America: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 281 Purchase of Black Hawk

"Boss, I only drank two glasses of water, but you chewed a piece of tree bark directly. How come you're okay?" Sig said, expressing his incomprehension.

"Who said I'm fine? I'm used to it." Zhang Ailun said irritably.

He glanced down at Little Allen; while not as hard as iron, he was certainly standing tall and proud.

Isn't this just the usual level of performance of the Grand Master?

Half an hour after chewing the tree bark, my lower back felt hot, warm, and itchy, and I was sweating profusely on my forehead, feeling like it was about to explode.

The Grand Master took two deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his impulsive thoughts. "As expected of Old Black's work, it's always top-notch!" he thought. "I've wronged you all!"

Angolan tree bark is great, we should eat it.

Then, as if remembering something, he took out his phone and sent a message to Zorro: You better not order takeout in my villa! Go to a bar or club, or a motel! And don't do it on the sofa in the living room!

Zorro: ? Boss, it's working for you too? Is the aftereffect of this stuff a bit strong? My heart is racing, I'm feeling hot all over, it feels like I'm on drugs. I suspect it contains other ingredients!!

Zhang Ailun: I don't know, this is my first time eating this stuff. It seems to be one of the raw materials used to make Viagra! It's definitely a good thing.

Zorro: I'm going to find three women!!

Zhang Ailun: Get lost.

As they were talking, several hot blonde women approached from the roadside, carrying bags and wearing high heels. They greeted the group of men who were struggling to suppress their desires, "Hey! Honey! Are you from Los Angeles? Need us to be your guides?"

Zhang Ailun glanced at Sieg, then immediately went over to greet him, chatting and laughing with him.

The women quickly gave their price: "$200."

"So expensive?" Sig was somewhat surprised.

But considering the current situation, he still agreed, made the deal, and took the other party to the nearest motel.

"You guys watch the car here." Zhang Ailun also took out his phone and sent a message to Colonel Wood, explaining that they had encountered a special situation here and that their journey might be delayed for a while.

Colonel Wood: What's the situation? Mr. King, have you encountered robbers or thieves? The town of Lunrad isn't far from the military district; should I send someone to meet you?

Zhang Ailun couldn't explain the situation clearly, so he could only say tactfully: "You know me, I'm young and impetuous, and there are so many beautiful women here, they're good-looking and have nice voices, I might need to talk to them."

Colonel Wood: ...

Damn it, you beast!

Didn't you already talk about this yesterday?

But all we can do is express our understanding.

Zhang Ailun got out of the car and called over two tall, blonde women, who booked a room at a motel.

I felt refreshed after coming out.

The guests in the next room stared at him like he was a monster, then laughed and said, "Dude, weren't you guys making a bit too much noise? Two whole hours?"

"Are you a tenant here? Sorry, this is just my usual level. I'm really sorry to bother you." Zhang Ailun smiled, then noticed the watch on his wrist that was worn backwards with the buckle on, and turned to go downstairs and leave.

The guest looked at him with a sense of existential doubt, hesitant to speak, and had reason to suspect that he was deliberately showing off!

Upon arriving at the parking area, Zhang Ailun found Sig already waiting there. He was somewhat surprised, "How did you get here so quickly?"

"Boss, I should say you're too slow." Sig's lips twitched.

"I guess I'm just too good." Zhang Ailun sighed, got into the car, fastened his seatbelt, and prepared to leave. He then asked, "You spent $200?"

"Yeah, aren't you one too?" Sig asked, puzzled.

"Sorry, I didn't pay."

The leader spread his hands, originally intending to give money, but the other party refused to accept it after learning that he was a billionaire, and only wanted the leader's contact information.

Look at the mess this has made.

I got something for free again.

Sig was so angry he almost ground his teeth to powder after hearing that.

The vehicle was restarted and headed to the military base. It soon arrived at the military district and stopped at the gate, where it was stopped and questioned by soldiers.

Zhang Ailun sent a message to Colonel Wood, informing him that he had arrived.

Colonel Wood replied that they should wait a moment and also gave instructions to the soldiers guarding the gate.

The soldiers on guard received instructions from their superiors and immediately opened the iron gate to let them pass.

Sieg drove smoothly to the military base, parked the car in the nearby parking lot, and got out. They saw Colonel Wood and several heads of arms companies and armed nations coming over and greeted them warmly.

"Hello, Mr. Kim, welcome to Flores Military Base."

"Hello, Mr. Wood," Zhang Ailun replied with a smile. The other party then introduced him to the executives of the arms companies next to him, namely the California regional head of Mayweather Company, the California regional head of Thunderfire Company, and the heads of several other arms companies, including Armed Nation.

"Mr. Kim, they are all VIP customers who were invited by me to visit the base and want to place an order for Black Hawk helicopters," Colonel Wood said with a smile.

"Hello." Zhang Ailun greeted several company executives and the head of the armed nation.

The manager of Thunderfire Company enthusiastically said, "Mr. Jin's Thunderfire Armed Nation is also a long-time customer of ours. They've previously purchased armed escort vehicles, drones, and a Little Antelope from us. How have you found it to be?"

"Not bad. At least my people have never messed up a single job because of vehicle malfunctions. They are very satisfied with your company's products, and if I need them, I will definitely place another order," Zhang Ailun praised.

The executives at Lei Huo Company were overjoyed.

Colonel Wood immediately suggested visiting the military base's training area to see the Black Hawk helicopters. Zhang Ailun readily agreed and followed the group to the training area.

When I arrived, I saw soldiers at the military base undergoing training. I don't know if they had been given prior instructions, but the soldiers were training extra hard today. The training programs and standards were almost on par with those of the Navy SEALs.

After touring the area, Zhang Ailun remarked, "These soldiers from the Flores Military District are truly impressive; they are far more efficient and decisive than those from other military districts."

"Of course, our military region consistently ranks among the top in California's simulation training competitions every year. The Air Force and Army personnel serving here are the elite of the elite." Colonel Wood was also very satisfied with this.

After touring the base and observing the soldiers' daily training, as well as the tanks, armored vehicles, and the army's weaponry, Colonel Wood began to introduce the air force's armed forces, specifically the equipment and configuration of the Black Hawk helicopters. This attack helicopter, which was born fifty years ago, has undergone numerous improvements and spawned many versions, but its core configuration has remained largely unchanged. The Black Hawks in front of them still use two General Electric T700-GE-701 turboshaft engines.

It has a speed of 357 km/h, a service ceiling of 5790 meters, a standard range of 2220 km, and a combat radius of 592 km.

Initially, the Black Hawk was equipped with an M60D 7.62mm machine gun, but later it could also be fitted with the more powerful General Electric M134.7.62 6mm six-barrel Gatling Minigun. Two 12.7mm machine guns could be mounted on mounts on either side of the gunner's window, and the stub wings could also carry many advanced weapons, such as Stinger air-to-air missiles and Hellfire anti-tank missiles. A laser target designator was also installed in the forward-looking infrared turret.

Although it is excellent, the Black Hawk has a very high crash rate. That's why the Black Hawk crash story has been adapted into a game.

In Hollywood movies, if a Black Hawk helicopter doesn't crash at the beginning, it feels like the movie lacks prestige and is just a background character.

Although Colonel Wood and his quartermaster were chatting animatedly, Zhang Ailun was more focused on the two Apache helicopters beside him and asked, "Does your military base have any plans to sell Apaches?"

"Mr. Jin is very interested in the Apache. I'm sorry, our base is not currently prepared to retire this model. Perhaps other military bases may have such plans," Colonel Wood replied regretfully.

The domestic price of an Apache helicopter is approximately $17 million. If additional weapons are required, the cost will vary depending on the type of weapon. With Hellfire missiles and other top-of-the-line features, the price of an Apache could easily exceed $30 million.

However, the price of a standard Apache helicopter on the second-hand market is not much higher than that of a Hind or a Ka-52, around seven or eight million US dollars, or even lower.

Most countries and militants choose to buy second-hand Apaches and then have them modified to add firepower manually. After all, if all else fails, you can always bring a Vulcan Gatling gun.

"That's a real shame." Zhang Ailun smiled.

Colonel Wood then invited Zhang Ailun and other leaders of the armed nation to board the helicopter for a trial. It was also the first time the leader of the Black Hawk helicopter had ever ridden in one, and he immediately felt that this thing was much more comfortable than birds and antelopes.

The comfort of passengers has been fully considered; it's not cramped at all. The cabin of the Gazelle has folding stools that are incredibly stiff and can't accommodate many people. After all, it has "Gazelle" in its name, indicating that it was designed from the outset as an attack helicopter capable of performing missions in a flexible and convenient manner.

The pilot started the Black Hawk helicopter and took off. Zhang Ailun could feel the strong wind blowing in from outside the cabin. There were two 7.62 machine guns nearby, which could be pulled in at any time to provide air-to-ground fire support, but they were not equipped with ammunition belts or bullets at the moment.

The pilot flew the Black Hawk over the military base for a while, performing various difficult maneuvers and demonstrating his ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The tilting angle and emergency pull-up also showcased its performance and speed, proving that you get what you pay for.

After landing back at the military base, Zhang Ailun was quite satisfied with the aircraft, as it was far superior to the Gazelle and Bird aircraft.

"Mr. Wood, at the price we agreed on before, I can buy as many Black Hawks as you want to sell." Zhang Ailun smiled and didn't engage in any further small talk with the other party.

Other company executives and armed state leaders need to consider pricing and subsequent maintenance, so a decision cannot be made so quickly.

Colonel Wood also showed enthusiasm, inviting the Grand Master to the VIP room for a detailed discussion.

Upon arriving at the VIP room, Zhang Ailun invited Sig inside, while the other Beggars' Sect disciples stood guard outside.

Colonel Wood took a bottle of red wine from his collection, poured two glasses, handed them to Zhang Allen, and said with a smile, "Mr. Jin, we could sell you at least two Black Hawk helicopters, but that was our previous plan. Now I can guarantee that we can sell you at least four Black Hawk helicopters!"

"Are there any other companies offering a higher price than me?" Zhang Ailun asked.

"No, we're doing this simply to avoid causing any trouble for our clients. Selling too many weapons to the same company could attract unwanted attention. Although these are just a few decommissioned aircraft, you should understand that there are always people who want to make a fool of themselves by coming to me and talking about rules and regulations."

Colonel Wood explained, clearly displeased: "What you may not know is that after you left yesterday, CIA agents, without any authorization or regulations, trespassed on Mr. Madison's private island and arrested a Blue Pharmaceuticals shareholder who was vacationing there. Even Mr. Madison was investigated and charged with harboring criminals. He's likely being held temporarily by the relevant authorities in Los Angeles and has been called in for questioning. But don't worry too much, Mr. Madison knows many people and will handle this easily."

"Is that so?" Zhang Ailun feigned surprise. "Why would they do that?"

"It's because we haven't let them profit enough, we haven't given them enough of the profits. They're doing it themselves, but they won't let others do it, just because they haven't had enough to eat," Colonel Wood scoffed.

If you're just a hot-blooded naiveté, you won't be able to climb up the ladder or squeeze into this circle.

The reason this has caused trouble is because they lost the internal power struggle and were caught red-handed. They might even just be used as a scapegoat to warn others.

You can do whatever you want, sell illegal drugs, or even run shady businesses like drug trafficking or human trafficking, but you can't expose these things to the public.

Where does that leave their pride?

Also, did you pay your taxes?

Sieg sighed, deeply moved by the sentiment.

"I might be under their watch because of this, but I don't know what they'll do to me yet," Colonel Wood said. "However, without solid evidence, there's not much they can do to me. If they want to accuse me of any crime, they'll have to get past my superiors. They simply don't have the power to target the forces behind me."

"Speaking of which, when I was in the town before, I noticed a rather unusual tenant. His watch was folded inwards, which made him look somewhat like a CIA agent," Zhang Ailun pondered.

Colonel Wood was immediately startled. "Is that so?"

His face immediately darkened, and he took out his phone to contact someone. He quickly received a message, and his expression softened.

"Those guys probably just want to gather evidence of my illegal arms sales. It's no big deal. I'll handle it. I guarantee that everything I do is legal and compliant, and I won't leave any trace."

He then produced a contract, signed his name, and said, "Similarly, Mr. Jin, you only need to sign the arms contract to complete this deal. I guarantee there won't be any trouble."

Zhang Ailun glanced at the contents of the contract and found that it was an official arms document, with the selling price of each retired Black Hawk helicopter marked blank.

He purchased the four Black Hawks for $260 million each, totaling $1040 million.

There were no problems. The delivery address was filled in immediately, and the contract was signed at a hangar in the suburbs.

"These are our receiving accounts. You need to make four separate payments and transfer them to these accounts." Colonel Wood then provided several more bank accounts.

Zhang Ailun checked and found that there were three private accounts and one official account. He immediately transferred the money in the name of the foundation and temporarily paid a 30% deposit.

Colonel Wood received a notification that the remittance had been received, a smile spreading across his face. He raised his glass and said, "Mr. Kim, it's been a pleasure doing business with you. We'll be able to transport the Black Hawk helicopter to the designated location soon."

"Okay, it's a pleasure to work with you." Zhang Ailun smiled and raised his glass for a drink.

(End of this chapter)