## Chapter 18: Origin
With Lane handling the arrangements, Tang Song rented a three-story office building and put up a sign for a metal smelting import and export company called "Tang".
Everything was completed within three days. The office location had previously been used by several small companies. Whether they went bankrupt or for some other reason, they were gone now. Taking advantage of the owner's urgency to find new tenants, Lane rented it for three years at 12% below market price.
The Guns N' Roses Bar was undergoing redecoration due to the gunfight that night.
Tang Song was quite satisfied with this office space; at least it looked somewhat presentable.
A Chinese-style office occupied most of the floor. The walls were adorned with several landscape ink paintings with pines and bamboo.
The bookshelves were filled with vases, Ruyi ornaments, and several ancient books that looked quite old.
At a mahogany table, Tang Song, dressed in a Tang suit, was brewing tea with a Zisha tea set.
On the nearby leather sofa, Skye was wearing a loose black paolou shirt, revealing a pair of long, beautiful legs, and curling up her fair, tender feet while concentrating on playing a game on her mobile phone.
Tang Song held the teapot steadily, brewing the emerald green tea.
After three infusions, Tang Song picked up a Zisha tea cup and poured a cup of yellowish-green tea for Kane, who sat across from him.
"Kane, this is Da Hong Pao tea I had someone buy from my hometown. It costs two thousand US dollars per liang. Give it a taste."
"Two thousand US dollars!" Kane picked up the tea in front of him, drank it in one gulp, and smacked his lips, saying, "Boss, I don't think it's as good as German beer."
Tang Song shook his head with a chuckle and poured him another cup.
After drinking half a pot of tea, Tang Song brought up the main topic.
"How was the harvest from your trip to Russia?"
"It was huge, Boss. Those people were too bold. The equipment in several warehouses was enough to equip two divisions. Among them, there were over eighty tanks alone, plus some short-range SS-21 missiles and more than twenty Black Shark attack helicopters!"
Kane spoke of the secret arms warehouses they found in Russia. Even though more than half a month had passed, Kane still couldn't hide his shock when mentioning them.
As a former soldier, he found it hard to imagine that a country's high-level officials could be corrupt to this extent. This was equipment for organized military units, openly taken away and sold off just like that.
"Even more absurd things happened when the Soviet Union collapsed," Tang Song sighed, a hint of mockery appearing on his face. "In the Underworld now, there are at least eight nuclear bombs that flowed out during the collapse of the Soviet Union. They dared to sell nuclear bombs, let alone some firearms."
"Right, regarding these firearms, do you have any suggestions?"
Kane's tone was somewhat hesitant. "Boss, I think with these firearms in hand, we can establish a security company! Boss, you know, we are professionals."
"A security company, like Blackwater?"
Tang Song tapped his finger lightly on the table, considering the pros and cons.
He naturally understood what Kane meant.
In the Federation, security companies weren't just for guarding homes and businesses; they were military forces that could genuinely intervene in wars.
Take Blackwater, for example. It's a private military and security consulting company, born from the Federal Military-Industrial Complex, with the Black Bear Paw (logo) as its symbol.
Blackwater became one of the world's three major private security companies because it could directly cooperate with the Federal Department of Defense.
In the Federation's two Middle East operations, Blackwater's active presence could be seen.
Blackwater's president once boasted during the Federation's failed Afghanistan operation that if the Federal Government gave him one hundred billion US dollars, he could return a complete Afghanistan to the Federation. The reason he dared to make such a bold claim was that, if necessary, Blackwater could directly field a military force equivalent to an army, and most of them were elite Special Operatives from various countries.
"I'll think about establishing a security company first," Tang Song rubbed the black jade thumb ring on his thumb, not making a decision immediately.
Establishing a security company required a significant amount of funds and manpower. The most crucial issue was securing orders later on.
Blackwater's rapid expansion was supported by military orders.
Tang Song could scrape together the money, but manpower was the key issue. Currently, he had taken over most of The Hand's business in New York.
Even with some recent recruitment, he only had three to four hundred usable people at most.
After accounting for those guarding the venues, handling the daily business of the Cleaners, and the arms trade, there simply wasn't enough manpower.
"Kane, let's postpone the security company matter for now. We don't have enough manpower. The Hand had several large underground casinos in Brooklyn. They are our venues now. Take your men and go stabilize things there for a couple of days."
"Understood, Boss."
Although there was a hint of disappointment in Kane's tone, he acted decisively.
After briefly reporting on the situation in Russia to Tang Song, he left the office and immediately took his men to the casino.
...
In the office, after seeing Kane off, Tang Song picked up the Dao De Jing beside him and began reading.
The yellowed pages and mottled ink were said to be from a Tang Dynasty manuscript copy (unique).
At this moment, Skye, who was getting a bit tired of playing games on the sofa, looked up at the focused Tang Song. Her eyes darted around, and she put down her mobile phone.
She walked to the pantry nearby and soon returned with two cups of coffee, placing them in front of Tang Song. She leaned her head in to look at the book in Tang Song's hand.
Tang Song put an arm around her, and soon the two were cuddling together.
After a long while...
Skye asked curiously about Kane.
She had only recently joined Tang Song's small circle and didn't know much about the Kane and Ryan brothers.
As for Frank, because of the medal from before, she had managed to find some information about him online.
Tang Song gently stroked her small hand and said with a smile, "It's normal that you couldn't find information about them. Kane and Lane were both members of a certain secret special forces unit in Germany. This special unit, which didn't exist within the official structure, was focused on unconventional warfare. Later, due to some political factors, this special unit was disbanded. Kane and Lane, along with some remaining members, snuck into New York to make a living."
Tang Song's hand slid up Skye's arm, soon stroking her hair and gently pressing down.
With a slightly intoxicated expression, Tang Song's eyes were very clear. Keeping his mind and body between indulgence and clarity, Tang Song could feel that the Heaven River True Qi within him had become much purer.
There were many things Tang Song didn't tell Skye, such as the fact that Kane and Lane's arrival wasn't merely a matter of sneaking in.
"When the cunning rabbit dies, the good dog is cooked" - this saying applies in any country. At that time, the two brothers were being pursued and escaped to New York. It was Tang Song who stepped in and saved them.
(end of chapter)