America: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 227 Simple and Honest Folk Customs

"That's too slow. I just need them to regain consciousness and be able to communicate. The rest is not my concern. I'm not their family," Zhang Ailun said.

"They can regain consciousness in two weeks and be put in wheelchairs. After another two weeks of recuperation in the hospital, they can walk again. In another month, they will be able to live like normal people."

Dr. Jerry frankly stated, "However, there is a possibility of becoming addicted to dopamine later on, and it is easier to become addicted to sex, leaves, and addictive drugs."

"Okay. If you can really save those people, then I'll give you a chance to atone for your sins in prison! Otherwise, I'll kill you right now and make sure you die a horrible death!" Zhang Ailun nodded.

"Sir! I can help you make money! As long as you don't kill me!" Dr. Jerry hurriedly shouted, "I've already been sentenced to death. I won't survive back in prison; death is the only outcome."

"That's your own business. California prisons abolished the death penalty a long time ago." Zhang Ailun waved his hand and left the laboratory.

Let the Beggars' Sect disciples stay here to guard the camp. Anyway, the camp has plenty of supplies, including plenty of food and drinking water, so they won't have to worry about food or drink.

The camp purchases supplies once a week, which is enough to sustain one hundred people for a week.

There are only a few people left at the mountain camp now, and those canned food supplies can last for two months.

Zhang Ailun also had several Beggars' Sect disciples escort the guns back to the Armed Nation overnight, leaving only enough for daily consumption at the camp. Blitz restored the camp's signal, mainframe, and monitoring facilities, and prepared to stay overnight as well.

The camp uses solar and wind power generation facilities, as well as two backup diesel generators.

It is equipped with two signal receivers, commonly known as "satellite dishes," which can remotely receive satellite channels and signals. It works quite well on the mountaintop, and there is no shortage of energy.

If this were in the last century, this place would be considered an iron fortress, a natural Black Wind Stronghold on the west coast. Without deploying hundreds of people, armed helicopters, fighter jets, and howitzers, it would be impossible to take it down! The casualties would be heavy.

But now, all I can say is, sir, times have changed! The advantage of terrain and home-field advantage has vanished under the bombing of suicide drones!

"Besides human traffickers, no one wants to come to this godforsaken place on ordinary days. There are wild animals in the mountains. Those rich people have also made a move against Paradise Gate. At least on the surface, they have shown the proper attitude. But they must also know that this place has become ruins and they will not come back. This place has become a treasure trove of seclusion."

Old Jack praised, "If you consider setting up a small workshop here to make ice and leaves, and become self-sufficient, no one will bother you."

"Get some rest. We have to do business tomorrow," Zhang Ailun waved his hand.

He assigned the Beggars' Sect disciples to guard the watchtower and watch over the hostages, while he found a room and lay down on the bed to rest.

Silent all night.

The next day.

When the Grand Master woke up, he felt refreshed and had a rare, leisurely and restful sleep.

After getting dressed and washing my face, I heard a commotion outside as soon as I stepped out the door.

Walking over, you'll see an old Ford pickup truck parked outside the dilapidated gate, and several young men with brightly colored hair and nose rings arguing with the Beggars' Sect disciples.

"What happened?" Zhang Ailun asked, puzzled. Why were they still arguing so early in the morning?

Looking at the group of young men, he asked the Beggars' Sect disciple, "What are they here for?"

"Boss, they're here to sell people." The Beggar Clan disciple was speechless. He explained, "They must have come here before to trade with the Heavenly Gate people and made some money. This time they want to make some extra money! We subdued them immediately. There's a kidnapped woman in their car."

Zhang Ailun was so angry he laughed.

Damn it, I ran into someone who traveled a thousand miles to get themselves killed first thing in the morning.

Looking at the group of young men, he walked over and questioned them, "So, you're the ones here to traffic people? Buddy, how old are you? You've got some nerve!"

"Hey! I'm sorry, I really didn't know there was a change of personnel here. Can I leave now?" The young man in charge seemed a bit apprehensive.

"You think you can just walk away after offending the Grand Master?" Zhang Ailun sneered and gave an order for the Beggars' Sect disciples to subdue the group and pin them down.

She walked over and slapped him hard across the face. "Tell me! How many deals have you done this time?"

"We only did the second order once. Last time it was two sheep. The people at Heaven's Gate only gave us $200. We thought it was better to just kidnap someone from the roadside than to work ourselves to death stealing sheep from a ranch," the young man said, covering his face with his grievance.

"So young and already turned to crime? Since you're already here, you might as well stay. I need a few more test subjects. If you're willing to be my guinea pigs, I can give you $200 a day. How about it?" Zhang Ailun said generously.

The leader is still kind-hearted; he even paid people a salary after kidnapping them.

"What human experimentation? You're conducting human experiments here?" The young men were terrified upon hearing this and hurriedly pleaded, "We don't want the money, we don't want anything, please, let us leave!"

"That's not up to you, buddy! You can't just come and go as you please. I'm not negotiating with you. I'm giving you two choices: either I have my men dump you at the bottom of the mountain to feed the coyotes, or you stay and collect $200 a day!"

Zhang Ailun didn't give him a chance to resist. He waved his hand and ordered the Beggars' Sect disciples to drag the man into the camp, tie him up, and throw him into the cellar to stay with the followers of the Heavenly Gate.

Just when I was wondering how to find lab mice, they came to me of their own accord.

Well done, keep it up!

I will inherit the will of the New Paradise Gate.

"Boss, what should we do with the woman in the car?" a Beggar Clan disciple asked.

The leader went over and took a look. The girl's face was full of collagen and pale, and she was no more than 20 years old. She was unconscious and smelled of alcohol. They must have drugged and carried her to the hospital.

These young people nowadays are really careless.

He casually replied, "Drive her down to the foot of the mountain, find a random roadside motel, and leave her there with the car. When she wakes up, she'll either call the police or go home herself."

The NPCs on the West Coast are incredibly fragile, with very low health and vitality; they can die unexpectedly.

The Grand Master has seen it all.

"Okay."

The Beggars' Sect disciple immediately did as instructed, got into the car, started the engine, and drove off towards the foot of the mountain.

Zhang Ailun returned to the camp and ordered the Beggars' Sect disciples to repair the gate. Leaving the gate open all the time was not good, as it would easily allow coyotes and wild animals to get in.

Back indoors, I took out my phone and glanced at the daily news.

[Daily News: A crime occurred at a ranch on Route 426, Rocky Beach, in the suburbs. Guests staying overnight discovered the crime scene and called the police. State troopers who arrived at the scene identified the deceased as a member of the Hagen family, the owners of the ranch, and Johnny's team, an unlicensed private arms dealer. The ranch has been confiscated by police and is being auctioned off at the local courthouse. You can go to the courthouse for the auction or purchase the asset online.]

Ranch along the roadside in the rocky beach area?

Zhang Ailun pondered for a moment. Wasn't that the place where they got that batch of 200,000 munitions for free? How come it was only now that a passerby discovered it and called the police?

The corpse must be stinking by now.

However, there's not much use for him buying this land asset, since he doesn't raise cattle and there's no oil underground.

[Daily News: Your Old Pick Auto Repair Shop has completed modifications on a $15 Bentley and three luxury cars worth $5 each. The client has paid a deposit and submitted the transaction location; the cars need to be delivered in batches to the designated location for the transaction.]

[Daily News: The news of Paradise Gate's wanted status topped the trending searches, with multiple media outlets issuing joint reports and criticisms. However, due to deliberate influence from some individuals, this incident failed to generate public discussion. Instead, news of the Los Angeles Lakers' black star's affair with a politician's wife, a rapper's drug-fueled party, and a famous actor's diva-like behavior took the place of the trending topics.]

Okay, go ahead and play this media game. Who can outmaneuver you?

[Daily Intelligence: A buyer has been found for your $40 worth of South American imports. They need to be shipped to Laredo, a border city between Texas and Mexico. Look for a Mexican man named Boro at a local Tex-Mex restaurant. He's somewhat well-known locally, mainly for soliciting customers, circumventing internet censorship, double-crossing, and forging documents.]

[Details: The area is rife with local gangs, drug cartels, outlaws, serial killers, and corrupt police officers who accept bribes. Currently, there are as many as 40 wanted criminals with bounties exceeding $50000 lingering in Laredo, and over 10,000 private vehicles cross the border daily. Vehicles carrying illegal private armed groups account for over 2% of these crossings.]

Good guy.

What did Blitz do to me?

You said you were looking for people to sell your goods, but you actually went to the drug lords along the US-Mexico border?

However, the leader of the sect was not afraid of them, since he had plenty of weapons in his pocket.

Flying over in a Little Bird helicopter to make a deal, armed with a 30mm cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun, do you think they'd actually pull out a Stinger halfway there?

There are so many drug trafficking gangs, and not just anyone can fly an armed helicopter. At most, they'd use AKs for small-scale operations—they're sturdy and durable, costing a few hundred dollars apiece, and the ammunition isn't expensive either. Better ones might be equipped with AR-type or M4 rifles, and hand grenades.

A $40 transaction is unlikely to trigger any double-crossing or other conflicts.

I actually have an RPG and a machine gun attack helicopter in my inventory, you better have those too!

[Daily Intelligence: Your capable henchman, Old Jack, contacted the Palm Valley heiress early yesterday morning. She's the daughter of his distant cousin. Old Jack agreed to let her sleep with you again. She will provide you with the tools for the crime, as well as a Cirrus SR22 private jet for escape. She will also provide real-time updates on the situation while attending a high-society gathering.]

Zhang Ailun: ...?

The Grand Master was furious.

Old Jack, what good things have you done?

Are they using the sect leader to pay off debts again?

Do you still have the Grand Master in your heart?

Zhang Ailun is starting to have doubts about life.

Not long after, breakfast was ready. A Beggars' Sect disciple ran over and knocked on the door, "Boss, breakfast is ready, come out and eat."

"I understand." Zhang Ailun put away his phone, a little puzzled, and went out to the restaurant's cafeteria. When he arrived, he saw Old Jack chatting with Ritz with a smug look on his face.

At a table not far away sat Dr. Jerry, a Class A war criminal, and a priest who was eating liquid food.

Yesterday he was like a vegetable, but now he has learned to say "bababa".

His hands were shaking so badly, like he had Parkinson's, that he couldn't even hold a spoon and needed to be fed by the Beggars' Sect disciples. It seems he has recovered quite well.

Zhang Ailun arrived at the table where his capable henchmen were seated, coughed lightly, and sat down. The Beggar Clan disciples quickly brought out the prepared breakfast.

Enjoy the toast and milk, which contains cheese and bacon rolls, beef, and a fried egg.

Blitz also reported in a timely manner: "I have carefully screened some reliable customers online. They have ordered our South American imports online. These people are Mexicans who have crossed the border from South America and have been living in Texas cities in the United States for more than ten years! This business should not have any risks or mistakes. In addition, our luxury cars have also been ordered and need to be delivered."

"The vehicles aren't in a rush, just let the customers wait. That batch of South American imports, are they going to be sent to a city on the US-Mexico border?" Zhang Ailun asked.

"How did you know?" Blitz was a little surprised and nodded, saying, "That's right, it is indeed going to be airlifted over there. The city is called Laredo, which is separated from Mexico by a river. The Mexican city on the other side of the river is called Nuevo Laredo. The two are sister cities. Nuevo Laredo is basically no different from the United States. The atmosphere is also quite similar, and the people are very simple and honest."

No, it's full of people who climb over walls, drug lords, outlaws, and wanted criminals. You're telling me the people are simple and honest?

"I've been to those cities, and it was pretty good, except you have to be careful of bullets shooting from anywhere on the street. There are speculators and drug dealers everywhere, and the streets are full of cocoa and leaf transactions. There are also corrupt cops who come to extort money from you if you're from out of town, and if you don't pay, they'll arrest you and lock you up for two days. There are also mentally ill people who climb over the wall, second only to the artists in Florida."

Old Jack said gleefully, "If Austin, Texas is a cowboy's paradise, then Laredo, a border city on the US-Mexico border, is the gateway to real hell."

"You'll come with us then," Zhang Ailun said abruptly.

"..." Old Jack froze instantly, his lips twitching.

Smile, why aren't you smiling anymore?

The leader looked at him with a forced smile. "Are all the tools ready? We'll head to Palm Valley after lunch. The bank won't open until around 9 a.m. Have you contacted the vault manager?"

Old Jack said calmly, "Of course, I've taken care of everything. Do you remember my distant cousin's daughter? Her family is very wealthy. They even generously lent us a Cirrus SR22 business jet when they heard we were doing business in Palm Valley! That thing is incredibly fast in the air!"

"We have our own Cirrus SF50. Won't using their plane cause them trouble?" Zhang Ailun said with dissatisfaction.

"That plane is parked at least 20 kilometers away from Palm Valley, on a ranch in the countryside. We'll drive there, change our appearance, and fly back in a private jet. Who would know? We can even have a glass of champagne at the villa!"

Old Jack waved his hand and said, "How would I know you have a Cirrus SF50? I paid a high price to persuade her to help me."

"What price?" Zhang Ailun rolled his eyes. He knew the answer already.

"My distant cousin has always admired me. She used to think I was a good-for-nothing and a jerk, but ever since I confessed to her, she thinks I'm actually a pretty good person and a good husband."

Old Jack, compassionate and merciful, appeared ready to sacrifice himself.

"Her husband died young, leaving her and her daughter as orphans. Besides their two cold, imposing mansions, several private jets, a few rural ranches, and $2000 million in their bank accounts, they had nothing. They had never felt the care of family. Perhaps from today onward, I should take on the responsibility of caring for them!"

"Oh, by the way, my cousin's daughter also admires you. Anyway, you two already met at the motel last time, so it won't hurt to meet again. Aren't you both single and unmarried?"

Old Jack said it casually.

"..."

How the hell can you say such cold things with a body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius? Are you even human?

You just betrayed the leader like that?

You've put the Grand Master in a difficult position.

Zhang Ailun took a vicious bite of his bread. "Eat! After you finish eating, go get back to work!"

"Alright!" Old Jack immediately began to enjoy his breakfast.

(End of this chapter)