Knight of the Light

Lashio is 120 kilometers south of Muse Port and is the central city of Shan State in northern Myanmar. Shan State considers this to be the capital, but the outside world does not recognize it. However, the investment permits obtained by the "Holy Light" are given by these local states.

Danbo was in a small four-wheel truck and came here from Ms. Muse in the north. He has a fleet of more than 20 vehicles, and this time it is carrying goods to Lashio for sale.

Said to be a central city, in fact, the population of Lashio is only about 200,000, which is equivalent to a town or even a township in China. Such a small population can't support much power, let alone strong armed forces.

The convoy from the north stopped at the checkpoint outside the city, and a few soldiers from Shan State came to check the pass. Most of them are small and thin, and their military uniforms are loose, making it seem that the weapons in their hands are particularly mismatched.

It is still a dirt road from Muse to Lashio, but it is much better than the rugged mountain road. Each small four-wheel truck pulls two tons of goods, which are basically daily necessities.

Danbo jumped from the leading small four rounds, and with his local accent, he approached the level soldiers. He took out a pack of cigarettes and sent them one by one, until the remaining half a pack was sent to the little boss guarding the checkpoint.

Cigarette is a'Dazhong 9', a very old brand, and the grade and price are not high. A lot of ‘Holy Light’ has been wholesaled, specifically for dumping at the bottom of Southeast Asia, and sold two or three times more expensive than in China.

Not only cigarettes are expensive, but everything sold in Myanmar is expensive.

After receiving the smoke from Tanba, the soldiers guarding the checkpoint were also satisfied. Their current requirements are not high and they are very happy to get a cigarette. More than 20 small four-wheel trucks were not subject to any inspections and easily drove into Lashio.

The urban construction in Lashio is not as good as the small domestic towns, with bad roads and bad houses, but it does not mean that there is no need for goods. The convoy had just passed the checkpoint and had not had time to head to the market. A dozen local businessmen crowded both sides of the road.

Danbo jumped out of the car and waved his hands and shouted: "Get out of the way, don't get in the way, let the convoy enter the market to unload the cargo. If you don't let it go, you will be crushed to death."

Tanba had to push and push to get rid of the local businessmen who had squeezed over, and it took a lot of effort to let the team enter the newly built market in the suburbs.

The "Shengguang Overseas Development Company" currently only penetrates into a range of 50 or 60 kilometers around the port. Except for a small number of "exploration" teams that travel hundreds of kilometers away, most of the company's employees focus on laying the foundation.

But in order to exert influence, the company does not mind sending a fleet of goods to certain central cities. In addition to Lashio, there are Myitkyina to the north, Mandalay to the south, and Yangon to the south.

As the capital, Yangon is located in the southernmost part of Myanmar, nearly 600 kilometers away from the central city of Mandalay, and the farthest distance from northern Myanmar is 1,200 kilometers. For backward countries, distance is the biggest obstacle to rule.

Danbo was born in northern Myanmar and has never left his hometown. His past activities were limited to a small circle, and his understanding of the world was like a frog in a well.

At the field hospital in Laojie County, Danbo saw TV, rode in a car, heard the radio for the first time, and was exposed to industrial civilization. In the past, this was only available to leaders of the ‘general’ level, and he had a little knowledge at best.

But after staying in the hospital for half a month, he got up every morning to listen to the "China National Radio" and watched the "News Broadcast" of China Central One in the evening. The movies and TV series were all in Chinese, and the information he received was never thought before.

Tanbo didn't realize there was anything wrong, but he was particularly novel. He and many of his peers eagerly accepted the instilled knowledge like a sponge absorbing water. He felt right what the group said, because the group was strong enough.

Half a month later, the gunshot wound on his thigh was almost healed, and Danbo joined the "Shengguang Overseas Development Company" with hundreds of young people. He didn't realize what it meant at all, only that it was a good job.

If there is no ‘Holy Light’, these young people will either work hard in the fields or join a certain force to carry guns as cannon fodder. But now the "Holy Light" provides them with more secure and more profitable jobs.

This is the same as the United States harvesting high-end talents from around the world. Increasing income and the environment is no disadvantage. Only an extremely determined person can resist this temptation, which is completely impossible for ordinary people.

Danbo's task is to act as a part-time translator and guide. He led the company's team around, either going deep into the mountains to find scattered local villages or armed forces, or following the team to do business in the ‘big city’.

When the convoy arrived in Lashio, all they unloaded were worthless things.

Tin buckets, candles, flashlights, thermos bottles, medical alcohol, salt, petrol and diesel, mess, everything. As long as they are needed in daily life, the group provides them.

The commodities come from small enterprises in Yunnan. Before undergoing large-scale transformation, the Myanmar market can feed these technologically backward enterprises. This is somehow stabilizing employment, or accommodating some of the employees eliminated from the restructuring of state-owned enterprises.

Due to the destruction of the civil war, Myanmar has no industry and can only provide some agricultural and forestry products. Industrial products basically rely on outsourcing, often from low-end products from China, Thailand or Vietnam.

After the goods were unloaded, local merchants drove a small three-wheeler also from the "Holy Light" to purchase. The transaction directly uses the soft sister currency. The light industrial products sold are more expensive than in Yunnan, but the local products purchased are cheaper than Yunnan.

As long as Myanmar does not have its own industrial capacity, the "scissors gap" of dumping will not stop. This is completely different from the group doing business in Eastern Europe, where Da Mao has industrial capabilities.

After unloading the cargo, the convoy will purchase rice from Mandalay and other places and load it away. The trade volume each time is not very large, at most 30,000 or 40,000 yuan, but there will be a fleet of vehicles every day.

As an interpreter, Danbo had to help the team discuss the next order. Local businessmen want almost everything, more vehicles, more gasoline and diesel, fertilizers and pesticides, and generators and tractors.

The rich will buy a few second-hand video recorders and video cassettes, or other household appliances. The trade demand between the two sides is huge, and the only restriction is that the road is too poor to run large trucks with a load of more than ten tons and dozens of tons.

As for the railway? It's too far away.

It was already afternoon when the convoy arrived in Lashio, and it would be dangerous to run a bad road back at night. As a guide, Tanba arranged for the driver of the convoy to stay in the warehouse in the city. He wanted to go shopping himself.

In the past, Lashio was a big city for Danbo. He has been longing for this place for a long time and has never been here. But now it’s really coming, and I’m disappointed every time I go shopping.

Compared with Mu Jie, who is being invested and constructed by the "Holy Light" and is rapidly modernizing, Lashio has only low earthen houses, broken streets, and open-air ditches.

There are soldiers everywhere in the city, always ready to fight, and they are completely inferior to the company's security personnel. Weapons and equipment are even more different, and even a few cars of "Holy Light" can be opened here as a company.

There are not many roads in Lashio, just like walking around. Lost in interest, Danbo was about to turn around and meet the warehouse.

Suddenly two foreigners with cameras rushed out on the road. The translator stopped Dan Bo and said proudly: "This is a reporter from the British BBC, I want to do an interview with you. Talk to them and you will be given money."