Chapter 230: Meeting Zhao Weihu Again

That night, the "business negotiation" organized by Yu Mingyuan and Su Tianyu ended in a relatively harmonious atmosphere. A tempting policy order also made the navy and garrison troops, who had some friction before, forget their previous unpleasantness.

Early the next morning, after 8 AM.

After breakfast and washing up, Yu Mingyuan, Su Tianyu, and Su Tianbei immediately drove out of Dragon City and found that guard company commander under Wen Zhanbo in the outer city garrison area - the one who had met You Yifan with them yesterday.

This man was in his thirties, surnamed Zhou, a captain guard company commander. Though his rank wasn't high, he was Wen Zhanbo's favorite and considered quite a figure in their brigade.

Meeting up, Yu Mingyuan politely asked Company Commander Zhou: "Shall we set out now?"

"Ah? Let's go - go and return the same day," Company Commander Zhou said smiling. "Today is just meeting Old Zhao, getting a sense - if we can talk later, this will serve as groundwork."

"Alright!" Yu Mingyuan immediately nodded: "Then we'll take your car."

"Let's go."

After briefly exchanging words, everyone got into two military SUVs heading straight for the Xinaluo region.

On the way, Yu Mingyuan and Company Commander Zhou discussed future "border trade business" while Su Tianyu sat in the passenger seat looking at the border scenery. He discovered that since Order No. 1 was issued, south of Sea Swallow Pit and south of Dragon City had many more garrison troops in multiple regions, some areas even had warning lines set up - showing Zone One's sanctions on Old Mo weren't just talk, but seemed to be getting serious.

Sealing the trade lines also meant this side of the border wouldn't be as peaceful as before - frequent small-scale military friction would definitely occur often. This speculation also made Su Tianyu feel more strongly that they'd better not touch the future border trade business.

Once small fry got caught up in games between major districts, they could be destroyed in minutes.

Because diplomatic relations between the Mo region and Zone One and Dragon City remained tense, Company Commander Zhou also couldn't openly traverse the Xinaluo territory like before, but had to avoid suspicion.

The two SUVs took small roads, passing through four of Wen Zhanbo's brigade's border ports before entering the Xinaluo region from the mountain side.

For some unknown reason, the Chi Army hadn't participated in any warfare recently but had retreated to the Mofi official army's deep rear, stationed in a region called Little Peak Mountain.

Around 4 PM, everyone finally reached the foot of Little Peak Mountain and saw the Chi Army's garrison troops. After Company Commander Zhou exchanged words with their officers, they were let through.

As the cars wound up the mountain road toward the peak, Su Tianyu carefully observed the Chi Army's garrison camp and curiously asked Company Commander Zhou: "Sir, how many people does the Chi Army have?"

"They claim over ten thousand externally, but actually only six or seven thousand, and part of those are accompanying logistics support units," Company Commander Zhou explained softly. "Strictly speaking, the Chi Army isn't really troops - at most a rather large mercenary group or bandit army."

"This Commander Zhao is quite capable."

"He definitely has ability, otherwise he couldn't have grown this big," Company Commander Zhou expressed agreement.

The ability Su Tianyu spoke of might have differed from Company Commander Zhou's meaning, because he meant not only Zhao Weihu's ability to gather troops and handle diplomacy, but felt his military qualities were also quite outstanding.

Though the uphill road was all freshly leveled dirt road, it was hard to see those impassable dirt pits and bumps - the road was relatively even. The cut trees on both sides even had almost uniform cutting heights. Though the perimeter guard posts used the common four-advance-three, advance-two pattern, the soldiers on duty were in high spirits - none slacking off or wandering around chatting, just standing straight at their positions with guns, maintaining vigilance according to orders.

A troop's spirit comes from its highest military commander. For a mercenary group living off fighting with unclear beliefs, a private armed force, having soldiers with such quality and camp details done so well was actually quite rare. Su Tianyu had participated in the independence war and encountered many Zone One rebel armies up close - to put it bluntly, even regular army mixed units might not manage as well as the Chi Army.

"No wonder they're called the Chi Army - they can charge by attack length and defense depth," Su Tianyu remarked with feeling. "Done quite well."

Hearing this, Su Tianbei asked softly: "With home spending so much money on your education, could you lead troops like the Chi Army now?"

"Lead shit," Su Tianyu shook his head. "Study and practice are two different things, understand?"

"Waste," Su Tianbei evaluated objectively. "Wasted money educating you."

Su Tianyu couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

......

About half an hour later, everyone arrived at the Chi Army headquarters base. After security checks, they were directly taken to the conference room by Zhao Weihu's personal deputy.

Entering the room, they saw Zhao Weihu sitting by a folding portable dining table cooking hotpot.

"Greetings Commander Zhao!" A scene that dropped Su Tianyu's jaw appeared - Company Commander Zhou, a Zone One military officer, actually took the initiative to give a military salute and use an honorific title when meeting the private armed forces commander currently in an opposing force.

This era was too fucking absurd - those above were implementing border closure policies while those below were eating hotpot and discussing business.

Zhao Weihu clearly also knew Old Zhou and nodded smiling in greeting: "Sit anywhere, have some spicy food."

Everyone sat in wooden chairs around the dining table at these words.

"You all drink - I have to go out later, can't drink," Zhao Weihu said without any airs as he ate a big bite of lamb.

Everyone had come to discuss business and couldn't really gorge themselves here, so Company Commander Zhou only symbolically moved his chopsticks before immediately getting to the point: "It's still that matter I mentioned to your deputy on the phone..."

"I know," Zhao Weihu interrupted replying: "Business can be done, but there's one thing I must explain in advance."

"What?"

"I might be formally incorporated into the Mofi official army - the Mo brothers gave us organization, unit numbers, and sacks full of currency," Zhao Weihu said very directly. "I really want to be a bandit with dignity, but damn it, they're giving too much - I really can't refuse."

Company Commander Zhou was stunned.

"Cooperation is fine, but you need to understand - after I'm incorporated, I'll be troops under the Mofi regime, in an opposing relationship with your Zone One and Dragon City," Zhao Weihu said smiling. "You selling me military supplies would count as collaborating with the enemy."

"You're giving up being a free prince to join the Mofi regime, this... isn't this...?"

"I said already - they're giving too much, I can't refuse," Zhao Weihu replied teasingly. "Otherwise, you report upward - if Dragon City gives me a division's organization, I can immediately switch sides."

"Don't joke - we only have a brigade's organization," Company Commander Zhou said helplessly.

"Then forget it - if Dragon City really incorporated me, I might not even serve them. This batch of leaders are all spineless - I won't take that anger," Zhao Weihu drank some lamb soup and said concisely. "Not many words needed - our garrison troops and Chi Army are old acquaintances. I can receive goods here, without limit, but one condition - you have to let me delay payment for several rounds, because with large quantities my economic pressure is quite high too."

Su Tianyu hadn't achieved face-to-face communication with Zhao Weihu last time, so didn't have a strong impression of this person, but meeting again today, he instantly had initial labels for this person in his mind.

This person didn't waste words - every word he said accurately expressed his thoughts, and he wasn't underhanded in doing things. Even matters like being incorporated by the Mofi regime he could inform in advance - this showed his style of handling affairs.

......

In Dragon City, Su Tiannan called Wang Daolin while on his way to the association: "Hey, Uncle Wang, are you busy? Hehe, I have something to ask you. It's like this - I have a friend who's a laborer back from Xinaluo, he wants to handle citizenship procedures - is it easy to handle now?"

"Does he have any special background in Xinaluo?" Wang Daolin immediately asked back.

Su Tiannan felt this question was strange, so was somewhat stunned.