Chapter 158: Transaction

"Are you serious about this price?"

Li Boyong put the list aside, looking a bit angry.

"But now, besides us, who else has the ability and willingness to provide arms to you?"

Leonard didn't care at all; he just saw this opportunity and was determined to eat the resistance organization.

Li Boyong frowned, then relaxed.

Leonard was right; at present, he is the only channel through which the resistance organization can obtain arms, but that kind of pretentious appearance is really not likable.

"Then, let's talk about the order," Li Boyong took out a form, wrote and drew on it, and then gave the list.

Due to financial difficulties, he chose some cheap things, such as ammunition for infantry and AS, maintenance parts and fuel for AS, and a few combat vehicles.

Leonard took Li Boyong's list and looked at it, showing a disappointed expression, "This is really a petty order."

He didn't come here specifically for this kind of order.

"Everything has to be gradual; you and I haven't established enough trust yet; this batch of goods is just an attempt," Li Boyong explained.

"But I came out this time, and I have a lot of performance pressure," Leonard shook his head: "If you can't digest this batch of goods, I can only look for a buyer with more strength."

"Let me think about it," he said, tapping his chin with his index finger, looking like he was thinking seriously, "Do you think the Shawute Stan government would be a good trading partner?"

This kind of talk is simply equivalent to a face-to-face threat; several of Li Boyong's subordinates are almost unable to hold back and want to do it.

"Calm down," Li Boyong stopped his subordinates again, and then said to Leonard: "I have always respected the principle of free trade. If you are willing to ship according to my requirements, I will be very happy. But if you have the ability to sell the arms to the Shawute Stan government, please feel free."

"Is that really okay?" Leonard seemed a bit surprised by the calmness Li Boyong showed, "The Shawute Stan government and you are in a bad hostile relationship; I don't think you will be naive enough to think that a piece of contract can be maintained for long, right?"

"It doesn't matter," Li Boyong waved his hand, "If you really sell the arms to them, and they really dare to invade again. I also have enough confidence to defeat them, and then capture all

Li Boyong put on a look of complete confidence, "Just think, being able to make them pay to help me buy things, and even having it delivered to my door—I'd probably wake up laughing in my dreams."

This statement was inevitably a bit arrogant, yet it was also filled with heroic spirit; his few subordinates seemed infected by the confidence he radiated and burst into laughter.

"Confidence is a good thing, but too much confidence is recklessness."

Leonard shook his head and chuckled, seemingly finding Li Boyong's posturing quite uninteresting.

"If you were willing to lower the price a little, perhaps my recklessness would turn into confidence."

Li Boyong took the lead, seizing the opportunity to bargain.

After all this nonsense, probing each other and stating their positions, wasn't it all just to save some money?

"Ha!"

Leonard gave a light laugh, regained his elegant posture, and mused, "If you truly have difficulties with funding, you could actually use other things to pay."

Other things?

Li Boyong narrowed his eyes, having somewhat guessed the other party's intentions.

No wonder a mere arms deal would bring an Executive Officer of Amalgam to negotiate in person.

So it was actually aimed at the oil fields!

No, I'm afraid it's more than that...

The oil field might just be the first step; the other party would gradually demand more later on.

Don't forget that this organization loves to infiltrate various national governments and cultivate proxy interests to serve the organization.

"It seems you've guessed something," Leonard said. "Then, can you take me to see your Saintess?"

After pondering for a moment, Li Boyong nodded and said, "Yes, I will go arrange it now."

Perhaps Leonard was indeed coming with ill intent, but for the Ankra Independent Government, it might not be entirely a bad thing.

First, if they could reach a cooperation agreement regarding oil field production, they would have the opportunity to gain convenience in all aspects from a large organization like Amalgam in the future.

After all, since falling out with the Maozi, Ankra indeed needed to obtain arms from Amalgam.

Moreover, judging by the current situation, it was truly difficult for the new regional government to achieve independent extraction.

Of course, the specific exchange of interests would still need to be negotiated by Wang Liumei; it was up to her to judge the pros and cons of cooperating with Amalgam.

"Thank you, then I shall await your arrangements."

Having achieved his goal, Leonard seemed to be in a good mood; he bowed again, appearing quite humble.

Soon, Li Boyong contacted Wang Liumei, then took Leonard and his party away from the Resistance command post and headed all the way to the capital where the regional government was located.

Calling it a capital was a bit of a stretch; it was actually just the largest town in the Ankra region, with a total population of only over thirty thousand, but it was already the most prosperous town in the area.

The group was received by Wang Liumei there.

"It is truly an honor to meet you, Saintess."

As soon as they met, this guy Leonard started putting on airs again, looking like a lord from the old days paying a visit to a princess.

"Spare me the pleasantries."

Having seen the true face of Kona, Wang Liumei now lacked any good feelings for such suave guys. Coupled with her administrative experience during this period, the current Wang Liumei had lost some of her original "young lady" temperament and gained a bit more of the decisive, pragmatic air of a doer.

She got straight to the point: "I have a general understanding of the situation. If you can demonstrate the corresponding capabilities, it is not impossible to allocate a portion of the oil field's output to you."

Leonard gave a wry smile at these words, reined in his tone, and switched to the tone of a business negotiation; he had always respected a lady's choices.

"Then, what kind of capabilities would meet your standards?" Leonard asked.

"Everything I want is on here." Wang Liumei had long prepared the list and handed it to Leonard. "I can pay a portion of the deposit first, and the balance will be offset by a portion of the oil field's future output."

Leonard took the list and looked it over. Besides some arms, the main items were industrial equipment, including oil field extraction equipment, crude oil refining equipment, production lines for agricultural fertilizers, and light industrial production lines for civilian goods.

It must be said that just from this list, Leonard could see that this independent government seemed different from the warlord governments in other parts of the Middle East.

Those warlord governments that had finally gained power were all desperately expanding their armies, selling off various resources at a pittance to exchange for more weapons, and then going off to annex more territory; basically, none of them had any intention of developing the land.

But the young girl before him, known as the Middle East Saintess, was clearly different; she was obviously trying to build a set of industrial chains around the oil fields.

Leonard wasn't unable to get these things, but what he hesitated about was whether a healthily developing Ankra Independent Government was something he wanted to see.