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

Chapter 701: The Special Equipment of the Americans!!!
As he drove, Ah Gui said, "Mr. Zhang, to be honest, I liked you guys the moment I met you!"

“Oh, why? Is there something special about us?” Zhang Jincheng asked with a smile.

Ah Gui said honestly, "It's nothing, it's just that the way you look at people is different from the way the officials and rich people here look at each other."

The way you look at us is so kind and gentle, it makes us feel like there's no barrier between us.

So, I can tell from your eyes that you are good people!

Ah Gui truly lives up to his reputation as a veteran who has fought for over twenty years; his observation skills are remarkable. Zhang Jincheng secretly admires him and jokingly asks, "Ah Gui, are you so sure?"

"Of course, the eyes can't hide anything. You can tell what a person is thinking." A-Gui said casually, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the car window, looking straight ahead.

After crossing a mountain, we arrived at the edge of a dense forest.

Ah Gui turned around and asked Zhang Jin, "Mr. Zhang, would you like to rest here for a while?"

Zhang Jin also felt the urge to urinate: "Okay, let's rest here for a bit. Ah Gui, we came out this time to survey the terrain, so we should rest when we need to, no need to rush."

"I understand, Mr. Zhang!" A-Gui understood what Zhang Jincheng meant.

A-Gui skillfully parked the "Warrior" under a towering ancient tree. The roar of the engine gradually subsided, replaced by the chirping of birds in the forest.

Zhang Jin opened the car door, took a deep breath of the air filled with the fragrance of pine, and immediately felt refreshed.

“This place is really nice,” Zhang Jin said, looking around and noticing a turbulent river not far away. “Agui, you’re very familiar with this area, aren’t you?”

Ah Gui grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth: "That's right! Back when we were fighting alongside Boss Kang, we hid in this forest for a whole month." As he spoke, he took out a water bottle and some dry rations from the trunk. "Mr. Zhang, would you like to try some of our local wild fruits? There are some in that thicket over there."

The group walked along the forest path towards the river, the fallen leaves rustling under their feet. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

A-Gui suddenly stopped and pointed to a series of footprints on the ground, saying, "Look, these are wild boar footprints. They must have just passed by."

Zhang Jin squatted down to examine it carefully and indeed saw a series of clear hoof prints. "A-Gui, you have a really sharp eye," he exclaimed sincerely. "It seems that with you leading the way on this expedition, we're sure to find a lot of good things."

A-Gui scratched his head sheepishly: "Mr. Zhang, you flatter me. This is just my old job."

Just then, a clear bell sound came from afar.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a shepherd boy leading several goats through the woods, his melodious mountain song echoing through the forest.

The tranquil and peaceful scene brought a knowing smile to Zhang Jincheng's face.

I learned from A-Gui that this turbulent river is called the Miluokuo River.

The surging water made a huge roar, and even four people standing at a distance could feel the force of the rushing water.

There was water here, and the air was very cool, which quickly dried the sweat off the group.

After resting for a few minutes, A-Gui became interested again and said happily, "Although I was born here, I am related to you all."

"Oh, so you're an overseas Chinese, A-Gui?" Zhang Jincheng asked curiously.

"I am a Kokang person, which in this context means a minority group from China."

Our ancestors migrated here from the Ming Dynasty. We still retain the same culture and customs as you, write and speak Chinese, and are similar to the ethnic minorities over there.”

Hearing this, Zhang Jin felt that A Gui was much more approachable, and patted A Gui's arm, saying, "That's right, regions and spaces can never sever the blood ties that connect us."

Ah Gui, are there many Kokang people here?

"I don't really know how many people there are, but the old city area is mainly inhabited by Kokang people. Our former leader, Kang, was a Kokang."

When Ah Gui mentioned Boss Kang, his eyes suddenly dimmed and his voice lowered.

He bent down, picked up a pebble, weighed it in his hand, and threw it forcefully into the middle of the river, creating a small splash.

Zhang Jincheng keenly noticed A Gui's emotional change and was about to ask him a question when he saw that A Gui had already adjusted his expression and pointed to a wide open space on the opposite bank, saying, "Mr. Zhang, look over there. Last year during the rainy season, the river swelled and washed away the old ferry crossing. The villagers in the nearby mountains had to detour more than 30 miles to cross the river."

Following the direction Ah Gui pointed, Zhang Jin saw a clear sign of a landslide on the opposite bank and quickly took notes in his notebook.

Ah Gui continued, "If only a bridge could be built here, the mountain people wouldn't have to walk such a long way through the mountains anymore." His tone was full of anticipation.

Zhang Jin closed his notebook and nodded thoughtfully: "It is indeed a good place. Agui, are there any mineral resources nearby?"

“Yes!” A-Gui’s eyes lit up. “There’s a copper mine upstream. A few years ago, a foreign exploration team came here. But…” He hesitated for a moment, “This place is too remote, the situation is a bit chaotic, and transportation costs are high, so no one has come to develop it.”

Just then, a sharp whistle came from the woods.

Ah Gui's expression changed, and he quickly pulled Zhang Jincheng down to squat down: "Don't make a sound!"

Three men carrying hunting rifles emerged from the woods, cautiously surveying their surroundings.

Ah Gui lowered his voice and said, "It's Boss Luo's patrol team. This area has been rather unsettled lately."

Let's avoid meeting them to prevent trouble.

After those people had gone far away, A-Gui breathed a sigh of relief: "Mr. Zhang, we should go back now. We need to get to town before dark, as wild animals often roam the forest this time of year."

“Okay, sure,” Zhang Jin suddenly thought of a question and said to A Gui, “A Gui, I have a question for you, please don’t mind.”

"Please feel free to ask, I won't mind," A-Gui said readily.

"Ah Gui, you followed Boss Kang first, how come you followed Boss Mi later?"

"Alas, a few years ago, Boss Kang was defeated by Boss Lang and fled the old city, and his subordinates also scattered."

Some joined forces with Boss Lang, while others set up their own factions.

I was taken in by Boss Mi with a dozen or so people.

Later, I learned that Kang Laoda had gone to live with his son-in-law.

Kang Laoda isn't having an easy time these days, so we didn't go looking for him.

However, if Boss Kang were to raise his banner again one day, we would still go and join him.

When he said this, A-Gui's expression was very solemn, and it was clear that he was speaking from the heart.

Zhuang Yan leaned closer and said to A Gui, "I didn't realize you were so loyal to Boss Lang. He must be a good person."

"Of course, we soldiers here, including the people here, all like him."

Kang Laoda also has a very good relationship with "the other side." He even went to Beijing and received a grand welcome. Every time he was injured, he went "the other side" for treatment.

A-Gui's words piqued Zhang Jincheng's interest, and he asked curiously, "A-Gui, I don't understand. Since you all support Boss Kang so much, why are there so many people following Boss Lang against him? And why did they drive him away?"

"Sigh, this matter can't be explained in just a few words," A-Gui sighed.

Zhang Jin seemed particularly interested. He wasn't in a hurry to get going, so he said to A Gui, "No rush, A Gui, just tell us. I really want to hear the story."

"Okay, fine!"
Actually, the reason why Boss Kang has ended up in this situation is because he caused trouble by 'banning flour'.

Ah Gui's words surprised Zhang Jincheng and the other two. It was quite rare to hear about "banning flour" in a place like the "Jin San area".

Because the only crop grown here is "Yingsu".

The most common commodity in village and town markets is stacks of tobacco paste.

Flour is the most common thing here, and locals are more or less involved in things related to flour.

The fact that "flour" is banned in a "flour den" cannot but attract the attention of Zhang Jincheng and his two companions.

"Ah Gui, you said that Boss Kang is going to ban flour in the 'Jin San area'?" Zhang Jin asked.

Ah Gui nodded slowly and said, "Yes, to be precise, 'flour' was banned in the old city because that was the only place under his jurisdiction; he didn't have the authority to do anything else."

"Logically speaking, this 'ban on flour' should be a good thing, so why did Elder Kang cause trouble?" Zhang Jin asked curiously.

"Sigh! You don't understand the situation here. The old people here rely on growing 'ingsu' to support themselves; they don't know how to grow anything else."

The big and small bosses here make money by selling flour. What will they eat after the flour ban? And how will they support their subordinates?
Of course, everyone rose up against him, especially the leaders under Boss Kang. Because their source of income had been cut off, they also joined in opposing him, almost all of them siding with Boss Lang, and finally drove Boss Kang out of the old city.

"Aren't you saying this isn't caused by the 'flour ban'?"

Ah Gui's words made Zhang Jincheng fall into deep thought. Lei Jun nudged him from the side, "Brother, what are you thinking about?"

"Oh, I think the situation here isn't what we thought."

"Banning flour isn't just about eliminating a few big 'flour dealers,' it involves the livelihoods of the local people, it's a social issue," Zhang Jin said with deep feeling.

Ah Gui deeply agreed with Zhang Jincheng's words and said with emotion, "Isn't that right? We can't all starve to death, can we?"

To completely ban flour in the Kim Jong-un region, you'd have to get rid of all the people there...

When Westerners come here, all they do is shout "No flour!" and "Flour is prohibited!"

These bastards don't even think about who brought the Anglo-Soviet seeds here?
Back then, wasn't it them who forced us... that made our local farmers only know how to grow English sour grapes, and can't grow anything else?

If they don't give us a way to survive, we'll have no choice but to plant English sappers, and we can't stop them here forever..."

Zhang Jin patted A Gui on the shoulder and said, "Thank you, A Gui. You've given us a very good lesson. Let's get going."

The group continued along the winding mountain road, the afterglow of the setting sun turning the mountains golden.

A-Gui walked ahead, skillfully using a machete to cut through the vines blocking his path, occasionally turning back to remind Zhang Jincheng to watch out for the loose stones under his feet.

“Mr. Zhang, the fork in the road is just ahead. Our car is parked over there…” A-Gui pointed ahead and said, “Left leads to the town, right leads to the copper mine.”

However, there's no one left at the copper mine now; the mine shafts were buried after a landslide during last year's rainy season.

Zhang Jin stopped, took out his water bottle, took a sip, and asked thoughtfully, "Agui, do you think the local people would be willing to change their professions if we developed other industries here, such as growing tea or fruit?"

Ah Gui shook his head with a wry smile: "It's tough. Yingsu can harvest a season's crop in just a few months, and the selling price is high."

It takes at least three years to harvest tea, and "he lowered his voice," he said, "those big bosses won't allow it."

Last year, several villages wanted to switch to growing bananas, but...

Before he could finish speaking, the roar of an engine suddenly came from afar.

A-Gui's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly pulled everyone into the roadside bushes. "It's a motorcycle patrolled by the nearby village!"

Three modified motorcycles roared past, kicking up clouds of dust.

Zhang Jin noticed that the people in the vehicle were not only carrying rifles, but also had several bulging sacks tied to the back seat.

Once the sound faded into the distance, Ah Gui breathed a sigh of relief: "Strange, they don't usually take this route."

……

For the rest of the journey, Zhang Jin did not say another word. He walked while pondering what A Gui had said.

Zhang Jin stated that he found many "flour ban" measures to be merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause. People were focused on eliminating "flour vendors," but the production and sale of flour were only one aspect of the flour problem.

As long as there are still people growing English flour, the problem of banning "flour" will never be completely solved.

The problem of banning "flour" must be addressed by finding a way to ensure the survival of the local people.

Zhang Jin suddenly felt that these were not issues he should be considering; a soldier's mission is to complete his task.

However, his strong sense of responsibility forced him to seriously consider and face reality.

Zhang Jin also knew that even if they eliminated the "Lang brothers", new "flour dealers" would fill their vacancies.

The pressure we face regarding flour production will not lessen. As long as the "Kim Jong-il region" continues to grow Angsana, we will not be able to eliminate the pressure to combat flour production.

After arriving in Panshan Town, Agui led Zhang Jincheng and the other two to the office there.

The office is located in a courtyard in the center of the town.

There was a two-story building along the street, with a courtyard behind it, and houses all around.

This office in Panshan Town is not only Migo's liaison point to the outside world, but also responsible for the procurement and supply of materials in the mountains.

Therefore, this place is personally overseen and controlled by Mi Qing, the second son of Mi Gao.

Mi Qing had already received his father's telegram and had been waiting for Zhang Jincheng and the others for a long time.

After meeting, Mi Qing and Zhang Jin exchanged pleasantries for a while, and then Mi Qing led them to a warehouse.

Mi Qing smiled and said, "As per Mr. Zhang's request, I have obtained all the necessary equipment. Please take a look."

On the table were three Colt assault rifles placed side by side, with scopes and spotlights mounted on rails, and grenade launchers hanging from the barrels. Beretta M9 pistols were also found tucked into their leg sleeves, along with a multi-tool knife, a portable radio, night vision goggles, a helmet, a bulletproof vest, a first aid kit, and other essentials.

There was also a backpack radio and a box containing a disassembled M107 sniper rifle.

Soldiers have a special affection for weapons, and Zhang Jin and the other two looked at the weapons with shining eyes.

Zhang Jin couldn't wait to pick up an assault rifle to test it, and he liked it very much.

This is the latest M4A1 Carbine Q-class armored vehicle equipped by our American counterparts.

The Q was officially put into use in 1994, with semi-automatic and fully automatic versions, and was officially equipped by the US Army in 1997.

Zhang Jin said that the three of them were very familiar with this weapon, and he knew that the M4A1 was the main successor derivative of the M4 Carbine Q.

The main differences between the M4A1 and the M4 are twofold. One is the use of Picatinny rails instead of the original one-piece lifting housing.

This makes it easier to install modular aiming devices, and the M4A1 also uses the lower receiver of the M16A1.

与原版M4的S-1-3（保险／单发／三点发）系统不同，M4A1为S-1-F（保险／单发／全自动）系统。

The three-round burst mode of the M4 has been removed and replaced with a fully automatic mode.

To accommodate this renovation, the aluminum heat shield was upgraded, changing from a single layer to a double layer, making the guardboard thicker.

Zhang Jin put down the M4A1 and then pulled out the Beretta M9 that was inserted into the q case.

Compared to the Colt M4A1 assault rifle, the Beretta M9 is also very famous.

During the Gulf War a few years ago, US lieutenants and above, including elite special forces, were equipped with this weapon for the first time, and it proved effective in actual combat.

This pistol was developed by Beretta in Italy. It operates on a short-recoil principle, features a drop-lock mechanism, and has a single/double-action trigger. It is fed by a 15-round detachable magazine, uses 9mm caliber ammunition (9x19mm NATO standard), is 217mm long, weighs 1.1kg, and has a muzzle velocity of 390 m/s. The M9 has a simple design and reliable mechanical operation.

Zhuang Yan, who was standing next to him and was a sniper, couldn't wait to open the box of the sniper rifle and start assembling the Barrett M107.

The M107 sniper rifle was developed based on the M82A3 sniper rifle used by the Marine Corps, with further improvements and optimizations.

This M107 sniper rifle has a 12.7mm caliber and is equipped with a scope that can magnify objects up to 15 times at a distance of 2000 meters, enabling it to achieve accurate strikes at such a distance.

This rifle is particularly suitable for long-range effective attacks on military facilities, such as light vehicles, and is a powerful assistant in combat.

Zhuang Yan couldn't help but stroke the dark blue, glossy body of the creature and whispered, "Wow, it's so cute!"

Lei Jun couldn't help but pick up a Colt and examine it carefully, his eyes filled with surprise, as if he had suddenly seen his beloved treasure, his joy overflowing.

Seeing the three men's happy expressions, Mi Qing said in a boastful tone, "How about it? Mr. Zhang, these guys are alright, aren't they?"

“Excellent! I never expected that Young Master Mi would be so resourceful, managing to get his hands on Old M’s special forces equipment. I’m truly impressed.”

With this equipment, we'll be much more confident about the work ahead.

Mi Qing added, "Alright, I'll have someone inspect and maintain your car, fill it up with gas, and prepare two more cans of oil."

It's not like where you are; there are very few places to refuel here.

In addition, I have prepared supplies and drinking water for you.

(End of this chapter)