Chapter 41: Yuri
His footprints were all over the Five Continents; wherever there was war, he would be there.
Some said he was a man of the Federal Government, selling firearms on their behalf to certain factions that were inconvenient for official arms sales.
This included, but was not limited to, terrorists, warlords, and anti-government guerrillas in various countries.
The weapons that passed through his hands were enough to overthrow any African country ten times over.
His reputation was immense in the Underworld. Someone once said that without Yuri, the wars between some small African countries would instantly devolve into the Stone Age, with them fighting each other with wooden spears.
Therefore, Yuri had another alias in the Underworld—the Lord of War! Tang Song had never imagined that Viggo, this New York Gang Boss, would have such a famous cousin.
It wasn't until he saw the slightly familiar face of Nicholas, no, Yuri, that he confirmed his identity.
"Who do you work for? The White House, the Department of Defense, the Army?"
Tang Song stirred his coffee, sizing up the man before him.
The nominal highest leader of the Federation was the master of the White House, but within the complex Federation, there were simply too many factions.
Yuri smiled, not directly answering Tang Song's question:
"I'm just a broker. Some Important Figures need a White Glove (front man) like me, including our Mr. President.
After all, no one wants to find their fingerprints on a terrorist's gun. That would be quite awkward, wouldn't it?"
An excellent arms dealer,
Tang Song recalled the plot of Lord of War and made his assessment of Yuri in his mind. He picked up his cup, took a sip of coffee. The hand-ground coffee was bitter with a roasted aroma.
Feeling the stimulation on his taste buds, Tang Song suddenly became interested and extended an invitation to Yuri.
"Are you interested in working for me?"
Yuri was startled for a moment, then laughed:
"Mr. Tang, if the firearms in those few warehouses need to be sold, I can help you sell them for free. As for anything else, you should know, here!"
Yuri pointed to his head: "There are things that some Important Figures cannot let others know!"
Tang Song put down his coffee cup, picked up the check for 10 million US Dollars on the coffee table, and flicked it. The sound of the paper rustling was crisp and pleasant.
The smell of money, never gets old.
"Take the check back, and you can take the man with you," Tang Song put the check back on the table, pressed it down with two fingers, and pushed it towards Yuri.
"Since you have so many big bosses backing you, I presume you wouldn't mind having one more supplier,"
Tang Song tapped the check: "I'm not just talking about the firearms in those few warehouses..."
Yuri looked at the check Tang Song pushed towards him, pinched his chin with his hand, and fell silent for a moment.
"Presidents in Africa never care about the source of their weapons, as long as they fire. However,"
Yuri spread his hands: "But many people do care. I have a lot of trouble on my hands!"
Since being arrested for smuggling and selling firearms on a certain occasion, Yuri's identity had shifted from a private arms dealer to an arms broker working for the Federal Government.
The benefit of working for the Federal Government was not having to worry about the supply source and security.
Some of his stock was even pulled directly from the Federal Army's warehouses.
But at the same time, he also lost a lot of autonomy, such as the right to sell to whoever he wanted and the source of his weapons.
If the Important Figures behind him were ever dissatisfied, the evidence in their hands would be enough to send him to a Federal prison for 400 years.
Yuri had the ability to handle the trouble caused by selling a few warehouses of firearms, but giving his clients another option wasn't something he could do.
Tang Song saw Yuri's concerns, withdrew the hand pressing on the check, stood up, walked to the wine rack nearby, and took down a bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé Gold, known as the King of Champagne.
Casually opening a bottle of the 50,000 US Dollar Champagne King, Tang Song picked up two wine glasses from the wine set and poured the golden yellow liquid into the glasses.
Tang Song walked up to Yuri with a wine glass in each hand and handed him one.
"As long as there's enough profit, I'm never afraid of trouble!" Tang Song raised his glass in a gesture and drained the Champagne in his glass in one gulp.
"The Important Figures behind you will agree. After all, I've already bought the Entry Ticket!" Tang Song said with a smile.
Entry Ticket? Yuri also raised his glass, drinking and pondering Tang Song's words.
Tang Song patted Yuri's shoulder and said: "Ten days from now, there will be an auction in Italy. There will be a batch of phased-out firearms. Sell this batch of firearms, and 5% goes to you!" Italian arms sales, Yuri was startled. As an arms dealer, he was aware of any stir in the arms market.
Let alone a major event like the Italian Defence Force re-equipping. How many Arms Companies and industry giants were eyeing this lucrative opportunity.
However, intelligence said that for this re-equipping, the cooperating Arms Company had already been decided.
Some arms dealers then set their sights on the firearms phased out by the Italian Army.
Yuri had considered this batch of firearms, but the quartermaster he gave a gift to told him that this batch of firearms had also been decided.
It's him? After the Champagne went down, Yuri's gaze swept over Tang Song through the glass wall, his mind racing.
Perhaps he could prepare a backup plan.
As a smart man, when Yuri chose to cooperate with the Federation, he was already prepared to be discarded after use.
For this, he prepared many countermeasures: fake identity information, safe houses, and evidence of firearms exposure to be published directly on websites in various countries worldwide if he lost contact.
But facing a colossus like the Federal Government, Yuri wasn't sure if the things he prepared would be effective.
Yuri calculated his backup plan, pondering the gains and losses. The wine in the glass was quickly finished, and Tang Song poured him another glass.
Tang Song gave Yuri time to consider. Next, the two tacitly avoided mentioning the matter of cooperation. Sipping the wine, Tang Song listened as Yuri shared his experiences in various countries in the Middle East and Africa.
It must be said, Yuri was a knowledgeable and talkative person.
He spoke fluently and confidently, recounting his experiences to Tang Song.
The custom-made golden AK of a Middle Eastern warlord's eldest son,
Twin Black Pearls, black as ink with delicate features.
An African tyrant who liked to eat human organs,
A chief who could choose consorts from the entire tribe...
Time passed bit by bit in casual conversation. Two bottles of Dom Pérignon Rosé Gold were already empty on the table!
Just as Tang Song was holding his wine glass, listening to Yuri recount how he piloted a plane for a forced landing on the African savanna to evade Interpol pursuit,
Lane walked in with a Russian man.
"Boss, Mr. Viggo is here!" Lane led Viggo to Tang Song.
Viggo looked at Yuri, who was sitting and drinking nearby, and almost rushed over.
But when he saw Tang Song smiling nearby, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes. He decisively stopped his steps.
"Cousin!" After Yuri saw Viggo, he stood up and walked to Viggo, patted his shoulder, and subtly sized him up to see if he was injured.
Fortunately, aside from being scruffy and in low spirits, Viggo didn't seem to have suffered any abuse.
"Your misunderstanding with Mr. Tang has been resolved! Don't be so rash next time!"
Viggo wanted to cry but had no tears. Rash? Sitting at home, disaster strikes from the sky. Because of the pain of losing his son, he was drinking in his villa and was directly kidnapped. Rash my ass.
However, Viggo also knew his cousin was here to save him. He pursed his lips and didn't speak.
"It's getting late!" Yuri turned back and greeted Tang Song: "Mr. Tang, Viggo and I will head back first. Once you decide on the time for Italy, notify me!"
Tang Song picked up the check on the coffee table and took out a checkbook from the nearby drawer, writing one out.
Tearing off the check, Tang Song walked up to Viggo, patted his shoulder, and tucked the two checks into his suit pocket.
"Mr. Viggo, my subordinates have been quite presumptuous during this time. From now on, we're all on the same side, please don't mind!"
Looking at Tang Song's smiling expression, Viggo shivered inwardly and forced a smile onto his face.
"Not at all! Not at all! Thank you very much for taking care of me during this time, Mr. Tang!"
......
After seeing off Yuri and Viggo, the two brothers, Lane sat on the sofa with Tang Song.
Tang Song took out a few pages of paper from inside his clothes and handed them to Lane.
"Memorize the content on them. Call Kane and Frank back tonight, and I'll teach you some things!"
(end of chapter)