Chapter 326 Venetian
After solving the problem of the Venezuelan smuggling ship, Zhang Ailun asked the mercenaries to continue to stay at their posts and left the port area. Not long after, Madison's private plane also landed on Jehovah Island.
After receiving the news, Zhang Ailun immediately drove over to greet them. When he arrived at the airport, he saw Madison getting off the plane, and he walked over to warmly welcome her and said hello.
"Old Mac, you came just in time. I had just dealt with a personal matter and you brought people here right after." Zhang Ailun smiled and told the other party what had just happened.
"Then your island is really not peaceful." Madison looked strange, and asked again: "Where is your warship? Take me to it to feel it. If it is practical, I will consider buying one when I return."
"You don't need it. Your island is so safe, no one would bother you. But it's different for me. The waters near my shipping lanes are full of smugglers and pirates."
Zhang Allen smiled, but still took Madison to the harbor area, let him visit his littoral combat ship, and landed to experience it.
With the introduction of the Beggar Gang disciples, Madison also learned about the functionality of the littoral combat ship and took a tour of the warship, the cabin command room, and the platform.
After learning about the daily maintenance requirements and the work that the warship could do, Madison returned to the island and said to the chief helmsman with emotion: "You're right, I really don't need this thing."
"The daily use of a littoral combat ship actually requires more than 20 people, all of whom must be professional naval officers, including the captain and the sergeant major. A destroyer actually requires at least 50 people, and at most more than 300 people? Where can I recruit so many people? With these conditions, I might as well use all of them to buy armed helicopters! If you encounter danger, it is better to call the police directly."
Madison decisively admitted that he was not in urgent need.
"Your island is so close to the west coast. If you encounter any trouble, you can just call the police, and they will come very quickly. But if something happens in my place, it will take at least several hours for them to arrive. By the time they get there, it will be too late, and we also have to consider whether the other party is willing to come. If they make an excuse that this sea area is a Mexican strait and is not their jurisdiction, then I've paid taxes in vain!" Zhang Ailun said angrily.
"Have you ever paid taxes?" Madison asked in surprise.
"No, what about you?" Zhang Ailun asked.
"I only made friends with him when I was young," Madison said calmly.
The two looked at each other and laughed.
Who among the rich would pay normal taxes to the federal government?
If the top beam is not straight, the bottom beam will be crooked. Even the former president did not pay taxes, so how can they pay taxes obediently? Aren’t all those loopholes designed to let you bug?
Zhang Allen took Madison on a ride to visit other parts of the island, including luxury villas and coastal scenery. Every checkpoint was guarded by professional mercenaries, and the defense was impregnable.
After taking a tour around the island, although it doesn't feel like a regular private island suitable for vacation, it has a different feeling. At least its safety level has reached five stars.
Not to mention smugglers and drug dealers, even the CIA and FBI would have to think twice before going to this sea area. If they violate the island's personal sovereignty, they will be reported and punished, and they are more likely to die there. Besides, they will definitely not come here if they have nothing to do. Maintaining the safety of the ocean and coastline is the job of the navy.
Madison suddenly felt a little regretful and sighed, "If I had known that this island could have so much extra income and fancy projects, I would have definitely taken it myself."
"If you feel you've been at a disadvantage, we can make an exchange and let you face those lawless smugglers and drug dealers. I'll take the warships and destroyers to the islands in the California waters," Zhang Ailun suggested.
"Then all the antique collections on my island would have been looted by those people the next day." Madison said unhappily.
He was just joking. With his limited firepower, he had only been engaged in antique business from the beginning to the end. He was simply a big fat sheep. The result of coming here would definitely not be much better than Prian. He would be beaten every three days and beaten every five days.
Only the chief leader has a strong army and specializes in the arms industry, so he doesn't have to worry about no one to use it. He has no guns to shoot, but he has also reached this level step by step by killing monsters. Madison has one foot in the coffin, so he is not interested in changing his job to fight and kill.
After returning to the villa, Zhang Ailun asked the female assistant to pour a cup of hot tea for the two of them. He also mentioned the matter about Silver Island and revealed some of his own discoveries. He believed that there was a high probability that there were a large number of silver coins and gold on it.
"The Colombian guerrillas? They have been around since the last century, specializing in kidnapping, drug trafficking, and extortion. The Colombian government can't do anything about them. Things may be a little better now. Most of the guerrillas have either transformed or been pacified."
Madison pondered, "Are you sure there are really a lot of Spanish silver or even gold coins on the island that can be mined?"
"I only believe that my own judgment will not be wrong. I have been there once and visited the geographical location in person. There must be a lot of silver coins on Silver Island. Otherwise, where would those hundreds of thousands of silver coins go? They neither flowed into the market nor were they collected by individuals. It doesn't make sense at all." Zhang Ailun said.
Madison thought and said, "In fact, some people have paid attention to that island a long time ago. They also thought that there must be a lot of wealth on it and tried to take the island, but in the end, it ended in failure. Because at that time, Silver Island was not a sovereign island of Colombia. There has always been a dispute over island sovereignty between Guatemala and Colombia. In the end, some islands became sovereign islands of Colombia. Later, because Colombia did not have extra power to control the sea and overseas islands, it was taken over by the guerrillas."
"After all, in the eyes of many people, no matter how bad the FARC guerrillas are, they are still a force within Colombia. It is better to benefit our own people than to have our islands and land occupied by other countries such as Guatemala."
Just like no matter how arrogant the Mexican drug lords are, they dare not demand independence, because they know that their jumping around is just an internal affair of Mexico. Other countries have no reason to take action to solve the problem even if they don't like them, as that would undoubtedly violate international law.
But if they dare to show up in the international arena, attempt to split Mexico, or even establish their own national regime, then other countries will really not tolerate you.
The next day they will be treated as terrorists, bombarded, dismembered and the profits divided!
The regime was established in the morning and the US F22 air force arrived at noon.
In the evening, the Anti-Terrorism and Land Purchase Bills were announced at the same time.
"So you want to buy that island? To mine the silver and gold coins on it?" Madison asked.
"Yes, I do have this idea, but I don't know anyone in the Colombian government, and it's hard for me to convince the Colombian government to sell the island to me. That's why I came to you to tell you about this. I need you to ask people in your circle to help you convince the Colombian government members to give me the development rights of Silver Island. I can also pay to buy the island."
Zhang Ailun smiled and said, "The geographical location of that island is not good. It is close to the American waters of Mexico and too far away from Colombia. The area is only about square kilometers. Even if it is engaged in tourism, it is worth at most million US dollars. Besides, this money is not given to the guerrillas, but directly to the Colombian government! All they have to do is give me the nominal sovereignty and development rights of the island, and I can also help them deal with those guerrillas. It's a win-win situation!"
Everything needs to have a legitimate reason. As long as we can deal with the Colombian government, we don't have to take the guerrillas seriously.
After all, no matter how bad Colombia is, it is still a country ruled by a government, not an illegal regime ruled by the FARC guerrillas.
The guerrillas are at most private illegal armed organizations. The Colombian government does not get a penny from the development of the islands in their hands. It even has to pay a sum of money every year to ensure that the overseas islands are its sovereign territory.
But who can blame them for not having the strength to take back the island from the guerrillas?
The government army is extremely incompetent. If it weren't for the support of American equipment, the congressmen would have been beheaded one by one by Medellin drug dealers who broke into their homes in the last century.
If the DEA had not intervened, Pablo, the boss of the Medellin Cartel, might have been the president of Colombia in the 1990s.
The leader is willing to buy Silver Island, pay the government, and not worry about the risk of guerrilla retaliation. This is a great thing for the Colombian government! You solve the problem. I will provide money, people, and effort, and we will develop the island together, and I can even give you an extra dividend afterwards.
All you have to do is to take care of your legal rights and interests on the surface, while the headquarters has much more to consider.
How to crush the Gowu guerrillas! Defeat them! Take over the island and develop valuable silver and gold coins.
“How do we divide the profits?”
"I'm nine and you're one."
The chief leader did not hesitate at all.
Seeing Madison's hesitant expression, Zhang Ailun smiled calmly: "It's already very good that I can take out 10% of the profit. Didn't you make so much money from me before? I just asked you to help me contact the Colombian government. It's completely free money!"
"How much is Silver Island worth? Is it worthy of your serious consideration?" Madison asked curiously again.
"Maybe a few hundred million dollars?" Zhang Ailun pondered.
Madison nodded. "If it has this value, we can indeed try to develop it, but investment is always risky. I don't want your money. If there are really good silver coins by then, you can consider giving me a few."
"This is not a problem at all, provided that the person you find is really reliable," said Zhang Ailun.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of this. I happen to know a fruit tycoon who invests in Colombia. He has been buying sugarcane and fruits grown in Colombia and selling them in cans on the market. He also knows a member of the Colombian government and can have some say."
Madison said: "If you are willing to spend money to buy the island, they will agree even if you negotiate directly with them, but it will take a little longer."
"The sooner this kind of thing happens, the better. I can't wait to get that island done tomorrow." Zhang Ailun raised his teacup.
"Then I'll help you contact the person tonight." Madison nodded and laughed.
The two drank another cup of hot tea, chatting and laughing. It was getting dark outside, and the time was almost up. The leader changed into a suit and simply prepared to set off for Las Vegas.
Zhang Ailan called Old Jack and Bailey and asked them to drive the Cirrus back to Los Angeles by themselves, while he was also thinking about what kind of gift to give to the princess.
Given my status and the business I’m engaged in, there’s no need for me to give collectible coins or other things like Madison did. It’s just a token of my appreciation.
Then he randomly picked a gift from the collections on the island, which was a collection that Prian kept in the armory, a gold-plated Desert Eagle.
It's not worth much, but it looks very impressive.
After all, it was a gift for a camel, so people like things with large calibers, which can not only show what business they are engaged in, but also express their intentions.
Packed in a gift box, he took a car to the airport, boarded a private plane with Madison, and sat in the VIP lounge seat.
As the pilot started the plane's engine, it sprinted a distance on the runway, raised its head and flew into the sky, leaving the waters of Jehovah Island.
It took two hours to arrive in Las Vegas and landed smoothly on the independent airport VIP runway near the Venetian Hotel.
After getting off the plane, Zhang Ailun looked at the Venetian Hotel. The entrance was covered with red carpet and decorated with lights. Many VIPs had already arrived.
It is worthy of being an international hotel.
The building is meters high and has a Y-shaped floor plan. The architectural design uses modern techniques to reflect the Renaissance style of Venice in the 16th century. The earth-white upper part has overhanging eaves, round window arches and columns, and the exterior walls are mainly covered with earth-colored bricks and glass curtains.
"The princess' birthday is not in Saudi Arabia, so why did she come to Las Vegas to celebrate? It must cost a lot of money to rent this hotel." Zhang Ailun asked with a sigh.
"Five hundred million dollars for three days of rental. Plus some packaged projects and programs, the total cost is eight hundred million dollars," Madison said.
Before Zhang Ailun could sigh that it was such a waste, he immediately explained: "But this is the mainstream view of the outside media. In fact, it is not that much. After all, although the Saudi royal family is rich, they are not stupid. How could they give money to others for free every day?"
"The royal family seems to have some business cooperation with the owner of the Venetian, so the $800 million is not just a pure birthday celebration for the comprador, but more of a celebration of the success of the business cooperation. They took the initiative to take on this business and specifically chose the princess' birthday to convey the news to the outside media." Madison said.
"This is more acceptable." Zhang Ailun nodded and reluctantly accepted the reason.
Otherwise, if you spend $700 million or $800 million on your birthday, it will be a huge blow to others, even if others know that you are rich.
Following Madison, carrying gifts, I arrived at the gate of the Venetian Hotel. During the trip, I also met a few familiar faces, all of whom had been guests in the villa of the chief leader before. For example, the director of Tyson Foods and the elite investment family of Wall Street, who were considered good friends in the same camp.
A few of them greeted each other, then chose to go together.
The Venetian manager who was standing in front of the hotel and was in charge of receiving VIPs came over and took the gifts and asked if they had an invitation.
"We were invited by Prince Simba to attend the princess' birthday party. I'm Madison, this is Juanjin, an investor of the Hamberg Foundation, this is the director of Lituo Insurance Group, and this is the owner of Mond Refrigeration Company..." Madison explained.
Upon hearing this, the manager immediately contacted the backstage staff via intercom. After confirming the VIP list was correct, he warmly invited them into the hotel and took the elevator to the 12th floor where the birthday party was to be held.
After all, the Venetian is a casino hotel. The first few floors are basically casino floors and VIP rooms. The higher floors are where VIPs live and are off-limits to the general public.
The manager swiped a special elevator card and soon reached the 12th floor.
After arriving at the hall, we saw the luxurious decoration and magnificent facilities, and many people had already taken their seats. It was the first time for the chief leader to come here, but it was probably not the first time for Madison and the others, and they seemed very relaxed and familiar with the place.
(End of this chapter)
