King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Facts have proven that as long as your fists are hard enough, your capital is abundant, your sincerity is sufficient, and you're genuinely considering the other party's perspective, you can thrive anywhere.

Qiao Liang obtained his elder brother's permission, and the first thing he thought of wasn't asking his brother to help him find land, but utilizing his technological advantage to negotiate with the Central African Government.

Helping them construct large-scale state-owned farms in exchange for enough land to experiment with intelligent planting technology while also meeting P·B's demand for grain supply.

Lenore didn't fully understand Qiao's agricultural economic theory because Africa people were deeply influenced by Europe.

Their understanding of agriculture was more rooted in the European model, but what they didn't realize was that even the most developed agricultural nations in Europe were struggling.

Take well-known countries like Ireland and Scotland, for instance. Ever since England's Brexit led to the loss of EU agricultural subsidies, their farmers started facing mass bankruptcies.

In countries with seemingly decent standards, agriculture essentially survives on subsidies.

The better a country's economic conditions, the more subsidies there are to sustain it.

In efforts to improve citizens' living standards, food and vegetable prices can't be too exorbitant.

Cheap crops inevitably hurt farmers, necessitating large-scale subsidies and certain protections for domestic agriculture when facing market competition.

When the Qiao brothers shifted their focus from merely "making money" to managing a region or even a country, their perspective on matters underwent a fundamental change.

Qiao Liang's initial motive for establishing intelligent farms wasn't simply about money—he wanted a career that he and his brother could rely on outside of his elder brother's endeavors.

Initially, his thinking was simple: with enough land and an automated planting system, just the two of them could run the farm without needing many people.

But now, as Qiao Liang learned more, he realized that going back home to do this might not be the best idea.

"Automation" inherently implies "reduced labor"!

Automated farms couldn't create sufficient employment, and external industrial systems couldn't absorb laborers over the age of 30. If truth be told, running such farms wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Instead, going to South America or Eastern Europe to grab some land might be more practical, using their advanced technology and lower unit costs to collaborate or compete with international agricultural giants.

Previously, Qiao Liang didn't have this confidence, but now he did!

Jia Liang Trade had too much money to count!

His elder brother's approval instantly motivated Qiao Liang.

"Farming"—it was even more exciting for Qiao Liang than building docks around the Congo River.

The two brothers chatted and strolled along, taking almost two hours to return to the hill below the estate.

As Joe Ga greeted a group of disabled guards, a commotion erupted from the mountain road.

Tong Tong, driving an electric golf cart towing two trailers, loaded with several stainless steel barrels and heaps of dried mugwort, came speeding down.

Trailing behind were Gino and his group, each also driving their own electric vehicles…

This girl, who had dressed rather normally the last time they met, had now changed into Hogwarts wizard robes, with a moving Sorting Hat on her head, clutching a wand in one hand and gripping the wheel with the other.

In the passenger seat, Briella cast jealous glances as Tong Tong shouted and "cast spells" excitedly…

Pointing her wand with an "Avada Kedavra," Tong Tong fired a flash of light toward the disabled guards' quarters, prompting them to play along and emerge from their resting places.

They lined up on the roadside, awaiting "Witch Tong Tong" to distribute the "magic potion" supposedly capable of resisting viruses...

Watching Tong Tong jump around like a shaman, uttering gibberish while circling a stainless-steel barrel, then performing a White Lady-inspired gesture to "enchant" the potion, she finally opened the tap to dispense it.

Each disabled soldier received a cup of the rather unimpressive-looking liquid.

Joe Ga shook his head with a smile and asked, "What is she up to?"

Qiao Liang shook his head in resignation and replied, "This is a prescription from a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner on Auntie Zhao's medical team. They claim it can enhance the body's immunity to viruses.

The locals aren't very receptive, and Tong Tong didn't want to see the doctor disappointed, so…"

Joe Ga didn't hear the end of the sentence before bursting into laughter, noticing Gino and the others disembarking…

The buck-toothed guy was draped in a red "monk robe," holding a massive alms bowl that could knock someone out, and uttering "Amitabha" to everyone he met.

Adel had donned white angel wings, her head adorned with a glowing halo, spreading joy all around her.

Jacques took his costume game seriously, dressed as a priest, holding a glowing cross high as he joined the festivities.

Only Briella, the little sister, hadn't managed to prepare a costume, leaving her glum but unwilling to lag behind.

Africa's wizard elders were tough to deal with—Old Karman had eliminated a batch, but even he couldn't completely alter the local habits and beliefs.

For the sake of promoting Chinese medicine, Tong Tong was putting in serious effort.

"You locals believe in wizards? Well, I'm one too."

"Plus, I have a monk, a priest, an angel, and a wizard—each led by an extraordinary figure. Surely that outshines your gods who can't even feed their followers!"

Joe Ga finally recalled Briella's earlier claims when they first met. This girl was determined to defeat Witch Tong Tong.

At the time, Joe Ga thought Briella was spouting nonsense, but now he realized she was being truthful.

For Briella to hurriedly come from Monaco, Tong Tong's team must have achieved notable results competing against local wizards.

Without resorting to violence, the local rustic wizards were no match for Tong Tong's group, protected by soldiers.

In terms of aesthetics and impact alone, Tong Tong's team left the local wizards in the dust.

Tong Tong's wand could shoot fire, Gino's alms bowl could project magical images…

Adel's halo actually glowed, and her wings fluttered with accompanying music.

Jacques was even more impressive: his cross emitted light, and the electronic device at his waist created dazzling light effects across the ground as he moved, broadcasting faint Gospel music from hidden speakers.

Had this been hundreds of years ago, Jacques could easily have been considered a messenger of God—the Vatican Pope would've bowed and exclaimed, "My Lord!"

The disabled guards may have been playing along, but as the atmosphere grew lively, people began trickling out of Sangha Town's old district.

The once-ignored potion quickly became a sought-after commodity, with some people even handing over cash before receiving their cup of potion, loudly praising its miraculous effects after chugging it.

Comments like "After drinking this, my back doesn't ache and my legs don't hurt, and even my husband, paralyzed for decades, is standing up again" were uttered.

Such overt gimmicks worked wonders among Central Africans.

Joe Ga watched as Adel cheerfully sorted the money collected, handing each donor a gift bag filled with grain and small items. Only then did he nod in approval and pull Qiao Liang away to return to the estate.

A boss as wise and mighty as Qiao might as well not appear in such places—it would tarnish his image.

Seeing the boss leave, Gino tucked away his "magical alms bowl," pulled out several boxes from the car, and took out some red-paper-wrapped, finger-thick, yard-long "mosquito incense sticks."

After lighting them, Gino waved the incense sticks as if performing a ritual, circling around the guards' quarters before entering and placing the sticks upright in the central living room. He began extolling their virtues aloud.

When Auntie Zhao's staged followers started loudly inquiring about the benefits of the incense, Gino declared solemnly, "This is divine incense imparted to me through a dream. Once lit, it repels all mosquitoes from the room and protects against deadly viruses."

The followers didn't even wait for others to praise it before crying out, "Such a wonderful thing—surely we can't just take it for free. Reverend, how much does this divine incense cost?"

Remembering Joe Ga's earlier words, Gino assumed an enigmatic expression and replied, "The divine incense is currently free because our great Hu Lang leader has generously funded the first batch to solve the virus crisis.

It will be distributed free to every household, guaranteeing you and your families won't be affected by mosquitoes and thereby avoiding infections."

The staged followers, showcasing exceptional acting skills, called out regretfully amidst the applause, "But that's unfair, Reverend. Not just Sangha Town but other places are suffering from viruses too.

While we don't dare ask Hu Lang to take care of us outsiders, could you maybe sell some divine incense to us?

Our children might need the incense's protection!"

Given the proximity to the docks, the old district housed numerous foreign merchants renting accommodations.

Hearing the followers' words, these people caught on quickly.

Such amazing products—if priced reasonably, wouldn't they sell like hotcakes back home?

Soon, a large crowd began to buzz…

With his buck-tooth grin, Gino gave Auntie Zhao, orchestrating from afar, a thumbs-up before regretfully stating, "Sorry, our capacity is limited; we can only prioritize Sangha Town residents.

If you truly wish for it, you'll need to register with Auntie Zhao. Once we produce additional batches, we'll notify you to come and collect them."

Seeing Briella gazing at him with admiration, Gino indulged her request. She grabbed his sleeve, begging for an incense stick to carry around as a volunteer "mosquito incense maiden," basking in everyone's attention and praise.

The scene was so lively it didn't even seem real. These "heavenly messengers" were far less harsh and imperious than the local wizards, distributing potions for anyone who came, handing out bunches of mugwort for people to burn in their homes.

When everyone remaining in Sangha Town's old district had received their share, the "heavenly messengers" finally wrapped up their work.

Then, disabled soldiers drove out in over a dozen trucks featuring mounted TVs, continuously replaying footage of the heavenly messengers spreading their Gospel, delivering the prepared potion across Sangha Town.