Meanwhile, those armed militants who used to be ruthless robbers and thieves have returned to their old ways. After seizing a stronghold, they violently rob surrounding tribes or merchants trading in Central Africa.
These people were forced into this remote corner by civilized society. Not only are they ruthless, but their weapons and equipment are also exceptionally sophisticated, enough to fight against the local government forces.
Since these small countries are composed of various tribes, the so-called government armies are actually private armed forces of the tribes, which are simply unable to form a large-scale force to suppress them. This situation has emboldened these criminal groups, who now dare to attack armed merchant groups that are weaker than themselves.
Last year, a group of Chinese workers traveling from the Gulf of Guinea to the mining area were attacked by these armed men, resulting in the deaths of two people. If they hadn't urgently called for armed helicopters for support via radio, the casualties would likely have been much higher.
So, upon entering this area, which was flanked by forests on both sides and was very convenient for armed men to hide in, Zhou Liang's expression became serious. He was Li Shaohua's trusted lieutenant and knew that the mission of transporting Zhuang Rui could not be lost.
The armored personnel carrier at the very front had a squad automatic weapon mounted on its front, the bright yellow bullets leaving long trails, deterring anyone who might have ill intentions towards this convoy.
The convoy's actions made Zhuang Rui uneasy, while Peng Fei in the passenger seat seemed excited, constantly fiddling with his small knife in his palm, his eyes darting into the depths of the forest, as if he couldn't wait for a gunfight to break out.
More than three hours later, the convoy passed through the forest passage that was prone to ambushes without incident and arrived at a wide highway. Zhuang Rui and Zhou Liang both breathed a sigh of relief, while Peng Fei looked somewhat sullen.
The convoy departed from the port of the Gulf of Guinea at eight o'clock in the morning and did not arrive at the location of the mining area until nearly four o'clock in the afternoon.
This is a local tribe. When the convoy drove into the village, many black children ran after it, their eyes full of surprise.
After passing through this wooden village, you'll reach Zhuang Rui's destination, which is also the headquarters of the China-Africa Mining Company.
Sitting in the car and looking at the company's "headquarters" in front of him, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but laugh and cry. Although the name of this China-Africa Mining was quite intimidating, the headquarters was just a large courtyard surrounded by walls, with a few rows of steel structure buildings inside, the tallest of which was only two stories high.
Above the wall was a barbed wire fence, and there were many armed men in camouflage guarding the area. When they saw the convoy approaching, several men came over and stopped the lead car.
"Xiao Zhou, thank you for your hard work, President Zhuang. Welcome to China-Africa Mining Company. We've been waiting for you to take charge..."
As soon as Zhuang Rui and Zhou Liang got out of the car, a middle-aged man who had been waiting outside the company quickly came up to them and shook hands with both of them. However, Zhuang Rui noticed that although the middle-aged man was polite to him, he paid more attention to Zhou Liang.
"Mr. Wei, you're too kind. I'm just here for a vacation, I don't care about anything..."
Zhuang Rui shook the man's hand and chuckled. He knew that this General Manager Wei of the China-Africa Mining Company was actually a representative sent here by a certain government department, and his influence was much greater than that of Zhuang Rui, a nominal shareholder.
In fact, Zhuang Rui was just there as a figurehead to prove that Sino-African Mining was a private investment. Of course, although all countries knew this was self-deception, it was the international norm, and China was just following the trend.
"Hehe, we'll have to rely on President Zhuang for many things. Gentlemen, please..."
President Wei turned slightly to let Zhuang Rui and the others through the gate, but he froze halfway through the turn, his gaze filled with fear as he looked behind Zhuang Rui.
"What...what...what kind of monster is this?"
The appearance of King Kong startled the pampered General Manager Wei. Even the soldiers around him pulled their rifle bolts and pointed their guns at Zhuang Rui's back. If it weren't for Zhuang Rui and the others in front of them, they probably would have opened fire.
You should know that although these people had all seen gorillas in the forest, they had only seen a behemoth like King Kong, who was over 2.6 meters tall and weighed about a ton, in that movie.
Not only were the company staff surprised, but the black children who were originally following behind the convoy turned around and ran away as if they had seen a ghost when they saw King Kong. Some of the children even fell to the ground in their panic.
"Don't shoot, don't shoot! This is my partner, my friend, he's my buddy..."
Zhuang Rui hadn't expected King Kong's appearance to elicit such a strong reaction from these people. In a moment of panic, he jumped onto King Kong and waved for them to put down their guns.
Upon seeing that there were Black people among these armed men, Zhuang Rui started speaking in a mix of Chinese and English, regardless of whether those people spoke English or not.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Peng Fei and the others also surrounded King Kong, fearing that someone would shoot at it. Even Zhou Liang did the same. Although he had only spent a short time with King Kong, he could feel the friendliness of this big guy towards humans.
King Kong seemed to know the danger of the dark gun barrels around him, so he squatted down on the ground with his hands behind his head. As a result, the armed personnel with guns were unable to aim due to the interference from Zhuang Rui and the others.
After a long explanation, those people reluctantly accepted Zhuang Rui's statement. However, several black soldiers still stared at King Kong with unfriendly expressions, as if they would shoot him if he did anything inappropriate.
This process lasted for about five minutes. Just when Zhuang Rui thought the commotion had subsided, a commotion suddenly came from afar. A group of black people, armed with knives and spears and led by several children, rushed towards Zhuang Rui. Some of the faster ones were even throwing stones at him.
"Damn it, have they all gone mad?"
Seeing these seemingly primitive guys wielding primitive weapons, Zhuang Rui didn't know whether to cry or laugh; this scene was far beyond his expectations.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, President Wei snapped out of his daze and quickly urged Zhuang Rui, "Quick, let's go inside..."
"Damn, what's going on? Gorillas are very timid and kind animals, and they almost never attack humans. Why are they all so hostile towards King Kong?"
After leading Jin Gang through the walled area, Zhuang Rui's anger erupted. He didn't care that the Mr. Wei in front of him was from a relevant domestic department. If Jin Gang was hurt, Zhuang Rui would risk losing all his shares to tear this place apart.
The dog, Jin Gang, standing next to Zhuang Rui, also looked aggrieved, covering its face with its hands and anxiously looking at the people around it. It didn't know what it had done wrong to receive such special treatment.
King Kong, in particular, had an inexplicable fondness for this place, but the reception he received was not so friendly, which made him very sad.
"Mr. Zhuang, cough, this isn't our fault, nor is it the fault of those black people..."
Mr. Wei glanced at the Black people blocking the doorway, pulled Zhuang Rui aside, and said, "Come on, I'll tell you inside..."
However, getting King Kong into these houses, which were exclusively for "humans," took quite a bit of effort. In the end, they had to remove a door to get King Kong out of the sight of those black people.
"Mr. Zhuang, your partner has been implicated because of his close relatives..."
"Mr. Wei, what do you mean by that?"
Zhuang Rui patiently asked, but after entering the room, President Wei's first words left Zhuang Rui somewhat confused.
Something doesn't quite make sense here. Aren't humans the closest relatives of gorillas? Biologists have confirmed that the gorilla's gene chain is the closest to that of a human.
Chapter 1249 The Reason
Gorillas generally live deep in the jungle. Although they look fierce, they are actually very gentle and timid and rarely attack humans. Zhuang Rui really doesn't understand why the people here are so hostile to King Kong.
Even now, the people outside the company wall still hadn't dispersed and seemed to be making a ruckus. Zhuang Rui couldn't help but frown. Was it a mistake to bring King Kong to the birthplace of gorillas?
"Mr. Wei, could you explain this more clearly? How could humans possibly hate gorillas because of themselves?"
Zhuang Rui knew that to solve this headache-inducing problem, he had to ask Mr. Wei, who had been living in the area for several years.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, President Wei glanced at King Kong, who was squatting beside Zhuang Rui, with a hint of fear, and said, "President Zhuang, the close relative I'm referring to isn't us humans, but another primate from Africa... the chimpanzee."
"Chimpanzees? Aren't they all gorillas?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat bewildered upon hearing this. He didn't know the difference between a chimpanzee and a gorilla; wasn't it just a difference of one word?
"Ahem, Mr. Zhuang, this is different..."
Seeing that Zhuang Ruizhen didn't understand the difference between the two, General Manager Wei coughed and explained to Zhuang Ruizhen, "Although chimpanzees and gorillas both belong to the ape family, chimpanzees are the smallest species in the ape family, measuring 70-92.5 centimeters in length, only slightly larger than another primate, the baboon. The reason why the local natives are hostile to the gorilla you brought is mainly because of the relationship between chimpanzees and baboons..."
It turns out that in the dense forests of Central Africa, not only gorillas live, but also various other primates, among which the social chimpanzees and baboons are the most powerful.
Within these two species, there is a clear hierarchy and strict discipline. The cruelty of punishment is terrifying, especially in baboon groups. Every few years, wars break out, leading to the division of groups or the replacement of kings. The law of the baboon kingdom is to replace the old with the new and the weak with the strong.
These animals are not all vegetarians as people think; they are actually omnivorous, eating not only green leaves and stems from trees, but also insects and small animals.
Surprisingly, chimpanzees will even eat their close relatives... Other primates, such as colobus monkeys and baboons, will even attack chimpanzees of different groups to gain territory and food, much like human warfare.
Scientists have analyzed that this is because chimpanzees and baboons need the protein and nutrients provided by meat to survive, which leads them to systematically hunt animals within their reach.
However, due to the large-scale development in China and Africa in recent years, forests have been excessively logged, and the logged forests have become farmland for the locals.
This has gradually reduced the living space of chimpanzees and baboons, significantly decreasing their food sources. This survival crisis will inevitably lead to conflicts between chimpanzees/baboons and humans.
As mentioned earlier, farming is primarily women's work in Africa. Black women not only farm but also care for their children, typically leaving their children in the fields while they work in the fields themselves.
This method of labor, however, allowed chimpanzees and baboons to take advantage of the situation. They would sneak into the fields and, when the adults weren't looking, abduct the infants, resulting in them being eaten. Some bolder chimpanzee and baboon groups would even enter human villages and steal human babies, only to have those babies become their food, just like above.
Although this may seem alarming, it is a fact that happens every day in the forests of Central Africa.
Scientists have calculated that in human-inhabited areas near forests, the mortality rate of infants stolen and eaten by chimpanzees is far higher than the normal death rate.
This led to wars between humans and groups such as chimpanzees and baboons, with chimpanzees and baboons being hunted in large numbers by local natives.
However, they also retaliate against humans. Unable to defeat the larger ones, they target the smaller ones, a strategy that has forced many villages to relocate from their original homes.
Perhaps chimpanzees and baboons steal human infants simply out of a need for survival, but in doing so, they have created a deadly feud between humans and these animals.
Especially since the village Zhuang Rui is currently in is on the edge of the forest, such things have happened countless times before.
That's why the armed soldiers and villagers reacted this way after seeing King Kong, the giant gorilla. After all, gorillas are only a little bigger than chimpanzees, right? Who knows if they eat children?
"Such a thing actually happened?"
After listening to President Wei's account, Zhuang Rui felt a chill run down his spine, and he was also extremely relieved that he hadn't let his wife and children come along. Otherwise, if something had happened, he would have regretted it immensely.
After learning the reason why the locals and the gorillas were at odds, Zhuang Rui was also worried that King Kong might get hurt. After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about I take King Kong back to the ship?"
Actually, he brought King Kong to Africa this time so that King Kong could choose for himself whether to continue following him or stay on this land. But given the current situation, Zhuang Rui would never leave King Kong behind.
"Woo... Awooo..."
Before Zhuang Rui could finish speaking, Jin Gang, who had been squatting on the ground, suddenly jumped up, pounding his chest in dissatisfaction, indicating that he did not want to leave.
It's important to understand that not only humans are reluctant to leave their homeland, but animals also have an inseparable bond with the places where their ancestors lived.
Since arriving here, King Kong has felt an immense attraction to the lush forest in the distance, as if it were beckoning it to go there. Therefore, after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, King Kong showed signs of anxiety.
King Kong's actions caused the bodyguards to put their hands back on their gun handles. They had personally witnessed the remains of babies that had been eaten, so they had no liking for animals like gorillas.
“King Kong, no, this place is too dangerous for you. You should stay on Xuanrui Island from now on; there are primeval forests there too…”
"Waaah..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, King Kong actually started rolling around on the ground, then knelt down and repeatedly clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Zhuang Rui. His comical appearance made the people in the room less afraid of King Kong.
"Mr. Wei, how about we talk to the villagers and tell them that King Kong is harmless? I'll give them some supplies as compensation. Do you think... they'll accept King Kong's existence?"
Seeing King Kong's state, Zhuang Rui felt a pang of pity. He and his companions shared a tacit understanding; although King Kong couldn't speak, Zhuang Rui knew its longing for this jungle.
Upon hearing this, General Manager Wei looked somewhat troubled, but seeing Zhuang Rui's determined expression, he finally nodded and said, "Then... I'll give it a try, but before that, it's best not to let Jin Gang go out..."
After giving Zhuang Rui his instructions, President Wei called a black bodyguard and they walked out of the house together.
Actually, this matter wasn't too difficult to resolve. The Sino-African Company had been stationed here for almost two years and had a very harmonious relationship with the locals. After contacting the chief of that tribe, the matter was resolved.
Of course, things were not that simple. After the chief gathered all the tribe members, Zhuang Rui took King Kong on a tour of the tribe.
During this process, Zhuang Rui made King Kong show enough kindness to the children by putting them on his shoulders, successfully getting these black brothers, whose skin color was similar to King Kong's, to accept the idea that King Kong was a kind gorilla.
In the following days, fearing that the tribe would harm Jingang, Zhuang Rui stayed close to Jingang at all times.
However, the situation is developing in a positive direction. The children who used to run away when they saw King Kong are now daring to play with him after a few days of getting to know him, and the adults have also come to accept King Kong's existence.
After resolving the trouble caused by King Kong, Zhuang Rui was finally able to focus on company matters. However, whenever King Kong went out, he still had Peng Fei accompany him to protect King Kong from harm. Despite his large size, King Kong was no match for gunpowder weapons.
In fact, there wasn't much for Zhuang Rui to handle at the Sino-African Mining Company. He mainly had to receive chiefs from various surrounding tribes and discuss labor issues. Other matters were handled by professionals.
More than a week after arriving in Central Africa, Zhuang Rui finally went to the mining area. After the rare minerals were mined, he became idle again. One noon, Zhuang Rui had someone call General Manager Wei to his office.
"What? You want to enter the Congo rainforest?"
In contrast to Zhuang Rui's leisurely demeanor, President Wei was extremely busy and frustrated. Upon hearing the reason why Zhuang Rui had sought him out, he couldn't help but jump up in anger.
“Yes, this should be the ancestral home of King Kong. I want to take it deeper into the gorilla's territory…”