I manufacture weapons in the Middle East and am wanted globally?

It was almost 1 a.m. when the pickup truck drove into the factory.

Chen Zheng turned off the engine, removed the key, and remained seated in the driver's seat.

My heartbeat has finally returned to normal.

After all, it's the first time you've hit... no, drive over such a high "speed bump," who wouldn't panic?

He took out the wad of US dollars from his pocket and counted them one by one.

You'll get tired of it if a woman (or man) does it too much!

When you see money a lot, you'll find it really damn good-looking.

He pushed open the car door and walked into the factory.

The smell of machine oil and iron filings in the workshop now actually makes him feel at ease.

Then he saw the bald man and Chiang Kai-shek crouching in the corner.

The two monster laborers sat on the ground, their backs against the wall, three fingers intertwined, poking each other and making muffled "gurgling" sounds.

Upon hearing footsteps, both heads turned around simultaneously.

"Gurgle!" The bald man stood up, his short legs moving swiftly, and ran to Chen Zheng.

"Coo coo coo!" Chiang Kai-shek followed, blinking his big eyes, his expression looking a little... well, a little aggrieved.

Chen Zheng was taken aback, then realized what he meant: "You mean, we're out of raw materials?"

The two laborers nodded vigorously.

The bald man stretched out three short, thick fingers, pointed to the finished product area, then to the material area, and then spread his hands—it's unclear who he learned this gesture from, but the meaning is clear: there's no material, we can't work.

Chen Zheng looked closely.

On the floor of the finished product area, stacks of gun barrels were neatly stacked, their silver-gray metal gleaming coldly under the lights.

He walked over, squatted down, and counted.

One, two, three...

48 pieces.

All of them are Stechkin APS barrels, each of which has undergone deep hole drilling, reaming, boring, and rifling, and the inner wall is so smooth that it can be used as a mirror.

Chen Zheng picked up a gun barrel, weighed it in his hand, and then put it down.

He walked to the materials area and pulled back the curtain of the steel frame.

empty.

We already have very little material, since business is slow, so why would we need to stock up on so much?

Even during those difficult times, they were still thinking about selling materials.

Baldy and Chiang Kai-shek followed behind him, one tilting his head to look at him, the other looking up at him, making "coo coo coo" sounds as if asking: Boss, what should we do?

Chen Zheng thought for a moment, then squatted down to look them in the eye.

"Okay, you guys rest first."

He pointed to the empty space next to the machine, "Let's stop here for today and talk about it tomorrow."

The bald man and Chiang Kai-shek exchanged a glance, then nodded simultaneously: "Goo!"

The two laborers staggered to the machine, found a corner, and lay down on the ground.

The bald man lay on his side, resting his head on his arm; Chiang Kai-shek lay on his back, three fingers on his stomach, his mouth slightly open, making a soft "gurgling" sound, like snoring.

Chen Zheng glanced at them, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

The way these two things sleep is exactly the same as the mongrel dog he kept back in his hometown.

After saying that, he turned and went into the factory, locked the door, found a broken sofa in a corner, and lay down.

One of the springs on the sofa broke, and it's hurting my back.

He took off his coat and put it underneath, which made him a little more comfortable.

Before closing his eyes, he took out his phone and glanced at it again.

The Monster Factory app is still there, and the icon features a green-skinned, fanged monster staring at him.

He opened the app, and the interface redirected.

Monster Factory Lv.1

Regional influence: 12

Gold: 0

Monster Workers: 2/20 (Maximum 20 can be summoned at level 1!)

[Can summon monsters]

Level 1 Monster Servants: 1000 Gold Coins/each (Processing Accuracy +10%, Processing Speed ​​+10%)

(Tip: Upgrading the factory will unlock more monster types.)

He flipped to another page and saw an explanation of "Regional Influence".

Regional Influence: Increase regional influence by having products manufactured in the factory circulate, be used, and be recognized in the local market. When influence reaches 1000, the factory can be upgraded to Lv.2, unlocking more monster types and buildings.

His mind was racing.

The raw materials are gone.

Without steel, he can't do anything; even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice!

We need to find a way to get the materials.

He turned off his phone, tucked it under his pillow, and closed his eyes.

But I didn't sleep well...

After all... who could sleep soundly earning over $8000 in one night?

Of course, there's no question about it for the super-rich.

the next day.

When Chen Zheng was woken up by his phone alarm, it was already daylight.

Sunlight streamed in through the broken windows on the west side of the factory, drawing golden stripes on the ground.

There was a smell in the air of dust and engine oil mixed together, which smelled like the smell of his father's old work clothes.

He sat up, his back aching, his neck feeling like it had been twisted all night. The springs of the old sofa had left a bruise on his back; he reached up and touched it, hissing.

Bald Man and Chiang Kai-shek have woken up.

Two laborers stood beside the machine tool; the bald man was wiping the guide rails of the DMG MORI DMU 60, while Chiang Kai-shek was adding lubricant to the spindle of the Haas VF-2.

They work quietly and gently, as if they were taking care of their own children.

Seeing that Chen Zheng was awake, the bald man put down the rag, jogged over, and handed him a glass of water.

"Gurgle."

Oh shit!!

It's so great to have employees like this...

Seriously, those workers in China earn 4800 yuan a month, plus a 5 yuan lunch allowance every day, and work for 20 yuan an hour, and they're still so picky. Can't they learn from the monster laborers? (Just kidding.)

"Thanks." He put the cup on the ground, stood up, stretched, and his bones cracked a few times.

He took out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and found a name: Jorgen.

Jorgen, a native of Wenling, came to Syria in 1995. He found a wife there, and his father-in-law was the owner of a small steel mill in Daraa. The mill wasn't big, with an annual output of just over 1 tons, but it was already considered quite successful in the area!

The money Chen Zhengjia owed for materials was mainly owed to Qiao Gen.

There is still about $1600 left to pay.

But Jorgen was a kind person. After the incident at the factory, he never blocked the door or demanded payment. Instead, he called twice to ask how his father's condition was and whether he needed any help.

The words sounded heartwarming, but Chen Zheng knew that the other person had it tough too.

Steel mills are having a tough time these days, with government troops coming every few days to "requisition" steel and pay them.

Giving me a note would be quite kind.

Robbery is not exclusive to bandits.

Chen Zheng took a deep breath and pressed the dial button.

The phone rang twice, then I answered it.

"Ah Zheng!" Qiao Gen's voice came through the receiver, his Mandarin accented and his voice booming like a mountain shout, "What's up? Why are you calling so early?"

"Uncle Qiao," Chen Zheng smiled, "It's nothing serious, just have someone come and collect the final payment."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"Oh dear, you child."

Qiao Gen's voice softened, "No rush, no rush. Your dad is in the hospital right now, and there are many expenses. You can use this first, I'm not in a hurry."

"Uncle Qiao, I'll definitely pay you. You've had a tough time too. I also have something I'd like to ask you for help with."

"you say."

"I need to check the goods: 1000 jin each of seamless 45# steel pipes and 40Cr alloy steel bars with an outer diameter of 25 mm and a wall thickness of 4 mm." Chen Zheng reported the specifications he had thought of last night.

These specifications were something he came up with after racking his brains for half the night: seamless 45# steel tubes with an outer diameter of 32 mm, perfect for making the barrel blanks for the Makarov PM and Stechkin APS; and 25 mm 40Cr bar stock for making the slide and receiver.

These are all standard specifications, and steel mills usually have them in stock, so they won't raise any suspicion.

Soviet weapons were quite common in Syria.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Ah Zheng, it's not that Uncle Qiao doesn't want to help you." He lowered his voice, "I can't give you this material."

Chen Zheng was taken aback: "What's wrong?"

"The steel mill's output was intercepted by the government forces."

Jorgon's voice was even lower, carrying a sense of helpless weariness. "Starting this month, the military said that all output, whether it's round steel, bar stock, or seamless pipe, is not allowed to be shipped out. It must all be taken to the military factory in Damascus."

Chen Zheng tightened his grip on his phone.

"Even 1000 jin (500 catties) isn't enough?"

"1000 jin?"

Qiao Gen gave a bitter laugh. "Ah Zheng, let alone 1000 jin, I can't even get 100 jin out. Right now, not even a single screw can get out of the factory. There's a platoon of armed men guarding the gate 24 hours a day. My father-in-law is so worried his hair has turned white, but what can he do? In this day and age, can you reason with people who have guns?"

Chen Zheng fell silent.

Jorgen continued, lowering his voice even further: "Zheng, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart, the situation is not right. These past few days, the air in Delaware has been thick with tension; I feel like war is about to break out!"

"My Uncle Qiao may not have many other skills, but he certainly has a knack for survival. I plan to leave in the next few days, taking your aunt and the child to Lebanon to lay low until things calm down."

Chen Zheng's heart sank: "Uncle Qiao, are you leaving?"

"What if we don't leave?"

There was a resigned calm in Qiao Gen's voice, "As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn. Ah Zheng, you should also be careful. Your factory has four good machines, and many people are envious of them. I'm afraid that if a fight really breaks out, your business will also be in trouble."

"I understand, Uncle Qiao," Chen Zheng said. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me, we're all Chinese, it's not easy for anyone abroad."

That's true. Although you should be wary of fellow villagers when you're away from home, many of them aren't doing anything illegal, so there are still people willing to lend a hand.

Sometimes, you just have to say that one bad apple spoils the whole bunch!

"You just mentioned the final payment; I'll have someone pick it up this afternoon."

"OK."

"Ah Zheng," Qiao Gen suddenly called him again.

"Um?"

"If you're really short of ingredients, I can introduce you to someone."

Jorgen's voice became even lower, so low that Chen Zheng had to hold the phone almost to his ear to hear him. "This guy has a mixed bag of goods, and the prices are cheap, but his background is complicated. He's been hanging around in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon for years. Be careful when you deal with him."

"Wait a minute, I'll send you his phone number and name."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Qiao."

"And—" Jorgen hesitated for a moment, "Zheng, I don't know what you've been doing lately, but remember this: life is more important than money."

The phone hangs up.

Chen Zheng stared at his phone screen. After about ten seconds, a text message popped up.

[Abdul Karim, +961 3×××××××. He knew about it after saying Mahmoud from Daraa was the referrer.]

Chen Zheng read the text message, wrote down the number, and then deleted it.

He had a cigarette dangling from his lips, but hadn't lit it; his mind was racing.

Is life more important than money?

But Uncle Qiao, without money, even life is worthless!

The government forces' interception of steel indicates they are preparing for war. This preparation for war suggests the situation is indeed deteriorating.

The worsening situation means—meaning the demand for guns will be even greater.

In chaotic times, you can lack anything, but you can't lack a gun.

This is business.

Huge business opportunity.

He took the cigarette out of his mouth, held it between his fingers, and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

Then he stood up and walked to the window.

In the morning in Della, the sun was already high in the sky, its bright sunlight shining on the crooked buildings, the bullet-riddled walls, and the dusty streets.

Someone is shouting something in the distance, but I can't hear clearly.

A pickup truck drove by on the street, with several young men sitting in the back, holding a flag with slogans in Arabic.

As Chen Zheng watched the pickup truck disappear at the end of the street, a thought suddenly popped into his mind.

This place is really going to be in chaos.

Turbulent times produce heroes.

Millionaires have emerged from here!