German Red Prince

Page 155

“Our kingdom can’t rely on William every day. That guy is full of bad ideas. Who knows what he might do one day? I see that South America is not bad. They don’t give us any preferential treatment, right? Then we won’t go there. Going somewhere else is better than staying here.”

"Exactly, and Patagonia is nice here too, the people are good, I like it here. It's just that those Argentine navy guys are really annoying. What are they doing following us all day long? Let them fire their cannons if they dare." John threw down his cigarette and spat. That Argentinian was really annoying, he just couldn't get rid of him no matter what.

"Let them follow, are you afraid they'll fire? How could these people possibly dare to fire?" Hans smiled. In this world, who would dare to provoke a German ship?

"We've arrived." Hans called to John, looking at the cheering crowd on the harbor. "Come on, let's get off the ship and have a drink. Have you got the money ready?"

"Of course, it's packed full."

John patted his pocket. The sea voyage was incredibly boring, so once they arrived at their destination, it would be a good opportunity for some entertainment. Thorne tacitly approved of their actions; disembarking and relaxing was fine as long as they didn't cause trouble. Patagonia also supported this, as they could earn a considerable amount of foreign exchange during this opportunity.

After the ships docked, the dockworkers began unloading the cargo. Thorne exchanged finished industrial products and weapons for Patagonian raw materials, essentially charging a processing fee in the process.

Patagonia was unable to produce high-quality weapons and machinery, so the Kingdom of the Rhine sold them pre-processed parts, which to some extent boosted Patagonia's industrial strength.

After the sailors disembarked, the crowd waiting in the port got busy, selling products to the sailors, ranging from handicrafts to small animals, and even some antique firearms that could be collected.

These German sailors were never short of food or clothing. They carried a lot of things with them on their voyages, but besides money, the most they carried was food. Sometimes a small bag of flour could be exchanged for a lot of good stuff.

Of course, these people wouldn't dare to rob it, after all, this is an important way for the government to generate revenue. There were also many patrolling soldiers present. If anyone really got carried away and dared to openly rob it, they would be shot. Not only would they be shot, but they might also be beaten up by the people around them. If they did something bad, it would ruin everyone's livelihood.

Seamen are very generous spenders; a single transaction can often support a family's expenses for several months, so they are very serious about sales.

Because he had chosen a good spot, Burdisso was among the first to receive customers. He took out the items from his bag to promote them, including some industrial products made at home and animal specimens. John immediately took a liking to a statue, a silver eagle statue.

"how much is this?"

“Three marks. I picked this up on the battlefield. Our army ambushed an invading Argentine army, and I found this on the battlefield. I got it from an Argentine officer.”

"These people who sell things like to make up stories. You should think about that." Hans smiled. He had been on ships a lot. Wherever he sold something, didn't he have to promote it properly?

“It’s alright, it’s not expensive anyway.” John gave Burdisso ten marks. “Do you have anything else? I’ll take it all.”

These things might only cost ten marks here, but once he returns home, after a little repackaging, their price could increase tenfold.

Burdisso was somewhat incredulous that he had earned ten marks on his first transaction. It seemed like he was having a lucky day. He picked and chose, taking out a number of items and putting them into John's bag. These ten marks would be enough for his family to live on for a long time.

Do you know where I can buy alcohol?

"The tavern? Over there." Burdisso pointed in a direction. "That tavern, the sailors used to drink there."

"OK, thanks."

John tossed a small five-pointed star badge to Burdisso and walked toward the tavern with Hans.

The port was very busy, with people selling their products. It only got lively when ships from the Rhine came.

However, just as Patagonia was cheering for the Rhine's ships, Argentina encountered trouble.

The bank manager opened the vault and found that nearly five million marks had vanished. He was terrified; how could such a secure vault in the south have been robbed!

316. A fruitful harvest

Banco do Sul, Argentina, boasts the most secure security and the most robust vaults in all of Argentina. Years of advertising have earned the bank a high level of trust, making it a favorite among large-scale farmers and factory owners in southern Argentina to deposit their money.

This bank had indeed never had any incidents, just as it had always claimed, until this time, when the bank's vault doors were opened, all five million German marks inside had vanished. The bank, which claimed to be the most secure in all of Argentina, had been breached.

When the bank manager saw the five million marks disappear, he nearly fainted. That was no small sum; it was a full five million marks! Five million marks!

The police arrived quickly. There was a large hole in the vault, which was obviously the place where the person had crawled in. Several policemen jumped into the hole. The tunnel didn't seem to have been built in a hurry; there were even wooden planks laid inside, which was obviously to facilitate the transport of money out.

The tunnel wasn't very long, and the police quickly followed it to the starting point, an empty house near the bank. The people there had obviously been gone for a long time and hadn't left any clues.

Before the police have even finished their investigation, depositors who learned of the bank robbery have already flocked to the scene. "Isn't this supposed to be the most secure bank in all of Argentina? How could it have been robbed?" they exclaimed.

Angry depositors surrounded the bank, demanding an explanation and answers about what would happen to their lost money.

Those who come to deposit money are all influential figures in society. In addition, the loss is indeed quite large, five million marks. Filling this hole will take a lot of effort.

Unable to withstand the pressure, the bank manager quickly chose to hang himself. The bank robbery also triggered political turmoil, with many officials in the southern regions being ousted. The incident soon became international news, and the Argentine government began a nationwide manhunt for the murderer, determined to find out the truth.

However, the organizers of the operation had already fled. They quickly moved away after transporting the last banknote, and by the time the bank discovered that they had already escaped Argentina.

"Long live Comrade Joseph!"

"Long live!"

On the carriage, several team members cheered, surprised that they had actually succeeded this time and had successfully "withdrew" the money from the bank.

Everyone knows the situation of the Patagonian Workers' Front. It is blockaded by Argentina and has no funds at home, so it cannot develop at all. Although Thorne agreed to trade between the Kingdom of the Rhine and Patagonia, that is still too slow. They need to find a way to make money quickly.

Joseph naturally started thinking about this as well. Who was he? A notorious bandit from the Caucasus back in the day, he had done a lot of things to help the Party organization raise funds.

What makes money fast? Robbery, of course!

He had robbed banks a few times before when he was in Russia, but each time he only stole a few tens of thousands of rubles. This time, it can be said to be his most successful and largest robbery.

What does five million mean? If he had been able to get five million marks in Russia back then, the October Revolution and the Provisional Government could have started right away.

Joseph had planned and prepared for this operation for a long time. He had already scouted the area near the bank, contacted his comrades who were lurking in Argentina, and learned about the bank's daily operations. He then began to implement his plan with his loyal comrades within the party.

This mission was very risky, but high risk brings high reward. Joseph was a ruthless man; there were no difficulties for him. After several months of hard work, they succeeded.

Five million marks would be enough for Patagonia to develop rapidly. This money would allow Patagonia to begin industrialization. This large sum of start-up capital would enable the development of industry, agriculture, and infrastructure.

Comrade Soto had actually made plans for Patagonia long ago, but he was troubled by unresolved economic problems. Now, all the difficulties are over.

"Long live!"

The comrades in the carriage were still cheering. This was the most exciting mission he had ever participated in. They had actually accomplished what seemed like an impossible task. It was simply unbelievable.

"Comrades, I understand your feelings. I am just as excited as you are right now, but we must remain calm. After discovering the bank robbery, the Argentine authorities will definitely do their best to investigate. We cannot be too ostentatious, otherwise it will be very detrimental to our country."

The Argentine government would naturally be furious at losing such a large sum of savings and would investigate it thoroughly. However, they are unlikely to suspect Patagonia at first, since Patagonia is in its current state and would not dare to provoke Argentina. If it weren't for Chile protecting them, Argentina would have already pushed them aside.

Their first suspicion would likely fall on domestic criminal groups, given Argentina's already poor economy and even worse security situation. There are many gangs in the country, and who knows if one of them is short of money and looking to pull off a big heist? That's the most likely explanation.

Joseph had the same idea when he first started planning this. Since the gangs in Argentina were so rampant, he wanted to do a good deed. Joseph left some clues, but these clues all pointed to several of the larger local gangs. The police were investigating this matter, and the gangs were definitely investigating as well, after all, five million was no small sum.

There will definitely be people who would rather die than give up money and guns. The gangs and police will fight each other, disrupting the security in the south. This way, Patagonia can send more undercover agents to fish in troubled waters. Let them fight, and we can quietly absorb the funds.

Soto was also anxiously awaiting news. It was a very risky decision, but if successful, Patagonia's economy would take off. Moreover, Joseph and the comrades he had sent had also given their fingerprints, promising not to reveal any information about Patagonia if they were caught. This risk was worth taking.

Soon someone brought news that Joseph had returned safely. Soto breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the news. It was good that he was back safely; even if there had been no gains, it didn't really matter.

He walked out of the house, and Joseph and several other comrades jumped out of the car and ran over quickly. Joseph gripped Soto's arm tightly, looking very excited.

"Success!"

"Success?"

Upon hearing this good news, Soto was almost speechless; it had actually succeeded! It was truly a miracle!

"We transported five million marks from the Southern Bank, and they're all on the trucks!"

"You've worked so hard! You are heroes of Patagonia!"

Soto patted Joseph on the broad shoulder, saying that with such a large sum of money, Patagonia's development for the next five years wouldn't be a big worry.

"By the way, Comrade Joseph, a ship from the Kingdom of the Rhine has arrived today. Perhaps the German comrades have brought you something."

Soto led Joseph toward the port. With the internal and external problems resolved, Patagonia had a good chance of breaking free from Chile's control and developing independently, before engaging in a decisive battle with Argentina.

317. Development

Thorne brought back many good things on this trip. Several trades between the Kingdom of Rhine and Patagonia have greatly improved Patagonia's economic situation.

At least now industrial products are no longer produced in small workshops; there are proper factories with dedicated workers.

In modern Patagonia, being a worker is definitely the most sought-after profession. If a family has just one worker, their monthly income can easily support a family of four, which is much higher than the income from herding or shearing sheep.

Patagonia today has state-run steel mills and machine shops, and these factories have dedicated technical advisors.

Soto never imagined that one day Patagonia would be able to extract and process its own resources, and that these powers would finally be in the hands of its own people.

Arriving at the harbor, the city, one of Patagonia's most prosperous cities, recently saw its roads paved and some public transportation available.

Generally speaking, ships from the Kingdom of Rhine will stop here for a relatively long time to rest and replenish their supplies before leaving. Looking at the ships docked in the port, Soto couldn't help but sigh, "If only Patagonia had such huge ships someday."

Impoverished Patagonia lacked shipbuilding technology and couldn't even build a small cargo ship. The seafarers could only sail their wooden boats to fish.

Faced with a powerful Argentina, Patagonia alone could not possibly have survived. Its military lacked an air force and navy, and its army was very limited and lacked professional training; in other countries, it would have been considered part of the militia.

When there is no peace, these so-called army units are confidently disbanded to help with production work, and they only regroup in emergencies.

The army's weaponry was extremely limited; they couldn't even equip every soldier with a gun. If machine guns were considered heavy weapons, then they did have some.

However, these problems should be well resolved in the future. They have obtained several million marks from Argentina, which will definitely have a significant impact on the country's development.

For Patagonia to break free from Chilean control, it must first establish its own industrial system, and then operate continuously within this system to truly achieve a tripartite balance of power.

At the port, there were people specifically assigned to receive Soto and his party. Every time they went on transoceanic trade, there would be several comrades from the German Communist Party on board who would discuss the current state of development in Germany and Europe with them, so that they could formulate specific policies based on the international situation.

Joseph and others learned about the situation in Europe from their comrades in the German Communist Party. The situation in Germany was becoming increasingly abnormal. In Thorne's words, the fuse had been lit and the powder keg could explode at any moment.

Joseph might not have believed these words if someone else had said them, but since it was Thorne, it was indeed something to seriously consider. If the situation in Germany was indeed this unfavorable, it would have a significant impact on the entire world situation. If a civil war were to break out in Germany one day, that would be a tremendous opportunity.

The German civil war will inevitably cause turmoil in the international situation. The French Commune has been watching Germany for so long, and Thorne has also been preparing. When the Reich Pact collapses, it will be a good thing for Patagonia. In this way, the French Commune will not have to devote a lot of energy to Germany every year, and South American countries like them may also receive aid from the Commune.

"Comrade Joseph, Comrade Thorne has also learned about the situation here. Patagonia is currently lacking an effective armed force, so Comrade Thorne specifically asked me to bring some good things."

The man led Joseph and Soto to the unloading area. This time, Thorne brought not only industrial goods, but also weapons.

"Patagonia is under great pressure from the north and Chile is pressing closer from the west, so it is now imperative to have a powerful armed force."

"These submachine guns are the latest production from the Kingdom of the Rhine, as are these machine guns, which have absolutely formidable firepower. In addition, we have brought some heavy equipment, including artillery and armored vehicles, which are gifts for our comrades in Patagonia. We hope that you can achieve victory in the revolution soon."

These equipment were certainly not something Thorne acquired for free; he bought them with his own money and then gave them to Patagonia as gifts. Soft power development must be accompanied by hard power development, otherwise destruction is only a matter of time.

Looking at the boxes of weapons, Soto felt that happiness had come too suddenly. Before Joseph came, they were fighting guerrilla warfare in the mountains of Patagonia, living a life of hunger and hardship, and had never had a good day.

Now that Comrade Joseph has arrived, life has changed dramatically. So many times we had applied to the French Commune for aid, but none of it came. Joseph just wrote a few letters and made a few contacts, and a cargo ship sailed over from the Kingdom of the Rhine.

Now that they knew they lacked equipment and various weapons, the ship had delivered them all this time. It was like a dream come true. Soto was overjoyed; this was a good comrade from Europe.

Joseph was not only very reliable in his work, but also had many connections, which greatly helped Patagonia's development. For example, Patagonia had a long-standing and serious religious problem, with Catholic churches consuming a lot of resources, which had been a major headache for Soto.

After learning the specifics, Joseph created their own "Workers' Church." Soto could hardly believe that socialist ideas could be linked with religion, and that it could be so successful. Their Workers' Church was much more popular than the original churches.

Joseph picked up a submachine gun and examined it. The submachine gun looked very unusual and had a very simple structure. But that was a good thing; simplicity meant it was cheap, easy to repair and handle, and suitable for use in a situation like Patagonia.

"These are the kingdom's latest weapon designs, very inexpensive, and suitable for mass deployment," someone explained to Joseph. These weapons were all deadly instruments of war.

“Thank you very much for the assistance from our German comrades.” Joseph shook hands with him. If they had received so much assistance before, Joseph might have been very happy, but now he had a bigger goal.

"Comrade, we hope to receive some technical assistance from the Kingdom of the Rhine. We hope that the Kingdom of the Rhine can send some technical experts, and we will pay the necessary funds."

Patagonia now has five million marks in funds, and Joseph will certainly use that money to pull off an even bigger heist.

318. The Future of Patagonia (New book released)

"Patagonia needs technology now more than ever, and we hope to get more technological support from the Kingdom of the Rhine."

"Of course, we will not take it for nothing. We will pay the corresponding funds to the Kingdom of Rhine, hoping that Patagonia can become self-reliant one day."

Hearing Joseph's words, the German comrade who had come all the way from Frankfurt was very moved. He wondered how long it would take to provide aid if it were just simple assistance.

A small favor is appreciated, but a large one breeds resentment. Look at the French Commune now, providing aid everywhere, but how many of these aids are actually being used effectively? If the French Commune is at a disadvantage on the battlefield in the future, who knows if these countries will remember the kindness France showed them back then?

Since Joseph proposed that Patagonia should develop independently, we will not let him down. However, independent development is much more difficult than providing aid. Does Patagonia have that much funding?

"Comrades, I understand your feelings. You want Patagonia to become strong through its own efforts, but development is much more difficult than development through aid. Does Patagonia really have enough strength to carry out such a large-scale development?"

Upon hearing this question, Joseph and Soto exchanged a glance. This wouldn't have been possible before, but now it really could be.

"Comrade, you don't need to worry about that. I think Comrade Thorne will understand what I'm saying. Patagonia needs a large number of professional and technical personnel, and we hope that the Kingdom of the Rhine can provide assistance."

"No problem. What are your main requirements? I will report to Comrade Thorne."

Soto's industrialization blueprint has long been drawn up, just waiting for the right opportunity, and now the time, place, and people are all in place.

Regarding the bank theft, Argentina is very likely not to suspect Patagonia, as this small, isolated regime on the South American frontier would not have the audacity to commit such a crime.

If the investigation within the country is unclear, Patagonia is most likely to suspect Chile, given that it has the strongest defense force in South America besides Argentina, and it also has a left-wing ideology, making it irreconcilable with Argentina.

If there are no problems at home, who, besides Chile, would dare to cause trouble for Argentina in South America?

Although it's difficult to get a number internationally, Argentina is a behemoth in the South American region.

Let them distrust each other while I develop in secret. Even if they eventually find out, Patagonia will be far more developed than before.

"Patagonia needs to build a strong defense industry, so we hope to get assistance from military experts. The current Patagonian army is too monolithic. We also hope to have our own armored forces, as well as our own air force and navy. We hope to import production lines from the Kingdom of the Rhine."