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Chapter 736: Chapter 639 Unchanged Word (Seeking Subscription!)_1
About this ’liability waiver’ plan....
Everyone present seemed to think it was pretty standard.
After all, how could they be responsible for any future accidents?
After asking this question...
That journalist didn’t ask any more.
Their main purpose today wasn’t the ’mine-clearing vehicle’, but to see this ’legendary’ figure Ling. They need to know, before that, a photo of Ling in the black market was priced at millions of dollars.
Only because the people Ling’s fruit wine had offended were too rich.
All the assassin organizations and big shots in the industry wanted to know what Ling looked like. This ’bounty’ is still hanging, because Ling not only kills people but also destroys their future.
Everyone was gnashing their teeth with hatred.
As a result, they offered good money to various intelligence organizations. If Ling can’t be killed, burning a photo for the former boss could be considered revenge. Though ridiculous, it’s better to live longer... by being a bit more cowardly.
Unfortunately...
Ling keeps a low profile and rarely appears in public. Their territory has strict access restrictions, so no one could get Ling’s photo without a pass. Cameras were not allowed to be brought in casually.
Today, compared to the ’mine-clearing vehicle’, being able to see Ling and get his photo would quench their long-held curiosity even if they couldn’t get any cash for it now. That was enough.
So, the journalists didn’t have many probing questions.
Thus...
After a few more minor questions from other journalists...
The press conference drew to a close. Although it ended, the journalists’ work was far from over as they had been invited to do a series of reports and tours in the Myanmar Economic Zone.
They even had a chance to visit the fruit wine factory.
This was the big news for them.
Mine-clearing?
You can negotiate with various countries at your leisure.
Fruit wine is currently the main headline and generates the most attention.
This was Tang Qing’s plan, to ’buy’ them over with interesting information, gain more exposure and attention, and enhance the image of the Myanmar Economic Zone.
Even the relevant documentary filming has been put on the schedule.
...
After the excited journalists departed...
Ling also left.
The representatives from various countries were invited by a fighter to a conference room in the service center nearby.
A long oval conference table...
The fighter took the main seat.
No one under him spoke, waiting for the fighter to do so. Until now, the fighter hadn’t explained the specific content of the services. What was said just now was superficial.
Once everyone was seated...
The formal cooperation negotiation began.
The fighter’s voice rang out, "Once again, welcome to the beautiful Xin’an Town. I know you all have at least three questions so let me explain briefly.
First, the authenticity of our mine-clearing vehicle. I can assure you, the video is not faked. You may verify with Yangon if you wish. What I want to say is, based on the authenticity, all our introductions can be trusted.
Second, regarding the price of a hundred dollars, it will not change. You may have learned from elsewhere that we agree to use resources as a payment method.
However, there are restrictions. After all, resources have weak liquidity and transportation is troublesome, the cost is high, and many variables in price.
If natural resources are used, we only accept gold, silver, iron, copper... among the thirteen types of metal minerals, as well as corn, soybeans, wheat... among the six kinds of agricultural products. Specific prices depend on the situation, at least ensuring the cost of delivering them to us won’t exceed the price of mine removal service.
Third, regarding the quantity of our mine-clearing equipment, due to technical reasons and the market application is not widespread, we only have twenty units. The average efficiency of mine clearance per hour is about two hundred.
In a densely packed open area, it can reach between three hundred to three hundred and fifty. The quantity of equipment cannot be increased in the short term. The service method is in order of order. For fairness, each of you can choose between one to three units. The base service fee for each unit is five hundred thousand dollars, which will not be refunded and must be paid in dollars.
Do you have any other questions?"
These three questions...
Basically answered most of the doubts of the people present.
Overall they were quite satisfied. They might not have money, but they did have items. A hundred dollars, they really wanted to bargain, but that’s only if there were alternative products. For monopoly products...
The right to bargain?
Doesn’t exist.
That is the sacred right held in the hands of the product’s master.
How they wished someone could say they also developed the same thing. Unfortunately, things happened too fast. Even if someone wanted to muddy the waters, they didn’t have time to do so. Plus, the twenty units of equipment made them very nervous.
In the video, that kind of situation was due to the mines being densely packed and in the plains to achieve that clearance speed. In areas with complex terrain, a hundred would be barely enough.
Twenty units in total...
So, working for an average of ten hours a day, that would be about forty thousand mines cleared per day.
Even if they worked in shifts, deducting the time for maintenance and transport, assuming eighty thousand per day, these twenty units would clear two million four hundred thousand mines per month and nearly thirty million a year.
What does this imply?
Just in a span of two to three years.
All landmines across global non-war zones will be cleared.
This answer shockingly startled those who had been racking their brains, although they once predicted it, the result is still astonishing. This is the problem that has been troubling their countries for decades and it seems to have lost its threat all of a sudden.
The total production, however, is a bit ’touching’.
Twenty sets.
The number of countries present here exceeds this figure.
"Hello, aren’t these twenty sets too few? There are more than twenty of us here." A representative raised his hand and spoke. The others echoed his sentiments. Even if each country was allocated one set, it would still not be enough to go around.
"I’m sorry, we cannot currently increase the total supply of equipment. Therefore, we can only apologize to the countries that were not serviced in the first batch. You will have to wait in line." The soldier said.
Against such a statement.
What could the rest of them say?
The intention was to incite competition among them rather than to please all. It was impossible to satisfy everyone and they understood this too. After all, it is business and scarcity marketing is inevitable.
"We want three sets." The representative from Egypt raised his hand. Their country has the most landmines in the world. To him, three sets felt insufficient. Thirty sets would have sufficed, capable of clearing the mines within a year, but that was clearly wishful thinking.
"We want three sets too." The representative from Cambodia raised his hand immediately. A few days ago, after ending a call with Lang Cai, they were sent here to take the lead, hoping to get an early understanding of the orders. Unfortunately, things were done strictly according to plan here.
However, the provision of free accommodation slightly improved their mood.
With the two countries most plagued by landmines taking the lead, representatives from other affected countries also grew anxious. Damn it, if they didn’t speak up soon, they would miss out. Had they traveled all this way for nothing?
Iran.
Mozambique.
Kuwait.
They all followed suit.
As a result.
Fifteen sets were quickly taken.
The remaining five were chosen by Afghanistan, Bosnia, Angola, and Laos.
Laos took two sets, while the other four countries each took one set. Huaxia had also sent representatives over, but did not place an order because the main concern in Huaxia was the landmines concentrated in the border mountainous area where transportation was not convenient, thus mine-clearing vehicles could not be shipped there.
Only handheld efficient mine-clearing equipment could be of use. Large vehicles were out of the question.
As for the other countries, they were slightly disappointed, but there was nothing they could do as the basic service fee was not low. They had never heard of it before. Moreover, their needs were not as urgent as those of the countries mentioned, so they were only slightly disappointed.
Anyway, they could wait for the second batch to handle their landmines.
Waiting for a year or two wasn’t a big deal. In the meantime, they could observe the effects of the mine-clearing vehicle. Let the early adopters be the guinea pigs, they thought. That was how they persuaded themselves while preparing to use this reasoning to convince their own big shots.
Two hours later.
All those present who had intentions signed the letter of intent.
"Thank you for your trust. As soon as the basic service fee is credited, we will immediately arrange for the ’mine-clearing vehicles’ to be shipped. They should arrive in your respective countries and start working within a week at the latest. We hope to receive your cooperation in the future." The soldier seriously stated.
Those who signed the contract were left with wry smiles on their faces.
The reason it took two hours to complete the contract?
It was because many details needed to be discussed and finalized.
Details like the safeguarding of equipment, personnel accommodation, coordination personnel, additional costs of terrain, payment methods, and more were meticulously agreed upon. After all, without cooperation from their side, the work could not proceed or will be delayed. This was something efficiency-focused Tang Qing would not tolerate.
Therefore.
Strict limitations were set out in the terms.
Unless it was force majeure, there should be no human-generated delays or procrastination. If there was intentional delay, there would be additional idle worker fees. Moreover, various terrain conditions would impact the costs.
If the arrangements were poor and the vehicles spent all day driving, they wouldn’t allow it.
Therefore, the order and timing of the entire mine clearance task were determined by the Myanmar Military Service Company. Once the plans were set, unless it was absolutely impossible for the cooperating individuals, it was obligatory to complete them.
With these detailed terms in place.
They could guarantee a certain speed of mine clearance.
Although they understood that these terms were necessary, they felt a cold sweat trickle down their back. They were frightened by the negotiating skills of the soldier in the heated debates. The soldier’s terms were so reasonable and justified that they were left speechless.
The terms proposed by the soldier.
Despite the 20 plus people placing orders arguing collectively, they were dumbstruck by the soldier’s rational counterarguments. In the end, the terms proposed by the soldier became the final plan without a single word changed.
It seemed...
Like they all had been played. Despite their effort, they didn’t make any progress. They were all experts in this field but felt their abilities doubted after this blow by the soldier.
They didn’t want to negotiate with this guy any longer.
"It’s getting late. I have arranged lunch, please move to the adjacent reception hotel. Thank you for your time." The soldier smiled and said.
With that.
The soldier led the way.
The representatives hurriedly followed.
