Upon hearing Liu Lu's words, Wang Yu and Wu Lingling were both taken aback, their inquiries echoing in unison.
"Robbed? Who did it?"
"How could a convoy be robbed for no reason?"
Wang Yu and Wu Lingling spoke their minds, their questions diverging. Wu Lingling wanted to know the outcome, while Wang Yu prioritized the cause. This was the fundamental difference in their approach to problem-solving: Wang Yu sought reasons, Lingling asked about results.
"The transport convoy was robbed at the pass located at the border between Sanshan Province and this province," Liu Lu said helplessly. "Sanshan Province has numerous mountains and a complex environment, coupled with relatively poor economic development, so for centuries, many people have been engaged in highway robbery. The order goods that Qinglu Group requires must be transported through the main road of Sanshan Province. Perhaps because there were too many vehicles transporting..."
At this point, Liu Lu trailed off. The cause and effect were clear: wealth has always been a temptation! In this era, bandits and road robbers were still prevalent, and many truck drivers faced great danger when transporting goods externally! Otherwise, how could people make money? This was truly risking their lives! It was for this very reason that Wang Yu had enlisted Brother Hu and his gang to handle the logistics and transport convoy. The idea was to let these petty criminals deal with the ruffians and scoundrels, so there hadn't been any major issues for a long time.
However, this time, due to the sheer volume of orders from Qinglu Group, in addition to their own logistics and transport convoy, Wang Yu had also heavily compensated all nearby truck drivers, and even some ordinary citizens, to drive trucks and even tractors. With such a large-scale transport of vehicles, they were inevitably targeted! Brother Hu's thugs and the professional truck drivers were all experienced in the ways of the world, but it was different for these ordinary people. Since last night, over a dozen vehicles had already been robbed. Due to the inconvenience of transportation and communication, the news had only just reached them!
"According to the reports, the robbers likely blocked the main road with large stones or trees. When the drivers, confused, stopped to check, they suddenly rushed out and looted everything!"
"Everything was looted?" Wang Yu raised an eyebrow.
"That's right. The drivers were stripped down to their underwear, and the vehicles, along with the cargo, were all stolen. The experienced members of the transport team and the truck drivers, seeing that the situation was unfavorable, would simply accelerate and break through. But ordinary drivers had no idea, and were directly robbed!" Liu Lu sighed helplessly. "Fortunately, our people travel on the road often, and those individuals were wary, so they only robbed for wealth and did not harm anyone. However, even so... the losses are considerable! Never mind the loss of over a dozen trucks, the vehicles themselves were also stolen. Conservatively, the loss is estimated to be around 200,000. But for these people, the biggest 'value' they could get from them is selling them as scrap metal!"
At this, Liu Lu sighed with helplessness. Wang Yu was also at a loss. It was like petty thieves in later generations pouring out all the drinks they stole and then selling the bottles as scrap – a complete waste of resources that showcased no value, yet there was nothing they could do about it!
"And the most crucial problem is that due to the appearance of these ruffians, the main road through Sanshan Province can no longer be used. Not only is there a risk to the drivers' lives, but they also face potential blockades and losses caused by their constant road closures. If this continues, we won't be able to deliver all the products to Qinglu Group within the stipulated time!"
Hearing Liu Lu's words, Wu Lingling quickly asked, "What about taking a detour?"
"The area is surrounded by mountains, and there's only this main road. If we choose to detour, we would have to increase the journey by at least three times. Moreover, those are small roads, and we would have to bear the risks associated with traffic safety due to taking shortcuts! In that case, the delivery schedule would be even more impossible to meet." Liu Lu calmly analyzed every possibility, and as she spoke, Wu Lingling's expression grew darker.
"These damned fellows are truly detestable!" Wu Lingling said with indignation, her fair fist slamming on the table.
"Hmm, the fact that there were no casualties is the greatest fortune," Wang Yu mused for a moment before asking, "Have you reported it to the Public Security Bureau?"
"We have already reported it, and the relevant records have been made. However, the comrades at the Public Security Bureau also told us that these people are very difficult to apprehend. The surrounding traffic environment is too complex, and it's right on the border of two provinces, making it very difficult to catch those local ruffians! Furthermore, they are seasoned criminals and won't leave any obvious evidence. Unless they are caught red-handed, it's hard to convict them, so for now, there's no immediate solution!" Liu Lu explained again. "We have so many vehicles, and they can't possibly provide escort for all of them."
"Then what do we do?" Wu Lingling was truly starting to panic. The most terrifying thing in life is not despair itself, but the renewed despair after experiencing hope! If Wang Yu's orders could not be delivered on time, Qinglu Group would face hundreds of billions in Sam coins in compensation. Unless she was willing to watch her family's business collapse due to a liquidity crisis, she would have to marry someone from the Mu family. Damn it, who would want to marry that effeminate fellow? Thinking of this, Wu Lingling instinctively looked at Wang Yu. She recalled that he always seemed to be able to turn the impossible into the possible.
...
Ping'an Village, located at the junction of Sanshan Province and Jiangyang County in Guānjīang Province, was currently bustling on the road outside the village. More than ten vehicles were lined up, including old tractors, ordinary Beifeng brand trucks, and new vehicles from the Jiangyang County Automobile Factory. A group of men, dressed somewhat sloppily and dirtily, were gathered around the vehicles. Some were smoking, some were bragging, and some were fast asleep leaning against the cargo boxes. These were the young and middle-aged men from Ping'an Village who had previously robbed the vehicles from the automobile factory. They were now gathered together with nothing to do.
"Brother Nie, do you think this is okay?" The leader among them was a middle-aged man, squatting on the hood of the foremost tractor, smoking with a gloomy expression. Several young men surrounded him, looking somewhat uneasy.
"Brother Nie, that fellow named Fang Zhongtian doesn't seem very reliable. He asked us to rob these vehicles, which are all strangely shaped parts. What can we do with these?"
"Yeah, this is a crime. Will we go to jail if we do it?"
"If you ask me..."
"Enough!" The middle-aged man interrupted everyone, crushing his cigarette butt fiercely. "Stop the nonsense. We have no other choice now. Do you all not want your wages back?"
"This..." Everyone exchanged glances, unable to speak.
"Fine, arrange for people to continue monitoring the intersection and the surrounding main roads. When you see vehicles from the automobile factory, act! Then, send someone to find Fang Zhongtian and tell him to hurry up and fulfill his promise to get our wages!" The middle-aged man said. Everyone nodded repeatedly and said nothing more.
...
In Wang Yu's office, Wu Lingling, Liu Lu, and others who had rushed over upon hearing the news – Feng Daochun and the old director Li Ming – all looked at Wang Yu with astonishment.
"This... Director, isn't this a bit too much?"