui, carrying King Kong and Xiao Jin, headed directly to the Gulf of Guinea in Africa. It wasn't that Zhuang Rui didn't want to go by boat; it was mainly because the two places were practically at opposite ends of the earth, too far apart.
To ensure Qin Xuanbing and the others could live on the island, Zhuang Rui persuaded Zhang Ma and Li Sao to agree to stay for a while as well.
In addition, for security reasons, Zhuang Rui also brought Hao Long and five skilled security personnel from the manor. If he hadn't switched to a private jet, Zhuang Rui really wouldn't have been able to bring so many people.
Zhuang Rui originally wanted to take Ouyang Wan with him, but his mother was worried about his elderly parents and decided to move to Yuquan Mountain for a while, so Zhuang Rui had to give up the idea. ...
After traversing the entire Pacific Ocean, Zhuang Rui's private jet finally arrived over an island several tens of kilometers in size, north of the Caribbean and near the Bahamas.
"So beautiful!"
Looking down from the plane, Qin Xuanbing couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. The snow-white beach, like a jade ribbon, surrounded the entire island.
The lush primeval forests on the western part of the island, the long airport runway, a cluster of buildings with a distinctly Chinese classical architectural style, and the white stone-paved paths are all clearly visible from the plane.
Chapter 1244 Island Lord (Part 2)
The world-renowned Fortune magazine once predicted in its inaugural issue in 1930: "As a symbol of wealth, privately owned islands will even replace yachts in their current status."
This prediction was already realized in the 1950s and 60s, along the east and west coasts of Canada. Private islands do exist off the coasts of New England, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and Europe, with North America becoming a paradise for private islands.
However, in China, due to the imperfections in relevant regulations, the verification of this prediction came relatively late and with many twists and turns. It wasn't until 2005 that the concept of private islands came into the minds of the Chinese people.
However, there are also some reclusive wealthy individuals like Zhuang Rui who have bought private islands abroad and indulged in the life of an island owner. Today, this kind of life, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world, is increasingly recognized by the wealthy.
Looking down at his private island from the plane, Zhuang Rui felt a surge of excitement. In ancient terms, this was his fiefdom, and Zhuang Rui was the lord of this island.
After the plane came to a stop on the long runway, Zhuang Rui pushed open the cabin door and stepped off. The warm air, with its slightly salty sea breeze, refreshed him.
The airport is not very large, but it has two runways that can accommodate two aircraft taking off and landing at the same time. It is surrounded by barbed wire fences and isolated from the outside. In front of the runways, there is a two-story control tower.
"Honey, it's so beautiful, I really want to live here forever..."
The airport is surrounded by tall palm trees, and further away is a lush primeval forest, shrouded in mist, making it appear exceptionally mysterious and beautiful.
Hearing his wife's words, Zhuang Rui felt a surge of tenderness in his heart. He reached out and put his arm around Qin Xuanbing's waist, and said, "When I retire, let's live here, go fishing every day, and go out to sea to feel the sea breeze, okay?"
In recent years, Zhuang Rui's fame has grown and his wealth has increased, but the hustle and bustle of the city has made him feel increasingly annoyed. Living with animals for a long time, Zhuang Rui's mindset is more inclined towards a natural and free life.
Hearing Zhuang Rui's soft whispers in her ear, Qin Xuanbing's face showed a look of intoxication. She was a gentle and quiet person by nature, and she was extremely content to live in this paradise-like place with her husband and children.
"Xiao Zhuang, we've finally arrived? Is this...this entire island yours?"
The voices of Zhang Ma and Li Sao interrupted the conversation between Zhuang Rui and his wife. The two of them had been shocked by the sight of the island they had seen from the plane window, and after getting off the plane, they immediately looked around.
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this and said, "Aunt Zhang, Aunt Li, would you like to live here permanently?"
"So...are there any folk dances or yangko dances here?"
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Aunt Li thought about it seriously. She was much younger than Zhang Ma and Zhuang's mother, and she loved to go to the park to dance and do Yangko with a group of old men and women when she had nothing to do.
"Haha, not now, but there will be later..."
Zhuang Rui burst into laughter. His island was much larger than the islands bought by the Hollywood stars around him. Even excluding the primeval forest area, it could easily accommodate tens of thousands of people.
However, considering environmental protection and other factors, Zhuang Rui can only allow a maximum of 100 to 200 people to live on the island. Any more than that would affect the surrounding ecological environment, which is not what Zhuang Rui wants to see.
The two little ones, who had spent the whole day on the plane, squeezed out from Zhuang Rui's side and started running around the airport, their faces full of excitement.
"Oh, oh, Daddy, this place is so beautiful! I wish Little White could be here too..."
After running around like crazy, the two little guys hugged Zhuang Rui's legs on either side. The "little white" they were talking about was naturally the white lion.
"Dad also thinks that we should bring the white lion next time, and then we can come to the island to stay for a few months every year..."
Because there were too many people coming this time, there wasn't enough space in the cabin, and since White Lion didn't really like traveling by boat, Zhuang Rui had no choice but to leave the couple at home.
Seeing the hopeful looks in the eyes of Peng Fei and Hao Long, who were the last to disembark, Zhuang Rui smiled and asked, "Peng Fei, next time bring Zhang Qian along. Hao Long, and the rest of you, wouldn't you like to live here long-term?"
"Of course I want to! I don't care, Brother Zhuang, you have to save me a house..."
Peng Fei and Zhuang Rui were sworn brothers, so they spoke without any reservations.
"Brother Zhuang, I'd like to too, but I don't know if my wife would agree?"
Hao Long smiled憨厚ly. He got married last year, and his wife is five or six years younger than him. She has also been arranged by Zhuang Rui to work at "Qin Ruilin".
"It's okay if you don't want to, we've reserved rooms for you here, you can come for vacations in the future..."
Zhuang Rui glanced at the other security guards who were looking on with envy and said, "If any of you are willing to stay and work here, your salary will be five times higher than in China. After three years, you can choose to return to China or stay and continue working here. If you work here for ten years, you will have a property here that belongs to you. Um, if you get married during this period, your wives can also come here and be paid three times their original salary..."
For such a private island, Zhuang Rui naturally had to arrange trustworthy security guards. These men were all Hao Long's comrades-in-arms and had been with Zhuang Rui for more than two years, making them Zhuang Rui's old guard.
However, although the scenery here is beautiful, young people may not be able to settle down and live here, so Zhuang Rui offered very generous terms.
"Boss, I'd like to stay..."
"I'd love to too, it's so beautiful here..."
"I...I need to go back and discuss it with my wife, to see if she's willing..."
The answers from the different people were not entirely the same. Just as Zhuang Rui thought, such a beautiful place is great for tourism and vacation, but it would be a bit boring to live there for a long time.
Zhuang Rui nodded and said, "It's alright, think about it again. It's not far from the United States and Cuba. You can take a helicopter to explore the city during your rest time..."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the security guard who was still hesitant was also somewhat tempted, but it seemed that, like Hao Long, he was afraid of his wife and hesitated to nod.
"Boss, we want to come here for a vacation too..."
The flight attendants and pilots on Zhuang Rui's private jet also joined in the fun. Zhuang Rui's island was comparable to the resort paradise of the Maldives, and no one could resist its beautiful scenery.
"Okay, I'll give you one chance every year..."
Zhuang Rui nodded indifferently; he had already promised the crew members two travel opportunities per year.
"Zhuang Rui, sister-in-law, Xiao Peng, oh, you're all here..."
As Zhuang Rui and his friends were chatting under the plane, two five-row, three-seater electric scooters slowly drove over. Before the scooters had even come to a complete stop, Hu Rong jumped off.
"Brother Hu, you've really worked hard..."
Zhuang Rui quickly went to greet him.
Hu Rong smiled and waved his hand, saying, "It's no trouble at all. I was just thinking of becoming your neighbor. Come on, get in the car, I'll take you on a tour..."
The two electric carts could seat thirty people. After Zhuang Rui and his group boarded, the carts drove out of the airport and headed forward along the road paved with white gravel.
"Zhuang Rui, all the energy on this island is powered by solar energy, and the power generation and water supply systems will not damage the island's original ecosystem..."
The electric cart moved slowly as Hu Rong introduced the island and its surroundings to Zhuang Rui.
To the north of this island is the private island of the famous pirate movie star Johnny Depp. I wonder if he was influenced by the movie Pirates of the Caribbean and really wanted to experience being a pirate.
To the south lies Leonardo DiCaprio's island, which, at just over 600 acres, appears exceptionally shabby compared to Zhuang Rui's.
When Hu Rong was building this island, many Hollywood stars and financial tycoons contacted him, wanting to buy the private island at a high price. The highest offer was as high as $800 million, far exceeding the price of the island itself.