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

Chapter 717 Accumulating Strength!!!

After a meeting, Liu Xiaotao, Zhang Jincheng, and several others decided to establish the "Old Miao Village" Mountain Folk Self-Defense Force, with Agui as the captain to manage them.

The members of the mountain people's self-defense force are all hunters who spend their free time hunting and participating in military training. Each person receives a monthly salary of 400 yuan, which is a very high income for the mountain people.

In the "Golden Three Areas", 400 RMB can solve the problem of feeding a family of villagers, with some money left over.

Like other armed groups in the "Kim Jong-un region," their soldiers receive only a few dozen kilograms of rice per month and two sets of uniforms per year, nothing else. Many young people join the army just to have a meal.

In comparison, the treatment of the "Old Miao Village" mountain people's self-defense force is simply enviable.

As soon as the news spread, young men from several remote villages nearby came to sign up, and in just three days, hundreds of people gathered at the entrance of "Laomiao Village".

A-Gui stood on the high platform, looking at the familiar faces in the crowd, as well as his former rivals who had fought over the hunting grounds, all of whom were now staring at him expectantly.

"Line up!" A-Gui shouted, waving his homemade red-tasseled spear. "Those who have served in the army, stand on the left; those who know how to hunt, stand on the right!" The crowd immediately split into two groups like a tide being cleaved by a knife.

Zhang Jincheng also came to help. He brought over an octagonal table and registered everyone's special skills one by one.

A young man named Yan Kan performed his amazing skill of loading a homemade gun while blindfolded, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The self-defense force's training ground is located on the threshing ground at the east end of the village.

Every morning, before the mist has completely dissipated, you can hear the sound of orderly footsteps.

Liu Xiaotao had the members of the assault team take turns being instructors, teaching them drills and simple tactical maneuvers.

The hunters were already skilled in covert tracking, and now they have learned to fight in squads, which has greatly improved their combat effectiveness.

Some villagers from other impoverished villages, who had no future, also came to "Old Miao Village" upon hearing the news.

Including the families of the members of the mountain militia, the population of the village is growing, and it is believed that it will be expanded again soon.

Some elderly villagers often squat by the training ground with their pipes in hand, watching their children and grandchildren practice, a contented smile on their wrinkled faces.

Their lives, under the leadership of the commando team, are becoming increasingly hopeful.

Therefore, the villagers were very proactive and conscientious, and they guarded the "Old Miao Village" very tightly.

One morning, a commotion suddenly broke out on the training field.

It turned out that a caravan of more than ten people had been stopped outside the gate by a self-defense patrol group.

The caravan leader, a man with a heavy local accent, shouted, "We're here to discuss business! We've heard you have excellent animal hides and medicinal herbs!"

Upon hearing the news, A-Gui rushed over and carefully examined the weary merchants.

They were leading six mules laden with goods, their waists bulging, clearly carrying weapons.

Liu Xiaotao rushed over after receiving the news. He noticed a tall, thin man in the caravan wearing a straw hat, whose right hand was always on his waist.

"Hand over your weapons first," Liu Xiaotao said in a deep voice. "Once you're in the village, you have to follow our rules." The caravan members looked at each other, and finally, at the leader's signal, they handed over five "Aka" guns and three "Big Black Star" guns.

Zhang Jin said he personally led a team to inspect the cargo and found that in addition to daily necessities such as salt and cloth, there were also two brand-new "Aka" guns and 500 rounds of ammunition.

The caravan leader rubbed his hands together and said with a smile, "These are all gifts for our meeting. Our boss wants to do a big deal with your village."

It turns out that this caravan was backed by the largest mule caravan force in the "Jin San region".

They saw the potential in the location of "Old Miao Village" and wanted to set up a transit point there.

Liu Xiaotao and Agui exchanged a glance, both seeing wariness in each other's eyes—this could be an opportunity, or it could be a trap.

As night deepened, the candlelight flickered in the mountain stronghold's council hall, casting intermittent light on the solemn faces of the people present.

Liu Xiaotao tapped his finger heavily on the yellowed map and said in a deep voice, "Accepting the caravan's conditions can indeed solve the urgent problem of the shortage of supplies, but the risks are not to be underestimated." He paused and glanced at everyone present, "Once the caravan discovers our true strength and weaknesses, and the news reaches the ears of Boss Lao Chenglang or Michael, they will definitely come to besiege us."

"Old Liu's considerations are thorough." Zhang Jincheng stroked the jade pendant at his waist, his brows furrowed. "Right now is a crucial period for us to bide our time and conceal our strength."

"If our whereabouts are exposed, the enemy will stop at nothing to deal with us." He looked out the window at the rolling mountains, his voice low. "We ourselves aren't afraid; we can simply leave. But what about the mountain people?"

A brief silence fell over the hall, broken only by the crackling of the charcoal in the brazier.

Although the caravans had no prior grudges against them, these traveling caravans were like mobile megaphones, and sooner or later they would pass on the secret of "Old Miao Village" to Boss Lang or Mi Gao.

“Let’s just refuse them! We can still get supplies even without the caravan, why take the risk?” A-Gui frowned and nodded heavily.

“There’s no need to go to extremes. Normal business dealings can still continue.” Zhang Jincheng stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before continuing, “But we absolutely cannot let them stay in the village permanently.”

"How about this, we'll set up a trading post at that abandoned mine not far from the mountain stronghold, and all buying and selling will take place there."

When the caravan learned that the "Old Miao Village" not only refused them entry but also stipulated that they could only trade outside the village, the caravan members were greatly disappointed.

This mountain stronghold was strategically located, making it the foothold they had always dreamed of.

But then I thought about it again. Mountain people have always been xenophobic, and some villages are even more traditional and unwilling to have much interaction with outsiders.

It seems that this is just the nature of the "Old Miao Village".

Although the caravan members were disappointed, they had no choice but to give up and look for another place.

With the "base" thriving, Zhang Jin called Zhuang Yan, Wang Tao, and Li Guo together to discuss sending them to Mandalay.

The commando team lacked transportation, which was a significant disadvantage for the next phase of the operation. Zhang Jin stated that he planned to purchase several off-road vehicles.

It's best to buy the domestically produced "Warrior". This vehicle is not only economical, but also has excellent off-road performance. In the complex terrain of the "Jin San District", it is in no way inferior to some famous off-road vehicle brands.

Previously, the most common vehicle in the "Golden Three Regions" was the Mitsubishi Pajero, but after the domestically produced "Warrior" was launched, it quickly gained market favor and went abroad to be sold overseas.

Compared to the expensive Mitsubishi Pajero, the Warrior off-road vehicle offers better value for money, and this best-selling vehicle can even be found in the "Golden Triangle Region".

Therefore, everyone unanimously decided to buy the "Warrior" off-road vehicle, which is easy to drive, has excellent performance, is inconspicuous to use, and the money saved can be used to purchase more supplies.

While getting the car, Zhuang Yan also needed to purchase some special weapons and equipment, including a large-caliber sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, a rocket launcher, and other powerful weapons, which would play an important role in future battles.

After arranging the car purchase, Zhang Jin asked A Gui, "Brother A Gui, when we were in Awa Mountain Village, Mi Gao's eldest son, Yuan, took us to a 'flour' factory. However, that was just primary processing. The factory that ultimately produces 'Number Four' is in a cave. Do you know anything about that place?"

Ah Gui nodded and said, "It's not a cave at all; it's in a secluded ravine."

They simply stored the No. 4 batches they produced inside the cave. I went there twice to escort the shipment.

"Do you have any plans?" Liu Xiaotao asked Zhang Jincheng with a smile.

Upon hearing Zhang Jincheng's words, Zhuang Yan immediately stood up and said, "For both public and private reasons, we cannot let this old man go!"
Damn it, just thinking about the torture I suffered in the water dungeon makes my teeth itch with hatred.

If you ask me, we should first take down his 'flour' nest.

"I want to go and do some reconnaissance first. We'll make specific plans when you get back," Zhang Jin said calmly, looking at everyone. To be honest, he could understand Zhuang Yan's feelings.

A-Gui thought for a moment and said, "Let Yan-Kan take you there. That kid is quite familiar with that area, and he's clever and a master at crossing mountains and valleys."

Zhang Jin said he knew Yan Kan, who was a relatively outstanding young man in the Singaporean mountain people's self-defense force. He was strong and healthy, and Zhang Jin had high hopes for him.

"Okay, let's get ready and leave right away."

Brother Agui, please invite Yankan over for me. I'll ask him for more information.

The group then went to make preparations. Liu Xiaotao called Wang Qiang over. This guy was a mechanical expert, and he could tell what was wrong with the vehicle just by listening to it. Of course, he was indispensable when buying a car.

In addition, Wang Qiang is very knowledgeable about weapons and knows all kinds of weapons produced in various countries around the world. He can disassemble any kind of gun with ease.

The next day, the four of them set off at dawn, first walking fifty li to reach a basin called Menglun.

Menglun Dam is surrounded by mountains, and the morning mist shrouds this flat valley.

Zhuang Yan walked at the front, cautiously observing his surroundings.

The mountain road here is winding and twisting, with dense primeval forests on both sides, and the occasional birdsong can be heard from afar. "There's a small market ahead. We can rest there for a while and then rent a car to go to Mandalay," Yan Kan said, pointing ahead.

As A-Gui had said, the young guide was indeed very familiar with the terrain.

His dark face always wore a kind smile, but his eyes were unusually alert.

Upon arriving at the market, Yan Kan soon led everyone to a car rental shop.

They negotiated a price with the car rental company owner, rented a domestically produced "Warrior" car, and headed straight for Mandalay.

Fortunately, the car is spacious enough to accommodate five people, including the driver.

The driver was a very warm and cheerful middle-aged man who kept chatting with everyone along the way.

Zhuang Yan sat in the passenger seat, and the driver smiled and said to him, "You gentlemen are from Xia Country, right?"

"Driver, how did you know we were from Xia Country?" Zhuang Yan asked curiously.

"I'm guessing. The people who rent my car are usually merchants from Xia Kingdom. They're all going to Mandalay to buy gems."

"I've heard that 80% of the jadeite rough stones in your Xia Kingdom are transported from Mandalay," the driver said enthusiastically as he drove.

“But we’re not going to buy jewels, we’re going to buy a car, a ‘Warrior’ off-road vehicle like yours.”

Upon hearing that we were going to buy a car, the driver immediately perked up and enthusiastically recommended used cars: "If you're buying a car for your own use, I suggest you take a look at the used car market."

Here, you can find great deals on used cars that are 80% new, and there's all kinds of cars available, all sourced directly from their countries of origin.

The price is absolutely cheap; you can save a lot of money.

"How are the condition of the used cars here?" Wang Qiang interjected from the back seat.

"The quality is absolutely guaranteed. I bought this car secondhand, and it has never had any problems."

"I'll take you to the used car market first, then you'll see," the driver said confidently.

Hearing what the driver said, the group decided to go to the second-hand market and headed straight there after arriving in Mandalay.

The used car market is located on the outskirts of Mandalay and covers a large area with various vehicles neatly arranged.

The driver skillfully parked the car in front of a field marked "Military Special Supply Zone," where more than a dozen camouflage-painted "Warrior" vehicles were parked quietly, their tires still covered in wet mud.

“These are all military vehicles,” the driver explained in a low voice, “their mileage is not high, and the engines are fine.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang immediately jumped out of the car and skillfully lifted the hood of the nearest vehicle to inspect it.

Zhuang Yan noticed subtle signs of modification at the welded joints of the chassis, while Yan Kan crouched down to examine the chassis and suddenly used a dagger to pry off a piece of dried red clay.

“It came from the Shan Plateau,” Yan Kan said, crushing a clod of earth between his fingertips. “This vehicle may have been through combat.”

Suddenly, the roar of engines came from deep within the market. Three brand-new "Warriors" cars drove in, their exhaust pipes spewing blue smoke. The "Yanqi Group" logo on the cars gleamed in the sunlight.

“If you want the goods in stock, you’ll have to pay an extra 30%,” the dealer in the floral shirt said, patting the car door. “This batch is an order for local armed groups.” He pointed meaningfully to the bulletproof steel plates installed on the vehicle.

These "Warrior" cars are in excellent condition, exceeding everyone's expectations, and the price is very reasonable, even less than half the price of a new car in China.

After discussing it with everyone, Zhuang Yan decided to buy three used "Warrior" cars.

Wang Qiang drove the cars out one by one for a test drive. When he came back, he gave Zhuang Yan a thumbs up and said happily, "Great! It's no different from a new car, and it even saves you the break-in period."

Everyone was very happy to have bought an off-road vehicle worth 400,000 yuan for less than 150,000 yuan.

Zhuang Yan gave the driver an extra 500 yuan for the car rental fee as a thank you.

Unexpectedly, the driver firmly refused, saying that he hadn't done anything wrong, so he couldn't charge more than he was entitled to, and that taking money that didn't belong to him would make him uneasy.

The driver's kindness and simplicity touched everyone deeply.

After saying goodbye to the driver, the four of them drove their three newly purchased "Warrior" SUVs to a hotel to stay in.

Since it was late, I decided to buy the weapons the next day.

The next day, with the hotel owner's directions, the four of them quickly found a street that specialized in buying and selling weapons.

This unassuming street has dozens of shops selling weapons.

The narrow shop was filled with all sorts of weapons, both long and short, which broadened the horizons of the five people.

As Wang Qiang entered the third shop, his eyes suddenly lit up.

He strode to the counter, pointed to a modified QBZ-95 rifle, and whispered, "The rifling on this rifle has been remilled, which will improve the accuracy by at least 30%."

The shop owner, a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looked surprised upon hearing this: "Sir, you have a good eye. This is a special version supplied to special forces."

Zhuang Yan noticed several green wooden crates piled up in the corner, with Russian markings printed on them.

Yan Kan lightly touched the box with his toe, and the metallic clanging sound immediately alerted the shopkeeper.

"AK-12, brand new." The shopkeeper pushed up his glasses. "But it'll cost this much." His gesture made Zhuang Yan frown.

Wang Qiang suddenly discovered a hidden room at the back door of the shop, through which he could see rows of RPG launchers.

Just as he was about to get closer to take a look, a loud argument suddenly broke out next door.

Everyone cautiously reached for their waists, but Yan Kan had already silently slipped to the door.

It turned out that two armed men were haggling over a price when one of them suddenly lifted his jacket to reveal a vest covered in detonators.

"If you want to discuss business, go to the back." The shop owner calmly pressed the alarm button under the counter, and within ten seconds, four or five security guards with guns rushed in.

After the commotion subsided, the shop owner invited Zhuang Yan and his group to the back to discuss the matter.

After walking through the long corridor, we arrived at the armory at the back of the shop.

The scene here was an eye-opener for everyone; all kinds of weapons were displayed on the walls, on shelves, and in cabinets.

This place is practically an armory exhibition; some of the weapons are models that even Wang Qiang has never seen before.

Wang Qiang walked to a row of display cases for mobile phones. He saw all kinds of mobile phones made in various countries, including the American Colt M1911, the Italian Beretta, the Austrian Glock, and the domestically produced "Big Black Star", Type 92, and so on.

Zhuang Yan suddenly discovered an old antique in a glass cabinet. He remembered watching the movie "Railway Guerrilla" when he was a child, where the guerrillas each had a "twenty-shot" gun. Back then, he dreamed of touching one.

When I was a child, I thought that holding a "twenty-shot" gun made me a real king of the hill.

Zhuang Yan couldn't help but pick up the brand-new "Twenty-Shot" gun, which gleamed with blue light, and felt its weight in his hand.

I turned on the fire selector and glanced at it; the new weapon's power was no less than the micro submachine gun I was currently using.

However, one touch is enough to tell that it is a counterfeit. Both the craftsmanship and quality are quite different from those of genuine German products.

This is something made in a private workshop, but laymen can't tell the difference at all.

The shop owner was a shrewd man. Seeing that Zhuang Yan liked it, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Nobody wants this thing now. If you like it, sir, you can take it. Consider it a gift from me to you."

Zhuang Yan smiled, put the "twenty-shot" pistol back in its place, and joked with the shopkeeper, "I'll come back for it when I open a weapons museum someday."

Then, Wang Qiang and the others were busy wielding their favorite weapons. They were all people who cherished their weapons dearly, and they were extremely excited to suddenly see so many weapons.

Wang Qiang quickly grabbed a Colt assault rifle, inspected it, and said to Zhuang Yan, "Absolutely genuine." He could tell the general idea of ​​any weapon in his hands, whether it was genuine or a replica.

In some parts of West Asia, villagers can create any size of q-shaped coin in the world by hand-rubbing it, and the result is so realistic that it is indistinguishable from the real thing.

(End of this chapter)