Chapter 1910 - 1412: Hidden Tricks in the Inventory Procedures (Part 2)

Every time Song Heping's reaction was the same.

Accept the reassessment, deduct the difference, and move on to the next item.

During the lunch break, Johnson found Song Heping.

"Mr. Song, do you have time for a chat?"

The two of them walked to a shaded area outside the warehouse.

Johnson took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his bald head.

"About this morning's inventory... there's something I want to privately remind you." Johnson's voice was very low: "According to standard procedures, the transfer of materials requires seven reviews. But in actual practice, each review comes with a certain 'handling fee.' It's usually one to three percent of the total value."

"Our contract's total value is about eight hundred million dollars." Song Heping calculated: "One percent is eight million, three percent is twenty-four million dollars."

"Seven reviews, one and a half percent each, totals eight million four hundred thousand." Johnson corrected: "Of course, considering this is a government-to-government agreement, a discount is possible. Fifty thousand dollars, and I guarantee all reviews are completed within three days."

Jiang Feng happened to pass by and overheard, his face changed immediately: "FUCK! This is extortion!"

Johnson adjusted his glasses, his expression unchanged: "This is the standard process. If you don't follow this process, the review could take three months or even longer. Besides... during the lengthy review process, there could be more 'inventory discrepancies,' 'registration errors,' 'accidental losses.'

Song Heping held Jiang Feng's shoulder, and said to Johnson: "Account."

Johnson smiled and handed over a note: "Swiss Bank, the funds should arrive by today. The other half will be paid after all goods arrive in Mosul."

"How do I know you will keep your word?"

"Because my career is built on these transactions, we have professional ethics." Johnson said very seriously: "I've handled twenty-seven large material transfers, with a total value exceeding four billion dollars. If I didn't keep my word, I would've been taken out long ago. In this system, credibility is more important than contracts."

After he left, Jiang Feng almost exploded: "Fifty thousand! Just for them to do their job!"

"Calm down." Song Heping looked at the account information on the note, soothing Jiang Feng: "This fifty thousand might save us five million in losses, more importantly, it will save time. Every extra day we delay in Baghdad, the risk doubles. The transport could be attacked, the warehouse could be robbed, the political climate could change..."

"But this is too—"

"This is how the world operates, Jiang Feng." Song Heping interrupted him: "In Africa, we give kickbacks to warlords; in Eastern Europe, we bribe customs officials; in the Middle East, we smooth over tribal elders. Now we face a more enormous, precise, and hypocritical system, but the essence is no different. Pay, or pay a bigger price."

Jiang Feng looked at his boss, suddenly finding him somewhat unfamiliar.

The former Song Heping, though involved in some gray dealings, always maintained a certain bottom line.

But now, he seemed to be adapting to a darker set of rules.

"Go prepare the money." Song Heping handed him the note: "Also, check on Johnson's background. A Ministry of Defense auditor who dares to demand bribes so openly must have someone backing him."

The afternoon inventory moved into the heavy equipment area.

When the massive hangar doors slowly opened, even the experienced Song Heping found his breath catching.

Eighty-four M1126 Stryker Armored Vehicles were neatly lined up, each worth nearly two million dollars, with desert camouflage on the vehicle bodies appearing matte under the lights.

Further away were one hundred twenty-seven M-ATV mine-resistant vehicles, designed with V-shaped hulls specifically to counter roadside bomb threats in Illiguo and Afghan.

The total value of these vehicles exceeded five hundred million dollars.

"The average mileage is below five hundred miles."

The accompanying US Army technical officer was a Lieutenant named Thompson, looking to be under thirty.

"Most were newly listed in 2016, after the troops rotated back home, the cost of shipping most of the equipment back was too high, so they were left here in storage."

Song Heping approached a Stryker, lifting the dust cover.

The remote weapon station on the roof, explosive reactive armor on the sides, and infrared suppression system on the body were all fully equipped.

He opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat.

The dashboard displayed a total mileage of 387 miles.

"Factory tests over a hundred miles, transported to Illiguo over two hundred miles, then parked here." Lieutenant Thompson's tone had a faint, imperceptible regret, mixed with a certain irony: "Taxpayers' money."

"Maintenance status?"

"Started once a week, basic maintenance each month. Battery and tires replaced regularly. In theory, fill it up with fuel and it can be driven away." Thompson paused, lowering his voice: "But some vehicles' key components... might have been replaced."

Song Heping looked at him: "What do you mean?"

Thompson glanced around, confirming no other US Army soldiers were nearby: "The fire control system of the remote weapon station, the encryption module of the onboard communications, the sensors of the active protection system... these high-value components are sometimes removed and replaced with older models or training parts. Warehouse records won't show, only during actual operation will it be discovered."

"Who did it?"

Thompson smiled bitterly: "Who knows? Contractors, warehouse managers, the soldiers in charge of maintenance, it could even be senior officers. These components are very valuable on the black market, a complete Javelin missile launch unit can sell for a hundred fifty thousand dollars. Remove ten, that's a million five hundred thousand, enough for some people to retire early."

Song Heping got off the vehicle, surveying the entire hangar.