King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Joe Ga swaggered aboard the Mi-8 with his folks, and though the cabin was supposed to be spacious, it felt a tad crowded with over a dozen people crammed inside.

In a spirit of showing off to the fullest, Joe Ga gestured to Karman, who was last aboard, to close the hatch, then gave a disgusted look at old Bullhorn and Tony, who were hugging the machine gun with ammo boxes piled at their feet. He said, "What's the ruckus with you cooks joining in?"

Bullhorn defended himself confidently, "With 'Hippo' being such a beast, how could two gunners be enough?"

Squeezed like a commuter in a subway, Joe Ga grabbed a handle overhead, swaying his body as he shook his head and chuckled, "2000 rounds, big brother, do we have Godzilla here for you to shoot at?

Can you see if there's even room to stand now?"

Indifferent, Bullhorn lifted the ammo boxes and stacked them together, then signaled Tony to stow the machine gun away. If he waved it around carelessly, a few veteran jungle soldiers were about to sort him out.

Pretending not to hear Joe Ga's gripes, Bullhorn mournfully said, "These damn traffickers are useless, 'Hippo' loaded up with so many anti-tank rockets and didn't get to fire a single one.

Boss, why don't we call that Western monk named Gamorre and find a place to shoot another round?"

While speaking, Bullhorn rubbed his hands together and chuckled dryly, "Look here, I've already collected my war allowance, wouldn't it be embarrassing not to fire even one shot?"

Joe Ga burst out laughing at Bullhorn, shaking his head helplessly, "So you're here to scrounge the $500 daily allowance? And you've brought your apprentice to scrounge along with you?"

Bullhorn waved his hands dismissively and chuckled, "No, no, we're all family here, we just wanted to help out, really. We're men of our word, how could we care about that little bit of money?"

As he spoke, Bullhorn saw Joe Ga's perplexed expression and quickly added, "But since we're all aboard, not dispensing our allowances would make you look stingy, boss.

Wouldn't that be unacceptable? If you ask me, we should find a spot before dark to shoot another round. It's our first time in such a big fight; our cook team shouldn't fall behind. We've got to have some gains, right?"

Joe Ga shook his head and said, "I say bullcrap!"

As he spoke, Joe Ga squeezed past people next to him, tidied up the scattered ammo boxes around, and then addressed Xiao Huang and a few young people who were with him, "You guys sit down. You've been a great help today and you'll still be busy for a while.

Rest assured, I won't let you work for nothing...

Xiao Huang is my partner in Burundi, so I won't be polite with him, but for the others, I'll grant a daily allowance of $1000 US Dollars. If you have any requests regarding food and drink, just speak up. You can even ask for girls if you're brave enough, and I'll have people make the arrangements."

Joe Ga was not just Xiao Huang's lifesaver but now also his partner; the day had truly been a revelation, yet seeing Joe Ga still naturally felt familiar.

Seeing his assistants looking confused, Xiao Huang smiled and said, "This is Hu Lang, Brother Wolf, whom I often tell you about; he saved my life in SD.

Our mine in Burundi also belongs to Brother Wolf, so when he tells you to make yourself at home, do just that."

Xiao Huang's assistants were not very old, all young people who grew up under the red flag, and their experiences in Africa would be unforgettable for a lifetime.

Having a cheerful conversation with a minister from the same country as Burundi was already an impressive feat to boast about for a lifetime, but today's scenes had helped them realize that the world was far more complex than they imagined.

They had always been curious about Joe Ga's identity, but they were not Xiao Huang, and they really knew nothing about how Joe Ga had started out.

Nor did they dare to ask, fearing they might ask something inappropriate.

Seeing a group of young people wanting to speak but holding back, appearing somewhat intimidated, Joe Ga smiled, shook his head without putting additional pressure on them, and slapped Xiao Huang on the shoulder, saying, "It was your dad, old Huang, in a private room in a restaurant in Khartoum who clinched my first business deal. Otherwise, I might not have made it to today.

Saving you was also a fluke. Just don't dwell on it.

I've heard about your troubles; Lu said you're a heavy thinker, loyal.

If you ask me, you're a good man. Since you're here, consider this your home. If you need anything, just ask. As long as it's within my power, I'll make sure you get it.

But I'll have to impose on you to stay here for another two months.

You've seen what happened today. What I previously said was easier said than done. Making things happen is truly tough.

It still depends on you guys!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Huang immediately waved his hands and said, "Brother Wolf, it's no trouble. They just need to voice their needs, and we'll find the items and professionals back home; besides, they are also paying, which makes it even easier.

Mainly, it's my mentors who are the real experts, having lived through that era; they know best what's needed under these conditions and what's the most practical."

As he spoke, Xiao Huang hesitated, then leaned a bit closer to Joe Ga and whispered, "Brother Wolf, my mentor is an old revolutionary. Lately, he's been itching to get his hands on some AKs…"

On hearing this, Joe Ga burst into hearty laughter and said, "That's nothing, I'll mention it and when you leave tomorrow, I'll have someone bring a few more rifles for you guys to hunt with at the mine.

Dragon Gecko will continue to look after your safety; if the old man wants to shoot, just find Dragon Gecko. Don't come empty-handed, go up north and hunt something big, then bring it back as a souvenir."

"Lions, elephants, I guess you guys can't handle them; getting some wild water buffalo would also be good. When the time comes, we can add the beef directly to your meals. I'll have the locals craft the horns and hide into artifacts for you."

Xiao Huang's eyes lit up when he heard this and said, "Can we really shoot guns?"

Joe Ga looked at Xiao Huang's expression and thought about his experiences. Hesitating a bit, he pulled a silver M1911 from the unsuspecting Dorian's waist, unloaded the magazine, then ejected the bullet from the chamber, and stuffed the handgun into Xiao Huang's hands, saying, "Your dad really liked this type of gun. In Africa, a man without a gun is like a woman without underwear.

"I'm giving this to you. Go to the firing range at the camp a few times, and you'll get the hang of it."

As he spoke, Joe Ga looked at the complex expression on Xiao Huang's face and shook his head, saying, "Looking at you, you've played with it before, so don't be shy.

"If this thing can give you a sense of security, then keep it with you wherever you go in Africa, so you can feel a bit more grounded."

Xiao Huang skillfully fiddled with the M1911 for a moment and then said, "Can I really do this?"

Joe Ga shoved the magazine back into Xiao Huang's hands and said, "I can't vouch for other places, but it should definitely be fine in Central Africa, Congo, and Burundi. Give me a heads-up in advance, and there shouldn't be a problem in Uganda and Kenya either."

As he spoke, Joe Ga patted Xiao Huang on the shoulder, hesitated, and then said, "I can't understand what you're feeling, but I also felt very insecure for a while.

"Back then, I had no choice but to make myself stronger.

"I don't know if my 'medicine' will work for you, but if you want to try it, then frequently come hang out at my base."

Xiao Huang felt a complicated feeling inside that he couldn't put into words. He had encountered the most inhumane group of people in the world, accidentally led to his classmate's death, and involved his relatives and friends.

He was indeed scared and was having nightmares almost every day!

The education Xiao Huang received from a young age was to look for faults within himself whenever a problem occurred. It was this habit that turned into a heavy shackle hanging around his neck.

He couldn't stand even one day in his own country, facing the eyes of the victims' families.

This is the trouble with good people. Who knows what Mr. Huang thought about his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and wife's way of raising their son? It certainly wasn't comforting.

That's probably why he supported his son going back to Africa. Even if his career didn't succeed, toughening up a bit would still be good for him.

Lululemon's place was the first stop for receiving Xiao Huang, and Joe Ga's place was the second.

It seemed unsafe, but it was actually much safer than leaving him alone with SD's own gold mine.

Even so, Xiao Huang still felt tense on this land, especially seeing aggressive-looking armed black men, which made him even more nervous.

This is post-traumatic stress disorder, unavoidable. This condition can only be resolved over time or by toughing it out on your own.

A handgun is useless in Africa, but it really can give Xiao Huang a little sense of security.

For a psychologist, the right approach would certainly be comforting words followed by some medication to ease Xiao Huang's insomnia and anxiety.

Joe Ga doesn't care about that; now that Xiao Huang is one of his own, if you feel a bit better carrying a gun, then carry it...

If a handgun doesn't help, sleeping with a rifle is also an option. If that still isn't enough, using an armored vehicle as your bedroom is also fine."

Joe Ga pulled through in the same way. During his most anxious times, he not only had to sleep with a pistol but also had to lean against a wall. Still, he often woke up startled in the middle of the night.

Pressure-wise, Joe Ga back then was definitely under more stress than Xiao Huang is now, but in terms of experiences, Xiao Huang had it much worse!

Seeing that Xiao Huang was genuinely interested and his smile became much more sincere, Joe Ga asked Dorian to take off his holster and spare magazines and hand them all to Xiao Huang.

"You guys probably have a few days free, so just stay at my base during this time.

I may not understand everything, but I know we always subconsciously look for places and ways that make us comfortable. I won't lie to you. There was a time when I could only sleep sideways leaning against the wall.

I'm not telling you to do what I did, but sometimes don't push yourself too hard. Go wherever makes you feel comfortable.

Life isn't easy for anyone these days; everyone has something weighing on their mind. Don't listen to your dad's 'A man's not supposed to easily cry;' it sounds cool to 'overcome oneself,' but people who haven't experienced it have no idea how hard it is.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sometimes the more you resist, the worse the effect. Adapt to your anxiety and fear, take a little detour, and give yourself some time and space."

As he spoke, Joe Ga saw tears beginning to well up in Xiao Huang's eyes. He patted the guy on the back and said with a smile, "Call me 'Brother Wolf', and that 'brother' won't be in vain.

You saw how I established authority in Sangha Mountain. I can't guarantee anything else, but as long as you're on my turf, I can guarantee your safety!"