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

Wang Yaotang paid a heavy price in this operation to eliminate Zhang Qifu, pulling many strings and investing a huge sum of money. In fact, he didn't make any profit from the $1500 million.

For the first batch of supplies alone, Wang Yaotang purchased 4 tanks, 6 armored vehicles, and 5000 aerial bombs.

Although the tank is an obsolete model like the old Type 59, and it's a second-hand tank, the unit price is still as high as $50.

Armored vehicles are among the latest equipment, with a unit price as high as $40.

In terms of combat capability, armored vehicles are definitely inferior to Type 59, but their product positioning is different, so their prices cannot be generalized. Besides, there is also inflation.

As for aerial bombs, one part of them is the 'Paveway replica' produced by Wang Yaotang using high-end spare parts. This part is the most expensive, with a single bomb costing around $3000, which is almost equivalent to the genuine Paveway Type 1 kit purchased by the US military in the 70s. This is mainly because the spare parts are purchased in small quantities globally, and the transportation costs are also relatively high, which increases the cost.

The Paveway laser-guided kit, when ultimately installed on a conventional aerial bomb, has its costs calculated separately for the kit, the bomb, and the modification...

However, these "replicas" were mainly used in the first batch of air raids to ensure the perfect effect of the surprise attack and to cause maximum damage through precision strikes. The bombs used later were "stockpiled" stock.

The cost of inventory is relatively low, with a purchase price of only $1500. Don't think it's expensive; a 155mm shell would have cost $600 during the Iran-Iraq War.

With the addition of a second batch of 5000 aerial bombs, the purchase of this equipment alone cost 800 million.

By the time the sun rose in the early morning, the sounds of gunfire and explosions had ceased in Tachileik, but no one dared to go out on the streets.

Chachai Chunhawang and Ananda Sukhumvit secretly followed Wang Yaotang to the neighboring country.

The first battle was between two military camps, both eager to see the effects of saturation bombing.

The vehicle stopped near the military camp. Within a few hundred meters, only Umbrella Corporation personnel were present to prevent any drug addicts from committing crimes. The group walked to the vicinity of the military camp and then stopped.

At first glance, the once vast military camp had been reduced to ruins. All the buildings had collapsed, and the squares and roads where there were no buildings were filled with pits of all sizes. The pits were estimated to be over 8 meters in diameter and over 5 meters deep. The bottom of the pits contained gravel, soil, and some unidentified substances, emitting a foul smell of burning and dust.

Chachai Chunhawang pursed his lips, his eyes wide, the scene before him sending chills down his spine.

Ananda Sukhumvit's expression was even more exaggerated. He stared wide-eyed at the endless craters for a while before looking at Wang Yaotang with disbelief, "Wasn't it supposed to be a 200-kilogram aerial bomb? How could it have created such a huge crater?"

He's on the front lines and understands aerial bombs, but it's precisely because he understands them that it feels so incredible.

The American-made MK82, an unguided free-fall bomb developed in the 50s, is one of the most widely used aerial bombs in the world, and was also in service with the Siamese army.

Under standard soil conditions, weighing 227 kg and containing 87 kg of explosives, the explosion can create a crater with a diameter of 4-5 mm and a depth of 2-3 meters.

Those claims about a single 155mm shell creating a crater over ten meters wide are complete nonsense.

If the ground is concrete, the crater created by the MK82 explosion will be smaller. If the concrete is deep enough, such as on a bridge, the damage will be even less, with the crater being about 1 meter deep. This is largely due to the kinetic energy of the free fall.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military dropped thousands of bombs on the Thanh Hoa Bridge, losing more than 100 aircraft in the process, but still failed to complete the mission. Finally, the U.S. military used F-105s to drop four Paveway 1 bombs, two of which accurately hit the bridge piers, which blew the bridge into two sections.

So, the idea that they could just throw some black powder at a bridge and blow it up in the movie...

“Delayed fuse,” Wang Yaotang said casually.

Upon hearing this, Ananda Sukhumvit paused, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Delayed fuses may seem simple, but they are actually very difficult to manufacture. When a bomb hits the ground at high speed, the kinetic energy will inevitably cause severe deformation of the warhead. If the cartridge case manufacturing technology is not up to standard, the fuse will be damaged and the bomb will not explode.

To this day, Annam is still clearing out unexploded MK82 bombs from the Vietnam War.

Not to mention delayed fuses, the technology was originally imported from France.

This is the advantage of having a powerful country behind you: you can spend money and convert it into corresponding combat power. If it were Siam, purchasing delayed-fuse aerial bombs wouldn't be a matter of money.

With a delayed fuse modification, the bomb will first create a deep crater upon impact with the ground, sinking deep into the earth before exploding, thus causing greater damage.

Of course, delayed-fuze bombs cause greater damage to buildings and the ground, but correspondingly, the blast radius and shrapnel kill radius are smaller. It's fair to say that each has its advantages and disadvantages.

For operations involving saturation attacks on fixed targets, delayed fuses are definitely more effective. Buildings and shallow air-raid shelters are useless; they will be completely destroyed anyway.

The group did not venture deep into the military camp. The area was riddled with pits, making it impassable for both people and tanks. Cleaning it up would require a tremendous amount of manpower and resources.

“There are definitely still quite a few of Zhang Qifu’s men inside Tachileik.” Standing outside the military camp, Chachai Chunhawang said in a deep voice, “Given their military discipline, it’s impossible for them all to stay obediently in the camp. You’re short-handed here. Have you thought about how to defend or manage Tachileik?”

“I know, it’s not a big problem. They’re just drug traffickers, not that loyal.” Wang Yaotang said with a smile, “The new Myanmar-China conflict front will launch a simultaneous attack on Zhang Qifu’s front. I actually hope he will withdraw his troops on a large scale to defend his home base. Drug traffickers’ fighting spirit is not high to begin with. Once the news gets out, the morale of the army will be thrown into chaos. If he dares to order a retreat, Luo Xinghan and Bao Youxiang will pursue him. The most likely result will be a rout.”

"As for the issue of stationing troops in Tachileik..." Wang Yaotang smiled and looked at Ananda Sukhumvit, "You guys help out."

Ananda Sukhumvit was somewhat tempted. After all, soldiers don't care who conquers new territory; as long as they occupy it, it's considered expansion, and that's a merit.

However, Chachai Chunhawang flatly refused, "Impossible, this is an invasion, I don't want to argue with Myanmar."

Tachileik is just a gateway; it has no resources or industry. Occupying it would only cause trouble, and the security issues would be impossible to handle, since it's full of foreigners who would be difficult to arrest.

Wang Yaotang laughed heartily, "You gave this up yourselves, so you can't say that I, as your collaborator, am not cooperating."

Chachai Chunhawang shook his head with a smile.

“Alright, the New Myanmar Trade Union will send a group of about 300 people. As for security issues, there will be no problem.”

"When will they arrive?" Chatchai Chunhawan asked in a deep voice. Without the blockade, the criminals here would definitely have to flee to avoid the risks. It was obvious that only Siam was safe at this time.

Chachai doesn't want to bring in this kind of 'high-quality' talent!
"We'll be there in a bit." Wang Yaotang looked behind him.

Chachai's face darkened upon hearing this. That was in Siamese territory, so the person had obviously already arrived in Chiang Rai.

This is an intrusion!!
Chachai, too lazy to argue about this fait accompli, changed the subject and asked, "What's the follow-up battle plan? To directly cut off Zhang Qifu's escape route?"

Tachileik is located at the tri-border area of ​​three countries. To the north lies the fighting zone between the Burmese workers and Zhang Qifu, along the line of Mengyang County, Mengyong County, and Laimei County.

Zhang Qifu's stronghold, the capital Hemon, is located southwest of Tachileik, about 150 kilometers away in a straight line, while it is 180 kilometers north of Mae Hong Son Province in Siam, which is a completely different direction.

“No, attack He Meng.” Wang Yaotang shook his head and said, “Umbrella is just a security and defense company. This deal only paid $1500 million, which isn’t even enough to cover the cost of ammunition. You expect me to eliminate Zhang Qifu’s main force with such a small amount of money? Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?”

"Although this was mainly to contribute to the global fight against drugs, I can't be made to lose money and people at the same time. I've already done enough by defeating Tachileik, cutting off Zhang Qifu's escape route, and disrupting his morale."

Chachai Chunhawang laughed heartily, quite pleased with himself.

Wang Yaotang shrugged. "I also have to consider the company's operating costs. It's time for me to think about my own interests. I hope there will be enough gains in the He Meng White House to make up for my losses."

"He Meng is so far away, how do you plan to fight him?"

"By now, Zhang Qifu must already know that 'Siam' has sent troops, so there's no need to hide it anymore. We'll stop at the airport in Mae Hong Son province and launch another airstrike tonight."

Wang Yaotang said in a deep voice, "At the same time, the army will start from Tachileik and surround it from both sides. After the air raid ends, the army will still be responsible for the occupation."

“The ammunition isn’t all here, it’s so far away…” Ananda Sukhumvit turned to Prime Minister Chatchai halfway through his sentence, “You want us to help you transport it?”

Wang Yaotang looked at Chatchai, who frowned slightly. "Alright."

For the sake of stability in Siam, to get rid of the Golden Triangle as soon as possible, and also for the sake of his reputation, Chatchai has spent $1500 million and made appeals in ASEAN. Seeing the remarkable results, he feels he must do his part now.

Siam is quite wealthy, with an air force of over 350 aircraft of various sizes.

The main transport aircraft are 12 C-130H Hercules, with a maximum payload of 19 tons. Based on a conservative estimate of 15 tons, if all of them are used, six round trips would be enough.

The distance was only 200 kilometers, and they had just finished accelerating when they were about to land.

Mae Hong Son province built its airport in 1939, making it the oldest airport in Siam. Chiang Rai Airport is one of the three major airports in the country.

The matter was settled in a few words, and the group quickly returned to Chiang Rai by car. Chatchai immediately boarded his private plane and returned to Bangkok. The mobilization of air force transport planes required his personal supervision, which was only possible because of his military background. The military's assistance could also be publicly announced as a major contribution to the eradication of Zhang Qifu's drug trafficking group, which could be considered a merit and a way to reverse the years of humiliation caused by Annam.

Otherwise, they would never have cooperated so well!
The Siamese military has historically been at odds with the government, and coups are commonplace.

……

Zhang Qifu was awakened early in the morning by the sound of artillery fire. After so many days of fighting, he had gotten used to the sound of artillery and was not in a hurry.

I got up in an orderly fashion, washed and dressed with the help of the maid, and then went downstairs for breakfast.

Even on the front lines, the King of Mongolia cannot lose his dignity!

They've sold their conscience, made so much money, what's wrong with enjoying themselves!
Who knows if I'll even die of old age...

While he was having breakfast, one of his subordinates came to report that the Luo-Bao allied forces had suddenly launched a large-scale attack, far exceeding the intensity of previous attacks.

"What's the reason?" Zhang Qifu asked, putting down his honey tea.

"It's unclear at the moment; we haven't heard back from the people we bribed."

“I see…” Zhang Qifu thought for a moment, “There’s no need to fight Luo and Bao, those cowards. The Burmese military government is not on their side. They can’t possibly put all their resources into fighting against me. We can retreat in an orderly manner and wear down their strength little by little.”

"It's nothing more than three basic moves. Once that momentum wears off, they won't be able to fight anymore."

“Yes, Your Excellency President!” the secretary replied loudly.

Zhang Qifu continued his breakfast, while Luo Xinghan and Bao Youxiang frowned as they listened to the reports from the front lines.

When did Zhang Qifu's men develop such a strong fighting spirit?

They've already lost their base, and they're still so capable of fighting, even using 'flexible defense' tactics. That's a bit exaggerated, isn't it?
When did you become so awesome? You didn't even tell your bro.

Chen Yuanchao informed them when the Tachileik battle ended, which is why they launched an attack early in the morning. They did not expect the result to be so different from what they had anticipated.

However, Luo and Bao did not order a halt to the attack. In terms of background, they were better than Zhang Qifu; in terms of status, they were now the legitimate local government, and the Burmese workers were newly emerging, their morale was at its peak, so how could they possibly back down?

Doesn't that mean I'm inferior to a drug dealer?

Fight if you want, who’s afraid of who!

The only difference was that the initial fierce attack was replaced by wave attacks, giving our side enough breathing time.

The battle raged from early morning until noon.

At lunchtime, despite being on the battlefield, Zhang Qifu still prepared 12 dishes for lunch. He invited a group of high-ranking drug traffickers under his command to have lunch together, sip wine, and listen to the sounds of gunfire while being served by maids. He had a rather secluded feeling.

The fact that superiors can indulge in lavish meals and enjoy music demonstrates that the advantage lies with us!
Everything is under control!
As they were eating, a guard walked in. The office staff who was in charge of the luncheon went over and listened for a few minutes. Their expression changed.

He immediately went to Zhang Qifu's secretary and reported in a low voice. The secretary glanced at Zhang Qifu, turned around, and followed the guard out.

Once you reach this position, no message can be delivered directly to the leader; it must be relayed through multiple levels of management.

Although the messenger who rushed back from Tachileik overnight entered the military camp, it was impossible for him to break into Zhang Qifu's residence; the message needed to be relayed by the guards on duty.

The guard reported to the captain, who came out to verify the person's identity, then reported to the office. The office assessed the urgency of the information and then reported it to the secretary...

Finally, the secretary had to decide whether to report to Zhang Qifu.

With so many things to do, it's impossible to report everything. Zhang Qifu would be exhausted even if he worked himself to death, so why should he even have time to enjoy himself?!
If the people below unite, they can truly make the leaders blind and deaf. Even if the rebels come to their doorstep, they will still think that the world is at peace.

Often, when people talk about encouraging open communication, it's because they're afraid of being sidelined by their subordinates.

This is a situation that any person in a position of power will face, including Wang Yaotang.

Zhang Qifu observed the secretary's actions but paid no attention. A dozen minutes later, the secretary rushed back, staggering, his face filled with panic. He no longer bothered to whisper his report, and instead cried out in a trembling voice, "Mr. President, something terrible has happened..."

"What's wrong?" Zhang Qifu frowned, his heart skipped a beat.

There's no need for any admonitions like "you should calm down" or "remain composed even if Mount Tai collapses before you." People who are together every day know each other perfectly well!

It's not like acting; there has to be conflict and time commitment!

"The Siamese army launched a large-scale attack on Tachileik, and Tachileik has fallen!" the secretary said, his face ashen.

"What!" Zhang Qifu and his high-ranking subordinates all stood up abruptly, their faces filled with disbelief.

"impossible!"

"How dare Siam? Tachileik is Burmese territory; they are merely invading!"

That's what they relied on. In the 1970s and 80s, they placed their base in Manxingde because they were sure that Burma would not be able to launch a military operation across the border. As a result, they were eventually defeated and forced to flee in disarray by the Siamese army.

After that, the stronghold was divided in two: Tachileik became the 'economic' center, and Hermon became the 'political' center, both located on the border. This was because they were certain that the Siamese army would not dare to cross the border to pursue them and cause an international dispute.

Wang Yaotang: What the hell is this international dispute? That's something only the weak need to consider. When have the Americans and Russians ever thought about such things?

"Stop arguing!" Zhang Qifu was, after all, a foreigner who had just been convicted of 'drug smuggling, trafficking and conspiracy' by the United States in January. He was wanted with a $2 million bounty, and Attorney General Dick Thornberg publicly called him the 'Prince of Death,' while the Chinese ambassador to Siam, William Brown, called him 'the world's most terrifying enemy.'

The foreigners who were sentenced in the same way by the United States before Zhang Qifu were: Panamanian leader Nogale and Carlos Rider, founder of the Medellín drug cartel in Colombia.

The United States offered a $100 million bounty on Noriega and a $50 bounty on Ryder, which was later increased to $200 million, but this was far less than the bounty on Zhang Qifu.

"Explain clearly what happened. Are you sure it was the Siamese army?" Zhang Qifu asked loudly.

"It's uncertain, but the attackers launched a large-scale air raid that lasted for more than four hours. There were planes everywhere in the sky, and the enemy also had tanks and armored vehicles..." The secretary immediately recounted the detailed information he had just obtained, clearly stating the facts.

Such panicked behavior was partly due to genuine anxiety, but it was mostly an act...

The messenger only came out after the attack stopped. It was late at night, pitch black, and you couldn't see the road without a flashlight. If you did, you'd be a target for the planes.

Zhang Qifu's expression gradually turned ferocious, while the others appeared somewhat uneasy.

Different locations, different feelings. Zhang Qifu has fallen, but they can still seek refuge with other drug traffickers or simply become independent. The vast Golden Triangle and Shan State Plateau provide a huge living space for drug traffickers, and they can't be eradicated!
"No wonder those two sons of bitches Luo and Bao launched such a massive attack this morning; it's in coordination with the Siamese operation!" Zhang Qifu gritted his teeth.

He couldn't think of anyone other than the Siamese military that could mobilize such a large force.

That's why, although Zhang Qifu was panicked, he wasn't completely panicked. He knew that the cross-border attack on Siam couldn't last forever, and as long as he persisted, there was a chance to turn the tide!
After all, the American people can't live without number four!

The immediate priority is to suppress the news and reassure subordinates.

However, as time went on, more and more people escaped from Tachileik and returned.

After the new Burmese workers arrived, Wang Yaotang ordered a house-to-house search and lifted the outer perimeter blockade. This was to force those with guilty consciences to run away, because they couldn't arrest everyone...

Of course, the only direction these people could flee to was the front line.

As more and more people returned, the news spread throughout the military camp. Zhang Qifu finally received the accurate information, which came as a complete shock. He immediately felt that he was doomed.

Zhang Qifu: No one understands warlords better than warlords themselves!

Wang Yaotang: How dare you slander me! You deserve to die! (End of Chapter)