Reborn in America, I am a legendary short seller on Wall Street.

Chapter 277 An order for 1 rifles, plus a super tactical lesson (5K)

Soon after, Larry and General Electric's president, Mr. Coffin, reached a preliminary agreement on the deal. However, the contract would not be signed until the afternoon.

Unlike the Boers, who try to keep a low profile in business, Coffin's insistence on signing a new electric motor order in the afternoon was to summon the media and prepare for a major publicity campaign.

This was personally instructed by Mr. Morgan's secretary, McKinley—GE must make a high-profile signing of new product lines and try to attract as much media attention as possible to report on GE's "major transformation determination."

At the same time, this would provide Morgan with a very good, well-known excuse to intervene in stock prices or to directly provide loans.

In other words, a huge uproar is needed for Monday's stock price surge to show explosive power!
Mr. Coffin and other GE executives bid farewell to Larry and went back to arrange the signing ceremony and press briefing for the afternoon.

Larry watched them walk away, a smile spreading across his face.

I thought to myself, "This feels so good! Colluding with major shareholders to engage in insider trading is just awesome!"
In his previous life, he was a sucker for nothing, but in this life, he's become the market manipulator who coordinates insider trading.

It truly evokes endless emotions!
The key point is that after making a fortune by manipulating the market, J.P. Morgan and Charles Coffin still have to remember their kindness...

They won't complain about making a fortune from stock price fluctuations; instead, they'll thank themselves for saving the stock price, and might even receive a favor in the future.

Look at what you're saying!

Today's task was finally completed. Larry no longer had any expectations and sat leisurely behind the booth, letting the Italian guys greet the onlookers.

At this moment, Mr. Dunbar quietly returned and whispered to Larry, "Those assassins also visited a booth showcasing new technological gadgets at the exhibition. It seems they were here specifically for this experimental subject."

"Oh? What is it?" Larry was very interested and wanted to know what these Boers had come here to explore.

But this brings up Dunbar's weakness: like all older people, he's not very interested in new things, and he doesn't know how to describe them.

He hesitated for a long time, then gestured to Larry, “It’s a trendy gadget made of wood and minerals. The user wears headphones and is said to be able to hear sounds from a great distance… I’m not really sure, because Anna has seen my face, and I don’t dare get too close to her.”

Crystal radio!
Larry made a quick judgment because he had seen this thing before.

Crystal radios were typical experimental products of this era regarding radio technology. People at this time had already understood the principles of radio, knew how to send and receive electromagnetic waves, and were destined to make it a new form of communication. Furthermore, there were already experimental products for exploration—crystal radios being one such example.

However, this thing has no future at all.

A crystal radio is a very simple device that receives radio waves without requiring a power source.

This was very different from the mainstream radio that followed. Larry didn't remember who invented radio, but it seemed to have been an Italian.

The mystery is now solved; the Boers' real purpose in coming here was to see if there were any revolutionary new methods of communication.

Larry could easily guess that if they found the crystal radios weren't working well, they would probably go to those telephone companies that copied Bell's patents, and by then the telephone technology would be much more mature.

However, it has nothing to do with me anymore.

Larry instructed Mr. Dunbar to remain hidden in the crowd while he waited behind the booth for the midday negotiations to begin.

At noon, the Boers returned. Larry exchanged smiles with them and invited them to a small conference room specially set up at the exhibition to discuss the specifics of the contract.

This time, the patent attorney has to urgently take on the role of a business lawyer, drafting a contract for both parties.

The contract was actually not complicated. As previously agreed by both parties, the Boer's first order was for 2000 Type 92 semi-automatic pistols, with delivery scheduled for October of this year. The Boer would prepay 50% of the payment.

As the Boer representative, Jan Smoltz will sign a contract with Larry Livingston, the sales manager of Browning Brothers Firearms Company, for the sale of handguns.

“Let’s sign the contract then. I think there’s nothing wrong with it!” Shi Mozi put down the contract and said to Larry.

Larry glanced towards the conference room door, smiled, and said, "No rush, my partner will be here soon."

The Boer glanced warily at Larry, wondering if he had some plans that were not in his favor, but he saw no unusual expression on Larry's face, only a secret wariness.

Just then, Matthew came running back, panting. He looked around outside the conference room, then pushed open the door, a roll of blueprints still tucked under his arm.

"Oh, there are so many people. I hope I'm not late." Matthew took a few steps forward and placed the blueprints on the table in front of the Boer.

"Mr. Browning, what's this...?"

Before Shi Mozi could finish speaking, Matthew had already spread out the blueprints in front of him, and a new type of rifle with a novel design and reliable structure was already displayed before his eyes.

Shi Mozi's eyes lit up immediately. He involuntarily stood up, placed his hands on the blueprints, and stared intently at the rifle.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is also one of Mr. Browning's new products, isn't it?"

Matthew glanced at Larry before replying, "Yes, this is a new type of rifle paired with an automatic pistol. It's a new type of Mauser-like bolt-action rifle with a 10-round internal magazine..."

As soon as Matthew finished speaking, the European behind Yang Shimozi suddenly stood up and stared intently at the rifle blueprints.

Larry's gaze quickly focused on him. Clearly, this European cared much more about rifles than pistols. Larry could even sense the slight fear in the man's eyes as he stood up, and the slight shock he felt upon seeing the blueprints.

"This guy is definitely an expert!" Larry quickly made a judgment in his mind.

Matthew, however, did not notice this detail and continued to explain the specific technical parameters and usage of the M1892 Browning Vanguard rifle to someone.

Finally, Matthew emphasized, "This gun will use pointed Mauser bullets!"

Shi Mozi stared at the rifle blueprints, his eyes burning with fervor. He looked up at Matthew and said, "A 10-round magazine! My God, this will greatly increase the rate of fire... Stripper clip feeding? What's stripper clip feeding? Can you show me a real gun? If it's suitable... I can place an order on the spot!"

Matthew shook his head, and just as he was about to say that "the rifle is still in the testing phase," Larry hurriedly interrupted him.

"This is a rifle we developed in collaboration with Colt! The rifle is currently applying for a patent, and the reason we're showing you these blueprints is to see if you're interested!" Larry said, looking directly at the Boers.

This time, before Shimozi could speak, the European asked in broken English, "Is it really a Mauser-like rifle? And it uses Mauser bullets?"

Larry looked at him, nodded and smiled, "Similar principles don't infringe on patent rights! As for using Mauser bullets, it's because that's the most mature type. Colt is working with Springfield Armory to develop the latest rifle bullets, and we might even change the caliber of our firearms then."

Larry made it up on the spot, figuring the other party wouldn't notice anything.

The European nodded, glanced down at the blueprints, and exclaimed, "It's clear that this rifle surpasses its predecessor! If you ask me, I think this is the best Mauser-like rifle ever made; even the original couldn't be better."

Larry nodded. "Please wait a moment..." The Europeans pulled Shimozi aside and began to whisper among themselves, while Larry and Matthew sat behind the table, waiting quietly.

Only then did Larry have time to look at the woman named Anna. She was pale, with very sharp features, but had a stunning figure and a beautiful face.

No wonder Logan was captivated by him.

Anna noticed Larry's gaze and instinctively pulled down her hat brim, trying to appear indifferent.

At this moment, the quiet conversation between the European and Smokers ended, and the two sat down at the table again. Smokers looked intently at Matthew and asked, "When will this gun be officially put into production?"

Before Matthew could answer, Larry raised his arm, drawing everyone's attention to himself, and said, "It depends on Colt's schedule. Of course, if there are orders, we can discuss production scheduling with them now!"

Shi Mozi glanced at Larry and continued, "The price?"

Larry said seriously, "Like the pistols, it's £10! Of course, I'm referring to the first batch of products this year or next. Once the technology matures and rifle production increases, the price could drop by a third, or even half."

“That’s outrageous! Rifles don’t cost that much; 5 pounds would be more like it!” Van der Meier interjected from behind Smith.

Larry chuckled and said, "If the military were ordering this rifle, they would place an order for 20,000, 50,000, or even 100,000... If you guys were ordering it like that, I wouldn't be charging such a high price."

At that time, rifles were much cheaper than pistols. The key was the economies of scale in military procurement. Armies of various countries often purchased tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of rifles at a time. Such huge order volumes allowed manufacturers to significantly reduce unit costs through standardization and large-scale production.

Therefore, the price of a rifle at ten pounds is far beyond the price system of the regular arms trade.

Unlike rifles, which are standard issue for the military, automatic pistols were cutting-edge technology products in this era. Their mechanical structure was far more complex than that of revolvers and rifles, involving precision machining, so their production volume was extremely low and their cost was high.

Furthermore, those who buy such pistols are often not national armies, but rather officers seeking advanced technology, explorers, spies needing concealed firepower, or even wealthy individuals seeking self-defense weapons.

Therefore, the price that the Type 92 "Pioneer" pistol can sell for is something that the "Pioneer" rifle cannot achieve.

However, Larry is not wrong. The most important factor for reducing the price of rifles is the scale of procurement. If the other party can order tens of thousands of rifles, then your product can certainly be cheaper.

Shi Mozi hesitated visibly. He glanced at the European beside him but remained silent.

The European, however, clearly had ulterior motives; his gaze was fixed on the blueprints, ignoring Shimots's inquiring look.

"Time to add some ingredients!" Larry thought to himself, standing up, walking to the wall, and drawing a circle on it with his arm.

"Gentlemen, suppose this wall is a flat grassland. Future wars will no longer depend on who can form the most orderly square formation on open ground, but on who can make the enemy bleed incessantly along long supply lines and across vast territories..."

Larry's words seemed calm, but they made Shi Mozi's pupils suddenly contract, and he stared intently at Larry.

Larry, oblivious to the danger, continued, "The precision and reliability of this rifle are tailor-made for your hunters. What you need isn't a decisive battle, but rather, like hunting a lion, to gradually weaken this lion with precise shooting until it finally collapses from exhaustion..."

"The tactic you're referring to is..."

Larry smiled at him and said to himself, “I’ve heard that on the grasslands, a male lion will never charge head-on into a herd of buffalo. He will patiently observe and track them, looking for the weak and straggling individuals, launching a fatal attack, and then quickly retreating. He doesn’t care about the gains or losses of a single battle; his goal is the panic and exhaustion of the entire herd.”

Shi Mozi stared at Larry. In fact, he had been thinking about this question for a long time: how could tens of thousands of Boers possibly fight against the global hegemon, the British army of the British Empire on which the sun never sets? It was simply an impossible task.

But the blond boy in front of him suddenly gave an answer, an answer that he had pondered in his subconscious but had never clearly seen before.

Larry took the opportunity to scan the crowd and found that, apart from the leader, no one else showed any unusual expression. In other words, they were completely unaware that they were about to unlock a super 20th-century tactic—guerrilla warfare.

“Tell me more…” Shi Mozi urged.

Larry suddenly understood what it meant to have a soulmate, and what it meant to hear the story of Bo Ya breaking his string on a broken string. He looked at the other person and continued,

"We must be like eagles, surveying the overall situation and gathering intelligence; like a swarm of bees, we must pinpoint the vital points and strike decisively; we must make the powerful enemy feel that he is not facing a group of brave warriors, but a land full of hostility and danger."

Shi Mozi's face showed shock and solemnity, his two brown eyes becoming as deep as the sea and as black as night, like black holes.

(Yang Shimozi)
The others present were also affected by the solemn atmosphere and couldn't help but look at Larry with awe.

Larry, seemingly oblivious, smiled and pointed to the rifle blueprints on the table. "Our rifle has a range of 1500 yards, with the accuracy range halved. It uses smokeless powder, so after sniping the enemy at long range, they can only hear the gunshot but have difficulty finding where you are hiding... This will buy you valuable time to quickly relocate and launch the next surprise attack."

Its purpose isn't direct confrontation, but to transform each of you into a stealthy warrior, specializing in attacking enemy supply lines and isolated units, ensuring they never have a moment's peace. Do you understand what I mean?

Yang Shimozi suddenly looked up at Larry, his face showing unprecedented shock. Then, he nodded and held up his right index finger. "The first batch of 10,000 Vanguard rifles will be priced as you stated, with a 40% down payment. I want to see the rifles by the end of the year, but the price will be reduced by 25% for each subsequent batch of 10,000 rifles, until all 30,000 rifles are delivered!"

The Boers sitting behind him all wore the same shocked expression. Van der Meier, ignoring the shock, grabbed his shoulder and shouted in his ear, "Hey! Are you crazy?"

Shi Mozi's face was solemn, and he said in a serious tone, "I can make the decision! Don't worry about the money, it's just 4 pounds..."

As he spoke, he looked at Larry with deep respect in his eyes and continued, "Even if it's just for this one winning lesson, it's worth every penny!"

Larry nodded slightly, then turned to the patent attorney. "Attorney, prepare another contract, just as we discussed earlier."

At this moment, it wasn't just the Boers anymore; even Matthew, who knew Larry well and believed he could create miracles, was looking at Larry with strange eyes, as if he were seeing him for the first time today.

The European sitting next to Shimozi hesitated for a moment, waiting for the atmosphere in the meeting room to ease slightly before finally making up his mind, standing up and extending his hand to Larry and Matthew.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Hart Berg, the chief representative of the Belgian FN Herstal National Arms Factory in the United States. I have two requests. First, I would like to meet with Mr. Browning, who designed the automatic pistol and this M1892 Vanguard rifle. Second, I would like to discuss with him, and with you, the licensing of the patent for the production of this rifle in Europe."

Matthew's face showed a serious expression; clearly, the Belgian company FN held a significant place in the hearts of him and his brother.

Larry, however, laughed to himself, thinking that the Boers were truly blessed with good fortune from birth. They were originally descendants of the Dutch and Germans, and it was no exception that two countries were vying to help them later on.

However, that's not the main point. The main point is—according to the practice at the time, FN was authorized to produce rifles. In addition to a one-time introductory fee of around £1 to cover the research and development costs, they could also contribute 1% to 5% of the price of each rifle produced to Brownie Brothers Firearms as a patent licensing fee.

Assuming FN sells 2 rifles annually, their annual licensing fees would conservatively amount to £4000. If the Boers were to establish their dominance in South Africa and demonstrate the rifle's superior performance, then selling 10 rifles a year wouldn't be inconceivable.

This is another form of long-term, continuous income!
Of course, the licensed rifles cannot conflict with their own rifles. Larry thought that Browning should release a European-specific version, or change the caliber so that the European version of the rifle has differences in range or other performance aspects compared to their own.

“Welcome! Welcome to Walden Pond.” Larry extended his hand and shook hands with Hart Berg.

(End of this chapter)