Chapter 9: Arms Violence
The long oak table was filled with various Chinese dishes. Tang Song casually ate a few baskets of shrimp dumplings, without washing up, he instructed Lane.
Instead of using the white Rolls-Royce, they took a black Mercedes and drove towards Manhattan.
In the car, Lane spoke in a low voice. "Boss, we've found out. The attacked Leader is named Viggo. His gang primarily deals in arms. Currently, one-third of the firearms in New York's underground world come from his gang, and he runs a smuggling route into Mexico!"
"One-third of the arms market share? Looks like it's very profitable," Tang Song muttered to himself. He looked up and asked Lane, "Have you found out who is backing this Viggo?"
Just how profitable is the Federation's arms business? Let's put it this way: back when the Federation declared war on Japan, the Federal Government allocated 280 billion US dollars. The arms dealers pocketed 176.4 billion, with weapon costs accounting for only 37%. That's a profit margin as high as 63% for the arms dealers.
The Federation fought two wars in the Middle East. During the war against Iraq, the Federation's arms dealers made 1.07 trillion US dollars. In the war against Afghanistan, they made 1.26 trillion US dollars.
The Federation belongs to capital, and the interest groups formed by Arms Companies can influence its direction to a large extent.
However, the Federation's arms market is currently approaching saturation.
Currently, the high-end weapon market share in the Federation is controlled by Stark Industries.
Thanks to a genius Boss, when it comes to weapon sophistication, even the old-timers at the Department of Defense can't find fault with Stark Industries' weapons.
In this regard, few can compete with Stark Industries.
In the Federation, there's no shortage of big players competing for the mid-to-low-end weapon market share: Thor, Lockheed Martin, Hammer Industries...
You should know that although the Federation's annual military expenditure is as high as hundreds of billions, once it's divided up by these large and small Arms Companies, only scraps are left.
Behind any Arms Broker or arms dealer, there must be one or more Arms Companies providing support.
One-third of the weapon supply in New York's underground world is not a lot, but it's definitely not a small number, especially when you add the amount smuggled into Mexico.
Tang Song wanted to know who Viggo's backer was.
"Boss, we couldn't find out. All we know is that Viggo sells Soviet-made Weapons in the underground world! Many of them are Cold War era weapons!"
"Soviet-made Weapons!" Tang Song tapped his finger lightly on the windowpane, turning his head to look at the street view outside.
The arms business is really profitable!...
As dawn broke, two military pickup trucks stopped by the roadside. Several large Black Men skillfully loaded Corpses onto the pickup trucks, using specially formulated chemical solutions to clean the bloodstains from the ground.
The five Black Men worked together seamlessly, with a clear division of labor and skilled movements. Seven Corpses were cleaned up properly in just three minutes.
Soon, the street ground was spotless.
As the two pickup trucks drove away, Kane walked out from the shadows.
"His bounty is a full four million. Why not keep him?"
Beside Kane, the fully armed Punisher was toying with an Ejecting Straight Blade.
The blade of this ejecting knife can be ejected to injure enemies. In Frank's hands, its lethality within ten meters is completely comparable to firearms.
The sharp straight blade was coated with a layer of Silver on the edge.
Frank was trimming his fingernails with the blade of the straight knife, asking Kane without lifting his head. Kane frowned. "Boss hasn't given the order. Don't act on your own initiative!"
Behind the two, twenty German Men stood neatly in four rows.
Each person wore an LBV Tactical Vest over their clothes, and on their limb joints, they wore jet-black, three-layer high-strength fiber woven Bulletproof Armor. The surface of the armor was also coated with a PVD titanium film layer, which could effectively prevent scratches left by knife slashes or axe chops;
In addition, under each soldier's FAST Kevlar tactical helmet hung an integrated pig-snout Gas Mask. On the left side of the helmet's exterior, a Radio Headset was attached via an NVG Mount slot,
The helmet's viewport was equipped with AN/PVS-21 Night Vision Goggles produced by Federal Sensor Technology Systems Company, the top-tier binocular night vision goggles on the market, equipped with dual IR illuminators and variable zoom telescopes, and could connect to the HUD Display on the sights of the SCAR Rifle in the soldier's hand, featuring gyroscope and electronic map display functions.
Furthermore, their belts were hung with one Mk3a2 Offensive Hand Grenade, one M8 Smoke Grenade, and one M7290 Flashbang Grenade each, a SIG Sauer 9mm Pistol, and even an M9 Bayonet was attached to the outside of their tactical boot gaiters.
In short, this was a Special Operations Team consisting of twenty elite soldiers armed to the teeth. With proper logistical support, they could conduct rapid armed infiltration and execute kidnapping, assassination, and rescue missions with surgical precision.
Lean, efficient, with costs and potential benefits off the charts. This was completely unlike the work of a Gang. Using them to deal with a Gang could be said to be a complete waste of talent, like using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken.
Buzz buzz buzz buzz...
Kane felt the vibration in his pocket, took out a Military Satellite Phone, and answered it.
"Hello, Boss, yes, okay... I understand!"
"Who is the target this time?"
The Punisher, Frank, shrugged. He pressed the spring mechanism of the ejecting knife in his hand, the crisp sound of the blade extending kept coming.
"Viggo!" Kane said coldly. "A Russian Mob Leader. Boss wants him alive!"
"Alive?" Frank frowned. "Those scumbags, why not kill them!"
Kane was slightly angered. He slapped Frank hard on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Don't question Boss's decision, Frank!"
Frank snorted, retracted the blade of the ejecting knife, and put it back in his pocket.
"Viggo is yours. I'll handle those Vampires!"
For the Punisher, Frank, his belief has always been fighting evil with evil.
Frank has never had any good feelings towards Gang members. If it weren't for Boss back then, his wife and children would have long since died in the revenge killing by those scumbags.
Although Frank did not experience the original pain of losing his loved ones due to Tang Song's intervention, Frank is still ruthless when dealing with Gang members.
The Punisher's reputation is still loud in the underground world, but this time, the Punisher is no longer fighting alone.
...
Tang's Import and Export Trading Company is located in the Fourth Street Block of Manhattan, primarily engaged in the import and export trade of metal ores.
The company's business scope is very wide, including copper and iron ores, non-ferrous metals, and various scrap metal materials.
The company's business is not limited to the Federation. Established just one year ago, its business has spread across various countries, with representatives in several famous large ore producing areas in Eurasia.
The company's main business on the surface is buying low and selling high, earning the profit margin difference between various countries.
(End of Chapter)