King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Joe Ga himself isn't exactly a virtuous gentleman, but his worldview was still utterly shattered by Albert II's words.

If you were to call this guy a scumbag or bastard, Joe Ga would be the first to raise his hand in agreement.

But if you were to say he's an outright villain who commits every conceivable evil, that might be a bit too much.

Even during the worst times in his relationship with Charlene, this guy never reduced her annual allowance of tens of millions of euros.

In terms of generosity towards his wife, this guy is on par with the princes from the Shah's crew, if not more forgiving.

Of course, that doesn't mean he's a good man or a good husband, nor does it stop the media from verbally eviscerating him.

While he definitely fails as a family man, in the role of 'King,' he's at least somewhat entertaining.

The business plans for Crete Island in Greece are still just on paper for now.

The Greek government would need at least half a year to pass any resolutions.

But their preliminary work has already started…

These folks are being quite cunning—leaking rumors about setting up a "duty-free port" without explicitly stating they'd collaborate with P.B., instead roping in the Great Warlord Princess, who wields significant influence in European media and fashion circles…

This kind of probing move is smart. With the Great Warlord Princess drawing attention away, the media won't focus too much on them.

This reduces the pressure on the Greek government, allowing them to take their time discussing the matter with other EU member states.

'Duty-free' is a great policy for boosting GDP, but it's a double-edged sword—handle it poorly, and you'll end up injuring yourself.

Greece is large in landmass, and while Crete Island isn't connected to the Greek mainland, its significant size makes managing the duty-free zone a considerable challenge.

The EU has internal trade agreements, so if Crete introduces a duty-free port and someone tries to pull tricks by transshipping goods through Greece into Europe, the impact on local EU industries could be catastrophic.

Of course, member states can enact countermeasures to mitigate losses caused by Greece's duty-free policies, but that brings its own costs—it's not just about passing laws.

Here, the Greeks are essentially launching a bold maneuver, signaling to the EU, "We're so broke we could eat dirt. We want a duty-free port—if you don't like it, come negotiate with us…"

It's a negotiation tactic. The Greeks clearly have some experts advising them—they're acting like they're ready to tear down the roof so they can force their allies into a compromise, giving them permission to open a few windows instead.

"I'll limit the duty-free policies to Crete Island; hell, I might not even go through with the port idea. But let me legalize gambling and prostitution—or heck, give me both."

Albert II is obviously a sharp guy. He knows Greece's "duty-free port" idea isn't going to fly; there's some room for negotiation, but not much…

Even if Greece is sovereign, the EU would never agree to such a two-faced move.

But establishing a Mediterranean Las Vegas and leveraging Crete's natural resources for tourism? Now that's entirely plausible.

Crete spans 8,400 square kilometers but has only 600,000 residents.

Compared to Crete, Monaco is no bigger than a speck of dust.

Monaco's lack of land is its Achilles' heel, and now Albert II has caught on to Greece's ambitions. To avoid future competition for Monaco, he figures he might as well invest now—snap up the casino business first, then pour funds into local tourism development…

But this guy still doesn't fully get it. The Greeks brought in Charlene not just to divert attention but also to win over Boss Joe.

The Greeks sent the proposal to Boss Joe two weeks ago, inviting him to voice any demands.

Offering a port for free as a docking station for the Great Warlord Princess's fleet? That's just the appetizer.

Get Boss Joe onboard, and Crete's southern port will link seamlessly with Tubruq.

Once Boss Joe nods in agreement, crude oil and refined products from Tubruq could even drop a few percentage points in price.

The southern port of Crete could then transform into the Mediterranean's premier refueling hub.

Don't underestimate a mere 3–5% discount; for major ships fueling up tens of thousands of units at a time, even that small margin is enough to draw Mediterranean-bound cargo vessels to stop there.

If Greece is willing to invest in the port and allow bulk freighters to dock, Crete Island could establish itself as a Mediterranean transshipment hub.

Such a move wouldn't earn money from the EU—but rather from the merchants themselves.

By offering significant tax breaks alongside long-term sales channels, investing in warehousing infrastructure on Crete speeds up trade flows.

If you're trading on Crete, wouldn't you also settle there?

Wouldn't international businesses require reliable financial institutions?

If you don't trust Greek banks, what about Boss Joe's P.B. Bank?

Even if others don't, wouldn't the Chinese trust it?

If this project succeeds, the potential is massive!

By then, Crete's north could feature a casino-tourism hub, while the south boasts a port-trade zone—meaning Crete's economic takeoff could become reality.

Though Greece's wrangling with the EU still has a long way to go, the Mediterranean refueling hub idea could commence with just a nod from Boss Joe.

The Greeks aren't just eyeing Tubruq's oil resources; they also covet Boss Joe's Chinese trade routes, especially those managed by Jia Liang Trading Company.

Their dream is to have Jia Liang Trading set up a branch there, and with that "monster" as the pioneer, more Chinese overseas traders would undoubtedly follow.

There's no conflict here—Jia Liang Trading's main partners are third-world countries, so it usually acts as a major buyer in Europe or the U.S.

With Jia Liang Trading entrenched, European intra-zone traders would flock to Crete.

At the very least, Jia Liang Trading could serve as an excuse to organize international trade fairs.

This would be much cheaper than European manufacturers traveling all the way to China to exhibit their products.

Undoubtedly, it would attract SMEs with excellent product quality but limited capital to participate.

In the past, people liked to tout the idea of a "global village," but the reality is that huge information gaps still exist everywhere.

Plenty of cost-effective European goods remain largely unknown due to these gaps.

If the concept of a Mediterranean Trade Center could materialize, Greece would have a shot at salvation.

Through meticulous discussions with Boss Joe, the Greeks have conceived an ideal picture of what they want.

Now, everything is ready—except the money!

Boss Joe can build a super refueling hub on Crete with his resources.

But as for the port, especially one adhering to such ambitious plans? Hmph…

The Greek government's dirt broke, and Boss Joe doesn't have that much liquidity either. They'll need to wait for the big players to step in.

Joe Ga never expected Albert II to be the first big fish.

Watching Albert's eager expression, it became obvious that his trip to Central Africa to chase after his wife was merely incidental.

Throwing money around for goodwill, aiming to get in on the Crete Island development through P.B., was his real purpose.

P.B. Bank's headquarters being in Monaco meant that rumors about Greece planning to use P.B. Bank to manage Crete Island bonds and government funds wouldn't escape Albert II's notice if he paid any attention.

While outsiders might misunderstand P.B.'s real role and influence, Albert II, with his financial acumen, surely wouldn't.

The Greek government's credit has been dead in the water for ages. Their bonds can't even attract flies.

With P.B. Bank spearheading Crete's development bonds, the financing objectives became crystal clear.

African kleptocrats, Middle Eastern tycoons, and Chinese capital…

These folks aren't fools—they trust P.B., not Greece.

For Greece to make any headway, they'd need to cede significant powers and interests to P.B., giving these investors confidence.

Monaco doesn't lack money, but it does lack ancillary industries. Crete, similar to Monaco but with vastly superior geography and resources, is a dream destination for Monaco's investment firms.

In today's world, expanding territories is something only daring leaders attempt.

Albert II's plan to transplant Monaco's business model to Crete qualifies as a roundabout way to expand the Royal Family's influence and wealth—if it works out, this is history book material.

Joe Ga eyed Albert II's enthusiastic demeanor and felt a twinge of sympathy for Charlene before warmly shaking Albert's hand and saying, "Welcome to the Crete Island Management Committee. The membership fee is 50 million euros.

This money is considered venture capital, designated for persuading local residents to cooperate with our commercial development plans.

Once you've deposited the funds into my bank, I'll show you Crete Island's plans for the casino and tourism industries. Then, you can pick your preferred investment locations."

Albert II, upon hearing this, exclaimed in surprise, "50 million for an entry ticket?"

Joe Ga shrugged with a grin, replying, "That's the friendship rate, and it only applies because of Jacques and Briella.

That's not just a gambling license—it's also a steady stream of hundreds of thousands of annual tourists and unimaginably massive cash flow.

Do you have any idea how many investment tycoons will flood into Crete once Greece moves to legalize gambling?"

Albert II pondered this for a moment before replying, "I need to consult with my advisors first…"

He then looked at Joe Ga and asked, "Hu Lang, would you be interested in selling part of your P.B. Bank shares?"

Joe Ga chuckled, "Keep dreaming!

Unless you personally buy the shares and transfer them to my godson Jacques, don't expect the Monaco Royal Family to get anything from me."

"That's my son too!"

Albert II gave a helpless look to Joe Ga, who clearly held a bias against him. With a sigh, Albert replied, "Hu Lang, you're being unreasonable.

Jacques is my child and Monaco's destined heir—what difference does it make whether it's now or later?"

Joe Ga sneered, "The difference is huge!

Given your habit of spreading your seed and endless lawsuits, by the time Jacques grows up, how much of your private stash will even be left?

As his godfather, I have to secure something for him in advance."

Albert II threw up his hands in surrender and said, "OK, OK, let's change the topic. The 50 million will be transferred to your bank within three days."

Joe Ga nodded with a smile, "Now, that's more like it. Business should be straightforward."

Looking out at the white clouds through the window, Joe Ga laughed and said, "Oh, by the way, how much are you planning to donate on this trip to Central Africa?

The land is vast, the people are poor—anything under a couple million would seem stingy…"