Chapter 29: Weapons
“If you want to do business with me, of course I welcome it wholeheartedly.”
Chen Yang smiled and said: “However, if it’s just us, won’t it cause dissatisfaction for Minister Suzuhara.”
Matsuda Kazuo muttered from the side: “So what if he’s dissatisfied? We don’t have to rely on him.”
“As long as he sits behind the scenes, he takes half the profit every time a transaction succeeds, and only the rest is divided among us.”
“Everyone is eating together, why should he eat his fill first, and only then it’s our turn for the leftovers.”
“Mr. Chen, don’t you think he’s going too far?”
Yamada Yasushi coldly glanced at Matsuda: “Matsuda-kun, you’ve said too much.”
Chen Yang saw the expressions of several people and already had an idea in his mind. It turned out that this team was not as harmonious as it appeared on the surface.
There were many cracks between them, but because of Suzuhara’s power keeping them in check, the team hadn’t fallen apart.
“Mr. Chen, sorry you had to see this.” Yamada Yasushi sighed and said: “We do this business just to get our fair share.”
“Unfortunately, in the past six months, we’ve transported so many materials, and all the income combined is still less than what we’ve earned from this one deal with you, Mr. Chen.”
“Mr. Chen, you know that in this line of work, we all risk our lives.”
“But we bear the risk, and the money is only this little bit. We’re really not willing to accept it.”
“We’ve already done it. Whether it’s money or our lives, we have to get one or the other.”
After speaking, Yamada Yasushi picked up the tea from the table and gulped it down fiercely.
“Matsuda-kun, I can understand your feelings.” Chen Yang said mildly: “I just don’t know what I can do to help you.”
“Of course you can help us.” Yamada Yasushi said seriously: “We have a batch of weapons that needs Mr. Chen to step in and find a buyer.”
“Weapons?” Chen Yang was startled.
The profit difference between materials and weapons is not just a little bit.
Weapons and medicine have always been the two most profitable goods in the black market, especially in this current period.
Everywhere is in chaos. Not to mention the red and blue factions, even the bandits who rob houses everywhere and the mountain kings who occupy the hills—they all have a demand for weapons hundreds of times higher than usual.
As long as there’s stock, no matter how expensive, they can afford it.
But weapons have always been the thing most strictly controlled by the military department, with various processes no less stringent than the control over medicine.
The Gendarmerie Headquarters has clear weapons registration forms.
Every quarter, they clear and verify inventory firearms and register loss details—even a single gun barrel missing can be traced.
Not only that, they also have special armories for storing and registering firearm accessories.
Every soldier drawing a gun needs to register it. Even if it’s damaged and needs replacement, it requires the captain’s signature to send to the Logistics Department for confirmation, then recycle it to the armory.
Under such precise and complex process controls, they can still get weapons out.
Well, as long as the mindset doesn’t slip, there are always more methods than difficulties—this saying is indeed profound wisdom.
“Matsuda-kun, can you tell me the source of these weapons?” Chen Yang pondered for a long time before slowly saying: “I need to confirm exactly how much risk this batch of goods carries.”
“After all, I’m not alone. If something happens, it will implicate a whole family.”
“Please rest assured, Mr. Chen. We’re very careful in our work.” Yamada Yasushi smiled proudly, then said in a low voice: “Does Mr. Chen know about the matter of establishing the New Government in Nanjing?”
Chen Yang nodded, somewhat puzzled.
Yamada Yasushi smiled: “This batch of weapons is for the Security Regiment in Nanjing. Matsuda-kun handles logistics registration. He got the Katsuyama-kun who guards the armory drunk several times, and we swapped some old ones out during transportation, replacing them with new ones.”
“Now, this batch of goods has already been delivered to Nanjing, and the other side has signed and entered it into inventory. All procedures are complete.”
“If they check and find any issues later, those Security Regiment people won’t dare make a fuss.”
“Won’t dare make a fuss?” Chen Yang was somewhat surprised: “Matsuda-kun means they’ll swallow this silent loss?”
Matsuda Kazuo laughed and interjected: “Of course, Mr. Chen. You need to know what kind of people these Security Regiment folks are.”
“The firearms have already been checked and found no issues. If problems are suddenly found later, do you think the Inspection Department people would believe that the Security Regiment tampered with them inside, or that Imperial soldiers did it?”
Nagata Raishiro, who hadn’t spoken, suddenly said: “Moreover, what evidence do they have to prove these weapons are connected to us? If he dares come, I’ll absolutely make them shed a layer of skin before leaving.”
Wow, Inspection Department people sure talk tough.
Chen Yang pondered for a moment and said: “No problem, I’ll take this deal.”
“Matsuda-kun, did you bring the goods list?”
Yamada Yasushi gave Matsuda Kazuo a look, and Matsuda Kazuo hurriedly pulled a paper full of writing from his inner pocket and handed it to Chen Yang.
Chen Yang looked it over up and down, quickly calculating the price of this batch of weapons in his mind.
The configuration of this batch of goods is quite complete.
Three hundred Type 38 rifles, sixty Nambu Type 2 submachine guns, twenty Type 96 light machine guns, thirty grenade launchers, four Taisho Type 92 heavy machine guns.
Besides these, there are two cases of hand grenades and twelve cases of ammunition.
These are all hot items, especially the Taisho Type 92 heavy machine gun—one costs nearly five hundred US Dollars to make. Once it hits the black market, it at least doubles, selling for at least two thousand US Dollars or so.
And their asking price is very fair—this batch only costs sixty thousand Japanese Yen.
Since Chen Yang plans to do the materials business, he’s naturally very familiar with black market materials prices.
Not to mention anything else, just these Type 38 rifles—the military production cost is eighty Japanese Yen, and on the black market, they’re generally around one hundred sixty silver dollars, meaning three hundred Type 38 rifles sell for nearly fifty thousand silver dollars.
Plus sixty Nambu Type 2 submachine guns, twenty light machine guns, and grenade launchers, etc.
All the goods together can fetch at least one hundred thousand silver dollars.
After reading it, Chen Yang returned the paper to Matsuda Kazuo and said to Yamada Yasushi: “Matsuda-kun, when do you plan to do the transaction?”
“Of course, the sooner the better.” Yamada Yasushi said directly: “As long as Mr. Chen thinks it’s fine, we can transact anytime.”
Chen Yang lightly tapped the desktop with his fingers, hesitated for a moment, then said: “Matsuda-kun, give me two days. I’ll arrange it, and the afternoon after tomorrow, I’ll notify you of the transaction location.”
Yamada Yasushi quickly agreed: “No problem. I’ll personally deliver the goods then. Thank you, Mr. Chen.”
Chen Yang waved his hand, suddenly asking: “Matsuda-kun, actually for this kind of thing, you could also find Tanaka.”
“I find it strange that you didn’t even invite him to the gathering.”
“Invite him? An Osaka merchant also wants to drink with us?” Matsuda Kazuo laughed exaggeratedly.
After a while, Matsuda Kazuo stopped laughing and said to Chen Yang: “Mr. Chen, having been at Kyushu University for so many years, surely you haven’t heard this saying.”
“In RB, there are two kinds of people you can’t trust: one is Osaka soldiers, the second is Osaka merchants.”
Officially starting the second round of recommendations. Nothing much to say, the author will work hard to write, and everyone please support with comments, monthly votes, etc.
