A good life starts with blind date

Chapter 268 You're a Poor Guy

The living room of a suite in a five-star hotel in New York.

Jiang Ning is looking at the information sent by Metsis.

The Socotra Islands are located at the junction of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and are also a vital sea route from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and East Africa. With an area of ​​more than 3,000 square kilometers, it is quite large, but the climate is a bit harsh, hot and dry. However, the harsh environment has also created many amazing species, such as the dragon blood tree and the desert rose, which are unique to the islands.

You can't see it anywhere else.

The island is also an important habitat for a large number of land birds and seabirds around the world, and its marine life is very rich. However, these are not the main points. The main point is sovereignty. Yemen sold the island along with its sovereignty.

This is what attracts Jiang Ning the most.

Buying other islands only proves that the current island is yours.

It is still subject to the constraints of national sovereignty. For example, if you buy an island in Australia, you may have bought the island, but how to develop it and what can be done on it are all regulated by the Australian government. You are still subject to their constraints.

Unlike Solomon Islands, Yemen sold off sovereignty along with the islands.

Once you buy it, you can build a port to dock aircraft carriers and nobody will care.

Of course, this is only theoretical.

In practice, there will certainly be many problems.

But at least nominally, once you buy the island, you can do whatever you want with it.

Dry climate is not a problem.

Harsh environment is not a problem either.

These are all things that can be overcome.

The only thing to consider is that this damn strategic stronghold is a big problem. Dealing with all sorts of troubles is too much of a headache. On one side is Somalia, and on the other side is the Middle East. Neither of them are safe places, and all sorts of troubles will cause headaches.

Not to mention there are tens of thousands of natives on the island.

Even if we buy it, dealing with these indigenous people will be a problem.

It's just that the opportunity is rare.

It seems unlikely that it will be possible to buy another island with sovereignty.

Jiang Ning decided to go and see for herself.

So they flew to the Middle East.

Although Solo Island belongs to Yemen, it is actually controlled by the UAE due to the chaos in Yemen. Getting to Solo Island from Yemen is very troublesome, and you have to go through Abu Dhabi. There are direct flights from New York, so Jiang Ning flew directly to Abu Dhabi.

This is the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This is my first time visiting this city, and I feel it's pretty good.

Very modern.

It is in no way inferior to Dubai, and even more extravagant. It has the world's only eight-star hotel, bought the naming rights to the Louvre with its money, and its ruler Khalifa was sued for being too rich, etc.

That's outrageously extravagant.

Jiang Ning had absolutely no interest in this bustling city.

After asking around, I found out it's currently the windy season.

All flights have been suspended; you'll have to wait until March to get to the island.

Even if we charter a plane, we still need to wait for good weather.

It's been very windy on the island these past few days.

Actually, swimming across wouldn't be a big problem.

But activities on the island will be very troublesome.

After waiting for three days and thoroughly experiencing the Arabian culture in Abu Dhabi, the weather improved somewhat, so Jiang Ning chartered a plane and hired a full-time tour guide at a high price. The guide was a young Arab man named Salam.

It is said that when he arrives on the island, there will be a local guide who will accompany him to tour Solo Island.

An hour and a half later, the plane landed on Solomon Island.

The airport is very small, even smaller than the airport in my hometown.

There is only one runway. After getting off the plane, you walk a few steps to the terminal building, which is a small, dilapidated two-story building. From the outside, the second floor only looks half of the building. There are several plots of land on both sides, but there is no grass in the land, and a few small shrubs are planted sparsely.

Seram noticed the small trees and explained, "Those are desert roses unique to Solomon Island."

Jiang Ning nodded; all around them was the Gobi Desert.

I don't feel too good.

As soon as I exited the airport, street vendors greeted me.

He was also an Arab lad, with a full black beard.

However, he is very enthusiastic and can speak fluent English.

After chatting for a few minutes, we got into an off-road vehicle and headed to Hadib.

The car is a bit old and worn out.

I don't know how many times this Land Cruiser has been used, but in a place like Solo Island where most areas don't even have roads, only a Land Cruiser can run. Other vehicles would probably not be able to adapt.

The road conditions were quite good as we drove along the coast.

It's a cement road.

Gradually, vegetation appeared along the roadside, the hills were covered in green, and unique tree species of Solo Island, such as dragon blood trees and desert roses, could be seen everywhere. The presence of vegetation indicated that it did rain on the island, but the amount of rainfall was relatively small.

Furthermore, observe the growth of the vegetation.

The rainfall on this island is much higher than back home.

Hadib arrived quickly. It was the only city on Solomon Island and the most prosperous place. Indeed, it was prosperous, just like the rural areas of my hometown in the northwest. The houses were dilapidated, and apart from the main road, all the other roads were dirt roads.

The wind was quite strong today, but not as strong as rumored.

There weren't many people in Hadib, so I took a look around and had lunch.

So we drove to the campsite.

Tourism on Solo Island is very eco-friendly; the hotels are tents.

Jiang Ning paid a lot of money, and the two tour guides were very well prepared.

The service was also very attentive; they took turns explaining the legends of the cable car to him.

It is said that the earliest inhabitants of Solo Island used to drink water infused with desert rose petals, which was believed to have magical powers; it is also said that the blood of the dragon blood tree could enhance magical power, and so on, among other incredible legends.

Shortly after leaving Hadib, the car turned onto a dirt road.

It’s been a bumpy ride.

While chatting idly with the two tour guides, Jiang Ning looked around at this ancient continent.

The environment on the island is indeed quite harsh. The vegetation is sparse in most places, which is obviously caused by drought. The most annoying thing is the strong wind, which blows sand and stones, even stronger than the wind in my hometown in early spring.

It would be better if there were vegetation.

Without vegetation, strong winds bring sandstorms.

We soon arrived at the first attraction, where we first saw the dragon blood tree.

There were many dragon blood trees nearby, and many of them had cut marks and dried red sap. Seram took a knife and made a deep cut on one of the dragon blood trees.

Crimson, blood-like fluid seeped out.

Jiang Ning rubbed it with her finger, and it really looked like blood.

I clicked my tongue in amazement; the name was definitely well chosen.

No wonder it's called the Blood Dragon Tree.

After visiting several attractions, we arrived at the first campsite four hours later.

It is a sheltered beach.

Seram said, "Boss, let's rest here for the night. You can play on the beach, and we'll continue tomorrow."

Jiang Ning nodded and looked over.

The beach here is quite beautiful; the white sand is very pretty.

The only downside was that the beach was littered with trash.

It was clearly left by tourists, and no one has cleaned it up.

After finding a suitable campsite, Seram and the driver quickly set up the tent and prepared dinner. Jiang Ning climbed to a higher point to look around. In the distance, below the hillside, there were large swathes of dragon blood trees, like green umbrellas growing on the earth. The natural scenery was indeed unique.

And it is unique.

The lush foliage and barren land create a striking contrast.

You can't see this tree anywhere else except here.

Plant lovers will probably enjoy it.

I watched for a while, then went back to have dinner.

Dinner was simple: ham, dry biscuits, and bottled water.

These conditions are truly unbearable; they are indeed quite harsh.

I had to make do in the tent for the night, but it was too noisy to sleep.

The wind is too strong, especially at night, it howls like a banshee.

The next day, after washing my face, I continued on to the next attraction.

Jiang Ning changed her plans, abandoning the sightseeing and having the driver drive around to explore at her leisure. They drove until dark before finding a place to camp. The third day was the same, a whirlwind tour of the island.

It took four days.

This is a very unique island because many of its species are one-of-a-kind and cannot be seen anywhere else, giving people the feeling of being on another planet. It is said that UNESCO listed this island as a World Heritage Site a long time ago to protect its unique species and basically prevent its development.

In the 14th century, the Portuguese gained control of the island during their Age of Exploration.

In the 17th century, it came under British control and became an important British base in the Indian Ocean.

It wasn't until the 1970s, when Britain ended its colonial rule over South Yemen, that the island became part of Yemeni territory along with Yemen's independence. Later, the Soviet fleet was stationed on the island, and there are still dilapidated tanks left over from the Soviet era.

It is also a tourist attraction.

Jiang Ning even went over to take a look.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fleet withdrew from Solomon Islands.

More than a decade ago, Somali pirates used the cableway as a fuel storage base and robbed passing merchant ships in small, dilapidated boats. It can be said that the island's geographical location is indeed unique, as it is situated at the choke point of a major sea route.

It's a great base for robbery and plunder.

However, the environment on the island is indeed quite harsh.

The biggest problem is drought; it is hot and dry all year round, and has a tropical desert climate.

There is a desert on this small island.

Secondly, the wind is strong. It is said that the strongest winds can blow cars away. Although there is some exaggeration, it gives you an idea of ​​the extent of the wind. If a typhoon hits, it would be an absolute disaster.

Drought can be solved, and so can desertification.

But there's not much that can be done about strong winds.

After seeing the cable car, Jiang Ning flew to Africa.

We're preparing to inspect the gold mine.

During my layover in Abu Dhabi, after much deliberation...

Call Metsis: "Arrange for people to contact the Yemeni government as soon as possible."

Metses asked, "Has the boss seen it?"

Jiang Ning hummed in agreement: "I've seen it, and I think it's good."

Metses warned, "Boss, this island is in a lot of trouble."

Jiang Ning said, "Trouble can be solved. What I want to know now is how much it will cost to acquire this island. Please arrange for someone to make contact as soon as possible and get the Yemeni government to give a more reasonable price!"

Metses readily agreed: "Yes, boss."

Jiang Ning hung up the phone and was still thinking about it!

The island itself is somewhat lacking, but it's extremely rare to find an island that's sold along with its sovereignty.

If I miss this opportunity, I don't know if I'll ever have another chance in this lifetime.

Problems can be solved one by one.

A rare opportunity.

Even if he buys a few fighter jets to play around with and have some fun after buying this island, that's his right and freedom, and no one has the right to interfere. Although this is only in theory, what he wants is a legitimate reason to do so.

Put in some effort and make the island look beautiful.

If it is passed down to one's children in the future, it can be considered as having ancestral property.

The warlords in the Democratic Republic of Congo are fighting like madmen, and the fighting is still raging in Kinshasa.

Flights have been suspended for a long time; it's impossible to fly there.

Jiang Ning flew to Kigali and then took a car from Kigali to Goma.

Fighting is everywhere. The Rwandan Liberation Movement and the government forces are locked in fierce combat. You tell me, these anti-government armed groups are called the Rwandan Liberation Movement, but instead of liberating Rwanda, they fight the Congolese government forces every day.

What could be more bizarre than this?
Everyone on Earth knows that Rwanda is up to no good.

Rwanda, of course, does not acknowledge this.

Judging from the map, the Democratic Republic of Congo is considered a major African country, yet it was bullied by the tiny Rwanda without any resistance. It's really something else. Fortunately, the journey was relatively peaceful, and the golden dragon flag was hanging on the vehicle.

No one dared to openly attack them.

Even when passing through areas of conflict, government troops and anti-government militants will avoid them.

The golden dragon flag was made by Jiang Ning.

It's a bit old-fashioned, but it effectively identifies one's identity.

Apart from those small rebel groups that Jiang Ning had never visited and were unaware of his authority, the leaders of the remaining anti-government forces, such as the government army, the Rwandan Liberation Movement, and the Rwandan National Movement, had all been warned by Jiang Ning with a gun to their heads.

No one dared to attack the mine's trucks.

Upon arriving in Goma, we checked into a lakeside villa.

Jiang Ning sent someone to call Kakule, that big black guy.

Kakul didn't want to come; Jiang Ning was definitely at the top of his list of people he least wanted to see.

But they dared not offend Jiang Ning.

Old Hei had no choice but to reluctantly come, pinching his nose.

"Hey buddy..."

Jiang Ning was quite enthusiastic: "You don't seem to be doing very well lately."

Kakul spread his hands and cursed, "Damn Rwanda! They've been giving those damn rebels tons of weapons lately. I think they're planning to take over North and South Kivu and Ituli provinces directly. Damn it."

Jiang Ning asked, "Do you need my help?"

Kakul said, "Of course, I would be very happy to help if you are willing."

Jiang Ning asked, "What can you offer in return? The price for my help won't be small."

Kakul said, “I can pay you ten million dollars if you can get those damn insurgents out of North Kivu and stop attacking my troops.”

Jiang Ning shook his head: "Ten million US dollars is too little. You're a poor wretch, this amount of money is far from enough."

Kakulé spread his hands: "This is all the dollars I can come up with."

Jiang Ning said, "Add ten tantalum-niobium mines and ten gold mines, and I'll take care of it for you."

Kakul readily agreed, "No problem."

Jiang Ning gave him a high five: "Deal."

Kakul felt he had struck gold. Although gold and tantalum-niobium mines were valuable, North Kivu province had no shortage of mineral resources. Anyway, many mines were not in his hands, and he could just rob some from those disobedient guys.

Compared to the cost of buying weapons, it was definitely a bargain.

The rebel offensive has been too fierce lately; they're almost at Goma.

Those damn arms dealers keep raising prices; I can't even afford ammunition anymore.

It's incredibly expensive.

These costs are acceptable as long as they can force the rebels to retreat.

(End of this chapter)