Zhao Qiang said, "That's good, otherwise it would be very troublesome."
Yang Shiqi said, "I have also settled another important issue. We can obtain official permission to establish a force to protect the oil wells, with a number of no more than a thousand people."
Zhao Qiang was stunned: "Really? There's actually such a good thing?"
Yang Shiqi said, "However, the condition is that our troops must be responsible for assisting the government forces in suppressing Bazafi's rebels."
Zhao Qiang chuckled: "Assistance is one thing, but whether we can wipe them out is not something others can control. The real issue is that we can legally possess a military force."
Yang Shiqi said, "We have successfully resolved the issue of our identity in S country. However, I need to have a good talk with my grandfather back home. It would be best to upgrade the company's organizational structure immediately and let the soldiers take turns to participate in actual combat in Africa. This would be a huge benefit to improving their combat effectiveness."
Zhao Qiang said, "That's a good idea. We'll do it your way. Recruiting new soldiers is a bit urgent right now, so we can just transport the other members of the company over."
Yang Shiqi said, "I will contact the domestic authorities immediately and try to get them in place as soon as possible. Also, the contract should be in hand in two days at the latest. Then, should I go to Tabtan to take a look in person?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Of course we should. Keep an eye out for guides familiar with Tabtan these next few days, preferably a local."
Yang Shiqi said, "I'll keep an eye on it. If there's nothing else, I'm going out to take care of something."
Zhao Qiang excitedly plugged Wei in the power, taking advantage of the current normal power supply to store up more electricity. He planned to modify many things in the future, at least to solve the transportation problem, as well as the oil extraction equipment.
Zhao Qiang had two options for transportation: one was to use the air, modifying a large-capacity aircraft; the other was to use an oil pipeline, which would require extensive construction work across the desert. Zhao Qiang decided to discuss with Wei which method was the most reasonable.
Volume 2 [375] Planning
Why is Zhao Qiang so enthusiastic about the war in Africa? The reason is actually nothing more than to get Yang Shiqi's troops started. The first shot is the hardest, but once they get the situation under control, the rest will be easier. If they can complete the missions assigned by the country in the complex environment of S country, then what missions can't they complete? What reason does the country have not to support this special forces unit? Expanding and upgrading it in the future is only a matter of time.
Now Zhao Qiang has another plan: to acquire control of S country's oil, even if it's just a portion. This would bring unimaginable benefits to his company in the future, and the profits he could obtain would be unimaginable. That's secondary, though. Once he controls the oil, the country's attitude towards him will also change. Even if Old Master Yang wants to make a move against him, he'll have to think it through.
Another plan stemmed from controlling the oil of country S: to deploy a force in Africa, a truly battle-tested force, equipped with advanced weaponry manufactured in-house, to make it the most powerful force in the world. The S government's army was authorized to maintain a force of one thousand, but once they truly controlled the Tabtan region, who could or dared to control how many soldiers they kept?
While eating, Zhao Qiang talked to Wei. Wei had been listening to what was happening to Zhao Qiang, so she didn't need him to explain. She said, "Brother, the Tabutan Sand Basin is actually an oasis. Judging from the satellite photos taken before, the number of bandits should be more than a thousand. Such a large force is definitely not an ordinary bandit, otherwise they would have had trouble just solving the problem of food and clothing."
Zhao Qiang said, "You mean they have someone backing them?"
Wei nodded: "Pretty much. Where would so many people get enough weapons? The food grown in the sandbars can't possibly support so many people. There was originally a primitive tribe in the Tabtan Sand Basin, but their own lives were extremely difficult, let alone providing supplies for bandits."
Zhao Qiang said, "In other words, our plan may infringe upon the interests of certain individuals or countries."
Wei said, "Yes, but I also insist that it is a good place for us, so we need to be well prepared this time. First, we need to clear our name and not act in Africa in the name of the country. Chen Xinyu has been claiming that she is with a mercenary group, so let's continue to use that excuse, but we need to choose a suitable name to make it public."
Zhao Qiang asked, "What name do you think would be good?"
Wei said, "Chinese people all like dragons, so it's best to include the word 'dragon' in it. That way, it will sound appealing to outsiders. Also, we're not just making a show of it; we're really fighting. So how about we call ourselves War Dragon? It means that we, the descendants of the dragon, will fight endlessly. War Dragon Mercenary Group, our motto is: We will not attack unless attacked; if attacked, we will retaliate."
Zhao Qiang said, "Okay, if you ask me to come up with a name, I definitely won't be able to. I'll inform Chen Xinyu to make the name public later, and also have her announce to the outside world that we have obtained the century-long operating and oil extraction rights in the Tabtan Sand Basin. We hope that the bandits there will leave on their own initiative, otherwise they will be infringing on our rights."
Wei said, "The normal approach is to try diplomacy first and then resort to force. However, I don't think they will leave on their own initiative, so we need to be prepared for battle. It would be best to go and see for ourselves before making any plans."
Zhao Qiang said, "We'll go after we find a guide. Right now, we need to discuss how to solve the problems of food, power, and transportation inland. If these problems can't be solved, then we won't be able to control the Tabtan Sand Basin at all."
Wei said, "Laying oil pipelines is indeed very profitable, but the turmoil in S country cannot be resolved within a few years, and the oil pipelines are easily damaged, resulting in high maintenance costs. Therefore, I do not agree with it."
Zhao Qiang hesitated, "I've thought about that too, but how can we transport the crude oil extracted every day to the port and then back to China by tanker without laying pipelines? By trucks? That's the heart of the desert; ordinary cars can't drive there normally, and even specialized sand-carrying vehicles can't travel there for long. Building a road to the port would be even more difficult than laying pipelines, and it would be more vulnerable to sabotage by hostile forces. By plane? The transportation cost would probably exceed the value of the extracted crude oil, making it a losing proposition."
Wei said, "Brother, in ordinary thinking, none of these are suitable, but we are genius repairmen, so we will not take the usual path. Laying oil pipelines and transporting by car are not the best methods. Air transport is the safest and the fastest way to transport by air. It is difficult for the enemy to sabotage it. Therefore, we need to transform an air transport team to save on transportation costs."
Zhao Qiang slapped his forehead: "God, modify airplanes? I can't even mass-produce anti-gravity devices right now, let alone those big gadgets. Can I even build one a year? By then it'll be too late."
Wei displayed a picture of a helicopter on the computer screen. "Brother, come and see."
Zhao Qiang studied the helicopter pictures for a moment and said, "A Mi-12 carrier helicopter?"
Wei said, "That's right. This is the largest helicopter ever built by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 105 tons, a maximum speed of 260 kilometers per hour, and a range of 500 kilometers."
Zhao Qiang said, "But as far as I know, this thing has not been approved for mass production. It's too big, has poor maneuverability, and is inconvenient to operate, so it was phased out. There are only two in the world. One is on display at the Monino Aviation Museum in Russia, and the other is said to be parked in the Mi-1 factory in Moscow. Are you eyeing it?"
Wei said, "Its design principle has its merits, but the excessive power output causes each component to approach its lifespan limit in a very short time. If we improve it, it can play a role."
Zhao Qiang said, "It would take at least six months to modify such a large thing."
Wei said, "Actually, we don't need to completely modify it. We can just reinforce the key parts to make it function as both a transport helicopter and a sling-lift helicopter. In addition, we can change the fuel system to electronic control, manufacture a few sets of energy batteries, and use the abundant solar power in the desert to achieve cost-free transportation in the heart of the desert. In the early stages of operating the Tabtan oil field, two Mi-12s will be sufficient to meet the transportation requirements. We can add more later. Anyway, as long as they pay, the Russians will not refuse this business. Transport helicopters are not armed helicopters, and the Americans cannot use this as an excuse."
Zhao Qiang said, "Do you have a detailed renovation plan? Let me see it."
Wei said, "My modification plan is based on the Russian design of the Mi-46, an upgraded version of the Mi-12. If the two of us work together, it will only take us ten days to modify it. Moreover, by getting rid of the cumbersome fuel system, its load capacity can be increased, which will be of great benefit to us in transporting crude oil."
Zhao Qiang quickly scanned the modification data. For him, who already had a plan in hand, Wei's plan was indeed a timely help. As for how to obtain the two Mi-12 helicopters from Russia, that was not his problem. Yang Shiqi's family had benefited greatly from this matter, so they should do something in return. If they couldn't even get two helicopters, then they weren't worth Zhao Qiang's help. What difference would that make from being an incompetent ruler? Moreover, Zhao Qiang was only doing this for Yang Shiqi's sake. If it were based on how Old Master Yang had treated him in the past, Zhao Qiang would rather act independently.
Zhao Qiang closed the data page, rubbed his eyes, and said, "This plan is feasible, but a lot of preparatory work needs to begin, including solar panels covering more than ten square kilometers, 'g' matter, and various metal materials to be used during the modification."
Wei said, "Yang Shiqi can prepare these things. Our mission is to go to the Tabutan Sand Basin because it is not peaceful there yet. This is something that must be done before we start work."
Zhao Qiang said, "We are seriously short-handed. We can't let Bazafi continue to grow stronger. We need to provoke him when necessary, otherwise he will ruin our plans."
Wei said, "We haven't heard from him yet. We'll talk about it when we hear from him. But after these battles, don't you think there's something about our equipment that needs improvement? You always use energy to maintain a lot of operations, which is not good for a long battle. I suggest you become an equipment person instead of an energy person. Don't use energy lightly unless absolutely necessary. It's our trump card for survival."
Zhao Qiang said, "Your reminder has given me some ideas. For example, using energy to control bullets is not advisable. Every bit of energy is precious, and it's not worth wasting it on something like this. Compression guns have a large killing area, but their effective range is short. Electromagnetic guns, on the other hand, have sufficient range, but their ammunition capacity and area killing power are insufficient."
Wei said, "So I suggest you modify the electromagnetic gun to be multi-barreled and multi-directional, with the firing angle controlled by a biochip, so that one shot can hit multiple targets. At the same time, increase the magazine capacity. Also, you should carry some ordinary firearms. For fish and shrimp with average combat ability, ordinary firearms are enough to deal with them. There is no need to waste multi-purpose bullets."
Zhao Qiang said, "You're right. What I need is a standard firearm with a large magazine capacity and fast firing speed, because I have a biochip that controls the accuracy of my shots. It's more than enough to take down those ordinary soldiers."
The submachine gun is good enough; it has a 50-round magazine, plus an extra spare. Most companies would be doomed if they encountered us; there's no need to use an electromagnetic gun against them. Unless the enemy is close and too concentrated, in which case using a compression gun is worthwhile. If they are far away and there are obstacles, then an electromagnetic gun is necessary.
Zhao Qiang said, "Prepare a few more throwing knives. These are quite effective at killing enemies; we can't just shoot everyone we encounter."
Wei said, "I'm just offering my brother some advice; he can decide how to proceed."
Volume 2 [376] Visiting
The off-road vehicle struggled to move across the sand, and they were about to reach the Tabtan Basin. A patch of green appeared in their sight. Chen Xinyu was chatting with a teenage black girl named Casa in the back of the vehicle.
"We don't want to eat rat meat. Is there anything else worth eating in the area?" Chen Xinyu had barely managed to suppress her churning stomach as the black girl tried so hard to sell her rat meat. She then recalled the rat soup she had drunk in U City.
Kasa's teeth were exceptionally white, which made her dark skin stand out even more. She said, "No, there's nothing else. Other food is hard for you tourists to swallow. Bandits have been running rampant in our hometown lately, and we have no food to eat at all. It's all been stolen." Kasa was the guide Yang Shiqi found in K City. At the time, she was planning to return to Tabutan, so she became her guide along the way.
Chen Xinyu said, "Then let's just eat bread and rice. We brought some in the car, and we'll give some to you when we get to your house."
Casa said gratefully, "Thank you, but it's not safe for you to come here for tourism at this time."
Chen Xinyu patted the submachine gun hanging on the chair and said, "We have guns, we're not afraid."
Kasa said, "Aren't you afraid of those bandits? Can you beat them? Their guns are much bigger than yours."
Chen Xinyu said, "Can't we just avoid them? You can lead us around and take some pictures before we leave."
Casa said, "Alright, but don't forget you promised me bread and rice."
Chen Xinyu smiled and nodded, then turned her gaze to the outside of the car window, raised her digital camera and began taking pictures. Occasionally, she would take a picture of Casa. The girl would grin when facing the camera. Her clothes were very thin, and she was not wearing a bra. Her firm breasts were almost visible, and every time she lowered her head, her breasts would be exposed.
The desert finally came to an end, revealing a stretch of Gobi terrain. Thanks to the sturdy road, the off-road vehicle sped up and quickly entered the oasis. The oasis was vast, and from the current vantage point, no signs of life could be seen. However, after driving straight along this nearly abandoned road for about forty minutes, we arrived at the village of Casa. About five miles behind the village, some traces of buildings were faintly visible among the bushes. But this wasn't the road we took to get there, which explained why the road appeared so deserted.
The village was entirely made up of thatched huts typical of primitive tribes. At the village entrance, you could see small groups of Black natives, both men and women, almost all of whom were naked. The women were alright, not too much of an eyesore, but the men used leaves to cover their lower bodies, and when they walked and lifted their legs, a monster would be exposed. This made Chen Xinyu very uncomfortable. Didn't other indigenous tribes have pants to wear? How could this place be so backward? She really should bring them some underwear.
Casa was the first to jump out of the car. At that moment, a dozen or so young black men came out of the village and surrounded the SUV. Their eyes were hostile. They could no longer treat outsiders with the same enthusiasm as natives, because what they got in return was bloody death.
Casa shouted, "I'm back! I'm back!" A Black woman with severely sagging breasts ran out of the village, hugged Casa, and spoke in a language that Zhao Qiang and Chen Xinyu couldn't understand—probably their tribal language, which wasn't an official language and Zhao Qiang couldn't comprehend. Chen Xinyu kept taking pictures of this scene, while the group of Black youths began to surround her, becoming more wary of the camera in her hand.
“No, no,” Casa ran out of her mother’s arms and stood in front of the group of young black men. “She is my friend, she’s a guest in our village, not an enemy.”
A Black man shoved Casa aside: "No, we don't need friends. All outsiders who come here have ill intentions; they are our enemies. You shouldn't have brought them in; you'll ruin us all."
Kasa shouted, "You're talking nonsense! There are only two of them, how could they possibly harm us all?"
The black man pointed outside and said, "Perhaps countless white people are already prepared behind them. As soon as they find out the situation here, they will rush in." This black man's analysis was not bad. However, Zhao Qiang could not be considered white. In fact, he was a bit tanned. But Chen Xinyu had very fair skin. In the eyes of the black man, yellow skin was considered white.
Kasa said, "Our village is already in this state anyway, what difference will it make if more people come?"
Slap! The black man slapped Kasa across the face. Chen Xinyu tried to step forward to stop him, but Zhao Qiang secretly stopped her. It was not good to interfere in the affairs of other tribes. If you did, it would easily arouse the resentment of the natives. They were short of food, so let's give them food. Zhao Qiang opened the car door, picked up two bags of rice and threw them over, saying, "Food. We're only staying here for two days. All of this is yours."
Several Black women immediately pounced on the rice bags, scrambling to grab them. The young Black man shouted, and the women immediately backed away. However, the young Black man's expression softened when he saw the food. Bandits and robbers wouldn't give them food; it seemed these two outsiders weren't as scary as he had imagined.
The young Black man picked up a bag of rice with one hand, muttered something, and went into the village. The others quickly followed. With rice, they would have dinner and wouldn't have to eat those unpalatable foods anymore.
Kasa said to Chen Xinyu, "I'm sorry, my people are terrified by the bandits. I think you should leave as soon as possible."
Chen Xinyu said, "It's getting late today, and we've been traveling for a long time. How about we rest for the night and talk about it tomorrow?"
Casa said, "Sure, you can stay at my place tonight. You might not be used to it at first, but you'll like it after one night."
Casa's father looked very old and had difficulty walking on one leg. Casa said he was shot by robbers. Chen Xinyu didn't dare to look at him because he was sitting in the middle of the room with his bare bottom exposed. Even as a well-informed reporter, Chen Xinyu found this custom difficult to accept.
Zhao Qiang drove directly to Casa's house and unloaded the remaining food inside: a bag of rice, a bag of flour, and several packets of bread. Supply in K City wasn't plentiful, so this was considered quite a feast. Dinner was porridge cooked in a copper basin, with a fire lit at the door. Some corn kernels were mixed into the porridge; this was a little food that Casa's mother had rummaged through the thatched hut, a way of entertaining guests from afar.
After dinner, the Black people who had received rice because of Zhao Qiang's arrival gathered around to express their gratitude. Although the few Black youths who seemed to be the leaders were still hostile towards Zhao Qiang, people from all countries are kind-hearted. They couldn't just leave without saying anything after eating someone's rice, otherwise who would give them rice next time?
Chen Xinyu took photos of them. At first, they were afraid of the flash, but after seeing themselves on the screen, they all became excited and vied to have Chen Xinyu take their pictures. Even Kasa took off the clothes he wore in K City, wearing only a short piece of cloth around his waist, and played around in the crowd shirtless. Zhao Qiang sat on a wooden post by the door chatting with Kasa's father. This old black man had also lived in other cities in his younger years, so he understood the official language.
The old black man said meaningfully, "Young man, this is not a tourist spot." Who would come to play in this godforsaken place? It's dangerous and there's nothing to see. If an old black man who has been out in the world for a few years can't see the difference, then he must be blind. But Zhao Qiang couldn't find a better excuse. He couldn't very well say that he was planning to take over someone else's territory.
Zhao Qiang said, "Uncle, to be honest, we are interested in the oil reserves underground here."
The old black man smiled wisely: "Everyone is interested in them, but no one can take them away. The miners of the past couldn't, the robbers of today can't, and you certainly can't."
Zhao Qiang said, "Uncle, you can't be so definitive. Tell me why we can't do it."
The old black man said, "Only tribes like ours, who have lived here for generations, can't let go of a place that even the devils don't care about. You should know from your journey that even if they extract crude oil, how will they transport it? This country doesn't lack oil, so there's no need for them to go to great lengths to transport it from the desert. The oil fields near the coast are enough for them to squander."
Zhao Qiang smiled but did not answer. The transportation method was indeed the biggest obstacle to the development here. Otherwise, it would not have been Zhao Qiang's turn to take Tabtan.
The black people who had been playing in front of the door gradually dispersed. As night deepened, Casa slept on a bunk with his parents, while Zhao Qiang and Chen Xinyu slept on a wooden bed. Of course, everyone was in a thatched hut with no privacy. Chen Xinyu was not used to it and rested her head on Zhao Qiang's arm, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
"Zhao Qiang, are the buildings behind the village the bandits' hideout?"
Zhao Qiang nodded: "It should be. They're spending money to eat and drink in this godforsaken place. It would be strange if someone wasn't behind it. If we were to take action against them, it would affect the interests of many people."
Chen Xinyu asked, "Then what should we do?"
Zhao Qiang said, "There's no other way. With the news that Tabtan has been leased by the War Dragon Mercenary Group, reinforcements will be sent here soon, so we need to act quickly."
Chen Xinyu said, "But there are nearly a thousand of them."
Zhao Qiang laughed and said, "Bazafi's troops number more than a thousand."
Chen Xinyu said with relief, "That's true. Didn't you still manage to kill him like a stray dog? Zhao Qiang, I admire you so much."
Zhao Qiang said, "You're hugging me so intimately, do you think your two boyfriends will be jealous?"
Chen Xinyu chuckled: "Definitely, what about your girlfriend?"