Venezuela, near Maro Town in the jungle.
Song Heping peered down from the side of the helicopter's cabin, the dense jungle spreading out like a deep green carpet covering the entire earth. In the distance, a river andered through the jungle like a python, sotis hidden and sotis visible, the scenery full of primal taste gave a refreshing sense of pleasure.
Jiang Feng pointed ahead and said, "Old squad leader, look over there."
Following the direction of Jiang Feng's finger, Song Heping saw a cleared space in the valley ahead. A runway oriented north-south ca into view. Several areas in the valley had been cleared, and so matchbox-like buildings were scattered around.
"Progress is so fast?!"
Seeing the runway and the camp buildings beginning to take shape, even Song Heping was surprised.
Jiang Feng said, "Your old classmate is really powerful. They brought over a hundred people and recruited more than two hundred local workers. They've rushed the work day and night. To achieve this efficiency in such a place is nothing short of a miracle."
Song Heping was well aware that this was because Lao Gao's entire future depended on this project. Who else but him would rush the work? He probably was even more eager to complete the project than himself.
The helicopter soon landed in the center of the valley camp. Song Heping first went to the construction site, where he saw Lao Gao.
After asking about the progress of the project, Song Heping asked Jiang Feng, "What about the hangar? The aircraft?"
"Over there."
Jiang Feng pointed towards the north side of the valley.
Song Heping saw several large corrugated tal buildings standing tall at the north end of the valley.
"Let's take a look."
He jumped into a jeep and drove along the runway, which had been leveled but not yet officially under construction, and stopped in front of the hangar.
Compared to the runway, the progress here was obviously faster; it had been hardened and cented.
The steel-structured hangar, although simple, was absolutely strong and practical.
Upon entering, he imdiately saw several people gathered around a pile of parts and a half-assembled SU-24 fighter bomber.
"Mr. Nikola, hello!"
Song Heping walked straight up to the lead old engineer with a white beard, apparently in his fifties.
Seeing soone entering, Nikola, the head of the maintenance team, imdiately recognized the man leading the way as his employer, Song Heping.
"Boss."
He ca over with a towel in hand.
Song Heping extended his hand.
Nikola's hands were full of grease, and several wipes with the towel did not clean them.
Song Heping didn't wait for him to finish wiping, and had already grabbed his palm and shook it firmly.
"How are you adapting to life here?"
Nikola was taken aback.
He hadn't expected Song Heping's first question to be about life here, rather than the assembly progress of the aircraft.
"Not bad, just a bit hot," Nikola reported honestly. "And there are quite a few snakes here; I even had one crawl out of the toilet."
"Hahaha!"
Song Heping burst into laughter, turning to look towards the direction of the workers' dormitory.
It was a board shack.
That was the condition for now.
After all, the place was remote, with the nearest small town more than twenty kiloters away.
Before the school was built, the conditions here were undeniably harsh.
"I'm sorry I can only assure this level of accommodation for the ti being, but rest assured, the school here is being rushed to completion. Once it's built, you'll be able to move into concrete houses with air conditioning."
Song Heping painted them a rosy picture.
"Plus, you'll have the opportunity to take annual leaves with paid vacations. If you're interested in having your families live in Caracas, the company can also provide certain housing subsidies."
Nikola was delighted upon hearing this.
After all, with only two months of vacation a year, it wasn't just the distance to Russia that was the problem, but being separated from family was the greatest hardship.
"Thank you so much, boss."
Having gauged the right mont, Song Heping then pointed to the SU-24 and asked, "How much longer will the assembly take?"
Nikola replied, "Give another month."
Song Heping thought for a mont and asked, "For two planes?"
Nikola shook his head. "No, just one. After that, we need testing, so it's probably two months."
Song Heping said, "There aren't two months, only one and a half. The pilots still need a month of training to adapt, to get familiar with the runway and the planes here."
Nikola thought for a mont and then nodded emphatically, "Right now, the maintenance and assembly equipnt are not fully available. I don't know when they'll be delivered."
Song Heping said, "Leave that to . Within 15 days, they will definitely arrive."
Nikola estimated the ti and then gave his answer, "If I can get all the assembly and testing equipnt within 15 days, in a month and a half, I will have both aircraft assembled."
Song Heping said,"That's good. The company has a bonus system. If you complete the task on ti, you'll get a corresponding bonus after the mid-year evaluation; otherwise, there will be deductions. Nikola, I assu you've read the contract clearly when you signed."
The year-end bonus was 10% of the annual salary, which amounted to a sizable inco.
Nikola was of course aware of this.
"Understood, boss. As long as the equipnt is in place, I can definitely keep up with the work efficiency."
Just then, Song Heping's phone rang.
He pulled out the satellite phone and saw that it was actually Morins's number.
Song Heping felt so unease when Morins called at this ti.
Because the first batch of arms had already been delivered to Colombia, according to the schedule.
Could it be that there were so problems with the operations on Ramas's side?
"You guys continue, I need to take a call," he said.
Song Heping paused his conversation with Nikola, turned, and walked out of the hangar to answer the call.
"My good brother, what urgent matter do you have to find at this ti?"
It was indeed Morins on the other end, still with the familiar voice, sounding quite hurried.
"Song, I really have an urgent matter, and I need your help."
"Speak. Do you need more arms?! As long as the price is right, I could even get you a tank!"
Song Heping thought to himself, could it be that he wants more arms? That would be good, as he had recently invested in this school and had also purchased two SU-24s and two MI-171s, causing the money in the company's account to flow out like running water, with more than twenty million US dollars in working capital dwindling all at once.
He never knew money could be spent so quickly before he got into construction.
Lao Gao's budget hadn't anticipated so many troubles on the Venezuela side.
The land had already been purchased, but the infrastructure here was very poor.
Water could be directly taken from a nearby river using a pump station and a filtration system, but electricity was the real killer.
Unlike back ho, the power grid here was sowhat backward.
There were no power lines nearby, so to get electricity, it had to be extended from a town over twenty kiloters away.
Just for these ancillary utilities, the Venezuelan power company had the audacity to ask for five million US dollars.
And he had no choice but to pay...
Song Heping, who had been afraid of poverty since childhood, always felt uneasy when he saw his account balance decreasing.
"All I have here are mountains, what would I need a tank for..." Morins said: "Here's the thing, I want to send a batch of command backbone to your place to learn command and combat from you. If they can learn even one-tenth of what you know, I think taking out AUC wouldn't be a problem."
Send people to learn military training?
Song Heping couldn't help but laugh: "Are you crazy?! Can my identity be exposed? If it could be, I wouldn't have needed to let Ramas handle dealings with you."
Morins was insistent: "Didn't you open a Special Soldier School over there in Venezuela? My n can join as students, you're running a school to do business, what's the problem? Even if my n go there, you could conceal your identity and just say you're an instructor."
Song Heping said, "I did open a school here, but right now there's not even a single thing started. The camp has just been cleared out, and many facilities are incomplete. How do you expect to teach?"
Morins still refused to give in.
Having seen Song Heping's capabilities, if his own n could learn from him, wouldn't he be able to walk sideways across Colombia in the future?
"So what if it's makeshift? I'll bring our own tents, our own weapons, and ammunition! Isn't it all about learning jungle warfare? Do we need a house for that? My n can endure hardship!"
He fervently assured Song Heping that the people he would send were definitely capable of enduring hardship and promised they wouldn't cause him any trouble.
Then he started to pour out his woes: "Song, to be honest with you, you have to take them, whether you want to or not. Last ti when I got in trouble, AUC took the opportunity to grab territory and killed many of my n; a lot of my old lieutenants died too. In the past two months, I've brought in a lot of fresh blood, but their combat effectiveness is really not up to par. If it were the old days, I could let them develop slowly through combat experience, but you know the current situation. AUC is pressing step by step, the governnt army is exterminating us, and my territory is getting smaller and smaller."
After listening to Morins's tale of woe, Song Heping suddenly didn't know what to do.
Refuse him? That was not possible.
This was his financial backer.
Helping him grow would bring imasurable benefits to himself.
To explore the South Arican market in the future, he would have to rely on this guy.
Song Heping was still pondering when Morins on the other end was already getting impatient, mistaking Song Heping's hesitation as wanting more money.
"Song, I'll offer two million US Dollars for training fees, sending fifty key mbers over. Just train them for two months, let them learn the skills, and then let them prove themselves in our big plan three months later. Think about it, I guarantee you won't lack contracts for your school in the future. Don't forget, I'm also close with people from FARC, and I have good relations with many anti-governnt ard forces in South Arica..."
Two million.
Song Heping was moved.
Damn, those greenbacks sure were tempting.
Thinking it over, this business deal wasn't impossible to do.
They were bringing their own tents and weapons; he just had to teach tactics...
He looked out into the endless jungle...
It was just tactical command, right?
That subject wasn't basic, it didn't require much in terms of camp facilities.
"Fine!"
Song Heping gritted his teeth and agreed.
"Send your n over! I'll personally take charge!"
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