Nightfall came quickly.


    At the evening meeting, Deng Shiyang recounted the events of the strike he had witnessed earlier in the day.


    “It seems that whether in Angola or South Africa, black workers act the same way.” Du Preez remarked with a hint of disdain.


    “Yes,” Deng Shiyang replied. “As you predicted, the strike was indeed about money.”


    “If that’s the case, then it’s manageable.”


    “Should I just talk to them directly tomorrow?” Deng Shiyang asked.


    “No, that won’t work,” Du Preez rejected the idea outright.


    “In Europe countries, your approach might solve the issue immediately, but this is Africa,” he paused, continuing, “The blacks here never state their position directly. They go to great lengths to avoid revealing the true purpose of their strikes.”


    Deng Shiyang frowned. “Then what should I do?”


    “Black protests are well-organized. Usually, there are a few core members leading the group, and the rest cooperate with them,” Du Preez explained:“These core members are chosen as their representatives during labor negotiations.”


    “Can these people be bought?” Semler, who had been silent, suddenly interjected. “Or should I contact Jabba and have him apply pressure?”


    “Absolutely not. That chief will undoubtedly side with his own people. If he gets involved, your position will become even more difficult,” Du Preez interrupted: “Bribing them isn’t impossible, but it’s challenging. These representatives are chosen for their standing in the group. If they can’t satisfy their followers, they’ll lose their influence. Unless you’re willing to pay them enough to never worry about money again, it won’t work.”


    “Forget what I said.” Semler muttered, as if doused in cold water.


    Du Preez glanced at him before continuing to Deng Shiyang, “Here’s how negotiations with black workers usually go: they’ll start with a list of reasons to justify their refusal to work. This is their way of stalling. You should let them talk and appear to be listening. Once they’re done with their arguments, they’ll reluctantly suggest that ‘raising wages is the only solution,’ and that’s when the real negotiation begins.”


    “Understood,” Deng Shiyang said. “What should I keep in mind during these negotiations?”


    “There are a few key points,” Du Preez said, thinking for a moment. “First, limit the number of representatives. They like to use group dynamics to amplify their demands. If there are too many of them, they’ll overwhelm you and push for outrageous demands.”


    “Second, they’ll drag out the conversation, often spending hours on unrelated topics before addressing the actual issue. You can ignore their rambling, but you must appear attentive and not show impatience. If they feel disrespected, they’ll see it as an insult.”The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    “Finally, make sure they stick to the agreement. It’s best to have a witness, but not a white person, as that would seem unfair to them. To prevent them from claiming ‘misunderstandings’ or ‘confusion,’ document the discussion and create a meeting summary for both sides to sign at the end.”


    Taking note of these points, Deng Shiyang turned to Semler. “You’ll handle the meeting notes tomorrow.”


    “Understood.” Semler nodded.


    Deng Shiyang shifted his attention to the computer screen. “Anything else I should be aware of?”


    Du Preez scratched his head. “That’s about it. The rest depends on how things unfold during the meeting.”


    “Alright, that wraps up our discussion on the strike,” Deng Shiyang said, glancing at Semler.


    “I’ll head back to my room,” the German said, standing up to leave.


    Watching Semler exit, Deng Shiyang turned back to the screen. “Alright, any reports?”


    “Yes, I have two pieces of good news and one bad news,” Keith said. “First, our ship has reached the Indian Ocean. I had Mark inform the captain which port he was arrive, so it should arrive at Richards Bay in about a week. Also, the mortar team has been selected, and most of the items Jansen ordered have arrived. There are just a few pending, and I’ve told Du Preez to handle customs paperwork.”


    “Good.”


    “The bad news is that arranging entry permits for the black soldiers has hit a snag. The South African government is cracking down on illegal foreign labor and tightening entry restrictions. Bringing in a hundred foreign workers is difficult, so I’m considering other ways to get them onto the ship.”


    “That is an issue,” Deng Shiyang said. “What do you suggest?”


    “There’s an island called Europa in the Mozambique Channel, a French territory. It doesn’t have a port but has a one-mile runway suitable for DC-6 aircraft. It’s also in a disputed zone between France and Madagascar, so there are no permanent residents.” Keith explained: “My idea is to fly them to the island and use rubber boats to transfer them to the ship. I remember you mentioned the weapons from Indonesia would be transferred through Antananarivo Airport. We could send the weapons there and transport them with the men to the ship.”


    “Sounds promising, but isn’t it risky?”


    “Don’t worry. France doesn’t have a garrison on the island. The nearest base is 600 miles away in Mayotte, and Madagascar’s navy is tiny—only seven small patrol boats—barely enough to patrol their own waters. Europa Island is 170 miles from their coast.”


    “It sounds like a viable plan, but I want you to conduct a feasibility study first. Once confirmed, arrange for the cargo plane and buy the rubber boats. I’ll have the arms dealer handle the exit permits with the Malagasy government.”


    “Understood,” Keith nodded. “Also, the design for the launcher has been finalized,” he continued. “Remember, we moved the launch position to the tail to avoid the downwash from the rotors.”


    “OK.”


    At that moment, MSN Messenger displayed a file transfer notification. Deng Shiyang clicked “Accept.”


    When the transfer was complete, he opened the file to find a detailed black-and-white three-view diagram. The diagram, drawn with professional software, was far more refined than the sketch he had made earlier.


    “Jansen and I worked on this for two days,” Keith said. “The wide tail doors required adjustments to the dimensions of the movable support frame and the crossbars. I also made some changes. The ends of the support frame now have screw-in metal loops for securing the bars, and I replaced the iron rings on the sides of the launcher with hooks for quicker swapping. Other than that, everything else matches your original design.”


    Deng Shiyang examined the relevant parts on the diagram and said, “Let’s go with this.”


    “Alright.”


    They discussed the current work progress for a while longer before ending the call.