Chapter 21: A Business Delivered to the Doorstep

After finishing breakfast, Yang Jie held his phone with a conflicted expression.

Li Siyao asked, puzzled, "You’ve been off all morning! Who called?"

Yang Jie shrugged. "It was Andres. He heard I’ve been looking to procure a large quantity of arms, and he claims he has the goods."

Li Siyao laughed. "He doesn't have a thing. It’s all dirty merchandise; buying from him will only bring trouble!"

"Do we really have the luxury of worrying about that now?"

Li Siyao nodded. "Fair point. But the guy isn't exactly known for following the rules. Tijuana, where he operates, is easily the most lawless place in Mexico."

Yang Jie pondered for a long while before nodding. "True, but we need all the weapons we can get. I’ve decided to go."

Li Siyao stood up abruptly. "I’m coming with you. I won’t have peace of mind otherwise. If he tries to play games..." She flashed a wicked smile, "A little 'dog-eat-dog' heist wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

"By the way, did he mention what he has?"

"RPGs, heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, and mortars. Our last haul from the armory was a bit light on those, and we need to restock ammunition—I did a careful count, and we’re running low."

Li Siyao nodded; individual infantry weapons and vehicle-mounted armaments were always in high demand.

*Clap! Clap! Clap!*

Yang Jie clapped his hands, drawing the attention of the women in the room. He glanced at his phone and said, "Gather in half an hour. We’re heading to Mexico today. It might take a day or two, so pack whatever you need."

The women nodded immediately. Sophia asked, "What should we prepare for?"

"We’re going to Tijuana."

Sophia rolled her eyes but nodded; in a place that chaotic, being fully armed was the bare minimum.

Yang Jie turned to Zhao Baitong. "Get the Sikorsky’s tail number registered with the FAA immediately, and make sure to give the authorities in Mexico a heads-up!"

"Don't worry, I'll have it done in a flash!"

They all had pilot licenses, but flying an unregistered aircraft was a recipe for getting shot down.

Money and power in motion work wonders; within fifteen minutes, the aircraft’s information was officially registered. In the United States, efficiency depends entirely on who you are. If you’re an ordinary citizen, sorry, wait in line. If you have money and power, the SVIP lane opens just for you. Why mention money and power together? Because if you have money but no power, you aren't the one sitting at the table—you’re the one on the menu.

As they reached the door, Yang Jie paused, as if remembering something, and turned to Li Siyao. "For this operation, bring our 'Officer Rabbit' along. Consider it a test for her. As for what she should or shouldn't know, you handle it. If she can't pass this hurdle or isn't obedient enough, we might as well leave her behind—I’d rather not have to deal with her myself later."

Li Siyao nodded and immediately called Chris to join them.

Yang Jie went to his farm first to bring out the Sikorsky. It had to be said, the moment the aircraft appeared, it was massive. It was nearly the same size as the Black Hawk assault helicopters he used to fly—though, coming from the same manufacturer, the difference between civilian and military hardware was mostly cosmetic.

With a wave of his hand, he loaded their weapons and gear onto the aircraft and began studying the flight controls.

Before long, the women arrived. Yang Jie put on his headset, reviewed the manual briefly, and prepared for takeoff. With a deafening roar, the massive helicopter rose slowly, hovered for a moment, and then surged toward Mexico.

Feeling the smooth responsiveness of the controls, Yang Jie nodded in satisfaction. It was a worthwhile purchase, and he had opted for the top-tier configuration at 27 million dollars. It was a bargain. With both the main and auxiliary tanks, the range was an impressive 999 kilometers. Unfortunately, the trip was over 2,000 kilometers total, so they would have to find a place to refuel twice.

After checking the instruments and confirming everything was in order, he set the destination and engaged the autopilot before heading into the cabin.

The base model of the Sikorsky S-92 was just two rows of seats, but this luxury version was different. While it didn't have many seats, it was opulent, featuring a dining table, a galley, and a lavatory. This type of aircraft was usually reserved for maritime rescue or transporting crews between oil rigs, but the luxury version was typically used by leaders of smaller nations or as a VIP transport.

It had one drawback: it usually required two pilots. But Yang Jie didn't care; with his "Weapon Master" talent, a brief touch was all he needed to gauge the machine’s capabilities. Once he had everything set, he just needed Sharapova to sit in the co-pilot seat and keep watch.

The aircraft was stable during ascent and acceleration, and it could operate in extreme weather—that was what Yang Jie valued most.

In the cabin, everyone was on their phones, not playing games, but using their respective channels to procure supplies.

Among them, Zhao Baitong and Sharapova had the widest networks. Sharapova was nodding off in the co-pilot seat, while Zhao Baitong was browsing the dark web, hoping to snag something useful.

Yang Jie gestured toward Jin Zhiyan and asked curiously, "Hye-ju, this mission isn't exactly safe, to put it mildly. Why bring your daughter?"

Choi Hye-ju shook her head. "You know the situation better than I do. It’s better for her to experience it now so she doesn't panic when things get messy later."

"I’m considering having Zhiyan start training."

Yang Jie laughed and waved it off. "What kind of training can you do in a few days? How about this: let’s start by building up her physical fitness. As for weapons and tactical knowledge, there’s plenty of time for that later!"

Choi Hye-ju nodded. Yang Jie was right; in the current climate, everyone was busy as hell. Who had the time to teach her?

Yang Jie looked at Chris again, his eyes filled with scrutiny. Officer Rabbit didn't act like a typical American; she was quiet and unassuming, the kind of personality that easily invited American-style bullying. Still, it didn't matter. He would observe her when they reached their destination; he already had a fairly good idea of what she was made of.

After seven hours of flight, they finally arrived in Tijuana, Mexico.

"Everyone, get ready!"

Yang Jie clapped his hands. The women began taking off their outer layers and changing their clothes right there in the cabin, completely unabashed. Jin Zhiyan’s eyes went wide at the sight, but to everyone’s surprise, their "Officer Rabbit" only hesitated for a moment before following suit. Yang Jie was very satisfied. He needed people who followed orders, not naive girls trying to play the hero.

Tijuana was known as one of the most dangerous cities, notorious for its high rates of violent crime, drug wars, and human trafficking. Yang Jie had been here a few times before. Aside from his first visit, the others had been anything but peaceful—being followed or getting caught in a "dog-eat-dog" conflict was practically a daily occurrence here.

After dropping off Sharapova, Sophia, and Choi Hye-ju near the destination, Yang Jie landed the helicopter in the center of an abandoned factory with Li Siyao and Officer Rabbit.

Zhao Baitong and Jin Zhiyan remained on the aircraft, providing support.