The train driver in the courtyard

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang"

"Dong dong dong dong dong"

"Bang bang bang bang."

"Crack! Crack!"

"Bang!"

Mercenary warfare is all about chaos; regardless of whether you see the enemy or not, firing is always the right thing to do.

As for the claim of saving bullets, that's simply not true.

After all, once the other side fires first, the bullets you save will only become their spoils of war.

As one of the top mercenary groups in Africa, the Gustav mercenary team embodies this principle to the fullest extent.

Dozens of assault trucks transformed into open-top infantry fighting vehicles and roared toward the mining area.

The sudden burst of gunfire and the roar of trucks shattered the tranquility of the mining area.

In the past, the checkpoint would have retaliated at this point.

However, it does not.

"The Red Star Pioneers have escaped! Charge!" Gustav was overjoyed.

I was initially a little wary of these mysterious Easterners.

That's it?

"Come on!"

"Come on!"

The assault truck rammed into the guard post and roared into the camp.

Rows of corrugated iron dormitories are right next door; these damn Asians really know how to enjoy life.

But it doesn't matter, from today onwards, these tin shacks belong to Gustav.

"Charge! Kill them all, leave no one alive!" Gustav waved his hand again, giving the final order.

Quickly.

Gunshots were fired.

"Bang bang bang bang..."

"Boom!"

The searchlights came on with a whoosh.

"boom……"

"..."

"..."

slowly.

The gunfire stopped.

All the armed mercenaries stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the unscathed tanks.

Everyone: "..."

Silence, like a virus, spread throughout the entire mercenary group.

".Um?"

A mercenary leader stared blankly at his MP41 submachine gun, aimed at the tank, and tentatively pulled the trigger.

"Bang bang bang!"

The tank was unharmed, but the cannon barrel creaked and moved, its dark muzzle aimed at the mercenary leader.

Mercenary leader: "."

The mercenary leader's machine gun: "."

"Are you alright?" Liu Tiehan, the captain of the mine protection team, stood on the tank and looked at Wei Yi's voice: "I'm talking about your brain."

Mercenary leader: "Aba aba ababa"

Gustave snapped out of his shock and stared at the Easterner opposite him: "You've set a trap all along?"

"You launched a sneak attack."

“That’s another matter. What we’re discussing now is the trap you set. What you’re doing is unethical.”

Gustav, pistol in hand, declared sternly, "You have violated the Charter of the United Nations, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the Hague Convention, and the Geneva Convention."

“Yes, and the Convention on the Protection of Civilians in Wartime.” The deputy raised his hand.

Gustav nodded approvingly and raised his pistol: "So, stomach-cutting, your actions have seriously damaged the image of your East. Put the tanks away immediately, or I will file a complaint against you."

Liu Tiehan, the commander of the mine protection army, looked at Gustav as if he were an idiot and only uttered four words: "Surrender immediately!"

"What? You want us to surrender? Hahaha, that's laughable! Do you dare to fire a shot? Have you ever fired a shot overseas?"

If it were someone from the American or Mao family, Gustav would already be kneeling down.

The key is that people on the east side are all innocent and naive; they believe in reasoning with others and in offering the other cheek when someone slaps them on the left.

How could I possibly open fire?

"These tanks are just a pile of junk. Let's have a proper chat first!" Gustave casually lit a cigarette, then suddenly swung his hand sharply: "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat."

"Da da da da da"

“biubiu~”

"Boom boom boom"

The roar of artillery shells masked the sound of gunfire.

What followed was a series of trucks engulfed in flames; from the moment the order was given to the complete annihilation of the fleet, it took less than two minutes.

Gustave didn't even finish a single cigarette.

The mercenary team he had built from scratch was gone just like that.

The cigarette butt fell to the ground, and Gustav raised his hands.

"Don't shoot, I surrender!"

Pointing his pistol at Gustav, Liu Tiehan pointed into the distance: "Did Chris Mining Company send you here?"

"Yes"

Okay. Don't be nervous.

"No... I'm not nervous..."

"what's your name?"

"My name is Not Nervous."

"."

Liu Tiehan patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I still have something I need your help with."

After Gustav was taken away, the well-trained mine guards quickly cleared the ground, and Wang, the leader in charge of exploration, also rushed over after hearing the commotion.

"You, how could you kill everyone? This is going to cause a lot of trouble."

Liu Tiehan, smoking a cigarette, squatted on the high platform, watching the commotion below, and asked rhetorically, "If they want to kill us, what should we do if we don't fight back?"

“Talk it over. Everything is negotiable. But now, if this gets out, what a mess it will be.”

Leader Wang said with deep concern: "Tiehan, how many times have I reminded you that when we're out in public, we represent the image of our family, so we need to be careful."

“What we can’t get on the battlefield, we can’t get in the analysis either.” Liu Tiehan stood up and flicked away his cigarette butt: “If my family blames me, I will take full responsibility.”

"You'll take responsibility? Ugh, you!"

Leader Wang knew Liu Tiehan's temperament. This guy had crawled out of piles of dead bodies on the northern battlefield back then, and he would even sleep with a pistol in his hand.

"Alright, let's both report the situation to our families together."

Leader Wang raised his wrist to check the time. It was about six hours behind the time in China; it was already eight o'clock in the morning in Beijing.

To facilitate communication, Hongxing Kaituo has set up a dedicated telephone forwarding system in the port city.

Leader Wang shook the phone and waited a full twenty minutes before the call was answered.

"Comrade Patriot, there's been a small incident here. A group of mercenaries stormed our camp. Yes, yes, to protect the camp's safety, the mine protection team wiped them out."

"Comrade Tiehan's actions were indeed inappropriate, but he was trying to protect us."

“I failed to perform my duties diligently and failed to promptly detect that Comrade Tiehan’s thoughts were not right. I am willing to accept the organization’s punishment.”

"what?"

As Leader Wang was trying to cover for Liu Tiehan, he heard distorted sounds coming from the line and could hardly believe his ears.

"Let's take them down, and deal with Chris Mining too."

Li Aiguo repeated it again, and only then did Leader Wang confirm that he hadn't misheard. He gasped and warned, "This could cause us a lot of trouble."

"If we take care of one mercenary group, the trouble is ours; if we take care of all the mercenary teams, the trouble is theirs." After hanging up the phone, Li Aiguo lit a cigarette and took a puff.

Now that the mining areas in Africa have been basically divided up, if we want to get involved, it will inevitably provoke opposition from big capitalists.

When it comes to real interests, reasoning is useless, and big capitalists have no intention of reasoning with you.

Then the only option is the most primitive and effective one—fight.

Awe-inspiring but not virtuous is a common trait among these big capitalists.

Only when you beat them into submission, until they are battered and bruised, will they be willing to sit down and have a proper talk.

"Tell Comrade Tiehan that he did a great job, keep up the good work."

Leader Wang hung up the phone in a daze, then turned to look at Liu Tiehan: "Comrade Aiguo thinks you did a great job."

Liu Tiehan turned around expressionlessly, but a slight smile appeared on his lips. He touched the pistol at his waist and strode out.

Li Aiguo pushed open the door to the secure telephone room and walked out.

Outside, the winter sun shone brightly, and a passionate atmosphere filled the air.

"Hey kid, did something good happen?" The old man in charge of the telephone booth squatted at the door as usual.

"Finding a large sum of money, isn't that a happy occasion?" Li Aiguo chuckled and offered him a cigarette.

"Then hurry up and find the owner! They must be so worried about losing their money," the old man reminded him, taking the cigarette from him.

"What if the owner doesn't dare to claim the money?"

"There are still such foolish owners. If that's the case, we can't keep it ourselves; we have to hand it over to the police station." The old man lit a cigarette and reminded Li Aiguo.

"I think so."

Li Aiguo pulled his collar tighter and strode into the cold wind.

The batch of C4 bombs is almost finished and needs to be delivered to the African mining area as soon as possible.

Fighting breaks out in the Gestu mining area of ​​Africa!

Shocking! Gustav Mercenaries Wiped Out!

Tanks suspected to be deployed by mining protection forces!

Chris Mining Company Accuses Red Star Mining of Brutally Murdering Hundreds of Innocent People!

"A massacre, a naked massacre!"

Chris Mining's stock price plummeted!

Who guarantees safety in mining areas?

The sky in the west had just darkened.

The sky in the east was just beginning to brighten.

An explosive news story, with a dissemination speed that defies the norm of the times, has made headlines across major media outlets worldwide.

The Gusta mercenary team was completely wiped out.

What? Where did these mine protection troops come from?

【horrible.】

[Gustav is so useless. He launched a surprise attack, but his entire army was wiped out.]

[It's terrible, it's terrible, Red Star Mining is doomed.]

Yes, Chris's is a long-established mining company, backed by the French.

I'm going to short Red Star Mining's stock.

Oh well, it's not listed yet.

Headquarters of Chris Mining, Africa.

It's 11:30 p.m. Inside a heavily guarded concrete fortress.

Joseph Enshima sat at his desk, eating his steak while listening to reports from his subordinates.

“We have contacted several members of parliament and asked them to take action against the foreign affairs department there.”

"We have hired two more mercenary teams and also transferred a large number of people from within the country, planning to launch an attack soon."

After dinner.

The report is now complete.

There was a "clang" sound.

Throw away your forks and knives.

Joseph Enshima reached for a white handkerchief and wiped the grease from his lips.

His voice, aged and hoarse, said, "So, we still need some time before we can retaliate?"

“That’s right.” The subordinate looked troubled: “Whether we go through foreign affairs channels or organize manpower, it will take time.”

“I can’t wait any longer. You know, a small Red Star Mining is nothing to worry about. After that idiot Gusta failed, Sean and those jackals from Chuangtuo have their eyes on us.”

Joseph Enshima tossed the handkerchief onto the plate as well and snapped his fingers.

Behind him, a pretty maid immediately stepped forward, gently and respectfully picked up the plate, and cleared away all the food scraps.

The study door was closed.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

“I said long ago that these mercenaries are useless and their promises cannot be trusted at all.”

Standing up, Joseph Enshima drew back the curtains and looked into the darkness outside: "We need to prepare for the mining protection forces to take action again. Go back immediately and find a way to win over the councilors and get them to send warships over."

"Yes!" The subordinate felt a surge of excitement.

It seems that this time it's not just about dealing with Red Star Mining, but also about using it as an excuse to take down the other companies as well.

“We hand over so much money every year, it’s time for them to do their part.”

Pull the curtains back.

Joseph Enshima sat down again, lit a cigar, and said lazily, "Also, bribe a group of journalists to attack the mining protection forces for using prohibited weapons, inciting public outrage. Once the warships arrive, arrest and convict them all."

"Yes," the subordinate nodded, but quickly raised a question: "Prohibited weapons. The mining protection army can't possibly use them, can they?"

“Are you stupid? Just throw a bag of laundry detergent into the mining area, and who would dare to open it and check!” Joseph Enshima squinted. “Once this mess is pinned on us, Red Star Mining is finished.”

“Yes.” The subordinate replied solemnly, “We are contributing to world peace, and it is only right that we send warships.”

"Yes, that's enough." Nodding, Joseph Enshima waved his hand: "Go and do it."

"Yes!"

The subordinate, holding the folder, bowed deeply and quickly left.

Joseph Enshima returned to his bedroom, where the maid from before had changed into a silk nightgown and was standing by the bed waiting for him.

"Mmm, a little lighter, that feels good."

Enjoying the ultimate massage, Joseph Enshima comfortably closed his eyes.

Sudden.

Rumble.

The wall collapsed.

A tank drove up to the bedside.

"!!!"

Joseph Enshima rose in terror, his scalp tingling.

Oh my god
What kind of monster did they provoke?

“Sir, comrade, let’s talk this out. We are civilized people, we should reason with each other, not resort to violence at the drop of a hat.” Joseph Enshima was sweating profusely and raised his hands without even bothering to put on his trousers.

"I already told you, kill them all."

“…” Joseph Enshima’s eyes lit up: “I can do you a favor.”

He shook the phone, his fingers trembling, and dialed a number.

[Come quick! I have good news. I'm planning to give you two mines owned by the company.]

As Li Aiguo had predicted, the initial actions of the mine protection army caused considerable controversy.

Those big capitalists accused the mining protection army of being brutal and disregarding rules.

They also reported it to their master, hoping that their master would intervene.

The group of lawmakers immediately convened a meeting to find a solution.

"I think we should just send warships over there and deal with them."

"The mines over there make us so much money every year, we absolutely can't afford any accidents."

"Sigh, what can we do? The East is not what it used to be. Haven't you seen what's going on in South Asia? Would you dare to provoke them for a few minerals?"

After the mining protection forces wreaked havoc in Ma Li's area, destroying seven or eight mining sites, the big capitalists realized that something was seriously wrong when the councilors failed to appear.

They came to this godforsaken place just to make money, they're willing to risk their lives.

Besides, the mine protection army is really too powerful.

The team members are comparable to a regular army, with top-notch weaponry and equipment, and recently they have also been equipped with a new type of explosive.

Just a tiny bit could blow up a small villa.

It's impossible to defend against; there's absolutely no way to defend against it.

Under the threat of the iron fist, the big capitalists began to consider relinquishing their profits.

Of course, they weren't at a disadvantage either. At worst, they would reduce the miners' wages a little more. They used to give them two steamed buns per meal, but now they only give them one.

After discussing it, the big capitalists began to extend olive branches to Hongxing Mining.

“Hey buddy, there are plenty of mines around here. There’s no need for us to ruin our relationship over a little bit of mine. Let’s all make money together.”

"We have the same goal, which is to make money. Fighting and killing each other is not appropriate."

"Yes, yes, we were good friends, good brothers."

The foreign affairs department was initially worried about how to respond, but seeing this situation, they were immediately relieved.

They don't need to get involved in this.

At last.

In Bamako, the capital of Mali, Red Star Mining and seven multinational mining groups signed an agreement based on the principles of peace, friendship, and joint development.

The agreement temporarily demarcated the territories of both parties.

This agreement is known in later generations as the Treaty of Bamako.

Red Star Mining, which possessed a mining protection army, earned the title of a great power.

"Great powers? That name sounds better than 'colony,' doesn't it?" Li Aiguo was on his way to the Beijing Railway Station to greet Professor Liu and his party when he heard the news.

Professor Liu did not come alone; he brought researchers from three project teams with him.

Once inside the car, they began asking about engineering plastics.

"Professor, no rush. We can discuss this in detail once we get to your office," Li Aiguo said with a smile.

Professor Liu also realized that he had been reckless.

This technology is already classified, and discussing it rashly would violate the principle of confidentiality.

The group was taken by Li Aiguo to the workshop of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

After closing the office door, Li Aiguo placed a stack of documents on the table.

"Professor, I have some ideas about the production of engineering plastics, but I am a layman after all, so I would appreciate your guidance."

"Is that so?" Upon hearing the word "production," Professor Liu instinctively frowned.

The research and development of engineering plastics is not yet complete, and production is still a long way off, yet this person has already started preparing for production?

Isn't that too arrogant? *cough*
When Professor Liu opened the document, he only glanced at it before the thought in his mind vanished instantly.

His eyes were glued to the documents, unable to look away.

This document clearly outlines every step from raw materials to production and inspection, and even considers how to treat wastewater.

The key is.

He couldn't find a single flaw in the information.

"How is this possible?" Professor Liu began to doubt his own eyes.

Several other experts from different project teams also came over when they saw him in this state.

"Old Liu, what is it that could make you lose your composure like this?"

"Hiss, the whole set of emulsion grafting and adulteration is legal, this..."

"Old Liu, have you found the problem?"

"No."

"I don't have any either."

Professor Liu and several experts discussed the matter briefly, then, suppressing their shock, looked up at Li Aiguo and said, "Comrade Aiguo, we need two days to complete the theoretical verification."

"No rush." ​​Li Aiguo was very clear about this.

The importance of this technology means that once the project is launched, at least several million dollars will be needed, so no amount of caution is too much.

He asked the canteen to make pork stew with vermicelli for Professor Liu and the experts, and then returned to the workshop to work with the wild car experts on manufacturing motorcycles.

Two days later.

The office door opened, and Professor Liu rubbed his dark circles. After finding out Li Aiguo's location, he went straight into the workshop.

Before Li Aiguo could speak, an excited Professor Liu glanced at his watch and said directly, "I have already contacted the ministry leaders. Comrade Aiguo, would you please come with us to the ministry?"

"Wait a moment, I'll wash my hands." Li Aiguo had been busy all morning, and his hands were covered in grease. He found some soap and scrubbed them clean.

This was actually a delaying tactic, allowing the untrained automotive expert to quickly report the situation to the section leader.

Professor Liu's direct transfer of personnel was a violation of regulations; Li Aiguo cannot bypass organizational procedures.

When Section Chief Xing learned that Li Aiguo was going to the Ministry of Chemical Industry with Professor Liu, he sent someone to deliver a clean gray Zhongshan suit.

"The Ministry of Chemical Industry is full of highly educated people. Don't embarrass our railways."

That's true, because of the requirements of chemical engineering, the Ministry of Chemical Industry is one of the few ministries that manages experts in their own fields.

A large portion of the members of the ministry leadership team are chemical experts with formal training or management experts who have previously presided over chemical plant production.

It was already past 3 p.m. when they arrived at the Ministry of Chemical Industry. Professor Liu knew the place well and led Li Aiguo around to an office.

I knocked and went in; a young secretary was sitting in the office.

As soon as the secretary saw Professor Liu, she stood up and said, "Professor Liu, you've arrived. The leader is waiting for you inside."

It seems to be someone I know.

That's true. The chemical industry is only so big, and there are only so many chemical plants in China. Many chemical workers are actually fellow apprentices.

Professor Liu thanked the secretary. Inside was the leader's study. After the secretary knocked on the door and led the two inside, she left.

Leader Liang was probably in his forties, which was considered young among the ministry leaders. He invited the two to sit down, and then came out from the back of his office and sat down on the sofa opposite him.

"Professor Liu, aren't you researching engineering plastics lately? What brings you to Beijing?" When Leader Liang was in university before the liberation, Professor Liu was already a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, so the two were practically teacher and student.

As Professor Liu picked up the engineering plastics material, he replied with a smile, "I came here specifically for engineering plastics."

After saying that, he handed the materials to Leader Liang with both hands and explained, "This is from the patriotic comrades of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot. Through their unremitting efforts, they have developed a complete set of production processes. I just found out about it and reported it to you as soon as I confirmed that there were no problems. Please take a look."

"Really?" Leader Liang was clearly taken aback.

Professor Liu nodded: "Yes, Lao Zhang and I have already checked it, and there are generally no problems, and..."

At this point, Professor Liu couldn't help but keep everyone in suspense.

"And what else?" Leader Liang asked anxiously.

Professor Liu, however, pressed on, saying, "Comrade Aiguo, could you explain to the leaders how your production process differs from that of foreign companies?"

Li Aiguo didn't hesitate. He cleared his throat and reported to his superior, "Sir, thanks to the concerted efforts of our technical staff at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot, we have successfully developed a complete production process, including the SAN copolymerization process and the blending and post-treatment process, which has solved the purity and wastewater problems that foreign countries cannot solve."

Leader Liang opened the report directly, muttering to himself as he read, "If it's really feasible, we can develop our own engineering plastics, which is a very promising industry."

"Well, from a technical standpoint, there's no problem. It's just that the initial investment is a bit high, but that's fine."

Suddenly remembering something, Leader Liang picked up the phone and dialed: "Xiao Chen, immediately notify several senior engineers from the ministry and have them come over to attend a seminar."

After hanging up the phone, Leader Liang was almost in tears.

This is exactly what I've been thinking about day and night, and someone has figured it out just like that?

(End of this chapter)