From Arms Dealer to King of War

Afika, a continent on the planet Water Blue, is a mysterious place! The inhabitants of Water Blue have a very stereotypical impression of Afika. People often imagine Afika as being filled with lions, elephants, antelopes, and zebras. It's a place of vast grasslands, rainforests, and mountains, home to some of the most pristine ecosystems in the world.

The grandeur of the Afika grasslands and the emotional impact of witnessing the great animal migrations are unmatched anywhere else in the world.

When Qiao Jia was 22 years old, his parents fell seriously ill. With his skills in mechanical repair, he followed an elder uncle from his village to Afika to seek fortune. It's been three and a half years since then.

Unfortunately, the place he ended up in was SD Kamu, a city on the banks of the Loni River, surrounded by desert on all sides.

There was nothing there that matched his expectations of Afika, but luckily, he didn't need any of that.

For three years, Qiao Jia worked diligently, responsible for repairing all machinery-related equipment on the construction site, and occasionally earning extra money by fixing phones.

With a monthly salary of 15,000 and some not-so-legal side earnings, he was able to help his younger brother at home send their parents off with dignity and save up for his brother's four years of college tuition.

Coming from a rural family, one parent suffered from silicosis from working in a mine, and the other developed kidney disease that eventually turned into uremia due to years of hard labor.

Anyone hearing about their situation would likely deem the family doomed, with little chance for the two brothers to turn their lives around.

But Qiao Jia, relying on his courage and skills, not only ensured that his parents ended their lives with dignity in a hospital but also cleared the family's debts and secured tuition for his academically talented brother.

In the western part of Kamu, there's a villa district where the middle and upper management from various companies back home mostly reside.

Qiao Jia, carrying a toolbox, walked out of one of the villas. Seeing his uncle from the village, cigarette in mouth, waiting for him in the shade, he quickened his pace and walked over with a smile, saying, "Uncle Qing, why didn't you wait in the car? This damn place is hot enough to kill someone. At your age, you can't afford to get heatstroke."

Uncle Qing, despite being 45 years old, looked about 55, with a face full of wrinkles and sunspots from prolonged exposure to the sun. But despite his aged appearance, his physique was top-notch.

Built from years of working on construction sites, tying steel bars, his physique, though not as exaggerated as those gym-goers, allowed him to lift 200-pound weights with one hand and carry four bags of cement as if it were nothing.

Seeing Qiao Jia approach, Uncle Qing grabbed the toolbox from him and threw it into the pickup truck he drove over. As he motioned Qiao Jia to get in the car, he said, "Hasn't Chen's daughter taken a liking to you? Why else would their appliances break down every three days?"

"If you ask me, you should really consider it. That girl might be a bit on the plump side, but she's kind-hearted. Plus, her parents are both high-ranking officials in state-owned enterprises. In a couple of years, they'll be promoted when they return home. Marry her, and you might not have to work hard for the next 30 years, but at least you'll save yourself 10 years of struggle."

As Qiao Jia opened the car door, a wave of heat hit him. It's hard to imagine the feeling of your breath being scorched if you haven't experienced it firsthand.

The insulation of this old pickup was terrible, and the front windshield's focus on sunlight made the experience all the more unbearable.

Struggling to sit in the passenger seat, Qiao Jia immediately cranked the air conditioning to its maximum when Uncle Qing started the car. As the slight cool breeze brushed his face, Qiao Jia let out a comfortable sigh and said, "Uncle Qing, you're burning the company's fuel. Why put yourself through this?"

Uncle Qing glanced at Qiao Jia and snapped, "What do you know? This is where the higher-ups live. If they see me dropping you off and then lounging in the car, staying cool, they might gossip. Do you think I can keep my team leader position then?"

Qiao Jia, watching how Uncle Qing lived his life cautiously, shook his head and said, "You're just a labor contractor. Why worry about these things?"

Then, noticing the suppressed pride on Uncle Qing's face, Qiao Jia suddenly understood and said, "Have you started getting jobs on your own?"

Uncle Qing straightened the salt-stained collar of his shirt and proudly said, "You could say that. Old Chen said he could give me the workers' dormitory project at Well No. 4."

"I'm planning to head back home in a couple of days and bring 20 people over. We can finish the job in half a year, and then I'll go back and build my house."

Then Uncle Qing looked at Qiao Jia and said, "Kid, you've had a tough life without good parents. Work hard for a few more years and save up some more money. When we get back, I'll have your aunt find you a match."

"After all, you're someone who's been abroad. Isn't that right?"

Hearing this, Qiao Jia frowned and asked, "Well No. 4? Is it the one near 'Saya Town' on the west bank of the White Nile?"

Seeing Uncle Qing nod in confirmation, Qiao Jia shook his head and said, "Don't take the job. It's not safe there recently. If something goes wrong, it could be a disaster."

Uncle Qing, surprised, slammed on the brakes, stopping at the gate of the villa district, and asked, "Are you saying Old Chen wants to harm me? Why?"

Qiao Jia thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Probably not. The construction at Well No. 3 is nearing completion, and they'll be producing oil in about a month. Preparing to start at Well No. 4 now is normal."

"Old Chen is a state-owned enterprise official. How could he know so much about the situation around Kamu? And besides, he's responsible for this too, so he definitely wouldn't intentionally set you up."

Hearing this, Uncle Qing restarted the car. But still troubled, he glanced at Qiao Jia and asked, "Kid, I know you've got connections and hear a lot of things. Do you think I should take the job?"

Qiao Jia shook his head and said, "I don't think you should. Even if you go back to recruit people and rent equipment here, plus wait for them to organize the materials, you won't be able to start in less than two months."

"I've heard that the situation in Kamu isn't too stable. If things go south and the site shuts down, what are you going to do with those dozens of workers? Are you going to pay them?"

Uncle Qing had a lot of faith in his village nephew, knowing that he often dealt with local mine owners and had access to more information. This wasn't a trivial matter—if things went wrong and someone died, his life would be over.

After thinking for a long time on the road, Uncle Qing finally sighed and said, "Then I won't take the job. Better safe than sorry! Working far from home is tough enough—if I end up screwing someone over, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

As he spoke, Uncle Qing patted Qiao Jia on the shoulder and said, "But I still need to go back next week. My grandson was born the day before yesterday, a hefty little guy at seven and a half pounds."

"My son is an idiot. If I don't go back, he won't even know how to plan the full-month banquet properly."

"Do you want to come with me? Since we're not taking this job, we might as well go back to the country and see if there are other opportunities."

"You're the best mechanic around. If you and I team up, we can handle construction sites anywhere in the country. We'll make a good living, no doubt about it."

"What you're doing now, dealing with all that dangerous stuff, isn't a long-term plan. Those mine owners are all ruthless people. If something happens to them, it's easy for them to drag you down with them."

Looking at the bleak scenery of Kamu outside the window, Qiao Jia sighed helplessly and said, "Uncle Qing, do you think I have a choice?"