"There are many agents sent to the Gante region, and a considerable proportion of them are more dangerous and difficult than you. If you make a fortune at the border, and they are in peril within enemy territory, what does that make us?" Jiang Ye said.
"I understand. I will give a portion of the money to other agents outside the company," Yan Huan nodded. "Actually, I had this plan before, but I felt the money should be turned in, so I didn't mention it."
Jiang Ye turned to look at the other two agents.
Jia Tianrui and Dubois also repeatedly assured him that they would share the money earned with other agents, stating that as comrades, they would share the spoils.
"At the agent school, a new batch of graduates will be graduating soon," Jiang Ye said. "Are you short on personnel?"
"Actually, it's fine. We're not short at the moment. If we are, I'll report it immediately," Yan Huan said.
Jia Tianrui and Dubois also shook their heads, indicating they were not short of people.
Jiang Ye chuckled.
Previously, whenever he asked if they were short on personnel, agents from all teams would clamor for more people, as having more staff made their work easier.
Now, however, they were all not short, clearly fearing that too many people would dilute their earnings.
Jiang Ye did not point this out, pretending to be oblivious, and continued, "What are your plans for the next phase of work?"
"The situation in the Gante region has many local magnates," Yan Huan said. "For example, clan leaders are very common in rural areas. These clans are usually extremely united and can mobilize men, women, and children to fight another clan for territory. If someone is killed in the morning and carried home wrapped in white cloth, they will be back in the fight in the afternoon. There are also large conglomerates and high-ranking officials in urban areas who have similar influence and can control many districts."
Jiang Ye narrowed his eyes, seemingly understanding something.
"These local magnates are also in a state of anxiety and hesitation," Yan Huan said. "They don't know which side to support, the Gante army or the Jiang Ye army, because they don't know which side can guarantee their interests. If they side with the Gante army, and war breaks out, the Jiang Ye army might come and sweep them all away. If they side with the Jiang Ye army, they don't understand our stance."
"So I think, can we win over these local magnates?" Yan Huan said. "Currently, the smugglers are still individuals or families. Many people actually want to escape, but they are deterred by the magnate forces and dare not. For example, if someone from a clan tries to escape, the clan leader can order their capture and execution through private torture. But if we can get the magnates to defect, we can absorb Gante people on a large scale, and perhaps tens of thousands of people will surrender and flee every day."
"It's a viable approach," Jiang Ye nodded. "Do you have a specific plan to win over these magnates?"
"We are just a smuggling company, so our promises cannot move these magnates. Whatever we say can easily be seen as deception," Yan Huan said. "Only the Jiang Ye army can announce something and make promises to make these magnates believe."
"What kind of 'something'?" Jiang Ye asked.
"For example, ensuring their safety and that of their families, and allowing them to continue to be local magnates after the war," Yan Huan said. "These people often have businesses passed down for over five generations, and they value their family businesses, wealth, reputation, and land. Only by guaranteeing they can continue to possess these things can they surrender and defect."
Jiang Ye pondered.
Yan Huan blinked and hesitated before speaking, "Actually, we can just promise them first and trick them over. After the war, there will be plenty of ways to get rid of them."
"You mean to discard the tools after the job is done?" Jiang Ye smiled. "Lure the magnates to defect to us, and after the war, take away their assets and kill them?"
Yan Huan nodded, "We can discard the tools after the job is done, or tame wolves to become dogs."
Jiang Ye looked at Yan Huan deeply.
Although this female agent was beautiful and charming, her methods were indeed ruthless, and her thoughts were dark and deep.
"This is a difficult issue," Jiang Ye said. "Some local magnates are heinous criminals. If we promise to let them continue to be local emperors, then we are playing the role of villains on Wheeler, acting as accomplices. Some local magnates might play a positive role in the local area, and killing them would be pointless. Instead, it might usher in an even worse magnate in the future."
"Actually, most local magnates are bad, some are generally bad, and some are particularly bad," Jia Tianrui interjected.
"What about decapitation strikes?" Dubois asked. "Since the magnates are obstacles now, let's blow them up."
"The effect is unknown," Jiang Ye shook his head. "Those who become magnates have invisible local organizations. Such organizations have been around for generations, with tight relationships. If the leader dies, someone will immediately inherit. The successor, to protect themselves, might resist us even more fiercely."
"The commander is right. According to our current observations, the magnates in the tropical regions of Wheeler are generally of average ability. Their prestige is propped up by the rules behind them," Yan Huan nodded in agreement. "Decapitation strikes are likely to be ineffective. The local snakes are not one, but a nest of snakes spread across the mountains."
"We have several small branches of smuggling companies that have been paying the local snakes," Jia Tianrui suddenly said.
"Oh?" Jiang Ye looked at him.
"When we first started the smuggling business, we hired a garbage truck to transport people from the city to the outskirts. Halfway there, someone stopped us with a gun and shot out the rearview mirror. The next day, someone came to collect money, saying they were from a certain financial company and that some of our passengers were their employees. If we didn't compensate them for the losses, they would report us to the military, saying we were Jiang Ye army spies and that they would mobilize troops to kill us all," Jia Tianrui said.
"We also pay there," Dubois said. "For every smuggler we help escape, we have to pay the corresponding clan five thousand yuan. If we don't pay, the clan's militia will attack directly. As a demonstration, our employee who was out soliciting clients was stabbed twice by clan soldiers."
"And then you continued to pay the clans?" Jiang Ye asked.
"No. They stabbed our person, so we couldn't give them the money," Dubois shook his head. "We reached an agreement with Battalion Commander Qunonas of the local city defense forces. The city defense forces provide us with protection, and we give the city defense forces three thousand five for each smuggler. If the clan militia attacks, the city defense forces will eliminate them. As a demonstration, during a city defense force exercise, a rocket launcher accidentally hit a clan ancestral hall."
Jiang Ye felt a headache. These complex power struggles were indeed troublesome.
"A difficult problem, a difficult problem," Jiang Ye sighed. "How about this, I'll send a group of people first to investigate the past crimes of the local magnates as a reference. We'll decide on a strategy based on the situation."
"Our people have been investigating, and we've already found a lot," Yan Huan said.
Jiang Ye waved his hand, "I'll send more professional people. You just need to provide the list. These reinforcements will be independent and will not take away your profits."