"Uh, yes! We indeed helped with the funding of this research. My De Guzman Family wants nothing more than equipping the country's army with the best weapons that could rival that of the Western powerhouses." Rex was a quick-witted person and he was able to come up with an excuse on the spot.
Arlan gave him a sneaky thumbs up.
Lieutenant General Rivera was still shaken by the potential of the Black Dragon Assault Helicopter. "You've done a lot for the army, Mr. De Guzman." He muttered.
Rex felt a bit embarrassed, but he accepted his gratitude with a straight face.
"Mr. Roa, when will this helicopter be completed?" The commanding general wanted to get his hands on this aircraft. He had even temporarily forgotten about his goal of visiting the arms company.
Arlan rubbed his chin as he put on a pondering look. "General, this helicopter has a more advanced system compared to other aircraft so we still need a lot of time to complete it. However, if we focus on this project, we might be able to give you a finished product in 2 months."
The commanding general turned silent upon hearing this. In the end, he sighed and shook his head. "This attack helicopter would be very useful for the army, but making it requires a lot of time. Unfortunately, the army is in dire need of weapons and equipment right now so I hope that you can deliver the goods we ordered on time. The NPA is causing trouble in the Mindanao region again and we have to equip our soldiers with the necessary equipment to fight against them."
"General, this is classified information." The army colonel behind him suddenly spoke.
Lieutenant General Rivera raised his hand and said. "It's fine. These people are one of our own. They are our main producer of weapons and Mr. De Guzman right here is the army's biggest sponsor. They will know about it soon anyway so there's no harm in telling them in advance."
The colonel remained silent after hearing this.
Arlan felt bad when he heard this. He really wanted to help the general, but he also had his reasons for prioritizing his weapons. While he was agonizing over this, a brilliant idea suddenly flashed in his mind. 'We can't make the weapons right now, but I can order some overseas! I also know of a person who is experienced in handling these matters...'
"General, since it's like this, I promise you that we will deliver the weapons and equipment on time." Arlan's words surprised Krizia. This wasn't part of what they practiced.
'What is Mr. Roa planning?' She thought to herself while looking at Arlan.
They planned to bribe the general using the Black Dragon Assault Helicopter. It will give them enough time to stop the army and the government from investigating the arms corporation.
"You have my thanks, Mr. Roa." Lieutenant General Rivera extended his hand.
Arlan grabbed it and shook hands with him. He could feel the general's calluses. It was rough and warm. It made him remember his late grandfather.
The group went back to the office to discuss about the weapons that the army ordered to be made. Their discussion ended after almost an hour.
"General, I hope that you can keep the information about the Black Dragon Assault Helicopter a secret for the time being. I'm afraid that there might be foreign spies in our country so we have to be careful. I'll report this to the president myself after we make a complete product." Arlan muttered solemnly.
"You have my word, Mr. Roa. I will also ensure the safety of the factory to make you feel at ease. Tomorrow, I will send a company of soldiers to protect the area. You don't have to worry about the arms corporation's security." Lieutenant General Rivera promised.
Soon, they left after bidding farewell to Arlan's group.
Dickoy Tuazon heaved a sigh of relief as he watched the soldiers leave. He was afraid that Arlan would make a mistake in his discussion with the commanding general. "They finally left..."
Arlan chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Good job. Now, that we have dealt with the commanding general, you can resume the production of my weapons."
Dickoy was stunned by his words. "Mr. Roa, didn't you promise the general that we will deliver their equipment on time?"
Arlan smiled as he muttered mysteriously. "Relax. I'll handle their equipment. Just continue with the production of my weapons."
Dickoy wanted to ask him how he would deal with it, but he tactfully nodded his head. He knew that he shouldn't ask such questions to his boss.
"Mr. De Guzman, thank you for coming here in person. Your presence lessened the pressure I felt." Arlan didn't forget to thank Rex. This person was busy, but he made some time to help Arlan solve his problem.
"Haha! You even dare to fool the commanding general. I admire your courage, Mr. Roa." Rex laughed heartily.
They chatted briefly before Arlan sent Rex off.
After he left, Arlan's group also returned to the mansion in Forbes Park.
"Mr. Roa, how will you solve the weapons ordered by the army?" Krizia has been curious the whole time and she could no longer hold back her curiosity.
"There is this guy named Ben Hidalgo. He is an arms dealer. We had some dealings with him before. That guy is very experienced in transportating illegal firearms in our country. He should be able to smuggle what we need." Arlan muttered as he chuckled.
Karl who was driving the car couldn't help but stare at Arlan through the rearview mirror when he heard him talking about Ben Hidalgo. "Boss, can we even trust that guy?" He knew about Ben since they had been friends for a long time. That guy was very greedy and he would do anything for money.
"Haha! I would be a fool if I trust him. However, we can make use of his connections to purchase a batch of weapons overseas." Arlan smiled as he leaned on the car's leather seat.
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