Chapter 35: El Municionero (3)

Chapter 35: El Municionero (3)

The host ushered the guest into the living room and asked me while offering me to sit.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Something to drink, yes. Just a glass of water, please.”

“Is that okay?”The roots of this story extend from novell bìn origin.

“Yes.”

Upon hearing my reply, Ricardo raised his eyebrows and shoulders, then quickly fetched two glasses of water. I took my first step into what seemed like a carefully chosen negotiation ground, waiting for him to sit on the opposite side.

“Ricardo, I heard that you used to work in the infrastructure division of the ‘Cartel del Noreste’ in the past. Your brother is still with the Northeast Cartel, isn’t he?”

“Roughly correct.”

“Roughly?”

“My role was more accurately in installing and operating supply points. It was more akin to a quartermaster than a simple facilities manager. And my brother is part of the ‘Tropa del Infierno’, a top-notch strike force under the Northeast Cartel. I don’t know if you’ve heard of them.”

“I’ve heard of them.”

Knowledge was power, and thorough research on your negotiating partner was a prerequisite for successful negotiations. Leaning against the backrest, I crossed my legs and continued.

“Knowing your brother’s affiliation brings something to mind. At the beginning of this year, Comandante (Commander) Cisneros, also known as Hugo Alejandro Salcido Cisneros, was assassinated along with his aides. I believe it happened in Nuevo Laredo, right?”

“You seem to know more than I expected.”

Ricardo didn’t hide his surprise.

Comandante Cisneros, whose full name was Hugo Alejandro Salcido Cisneros, was in command of the Tropa del Infierno. And Nuevo Laredo, situated along the U.S.-Mexico border, was one of the major drug trafficking routes for the Cartel del Noreste.

Cisneros’s death was proof that Mexican President Obrador’s determination to eradicate cartels from the country was not yet broken. Although the president had declared that he would abandon the war against crime, it was more like an announcement that they would stop an all-out war. Looking at the constant arrests and deaths of cartel members, it was clear that those who had been complacent with the government’s surrender declaration were being naive.

Somehow, I had a feeling.

“Living so peacefully—”

I said, casting a glance out the window.

“And then suddenly feeling the need to trade with me... Could that be related to that incident? Generational changes are always accompanied by noise.

Ricardo paused, stroked his beard for a moment, and seemed hesitant before he admitted.

“Once again, you’re right.”

“Shall we hear the details?”

Instead of answering, Ricardo stared at me in silence. The absence of his usual smile made the silence somewhat nervously static. The source of this tension was probably his own uneasiness, not me. It was a problem that he was so obviously inexperienced in negotiations. It could make it easy to underestimate the other party. I had to control myself to avoid doing just that. I chose to guide the conversation in a way that wouldn’t lead to ignoring him.

“Seems like you’re pondering where to start, but it’s too late.”

“Late?”

“Late as in you’ve already made a mistake.”

“Mistake?”

“Yes, a mistake. You haven’t denied that what you’re expecting from me is related to the organization’s generational shift, and you’ve admitted that you have no regrets about your life up to this point.”

No matter how much Mexican cartels brag about their power, they couldn’t beat the Chinese Communist Party. In every aspect of the black economy, those fake communists maintained their position as the world’s number one with an overwhelming lead.

I snapped my fingers to refocus his attention.

“Now, Ricardo, what do you think is the reason I’ve been telling you all of this?”

“Perhaps you won’t try to stall for time and profit when dealing with me?”

“That’s correct.”

“Why?”

“Because the chief is my friend, and you are someone he introduced to me.”

It was an unexpected answer, and Ricardo’s expression flickered with surprise.

The “Los Zetas” cartel was originally composed of former special forces members, and the organizational culture was very military-like. The young negotiator in front of me had repeatedly referred to himself as a “quartermaster,” most likely due to the influence of the organization’s culture or his past military service.

‘It seems that this kind of code works well with guys who have camaraderie.’

Words were tools used to gauge one another. Regardless of whether their camaraderie was genuine or not, what mattered was that the parties involved believed it was real.

I adopted a languid tone, exuding an air of relaxation.

“That’s why you should pass on the message to your underground friends. Here, there won’t be any fights or a need to escape through tunnels.”

Shock filled the eyes staring back at me.

“How on earth did you...”

“Let’s just call this my caution. ‘Caution on the part of the trading partner is a good thing,’ isn’t that right?”

The self-proclaimed quartermaster hesitated for a moment before a disheartened laugh escaped him. He couldn’t possibly imagine that I had eyes that could see underground. The three armed men below seemed confused. They had been eavesdropping on our conversation in the negotiation room through the bug concealed in the landlord’s vest. A dog wagged its tail vigorously toward them.

“Why don’t you also ask your friends to come up? If your friends from Mexico came all the way here with you, they can’t just be casual acquaintances. They seem like people who would move together with you when you move.”

I finished my sentence and took a sip of water to moisten my dry throat. Ricardo turned to his wife with an awkward expression.

“Araceli, tell everyone to come up.”

The source of the awkwardness was undoubtedly the bug. The fact that a conversation that should have been kept secret was being eavesdropped on was now openly acknowledged. They were putting on an unfamiliar act.

‘Alright.’

With this alone, I had overcome one of the difficult hurdles in the negotiation. Ricardo was now confined within the framework I had set. The regret was not mine but Ricardo’s.

To tell the truth, the limited time given to Ricardo was a disadvantage for me as well. I had to conclude the contract somehow. If the negotiations fell apart here, the London operation would be delayed accordingly, and I would have to bear the additional risks associated with the delay. But how would this quartermaster discern my dissatisfaction? The essence of every negotiation was to hide one’s weaknesses while probing the weaknesses of the other party.

Now Ricardo had realized that he was just a novice negotiator. Simultaneously, due to the honesty I had shown, he might unconsciously perceive it as being difficult to find a better trading partner like me. Furthermore, by mentioning the trade with China, I had subconsciously conveyed the impression of my stature through its scale.

The outcome of all these causes would undoubtedly be a negotiation that proceeded swiftly and progressively. It was good for me, and it was good for the quartermaster too. All I had to do was make sure that the conversation didn’t veer off in an unexpected direction. As long as I didn’t give room for deeper thought, it would be enough.

1. TLN: Reminder that the MC called himself “Hwang,” but in Ricardo’s case, his pronunciation of MC’s name is a little bit wrong. Also, a fun fact, Huang can also mean yellow. Author's Thoughts

Disclaimer:

This novel is a work of fiction! While it may incorporate elements inspired by our "real" historical world, including historical events, settings, and cultures, it is important to note that the story and characters are entirely products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, or actual events is purely coincidental. This work should be enjoyed and interpreted as a work of fiction and not as a representation of historical facts or reality.

Also, if you find some error in translation please do let me know by tagging me (@_dawn24) in our Discord server. Since this series is kinda hard to translate. But I'll try my best to make it at least readable :)

Enjoy reading~!