Chapter 12

Grigory counted the dollars while hidden under the T-80 tank, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Tang Dao took a drag from his cigarette, letting the thick smoke swirl around him. He approached Old Hei and said, "The $20,000 will be incorporated into a 5% interest, and I'll give it to you."

He didn't want to take advantage of the situation and sought to maintain fairness.

Tire wiped his sideburns with his fingers, contemplating for a moment before saying, "No, if you plan to start a company in the future, you can allocate me some shares instead." He turned to look at Tang Dao, offering a proposition, "How about $20,000 and 40% equity in your company for 50% of the profits?"

Tang Dao felt a bit stunned by this proposal. It was rather audacious to ask for such a significant stake for this amount of money. However, if he refused outright, it could damage their budding relationship. He decided to stall for time and consider it further. Perhaps after some profitable ventures, he could renegotiate the terms...there's no morality in this business.

In the end, since Old Hei was willing to cover the expenses, he agreed, saying, "Of course, we make great partners. If fate makes me rich, I won't forget you. Or perhaps, my friend, you can come and join me in building something big. Poland is too small for our ambitions."

Tire's right eye twitched slightly. He could see that Tang Dao's words were meant to retreat and gain an advantage. However, he was aware that his demand for equity was dismissed with a casual comment.

This young man had quite the audacity.

But did he really think he could rely on this?

He was underestimating Mike March!

Tire smiled genuinely, shaking his head. "I don't have the energy of young people like you. Nevins Consulting Company is perfect for retirement. But I see that you're short on manpower. I have two former Polish army retirees with me. You can take them on. After all, you don't have enough people."

He pointed to the two white men who had accompanied him, saying, "What do you think?"

Tang Dao couldn't help but touch his chin. Was Old Hei planning to place some spies on him?

"Of course, I'm still concerned about the shortage of manpower," Tang Dao said, trying to play it cool. He smiled and walked over to shake hands with the two men, trying to put on a friendly face.

Tire saw Tang Dao's reaction and recognized that this Chinese was no fool. They both understood the unspoken message underlying their interactions.

...

At 8:15 PM, all the goods, including the tanks and armored vehicles, were loaded onto the vehicles and headed for a private airport located 130 kilometers away from Lviv. This airport belonged to Nevins Consulting Company and had three Antonov "An" transport aircraft with regular flight qualifications, capable of traveling across Ukraine and even longer distances.

If it were a foreign business, it would yield at least $150,000 per trip along an African route. Although credit was available if necessary, the money needed to be transferred to Nevins Consulting Company's account within three months.

This was another gift from Old Hei.

"Boss, do you want us to deal with those two unsightly guys sometime?" Osborne asked as he held the steering wheel.

He was clearly annoyed at the prospect of the two jerks joining their team.

"Is it that easy?" Tang Dao, who was sitting in the front passenger seat and had his hands folded as he dozed off, responded. He glanced at the jeep leading the way and continued in a cold tone, "He's sending us a warning. It's as if he's saying, 'Look, Nevins Consulting Company is a big player you can't mess with. You better behave quietly and lie down like dogs!'"

His frustration showed as he spoke, and he slapped the car's dashboard, venting his anger.

While Tang Dao was getting riled up, he couldn't help but feel a sense of rebellion. Although the vast business territory of Ukraine and the presence of an airport in Old Hei's personal company was intimidating, he felt determined not to bow down. His eyes bore into the jeep ahead as he stared, like a wolf baring its fangs.

However, venting his anger like this was rather cowardly. Those who were incapable tended to complain loudly to bolster their self-esteem. In Tang Dao's case, he had the urge to lash out when suppressed like this.

In the jeep, though, a different conversation was taking place.

"Boss, what do you want us to do with that Chinese guy?" one of the white men with dreadlocks like Tire, who had a small white scar on his face, asked as he sat in the co-pilot seat. He looked up at the rearview mirror, and the boss was smoking a cigarette with his legs crossed.

"You don't need to do anything. Just keep an eye on him and report to me if he makes any moves," the boss replied casually, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Tire raised his eyes slightly, lowered the window, and flicked the cigarette ash outside as he continued to smoke.

Tire had tasked these two individuals with monitoring Tang Dao and testing his limits, and it appeared that this Chinese businessman could endure quite a lot.

"I'll grab everything when your batch of goods is sold!" Tire declared as he let the wind rush into the vehicle, emphasizing his greed and ambition. He mentally calculated that this batch of goods could bring in more than 5 million US dollars when sold, faster than selling "X."

Tire had initially considered using force to take the goods for himself, but upon further assessment, he realized that this batch of goods might not be easy to sell. Encountering militants in Africa could turn it into a liability rather than an asset, making it a risky endeavor. Thus, Tire decided to wait for Tang Dao to sell the goods and then take action.

As for the 40% equity shares he'd mentioned earlier, they were merely a ploy to deceive Tang Dao. Although the Chinese businessman had tried to hide it, he was clearly inexperienced. Tire, being more ruthless and cunning, had seen through his tactics.

This business was teaching him a valuable lesson.

As the jeep ran over a twig, snapping it in two, a little snake nearby quickly curled up and burrowed into the fallen leaves.

By around 11 o'clock at night, the convoy had finally reached its destination—a small private airport with a runway and three parked Antonov An-12 transport aircraft. These aircraft, codenamed "Young Fox" by NATO, were still operational despite being antiques from the 1950s. They could reach speeds of nearly 800 kilometers per hour, making them competitive with younger models, and could carry approximately 40 tons of cargo. Many airlines had civilian or cargo planes inspired by these aircraft.

Several armed guards were stationed at the airport, led by a white man wearing a black peaked cap and gray tactical gear. He had ammunition pouches and magazines strapped to his body, with the distinctive yellow-tipped bullets visible. He had an AEK-971 assault rifle slung over his shoulder as he warmly greeted Tire, giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder.

"Hey, man, I thought the wolves got you."

"God didn't want me to meet Him so soon, hahaha." Tire playfully spread his arms and chuckled, hugging the man and giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder. He introduced Nicholas and Ambrose to each other, "Nicholas, Ambrose, meet each other. You can call him 'Water Gun.'"

"Good evening, sir."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ambrose."

They shook hands politely, and Ambrose adjusted his rifle at his side. "Where in Africa are you heading?"

"Namibia," Tang Dao quickly replied, eager to provide more context, "In West Africa."

This was a cover story he had come up with after careful consideration. Although Namibia had gained independence in March 1990, ending 33 years of colonial rule, the late 1980s had brought famine and war to this already impoverished country. The more chaotic a place was, the more suitable it was for arms dealers.

Ambrose gave a brief nod, casting a glance at Tire, who remained silent. He then checked his watch. "Our company has an apron at Gerutfontein Airport. It can take off in half an hour. I'll make the arrangements."

As Ambrose turned away, Tang Dao let out a deep breath, turning to Tire and expressing his gratitude. "Thank you very much, my friend."

"God bless you."

"May God be with you too."

They exchanged a hug before parting ways.

Osborn and Robert, who had been observing the scene, exchanged glances, lowered their heads, and simultaneously muttered, "What an actor!"