Hu Rong, looking indignant, picked up an AK47 assault rifle from beside him, quickly disassembled the gun with both hands, and then reassembled it, all in just two minutes.
After showing off his skills, Hu Rong put the gun back in its place and looked at Zhuang Rui proudly, saying, "Brother, I've been playing with guns since I was five years old. How about you do it this way?"
Hu Rong wasn't lying. Despite Myanmar's poverty, the rate of gun ownership is definitely higher than in the United States. Especially since Chinese people in Myanmar often face oppression and discrimination, mastering weapons is a fundamental skill.
"Well, Brother Hu, you're amazing..."
Zhuang Rui gave Hu Rong a thumbs up. As for using guns, Zhuang Rui only knew how to disengage the safety and fire. He might be able to disassemble it, but he definitely didn't have the ability to reassemble it.
"Huh? What are those two kids messing around with?"
While Hu Rong was bragging to Zhuang Rui, he caught a glimpse of Peng Fei prying open a box, while Li Zhen was squatting on the ground doing something.
Hu Rong walked in and took a look, his face immediately changed drastically, he grabbed Peng Fei and said, "Damn it, you...you two want to die, but don't drag us down with you..."
"What's wrong, Brother Hu? What are they doing?"
Zhuang Rui followed behind Hu Rong, somewhat confused. Wasn't Hu Rong the one who let them come in to choose weapons? Why was he saying something like that?
Hu Rong ignored Zhuang Rui's question and looked at Li Zhen, shouting, "Little Li, stop! That's TNT! If we're not careful, we'll be flying into space..."
"Explosives?"
Zhuang Rui understood immediately. He then looked at the box that Peng Fei had pried open and saw a skull and crossbones symbol. Looking down, he saw Li Zhen rubbing a ball of white solid matter in his hand, smiling nonchalantly at Hu Rong.
"Brother Hu, it's alright..."
As Li Zhen spoke, he tossed the object in his hand around, startling Hu Rong so much that the muscles on his face twitched. You see, what Li Zhen was holding wasn't a lump of mud, but solid explosives that he had bought from abroad at a high price.
Because some special situations often arise during the blasting of the mountain, making it impossible to install black powder, Hu Rong spent a high price to buy this box of TNT.
These explosives were all semi-finished products, requiring the connection of detonators before they could be used. Normally, specialized gunpowder experts would take them to an open area outside the valley to prepare them. Now, seeing Li Zhen handling the explosives like playing with mud, Hu Rong was almost scared out of his wits. It wasn't that Hu Rong was timid, but rather that he had witnessed the power of these explosives. Just a small lump in Li Zhen's hand was enough to shatter a rock weighing tens of tons into pieces.
"Hehe, Brother Hu, this thing is very obedient..."
Li Zhen grinned, stuffed the dynamite into his backpack, and then took out another piece and started fiddling with it.
"Brother Zhuang, Brother Hu, it's really alright. This kid's got a knack for handling explosives; he wouldn't risk his life like that..."
Peng Fei had great confidence in Li Zhen. The main reason he was confident that the two of them could take down Duwa's drug trafficking gang was because Li Zhen was there.
According to Peng Fei, Li Zhen was a master at setting traps. Even in Iraq, let alone in a place like Myanmar, he could easily inflict heavy losses on well-equipped and well-trained American soldiers.
"Let's be careful. Most people who drown are good swimmers. The more skilled they are, the more cautious we need to be..."
Even with Peng Fei's explanation, Hu Rong was still a little apprehensive. He turned to Zhuang Rui and said, "Brother, let's wait outside..."
Zhuang Rui nodded. The armory itself wasn't scary, but playing with explosives inside it was something most people couldn't handle. He quickly left the stone chamber with Hu Rong.
It was already past 1 p.m. Zhuang Rui went to the kitchen and ate something. As for Peng Fei and Li Zhen, they had no appetite at all and were still rummaging through the armory.
After lunch, Zhuang Rui made an excuse to return to his bamboo house. He sat quietly on the bamboo bed, facing the Savage Mountain. His eyes were slightly closed, and spiritual energy surged from them.
After his trip to Pirate Island, Zhuang Rui was able to control whether spiritual energy could enter the bodies of living beings. Just now, when he was on the mountaintop, Zhuang Rui did not let the spiritual energy overflow, so he was unable to observe whether there were any humans gathered at the edge of Savage Mountain.
Zhuang Rui now wants to see if he can sense the presence of humans on the edge of the Savage Mountain due to the reduction of spiritual energy.
One kilometer... two kilometers... five kilometers...
The invisible and colorless spiritual energy passed through the bamboo house and the jungle, and soon arrived at the entrance of the Savage Mountain. Zhuang Rui could feel that the spiritual energy overflowing from his eyes was gradually decreasing.
However, the amount of spiritual energy lost was not large; it was probably scattered by some small animals.
"Nobody here?"
Zhuang Rui sensed the spiritual energy all the way to the place where he had parted ways with Zhang Guojun and the others last time, but he did not notice any excessive loss of spiritual energy, so he frowned.
"By the way, let's go check out that ravine Brother Zhang mentioned last time..."
Zhuang Rui recalled the golden, radiant place, which seemed to be inside the mountain that surrounded the valley, a place that appeared to be a good place to hide one's tracks.
When Zhuang Rui "saw" the shimmering golden spiritual energy again, he could almost conclude that this was a gold mine.
Although the spiritual energy was extremely dispersed, Zhuang Rui knew that whole pieces of gold ingots were extremely rare, and most gold was extracted from ore.
"Hmm? Someone's here..."
When Zhuang Rui's spiritual energy passed through the mountain and reached the valley, he immediately felt the spiritual energy in his eyes decreasing at a rate that no animal could absorb.
Zhuang Rui quickly controlled the spiritual energy to prevent it from overflowing, and carefully filled the valley with spiritual energy. Immediately, humanoid figures appeared in Zhuang Rui's senses.
"Twenty-eight people, I wonder if they are the Duwa that Peng Fei mentioned..."
Zhuang Rui counted carefully. He already knew that there were three groups of people who had gone into the mountains. Besides Black Scar's group, which had the largest number, the other two groups only had about forty or fifty people combined. Zhuang Rui couldn't tell whose group it was. ...
In the valley at the edge of the Savage Mountain, apart from five or six people guarding the mountain pass, there were more than twenty people lying haphazardly inside.
"Duwa, I felt a breeze just now, it felt so good, even better than taking drugs..."
Duwa is not a name, but an honorific title for a Kachin chieftain. The middle-aged man lying on a tiger skin is the Duwa that Peng Fei and his companions are looking for.
Chapter 997 The Sentinel
"I thought it wouldn't be as comfortable as the Golden Triangle, but the air is so fresh. That gust of wind just now felt even better than smoking opium..."
Duwa, half-lying on the tiger skin, squinted his eyes, still recalling the feeling from just now, a contented expression on his face.
There are three types of drug traffickers in Myanmar. One type specializes in growing opium. When the poppies mature, these people use a blade to cut open the poppy pods and collect the white liquid opium inside, which they then sell directly.
The second type of people are drug lords like Black Scar. Because they don't get along well with the local forces, their opium-growing areas have almost disappeared. Instead, they directly buy opium from farmers and then refine it into high-purity drugs in their own factories.
Black Scar's drug trafficking organization is a continuation of Khun Sa's. The organization has very strict internal discipline and strictly prohibits its members from using drugs. If they are found to be using drugs, they will be executed. Therefore, even without the support of the local Burmese, they are still able to become one of the three major forces in the Golden Triangle.
The last category refers to the Kachin drug trafficking militants. They also have opium plantations and often process and purify the opium they produce, which allows them to sell it for a higher price than pure opium farmers.
However, since breaking away from Khun Sa's organization, the Dua drug cartel has lost contact with international buyers, and due to technical reasons, these purifications are relatively crude.
Moreover, these people were not well organized and disciplined. They relied on the prestige of the Duwa chieftain to intimidate the tribesmen. Among them were some people with weak willpower who were addicted to opium. Over time, even the Duwa were infected.
To be honest, even without government troops to deal with them, this organization probably wouldn't last much longer.
"Give the order to Qatar to be on high alert. Once this storm has passed, we'll return to the Golden Triangle. That'll be my territory then..."
Although Duwa was in a precarious situation, he looked quite pleased. This was partly due to the effects of Zhuang Rui's spiritual energy, but more importantly, the government's encirclement and suppression campaign was more beneficial than harmful to him.
Although the joint forces of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos attacked indiscriminately, the Black Scar organization suffered the greatest losses. According to Duwa, of the more than 1,000 men in the Black Scar army, only about 100 remain, a devastating defeat.
Duwa's people are pure Golden Triangle natives, deeply rooted in the area. After the crackdown began, they scattered and fled, suffering the least losses. Duwa believes that as long as he returns to the Golden Triangle and raises his voice, the entire Golden Triangle will become his domain.
"Here, give me a bag of opium..."
Overjoyed, Duva narrowed his eyes again. He had long coveted Black Scar's drug lab and distribution channels, and he believed that after this, he would become the new general of the Golden Triangle.
"Damn, do you two think you're Rambo? Carrying all this stuff, how are you even going to walk?"
Peng Fei and Li Zhen stayed in the armory all afternoon, and it wasn't until dinner time that they came out. However, the way the two of them dressed made everyone who saw them turn their heads.
Both men changed into camouflage uniforms provided for the security guards in the armory. Peng Fei had a grenade launcher slung over his right shoulder and a box in his right hand, which should contain rifle grenades.
On Peng Fei's left shoulder was a domestically produced Type 81 rifle, with three bullet belts in the front and back, holding a full fifteen magazines. At his waist was a Type 54 pistol, and another Type 38 bayonet with a blood groove was gleamingly attached next to the pistol.
As for Li Zhen's attire, it wasn't as extravagant as Peng Fei's. The firearms he chose were all British and American weapons, especially the Desert Eagle at his waist, which was polished to a shine and reflected a dazzling luster in the setting sun.
However, the large backpack on Li Zhen's back, which was almost as tall as him, still attracted everyone's attention. Only Zhuang Rui and Hu Rong could guess what was in the backpack.
"Hey, I'm telling you, don't get so close to me..."
When Zhuang Rui saw Li Zhen carrying a bag and moving closer to him, he quickly waved his hand, signaling him to stand back. This guy was a walking time bomb.
"Hehe, Brother Zhuang, this package of mine is full of treasures. It took me all afternoon to make it..."
Li Zhen chuckled and reached behind his back to pull out a white, fuzzy object. Zhuang Rui examined it closely and noticed that a thin wire was wrapped around the object; he wondered what it was for.
"Alright, I don't understand those things, but you two brothers carrying so many weapons, is that... is that convenient in the jungle?"
Although Zhuang Rui didn't understand jungle warfare, he knew that to snipe in the forest, you had to be lightly equipped. These two guys carrying so much stuff were just sitting ducks.
"Brother Zhuang, these things are backups, they'll be set up along the way. By the way, we'll go together, but you absolutely cannot enter the forest. These things I've set up don't discriminate between friend and foe..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Li Zhen suddenly became serious. Once they entered the jungle, everyone except him and Peng Fei would become their enemies, whether it was Duwa or the other two drug trafficking organizations.
Li Zhen was only 60% confident about the operation, but now, with this equipment, he is 90% certain that if he can find Duwa, he can keep him in the Savage Mountain forever.
"You two rascals, are you really planning to plant landmines all over the Savage Mountain?"
Zhuang Rui was speechless for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's not feasible today. How about we set off before dawn tomorrow? We'll reach the edge of the Savage Mountain around midnight, which is when people are most lethargic, even if they are inside..."
"No, we can't go too early. Let's leave at dawn, and Peng Fei and I will go in around noon..."
Li Zhen shook his head, and seeing Zhuang Rui's puzzled expression, continued, "These drug dealers are like frightened birds. They'll be heavily guarded at night and in the early morning when they're vulnerable to attacks. Conversely, they'll be less vigilant around midday, which is the best time to strike..."
Li Zhen's words made Zhuang Rui blush slightly. He was a complete novice in the field, yet he was offering unsolicited advice. If it were really about leading troops into battle, Zhuang Rui would surely lead them astray.
"Hey, I don't know about these things, but Peng Fei, we went into the Savage Mountain once before. Brother Dajun said there's a valley in another direction with a water source. I think you should make that area a key reconnaissance area. These drug dealers need to drink water too, right?"
Zhuang Rui changed the subject and started discussing the drug dealers' hiding places with them. The depths of the Savage Mountain were full of dangers, but there were still many places where people could survive on the outskirts. The best place among them was the hunting ground that Zhang Guojun had taken Zhuang Rui to last time.
"Yes, it's not a problem for a hundred or so people to be hiding in that ravine. Besides, the location is very secluded, so there's a high chance that a group of people are hiding there..."
Zhang Guojun wholeheartedly agreed with Zhuang Rui's words. He picked up a twig and gestured on the ground while saying, "That place is exactly the opposite of the road into the Savage Mountain, and there's no path leading there. I found it by chance. How about this, I'll take you there tomorrow..."
Peng Fei and Li Zhen exchanged a glance, nodded, and said, "Alright, then we'll trouble you, Brother Zhang..."
In jungle warfare, the biggest taboo is being unfamiliar with the terrain. With Zhang Guojun, an experienced guide, leading the way, many risks can be avoided, so Peng Fei and Li Zhen certainly wouldn't refuse.
Everyone went to bed early that night. Around 8 a.m. the next day, they gathered together and headed towards the Savage Mountain. The journey of five or six kilometers took them more than two hours before they reached the edge of the Savage Mountain.
"Brother Zhuang, you guys can rest here. We'll only be doing reconnaissance this morning, we won't be taking any action, so don't worry..."
"Okay, put on your headset. If you need backup, just shout into the headset..."
Zhuang Rui nodded. There was no danger along the way to the mountain pass. Once they got close to the pass, Peng Fei and Li Zhen, with their experience, would surely be able to spot signs that someone had been there.
Moreover, Zhuang Rui could use his spiritual energy to stay close behind them. Even if a conflict occurred, as long as Peng Fei and the others weren't hit in vital areas, Zhuang Rui believed that with the miraculous effects of his spiritual energy, he could save their lives.
"Alright, go into the woods over there. Don't fire unless necessary, and stay hidden..."
Seeing Peng Fei and Li Zhen follow Zhang Guojun into the jungle, Hu Rong took charge of the mine protection team. These people usually received military training. They quickly entered another forest and each found a tree to sit down.
Zhuang Rui sat next to Hu Rong, seemingly resting against a tree with his eyes closed, but in reality he was releasing the spiritual energy in his eyes, which was always four or five hundred meters ahead of Peng Fei and the others, extending towards the mountain valley.
An hour passed quickly, and Peng Fei and the others had to survey the terrain and make marks along the way, so their progress was not fast. They were still two or three kilometers away from the mountain pass.
"Hmm? This is... a hidden sentry post?"