The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 694 The Land of Sin!!

Zhang Jin said that since accepting this arduous task, he has worked hard to understand the "Jin San region".

In such an unfamiliar environment, one must know oneself and one's enemy in order to win every battle.

Before officially carrying out the mission, Zhang Jin said that the three of them reviewed a large amount of internal documents.

It is understood that starting around the 1960s, the "flour" force, which originated from the M-North Mintuan, gradually rose to prominence and eventually developed into a force that disrupted the central and southern regions.

The large sums of money from the "flour" trade quickly transformed Khun Sa and other former militia leaders into armed warlords capable of shaking up the situation in the United States.

Michael was once the deputy leader of a powerful and influential People's Alliance army, and was once very prominent.

However, Michael's strength is now far inferior to that of the Lang brothers.

However, they are all "rising stars". Before them, the strongest force in the M North area was Khun Sa.

After acquiring a powerful army, Khun Sa and his men were no longer satisfied with just the northern part of M. After completely gaining control of Shan and Kathmandu, they began to advance into L and T countries in eastern M.

The natural environment at the junction of these three countries is similar to that of northern M, with complex terrain and suitable water and heat conditions for the growth of 'British-Soviet'. At the same time, neither of the two countries is much better off than M.

Therefore, Khun Sa's expansion plan went very smoothly, and eventually, a "flour kingdom" spanning three countries was established.

Because Khun Sa's flour trade was extremely lucrative and the territory he controlled was shaped like a triangle, the area earned the nickname "Kim San Region".

By the 1980s, the flour production of the "Golden Three Regions" accounted for 60% of the world's flour production.

Furthermore, Khun Sa himself emphasized technological development, and within the "Kim Jong San" region, a large number of refining centers were established that were not found in other "flour" raw material planting areas.

Therefore, flour from the "Kim Jong-il region" was not only highly praised by "Yin Junzi" (a local drinker), but Khun Sa himself also gained far more profits than flour vendors from other regions by controlling the high-end market.

In the classification of "flour", grade four is the highest purity "white flour" grade, and "Double Lion Global" produced in the "Golden Three Region" is one of the most notorious brands among them.

Nowadays, the processing plants under the control of "flour vendors" like Migo and Langsan are producing high-purity "No. 4".

Relying on this flagship product, Khun Sa was able to earn billions of dollars annually at his peak.

Using this ill-gotten money, he reorganized his armed forces in the mid-1980s and established a warlord army called the "People's League Army".

When Khun Sa was fighting as a guerrilla in the mountains, N country couldn't do anything about him.

By this time, Khun Sa had transformed into a powerful warlord with tens of thousands of troops, leaving the United States with no choice but to watch helplessly.

Khun Sa's arrogance soon drew criticism...

After Khun Sa's downfall, the "flour kingdom" of the "Kim Sam region" came to an end.

However, the story of the "Kim Jong-il region" was only just beginning.

After being ruled by the remnants of the M-North Army and the "Flour Kingdom," the population of the "Kim Sam-guk" region increased significantly.

Meanwhile, the people active in this area have become accustomed to the so-called "fortune favors the bold," and they find it difficult to accept returning to the era when they relied on farming traditional crops for a living.

And the fastest way to get rich again is still...

The rainy season has not yet arrived, but the air is already thick and sticky, pressing heavily on people's lungs.

The little moth walked barefoot in the mud, feeling the scorching hot soil beneath her feet, as if she were stepping on a red-hot iron plate.

In the fields of Yingsu, the crimson flowers, like congealed blood beads, drooped heavily in the sweltering heat, silently burning away their last bit of brilliance.

"Little Moth, time to wrap up!" The father's voice drifted from the edge of the field, hoarse as if burned by smoke, and as fragile as a broken string.

Montgomery stood there, thin and bony, with high cheekbones. His once broad shoulders, which had supported the entire family, had now collapsed like withered branches eroded by wind and rain.

His chapped lips parted and closed, but his gaze, like that of a startled bird, hurriedly swept across his daughter Xiao'e's face before quickly turning toward the distant Awa Mountain Village.

The little moth nodded silently, but her heart sank heavily.

The father and daughter walked silently toward the village along the dirt road worn smooth by countless bare feet.

Along the roadside, several bamboo houses lean precariously, like weary old men, seemingly on the verge of collapse.

The small temple that once housed a golden Buddha statue is now reduced to a few dilapidated earthen walls. The statues are crumbling, covered in thick dust, and entangled by overgrown weeds.

The air was filled with an indescribable odor—the pungent smell of cheap tobacco, the sour smell of rotten food, and a faint, nauseatingly sweet aftertaste of opium paste. They mingled together, heavy and sticky deep in the nasal cavity.

Under a bamboo shed by the roadside, several men huddled in the shadows, their eyes empty and murky, like rotten wood.

One of them lifted his dirty trouser leg, revealing a festering wound on his calf with the skin and flesh turned inside out.

He held the pipe, ignoring the wound, and greedily inhaled the smoke, a strange sense of satisfaction appearing on his face.

The little moth felt a churning in its stomach and quickly looked away.

Stepping into the house, a stronger musty smell mixed with the cloying sweetness of opium hits you.

The house was almost empty, except for a bamboo smoking couch in the corner, blackened and shiny with soot, which stubbornly occupied its place.

With his back hunched, Meng Tuo squatted by the fire pit, the firelight illuminating his sunken eye sockets.

He pulled out a few banknotes, soaked with sweat and soft, from his pocket, nervously twisting them as he counted the pitifully small number over and over again.

As he counted, Meng Tuo let out a rapid, choking cough, his throat blocked with phlegm, and his thin shoulders trembled violently, as if they were about to fall apart at any moment.

"Father? Let's leave here!" Xiao'e called out tentatively.

Montgomery jolted as if he'd been whipped, frantically stuffing the dirty banknotes back into his pocket.

He never looked up at Xiao'e, only staring at the leaping flames, his voice low and hoarse as if squeezed out from a crack in the ground: "...It'll be good if Chief Migo comes back," he paused, then added with difficulty, "...Follow him, and there will be food to eat."

"But, Dad, my mom is gone, I don't want to lose you too, I'm so scared..."

……

Mi Gao's eldest son, Mi Yuan, said to Zhang Jincheng and the other two, "Brothers, please rest well. I'll have someone bring you clean clothes in a bit. My father said he wants to host a banquet for you."

"Thank you, Young Master Mi. Please arrange for someone to lock up those nine prisoners. These people will be helpful to me and our future development."

Zhang Jin felt that the eldest son in front of him was much better than his father, Mi Gao, and was a shrewd and capable person.

"No problem, I guarantee they won't get away." Mi Yuan said, then turned and left.

Not long after, Michael's men delivered three sets of green uniforms, without any markings, and they included underwear and shoes.

Zhang Jin said that the three of them took off their tattered clothes, took a shower, and changed into their new clothes, which made them look much more energetic.

Then, the three of them followed Michael's men to a spacious courtyard.

Several square tables were set up in the courtyard, and quite a few people were already waiting for them to start their meal.

One of the photos shows Michael and his family sitting down.

Next to it is another picture of people all wearing military uniforms, presumably officers under Michael.

Actually, they had already eaten. People here are different from those in China; they are used to eating two meals a day.

He was sitting inside now, obviously arranged by Michael to keep Zhang Jincheng and the others company.

When Michael saw Zhang Jincheng and the other two approaching, he immediately stood up to greet them.

After washing up, the guy was dressed in a white border dweller's uniform, looking refreshed and completely different from his previous disheveled state.

Michael led Zhang Jincheng and the other two to sit down at the table, then stood up and lavishly praised their extraordinary bravery, finally exclaiming, "Boss Zhang, you saved my life three times, you're like my second parents!"

From this day forward, in Awa Mountain Village, what Boss Zhang says is what I say.

"If anyone dares to disobey, I'll kill him. Do you all understand?"

"Did you hear me clearly..."

"I'll definitely listen to Boss Mi and Boss Zhang..."

Michael nodded, picked up a bowl of wine and said to Zhang Jin, "This is the best rice wine we brewed ourselves, and it is used to entertain our most distinguished guests."

Come, let me first offer a toast to the three of you.

"Thank you for saving my life!" he said, then drank it all in one gulp.

Zhang Jin said that the three of them also picked up their bowls and drank them down in one gulp. Mi Gao wasn't exaggerating; this rice wine was indeed quite good. It was smooth and slightly sweet, and also a little viscous, making it very refreshing and delicious, without any of the harshness of baijiu.

People who drink this kind of liquor for the first time are easily fooled by its appearance. In fact, this liquor has a strong aftereffect, and people who drink it heavily at the beginning often get so drunk that they lose consciousness.

Michael kept calling his family and subordinates to toast the three men.

Zhang Jin said that the three of them accepted all the drinks offered and drank heartily, and soon became somewhat tipsy.

Fueled by alcohol, Zhang Jin said to Mi Gao, "Brother Mi... don't forget the promise you made to us brothers when you came here!"
If you can't do it, then we brothers will just pack up and leave..."

"Hahaha... Don't worry, I won't forget."

"I'll arrange for someone to handle this tomorrow. This little bit of money is nothing to me. I promise you three that I won't shortchange you a single penny," Michael said happily, waving his arms.

Zhang Jin said that the more money they wanted, the happier Michael was, because as long as they liked money, he could control them.

Halfway through the banquet, Michael's young and beautiful concubine finally came over with a wine glass.

Zhang Jin noticed that the woman had just changed her clothes and was wearing a sheer dress that revealed glimpses of her flesh, making her look alluring and seductive.

Her shifty gaze made Zhang Jincheng instinctively feel that there was something wrong with this woman, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

A seductive woman exudes charm from the inside out; her every move subtly reveals her allure, and any man can sense it.

From Michael's eyes, it's clear that he dotes on this young concubine the most, and he even praised her business acumen highly.

Zhang Jin then learned that the woman's name was Li Yuan, and that she owned a jewelry processing factory in Mandalay.

Li Yuan, who is Chinese, said to Zhang Jincheng and the other two in fluent Mandarin: "Thank you, three heroes, for saving my husband. I admire you all very much after hearing about your deeds. I would like to toast you three heroes."

Zhang Jin said he was surprised to hear such authentic Mandarin in this remote mountain village. He said, "Hey! We didn't mean to save Boss Mi, it was just a coincidence."

The fact that Boss Mi was able to escape was entirely due to his own good fortune.

“Boss Zhang is really very modest. I happen to have a favor to ask of you. I wonder if you can agree?” Li Yuan said with a worried look on her face.

Zhang Jin said he didn't know what Li Yuan was up to, and said calmly, "Hehehe, we're all wanderers, I wonder how we can help Mrs. Mi?"

"This matter can only be accomplished with the help of these three heroes; no one else can do it," Li Yuan said firmly.

"Oh, I see!

Mrs. Nami, please tell us. If there's anything we brothers can do to help, we'll definitely do our best.

"Here's the thing, I saw a priceless jadeite rough in a jade mine, but I can't get it out."

Because the mine is located deep in the mountains and forests, and the area is quite chaotic with bandits running rampant, no one dares to take on the job.

"I wonder if Boss Zhang dares to take on this job and help me transport the ore out?"

Zhang Jin said he didn't expect Li Yuan to make such a request. After thinking for a moment, he said, "We brothers may not be able to help with other things, but this is no problem."

"We'll be making a living from this from now on, so we have to charge for it."

"Of course, these two pieces of ore are worth tens of millions of US dollars. I'll give you ten percent as a delivery fee."

"As long as you can escort them back, millions of dollars will be yours in no time." Li Yuan was delighted upon hearing this and readily agreed.

"I can't give Mrs. Mi a definite answer right now. I'm a bit confused from drinking tonight. I'll give you an answer after I've sobered up and understood the details."

"No problem. I can tell that Mr. Zhang is a cautious person, which makes me feel more at ease."

"Come on, let me toast Mr. Zhang and wish our cooperation a success..." Li Yuan said, then downed her drink in one gulp, showing great generosity.

When the banquet ended, Zhang Jin said that the three of them were completely drunk and had to be helped back to their rooms to rest by soldiers.

After the soldiers left, Zhang Jincheng and the other two suddenly sat up and laughed at each other.

This small amount of alcohol was nothing to them; although they weren't drunk, they were a little drowsy.

Zhuang Yanshen had a slightly lower alcohol tolerance, so he got up, walked to the outside railing, leaned against it, and vomited up all the acid in his stomach.

After vomiting, he was about to head back when he vaguely noticed a figure flickering behind a tree not far away.

Zhuang Yan pretended not to see anything, turned around, and staggered back into the house.

Lei Jun laughed and said to the two of them, "Damn, you two are really good at pretending. It makes it impossible for me to drink more. I have to pretend to be drunk with you guys."

Zhuang Yan put his index finger to his lips, signaling him to lower his voice, and said in a low voice, "Shh, keep your voice down, it sounds like there are dogs watching us outside."

Zhang Jin was taken aback. He felt that this shouldn't be someone Michael had sent to monitor them, and Michael wouldn't have suspected them so soon after they arrived.

Who could that be?

After thinking about it, the three realized that only one person was a possibility: Lang San, who had attacked them several times.

But this time it's in Michael's old lair, so how come Lang San's people are here?

Zhang Jin suddenly realized that the situation here was very complicated, beyond his expectations.

These stilted houses are drafty, and people outside or those hiding underneath can easily hear them talking.

Zhang Jin sat on the floor, with one arm around each person, and whispered in Lei Jun and Zhuang Yan's ears: "From now on, we are in the wolf's den. We must be on high alert and be careful with every move we make."

Zhuang Lei and his companion nodded vigorously without making a sound. They both sensed the gravity of the situation; in a place like Kim Jong-un, unexpected events could occur at any moment.

Zhang Jin continued quietly, "We've been here for more than just a day or two, so there's no need to pretend. Just act and talk like you always have."

The other side knows we were once soldiers; excessively concealing our actions will only arouse their suspicion.

"Alright, take turns on guard duty, the rest of you rest."

I can sleep soundly tonight.

An hour after waking up again, around 2 a.m., Zhang Jin suddenly smelled a faint smell of gasoline wafting into his nose, which immediately alerted him.

Zhang Jin sniffed around and judged the direction of the wind; it didn't seem to be coming from elsewhere.

He crawled back onto the floor and immediately confirmed his suspicion that the gasoline smell was coming from below. He shouted, "Get up! Something's up!"

As soon as Zhang Jincheng finished speaking, Zhuang Yanlei and Jun jumped up. Even in their sleep, their nerves were on edge, and they would wake up at the slightest sound.

Just then, with a whoosh, a thick flame suddenly burst into flames from the ground beneath the stilted house, instantly forming a huge fireball that engulfed the entire stilted house.

Before I could even figure out what was happening, the floor beneath my feet began to burn, and flames erupted all around me...

The three held their breath to avoid inhaling the toxic gas. There was no way out the door; their only option was to jump...

They leaped out of the raging flames and landed on the ground like three large birds.

After landing, he quickly extinguished the sparks on his body.

Then, they immediately searched the surroundings for any suspicious activity. The firelight illuminated the area, and a figure turned and ran into the woods.

Zhuang Yan immediately chased after the person ten meters away.

At this moment, the fire in the stilted house illuminated most of the village. Someone noticed the fire and came to put it out with fire extinguishers. The noisy crowd drowned out everything else.

When Michael arrived with several bodyguards, the stilted house had already burned down, leaving only a few wooden stakes still smoldering.

Michael shouted to the people around him, "Have Mr. Zhang and the others been rescued? How did the fire start?"

Zhang Jin walked over from the side and asked in a suppressed tone, "Boss Mi, is this how you treat your guests?"

Michael was speechless when questioned, and his expression was very embarrassed. He hurriedly said, "I am very sorry that this happened."

"Don't worry, Boss Zhang, I will do my best to investigate this matter and give you an explanation."

Zhang Jin said he knew that Michael was definitely not behind this, and that Michael needed Zhang Jin's help to deal with the Lang brothers.

From Mengwu Town, Longkou Cliff, to here, it must have all been done by the Lang brothers.

Tonight's events also demonstrate that the Lang brothers are hiding around Michael.

Zhang Jin said to Mi Dao, "It seems your men aren't on your side!"

(End of this chapter)