Taxes are only within machine gun range!

Chapter 177 Boosting the Town's GDP
If just moments ago the DEA agents were still puzzled by Milton's actions and attitude toward drug dealers, now they are utterly shocked.

"Wait!" Winnie ignored the other flaws in Milton's words and went straight to the most important question. "Let's move the topic a little further back. You said the CIA is evading taxes on your territory? How do you know the CIA is here? How do you know they're evading taxes?"

Milton chuckled: "Latin America may be America's backyard, or the CIA's backyard... but not here. I know exactly which unfriendly forces, especially tax evaders, come here when they come and what they plan to do."

Winnie glanced at the shocked expressions on her two teammates' faces and asked, "So... you've already clashed with the CIA head-on? At least, you must have communicated with one of their leaders, right?"

"Hmm... let me guess, is it Eric Wilson?"

Now it was Milton's turn to be slightly surprised: "Not bad, you guessed pretty accurately."

Winnie shook her head and explained:

"He works for the Agency for International Development, which is essentially an extension of the CIA. What agricultural consultant? Haha... We investigated his education and family background, and he is not qualified to be an agricultural consultant at all."

“It’s not that I guessed correctly, but that he didn’t really intend to hide it at all—this person was already semi-publicly revealing his identity, and now we’re just confirming it directly.”

"You've had a direct confrontation with him? What were the specifics? Can you share some information?"

Milton tapped the table with his finger and said, “In principle, we can’t share, but we’re temporary allies now… To put it simply, Eric came to my territory before and discussed a collaboration with me.”

Before Milton could continue, Winnie's face immediately darkened: "He saw that you controlled this area, which was originally a vacuum, and he's greedy for it. He wants to control you, isn't he?"

“That’s right.” Milton said casually. “He also promised me that if I accepted his offer, I would receive monthly financial assistance and a security guarantee—at least Lopez wouldn’t be a threat to me.”

Winnie opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.

She originally wanted to say that the DEA could also provide Milton with some weapons purchase channels and apply for budgets.

However, the CIA has access to the front-line equipment of the US military, while the DEA mostly uses second-line equipment... In terms of funding, the DEA is also far inferior to the CIA.

If it came to an "arms race," Winnie would definitely lose to Eric.

"But you didn't agree."

Milton nodded matter-of-factly: "Of course I won't agree to them—go out on the street and ask any kid on the street, and they'll know what the CIA is thinking."

“I can’t promise you anything.” Winnie was silent for a while, then sighed. “But if you need any special equipment that you can’t buy, you can ask me. Maybe I can help you find a supplier.”

"Let's go. You told us about this not just because you wanted to use the Gulf Group's people, but also because you wanted us to help you?"

“SAD is an elite force with excellent equipment. Even if we launch a surprise attack and they are outnumbered, we must be fully prepared… Where are they now? Tell me their location. We must develop a detailed plan.”

"If possible, provide as much support firepower as possible without affecting your defensive lines—the most important thing in dealing with this kind of enemy is to suppress them so they can't even lift their heads."

"Don't even think about fighting at night; their night vision equipment is definitely much better than yours..."

While Winnie was talking animatedly, Milton just looked at her with a slightly strange expression, and Flora's team turned their heads to look out the window, making it impossible to see their expressions.

As a narcotics agent, Winnie immediately sensed the strange atmosphere. She frowned and said, "We've dealt with the CIA many times; we're their old adversaries. They may not have many people, but their fighting power is absolutely formidable. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to treat them with the same methods used against a regular army on the front lines."

"They rarely resort to direct force, but that doesn't mean they only use soft tactics."

Milton said, "You may have misunderstood something. It's not that we're going to fight the CIA, but that they're going to fight me... I've only devised a defensive counter-attack strategy."

To be honest, Milton just made a mistake of having a God's-eye view—he knew what equipment the CIASAD people had, how many of them came, how they got there, and what they were there for, but Winnie and the others didn't know.

She probably thought that Milton was planning to steal an enemy command post with CIASAD instructors, where there were only two or three actual SAD combatants, and the rest were Lopez's ragtag troops.

But in fact, SAD sent two Black Hawk helicopters directly; they were there to carry out a decapitation strike.

The two people were thinking completely different things.

"They're coming to attack you?!" Winnie's eyes widened suddenly. "Are you sure the CIA is going to attack you? Are you sure it's just this one entity, and not the CIA with some other people? Explain yourself, who exactly is our enemy?"

Milton nodded slightly: "Two Black Hawks, with a crew of about 14-16 people. They even seem to be carrying Hellfire missiles. I won't go into the small arms..."

"..."

Winnie and the other two agents were stunned for a moment before they suddenly shouted, "Milton! Stop laughing and joking around here! You know... damn it, you know... never mind, turn around and go back to the airport right now. The most important thing is to get to a safe place as soon as possible!"

"Go, yes, go to your frontline headquarters, hide among the regular troops, and make sure all the air defenses are in place!"

"Do you know about that operation in 1993? Do you know how many enemies 100 Rangers faced?"

"That was a failed operation, but it's easy to see how strong these special forces are from that failure. Don't be ridiculous!"

"If we're not careful, they could very well tear your defenses apart from behind! And allow Lopez's army to invade your territory!"

"..."

Winnie looked genuinely anxious.

Having finally found a reliable local warlord like Milton in this vibrant and thriving land, and finally having a foothold, why the hell are we going to go and die?
If Milton dies, Winnie and the others' work will be completely wasted.

If you do anything, you'll be betrayed; if you show even the slightest weakness, all sorts of unidentified drug dealers will come and launch a surprise attack.

At least here in Milton, they can get a good night's sleep!
With a large number of forces around them having some connection to the CIA, Milton, their only remaining hope for turning the tide, is a lone survivor.

“Don’t rush.” Milton saw Winnie’s pale face and continued calmly, “The Rangers’ Black Hawk can crash in Somalia, so why can’t SAD’s Black Hawk crash here?”

"...How do you want them to crash? Black Hawk Down happened less than a year ago. Even the dumbest person wouldn't let an RPG shoot down a helicopter, right?"

To be able to shoot down a helicopter with an RPG is truly a combination of perfect timing (luck), favorable location (terrain), and human error (making a foolish mistake).

Anyone with a modicum of sense who is SAD wouldn't give that kind of opportunity again.

At this moment, the car they were in had arrived near a warehouse that looked unremarkable.

"Get out of the car, let me show you what I've prepared."

Winnie and two other DEA agents got out of the car, looking bewildered, and followed Milton into the warehouse.

The moment the warehouse lights were turned on, the three men stared wide-eyed.

Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun!

And... Stinger anti-aircraft missiles!
The scariest thing is that there wasn't just one poisonous stinger, but a whole pile of them on the ground!
“This…” Winnie and the other two agents paused, “This is… Stinger?! How did you get so many Stingers?”

In fact, the fact that Milton's team possessed Javelin and Stinger missiles was never made public.

The Javelin was one that everyone who had seen it was dead, the Stinger was a set that was secretly seized from the Gulf Group, and Milton had been using the panel to copy it.

Milton thought that since he had seized a Stinger suit from the Gulf Cartel, the news should have spread by now, but it seems that this is not the case.

Then there's only one possibility—the Gulf Group simply kept this matter to themselves.

They'd rather let others suffer at Milton's hands than reveal this. It just goes to show that this drug cartel is truly a vile and wicked organization.

When Winnie saw the equipment, her anxiety lessened considerably.

Even the strongest SAD is still human.

This defensive operation, at least in terms of equipment, has a chance of success.

Winnie calmed down and began to seriously consider how to execute the plan: "What other preparations have you made? The man-portable air defense system has limited power, the helicopter is likely to approach at low altitude, and the firing window for self-propelled anti-aircraft guns is limited."

"Your plan should be to scatter and hide sentries around the area to monitor when the two Black Hawks arrive, and then attack them with anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft guns hidden nearby?"

"What if the anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft guns fail to destroy the helicopter immediately, and the SAD successfully makes an emergency landing, leaving so many combat personnel scattered throughout your town? What will you do then?"

"These soldiers, equipped with top-notch gear and possessing exceptional night-fighting capabilities, pose a significant threat to your forces. How will you handle them?"

Even though Flora's trio and Milton's combat intensity was extremely high, and even though Winnie's side had three equally elite DEA agents, they were still outnumbered and needed to recruit more soldiers to coordinate attacks on the scattered enemies.

If Milton wants to pin the blame on the Gulf Group, he must annihilate the enemy.

All SAD had to do was evacuate.

A direct assault could come at a very high cost—given the combat skills of both sides, Milton's side could lose dozens of men, and even core combat personnel, if they're unlucky.

What should I do?
Milton pointed out a misconception: "I never said that we attacked and shot them down as the helicopters were about to fly into the town."

Winnie was stunned again: "So when do you plan to shoot them down?"

Milton countered with, "If they're planning to decapitate me, where are they headed?"

"Your tax office?"

“That’s right.” Milton smiled. “After I had everything arranged, I deliberately let in a few enemy informants who were trying to infiltrate… I will give the CIA the exact information. Tonight, I will be inside the IRS.”

"How insidious... So you're planning to let the enemy in directly, and then shoot down their helicopters when SAD attacks your base?" Winnie stroked her chin and nodded gently. "But SAD moves very fast. Before you can shoot down the helicopters with missiles and anti-aircraft guns, they may have already sent down quite a few combat personnel. Night fighting is still unavoidable, and it will be urban night fighting, which will be even more difficult."

"The problem I mentioned before is still unavoidable, but the advantage is that the likelihood of SAD combatants escaping will be much lower."

Closing the door to beat the dog is indeed a good strategy, but the problem is that SAD is not an ordinary dog, but a pack of wolves, and a hungry wolf that has been driven to the brink of despair.

Milton held up two fingers and said, "First, those anti-aircraft guns are for shooting people. I was just worried the bullets wouldn't penetrate the bulletproof plates. Second, as I just said, I only let a few informants in after everything was arranged. Why don't you ask what I arranged?"

Winnie had a bad feeling, but she still asked tactfully, "What did you arrange?" "I moved all the important documents from the tax office, and I ordered all the people to minimize the use of any equipment that might generate heat tonight." Milton withdrew a finger. "Then, I moved some interesting things into the tax office."

"...How interesting is it?"

Milton began, “I’ve planted some booby traps inside.”

“Hmm… the Claymore mine, right? That certainly can give them a lot of trouble.” Winnie nodded. “But we still can’t be careless. SAD has experience dealing with booby traps.”

Milton shook his head: "It's not a Claymore mine, it's a booby trap I made myself, a slightly enhanced version."

A bad feeling began to rise in Winnie's heart: "What did you use to make the booby trap?"

"Aerial bombs."

"???"

At this point, not only the DEA agents, but even Flora and her group couldn't hold back any longer—to put it another way, this is almost as abstract as me planting an atomic bomb as a booby trap.

"Damn it! Why don't you just use a nuclear bomb as a booby trap?!" Flora finally couldn't hold back anymore. "Are you just abandoning your tax bureau? Wasn't it just built?"

A complete madman!
“It’s only because it’s newly built that I realize how easy it is to defend and how difficult it is to attack this tax office.” Milton’s voice was very calm. “Whether we block the tax office from the outside or let them in and then trap them, there are problems… So let’s just blow up the entire tax office, along with SAD.”

"Even if someone survives such an explosion, they will certainly be seriously injured, and their sophisticated electronic devices will be damaged."

“My soldiers may not be as good as the enemy… but I can bring the enemy down to a lower level and then defeat them with our rich experience, can’t I?”

"Perfect timing, I'm also planning to frame the Gulf Group. If I don't cause some major losses, it won't look real, will it?"

"The Stinger weapon seized from the Gulf Cartel, along with this low-level Gulf Cartel leader, is the best evidence to identify them."

"Besides, it's just a building. If it's destroyed, it's destroyed. We can rebuild it, create some jobs, and boost GDP."

"..."

Winnie and the other two DEA agents listened to Milton's plan in silence for a very long time.

Only after Milton finished speaking did they look at the drug dealer who was bound hand and foot, gagged, and trembling on the ground.

They seemed to understand why this drug dealer would wet his pants at the mere mention of Milton's name.

Milton was even more ruthless than drug dealers.

Therefore, he can win.

……

On the front lines, on the south bank of the Seguala River, near a concealed command post of the Guatemalan 2nd Infantry Brigade.

Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were parked on the tarmac, and several officers in Guatemalan military uniforms were refueling the helicopters and checking their equipment...

The cooks, originally intended specifically for high-ranking officers, were also busy serving these truly important figures.

A senior commander was smiling obsequiously at his adjutant, speaking to him ingratiatingly.

"Gentlemen! This beef is imported from Argentina. The chef is cooking steaks for you. Please wait a moment!"

"..."

This extremely bizarre scene was something everyone present was used to.

It's quite simple, because this so-called "adjutant" is one of the CIA's local officials and an important instructor in the Guatemalan 2nd Infantry Brigade.

Whether it was intelligence gathering, assassination, or special operations, this man named Berent was an expert—he even achieved a complete victory in a confrontation with the KGB, causing heavy losses to the Soviet Union's local operations.

"Okay, let's go out."

"Yes, yes!" The commander wagged his tail at his adjutant like a waiter. "Just call me if you need anything!"

"..."

After he left, one of the SAD team members sneered, "What a bunch of trash, to be driven to this state by someone who was poor just a few months ago."

Berlent took out a chocolate bar, chewed it a few times, and said to his team, "Don't underestimate our enemy, Quincy Milton. He's no ordinary opponent. If the Soviet Union hadn't collapsed, I would definitely suspect that the KGB is behind him."

"No... even with the support of the KGB, such a growth rate and combat capability is just too astonishing."

"We must eliminate Milton before he becomes too powerful. This mission can only succeed, it cannot fail."

The team member named Quincy looked more relaxed: "Boss, don't worry! Several of our informants just provided intelligence saying that Milton has returned to town and is making a big fuss about his victory on the front lines."

"He's so careless and smug right now, he has no idea that there will be a surprise attack on him tonight."

"Oh, even if he's not careless or complacent, killing him is no different than killing a chicken."

Berlente chewed on his chocolate and nodded slightly: "That is indeed good news. We don't have to take the huge risk of going to Champelli to assassinate Milton."

"But what worries me most... is not Milton, but the people we support."

“Eric is an idiot. Look at the kind of people his proxies are—Lopez, and the Tapachula city government in Mexico that has already been wiped out.”

"And our enemy? Milton!"

"He was sent to win over Milton, but he failed and was swindled out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. He lost all face and ended up having to clean up his mess."

“Let me tell you, if we don’t address the root cause of the problem, we’ll have to clean up this mess countless times in the future.”

As an American on the front lines with a very high status, Berlente could see many truths that others could not.

For example, just how chaotic was Lopez's military discipline, and how corrupt the entire army was from top to bottom.

Quetzaltenango is filled with wounded people, women and children forced to live on the streets after losing their breadwinners, rampant gangs, and collusion between the police and criminal organizations...

Soldiers who became addicted to drugs while serving in the military.

Small, sporadic groups of protesters began to appear.

The civilians, who were eager to flee to the enemy-occupied territory, discovered many cannibalized corpses along the way.

They were eaten by humans.

With land trade routes with Mexico severed, ports seized, and Milton cracking down on various pillar industries, both rentiers and the poor felt the economic winter approaching step by step.

The enemy has been quietly chipping away at our flesh, and the disadvantage has been accumulating step by step.

The defeat of a battle merely brought these accumulated disadvantages and contradictions to a head.

Lopez's regime has begun to scream, and Berlente can see clearly that this is no longer something that can be reversed by the advantage of a single battle, or even by the victory of a single war.

Now the only option is to eliminate the enemy through the most direct means, creating a lose-lose situation, and then find a way to make Lopez's defeat less devastating, so that he can appear to be the winner.

“Boss, these things have nothing to do with us.” Quincy took a drag of his cigarette and laughed heartily. “The more chaotic things get, the better. I can get lots of cheap, even free, girls, hahaha!”

"Hahaha!"

“When I went there before, some people even gave me protection money.”

"Boss, don't think too much about it. The country can't save this kind of cesspool."

The other members of the SAD team also laughed.

Berlente didn't laugh along; he simply ate his delicious, perfectly cooked steak in silence.

After finishing their meal, the elite team rested briefly, awaiting the planned time for the battle.

It wasn't until darkness fell that Berlente and his team boarded the helicopter, which had been fully fueled. After checking all the equipment and reviewing the battle plan, the two Black Hawk helicopters slowly took off, flying almost close to the ground towards their target location.

After a while, the two helicopters flew smoothly to Malakan town and arrived above the "Tax Bureau".

The entire process proceeded smoothly and easily, without any unexpected incidents, just like any other mission they had undertaken.

Berlente calmly said, "Prepare for rappelling."

Swish, swish, swish... The SAD crew members in the two helicopters began their rappelling, following the plan and their training memories.

Just then, an accident happened.

The next instant, as the SAD soldiers were halfway down, a high-frequency, sharp buzzing sound suddenly erupted from the cockpit of the Black Hawk helicopter!

beep...

MAWS (Missile Proximity Warning System) has issued an alert!

The terrifying alarm instantly engulfed the entire cockpit!

"Missile Launched! Deploy Flares! Evade Now!"

(End of this chapter)