The flight was smooth, and from the cockpit's view, the vast grasslands of South Sudan were far more invigorating than the stifling heat of the wretched place called Kamu. Qiao Jia decided that from now on, he would shuttle between Damazin and Kamu, trying to stay in Damazin as much as possible.
His client base was already fairly established, so there was no need to nervously approach mine owners at the Kamu restaurant, hoping to strike up a conversation when they were in a good mood. Those who invested in Sudan quickly formed a network because Kamu had a Sudanese port, making it a transit hub for supplies shipped from China. This network, built on mutual information sharing, soon spread among those investing in both Sudan and South Sudan.
Anyone interested in finding out about "Jackal" could do so through this network. For private mines or enterprises located in remote areas, security was always a concern. Unfortunately, security personnel here only earned $1 to $2 per day. Expecting them to risk their lives against unruly tribal militias for such meager pay was unrealistic—they'd be more likely to sell you out than to defend you.
The private investors who dared to put money into South Sudan were all tough individuals, and they were always eager to buy a few guns. They weren't afraid of the local government, as they not only provided jobs but also paid taxes. Additionally, due to the flexibility of Chinese investors, they generally maintained good relations with local government officials. However, they couldn't manage the many local tribes, nor could the local government.
Given this situation, these bosses were almost always eager to buy guns to ensure their safety. In the past three years, Qiao Jia had never had a problem with anything he sold, so his reputation was stellar. His name had even spread to business circles in Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, and Chad, so he no longer needed to cling to Kamu. He only had to visit when necessary.
Qiao Jia preferred the milder climate and beautiful scenery of Damazin. The best part was that Damazin was close to Ethiopia, and if the opportunity arose, he could explore the market there.
Now that he no longer had to worry about family, Qiao Jia was beginning to aim higher. He resolved to abandon the small-time approach of the past and cater to the wealthiest clients. No longer would AK-47s be his primary product. Perhaps in a few more years, he could return home in style, find a wife, and live out the rest of his life in happiness.
As he enjoyed the breathtaking scenery for hours, Qiao Jia noticed the aircraft's signal was about to overlap with the target location. He forcefully shook the deeply asleep Selim, yelling, "Wake up! We've arrived. Do you want me to handle the landing?"
Selim rubbed his eyes, invigorated himself, took out a bottle of Fengyoujing (a Chinese herbal balm), and dabbed it under his nose. After shuddering from the cooling sensation, he took hold of the controls and took over the plane.
After circling a few times over the area, Selim quickly located their destination and began to descend. Finally, the plane safely landed on a relatively flat rural dirt road. Despite his love for drinking, Selim was reliable.
As the plane landed, two relatively new pickup trucks, carrying fuel barrels, came rushing over. They were there not only to refuel the plane, but one of the trucks was also the second-hand pickup that Qiao Jia had arranged for Selim to purchase. Japanese second-hand pickups were very cheap here.
For $4,000, Qiao Jia got himself a disposable Japanese pickup. Since Qiao Jia promised to give the truck to the locals after he was done with it, they were very enthusiastic.
Due to language barriers, communication wasn't smooth; the locals mostly spoke English, but their accents were sometimes quite difficult to understand.
Qiao Jia forced a smile, exchanged pleasantries with Selim's friends, and handed out large bags of candy to the children who gathered around. He then instructed Kaman to load several boxes of firearms onto the pickup truck.
He warned Selim not to drink that day and to leave for Damazin by tomorrow morning. Then, Qiao Jia jumped into the truck, bringing Kaman and the firearms along as they drove toward Wau.
The roads were generally well-maintained, as most were built with Chinese aid, allowing Qiao Jia to drive quickly. Along the way, they passed a large refugee camp, followed by a UN peacekeeping camp. Boldly, Qiao Jia stopped at the camp's edge, rolled down his window, and greeted a group of Blue Helmets tending a vegetable garden. To his surprise, they warmly handed him a large bag of vegetables.
To be honest, Qiao Jia was deeply moved. Curious about Qiao Jia's elated mood, Kaman asked, "Boss, why are you so happy? Are those soldiers your friends?"
Qiao Jia shook his head, replying, "No, they're my fellow countrymen, and they are definitely reliable. If I ever run into trouble here, I would go to them immediately."
After a brief pause, Qiao Jia added, "Of course, given my current line of work, I'd rather not trouble them."
Kaman, puzzled, asked, "Do you trust the military?"
"I trust our military!"
Hearing Qiao Jia's firm response, Kaman nodded and said, "I've heard about those soldiers. They're different from other peacekeeping forces. They've built more roads for remote villages than the South Sudanese government has, and they do it all for free. It's a shame Africa doesn't have an army like that!"
Qiao Jia didn't want to discuss the military any further. Africa was a mystical place where people could be both innocent and brutal. Without a reliable government, having a military could spell disaster for Africans. This was no joke; military governments in Africa were notoriously terrifying.
Kaman's musings didn't last long before Qiao Jia's truck pulled up in front of a Chinese restaurant. Checking the time, Qiao Jia pulled out his phone and made a quick call. In a few minutes, the long-absent Lu Jun emerged from the restaurant with a brisk stride.
Seeing Qiao Jia in the driver's seat, Lu Jun enthusiastically opened the door and smiled, saying, "Brother Wolf, since you're here, you must come in for a bite and a drink."
Under different circumstances, Qiao Jia might have accepted, but with over 100 kilometers left to drive, he could only politely decline, saying, "Mr. Lu, I still have a client to meet, so I'll have to pass today. We'll catch up next time if we get the chance. If you need anything else, just give me a call. To be honest, this is my first time running this route, but once there's a first time, there will be a second. Things will be easier for future orders."
Lu Jun, listening politely, handed Qiao Jia a bag containing $100,000 in cash and said, "I was hoping to treat Brother Wolf to a meal. I suppose it'll have to wait until next time."
Seeing Lu Jun's graciousness, Qiao Jia hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Lu, please be careful around here. Though they say a peace agreement has been reached, the Kadin militia isn't exactly reasonable."
Lu Jun dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand, saying, "The small gold mine I manage is just for show. Whether we extract anything or not doesn't really matter. My family's main investments here are in agriculture—teaching the locals to farm. As long as we don't touch the oil pipelines, there shouldn't be any conflicts with the locals."
Qiao Jia wasn't optimistic about the carefree Lu Jun. South Sudan wasn't a place where reason prevailed. A few harsh words between the Kadin President and the Vice President from the Ernur tribe could easily turn this place back into hell.
However, since they weren't that close, Qiao Jia didn't want to say too much. For all he knew, Lu Jun might have extraordinary connections, and saying too much could just make him look foolish.