America: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 340 Second Capture of the Fire of Aragua

"Stop their ships immediately and warn them," Zhang Ailun said into the walkie-talkie before boarding the supply ship.

"Received." On the other side, Bocktu and Bailey responded immediately upon receiving the message and piloted the Black Hawk and Warthog toward the target unit on the radar.

White Wolf also landed on the supply ship. Zhang Ailun left more than a dozen people on the island to stand guard and start patrol boats to quickly head towards the sea.

A few minutes later, Bailey arrived over the sea. Looking at the several target signals on the radar, he lowered the warthog's flight altitude, gradually descending from 10,000 meters to 2,000 meters. Through the window, he could vaguely see the silhouettes of ships with flashing lights, which were still quite conspicuous on the vast, dark sea.

He responded via walkie-talkie, saying, "We can now visually see the other ship."

"Send them a warning message and tell them to stop. If they try to escape, open fire to deter them." Zhang Ailun received the message and looked at the signal source on the radar. After zooming out on the sea area, the A10 was basically overlapping with the red dot.

The distance between them is at most tens of kilometers, but the altitude is thousands of meters.

"Understood." Bailey replied immediately, maneuvering the warthog to descend again and taking the initiative to connect to the other party's channel.

At that time, the Aragua Fire smuggling ship was still sailing in an orderly manner. After entering the waters of Jehovah Island, the captain and gunmen in charge of smuggling the goods became extremely vigilant, after all, they had already suffered a loss here once.

A group of people gathered in the driver's cab, constantly monitoring the signals on the radar, but nothing unusual happened.

The hacker in charge of maritime cybersecurity reassured everyone, saying, "We've prepared so thoroughly this time, specifically sneaking out in the dead of night. They have absolutely no chance of detecting us."

The captain, however, was serious and earnest. "Don't let your guard down. Juan King of Jehovah Island is cunning and treacherous, and he's incredibly unruly! Yesterday, he detained our people and cargo, demanding two million dollars in compensation and transit fees from our organization. But then our cargo ship was seized by customs at a West Coast port, ruining the deal. We also heard that several of our motel locations in Texas were harassed by police and gunmen that night. There's no doubt he was behind this!"

They had never seen such an uncivilized person.

You took the money, but then you went and reported them for illegal smuggling, which not only ruined their business and sent their smugglers back to their home countries, but also caused them to suffer heavy losses at their base in Texas!

But they really couldn't afford to offend Juan Jin.

In response, Aragua Fire held an internal meeting to discuss how to successfully smuggle goods.

If they want to smuggle themselves to the West Coast, this is the only route they can take; there are few other options. Air transport is subject to stricter checks, and without the necessary connections, smuggling by land or overpasses is only possible through cities like Tijuana and Laredo, but the competition is fierce and the costs are high. Therefore, traveling by sea is the safest option.

But now even waterways are being invaded.

"It will be difficult to do smuggling business if Juankin's Jehovah Island is not taken down," someone lamented.

"But he has warships. And armed helicopters."

Can you do it? Absolutely not!

In the end, the only option left was to try to smuggle themselves across the border in the early hours of the morning.

However, the pressure of smuggling people across the waters off Jehovah Island is far greater than that of smuggling them across the waters off the west coast. After all, the former can be bribed, with a contact person to provide assistance, and it's relatively safer and easier. The latter, on the other hand, involves taking your money and then sabotaging your plans!

He's not even human!

Everyone cursed Juankin as a damned man.

Previously, when they traveled by water, they never had to worry about their goods being seized or being inspected by authorities. Now, before they even reached the west coast, a gang of thugs has appeared, specifically targeting them to kill them.

Juankin is treating them like easy prey. Can you stand that?

The captain and crew were on high alert, watching the route on the radar and nautical chart. They had already reached the halfway point and were about to pass Jehovah Island, and their emotions were becoming tense.

"Hopefully they won't find us."

"Hurry! Full speed ahead! Get out of this damn sea! Once we're out of Jehovah Island's private waters, we'll be safe!!"

Twenty minutes later, as they were about to leave Jehovah Island, everyone cheered, "Great! We're about to leave this devilish sea!"

"Not discovered? That's great."

"Hahahaha! Juankin, he's nothing special!!"

"That's right! If he had an ambush here, we would have been discovered long ago. Even if he only sent people to patrol at night and keep a close watch, it would be difficult for us to escape their radar detection. But now we're about to leave the sea area, and he hasn't reacted at all. What does that mean?"

"This proves Juankin is no different from that idiot Prian! Hahahaha!!"

The group burst into laughter, popping champagne ahead of time. Those huddled in the ship's cabin, plotting to smuggle goods to the west coast, though unaware of the reason for their laughter, were also delighted by the good news.

This is so spicy! I could go wash dishes on the West Coast now!

A voice came from the channel midway through the conversation, "So happy? You're leaving soon? That's great! Congratulations!"

"What was that sound?" The captain's smile suddenly froze, and he removed his headset in a state of existential doubt. Looking around, the others also looked puzzled. "That sound was coming from the headset? Who was speaking?"

"It wasn't me," the person next to him denied.

"It wasn't me, I was just drinking water."

"It wasn't me either; I just came out of the toilet."

Seeing everyone shake their heads in denial, the captain became somewhat suspicious. "Am I just too nervous and misheard?"

"You heard me right."

Soon, a voice came through the channel again, Bailey warning, "I am the pilot of the Warthog attack aircraft from Jehovah Island. I am warning you to stop your ship immediately, or I will attack you!"

"Oh no!! They're from Jehovah Island? We've been discovered!?" The people on the ship were terrified.

"Warthog attack aircraft? What attack aircraft? They're using attack aircraft to intercept us?" The group panicked a bit, ran out to take a look, but found nothing unusual.

"Where is the plane? Why is there no signal on the radar? Is it stealth-enabled? I've never heard of warthogs having stealth coatings!" The hacker was also taken aback.

After frantically operating the central control software, they found no abnormal signals. Soon they heard a whooshing sound from above, and the signal source immediately appeared on the radar.

"It really is an A10! There's also a Black Hawk helicopter behind it, and several patrol boats!"

The hacker was taken aback again, then suddenly realized, "No wonder we didn't detect the A10's signal immediately; it was flying too high. Our ship's radar detection range is specifically designed to detect signals from planes and underwater submarines. The A10 can fly to an altitude of 10,000 meters. If it doesn't descend to a certain altitude, it's very difficult for us to detect it. But if it maintains an altitude of 10,000 meters, it can't launch an effective attack against us. Only by deliberately descending can we detect it."

"What the hell are you analyzing! You're so long-winded!! Even if we found out now, so what? We're already within its attack range!!"

The captain cursed and quickly led his men out of the cabin, looking up at the A10 warthog whizzing overhead, disappearing in a flash.

The hacker also came out and said helplessly, "I can't do anything about being discovered. Our radar is not military radar and is not as technologically advanced as theirs. They probably discovered us a long time ago. They must have more powerful equipment specifically designed to monitor and detect abnormal electromagnetic signals within their range."

"So what should we do now?" the captain asked the others.

"We're about to leave the waters around Jehovah Island. My suggestion is to speed up and leave immediately. Once we're in waters not under their private jurisdiction, they'll have no reason to attack us!" the pilot suggested whimsically.

"Good suggestion! But how many diesel engines do you think we'd need to outrun an A10 at sea? It's 800 kilometers per hour!"

The hacker immediately retorted, "Juanjin is so unruly! Even if we were still in the waters, far from the coastline, he could do whatever he wants!"

The two men each held their own opinions, and then they started pushing and shoving each other, arguing and even threatening to fight. The captain was completely exasperated.

Bailey looked down at the smuggling ships on the sea, their speed increasing rather than decreasing. He immediately turned around, activated the fire control radar, and swooped down.

Without giving the other person a chance to speak, he started shaving their head. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!!!

The warthog's snout blazed with fire as a hail of bullets swept down, grazing the cargo ship and splashing water onto the sea.

Everyone was terrified and rushed back to the cabin. They then sent a surrender signal over the channel: "Don't bomb us! We'll stop the ship immediately!"

Seeing the cargo ships slow down and stop, Pele cursed, "They won't learn their lesson until they see the coffin; what were they doing all this time?"

He immediately sent a message to the leader: "Report, I have intercepted the enemy ships, sea coordinates xxx, a total of two small cargo ships and one medium cargo ship. I did not observe any armed firepower on the ships."

"Dispatch center received. A10, you did a good job. Please continue your surveillance mission and wait for the Black Hawk helicopter to arrive and take control of the situation before returning to base," Zhang Ailun said.

"A10 received," Bailey replied, then piloted the A10 Warthog, circling high in the sky.

On the smuggling ship of Aragua Fire, the captain and crew watched the A10 flying around and were at a loss. They could only helplessly report the situation to the organization, informing them that their group had been discovered and intercepted by the people of Jehovah Island.

The other side deployed an A-10 attack aircraft, a Black Hawk helicopter, and several patrol boats.

The people of Aragua Fire fell silent after receiving the news, prepared to bleed heavily, but not to negotiate, because there was simply nothing to talk about.

They've already paid money and are still getting ripped off, who would want to talk to that?

"Just cooperate with their arrangements and don't resist. They won't give you any money, so at worst you'll just have to give them the ship and the cargo."

"What do we do then?" The captain was dumbfounded. Were they going to be sold out?

"You've caused the organization so much money to lose. The organization doesn't intend to pursue the matter further, but it will remember you." The person from Aragua Fire hung up the communication after saying this.

"..." The people on the ship were speechless.

Meanwhile, the Grand Master was also rapidly approaching the waters where Aragua Fire was located aboard a supply ship. The Black Hawk helicopter and two other patrol boats arrived at the waters ahead of time, discovered and took control of the three cargo ships, and A10 also sent a message to the Grand Master.

"The Black Hawk helicopters have taken over control of the situation from the A10s and are requesting permission to return to base."

"Navigation permission granted," Zhang Ailun replied. After hanging up, he stood on the deck of the patrol boat and ordered his men to open fire and move forward at full speed.

Not long after, I heard a whooshing sound, and when I looked up, I saw the A10 flying overhead and returning to Jehovah Island.

Not long after, Bailey sent a message informing the Grand Master that he had successfully landed and returned to the airport on Jehovah Island.

A dozen minutes later, the patrol boats arrived at the sea area and spotted three brightly lit cargo ships in the distance. Two patrol boats flanked the ships, while a Black Hawk helicopter hovered overhead, its blinding searchlight illuminating the sea. The crew on the cargo ships had already been taken into custody.

The patrol boat carrying the leader quickly arrived near the cargo ship, stopped at the side, and then boarded the cargo ship with his men in a small boat.

Glancing at the security team surrounded by armed guards, and then at the smugglers huddled on the deck with their heads in their hands, Zhang Ailun walked over and asked, "Who's in charge? Why did you trespass into my private waters at night? What are you doing?"

"We are from the Aragua Fire organization. This is our smuggling ship, Mr. Kim. We know each other! We are just passing through your waters to deliver goods and people to the west coast. We had no intention of offending you." The captain immediately stood up and answered honestly when he saw the person in charge approaching.

"Who told you to stand up? Keep squatting." The security team member next to him was a little annoyed and kicked him to the ground.

Because these people are doing bad things in secret, they can't even sleep soundly at night!

"Hey, don't be so harsh on our guests." Zhang Ailun waved his hand, telling the mercenaries to go easy on them, since they had already surrendered.

He then turned and led his men into the hold to inspect the cargo. Dozens of poor people working on the ship's lines were squatting in the crowd—men and women, old and young. They didn't dare to breathe.

The warehouse next door was filled with bags and packages of local specialties, animal hides and meat, bananas, apples, sugarcane, sugar, tea, fish oil, and all sorts of other things.

At first glance, it looks like we've returned to the era of maritime trade.

"Boss, the other two ships also have some durians, pomelos, and other fruits. They taste pretty good." A Beggar Clan disciple walked over with cut fruit and handed it to the leader.

Zhang Ailun took a bite; it was sweet and juicy, and the taste was indeed quite good.

These people are sneaking around, and they really are smuggling fruit to their fellow villagers!

But they just don't learn from their mistakes and still have a侥幸心理 (a sense of侥幸, a feeling of getting away with something). You can't just walk past the leader's house without saying hello and expect to sneak past.

If you speak politely to the leader and he is satisfied, he might not mind turning a blind eye. But if you walk past the island lord like a thief, do you really expect him not to see you?

After having someone nearby note down the quantity of cargo, Zhang Ailun turned and went back to the deck. Curious, he asked the captain, "How much money do you make on a single smuggling trip? Are you that reckless? I warned you last time, why did you still dare to pass by my house? Why didn't you take a detour?"

"We've already taken a detour."

The captain was aggrieved. "If we take another detour, we'll end up in the Pacific Ocean, which is international waters. There are even more boats belonging to desperados and criminals there, and some people specifically stalk and rob people there. It's not the route to the West Coast ports. Our boat can't go that far, and there are also US military bases and islands nearby."

The Pacific Ocean is vast; if you die there, no one will care. You're also likely to encounter the US fleet, which is far more terrifying than encountering pirates.

"We make $4000 to $8000 per smuggling trip, plus goods like fruit, tea, and fish oil—all orders from traders. We can earn at least hundreds of thousands of dollars each time," the captain replied helplessly. "But not this time. You've caught us, and our boss doesn't want to pay ransom again. Mr. Jin, please don't kill us! We're just ordinary people."

"Don't worry, I'm not a demon who indiscriminately kills innocent people."

Seeing that they had given up and the Aragua Fire had stopped calling, Zhang Ailun felt bored and decisively ordered his men to take them away.

He returned to the patrol boat with the white wolf and ordered, "Let's return to port."

"OK." Upon hearing this, White Wolf immediately ordered a return to base.