Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

Upon receiving news that he had passed through Bangkok smoothly, Wang Yaotang thought it was perfectly normal.

Bangkok handles countless import and export goods every day, so 300 tons of munitions are insignificant among them.

Sprinkle some water.

"The security situation in Siam isn't very good, and local protectionism is very strong. We haven't yet established our network of connections in other provinces." While on the phone, Wang Yaotang specifically added, "If you encounter any unreasonable people, don't hold back. How many people went in the convoy this time?"

After the full moon celebration, Ah Jie returned to Bangkok. Although the actual work was done by Sun Weihao and Wu Wanyi's team, Ah Jie was the backbone. The team could make decisions on minor issues, but Ah Jie's approval was still required for important matters.

The team cannot afford to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong.

Besides, the partners on the Siam side only trust Ajay, and the decisions of these managers don't count at all.

Aside from these business matters, Sheng Yi's management team couldn't get involved in the affairs of their branches in Bangkok and Pattaya; everything required A-Jie's approval. Not to mention the matter of the 'protective umbrella (Siam) company'.

“100 people, led by Zheng Junming,” A-Jie said.

“Him? He’s alright.” Wang Yaotang laughed.

When Zheng Junming retired, he was only a lieutenant, and even after joining Umbrella Corporation, he was not particularly outstanding.

During the Siam operation, he suddenly stood out and caught the attention of Wang Yaotang because of his language talent and his bold and unconventional approach to things.

This talent is not very useful in his hometown, since he doesn't need to capture prisoners for interrogation. In fact, his bold actions make him prone to criticism and punishment. However, this talent is very suitable for PMC!

The only rule for PMC when leading a team abroad is to complete the mission. Being strict, rigid, and inflexible is not acceptable. In addition, he has a good talent for languages. In just over a month, he was able to communicate in Tai language, albeit haltingly. Therefore, Wang Yaotang promoted Zheng Junming two levels and let him stay in Siam to work.

……

The convoy was two-thirds of the way through the journey, and everything had gone smoothly.

When encountering official checkpoints on the highway, regardless of whether they were compliant or not, Zheng Junming would have people pay money per vehicle.

If you encounter some rural bandits or highway robbers blocking the road, just fire six or seven Type 56 rifles at the fallen trees and stones on the road, and soon kind people will rush out to take your things away. They will stand by the roadside with smiles on their faces, offer you some fruit, and then bid you farewell with tears in their eyes.

The main difference is that on the way out of Bangkok, there are fewer and fewer official checkpoints, but more and more highway robbers, which vividly illustrates the saying that the closer you get to the border, the more power matters.

Zheng Junming thought these things were normal.

The management in my hometown is already the best in the world, but nowadays, toll booths and highway robbers are unavoidable, let alone in a place like Siam.

It conforms to stereotypes.

……

Lampang Province.

"Calling the company commander, there's a tollbooth ahead." After reporting this, the crew-cut man in the lead vehicle placed the Type 56 assault rifle under the passenger seat and whispered to his comrades in the back to hide the Type 40 rifle.

It's an official checkpoint, after all. It wouldn't look good for anyone to show it off. Even though everyone knows the security situation is bad and the convoy was definitely carrying weapons, bringing 40 firearms is a bit excessive.

"Follow the rules, pay up." Zheng Junming picked up the walkie-talkie and replied before opening the car door, jumping out, and watching from a distance.

There weren't many people at the checkpoint. Two cars were parked on the side of the road. Seven or eight people's eyes lit up when they saw the long convoy of trucks. After stubbing out their cigarettes, they lifted their shirts to reveal pistols at their waists and walked up. The two behind them even reached into the car and pulled out submachine guns to hold in their hands.

If you want more money, you have to show your ability!

What is strength?

Power is determined by force!
The crew-cut guard in front of the truck didn't say anything, but gave the driver a look. The driver smiled, picked up his black leather bag, and walked up.

"Thank you for your hard work, brothers. Here, this is the toll." The driver opened his bag, first took out a wad of cash and handed it over, then counted the number of people on the other side, and took out eight red envelopes from his bag and handed them over. "It's just a small token for you brothers to have some tea."

Several Thai men in uniform peered into the black leather bag, their breathing quickening slightly.

The stacks of brown and purple Thai baht inside the bag were dazzling, and the bulging red envelopes made one's heart race.

(500 baht note: purple; 1000 baht note: brown)
The group exchanged glances. Having dealt with people at checkpoints for years, they could easily estimate the approximate amount of money in the bag at a glance—definitely 200 million Thai baht!
$10!
After exchanging glances, the checkpoint staff slapped the red envelope at him, coldly demanding, "This is bribing a public official! You're breaking the law! I have every reason to suspect you're carrying contraband in your car!"

"Open the warehouse and submit to inspection!"

With a loud shout, seven or eight men behind him immediately raised their guns, pointing them gleamingly at the driver and the crew-cut man.

The driver's heart pounded, his expression froze, and cold sweat poured down his face.

He was a locally hired Siamese-Chinese man, familiar with the roads and local customs, but he was still terrified to have a gun pointed at him like that; he knew exactly what was in the car…

If they open the door to inspect it, that would be a huge problem!

He simply couldn't understand how the authorities could be so blatant. If you're going to smuggle weapons, at least try to cover it up with other goods!

The officers at the checkpoint knew immediately that the driver's condition indicated there was indeed something wrong with the goods.

They were seasoned veterans and knew how ruthless smuggling gangs could be. The seven or eight men immediately scattered and retreated to avoid being mowed down by a burst of bullets, keeping their guns firmly pointed at the convoy.

We've caught the big one!
The crew-cut escort frowned; the locals were so unruly!

Who are you trying to scare with a few broken guns?
He picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "Company commander, these people are not following the rules. We need to investigate."

"what are you doing!"

"Put down the walkie-talkie!" shouted the Siamese man leading the checkpoint, pointing his gun at the crew-cut man's head.

"Sir, don't get agitated. This is to notify our team leader to come over," the driver said hurriedly.

The people at the checkpoint ultimately dared not fire their guns. They also sensed that something was wrong. Walkie-talkies were rare, not only among civilians but even among their own government departments.

"You're asking for it." Zheng Junming cursed and strode over.

Seeing that only one person was walking over, the people at the checkpoint breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Inspection, huh? Great!" Zheng Junming smiled broadly and shouted, "Ten men, come down and open the boxes for the officers to inspect!"

The doors of the cars in front opened, and ten men with buzz cuts in camouflage uniforms jumped out. They jogged up, fists clenched at their sides, and snapped to attention.

In that instant, the people at the checkpoint's pupils contracted, their bodies stiffened, and their mouths gaped open in astonishment.

Oh no, we're in big trouble!

With a "click-clack" sound, the rear panels of both carriages came down, and the crew-cut man lifted the tarpaulin.

"Gentlemen, please get in the car for inspection." Zheng Junming smiled and gestured for them to proceed.

"No, no, no, no need. I can tell at a glance that the brothers' goods are absolutely fine. No need to check, go ahead, go ahead." The checkpoint leader forced a smile, took out the toll he had just collected, and was about to hand it back.

Zheng Junming's face turned cold, and he slapped the money away with his hand. "You keep changing your mind, one minute you're checking, the next you're not? Are you kidding me?"

"It's like I've excreted some kind of contraband; I have to be checked!"

"No need, really no need." The people at the checkpoint all put down their guns and began to retreat step by step.

"Someone, take the officers for an inspection!" Zheng Junming waved his hand.

Ten more men with buzz cuts jumped out of the convoy, each carrying a Type 56 assault rifle. They rushed forward and surrounded the men, forcing them to move to the back of the vehicles with trembling legs and long faces.

In Siam, you can't investigate anyone but the military. The military is always ready to stage a coup, and if those low-ranking officers are killed, the higher-ups won't dare utter a sound.

The tarpaulin was pulled back to reveal rows of long, military-green wooden crates. There was no need to open them; these types of crates were universally used.

Just one look at these people made his body go weak with fear, but with guns pointed at his back, Zheng Junming forcefully shoved two iron shovels at him, "Open them!"

"My lord, my lord, no, no..."

"I fucking told you to open it!" Zheng Junming growled in a low voice.

The people at the checkpoint burst into tears and snot, their hands and feet trembling as they struggled to open a box, inside which came a row of brand-new Type 56 semi-automatic rifles.

It really is weapons!
Just imagine a convoy of 20 vehicles, that's a whole ton of weapons!

They've broken a law by daring to inspect this kind of convoy!
Regardless of whether they came through legitimate channels or not, they are not allowed to get involved in such a high-profile incident; if they get involved, their entire family will be wiped out!
"Did you see it clearly?" Zheng Junming asked with a smile.

With a "thump," the group of people knelt down on the ground, not daring to utter a single word.

"300 tons of munitions, how much do you think you'll have to pay?"

"No charge! No, no, I didn't see anything! Sir, please spare me!" A group of people kowtowed repeatedly.

"You blind fool!" Zheng Junming kicked the prosecutor to the ground, then waved his hand like a villain and said, "Take him with you, and get on your way!"

"My lord, my lord, no!"

No one stopped them, and who would dare to stop them?

Only after the convoy resumed its journey and disappeared from sight did the remaining personnel at the checkpoint collapse to the ground, panting heavily.

Survived!

"What should we do, Captain?"

"do not know."

What should we say if the higher-ups ask?

"Just say you fell and were hospitalized."

Nothing happened today, so even if you're sleeping, you have to keep your mouth shut!

"it is good……"

……

"Why are we bringing this guy along?" asked Liang Yaozong, the deputy company commander, in the vehicle.

“There’s a checkpoint that’s started to break the rules, and we’ll encounter more and more of them. It’s not good to be so tough every time. It’ll be easier to let this guy deal with those people.” Zheng Junming laughed. “Corrupt officials know each other best. This is called treating the symptoms.”

“You just looked like one of those warlords in movies who oppress the people,” Liang Yaozong laughed.

"Hahaha, I learned it from the movies." Zheng Junming laughed loudly. "You know what, you can hit whenever you want, curse whenever you want, without having to control your temper at all. No wonder there are so many bad guys. Being a bad guy is really fucking awesome."

Liang Yaozong shook his head and laughed, "Back in my hometown, someone like you would definitely be arrested."

"So I'm not going back. I have plenty of food and drink, and I get paid well. They can also support us Chinese people abroad. What a great life! I've served my country for the first half of my life, and I should live for myself for the second half."

“Once you wear a military uniform, you’re a soldier for life. No matter what, we represent the face of our hometown, and we can’t bring shame to it!” Liang Yaozong said in a deep voice.

"Don't worry, old company commander." Zheng Junming nodded solemnly, then grinned again, "This is what the big boss told me before we set off."

"Either don't do it at all, or do it big. If you're going to do it, do it big. If you're going to do it secretly, that's smuggling. If you're going to do it openly, that's international trade."

"If they don't bring it out directly, it's considered giving Siam face. If they pretend they don't know, no one can blame them. In the future, the investigation will only deal with these people for illegally setting up checkpoints. 300 tons! Siam will cover it up on its own without the big boss saying anything."

Liang Yaozong smacked his lips, genuinely puzzled by the situation. "Why?"

“How would I know? Anyway, the big boss said that Myanmar has a larger land area than Siam, richer mineral resources, a larger population, a better geographical location, and far greater potential than Siam. He said that capitalist countries all hope for political chaos in their neighboring countries.” Zheng Junming shrugged. “I overheard a few words when the big boss was talking to Brother Jie, but I didn’t understand it either.”

Liang Yaozong frowned and thought hard. His head was spinning, his heart was racing, and he felt nauseous. "Garlic bird, garlic bird," he thought, "thinking is not for me. It's enough to just obey orders."

The journey thereafter was indeed far from peaceful, becoming increasingly chaotic as they approached the border with Chiang Rai.

The gunfire scared off two groups of people blocking the road. When they reached Ao County, they were stopped again at a checkpoint. This time, there were even more people at the checkpoint, all of whom were armed.

With sunken eyes and a haggard face, Abhisit Tarakul jumped out of the car and coldly said, "There's definitely no money. You can have an inspection, but think carefully. If you do, you won't be able to follow the convoy."

One sentence left the checkpoint personnel bewildered. The leader took the cargo manifest and looked at it. The convoy had departed from Bangkok, and the manifest showed 'metal spare parts,' which was far too broad a range.

He looked the guy up and down, "Friend, your clothes..."

“I’m from Lampang Province.”

"Then why are you in the convoy?"

"Do you think I want this?!" Abhisit Tarakul's eyes reddened instantly, his lips pursed, and tears welled up in his eyes.

The checkpoint leader glanced at the convoy, then at Abhisit Tarakul, wiped his mouth, and after a moment, said, "Let them pass."

"Boss!" someone behind him shouted unwillingly.

"Shut up!" the leader shouted angrily as he turned around.

A sudden surge of vengefulness rose within Abhisit Tarakul, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He pointed at the person who had spoken and said, "You get in the car."

"Huh?" The man panicked and took two steps back. "I, I, why should I!"

Abhisit Tarakul remained silent, glancing sideways at the head of the checkpoint.

The leader grinned and twisted his neck. The man opposite him was too confident. He thought to himself, "The most important thing to do here is to keep your eyes open." He hardened his heart and pointed at the guy who had spoken, "You go with him!"

"Ah, I, no, no."

"I said you go with me!" the leader roared.

You shameless greedy devil, how dare you question my decision? I'll use these people of unknown origin to make an example of them!
"I, I, I..."

Abhisit Tarakul stepped forward, grabbed the man, took his gun, and shoved him toward the convoy.

"How come they caught another one?" Zheng Junming chuckled. "Is this a case of trying to drag someone down with you when you're about to die yourself?"

Liang Yaozong shook his head. "This is simply being bad."

The convoy set off again, and as Zheng Junming's car passed by, he threw a wad of cash out of the window.

The leader picked up the 10 baht from the ground with a look of surprise on his face, and bowed repeatedly to the car behind him to express his gratitude.

atmosphere!

This is definitely a motorcade for a big shot!

Luckily, I was cautious enough. I'm just an insignificant nobody. If they had found out something serious, they would have blown me up on the spot!

In the convoy, Zheng Junming saw the man's face through the rearview mirror, stroked his chin, and fell into deep thought.

After a moment, he grabbed the walkie-talkie and ordered, "When we encounter a checkpoint, grab someone and bring them up."

"Yes, platoon leader."

"Why?" Liang Yaozong asked, somewhat surprised.

“Let them watch us deliver it to the Burmese Chinese,” Zheng Junming said in a deep voice. “Those guys aren’t buying firearms just to scare people; the real problem is ammunition consumption when a fight breaks out. This shipment didn’t have many, and we’ll definitely have to escort them again. With so many checkpoints, if we run into a hothead one day, things won’t look good.”

"It's actually a good thing for them to see the deal. They may not understand much, but they'll know it's not something they can get involved in. And the people below can't think of such profound things, so it's better to be direct."

"You kid... I never realized it before," Liang Yaozong remarked.

"Hey, the big boss has a good eye! He spotted my talent in the crowd right away!" Zheng Junming said with a hint of pride.

"So you're saying the old leader has no vision?"

"Holy crap, how could you be so mean!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Siam’s infrastructure has not improved much in many years, especially after entering Chiang Rai. We rested for another night and finally arrived at the agreed trading location near the border city of Chiang Province the next afternoon.

Wang Yaotang couldn't get through to the Chiang Saen Customs. There were Siamese troops stationed nearby, so it wasn't easy to go directly through the border. Fortunately, there weren't many places to cross the Chao Phraya River, otherwise it wouldn't still be the largest smuggling area decades later.

After making contact via radio, several long-tailed boats soon arrived. For some reason, most of the boats here are long-tailed.

(As shown in the picture:)

"This thing can be used to haul goods?" Zheng Junming's lips twitched.

“They’re transporting different things,” Liang Yaozong said in a deep voice.

"what."

After mooring the boat at the shore, Luo Xinghan, Peng Jiasheng, and Zhang Qifu jumped off and walked towards Zheng Junming. The three looked around and asked, "Wang Yaotang didn't come?"

Zheng Junming stepped forward and said, "My name is Zheng Junming. I'm in charge of leading the team this time."

"This……"

"Mr. Cai didn't come either?"

The three men's faces went from astonishment to anger, and they stood with their hands on their hips, unable to vent their rage.

This is a mega arms deal worth HK$13 billion!

The three of them hadn't slept well during this period, living in constant fear. One moment they were worried that Wang Yaotang would cheat them, the next they were worried that the Siamese customs would find out, and then the border troops would discover them and rob them...

The three of them worked together on countless contingency plans to deal with any unexpected situations that might arise.

Never before has the lack of communication between Shan State and the outside world been so painful.

As a result, the deal that they had been worrying about for so long was not worth mentioning in Wang Yaotang's eyes, and he didn't even bother to come.

This is like the goddess you long for being nothing more than a prostitute who's been played with and discarded by others.

You can sleep with a beggar, but you can't touch a hoodlum!

This is even more painful than killing them. (End of Chapter)