Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 198 A Long Journey to Receive Equipment
After repeated urging from Chen Jiang and Guo Baoqing, the cargo ship finally arrived at Matadi Port, the largest commercial port in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This is the largest port in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its only drawback is that it is located at the outlet of an inland river and lacks large-scale unloading equipment, which has caused Chen Jiang and his team's equipment to be unable to unload for a long time.

Despite the embassy's repeated attempts to coordinate, the other party stated that they lacked large machinery and were unable to unload the goods. In the end, Yuan Guoxing had no choice but to use his personal connections to obtain the necessary equipment and unload the cargo.

But how to transport it to Jinshasha has become a major problem.

The straight-line distance from Port Matadi to Kinshasa is approximately 250 kilometers, and there are three routes in total.
The most convenient option would definitely be the railway, but the railways in the Democratic Republic of Congo are old and unreliable. If Chen Jiang and his team's equipment were to fall, the consequences would be unpredictable, so they had no choice but to give up.

The second route is to go upstream along the inland river, but considering the waterfalls along the way and the fact that it is currently the dry season, this plan is also not feasible.

The only good option left is to drive there yourself and then bring the equipment back.

However, there is a very thorny problem: the roads in the Democratic Republic of Congo are almost non-existent, the road conditions are extremely poor, and the total length of winding dirt roads is 300 kilometers. The terrain along the way is also quite complex, with dense jungles, and the risks are not small.

After discussing it with Guo Baoqing, Chen Jiang decided that he would lead a group to drive the equipment back.

Guo Baoqing originally offered to lead the team, but Chen Jiang pointed out that there might be a battle during the equipment reception, and that Guo Baoqing was definitely stronger in terms of combat ability and command. In addition, the military camp also needed someone to guard it.

This time, he brought a platoon and two platoons from the engineering battalion, totaling more than 100 people. The defense of the military camp was left to Guo Baoqing and Ma Xiaoshuai.

Guo Baoqing wanted to argue a bit more, but Chen Jiang just said, "My wife is still in the camp, you have to protect her for me!" Then Guo Baoqing had nothing to say. It was impossible for both of them to stay in the camp and guard the house while he, as an instructor, had to go out and take care of things.

He concluded by saying that he would definitely protect the home and wait for their triumphant return.

To show their sincerity, Kara also sent an officer named Augu with more than two hundred soldiers to accompany them, ostensibly for protection.

In reality, Chen Jiang knew very well that these rabble were only good for fighting when things were going well, and they couldn't be relied on if they encountered any tough opponents on the road.

Chen Jiang, riding in one of the military trucks that were already in the camp, which were painted with the UN logo, led everyone on a grand journey.

The convoy slowly drove out of the camp in the morning mist, the tires making a sticky sound as they rolled over the muddy road.

Chen Jiang sat in the passenger seat of the lead car, his fingers unconsciously tapping the map on his knee.

The signal here is very poor. Using your phone for navigation might lead you into the jaws of lions and leopards, so traditional maps are more reliable. Anyway, there's only one road that can be called a road.

Chen Jiang was simply assessing where the dangers might lie along the road.

More than two hundred local soldiers brought by Augu rode in five dilapidated trucks at the forefront. The open truck beds were crowded with people, and noisy laughter and curses could be heard from time to time. Anyway, Chen Jiang couldn't understand their French.

Even though they couldn't understand what they were saying, their expressions and boisterous laughter told them they weren't saying anything nice. On the other hand, everyone in their own car was gripping their weapons tightly, ready to strike at any moment.

That's the difference between an elite army and a rabble.

"Squeak~"

Suddenly, the vehicle in front braked sharply, and Chen Jiang and his group also braked to a stop. He heard that two trucks had rear-ended each other, but since the trucks were badly damaged anyway, it was impossible to call the police to determine liability for the accident.

Just as Augu was wondering why they had stopped and cursing, the soldiers of the Seventh Company on Chen Jiang's side had already gotten off the vehicle, found cover, and prepared for battle. This was their consistent emergency response habit of daring to fight and take risks. Even the engineering corps had picked up their weapons.

The Chinese army is a master of ambush tactics; if attacked, staying still in a vehicle is practically suicide.

Augu was somewhat surprised by the reaction of Chen Jiang's troops, but he couldn't worry about that now. He rushed forward to take a look, then turned and walked towards Chen Jiang.

There was a translator nearby who had a basic understanding of English.

"There's a checkpoint ahead. They'll check your documents," Augu said, making a money-counting gesture with a wicked grin.

Chen Jiang understood that these bastards were definitely extortionists and bullies, and might even be in cahoots with Augu.

Don't say you don't have money. Even if you do, giving it away like this would be a disgrace to your country.

“Go and tell him that we can provide our identification.”

After hearing what the translator said, Augu's face immediately darkened.

He thought this trip would be lucrative. No money? I have so many brothers accompanying you on this spring outing!

But considering that he had spent a lot of money to get this opportunity, he couldn't just turn his back now. Everyone knows that the great Eastern country is the most generous. Over the years, it has spent a lot of money on sponsorships and charity. So why can't he get a share?
So he went to the front and relayed Chen Jiang's words to the group of soldiers at the checkpoint.
Of course, adding a little oil and some vinegar is essential.

Sure enough, when those bumpkins at the checkpoint heard that Chen Jiang was so ungrateful, they immediately brought a bunch of their henchmen over.
"No money, no talk!"

"No money, no way!"

Chen Jiang saw that the leader was still a teenager, and the group behind him were all Boy Scouts, some of whom were only wearing grass skirts, but the weapons they were carrying were of the real deal.

Chen Jiang recognized them; many were old guns from the 1950s and 60s. He wondered which colonial country had sent them back home, and how these foreign trash ended up in the hands of these children.

Hearing their fairly fluent English phrases about robbery, Chen Jiang couldn't help but chuckle.

Augu thought Chen Jiang might have chickened out, after all, what major power would lay a hand on a group of children in public?
This is their usual tactic: setting up checkpoints with Boy Scouts. If successful, they can take a cut; if unsuccessful, it's not their "elite" that suffers the loss.

"Sir, they want five hundred dollars in tolls from each vehicle." Aug quickly found someone to translate.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiang exclaimed, "Wow, that's really something!"
Five hundred dollars? Why don't you just rob someone?

Oh, by the way, they were robbing each other.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Congolese franc is the currency, one US dollar is roughly equivalent to 1000 Congolese francs, and most people cannot earn 1000 Congolese francs a day.

These guys are so keen on robbing because they can earn more wealth in a lifetime with just one robbery.

“Tell them this is a UN vehicle, and we’re in your country for humanitarian aid and peacekeeping operations,” Chen Jiang said coldly, while brandishing his UN credentials from his breast pocket in the sunlight.

Another round of translation ensued, and the leader, a complete bumpkin, immediately flew into a rage, his gun instantly going live. Augu feigned panic, but was secretly delighted.

How many high-ranking foreign military officers would actually engage in a gunfight with a few children? If a real fight breaks out, it's a lose-lose situation, and most people would choose to pay some money for peace of mind.

Besides, it's not like you can't bargain.

Asking for an exorbitant price and then settling for a bargain is a matter of course.

That makes sense, but today he's facing the Chinese army led by Chen Jiang.

Before Chen Jiang could speak, Li Erniu, the squad leader of the third squad, couldn't hold back any longer.
"Damn it! They dare to extort money from our peacekeeping forces? They're asking for it! Machine gunners, get ready!"

Hearing Li Erniu's tough stance, everyone behind him pulled their safety pins, and with a series of crisp clanging sounds, the several dark squad automatic guns on the vehicle were pointed menacingly at the enemy below.

Wait a minute, aren't Chinese people supposed to be peace-loving, gentlemen who prefer words to fists?

What about these people?

Upon seeing that Chen Jiang and his men were getting serious, the young leader, being just a kid, instinctively took a step back.

He nervously licked his chapped lips.

Where had he ever seen such a cold and murderous aura from a professional soldier?
The children behind were so frightened that their legs trembled.

Seeing that things were going badly, Augu immediately stepped forward to smooth things over.
"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

"Alright, alright, don't scare people. We Chinese soldiers love peace the most." Chen Jiang winked at He Chenguang behind him, "Do you have any food?"

He Chenguang took out a few sausages, and the others chipped in some compressed biscuits.

Chen Jiang handed these to the leading gang leader.

Sure enough, the little leader immediately revealed his true colors as soon as he saw the food.

They started this business just to eat and drink, and the dollars or other money they earned would eventually have to be handed over to the authorities. By the time they got their share, they didn't even know if it would be enough to fill a tooth.

Now that we have food, why risk our lives?

He grabbed the sausage and immediately started eating it.
Oh my god, it's so delicious! He's never eaten anything so good before.

As for the other children, they got their hands on military-grade compressed biscuits. Although these things couldn't compare to traditional delicacies in terms of texture—they were hard, heavy, and not very tasty—these were definitely good stuff in the children's eyes.
You should know that for most families, even cassava flour is a luxury. Only the very well-off families in the village can afford to eat it. What they eat mainly is fruit. They have to eat one avocado all day, and the rest of the time they can only eat insects and the like. It's a very miserable life.

Tempted by the delicious food, these boy scouts, who were just moments before "fierce and vicious," instantly lost their hostility and found Chen Jiang and his group quite agreeable.

Although Augu was somewhat annoyed, he was helpless. He had a cooperative relationship with the leader of these children, and if things really turned sour, he would encounter endless harassment when passing through this road in the future.

This is not worth it.

Seeing that they were enjoying their meal, Chen Jiang asked, "What's your name?"

The other person blinked their big eyes twice, perhaps understanding a little, and then proudly told Chen Jiang, "My name is Augu."

"Do you have any more food? Give me some more so I can take some back for my mother and my younger siblings." Aug had only eaten two bites of the sausage he had just received, and put the rest in his pocket, but he hoped to get more, since food was the most precious thing.

Chen Jiang shook his head. "We didn't bring much food with us this time, but if you want food, you can come to the Chinese peacekeeping force camp in Kinshasa. We will provide you with food and medicine for free, understand? We will help you get medical treatment."

As Chen Jiang made the motions of giving an injection, Augu and the others were terrified. Perhaps they had seen injections elsewhere, or perhaps fear of injections is in children's nature; in any case, Augu and the others just backed away.

After a brief conversation, Chen Jiang learned that these people were all from nearby villages and were actually pitiful people. Aogu had never even been to Kinshasa since he was born. In his eyes, it was the capital, a paradise for everyone, and people like them were not allowed to go there.

But Chen Jiang told him that it wasn't paradise, just an ordinary city, and that if he needed help, he could come to the city to find him.

Chen Jiang pointed to the blue UN logo on his vehicle and reiterated that he was part of a UN peacekeeping force, there to provide humanitarian aid, particularly to help the poor people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Augu nodded as if he understood, but since he had accepted their money, he waved his hand and a group of his men immediately ran over and removed the roadblocks in front of him.

As Chen Jiang and his convoy passed by, Augu smiled broadly and waved vigorously at him.

"Erniu, you weren't really going to shoot just now, were you?"

After the convoy had driven far away, He Chenguang couldn't help but joke.

"No way, they're just kids. I was just trying to scare them a little," Li Erniu said, scratching his head sheepishly.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. In Africa, you really have to be tough when necessary!” Chen Jiang said abruptly, which surprised Wang Yanbing and the others. Judging from the battalion commander’s words, if the situation was urgent, he would really give the order to open fire.

He didn't say it explicitly, but everyone sensed that this was what the battalion commander meant.

Chen Jiang looked at the vehicles ahead. The rabble in front of them no longer dared to laugh and curse freely. Instead, they looked at him with fear on their faces.

The murderous aura that Li Erniu and his men had just exuded had stunned them.

These are not sheep waiting to be slaughtered; they are all well-trained professional soldiers.

The rest of the journey went relatively smoothly. Apart from replenishing water and gasoline along the way and having a small meal at a restaurant, we spent the rest of the time traveling.

They encountered several "checkpoints" along the way, but seeing that Chen Jiang and his men were heavily armed and clearly not to be trifled with, they passed through them without incident.

As evening approached, they finally arrived at their destination, Port Matadi.

(End of this chapter)