Taxes are only within machine gun range!

Chapter 264 "Aircraft Carrier" Plan

1995, April 1.

The tumultuous year of 1994 has finally passed, but even as the following year began, the turmoil continued.

In the Quetzaltenango operations room, all the intelligence gathered recently had been presented to Milton.

He glanced at it briefly and nodded in satisfaction.

The intelligence report first focused on Mexico, which Milton was most concerned about—as expected, Vic won the gubernatorial election, and the legislature also won a landslide victory.

Most of Tustra's old tycoons and nobles were wiped out in the great rebellion led by Badr, and Vic encountered almost no resistance and smoothly passed all the bills he wanted to pass.

It was even easier than it was in Tapachula.

Among the bills passed were the Enhanced Environmental Protection Act and the Natural Resources Security Act, which essentially brought water and oil and gas resources back under the control of state governments and increased environmental scrutiny of reservoirs.

The local Coca-Cola company ceased its resistance, allowing the state government to reclaim all the reservoir resources at a lower price.

Construction of the power grid connecting Chiapas and Guatemala has begun simultaneously, and a system encompassing the power grid, railway network, oil fields, refineries, and other industrial production bases is beginning to take shape.

However, given the poor foundation and small territory, the supply chain still has to rely on external sources for the time being.

Finances are not a major problem for the time being. We have won both the hot war in Mexico and the food war in Guatemala, and we have also robbed some small drug lords. With the points on the panel, we have more than enough funds to develop our internal forces.

"The internal construction is all set." Milton nodded in satisfaction. "Flora, didn't you say you wanted to find some talent in Ukraine? How's that going?"

Flora's expression was relaxed with a hint of pride: "It went quite smoothly—they are indeed interested in selling many production lines, and many highly skilled technical personnel from the former Soviet Union are willing to leave as long as they are paid, including pilots."

"Not just any pilot, but a pilot capable of flying front-line fighter jets!"

"It just means we might not need it for the time being."

How could I not need it? It's extremely useful!
The next stage of the panel unlocks a supersonic fighter jet, but what's missing is a pilot—Milton originally planned to max out his flight skills and take the field himself, just to make do.

Milton replied without hesitation, "We might not need them now, but we'll need them later. These are the kinds of people we can find so easily and buy off at such a low cost during this window of opportunity. We must bring them over. Before finalizing the selections, you must inform me. I need to personally review them."

“That’s for sure. Everyone knows that ‘Hell Tax Collectors’ are very good at judging people.” Flora chuckled. “That’s how things are for now. Prepare some more dollars or gold. Even if you sell what you want at a discount, it will still be a very large sum.”

Milton had previously calculated that at least $20 billion in start-up capital would be needed to get the production lines for fighter jet prototypes, aero-engine technology, and missile technology even starting.

Subsequent operating costs are also very high.

Milton's current available funds are still a little short of this figure.

“Just send someone to negotiate,” Milton waved his hand. “Let’s just pretend we have the money. Anyway, negotiating these production lines and personnel will take some time. By the time we’ve finished negotiating, I might have already saved up enough money, and then we can just close the deal.”

"If we wait until I've saved enough money to talk about it, it will waste at least another six months."

“Okay!” Flora agreed. “Then we come to the next question: how do we protect our money-making tools? Those two CIA agents said that the drug cartel now has a gunboat of over 600 tons, which is more powerful than our current naval forces.”

Milton shook his head: "It looks scary, but they only dare to attack our merchant ships in very distant waters... otherwise our planes would teach them a lesson immediately."

There are actually quite a few ship types that use this hull design, including the US "Admiral" class minesweeper, PCE class large submarine chaser, and MSF class frigate.

The South Vietnamese frigate No. 10, which was sunk by the Chinese Navy in the Battle of the Paracel Islands in 1974, was a converted minesweeper of the same class that the United States had transferred to South Vietnam... Even the Kuomintang Navy, which fled to Taiwan, had acquired ships of this class, only to be soundly defeated by the PLA's high-speed patrol boats and torpedo boats.

In short, Milton had far too many successful experiences to find in dealing with such ships.

Several drug traffickers possess ships of this caliber. Even though the ships have been heavily modified by Mexico, the modifications haven't created a generational gap. Using the same strategy, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Flora nodded in agreement: "Yes... I remember the Chinese Navy has also destroyed more than one of these ships. I did some research, and it was also a case of small ships defeating large ships. I feel that we can definitely learn from their approach."

"That is, we should not follow the Japanese approach of a decisive naval battle, but instead take a roundabout approach and try to fight in the open in their ports, playing to our strengths and avoiding our weaknesses."

"They used two boats, one with a displacement of less than 30 tons, equipped with only one 20mm autocannon, two 12.7mm machine guns, and a rocket launcher, which was also a recoilless gun, so there was not much difference."

"The other ship, over 300 tons, is a bit larger than our 'Tax Scorpion,' but the overall combat capability is not much different."

"Use small boats to charge at high speed, and use armor-piercing weapons to attack the enemy ship's waterline. Once the port is in chaos, send in the larger gunboats. Use our speed advantage to complete the objective and leave immediately. Even if we fail to sink the target, it's fine—this damn ship can only go 13 knots, it has no chance of catching up with us."

"what do you think?"

Milton briefly recalled the details of that naval battle, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I remember that victory was not without cost; some high-ranking officers were even killed on the spot... We are too small, and it will be difficult to make up for the loss of personnel in a short time. We don't want to lose our precious crew members."

Flora shrugged: "Sigh, you're just too concerned about the loss."

“What I care about is the loss that is difficult to make up for in a short period of time. If it is just a loss of money, I don’t care so much.” Milton shook his head. “You know the example you mentioned. Of course it is feasible, but don’t put it as a priority. After all, it was 1950, 45 years ago.”

"It's not that the tactics are bad, but that we can think of better ways now."

Flora was very curious: "It seems you already have an idea? Tell me about it?"

Milton countered with a question: "In your opinion, what determines the advantage in naval warfare of this class under normal circumstances?"

Brandon, who hadn't spoken until now, answered without hesitation: "Speed, firepower... and range."

“Not bad.” Milton leaned back and raised a finger. “We have the advantage in speed, the disadvantage in firepower, but there is no generational gap in range. And don’t just think about the enemy’s flagship, they also have 5 assault boats, which is also a force that cannot be ignored.”

"If a real fight breaks out, there are still quite a few variables."

"Our thinking is still limited to the traditional exchange strategy of using the same ships to fight the enemy's same ships. Why not broaden our thinking? I have said many times that we should try to fight asymmetric wars whenever possible."

Upon hearing this, the people in the operations room all suddenly realized that their thinking had been restricted once again.

Captain Marinho of the "Tax Scorpion" immediately asked, "You're planning to use an airplane?"

Ishimaya also spoke up: "Asymmetric warfare... the best example I can think of is aircraft carriers versus battleships. Of course, the situation is completely different from ours, it's just an example."

“The enemy will definitely cause trouble outside our aircraft’s range, unless…” Flora thought for a moment, then suddenly widened her eyes, “Wait, are you planning to modify the drones? Hmm, that’s actually an idea, but it’s not easy to modify them right now. Our drones also burn oil and need runways.”

The "Scout" drone is not a single soldier's equipment. Bringing many of these drones onto a ship is not so simple. Just how to operate them and set up signal stations are major projects that require extensive modifications to a ship.

Milton opened the panel, glanced at the [Loot Repair] function, and smiled: "Remember the batch of PDAs and micro drones we captured before? Those drones don't need a runway, they can be launched by hand, and they're individual soldier equipment. You can just find any mediocre transport ship and turn it into a simple drone carrier without much modification."

This far exceeds the range and observation radius of the enemy ship's main guns!

"I have found a way to get a large number of these drones soon. With a little training and modification, these drones can carry bombs and attack enemy ship decks from a distance."

"We have a speed advantage. As long as we keep up with the enemy ships, they won't be able to escape or catch up."

"Moreover, with the power of drones, we have an information advantage, enabling us to detect the enemy before they detect us."

This allows us to show the enemy the strength of future FPV in advance.

Flora couldn't hold back any longer, both agreeing and complaining, "Fine! Let's do it! It's just money, burn it! We 'Hell Tax Collectors' have mountains of gold and silver, we'll never run out of money!"

As long as the drones are in place, the plan is feasible, absolutely feasible.

However, it was 1995, and the cost of FPV made it difficult to use in large quantities, let alone become a conventional suicide weapon.

Milton's tactics were destined to result in the loss of many advanced drones.

In other words, the cost has changed from deaths to burning money.

“It’s better than losing crew members.” Milton clapped his hands. “Alright, since no one has a better solution, let’s make it this way. Plan A, the ‘Aircraft Carrier’ plan, will be the main plan; if Plan A fails, we will execute Plan B, which is what Flora called Plan ‘Blade’.”

"Find a suitable transport ship immediately, make some simple modifications, and at the same time have our soldiers train with drones."

"Roger that!"

"..."

After finalizing the plan, the operational meeting adjourned. Milton turned and left, and together with Brandon and Flora, boarded an armored vehicle and headed to the nearby helipad.

Although it was a super rudimentary, low-spec drone carrier, Milton had never built anything like it before and had to go to the port to see it for himself. Only now did Milton finally experience the thrill of suppressing his enemy with a futuristic vision.

Even if it costs a lot of money, it's worth it!
Milton received a phone call before boarding the plane.

Jin Kang, the engineer in charge of railway construction.

“Mr. Milton, we’re almost ready. The first transport ship will be leaving soon,” Jin Kang’s voice came through. “We’ve hired our own security company, which is more than enough to deal with the pirates. If anything unexpected happens, please let us know, or the losses could be huge.”

“Don’t worry, Metalworker, it’s absolutely safe.” Milton yawned, looking relaxed. “I guarantee your transport ship will arrive at port safely and intact.”

"That's good... By the way, I'm quite curious, who did your railway construction plan? It's really well done, they're a real talent. Would you be interested in developing your talents here?"

"Uh, he doesn't have that plan for now, so let's leave it at that. I have something to do here, so I'll hang up now."

"Ugh……"

beep...

After hanging up the phone, Milton boarded a helicopter and flew directly to Port Champellico.

The bustling port, the legendary cruise ship, and the reassuring "Tax Scorpion" have all become symbols of this port.

Soon, Milton arrived at the port, which had regained its former vitality, and began to personally select suitable transport ships from among the civilian vessels.

……

In a hidden basement of a city in Sinaloa, Mexico.

As the headquarters of the Sinaloa Group's "May" Zambad faction, and with "El Chapo" Guzman still in prison, this place naturally became a gathering place for various members of the Pan-American Cartel.

The Juarez Group, Tijuana Group, and Gulf Group each sent their top representatives to the meeting.

“The deal is done,” Zambada said. “The navy will sell the warships they agreed to soon, and we will buy them in a week.”

As a cooperative group, the Gulf Group was in a relatively peripheral position, and the leader sent over did not say anything, just listened.

The Juarez Group people didn't say anything, because their territory was close to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

However, the head of the Tijuana Group was not very happy. Their headquarters were in Baja California, a strategically advantageous location, and they had significant conflicts with the Sinaloa Group in the area. So, he said with dissatisfaction, "Why did you get this ship?"

Tijuana Group was already at a disadvantage in its confrontation with Sinaloa Group. It had finally seen Milton severely damage its opponent and had a chance to catch its breath... but then "May" turned around and acquired such a powerful warship!

While other groups are doing alright, Tijuana Group is really starting to get restless.

Zambada said amicably, "Because we paid for it."

“'May,' are you joking?” The big boss was very dissatisfied. “You’re making it sound like we can’t afford this money! I disagree. This ship should belong to the alliance. It’s fine if your man is the captain, but each of us should send some people up as well.”

“Then your understanding is too superficial.” Zambada shook his head. “This ship was nominally sold to us, but there are Americans on board. Do you understand what I mean? Do you really think we can get a warship so easily?”

"It will take a long time to operate this warship completely and we will also need to train gunners."

"It's true that we're allies, but this ship was purchased through the Sinaloa Group's channels. Don't even think about interfering. An alliance doesn't mean I have to give away my things unconditionally."

After speaking slowly and deliberately, Zambada, who was very good at forming alliances, added, "However, don't forget that we also purchased some assault boats... These assault boats were also purchased through the Sinaloa Group's channels, but I've decided that as long as you pay, we can transfer them to you. How about it?"

The head of Tijuana Group still looked grim, but the other two nodded, indicating that they could accept it.

Seeing this, the head of the Gulf Group, not one to miss out on the drama, chimed in with a word of advice: "Now is not the time for internal strife... Think about our relationship with the Sinaloa Group. Aren't we still able to cooperate now? The most crucial issue now is to quickly defeat Milton and rebuild our business network."

"That's right. The profits of major corporations have been plummeting recently. We need to unite against the enemy and think about the big picture."

"Yeah yeah……"

In the end, this alliance, each with its own agenda, managed to reach a reluctant agreement.

The next step was simple: look at the nautical charts, buy information and intelligence from someone, and shoot down any ship that was related to Milton but didn't have a strong background!
Therefore, the leaders of several groups decided to organize a "joint military exercise" after the ships arrived in port to demonstrate their strength and threaten any ships that wanted to do business with Milton.

Then came the delightful hunt!

We must win back all the money that Milton lost!
In order to eliminate this major threat, the various reactionary forces displayed unprecedented efficiency, and the "Guadalajara" arrived at the port of Guadalupe Island very punctually.

The island, entirely controlled by the Tijuana Group, became the ideal location for this joint "military exercise."

A drug dealer directly under "El Chapo" Guzman watched this scene from a high vantage point, his heart pounding with excitement—he had never imagined that the group could one day become so powerful!
The news of drug cartels forming an alliance has generated considerable discussion in Mexico.

The fact that drug cartels were going to hold "military exercises," and even naval exercises at that, caused an uproar throughout Latin America.

Damn it, Mexican drug cartels have become this rampant!
On this small island, a large number of reporters suddenly gathered, and the scene was just as lively as a military exercise by a major country.

Under the drug dealer's gaze, a short, fat boat, shaped like a potato, slowly sailed across the sea.

The cold, metallic sheen, the powerful naval cannons, the dazzling array of weapons...

Drug traffickers seem to see the golden age of the Sinaloa Cartel, and the hegemony of the drug world... Once Guzman is released from prison, the maritime drug smuggling routes in the North American Pacific will be their backyard!
"Long live!"

"Long live the Sinaloa Group! Long live Guzman!"

Drug dealers belonging to the Sinaloa Cartel couldn't help but cheer, while drug dealers from other groups, though not as enthusiastic, also applauded.

After all, the armored assault boats around them also looked quite impressive.

"Everyone, do you see those ships in the distance?"

"That's our imaginary enemy, the enemy that's preventing us from getting rich, a fool who's become complacent after a few insignificant little victories."

"His small and fragile navy is utterly vulnerable in the face of our giant ships and cannons!"

"attack!"

The highly unprofessional live-fire exercise began immediately. Five assault boats suddenly accelerated, dispersed, and surrounded the simulated enemy fleet from various angles, firing their machine guns fiercely to suppress the deck.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the "Guadalajara" slowly turned and positioned its broadside toward the hypothetical enemy fleet.

Boom boom boom!
The sound of gunfire rang out, and the ship's two 78mm main guns opened fire!
Other weapons fired simultaneously, and to make the scene more spectacular, many drug dealers brought RPGs aboard. The shells used were high-explosive shells rather than armor-piercing shells.

Boom boom boom…

A massive fireball explodes on the simulated enemy ship, and various shells and rockets are launched from the ship with trails of flame, creating a huge commotion and a very powerful visual impact!
The simulated enemy ships, simply constructed of wood, were no match for such firepower. They soon caught fire from top to bottom, and the fuel deliberately stored inside even exploded under the high temperature.

After several rounds of attacks, the hypothetical enemy was completely sunk.

The assault boats took the opportunity to sweep away the remaining enemies in the surrounding area—every dummy was pierced by bullets and shells, and every ship was completely destroyed.

After the fire was extinguished, only the "Joint Fleet" stood proudly on the sea.

Finally, the entire performance ended with the drug dealers' resounding victory.

Milton's naval forces were completely annihilated.

Many reporters at the scene watched in shock, unable to believe that this was something drug dealers could do.

This... it really is capable of confronting the navies of some small countries, isn't it?!
"You!" A drug dealer who had almost gone bankrupt because of Milton was extremely agitated. He clenched his fist and grabbed a reporter's shoulder. "Come here and interview me. I have something to say!"

The reporter, not daring to be presumptuous, quickly pointed the camera at the scene, briefly introduced the situation and the interviewee's information, and asked, "...So, everyone is very curious, who is the prototype of the hypothetical enemy?"

Milton!!!

"Just wait, in a few days our invincible fleet will sail into his port and blow his Champerico to smithereens!"

"And those who want to do business with Milton... take a good look at this scene, look at our ships, look at the enemy ships sinking to the bottom of the sea. If you don't want to become like them, you'd better think carefully about your future plans!"

(End of this chapter)