136: 13r and buying equipment

The rental room was freezing, but Cheng Beixiao couldn't bring himself to turn on the heater.

Remember the original site domain.

He stared at the recruitment website, his finger hovering over the mouse for a long time before he finally closed the page.

An English major who graduated six months ago, he had sent out over a hundred resumes, and without exception, they had all vanished into the void.

These days, what company doesn't require TEM-6 or TEM-8 for English majors? Or fluent spoken English for business negotiations?

For pure English majors, graduation is synonymous with unemployment.

His rent was due in three days, and there was less than two thousand yuan left in his bank account.

He sent out one last batch of resumes, tossed his phone onto the table, and buried his face in his palms.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar landline number.

Cheng Beixiao answered, his voice a bit raspy. "Hello?"

"Is this Mr. Cheng Beixiao? This is the Beijing branch of Kaisheng Law Firm from Hong Kong. We have been commissioned to invite you to an interview at our office tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM."

Cheng Beixiao was stunned.

He didn't recall applying to any law firms.

He wanted to ask for clarification, but the person on the other end had already given the address and hung up.

Cheng Beixiao looked at his phone screen, feeling suspicious.

A scammer? But the address was in the heart of Beijing's CBD, at the China World Trade Center—a top-tier office building housing international law firms. They wouldn't bother scamming a graduate with only two thousand yuan to his name.

"I don't have any other interviews anyway. I might as well go and see."

The next morning, Cheng Beixiao stood at the base of China World Trade Center Tower 3, clutching his printed resume.

Glass curtain walls pierced the sky, and people in suits hurried past. His faded shirt and canvas shoes felt completely out of place here.

He steeled himself and walked into the law firm. The receptionist smiled as she checked his ID, then immediately dialed an internal extension. Without asking any extra questions, she led him straight to a conference room.

Cheng Beixiao grew even more nervous.

He had expected a group interview, or at least a bit of a wait.

But when the door opened, three interviewers were already seated. His files were laid out before them—they had even prepared his resume for him, along with clearly organized records of his internship projects, work experience in Southeast Asia, and a clean criminal record.

The lead interviewer was a partner at the firm, dressed in a sharp suit. He got straight to the point without any small talk.

"Mr. Cheng Beixiao, first question: can you accept frequent business travel across the country or even globally at a moment's notice?"

Cheng Beixiao blinked, then nodded immediately. "Yes, I can leave at any time."

"The records show that during your internship, you handled the full-process auditing for foreign trade export orders?"

"Yes." Cheng Beixiao sat up straight. "I interned at an import-export company for six months. I was involved in the entire process, from order verification and customs documentation to foreign exchange settlement."

"You have experience working abroad, are fluent in spoken English, and can handle full English business communications?"

"Yes. I worked in Southeast Asia for a year. Daily business negotiations and document translation are no problem for me."

The three interviewers exchanged looks and nodded.

The lead interviewer pushed an employment contract and a pen toward him.

"Mr. Cheng, we have verified all your background information, and you meet the client's requirements. This is a three-year contract, with six insurances and two housing funds paid at the maximum standard. You can sign now."

Cheng Beixiao was completely bewildered.

Less than five minutes, three questions, and he was signing a contract already?

He looked at the 'Party A' on the contract. It wasn't Kaisheng Law Firm; it was DYB Technology Co., Ltd.

But that wasn't the point. The point was the 'six insurances and two funds' written below!

Cheng Beixiao instinctively asked, "Excuse me, is there a mistake in this contract? Why are there six insurances and two funds, and why is it a three-year term right away?"

The lead interviewer shook his head, his tone calm. "There is no mistake. This is how your employer commissioned it. We were a bit surprised ourselves at first."

"Additionally, I have a few things to explain to you."

"First, your employer is DYB Technology Co., Ltd. The parent company is registered in America. All subsequent work arrangements will be issued directly by the client."

DYB Tech.

Cheng Beixiao frowned. He felt like he had heard the name somewhere before, but no matter how hard he searched his brain, he couldn't remember where.

The interviewer didn't give him much time to think and pushed a brand-new laptop toward him.

"This is your issued work equipment. It comes pre-installed with Microsoft Teams for international meetings and file transfers, as well as the Hesi Expense Control System for travel reimbursement and expense approval."

"All software has been registered and activated with your information. You can log in directly."

Next, a brand-new custom smartphone was placed in front of him.

"This is your dedicated work phone. It uses fingerprint unlocking and has a built-in proprietary internal office system. All travel applications and expense requests can be submitted for approval through it."

Cheng Beixiao picked up the phone. After unlocking it, he found it as clean as a new device. Aside from the system apps, there was only one minimalist internal office app icon; there wasn't even an app store.

Looking at the laptop, the phone, and the contract, he finally couldn't help but speak up, his tone a bit embarrassed. "Um... excuse me, can I apply for a travel advance? I... don't have much money for traveling right now."

He was actually still afraid of being scammed.

Asking for money was the best way to tell if it was real or fake.

The lead interviewer smiled and pointed at the phone in his hand. "Open the internal office app. There's a channel for advance requests. For amounts under ten thousand, approval is real-time, and funds arrive in seconds."

"All subsequent travel, hotel, and transportation costs can be paid via corporate payment. You won't need to advance any personal funds."

Cheng Beixiao tapped the app and indeed saw the advance request portal. He tried entering five thousand yuan and clicked submit.

Two seconds later, his mobile banking app popped up with a notification.

Not a cent more, not a cent less—exactly five thousand yuan!

The note read: DYB Tech Travel Advance.

Cheng Beixiao's hands began to tremble.

The interviewer stood up and gathered the documents on the table. "Your task requirements are in the encrypted files on the computer. You have a flight to Shanghai at 2:00 PM today. You can go back and pack your bags now; be ready to depart at any time."

"Remember, the work phone must be on 24 hours a day. Do not turn it off. Check for task information at all times, stay on standby, and be ready to move."

The group turned to leave.

Cheng Beixiao snapped out of it and quickly called out to them, "Wait! I haven't asked yet—what's my monthly salary?"

The lead interviewer paused, looked back at him, and spoke in a tone as flat as if he were mentioning something trivial. "The monthly salary is ten thousand US dollars, which is roughly seventy thousand RMB. It's paid on the 5th of every month. Meal, transport, and overseas allowances are calculated separately and are not included in the base salary."

Ten thousand USD? Seventy thousand RMB?

Cheng Beixiao's head buzzed, his mind going completely blank.

"Why me?" Cheng Beixiao blurted out his question.

The interviewer smiled. "You might not believe it, but it's because you were the first to arrive. Digging deep into fantasy novel masterpieces, this is your treasure trove for finding books. Our employer stated that what he lacks most is time."

Before Cheng Beixiao could recover, his phone vibrated again.

Another bank notification popped up: [Your salary has been deposited: 74,353 yuan]

The note read: DYB Tech Prepaid First Month Salary.

Cheng Beixiao stared at the numbers in the text, repeatedly counting the zeros before the decimal point to make sure he hadn't misread it.

Over seventy thousand!

When he was looking for jobs before, people complained he had no experience for a six-thousand-yuan salary. Now, he had a seventy-thousand-yuan salary, and it was already in his card.

What kind of god-tier company was this?

"Could it be a pyramid scheme?"

But the money was physically in his bank account, the contract was a formal labor agreement, the law firm was a top international one, the office equipment was all brand new, and even the advance was approved in seconds.

"Damn it, even if it is a pyramid scheme, there's no logic in giving the victim over seventy thousand yuan first!"

Cheng Beixiao gripped the phone, the laptop, and the contract, and gritted his teeth.

"I don't care what kind of company it is."

"Even if it's a pyramid scheme, I'll take it. I'll do the work first and see."

...

At 2:00 PM, Cheng Beixiao sat on the plane to Shanghai, looking at the clouds outside the window, his head still spinning.

He opened the encrypted document on the laptop. Inside was his core work: supply chain follow-up for national suppliers, quality control, logistics coordination, and full-process tracking of export customs, reporting directly to the project manager.

The document included a list of all suppliers, contact information, order requirements, and detailed follow-up standards.

He searched the entire document but couldn't find who his direct supervisor was or who his colleagues were.

The sole communication channel was the Teams software on the computer. There was only one administrator account with a real name; all work instructions would only come from this account.

What Cheng Beixiao didn't know was that for the next few years, he would rely entirely on these two pieces of software to coordinate his work. He would never meet his boss or colleagues, and even the suppliers he dealt with were only contacted online.

He knew even less that these seemingly ordinary industrial cutting equipment parts he was about to verify would, in another world, be assembled into Multi-meltas capable of melting through tank armor, sparking a war that would annihilate a steel torrent.

The plane pierced through the clouds and landed at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport.

Cheng Beixiao gripped his work phone, looked at the first task instruction that had just popped up on the screen, took a deep breath, and walked into the crowd with his suitcase.

...

While Cheng Beixiao's supply chain work was officially starting, Fu Haoran, far across the ocean, had already prepared a second trump card for this armored showdown.

Fu Haoran didn't like putting all his eggs in one basket.

Following an introduction from a "friend" at the CIA, Fu Haoran arrived at the largest aircraft boneyard in America—Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

As one of the base's managers, Olov would sell off the aircraft within the boneyard.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it was a boneyard; many planes could fly again with a little repair. Many small countries loved to come here to scavenge.

"Fu, my friend," Olov greeted him warmly. "I know you're here for the heavy hitters. Tell me, what do you want?"

Olov wasn't surprised by Fu Haoran's arrival.

After all, Fu Haoran's name had already spread through the circles.

Everyone knew that Fu Haoran held a high rank but was a total "pauper."

The military budget from Congress was cut short, not even reaching half of the Marines' minimum standard. What was worse, they only gave money and no equipment; he had to find ways to scavenge for everything he needed.

Now that Fu Haoran was here, Olov didn't need to think twice to know he was here to buy equipment.

Fu Haoran got straight to the point: "I want to buy an A-10 Warthog Attack Aircraft."

"Wow, a wise choice. Although it's an old-timer, it's the Army's favorite," Olov praised.

Olov wasn't surprised that Fu Haoran, being in the Army, wanted to buy a plane.

After all, it was one of the few planes the Army actually used.

You heard right—the Army does have planes.

"Wait for me here. I'll drive you over to see your treasure."

Looking at the warplanes on display nearby, Fu Haoran's eyes immediately landed on one of the A-10 attack aircraft.

This kind of attack aircraft couldn't be called handsome—it was even a bit outdated—but Fu Haoran knew very well that the A-10, despite nearly 40 years of service, was still a "sharp blade."

It was a classic warplane that the Army adored and the Air Force despised, yet couldn't retire even if they wanted to.

Unlike planes that fly at high altitudes and rely on radar stealth or high speed to evade attacks, the A-10 flies at low altitudes and low speeds, destined to face lethal anti-aircraft fire. Thus, a sturdy airframe is indispensable.

Even if it loses an engine, half a tail fin, an elevator, or even has half a wing blown off, the A-10 can still manage to fly.

Fu Haoran felt it was simply perfect for his current needs!

The pilot is protected by a titanium alloy armor "bathtub" weighing about 540 kilograms and ranging from 13 to 38 millimeters in thickness, which can withstand hits from 23mm rounds and below.

The shape of the armor cockpit was calculated to maximize ballistic performance, and the interior is lined with multiple layers of nylon fabric. Even if the armor is pierced, it protects the pilot from being harmed by spall fragments.

Of course, this thing's most famous nickname is the 'Tank-killing Masterpiece.'

That's right, the A-10 attack aircraft was designed specifically to deal with steel torrents.

However, the reason the A-10 was unpopular with the Air Force was simple: it could only do ground-pounding and nothing else. And how could the 'first-classers' be happy keeping a bunch of planes specifically built for the 'third-classers'?

As Fu Haoran was thinking about taking the A-10 back for the next step of his plan, Olov drove up with a tow truck, pulling an A-10 behind it.

It was an A-10, there was no doubt about that.

But Fu Haoran immediately noticed a critical issue: "Where is the autocannon?"

"Oh, my friend, there's been a slight problem," Olov said awkwardly. "The Department of Defense gave special instructions forbidding the direct sale of weapons to you. But don't worry, there's always a way..."

Fu Haoran had no interest in listening to Olov's consolations.

He knew what was going on; he knew the lords in Congress were guarding against him.

Fu Haoran smiled. He hadn't wanted the GAU-8 Autocannon anyway.

Using that thing against a leman russ's composite armor?

It wouldn't be any different from scratching an itch.

"No problem," Fu Haoran said calmly. "But the price of the weapon must be deducted."

Olov blinked, clearly not expecting Fu Haoran to be so agreeable.

As expected, this 'fifth-class' Major General, as he was jokingly called in the circles, was as eccentric as the rumors suggested.

"Fu, you really are a straightforward man." Olov immediately smiled. "Two million dollars. Within a week, the airframe will be delivered to your private airport in Texas."

"Deal."