King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer-Chapter 1618 - 1317: Profiting Amid Chaos, Looting a Burning House
Europe and America were so happy to kick others when they were down, and now they're in shambles!
When they discovered the virus starting to infiltrate their countries and spreading even more rampantly and lethally, they stubbornly held out for a few days. Then their proud medical systems were completely overwhelmed.
The same old saying…
Humanity has never defeated a virus; we've only improved our ability to care for the sick.
If you have a fever, we cool you down. High blood pressure, we lower it. Pain, we alleviate it. Can't breathe, we put you on a ventilator… 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
That's it!
To ease public anxiety, experts from Europe and America came forward with all sorts of seemingly reasonable yet utterly nonsensical theories, telling everyone, "It's okay, this is just a slightly severe flu…"
Then the medical staff immediately went into meltdown, contradicting them…
They had nothing. In the past month, they saw more deaths than in the past few years combined.
Doctors didn't even have masks, let alone protective suits or anything like that.
Elderly people, the most vulnerable, once seriously ill and hospitalized, just lay there waiting for an available ventilator to give them some relief. If they were lucky, they made it through; if not, they died…
The worst problem with social privatization was evident at this moment: the country lacked unity.
Capital doesn't talk patriotism with you; business is just business.
In good economic times, there are no issues. But when a widespread crisis hits, the government can only establish an emergency budget and place orders with those money-hungry businesses, hoping they would shoulder their social responsibility…
Finally, when they realized sending everyone home was the cheapest way, the freedom-loving Europeans and Americans began to protest…
Give me liberty, or give me death!
That was their adamant stance, and they died with particular tenacity!
When the old mother moved a city to control the virus, it was flourishing all over Europe and America, resulting in a scene of misery…
Central Africa and Congo were relatively okay because the early virus didn't like hot weather much.
And even if Boss Qiao wanted strict quarantine, thanks to the African spirit, unless he acted like a bloody warlord, it wasn't realistic.
However, P·B had been through more severe Zika and Marburg viruses, and Congo even experienced some Ebola outbreaks, so people were relatively calm…
Just tough it out if you have a fever, life goes on!
The wealthy could afford high-priced immunoglobulin injections, while the poor opted for the low-priced ones…
This stuff was originally developed by a medical doctor who surrendered during Boss Qiao's campaign against G·I·D in Congo.
The guy boasted about creating a Zika virus vaccine to save his life.
In three years, no vaccine was seen, but a lot of generic drugs were produced, earning a massive amount of money.
With the help of 'Fly', he set up a generic drug industry park in Congo, which was 'Fly's' most notable achievement.
The guy, along with a group of medical doctors, disassembled finished drugs to reproduce formulas, adding a little more cornstarch to make the pills bigger and confidently sold them for profit.
Previously, Boss Qiao had to keep it under wraps; the companies within the pharmaceutical industrial park were all registered by locals to avoid lawsuits from those giant pharmaceutical companies.
Now, given the situation, there's no need to pretend anymore.
The virus hasn't yet spread to Central Africa and Congo, but it's only a matter of time. Since it can't be cured, improving local people's resistance was the plan.
P·B Immunoglobulin rushed to market!
Premium packaging, set of 6 for 500 US Dollars; regular packaging, set of 12 for 50 US Dollars, enough for one person for a year.
The drug composition was identical; the only difference was the regular single dose had 80% of the potency, but the total volume was doubled.
Dorian even mocked Boss Qiao at the time, saying he was redundant.
Surprisingly, the boutique immunoglobulin, only available in hospitals, was in short supply, while the cheaper drugs, sold at discounts via fresh trucks and cargo ships, sold out even faster.
The wealthy set an example, and the poor saw the wealthy buying drugs, and naturally followed suit, needing little persuasion.
Central Africans used to have an average annual income below 200 US Dollars; that's completely different now!
There are still many poor folks, but in Sangha Town and nearby Bangui, the average annual income has surpassed 2500 US Dollars.
Moreover, this 2500 US Dollar purchasing power far exceeds anywhere else in the world!
Boss Qiao, for the first time, truly saw the returns from Africa!
What to do with the money?
Of course, buy, buy, buy…
Amidst global turmoil, Boss Qiao began a global shopping spree, wielding the colossal funds earned from gold, futures, and stock markets.
With 10 million masks, 1 million protective suits, plus 100 million US Dollars, he brought the world's last An-225 and its remaining parts from Kyiv to Sangha Town.
For the same price, Boss Qiao consulted Russia to see if they would sell any White Swans?
Though he hit a wall, he managed to acquire two aging An-124s.
What's a strategic transport aircraft?
It's a big aircraft, capable of flying about 5000 kilometers on a single tank of fuel, essentially able to circle the globe on two tanks.
The shell is all that's left of An-124 in Kyiv, and to counter the virus, they are willing to sell anything.
Russia is plotting, thinking that Boss Qiao won't be able to maintain the An-124, and will eventually have to come to them.
But Boss Qiao doesn't mind this. The 'technical capability' of P·B is something military technology that relies on archaeology, like Russia's, can't match.
Their national treasure 'Poseidon' still lies in P·B's warehouse, and 'Swift' has already been replicated by Boss Qiao.
The S400 air defense missile they've long hoarded is now a regular air defense weapon in Sangha Town.
With a strategic transport aircraft, not only is shopping easier, but buying things is more convenient.
The tech geeks at the Hexagon Building have gone crazy. Boss Qiao has opened up a huge procurement budget, and for any technology they find useful, we're just taking masks and protective suits to ask about prices...
America has entered another election year. Big-Mouth Donald has been portrayed by the Democratic establishment as an idiot...
Right now, their internal technology companies are struggling more each day due to reduced financial liquidity.
If an American company is willing to put in some money, wouldn't they obediently hand over their stuff?
Before the motherland's production capacity could be unleashed to save the world, Boss Qiao stepped forward half a year in advance...
The gains are tremendous!
No country at this stage can resist the temptation of masks and protective suits, and if need be, we can throw in some ventilators...
Profiteering at its finest!
Iran, to get some medical supplies home to save lives, brought out their stockpile of F-14 Tomcats and sold them at a discount to Boss Qiao for trade.
As soon as the aircraft were in the account, America's financially strained 'Cubic Corporation' arrived in Sangha Town with a technical team.
These electronic information experts, with the cooperation of the ground crew at P·B, used advanced electronic equipment from who knows where, but obviously tailored for the Tomcat, to modernize those F-14 Tomcats, making these old cats reach the threshold of the fourth-generation aircraft.
'Cubic Corporation' has always had deep cooperation with P·B, and Boss Qiao's first two F-14s were gifted by them.
They are a major American defense contractor and were part of the system engineering for the F-22 fighter jet, and are also the world's most advanced flight simulator manufacturers.
With an attitude of leisure, Boss Qiao devoted great effort to revitalizing the heavy fighter jet, F-14, which had been retired worldwide.
Replace the engine if it's not good enough, replace the radar if it's inadequate, replace the electronic equipment if it's outdated…
'Cubic Corporation' is one of the F-14 control system developers, and now with people from Talus Corporation, along with a bunch of tech geeks fascinated by the F-14, eventually under the temptations of revelry and sugar-coated bullets...
They came with 40 people and went back with only half!
No scientist or engineer can resist an F-14, especially when high salaries are involved.
The brand new F-14 Super Tomcat, with a new engine, saw a slight increase in speed, but due to the need to fit the new engine, the whole aircraft underwent a certain degree of weight reduction and reinforcement; with added auxiliary fuel tanks, its range increased from 3000 kilometers to 3800 kilometers.
At one point, the combat radius of the F-14 reached 1250 kilometers, which was unprecedented among carrier-based aircraft.
Now, the new F-14, with Boss Qiao's no-cost-spared investment, has increased its combat radius to 1500~1600 kilometers, even surpassing the F-35.
Of course, the F-14 is not a stealth fighter, it's not comparable to the F-35, but it sure looks cool!!
Moreover, to be honest, this old fighter jet really doesn't stand out, especially parked in Central Africa...
The aircraft parked here can only project its attack range within Central Afrika.
The world is in chaos, and nobody pays attention to what happens in Central Africa.
At least Boss Qiao is still rational, not harboring ill intentions, otherwise, he could just as well have engineered an F-22 by himself.
......
"Boss, how much money did you actually make?"
Dorian sat in the sci-fi-looking cockpit of a modified F-14, watching Boss Qiao piloting an F-14 ahead, flying in formation with the lead aircraft piloted by Archerfish and several other F-14s...
"Boss, I think rather than wasting time on this type of aircraft, you should buy a few more Global 8000s, that's the real ride for a successful person.
This thing is useless in Africa..."
Boss Qiao heard this, confidently moved the control stick to add thrust and began an upward sprint, turning to a dive at 15,000 meters.
The feeling of weightlessness made Boss Qiao let out a whistle...
After the plane leveled off, Boss Qiao made an apologetic gesture to the Archerfish catching up beside him and then confidently said, "Elephant, money is just numbers; money only has meaning when it can be used to obtain a good feeling.
Building roads, constructing factories, fighting wars to save lives, all these give me a sense of accomplishment...
Flying planes, especially piloting models I like, also makes me happy."
Saying this, Boss Qiao removed his oxygen mask and proudly said, "This is called emotional value, most of a man's money is spent on this..."
Dorian nodded absentmindedly, pointing to Sayyid in the backseat of the Archerfish beside him, and said, "Then your emotional value is too expensive; you should occasionally consider your most loyal bodyguard. He also wants to have some fun, and he doesn't ask for much, just let me have a two-level pay raise...
Recently, Sayyid always comes to me; he offered me a big contract...
Boss, if you don't give me a raise, you're going to lose me!"
