Empire of the Ring

Chapter 181: A Collaborative Business with Mafias (1)

After returning to Frankfurt from Switzerland, Youngho stayed at Yunsuh’s place for a few days and spent time catching up with Szechenyi.

Szechenyi was completely accustomed to the college life, because of his handsome look, he said that German girls could not get enough of him. He was even brighter than before.

Arsen at Goethe University had recommended him the computer science major and he had been thinking a lot about his major. Youngho was satisfied to see how he was doing since he was seriously concerned about his future. Szechenyi had become an adult. There was nothing to worry about since he did not have to pick a major for the first semester and the school system was pretty flexible that he could change his major if necessary.

He deserved to be praised for doing so well in a foreign country. Seeing him, actively engaging in new life and trying to get used to things, was pleasing Youngho. It was a meaningful time together for both Youngho and Szechenyi.

Baku airport’s security was stepped up unlike before.

Youngho had returned his pistol at the European chapter, so he did not have anything special that would get caught in the inspection.

The reason that he used the train to get to Geneva from Frankfurt was also to avoid airport security check. Because of this, Youngho had hidden weapons at any base he went.

Even at Yunsuh’s place in Frankfurt, there were numerous weapons. Yunsuh would freak out when she sees the weapons, so he hid them in the safe in Szechenyi’s room. When she asked why he was getting a safe, he had made an excuse that Szechenyi’s family relics were stored in there.

In fact, there were some weapons and about five million in euros and dollars in case of an emergency. Many people trusted credit cards but when computer network had problems, cards were only pieces of plastic. So, Youngho liked to have some cash at hand.

That was why he had stored money at any bases he had. The profits made from Arirang Hotel in South Ossetia were not even deposited in a bank account but they went right into a safe. It was because card transactions were not common in Tskhinvali.

After slipping out of the airport, Youngho went right to the Main Police Department to find Sevan since it was where he could find out about the government’s current movements.

People were also being inspected at the entrance to the department. Now Youngho could not even get in there easily just because he knew many people at the department.

Azerbaijan had taken the attempted arms deal in Geneva very seriously. Since Armenia had attempted to buy advanced weapons from an advanced country France, the government was experiencing a state of tension. Although the deal was off, it was still alarming that the two involved countries had not minded other nations since they tried to close the deal at a popular hotel. It also meant that there could be any other deals in near future.

Youngho managed to get into the building and met Sevan. Since Youngho was also an Azerbaijani citizen, it was not someone else’s issue. He needed to give some information to Azerbaijani government. He opened up by saying that he had heard from foreign investors he met in Frankfurt during his recent trip.

“Some of the reporters had found the arms deal purchase list document at the scene of the attack. Armenia was trying to buy missile and latest fighter models. That’s why I flew right back to Baku pushing back my wine sale business.”

“What? Is that true?”

“Can’t you see? What would a country like France sell? There are plenty of conventional weapons in Russia.”

“...”

Sevan was astounded with what Youngho said. Since he agreed with Youngho, he could not say anything.

“What we have to do as a priority now is to convince Georgia, not hunting down impure elements.”

“You’re saying we should cut off the arms supply route.”

“Indeed, and we should also put pressure on the French government. We need to give them a message if a war breaks out between Azerbaijan and Armenia, they won’t be able to get out of the hook.”

Understanding what Youngho had said at once, Sevan went up to the chief’s office.

***

“You’re saying anybody from 16 to 40 should undergo military drills?”

“Yeah. If war breaks out, the whole country will turn into a battlefield. There is no frontier in this small country. You haven’t felt when you trained the Armenian militia? They’re going to kill anyone just because they’re living in Azerbaijan.”

It was a conversation between Youngho and Jongil. Youngho could leave Baku at any time with his family and friends but he did not want to give up without trying to protect the homes of his families and the Serbian descendants. In order to do that, the people’s self-defensive power should be maximized. There were many solutions, but trained manpower was concluded to be the best way.

Azerbaijani government was extremely stern about the situation. After investigating what Youngho had reported, President Aliyev announced that the nation was considering to stop exporting oil crude to other nations, which would be a very threatening decision to many powerful nations. At the same time, there were many Azerbaijani immigrants in France protesting in front of French government buildings and even the presidential palace, making a heavy impression on the issue.

As the situation worsened, the French government finally announced that it would not export weapons of mass destruction to the disputed countries. However, there was no Western press or countries that believed France’s announcement as truth.

Georgian government was also flustered by Azerbaijan’s diplomacy oppression since the Azerbaijani government had demanded a thorough inspection of any Armenian cargo transferred at Batumi Port and the Poti Sea Port. Azerbaijani government announced that if any weapons were delivered through those ports because of loose inspection, Georgia would be held responsible for any further outcomes.

As Georgia was a country that was benefited by the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline as it was located in the point where the pipeline passed through, it could not reject Azerbaijan’s demand. However, at the same time, Georgia could not refuse to help Armenians since many Armenians were living in the country.

Park Jongil was not fond of the government’s passive way of sitting still and defending against external threats.

“This kind of defense system is just not my cup of tea. The government is not making any visible achievements from their announcements. How about we change this?”

“Are you trying to say that we should instigate the government to have a preemptive attack?”

“That’s not it. I’m just saying we should do this our own style.”

Jongil wanted to make a suggestion to the government, and his idea was this: After watching different pieces of cargo being transported to the ports of Georgia, once a suspicious cargo was found, they should explode it. Since it would become an international problem if the Azerbaijani government directly handles it, Jongil wanted to do the job for the government instead.

It was a kind of mercenary business.

Rather than to make a huge profit out of the business, it was a way to prevent war. It sounded like an absurd idea but a bright one at the same time.

Jongil kept on and said that if the mercenary company was established in a third country, Zeynep Corporation would not be exposed as well.

***

Youngho visited Baku’s shipyard and asked to hurry the production of the car ferry ship and freighter that he had requested in the past. The vice president said that they would be ready by the summer.

Youngho wanted to be ready to leave to Kazakhstan at any time. He was not going to abandon his business sites in Baku. He would only have old people, women, and children evacuated the area and protect the ranch with other men. The ships were needed to transport the Serbian people and his family members to the Arirang Farm since the farm could be a shelter for them in the wartime.

The Arirang Farm in Kazakhstan now had become a great place for people to stay now that it was equipped with city infrastructure. If only enough underground water was found, it would become a perfect town.

Youngho was ready to invest any funds to modernize the farm. He had invested his funds in three new hotel sites and bought five new ships but he still had residual cash that was about 35 million dollars. It was the money that would be enough to invest in the Arirang Farm for now. He had this much money left since he had made money from selling gold bars and arms deal commissions, which added up to 360 million dollars in the first place. That was apart from the profits from wine sales and other business shares.

“Brother, you must often lose track of the time counting the money you made.”

“What? You don’t look so happy even though I raised you a dollar more for each bottle.”

“I need to change the circulation market that earns more money for distributors than a provider.”

After landing at Volgograd’s light aircraft runway, Youngho’s group was greeted by Sergey with a bright smile.

“What brings you here at this time? Especially when you traveled on this thin paper airplane, I guess it’s an urgent business?”

Sergey treated Youngho’s airplane as a paper airplane. American manufacturers would be upset to hear that but Russians tended to like big things and Cessna airplane was not in their favor.

“I have a great business idea, so I wanted to share it with Mr. Yaniv.”

As Youngho mentioned a new business idea, Sergey was intrigued. Although his business proposals did not make great profits at once, there were no other good business plans either. He was curious to hear what Youngho had to say.

“Don’t be reluctant, Lee. Say it already!”

“I should tell you this before telling Mr. Yaniv but I don’t think this is something you would agree with.”

Youngho thought that Sergey would not be able to agree since he had only been working on the desk, not in the field. His idea would be more attractive to someone who had been in the field.

“Since you’re refusing my help, is it involving physical work?”

He was indeed fast-witted.

“I want to start a mercenary business.”

“A mercenary business?”

“I’ve already received the first order.”

“You haven’t even made your company yet but you already have a client?”

Soon after Youngho had told this idea to Sevan, the message was delivered to the presidential palace. Since it was impossible for a normal nation to make fire on trucks or trains in another nation, it was better to hire a mercenary company to do the job.

In fact, there are many mercenary armies in the world that were mobilized for all sorts of dirty jobs except for terrorism. Moreover, there are companies that clean up the records of former requests made to mercenary companies. It was a method what the US of French intelligence agencies frequently used.

Also, hiring mercenaries were not so pricey since they were hired for each case only and they got to be paid when their assignments were successfully done.

When a mercenary company accepts a request, they only needed a travel fee as a starter. That was why mercenary companies were eager to complete their jobs successfully.

Many former soldiers of special forces of different nations, who liked free lifestyles, applied to mercenary companies. They did not belong to any specific country and were even willing to go into a battlefield if it made money.

Although there would be no people who did not fear death but mercenaries were fierce and could be very reckless too. For those reasons, Azerbaijani government wanted Youngho to contact a mercenary company in quiet. If the request was accepted, the government was willing to pay an unconventional amount of money.