Chapter 179: The Rainbow Nation
Three days later, when Brando walked out of the Cape Town International Airport with a group of employees from the legal department, several private cars were already waiting there.
Cheng Cao stood next to a car and he beckoned to them when he saw them.
“Chief Cheng.”
Brando stepped forward and shook hands with Cheng Cao.
“You don’t have to call me that when we’re outside.”
Cheng Cao waved his hand, nodded at Sara who was behind Brando, then looked at the group behind them.
The ones who came with Brando were Anthony and Jennifer who were brought in from Switzerland back when they were planning to build the nuclear power plant. Both of them were leading the entire legal department, who had come to the Rainbow Nation too.
“Cheng Cao, did you come in advance?” Sara asked curiously.
“Yup, I rushed here to see you guys before you meet with Boss.”
With that, Cheng Cao opened the door to the driver’s seat and got in. Brando sat in the pa.s.senger seat while Sara and Anthony from the legal department took the backseat.
The rest got into the other two vehicles.
After Cheng Cao had got everyone into the car, he started the engine. “In fact, it’s no longer necessary for the legal department to come. Over the past few days, our people have confirmed that the other shareholders of Tara Private Security Company have received the news that Dlamini is critically ill. They’ve joined forces with the higher-ups in Tara to monopolize power and are starting to target Dlamini’s other companies.”
“They’re not afraid that we’ll sue them?” Anthony from the legal department asked.
“It’s useless.”
Brando spoke up helplessly, “Those shareholders, like Dlamini, are members of the African National Congress. It’s meaningless to fight them in court. Moreover, the company itself isn’t exactly law-abiding. Using the law to uphold their rights would just be like setting themselves up.”
“So, what should we do?”
“We’ll wait and see.”
Cheng Cao explained, “Boss intends for the legal department to try negotiating. If they’re willing to talk, we’ll talk. If they’re not, we’ll send the legal department back to Namibia first.”
“Got it.” Anthony nodded then.
Although he was not often involved in these affairs, as head of the legal department, he was used to them.
After all, this was the most complicated land in the world, Africa. If the company had not used special methods, it would not have gained a foothold in this primitive land.
After sending everyone from the legal department to the hotel where they were staying, Cheng Chao called Brando and Sara again and brought them to a slum where black people lived.
It was no different than the slums in other parts of Africa. This slum was located in the northeast corner of Cape Town and was home to more than fifty thousand people. From the outside, it looked as if countless squat matchboxes were sitting on the plain, forming one large expanse.
When one was inside, it was even more narrow and cramped. The ground was full of stinking drains and rotten odors. Even in the daytime, the place looked dull and gloomy.
Here was a slum where no hope could be found, a corner abandoned by the world.
Upon the arrival of the strange visitors, some of the idling local residents stopped talking and stared at the three with their G.o.dless eyes.
In the eyes of these local residents, the arrival of those three was as conspicuous as a pearl rolling across decaying mud. Even as the three of them moved deeper into the slum, several local residents followed them, slowly trailing behind.
Nonetheless, this was too easily noticed by those three. Brando only had to glare menacingly at the distant crowd to send them scattering.
Soon, the three of them came to an abandoned warehouse.
Cheng Cao reached out in a familiar manner and raised the roller shutter door. Only then did Brando and Sara see that, within the dim warehouse, there were about a dozen sleeping bags spread over the ground. A person was sitting silently next to each sleeping bag.
These people had blank faces as they sat listlessly on the ground, with food and water beside them.
Other than that, they did not communicate or amuse themselves, merely sat there wordlessly like a machine.
Among these people, some were Asian, some were white or black, but they had a common feature. They were identical in terms of their behavior and presence, giving the impression that they were not alive...
When Brando and Sara saw this group of people, their eyes narrowed at once.
As mercenaries and killers who trod the fine line between life and death all year round, how could they fail to notice that the body fat percentage of these people was almost less than ten percent? In its place, there was an explosive power that seemed ready to erupt from their bodies!
Training oneself to such a level was not achievable merely with ordinary hardships. One must have a mentality that was akin to self-abuse, continually breaking past the limits of one’s physical strength, before one could reach this stage, right?
“Cheng Cao, they’re...” Sara asked, astounded.
“They’ll also be part of this operation, but only as a final measure.”
Cheng Cao replied reservedly, “I know what you want to ask, but I’m sorry, I can’t answer you now. If you join us in the future, you’ll learn who these people are.”
When they heard this, something flitted across the expressions of Brando and Sara.
Previously, when Chen Chen had given his orders to the two, he had said something similar.
“If you join us.”
In other words, there was a more mysterious organization behind the Blackwatch Corporation. These peculiar people in the warehouse were probably a secret trump card of the company.
Noticing the pensive look on their faces, Cheng Cao walked to the corner of the warehouse, took out two Glock pistols from a suitcase, then took out four magazines, and handed them to Brando and Sara.
“Take these for self-defense first. I’ve already notified Tara Company. At around 12 noon tomorrow, you and the negotiating team will join their meeting and instantly evaluate their intentions.”
Cheng Cao added. “Boss’ plan was, if this group of people is willing to talk, we’ll talk as usual. If they don’t want to talk, then fine. We’ll go with the second plan.”
“What’s the second plan?” Sara asked, puzzled.
“That’s...”
Cheng Cao drew a finger across his neck and said cryptically, “If they want to stand in the way of the Blackwatch Corporation, there’s only one option left. I recall that a.s.sa.s.sination should be part of both your previous expertise.”
“But these are members of the Congress.”
Brando was hesitant. “If we anger the authorities because of this, we may have a hard time dealing with the aftermath.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Cheng Cao waved his hand and said unconcernedly, “North America will put pressure on the Rainbow Nation. You should know as well that consortia from various countries are backing the Blackwatch Corporation.”
“Then you won’t be going with us tomorrow?” Brando asked as he inspected his pistol.
“I have another job to do.”
Cheng Cao shook his head while pointing at the group of people on the ground. “If the negotiation collapses, they’ll meet you downstairs...”